Author Topic: The NBA thread  (Read 1492421 times)

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Stoney Mason

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benjipwns

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benjipwns

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Re: The NBA thread (Playoff Time)
« Reply #21182 on: April 11, 2019, 11:41:19 PM »
Cavs fire Larry Dew and Grizzlies fire JB Bickerstaff too

Grizzlies also demoted Chris Wallace and John Hollinger to "advisory" roles

benjipwns

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Re: The NBA thread (Playoff Time)
« Reply #21183 on: April 12, 2019, 06:30:57 PM »
Lakers fired Luke Walton

Mandark

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Re: The NBA thread (Playoff Time)
« Reply #21184 on: April 12, 2019, 06:47:28 PM »
Pelicans got David Griffin. Did not expect that.

Stoney Mason

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Re: The NBA thread (Playoff Time)
« Reply #21185 on: April 12, 2019, 06:50:58 PM »
Never understood Hollinger being with the Grizz. As one of the original advanced analytic guys, they never seemed to follow that path when constructing the team.

As far as Walton, I could have went either way. On one hand, he was given three seasons and that's longer than some coaches are given. But he wasn't responsible for the poor team construction which put together a lot of pieces that didn't fit. My issue is that I fear they are very much likely to bring in a player coach who handles personalities rather than implementing and establishing a system.

Akala

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Re: The NBA thread (Playoff Time)
« Reply #21186 on: April 12, 2019, 07:22:24 PM »
WOO PLAYOFFS. Was kind of hoping for a Heat miracle, but alas. Should be a pretty good playoff, lots of interesting matchups and interesting teams. Dubs likely got it but who knows.

Lakers are way more of a dumpster fire than expected, they may have scraped in if not for the injury/AD bait. Handing the team to Bron may work, but they'll likely need to go back to having supporting shooters while he shoulders the load till the wheels come off. Kinda want him to get another one though.   :gladbron

Has been kind of a busted season for me with AD kind of blowing up the pels, who knows what future holds. I am getting daily emails for season seats/packages though so that's nice I guess.


Nola

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Re: The NBA thread (Playoff Time)
« Reply #21187 on: April 12, 2019, 09:30:18 PM »
I hope I'm wrong but nothing in David Griffin's past(besides lucking into Lebron after coming onto a team with Kyrie) really screams anything but average to slightly above average GM.


Really do hope I am wrong though.


Stoney Mason

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Re: The NBA thread (Playoff Time)
« Reply #21189 on: April 13, 2019, 02:34:07 AM »
I liked Griffin and the job he did for the Cavs. I thought it was bullshit he wasn't retained there.

Stoney Mason

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Re: The NBA thread (Playoff Time)
« Reply #21190 on: April 13, 2019, 07:09:08 PM »
76ers looked so ugly in that nets loss. Ben Simmons was a complete non-factor

eleuin

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Re: The NBA thread (Playoff Time)
« Reply #21191 on: April 13, 2019, 08:41:51 PM »
Simmons a fraud

Lowry trash as usual

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Re: The NBA thread (Playoff Time)
« Reply #21192 on: April 13, 2019, 09:11:55 PM »
Playoff Raptors in peak form

 :heh

benjipwns

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Re: The NBA thread (Playoff Time)
« Reply #21193 on: April 13, 2019, 11:36:20 PM »
Kings have already hired Luke Walton, who is their 10th coach in 14 years

apparently Magic quit because he wanted to fire Walton and Jeanie Buss didn't and yet... ???

Quote
"Make sure that door is closed," Johnson said, referring to the locker room entrance, before shocking the basketball world by resigning as the president of basketball operations.

He cited all sorts of reasons for his decision in an impromptu 45-minute news conference (which was followed by separate 10-minute and 15-minute breakout sessions, as if he hadn't already said enough). Included on that list was his desire to avoid conflict with Lakers owner Jeanie Buss -- whom he didn't inform of his decision to step down in advance -- because of their differing opinion on Walton. Johnson wanted to fire him; Buss supported her young coach.

"Tomorrow, I would have to affect someone's livelihood and life," Johnson said of his plans to dismiss Walton as soon as the season ended. "I thought about that and said, 'That's not fun for me. That's not who I am.' Then I don't want to put her in the middle of us. Even though, she said, 'Hey, you do what you want to do.' I know she has great love for him and great love for me."
Quote
The implicit pressure that came with coaching the team became far more direct after L.A. limped out of the gate 2-5. Johnson dressed down Walton in an explosive meeting, demanding immediate results. Everyone in the Lakers organization began feeling the pressure of trying to win now despite the fact that Johnson had asked the fan base to remain patient.

In the aftermath, Johnson told the Los Angeles Times and ESPN that Walton was safe and would coach the remainder of the season -- offering no vote of confidence beyond that.

Beyond the early-season meeting, communication between Walton and the front office was fraught, sources told ESPN. At one point, Pelinka sat in on coaches' meetings, involving himself at a granular level in Walton's workload. In another example, Walton went weeks without hearing a peep from Magic Johnson. Both tactics were unusual for an NBA team.

As damning as Walton's early-season meeting with Magic might have been, the true death knell came when he was left out of LeBron's exit meeting with Johnson and Pelinka, conducted several days before the end of the season, according to a report by ESPN's Ramona Shelburne.
Quote
And then came the Anthony Davis debacle.

In the weeks leading up to the Feb. 7 trade deadline, Walton said he tried to tell his young players, all of whom had heard their names mentioned in one reported deal or another, to block out the noise.

And when the trade for Anthony Davis didn't go down, the stench only lingered.

When the Lakers arrived in Philadelphia after the trade deadline, Johnson came into the locker room about 30 minutes before tipoff -- the time usually reserved for the coaching staff to go over the game plan -- and had an announcement for the team.

Johnson reasoned to the players that the fact they weren't traded meant the Lakers wanted them more than any other team did and then tried to rally them together, declaring his goal of making the playoffs.

The message fell flat, sources told ESPN.

"It was bad," one source said. "It was bad." Another source was sketchy on Johnson's exact message because, well, he "tuned the m-----f----- out."

benjipwns

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Re: The NBA thread (Playoff Time)
« Reply #21194 on: April 14, 2019, 07:40:19 AM »
lmao hadn't seen Bird at Dirk's retirement ceremony: https://streamable.com/slg63

Nola

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Re: The NBA thread (Playoff Time)
« Reply #21195 on: April 14, 2019, 10:59:13 AM »
Ben Simmons, JJ Redick, Jimmy Butler, at-one-time-career-year Tobias Harris, Joel Embiid.

If someone had told me at the beginning of the season that the 76er's were going to have that lineup come playoff time, and that lineup would struggle at home against the Nets, I'd have slapped the shit of you....But here we are.

bluemax

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Re: The NBA thread (Playoff Time)
« Reply #21196 on: April 16, 2019, 01:37:09 AM »
LOU WILLIAMS DA GOD
NO

eleuin

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Re: The NBA thread (Playoff Time)
« Reply #21197 on: April 16, 2019, 02:22:52 AM »
clippers  :leon

Beezy

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Re: The NBA thread (Playoff Time)
« Reply #21198 on: April 17, 2019, 03:43:54 AM »
trailblazers :leon

Stoney Mason

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Re: The NBA thread (Playoff Time)
« Reply #21199 on: April 17, 2019, 09:21:41 PM »
It's hard to diss the pacers when they are missing their best player but my lord. When their offense collapses, it collapses.

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Re: The NBA thread (Playoff Time)
« Reply #21200 on: April 18, 2019, 03:21:28 PM »
NBA TV can eat a dick. Put all the games on channels that are widely available assholes.  :maf

Spurs/Nuggets getting the shaft tonight.

jakefromstatefarm

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Re: The NBA thread (Playoff Time)
« Reply #21201 on: April 18, 2019, 04:54:59 PM »
It’s not on local fox sports/altitude?

Stoney Mason

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Re: The NBA thread (Playoff Time)
« Reply #21203 on: April 18, 2019, 08:27:18 PM »
It’s not on local fox sports/altitude?
No Altitude in my area.  :( More of a minor gripe but this Spurs/Nuggets series has been good so far, I'd have watched it over Clips/Dubs for sure.

Stoney Mason

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Re: The NBA thread (Playoff Time)
« Reply #21204 on: April 18, 2019, 10:22:45 PM »

Stoney Mason

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Re: The NBA thread (Playoff Time)
« Reply #21205 on: April 18, 2019, 10:32:40 PM »
I really like Ben Simmons (I have an affinity for big point guards) so its nice to see him turn it on after that first game in the series.

bluemax

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Re: The NBA thread (Playoff Time)
« Reply #21206 on: April 19, 2019, 01:23:42 AM »
I really like Ben Simmons (I have an affinity for big point guards) so its nice to see him turn it on after that first game in the series.

I'd like Ben Simmons if he could shoot the ball. Blake Griffin learned how, so I guess there's hope for Simmons.
NO

eleuin

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bluemax

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Re: The NBA thread (Playoff Time)
« Reply #21208 on: April 20, 2019, 02:28:09 AM »
Today I learned about Jared Dudley's critique of Simmons and... I'm on Dudley's side.
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benjipwns

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Re: The NBA thread (Playoff Time)
« Reply #21209 on: April 21, 2019, 10:59:33 PM »
Zach Lowe* is unintentionally writing a book if these columns about how the league* has been adjusting post-"South Beach Revolution" and how teams, but most importantly the top "modern" players, adjust to those adjustments aren't actually part of one: http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/page/zachlowe26559923/james-harden-breaking-defense-embarrassed-him
Quote
But the Spurs also unveiled a template for defending Harden that would spread across the league. It was simple: When Clint Capela set a pick for Harden, Capela's man was to plant himself near the hoop and lie in wait for Harden.

They would not switch. They would not trap, exposing an easy slip pass to Capela. They would meet Harden at the restricted area and wager they could at least disrupt layups and lob passes. They would foist indecision onto him. They knew Harden would not accept the shots they were giving him; floaters and long 2s were verboten in Houston. It worked.

...

After that Spurs series, Harden went about adding a floater. If top defenses were going to concede that shot, Harden would have to take it.

This season, he mastered it. Harden has attempted more than twice as many floaters as he did a season ago, and he has hit almost half of them, per Cleaning The Glass -- an elite number.

The next step was more radical: eliminate the need for a screen altogether. "We used to talk about the screen as an escort for a double-team," Morey says. "Why even give the defense the option?"

Harden was already a very good isolation player, but he would have to stretch the math beyond what anyone had dreamed possible to render the pick-and-roll -- basketball's staple play almost since the peach basket -- obsolete. Enter the step-back 3 -- an isolation worth three points if it goes in, which it has about 40 percent of the time this season.

Harden has drained 240 step-back triples in 2018-19. Stephen Curry led the league in total 3s with between 261 and 286 for three straight seasons from 2012-13 through 2014-15. Just making that many 3-pointers was revolutionary four seasons ago. Making that many step-backs was not a thing that existed in the NBA's brainspace.

The threat of the step-back forced defenders into pressing Harden 30 feet from the rim. That made them easy pickings for a blow-by.

Harden had warped math, and opened new possibilities for Houston. Instead of having Capela screen around the 3-point arc, the Rockets can now station him at the dunker spot -- along the baseline, at the edge of the paint -- at the start of possessions. That doesn't sound important, but in talking to opposing players and coaches, it has changed everything.
Quote
Even scarier: Houston appears to have landed on a basic method of triggering Harden's preferred passes and springing wide-open shooters.

...

Look at Ingles and Gobert bark at each other after Harden's put-back. If I had to guess, I would say Ingles is miffed at Gobert for bolting the restricted area and leaping at Harden's floater -- leaving the glass naked. Gobert replies by mimicking Harden's floater motion: What am I supposed to do? Let him shoot unchallenged?

Semi-related to this, I've been kinda curious how Greg Monroe basically ceased to exist as a viable big in this league. He was always a pretty good passer for a big man, maybe I overestimated his athleticism? His ability to develop a jumper? In Detroit he seemed to shoot fairly well from ~15-18 feet that I thought maybe he could like Lopez develop out that range or add at least a "can't always leave him alone" three that a lot of lesser bigs get away with hitting at like 30% or something. Kinda crazy that Zaza and Bogut have been able to develop their talents more to fit in the modern league than Monroe. Hell, the reason he bailed out of Detroit, Drummond even has!

Tongue in cheek slightly more unexpected may be that the Sixers are totally getting away with playing Boban fairly big minutes in the playoffs, everybody told me it was never time during the important regular season to release the Boban because he was donezo in the "modern" league. :maf (Though the Sixers also seem to have figured out a place for Monroe too after every other Eastern contender tried him out and passed.)

*Although I think the recent Brook Lopez one was from another ESPN writer writing basically the same thing Lowe has been
**or the Spurs, then copied by everyone :doge

Stoney Mason

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Re: The NBA thread (Playoff Time)
« Reply #21210 on: April 22, 2019, 07:21:14 PM »
Read some article on espn where a guy was talking about how Boston has impressed him in that Pacers series and I didn't understand it. I think Boston has been mostly awful in that series. Nearly every game has been close. The Pacers have no go to scorer and suffer long droughts where they can't score at all. If anything I think Boston was kinda lucky not to lose a game. I mean they may turn it on going forward but that series in no way made me super confident in them.

Nola

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Re: The NBA thread (Playoff Time)
« Reply #21211 on: April 23, 2019, 09:37:10 PM »
Ben Simmons, JJ Redick, Jimmy Butler, at-one-time-career-year Tobias Harris, Joel Embiid.

If someone had told me at the beginning of the season that the 76er's were going to have that lineup come playoff time, and that lineup would struggle at home against the Nets, I'd have slapped the shit of you....But here we are.

What was that dipshit?

benjipwns

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Stoney Mason

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Re: The NBA thread (Playoff Time)
« Reply #21213 on: April 24, 2019, 01:22:58 AM »
Holy Shit at that Dame performance and the okc collapse

« Last Edit: April 24, 2019, 01:27:07 AM by Stoney Mason »

jakefromstatefarm

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Re: The NBA thread (Playoff Time)
« Reply #21214 on: April 24, 2019, 01:51:22 AM »
Yeah that was fucking crazy. Oklahoma City has no excuse for how this seasons played out, they should be the second best team in the conference and set up to be the best depending on what klay and Durant decide to do. Instead they’re out the first round in a gentleman’s sweep. Expecting Donovan to be fired within the week. Portland should make it to the conference finals now, they’re better than either Denver or San Antonio.

bluemax

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Re: The NBA thread (Playoff Time)
« Reply #21215 on: April 24, 2019, 01:55:54 AM »
If Westbrick played in Kobe's era he would probably win a title, but he doesn't, so instead he will just be a volume chucker.
NO

benjipwns

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Re: The NBA thread (Playoff Time)
« Reply #21216 on: April 24, 2019, 02:36:37 AM »
Terry Stotts has turned into some kind of wizard and Neil Olshey did a smart job adding some late pieces, even though he's nowhere as good of defender Kanter so far has bailed them out of the Nurkic injury

Akala

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Re: The NBA thread (Playoff Time)
« Reply #21217 on: April 24, 2019, 09:24:25 AM »
I didn't stay up last night, but man that was a glorious finish. I don't see Portland getting to the finals but am rooting for them.

benjipwns

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Re: The NBA thread (Playoff Time)
« Reply #21218 on: April 25, 2019, 12:56:18 AM »
the Clippers getting absurd with an all guard and Gallinari lineup causing the Warriors to bicker among themselves about who their man is gives me life

not so fun when it's happening to you is it you big jerks :maf

bluemax

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Re: The NBA thread (Playoff Time)
« Reply #21219 on: April 25, 2019, 01:11:19 AM »
Lou Williams is such a fun player to watch.
NO

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Re: The NBA thread (Playoff Time)
« Reply #21220 on: April 25, 2019, 04:29:23 PM »
I want to live in the reality where the Dubs get thrown in a dumpster by Lou Williams with Durant and Klay both bolting this summer for greener pastures.

I mean, we don' t live in that reality because GS is going crush everyone from this point on and finish off a three-peat...
spoiler (click to show/hide)
...but it's fun to dream.   :shaq
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benjipwns

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Re: The NBA thread (Playoff Time)
« Reply #21221 on: April 26, 2019, 05:52:23 PM »


 :neogaf what

benjipwns

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Re: The NBA thread (Playoff Time)
« Reply #21222 on: April 26, 2019, 05:54:54 PM »


 :rofl Stephen A.

benjipwns

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Re: The NBA thread (Playoff Time)
« Reply #21223 on: April 26, 2019, 11:20:29 PM »
This dude was a LAX airline checkout counter worker who went to a public ABA tryout: https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/s/selvale01.html

He took more three pointers in that first season than any NBA team attempted in a season until the eighth year with the line (1987-88) when ironically eight teams finally out jacked Lester. (Only one ABA team had outshot him in that first season too.)

Based on his percentage and makes per game against the league it's like finding the next Steph Curry as a random you added to fill out your summer league team. He hit ten threes in a game. Where both teams total combined made eleven.

I only wish his seventeen minute "comeback" was 100% three pointers.

r.i.p. in pieces Lester, I hope you're jacking it in heaven.

jakefromstatefarm

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Re: The NBA thread (Playoff Time)
« Reply #21224 on: April 26, 2019, 11:35:40 PM »
Shais been really good this series. Didn’t know his outside shooting was this good

benjipwns

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Re: The NBA thread (Playoff Time)
« Reply #21225 on: April 26, 2019, 11:38:38 PM »
Quote
Trail Blazers center Enes Kanter on Friday said he has a separated left shoulder and his status for the Western Conference semifinals remains uncertain.
Sorry to any other players I jinx by posting something positive about them.

spoiler (click to show/hide)
Kevin Durant, I believe your listed height. Your uniform fitting tattoos aren't in any way weird. You're the real Warriors hero, not those other guys who were there for five plus years and won 73 games in a season. The ESPN business series is entertaining, informative and inspiring.
[close]

benjipwns

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Re: The NBA thread (Playoff Time)
« Reply #21226 on: April 27, 2019, 01:38:41 AM »
 :bow Kevin Durant :bow2

spoiler (click to show/hide)
:doge
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Akala

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Re: The NBA thread (Playoff Time)
« Reply #21227 on: April 27, 2019, 09:13:25 AM »
 Dammit benji :lol

benjipwns

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Re: The NBA thread (Playoff Time)
« Reply #21228 on: April 27, 2019, 09:44:47 AM »
Quote from: Zach Lowe
Milwaukee is hell-bent on taking away shots at the rim and free throws, but Boston is already terrible at producing either. The Celtics ranked dead last in free throw rate and 27th in the share of shots that came at the basket. Most teams lose something against Milwaukee. Boston is already playing how Milwaukee wants its opponents to play.
neat

jakefromstatefarm

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Re: The NBA thread (Playoff Time)
« Reply #21229 on: April 27, 2019, 11:54:50 AM »
Boston also already sucks so...

benjipwns

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Re: The NBA thread (Playoff Time)
« Reply #21230 on: April 28, 2019, 01:39:34 AM »


pop da god

Stoney Mason

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Re: The NBA thread (Playoff Time)
« Reply #21231 on: April 28, 2019, 02:39:02 PM »
Giannis just having an awful game.

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Re: The NBA thread (Playoff Time)
« Reply #21232 on: April 28, 2019, 05:59:13 PM »
Only 22 points on 21 shots plus

https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/1122569782778155008

To be fair, LeBron had an awful game 1 against Boston last year too.  Interested to see the Bucks' adjustments because this was a bad loss especially at home.

Stoney Mason

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Re: The NBA thread (Playoff Time)
« Reply #21233 on: April 28, 2019, 10:00:23 PM »
The Celts were actually impressive today. Their defense was outstanding.

Rockets and Warriors is just one game but its still hard to envision the rockets taking the series. I guess if you are want the upset it's a good sign that Harden was only 9 of 28 and they still were in it the entire time.


Stoney Mason

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Beezy

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Re: The NBA thread (Playoff Time)
« Reply #21235 on: April 29, 2019, 08:46:37 PM »
Lol @ a team with Harden and CP3 bitching about non calls

jakefromstatefarm

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Re: The NBA thread (Playoff Time)
« Reply #21236 on: April 30, 2019, 01:12:47 AM »
Portland should make it to the conference finals now, they’re better than...Denver
gonna have to retract this, blazers have absolutely zero answer defensively for jokic and millsap. They might still win but the backcourt needs to average a billion a night to make up the hemorrhaging they give up on the interior. If they had nurkic this’d be a legit series

This also makes the thunders performance look that much worse given how much bigger/more athletic they were

curly

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Re: The NBA thread (Playoff Time)
« Reply #21237 on: April 30, 2019, 05:38:02 AM »
Lowry tried to nutmeg the defender on the last possession of the game down 3. I still haven't gotten over it.

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Re: The NBA thread (Playoff Time)
« Reply #21239 on: May 01, 2019, 06:02:51 AM »
Ok, there are the Bucks.

 :obama