NBA 2021-22---- NBA LEGEND Bill Russell 1934-2022 RIP

[bosk1]

I'm curious why you still find that so laughable.  We kind of talked about this a few pages ago, but where would you rank him all time?  I wouldn't have him in the top 10, no, but I think he's in a tier right outside of that, which would make him fairly close.  If anything I think it's being prisoner of the moment in '22 that has made him look weaker than he used to since he struggled against the Celtics in the first round.  Just a year ago he was outplaying Giannis in the semis, almost single-handedly willing the hobbled Nets to the conference finals, and then won an Olympic gold medal and was still looking like the best player on the planet.  Add to that two titles and finals MVPs, an MVP (and numerous top 5 finishes), 12x all-star (2x MVP), 6x all-NBA first team, 4x second team, four scoring titles, etc., and he already has both the resume and the eye test of one of the all-time greats, and he's still playing.  Whether he's #12 or #19 when all is said and done (and I'd argue it's probably closer to the former), it's still been a really impressive career in spite of a few flaws. 

To me, every few years, you get a stellar player like that who is easily in the top 3-5 of his peers.  To my eyes, while Durant is truly great in comparison to all but maybe a handful of those currently playing, that still falls short of putting him in that elite all time group.  Guys like him, Harden, Giannis, and a few others will be remembered by those who watched the game during this time.  And that is itself a huge accomplishment.  But did he elevate the game in some way that makes me think his name will be discussed with awe by future generations?  I'm not seeing that.  LeBron?  Yes.  Curry?  Yes.  Durant?  No.

[TheOutlawXanadu]

Durant's career is one of the hardest to judge. He was obviously brilliant in OKC but a combination of bad injuries at the wrong times and brutal floor spacing on offense resulted in those teams underperforming a bit and him having some rough series. In Golden State, he was pretty much unstoppable but those were also ludicrously good teams on a level we've never seen. Even his Brooklyn tenure has been weird... One all-time great playoff run and one stinker. If I had to place him somewhere, I'd probably throw him in that 11-15 range.

[King Postwhore]

When you make a deal with the devil (AKA: Kyrie)  bad things happen. 

[KevShmev]

Durant is top 20 sure, but top 10? No way. I don't think he has ever been the best player in the league, and if he was, when? 

He has been All-NBA 1st team once in the last eight years. Once. 

Back when he was making All-NBA 1st team every year (five years in a row from 2010-2014), James was the best player in the league by a country mile. 

"Oh, but he has been hurt."

Exactly.  Durability matters when it comes to greatness.  Look at James. His body is breaking down a little as he has gotten older, but he was an iron man for the first 15+ years in the league. 

I don't care about the Olympics and all that since there is never any contest and it's just a matter of which guys go and who decides to go for it the most. Hell, Carmelo Anthony has been an Olympic star, and his NBA career pretty much exists of scoring a lot and never making teams better.

[King Postwhore]

James played some crazy minutes too for so many years.

[King Postwhore]

Leaving Curry wide open on a switch is asking for death.

[King Postwhore]

Celts needs to address the pick and roll with Curry. You can't give him an inch. I'd rather be beaten by anyone else on the Warriors.

[TAC]

Celts needs to address the pick and roll with Curry. You can't give him an inch. I'd rather be beaten by anyone else on the Warriors.

They need to make an adjustment. He's getting way too many open looks and they're getting way to many second chances. Celts look too wound tight on D to start the game.

[King Postwhore]

So far in the 2nd quarter they've done a much better job.
.Curry with 3 fouls.

[TAC]

The Celts need to drive at Curry on EVERY possession in the 3rd.

[King Postwhore]

Don't give him an inch when playing D and exactly what you said. Force him to play D.

[King Postwhore]

3rd quarter is the Warriors. C's need stops.

[King Postwhore]

I'm honestly shocked but so happy.

[KevShmev]

What a beatdown that was in the 4th quarter.  All of the stats and analytics say the Celtics are the better team, and they sure looked like it. 

[Azyiu]

Things went smoothly for the Warriors in the 3rd qtr, then they got cute with the ball to start the 4th qtr. Curry pooped himself in the 4th with only 4 pts and no points after the 6 minute mark. Great comeback by the Celtics. The rest of the series should be interesting, now that Boston got home court.

[bosk1]

Shocked at how badly the Warriors shot and played D in the 4th.  Thankfully, that's a trend that I don't see continuing.

[King Postwhore]

Shocked at how badly the Warriors shot and played D in the 4th.  Thankfully, that's a trend that I don't see continuing.

Honestly I agree even though I know how good our D is. How did the go away from what worked in the 4th?

[bosk1]

  Sometimes, they get silly like that. 

[KevShmev]

Shocked at how badly the Warriors shot and played D in the 4th.  Thankfully, that's a trend that I don't see continuing.

Honestly I agree even though I know how good our D is. How did the go away from what worked in the 4th?

Boston is the better team. I think it really is that simple.  My "they will get clowned by the Warriors in 5 or 6" comment was obviously way off.

Tatum didn't play well, yet the Celtics still won by double digits.  That does not bode well for the Warriors.  Now, the Celtics have the tendency to take games off in these playoffs, and you can't give games away in the finals, but given how good their defense, team play and coaching all is, if they play their game, they win this.

[T-ski]

GS going cruise control in the 4th was something else.

I too wouldn’t have expected that result.

[TAC]

This series is far from over. You don’t win or lose a series in the first game. The Celts lost both G1s in the previous two series.

[King Postwhore]

I heard this on the radio today. Draymond Green talking after the game saying Smart, Horford & White won't be that hot the next game.

Shouldn't he be talking instead that he needs to be better than 2 for 12 for him shooting? 

[lonestar]

I heard this on the radio today. Draymond Green talking after the game saying Smart, Horford & White won't be that hot the next game.

Shouldn't he be talking instead that he needs to be better than 2 for 12 for him shooting?

Yeah, definitely not a time for shit talking....not after that 4th quarter.

[KevShmev]

I heard this on the radio today. Draymond Green talking after the game saying Smart, Horford & White won't be that hot the next game.

Shouldn't he be talking instead that he needs to be better than 2 for 12 for him shooting?

Didn't we all know a guy like Draymond Green in grade school? Ya know, the kid who was a good player, but always ended up on the teams in school with the best athletes, and ended up being the one who ran his mouth every time they won even though everyone knew he wasn't the main reason why they ever won.  He should be thanking his lucky stars that he got drafted to the team with the Splash Brothers.

[LithoJazzoSphere]

Yeah,

I heard this on the radio today. Draymond Green talking after the game saying Smart, Horford & White won't be that hot the next game.

Yeah, probably not, but they could be.  And Tatum is unlikely to go 3/17 again, Grant Williams could easily do better than 0-2, and Jalen is capable of better than 10/23.  Conversely, Steph may not go 7/14 from 3 again, OPJ 4/5 from 3, or Iggy 3/4 overall.  If they don't win tonight beating the Celtics 4/5 is going to be a Herculean task. 

[bosk1]

If they don't win tonight beating the Celtics 4/5 is going to be a Herculean task. 

I can 100% guarantee they won't win tonight.

[Azyiu]

I can 100% guarantee they won't win tonight.

Are you saying the Warriors will get swept by the Celtics? While I think the Celtics are a slightly better team, especially defensively and size; but sweeping the Dubs is quite difficult if not impossible.

[King Postwhore]

No.  Because they are playing tomorrow night.  Well done Bosk1.  Lol

[bosk1]

I can 100% guarantee they won't win tonight.

Are you saying the Warriors will get swept by the Celtics? While I think the Celtics are a slightly better team, especially defensively and size; but sweeping the Dubs is quite difficult if not impossible.

No, I was saying the Celtics will not win tonight.  I can 100% guarantee it and I will bet any dollar amount you want to put on the table. 

As for who will win the series, I'm still very confident in the Warriors.  I think they probably win the next 2, lose the second in Boston, and then take the next two to close it out in 6. 

[LithoJazzoSphere]

Ooh, it is tomorrow.  I'd gotten so used to the every other day schedule I had just assumed it would stay that way once it started. 

[King Postwhore]

I can 100% guarantee they won't win tonight.

Are you saying the Warriors will get swept by the Celtics? While I think the Celtics are a slightly better team, especially defensively and size; but sweeping the Dubs is quite difficult if not impossible.

No, I was saying the Celtics will not win tonight.  I can 100% guarantee it and I will bet any dollar amount you want to put on the table. 

As for who will win the series, I'm still very confident in the Warriors.  I think they probably win the next 2, lose the second in Boston, and then take the next two to close it out in 6.

Draymond Bosk1.

[bosk1]

I don't get the hate for Draymond at all.

[King Postwhore]

No hate. Just bold. Like your prediction. 

[KevShmev]

I don't get the hate for Draymond at all.

I am shocked by this.

[TAC]

I'll say this about Draymond...he gets away with murder yelling at the refs. I can't believe they take it from him.