OT: - 2019 NBA Playoffs | Page 2 | The Boneyard

OT: 2019 NBA Playoffs

Bucks vs. Pistons
Raptors vs. Magic
76ers vs. Nets
Celtics vs. Pacers

Warriors vs. Clippers
Nuggets vs. Spurs
Trail Blazers vs. Thunder
Rockets vs. Jazz

The first three series in the East should be about 5 game affairs. The Celtics and Pacers got a little more interesting with Smart's injury, but I do not think the Pacers can win a playoff series without Oladipo.

The Warriors will probably sweep the Clippers, but the other three Western Conference series should be exciting. Spurs could upset the Nuggets, who seem like they are a year away from really competing for a conference title. Any of the four teams from the 2/7 and 3/6 matchups could realistically make the conference finals. The Warriors' path got a lot tougher when the Rockets dropped to #4. Assuming the Rockets get by the Jazz, that will be a tough matchup for the Warriors.
 
t7EE2xy.jpg
 
Not totally shocked that Philly lost game one but if this becomes a difficult series, and Simmons doesn't show up big in the coming games, you have to think about trading Simmons.

Edit now THAT is surprising. Orlando steals game 1. Lowry had a terrible time shooting today
 
Last edited:
3 of the lower seeds won Game 1 on Saturday.

76ers/Nets - If Embiid has a bad wheel, the 76ers are still the better team but they could lose this series. Bad knees are not the kind of thing that can be played through either, which makes the 76ers look like less of a threat in the next round if they survive this one.

Raptors/Magic - I forgot about the Raptors' issue with gagging in game ones. I don't know how this is even a thing for an NBA team.

Nuggets/Spurs - Spurs won this game with Aldridge and Derozan shooting a combined 33% from the field. That is a bad sign for the Nuggets.
 
.-.
The most impressive performance of the weekend to me was Dame. After last year's embarassing sweep they were all but forgotten and OKC was the consensus pick to win. He hit 2 clutch bombs 5 feet behind the arc and came through every time they needed a big bucket. Dame has really separated himself as the 3rd best guard IMO and is such a good guy.
 
I am so interested in seeing how the 76ers rebound. The tied has turned rapidly on Simmons and after his comments about his fanbase he has all the pressure in the world.
 
Nah not “poor Drummond” he just made a disgraceful play. He should be a leader on this team but is showing immaturity.
What's he supposed to do? He had around a double double for the half and they were losing by nearly 30. It's him and basically a bunch of G league players.
 
What's he supposed to do? He had around a double double for the half and they were losing by nearly 30. It's him and basically a bunch of G league players.
Yeah I agree the team sucks that’s fine, but suggesting “what’s he supposed to do?” to qualify his actions is kinda ridiculous. Just because your team is getting killed doesn’t mean you go get yourself kicked out of a game for an unnecessary, dangerous play.
 
Yeah I agree the team sucks that’s fine, but suggesting “what’s he supposed to do?” to qualify his actions is kinda ridiculous. Just because your team is getting killed doesn’t mean you go get yourself kicked out of a game for an unnecessary, dangerous play.
What happened?

Just pulled it up. With the rules it isn't a basketball play but come on, that was nothing. It wasn't undercutting someone airborne or in any way going to hurt him. You made it sound like he did something horrifying, he shoved him.
 
.-.
What happened?

Just pulled it up. With the rules it isn't a basketball play but come on, that was nothing. It wasn't undercutting someone airborne or in any way going to hurt him. You made it sound like he did something horrifying, he shoved him.
I’m saying it’s incredibly immature and not something a leader on his team should do.
 
Celtics/Pacers - this series would have been a lot more fun with Oladipo.

Trail Blazers/Thunder - Kanter is one of those players that it is hard to figure out just how good he is. He sucks on D, but he is very effective offensively and is a good rebounder.

Bucks/Pistons - Detroit would be the worst team in the NBA if you took away Griffin and Drummond.

Rockets/Jazz - Rockets win may be the most impressive win of the weekend. Jazz are a solid team, and they got embarrassed.
 
Celtics/Pacers - this series would have been a lot more fun with Oladipo.

Trail Blazers/Thunder - Kanter is one of those players that it is hard to figure out just how good he is. He sucks on D, but he is very effective offensively and is a good rebounder.

Bucks/Pistons - Detroit would be the worst team in the NBA if you took away Griffin and Drummond.

Rockets/Jazz - Rockets win may be the most impressive win of the weekend. Jazz are a solid team, and they got embarrassed.


They may be the worst playoff team I have ever seen. I think Houston getting Utah was better for them than playing OKC. I know it means Golden State in the second round, but you have to play them anyway, so you may as well get it over with. I'm not saying Houston will roll Utah, and playoff series can change game to game, but Utah is a good match up for them.
 
How is that going to happen?

Charlotte Hornets Team Payroll | Basketball-Reference.com

Charlotte is at $102 million next season (assuming all the player contract options are exercised, which I expect to happen) BEFORE they sign Kemba. The cap will be $109 million, and Luxury Tax will kick in at $132 million. Jordan would have to match every dollar over the LT level back to the NBA. I don't see that happening.

If Charlotte can dump some contracts, then maybe they can keep Kemba, but Charlotte has been shopping the bad contracts (Batum, Williams, Kidd Gilchrist) for years, and no one wants them.

They're screwed on Batum but come July 1 Williams, Biyombo, and MGK all become expiring contracts, more valuable and moveable than they were in February. Even if they move just MGK and sign Kemba to the max (1st year salary is roughly $32m) they'll be at $121m plus whatever their rookies make - it'll be below the luxury threshold. Plus, looking ahead one year when all those guys come off the books they'll free up another $32m in space. Signing Kemba is about more than just next season, obviously.

There is enough talk about CHA bringing back both Kemba and Lamb; the financials for bringing back Kemba aren't a concern.
 
Shabazz is in will most likely get the last 6 minutes here.
 
.-.
They're screwed on Batum but come July 1 Williams, Biyombo, and MGK all become expiring contracts, more valuable and moveable than they were in February. Even if they move just MGK and sign Kemba to the max (1st year salary is roughly $32m) they'll be at $121m plus whatever their rookies make - it'll be below the luxury threshold. Plus, looking ahead one year when all those guys come off the books they'll free up another $32m in space. Signing Kemba is about more than just next season, obviously.

There is enough talk about CHA bringing back both Kemba and Lamb; the financials for bringing back Kemba aren't a concern.

Will showing Kemba Walker urgency change Charlotte Hornets’ draft strategy? | Charlotte Observer

Money quote:

Q. In your opinion, would it be better to let the contracts of Bismack Biyombo, Marvin Williams and Kidd-Gilchrist expire after next season, or try to find some trade for one or more of them?


A. Those three contracts expiring in the summer of 2020 means Kupchak will have choices. In the absence of specific trade proposals, it’s impossible to say what’s best.


Trading an expiring contract would likely acquire a player with a contract beyond next season. That’s reason to be cautious. But everything at this point has the subtext of looking to give Walker more reason to stay.

The financials are a big concern. If Charlotte signs both Lamb and Kemba, they will be way over the luxury tax.

Biyombo, Williams and MGK are valuable contracts if there is a good player on a bad team that Charlotte wants, and that bad team is in rebuilding mode. Bradley Beal is an example. Kevin Love is another. Mike Conley is available for anyone that wants that contract, but he plays the same position as Kemba. Anyone on Miami is available, but who wants them? One wildcard could be the Lakers at the end of free agency if they strike out on the big names.

There are a few other teams that may be willing to deal. Detroit has an aging superstar in Griffin, another star in his prime in Drummond, but they are light years from contending from an overall talent standpoint, and they are over the salary cap in 2019-20. The problem with Detroit is that they have been bad for so long that they may not be willing to start a new rebuilding process.

Houston's two stars will be 30 and 34 a year from now, and they are going to have to go over the Luxury Tax to put together a team capable of competing for a Championship next season. If they get bounced in the first or second round this year, they may consider blowing the team up.

I don't know what Oklahoma City is thinking with that roster. They seem to want to compete, but they are in Luxury Tax territory, and they finished 6th this season. They are still young, but they have no where to go from a cap perspective.
 
Last edited:
The Pistons are literally a G-League team without Blake. Andre got his double-double but seems more interested in getting into it with Giannis than actually playing. Shame. Hope he leaves Detroit when he can because they don’t seem to have much future and he needs to be on a team with a pass first PG.
 
The Pistons are literally a G-League team without Blake. Andre got his double-double but seems more interested in getting into it with Giannis than actually playing. Shame. Hope he leaves Detroit when he can because they don’t seem to have much future and he needs to be on a team with a pass first PG.

Dunno if he needs to be on a team with a pass first PG, but rather just a better PG. He would have looked pretty good on Charlotte with Kemba. It’s a shame they grabbed MKG instead in the draft back then. Actually he seems like a perfect fit as the center in Charlotte. Good spacing, better passing system then Detroit. He sets good screens and would be a massive upgrade over any of Charlottes centers.
 
The Pistons are literally a G-League team without Blake. Andre got his double-double but seems more interested in getting into it with Giannis than actually playing. Shame. Hope he leaves Detroit when he can because they don’t seem to have much future and he needs to be on a team with a pass first PG.

Andre has one more year, then a $28.8 million player option. Detroit is mediocre, and would be historically bad if Drummond and Griffin were not on that team, and their cap situation prevents them from improving. Drummond probably exercises his player option in a year, which doesn't help Drummond or Detroit. Drummond probably can't get that kind of money on the free agent market but he is stuck on a bad team, and Detroit needs to blow this team up to get better. This is one of the few teams where a trade with Charlotte may make sense.
 
.-.
Every series is at 2 games. Quick thoughts:

Bucks/Pistons - only surprise is that Giannis has played as much as 53 minutes.

Orlando/Raptors - Orlando stole a win so they can feel good about themselves heading into the offseason.

76ers/Nets - The Nets didn't look like an NBA team defensively in game 2. Philadelphia could have scored 200 points if they shot better early in the game.

Celtics/Pacers - I don't think the Pacers will get swept, but they look mismatched.

Warriors/Clippers - Clips came to play and the Warriors don't like it. This series could go 6 games.

Nuggets/Spurs - Spurs are going to regret blowing a 19 point third quarter lead when they get bounced in 6 or 7 games.

Trail Blazers/Thunder - Trail Blazers would have been a threat in the west if they had Nurkic.

Rockets/Jazz - Jazz looked like they quit last night. That franchise has some decisions to make if it gets swept in the first round.
 
If Dejounte Murray's trajectory isn't impacted by his ACL injury the Spurs have a great backcourt for the future in him and Derrick White. Given their player development program Lonnie Walker will probably turn into a beast as well.
 
If Dejounte Murray's trajectory isn't impacted by his ACL injury the Spurs have a great backcourt for the future in him and Derrick White. Given their player development program Lonnie Walker will probably turn into a beast as well.

I am not quite ready to hand the Spurs the series, but they have been clearly the better team for 10.5 of the 12 quarters so far in their series with Denver. The 19 point comeback in Game 2 is the only thing keeping Denver alive right now.

Are the 76ers this good offensively or are the Nets this bad defensively? How come no one realized this earlier?
 
Here’s a wild stat from last night: Jaylen Brown was 8-9 from the field, 4 of them three pointers, but 3-7 from the line. How can a guy be that hot from the field and shoot under 50% from the line?
 
Here’s a wild stat from last night: Jaylen Brown was 8-9 from the field, 4 of them three pointers, but 3-7 from the line. How can a guy be that hot from the field and shoot under 50% from the line?

He tends to miss the first, make the 2nd. Mental.
 
the first round has been pretty brutal. The nets are getting absolutely slaughtered right now. Hoping for Shabazz to get some PT. I have no idea why they thought starting Jared Dudley was a good idea.
 
.-.

Forum statistics

Threads
168,331
Messages
4,564,745
Members
10,464
Latest member
Rollskies27


Top Bottom