LeggoCast #15 - aejones and BobboFitos

[Vitas23]

In LeggoCast #15 Aaron chops it up with Rob "BobboFitos" Eckstut, topics include basketball and, well, more basketball. Little is left uncovered as two of LeggoPoker's biggest basketball fans pay tribute to the game. From March Madness to Aaron's new pet project, nothing is left unsaid.

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[garbageman18]

really enjoyed the podcast and checked out the site and was impressed with the material on there. I thought it was interesting when you guys talked about enjoying the game more because you can think about it on a much deeper level then the average fan. I agree and disagree on some levels, in some ways i enjoy the baseball more because i can think about it on a deeper level, for instance planning out pitch sequences for certain batters based on there swing mechanics, bat path, bat speed, the way defenses are aligned due to pitches being thrown, etc. but sometimes i wish i could just sit back and enjoy a game without getting so intense with the subtleties that most fans wouldnt even notice.

i was hoping you guys would talk bout the knicks a little more and how you think melo fits with the team and what not and if they have a chance of taking the magic in 7 if that was the matchup. Also I would like to hear your thoughts on Amar'es game. Lately for me at least he has been unwatchable, this isnt high level thinking or anything but it just seems like since melos getting a shit ton of touches that when amar'e gets the ball when hes face up with the basket the balls goin up. when he gets the ball 15-16 feet away from the bucket and gets a look without having to put the ball on the ground hes very efficient but once he has to put the ball on the ground it seems like every D collapses and he still putting the ball up or getting a turnover. I think that his fg% from 15-16 feet away is higher then it is in the paint right now.

cliffs
a) do the knicks have a shot if they draw the magic round 1
b) thoughts on amare's game
c) thoughts on billups and if the knicks are better off having douglas starting @ the 1 or having a billups douglas combo instead of fields @ the 2

[BobboFitos]

Originally Posted by garbageman18

really enjoyed the podcast and checked out the site and was impressed with the material on there. I thought it was interesting when you guys talked about enjoying the game more because you can think about it on a much deeper level then the average fan. I agree and disagree on some levels, in some ways i enjoy the baseball more because i can think about it on a deeper level, for instance planning out pitch sequences for certain batters based on there swing mechanics, bat path, bat speed, the way defenses are aligned due to pitches being thrown, etc. but sometimes i wish i could just sit back and enjoy a game without getting so intense with the subtleties that most fans wouldnt even notice.

I never meant to put down baseball. It's a sport I don't particularly enjoy, it doesn't mean it's not a good sport! Obviously there is a considerable amount of deeper thinking at various points in the game.

i was hoping you guys would talk bout the knicks a little more and how you think melo fits with the team and what not and if they have a chance of taking the magic in 7 if that was the matchup.

Absolutely no chance vs the Magic. The last game they played vs the Magic was March 28th, when it went to OT. Dwight Howard got ejected on some very, very dubious calls in overtime.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/...103280NYK.html

Dwight went for 29 and 18 and held Amare to 20 and 9. Dwight fouled out Shelden Williams in 15 minutes... The fact the Knicks had to even play Shelden Williams was indicative of the game.

Basically, I'd expect the series to go 5 or 6, largely because Carmelo is too good to not "win a game" by himself. (Basically, over 6 games or so you expect 1 performance where he runs incredibly hot and doesn't miss low % shots).

As far as Melo + Amare, well, contrary to what the media has been saying, the Knicks have gotten better. Since the Melo trade (which happened around the All-Star break) the Knicks have had a +1.7 pp100 point differential. Before the trade? Roughly +0.6 pp100. The problem is people were expecting large dividends, but completely forgot that NY gave up some pretty good players in the process. (They got the best player in the deal, but sacrificed quality starters, so it was hardly a huge win for them)

The early returns are that this Knicks team is the best offensive team in the league but are possibly the worst defensive team. No real shocks there. I don't think Carmelo is really that great of a pairing with Amare, and the synergy, in a sense, hasn't been there. Amare could also be tired, considering the load he's had to carry and the minutes/pace he's been playing under D'Antoni.

Also I would like to hear your thoughts on Amar'es game. Lately for me at least he has been unwatchable, this isnt high level thinking or anything but it just seems like since melos getting a shit ton of touches that when amar'e gets the ball when hes face up with the basket the balls goin up. when he gets the ball 15-16 feet away from the bucket and gets a look without having to put the ball on the ground hes very efficient but once he has to put the ball on the ground it seems like every D collapses and he still putting the ball up or getting a turnover. I think that his fg% from 15-16 feet away is higher then it is in the paint right now.

Amare is a pretty overrated player, in general, but it's hard to critique his offense. He has been a little less successful with Carmelo, but it's hard to say if that is expected to continue. I don't watch a lot of the Knicks so you could be right. When I do see them, I see Amare handling the ball way too much, which metastasizes in Amare taking a mid range jumper at some point in the shot clock. This isn't awful but it could be better.

cliffs
a) do the knicks have a shot if they draw the magic round 1

No

b) thoughts on amare's game

Offensively he's a beast. Everything else he's a trainwreck. On the whole he's a pretty zero sum player but he's paid as a max.

c) thoughts on billups and if the knicks are better off having douglas starting @ the 1 or having a billups douglas combo instead of fields @ the 2

Fields is a superior player to Douglas, although Toney has played VERY well since the All Star Break.

[garbageman18]

thanks rob. wasnt comparing baseball to basketball, was just comparing my knowledge of one game to yours, basketball is def more exciting then baseball. Your right about Douglas, he has played really well. I like Fields a lot, hes super solid and a beast on the boards for a guard. He has more of a slow set shot then a jumper or quick release which can be frustrating to watch at times when hes wide open for the corner 3 and ends up getting a hand in his face cuz his release is so slow.

I honestly thought you would give the knicks a chance in series. Mike D has a show on the msg network and he talked about the magic game where Williams fouled out and he was talking about how they used Williams to hack the shit out of Howard to get him to the line where he is not great and to keep Amar'e out of foul trouble and if he fouled out it wouldnt be a huge deal because they still had Walker on the bench who is technically a "3pt specialist" and douglas who has been shooting something like 49% behind the 3pt line since the trade.

I was thinking that the knicks would have a shot at the series if they kept Nelson in check, he was hot against the knicks the first few times but didnt play in the knicks win, but i believe Arenas did play well that game. From what ive seen Turkolou hasnt done nething this year, and i think Bass is a starter, hes solid i think? Who else is there, Reddick?.

Im actually a TWolves fan

[LT22]

Since I found poker there's a bunch of shit that I analyze too much IRL when I wish I could just relax/enjoy it. it goes with the nature of being a poker player/EV analyst

[BobboFitos]

Originally Posted by garbageman18

thanks rob. wasnt comparing baseball to basketball, was just comparing my knowledge of one game to yours, basketball is def more exciting then baseball. Your right about Douglas, he has played really well. I like Fields a lot, hes super solid and a beast on the boards for a guard. He has more of a slow set shot then a jumper or quick release which can be frustrating to watch at times when hes wide open for the corner 3 and ends up getting a hand in his face cuz his release is so slow.

Gotcha.

I honestly thought you would give the knicks a chance in series. Mike D has a show on the msg network and he talked about the magic game where Williams fouled out and he was talking about how they used Williams to hack the shit out of Howard to get him to the line where he is not great and to keep Amar'e out of foul trouble and if he fouled out it wouldnt be a huge deal because they still had Walker on the bench who is technically a "3pt specialist" and douglas who has been shooting something like 49% behind the 3pt line since the trade.

Yeah, Knicks would have no chance. Dont know how else to say it. Their defense is paper thin.

I was thinking that the knicks would have a shot at the series if they kept Nelson in check, he was hot against the knicks the first few times but didnt play in the knicks win, but i believe Arenas did play well that game. From what ive seen Turkolou hasnt done nething this year, and i think Bass is a starter, hes solid i think? Who else is there, Reddick?.

Bass is a good player... So is Ryan Anderson. Turkoglu is not good, but he's not that bad either.

Im actually a TWolves fan

lol, how did THAT happen!

Originally Posted by LT22

Since I found poker there's a bunch of shit that I analyze too much IRL when I wish I could just relax/enjoy it. it goes with the nature of being a poker player/EV analyst

The analysis allows me to enjoy it that much more!

[garbageman18]

Originally Posted by BobboFitos

lol, how did THAT happen!

Loved the KG Marbury duo back in the day. Then they got Wally Sczerbiak whos from Long Island and Sam Cassell aka the ugliest human being ive ever seen had two good years there.

[Vitas23]

Originally Posted by garbageman18

Sam Cassell aka the ugliest human being ive ever seen

this made me el oh el

[yurk23]

Originally Posted by garbageman18

Loved the KG Marbury duo back in the day. Then they got Wally Sczerbiak whos from Long Island and Sam Cassell aka the ugliest human being ive ever seen had two good years there.

Originally Posted by Vitas23

this made me el oh el

My wife and I used to have running jokes about Sam Cassell looking like an alien anytime I was watching NBA games and she was around.


EDIT: Enjoyed the podcast and liked the content on the site. Definitely hoping for some good matchups in the playoffs and eagerly await the Cavs blowing their early round picks in the draft.

[robbyd86]

I enjoyed this, checked out the site and gonna sign up as soon as i remember.