NBA thread 2017-18 v. I dub thee champions

[Nekov]

The pelis will probably take a game or two but the warriors should come out victorious. Nonetheless, I don't think any of these will be easy games, specially considering what Ayizu mentioned. Playoff Rondo is a mayor threat and the Warriors will struggle to contain him, plus AD is playing incredibly well and I'm sure Green will suffer that matchup. All in all these should be fun to watch.
My girlfriend is thinking of attending game 2 of the series since she will be in the bay area around that time. I'm super jelly right now.

[jingle.boy]

I'm gonna say the Raptors kill the Wizards tonight, but a small part of me won't be surprised if Nekov gets to rub my nose in that comment tomorrow morning.

Doesn't matter though, I'll be watching the Leafs.

[Nekov]

[bosk1]

  And here I was getting ready to jump in and defend Nekov as not being the "nose-rubbing type."

[Samsara]

The Pelicans are going to get crushed. Particularly if Curry returns. If he does, Warriors in 5. If he doesn't, Warriors in 6.

AD can go 40/20 every game if he wants, but the rest of the team pales in comparison to the Warriors, and I'm nowhere close to being a Ws fan. It is just how it is. Here's hoping the Pels pull the upset, but I wouldn't bet on it.

[jingle.boy]

  And here I was getting ready to jump in and defend Nekov as not being the "nose-rubbing type."

Well, with the Spurs gone, it's understandable that he'll only take joy in the misery of others too.   

[Azyiu]

Playoffs Rondo, the suddenly red-hot; sometimes hero-ball Holiday; and the without-Cousins-but-becomes-very-active AD roaming all over the court... man, win or lose they will give the Dubs all they can handle.

[jingle.boy]

Well, it wasn't big, but they turned it on to finish out the game.

[TAC]

Well, it wasn't big, but they turned it on to finish out the game.

[KevShmev]

LeGOAT does it again.

[bosk1]

Lucky for him the refs all took the night off for the possession before than and didn't call that goal tend.

[Nekov]

Well, it wasn't big, but they turned it on to finish out the game.

Great 4th quarter by them. Toronto will probably take this one because of home court advantage, but they still have a long way to go if they want to get to the ECF.

Lucky for him the refs all took the night off for the possession before than and didn't call that goal tend.

This. That goal tending was pretty obvious. Also, Oladipo is MIA, he needs to step up if the Pacers want to take this one home.

[Destiny Of Chaos]

I appreciate all the love that the Sixers are getting from the media, but by NO means do I consider them to be the favorites to win the East. I can see them losing a series to any of the remaining teams save the Pacers and Wizards. Do I think they're set up for a 3-4 year championship window in the near future? Absolutely. But I think that Heat series was closer than anyone cares to admit. And the Sixers will be exposed as early as next round.

[jingle.boy]

Well, it wasn't big, but they turned it on to finish out the game.

Great 4th quarter by them. Toronto will probably take this one because of home court advantage, but they still have a long way to go if they want to get to the ECF.

You may be right, but the Cavs (sans LeBron) have looked downright awful against the Pacers.  Hard to see how they might take 4 from the Raptors if they're struggling this much - and JUST eeking out wins - vs the Pacers... who themselves haven't played great.

One thing the Raptors have shown all season is the ability to get out of a mini-slump pretty quick.... and dominate at home.  Took a few quarters to do so last night, but they have been clutch all year in the 4th.

[Samsara]

The Lebron play on Oladipo was a clear goal tend. But the shot LBJ took to win it...pure guts. Tip of the cap, as much as I dislike the guy (tremendous respect for his basketball talent).

The Wolves....do we have a shit emoji available?

Good season by the Wolves, clearly, this was the end result I expected. I said Rockets in five or six. Glad the Wolves got a game in, and they did fight the last game like I hoped they would. They really need to address a bunch of issues this off season:

1. Create sets that maximize playing faster. That four guard lineup of Rose-Crawford-Teague-Butler_Towns showed itself to be deadly. They need to focus on playing faster, stop with the half court, get out and run, cutting to the basket more, etc., and get personnel to do that, who have some height.

2. The obvious need for 3 point shooting. I still think they should trade Wiggins back to the Cavs (if Lebron leaves) for Love. Love has shown he can be effective as a third option, and his ego doesn't take a hit. He'd be a great third option behind Butler and Towns, and give the Wolves shooting, rebounding and length at the four spot. Wiggns needs to have the ball in his hands to be effective. he won't get that in MInnesota. Makes sense to go to a place where he can be the #1 option.

3. If Crawford retires, make it a point to bring in a SG/SF in the same mold who can shoot. They need that energy.

4. Re-sign Rose to a sixth man deal. He's proven he's healthy, and he showed in the playoffs how effective he can be against other top players (he made Chris Paul and Harden look foolish at times). If the 2012 Rose is back (to a degree), then sign him up, as long as he's fine getting 26-28 minutes a game off the bench backing up the guard spots.

>>>>Good building block year. The Wolves need to take the next step in the 2018-2019 season, with 50+ wins and a playoff series win.

[bosk1]

The Lebron play on Oladipo was a clear goal tend. But the shot LBJ took to win it...pure guts. Tip of the cap, as much as I dislike the guy (tremendous respect for his basketball talent).

Agreed with all of that.  The Cavs shouldn't have even been in a position to win the game in the first place, and that blown call opened the door.  But that shot...my reaction was two things simultaneously:  (1) I SO dislike LeBron that words can't express it; and (2) Good lord, LeBron's talent is otherworldly sometimes!


As for the Wolves, they so pissed me off.  I didn't think they could beat Houston.  But I so wanted them to.  And they so could have, but completely laid down in games or for long stretches in games, and just made boneheaded decisions.

[T-ski]

has anyone witnessed and NBA game that was officiated well?

its ridiculous.

[KevShmev]

Haha, and let's be honest: the "goal tend" last night was barely a goal tend, not an obvious one, and easy to not call in real time.  Sure, if we slow it down on our HD TV, we can see that it was a goal tend by a hair, but making calls like that in real time are not easy. 

I did get a kick out of all of the James haters last night losing their minds about that non-call on Twitter last night.  I guess it just kills some to give him credit for anything ever.  He makes a buzzer beater to win a playoff game and all they can kick and scream is, "BUT THE GOAL TEND!!"   

[jingle.boy]

You are to Lebron as Stadler is to Trump. 

[contest_sanity]

NBA's 2 minute report, while agreeing about the goaltend, also (rightly) noted that the previous play was incorrectly called out on LBJ instead of Thad Young. So, you could also argue the Pacers shouldn't have had their final possession, either.

https://ak-static.cms.nba.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2018/04/L2M-IND-CLE-04-25-2018.pdf

Just sayin...

[jingle.boy]

The Raptors *will* end the series tonight.

#OpensUpForExtremeRidiculeTomorrow.

[Samsara]

The Raptors *will* end the series tonight.

#OpensUpForExtremeRidiculeTomorrow.

Rooting for them. But...Raptors. 

[Azyiu]

Great game by Oladipo and the Pacers... where were you in Game 5?! Lol!   

Anyway, Game 7 on Sunday will be crazy! 

[jingle.boy]

The Raptors *will* end the series tonight.

#OpensUpForExtremeRidiculeTomorrow.

Once again, killer fourth quarter for the Raps.  It's truly amazing the difference that Steady-Freddie makes to the 2nd unit.  He was the reason they stayed close.  The Wiz had every opportunity to pull away, but couldn't sustain a significant run, and then completely ran out of gas in the 4th.

Go Pacers!  Cleveland is looks ripe for the taking.  When LeGOAT plays LeOrdinary, Cleveland doesn't even look like a playoff-worthy team.

[KevShmev]

For sure. James played really well (he sat most of the 4th), but even that couldn't stop the Pacers from destroying them.  This is like watching Jordan on some of those teams he had early in his career where it really feels like 1 on 5.

Loved seeing the Jazz knock out the Thunder, even if they tried like hell to give it away at the end.

I will be curious to see what the league does about Russell Westbrook does about swatting at a fan on his way out.  Yeah, the fan was holding his phone out a bit too far, but wasn't doing anything else. You, as an NBA player, cannot do what Westbrook did, plain and simple.

[T-ski]

once again Bucks fans come away disappointed.

2 playoff series wins since 1990, and they both happened in 2001.

send help.

[bosk1]

Pels, especially AD, will destroy the Dubs' interior D, and I just hope Curry will come back soon and relatively healthy. Whoever is assigned to Rondo will have a long series. That being said, I think Kerr will out coach Gentry.

Not trying to rub your nose in anything because (1) I don't do that,* and (2) we're only one game in.  But I think game 1 really showed a Warriors team that is more consistent with what I posted here:

Pels, especially AD, will destroy the Dubs' interior D, and I just hope Curry will come back soon and relatively healthy. Whoever is assigned to Rondo will have a long series.

I wouldn't assume either of those things.  Don't forget that the Warriors defense is elite, and has been for several years now.  They stop big teams, small teams, fast teams, slow teams, you name it.  That isn't to take anything away from the Pelicans at all.  But there is no reason to assume the Warriors D will struggle.

Let's also not forget that the Warriors beat the Pelicans 3 out of 4 times this season.  The only loss was by only 6 points, the Warriors were missing two starters, and they had already locked up the #2 seed and pretty much conceded the #1.  It was a 2 point game with a minute left.

I'm assuming a good series.  But I don't see any part of the Warriors D getting "destroyed" in the process.

And Curry is coming back.  I mean, I'm trying not to read TOO MUCH into just one game.  I think the Pelicans will take a game or two.  But I don't see any part of their team getting "destroyed" in any of those games.


*That said, I'm not above gloating at all when the Cavs get knocked out.

[Samsara]

once again Bucks fans come away disappointed.

2 playoff series wins since 1990, and they both happened in 2001.

send help.

The new arena is next year, right? And the head coaching job will look attractive to top candidates. Is Parker a free agent? If not, he has a ton of trade value. He played well, despite coming off the pine.

As for my Wolves...if Lebron leaves Cleveland, and they blow it up, I could see them trading Wiggins for Love and other pieces...

[T-ski]

once again Bucks fans come away disappointed.

2 playoff series wins since 1990, and they both happened in 2001.

send help.

The new arena is next year, right? And the head coaching job will look attractive to top candidates. Is Parker a free agent? If not, he has a ton of trade value. He played well, despite coming off the pine.

As for my Wolves...if Lebron leaves Cleveland, and they blow it up, I could see them trading Wiggins for Love and other pieces...

new arena for the Bucks next season is correct.  no doubt the head coaching position should be a hot item this off season, unfortunately the new ownership group has proven time and time again they don't know anything about the actual basketball side of the business so fingers crossed on that one.  Jabari is a restricted free agent but personally I hope he ends up elsewhere.  he is a head case and I can't trust his knees at this point.

wasn't Love traded for Wiggins initially?  full circle on that one.

[Samsara]

new arena for the Bucks next season is correct.  no doubt the head coaching position should be a hot item this off season, unfortunately the new ownership group has proven time and time again they don't know anything about the actual basketball side of the business so fingers crossed on that one.  Jabari is a restricted free agent but personally I hope he ends up elsewhere.  he is a head case and I can't trust his knees at this point.

wasn't Love traded for Wiggins initially?  full circle on that one.

Yeah, Love was. That's just me spouting off, The Wolves need a true stretch four, who can shoot the three, rebound, and be OK not being the first or second option. And Love was able to do all three of those for the Cavs. With Wiggins entering his max deal next year, if Lebron leaves Cleveland, it makes sense to me to get Love back and pair him with Towns and Butler, and give Wiggins the fresh start with a team that in that Lebron-less scenario, would need a #1 option.

Could happen. As long as the Wolves got more than just Love, I'd be OK with it. Wiggins just needs the ball in his hands, and the motivation to drive to the paint all the time, and he doesn't have it. I wish he did.

That Bucks job is going to be popular.

[Azyiu]

Not trying to rub your nose in anything because (1) I don't do that,* and (2) we're only one game in.  But I think game 1 really showed a Warriors team that is more consistent with what I posted here:

Meh... I knew the Dubs are at another level if or when they turn it on. Oh well, would LOVE to see them doing the same to the Rockets and the annoying Harden and CPS though, lol! 

Meanwhile, are the C's THAT good? Or the Sixers just didn't play good enough D and missing a ton of open shots? I expect a closer game in Game 2 though. 

[King Postwhore]

C's missing 3 of their top 4 players and win like this? I expected a loss.

[T-ski]

C's missing 3 of their top 4 players and win like this? I expected a loss.

Brad Stevens.

[King Postwhore]

Yup.  Every player has bought into him. For sure.

[Samsara]

C's missing 3 of their top 4 players and win like this? I expected a loss.

Brad Stevens.

As I've said a few times in the past, as a native New Yorker, it pains me to give Boston sports teams credit. But the Celtics are playing with such desire. Brad Stevens should be coach of the year. Watching them play, I think the C's could very well win this series, and potentially come out of the East, even shorthanded. They just need to stay hot.

I love the matchup between Embiid and Al Horford. Embiid doesn't want to come too far out on the perimeter, so Horford is just nailing shots. Dude has to come out and guard, but if he does, Horford is faster, and can go around him. Really bad matchup for Embiid.

At PG, Rozier is showing they have an eventual star in the making. It's just crazy how deep the C's are. They are primed for the next decade if both Irving (his injury should have C's fans nervous) and Hayward come back at full strength. Tatum and Brown are going to be stars as well. Just crazy.