OT: - 2021 NBA Playoffs | Page 18 | The Boneyard

OT: 2021 NBA Playoffs

nelsonmuntz said:
They added a wrinkle in that other stars that struggle from the line often have a second top player that can be the free throw shooter at the end of the game. The Bucks have that player in Holiday and Middleton. I don't think this is the team's biggest issue.

Barkley held his fire when he said "we don't like to talk about firing people", but they were all basically bashing Budenholzer without bashing Budenholzer. The offense grinds to a halt in big games, and the defense is not as good as it should be with this talent. It is too bad that Kidd was such an abrasive personality, because he would be so much tougher mentally than Budenholzer in a series like this. Budenholzer has 1 or 2 games left in his Bucks coaching career, and then the team has to let him go. They should probably let the GM Jon Horst go too. The team has gotten worse as the salary cap situation has also gotten worse.

Milwaukee is a small market that has one of the most dynamic players of the last 20 years. Their window to be more than playoff fodder is small and closing. They have to do something.
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Yeah I saw that too, they were 100% right that the Bucks should have been up +20 at half time. Then played way too much 1-on-1 in second half although sometimes this was to correctly attack Blake Griffin (who they played off the court) and Harden.

TNT's point was Shaq had a 2nd in Kobe and then Wade. I wouldn't exactly call either Middleton or Holiday equivalent, even combined. The Bucks problem is Giannis is their best scoring option, but under 2 minutes he cannot always create his own shot. Sure Holiday or Middleton can make free throws, but neither is an All-NBA multi-dimensional offensive player that can equally score or assist. To wit Middleton's rushed pass to Giannis though a good play was unexpected. We are comparing the combined very good ability of the Bucks 3 to the excellence of who they are playing in this series: Durant > Bucks 3, Irving > Bucks 3, IF/When Healthy Harden > Bucks 3. Against 75% of teams in league Bucks are fine, but this again is their fatal flaw in the playoffs against elite players & their teams.
 
I believe Nelson commented that the playoffs are coming down to injuries. Next one up is Clippers.

Kawhi Out
 
Chuck said:
I believe Nelson commented that the playoffs are coming down to injuries. Next one up is Clippers.

Kawhi Out
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Moreso than ever before. The two true title contenders out each lost one of their top 2 & its a battle of attrition between remaining squads trying to keep their top 2-3 healthy
INJURIES:
OUT Lakers - AD
OUT Denver - Murray
Philly - Embid on watch
BKLN - Kyrie & Harden
Clips - Kawhi out could mean they are done
Utah - Mitchell on watch
PHX - CP3 always on watch, currently add Covid complications
Healthy:
Bucks - lost 4th or 5th best player, might have a better chance if their coach gets hurt
 
Dogdeacon said:
Moreso than ever before. The two true title contenders out each lost one of their top 2 & its a battle of attrition between remaining squads trying to keep their top 2-3 healthy
INJURIES:
OUT Lakers - AD
OUT Denver - Murray
Philly - Embid on watch
BKLN - Kyrie & Harden
Clips - Kawhi out could mean they are done
Utah - Mitchell on watch
PHX - CP3 always on watch, currently add Covid complications
Healthy:
Bucks - lost 4th or 5th best player, might have a better chance if their coach gets hurt
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Conley has missed the whole series for Utah as well. Jeff Green and Ibaka aren't on the same level as the other guys mentioned but are also high impact role players that have missed time.
 
I'm surprised that Van Gundy is out in NO after a single season, especially since he unlocked Zion as a playmaker. Wonder what happened behind the scenes.
 
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Lefty2one said:
I'm surprised that Van Gundy is out in NO after a single season, especially since he unlocked Zion as a playmaker. Wonder what happened behind the scenes.
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Um, it wasn't behind the scenes. They missed the playoffs, didn't play defense all year (ranked bottom quarter) and it took wayyy too long for Van Gundy to give the ball to Zion yet still often ended games with 46% shooting Brandon Ingram thinking he was the man instead of +60% shooting Zion. That said had they kept Holliday they'd probably at least make the play-in game & VG still would have the job.
 
Dogdeacon said:
Um, it wasn't behind the scenes. They missed the playoffs, didn't play defense all year (ranked bottom quarter) and it took wayyy too long for Van Gundy to give the ball to Zion yet still often ended games with 46% shooting Brandon Ingram thinking he was the man instead of +60% shooting Zion. That said had they kept Holliday they'd probably at least make the play-in game & VG still would have the job.
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It's the NBA, it's rare that coaches get fired after a single season. They got worse (lost Jrue) and finished with a better record and Van Gundy got nice improvement out of Zion.

It's probably as simple as Zion didn't like him and wanted him out. That, or the Pels are going for a longer development plan and Van Gundy wanted win-now moves.
 
Are we sure about Giannis? Are we sure? He continues to show he is a low BBIQ player who is a freak of nature that doesn't bode well to his long term success when it comes to winning championships. Why are you guarding Joe Harris when KD is going off? Why are you taking fadeaways on Harden? We know that Coach Bud has single digit brain cells but what his Giannis excuse?
 
Lefty2one said:
It's the NBA, it's rare that coaches get fired after a single season. They got worse (lost Jrue) and finished with a better record and Van Gundy got nice improvement out of Zion.
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They finished 1 whole game better in record and had no longer a rookie Zion for 37 more games.
 
auror said:
They finished 1 whole game better in record and had no longer a rookie Zion for 37 more games.
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Yeah, it was a debacle. They were 10 games under 500 & Van Gundy never looked any less lost than he was during similar 'has the game passed me by' debacle with Pistons, he's bound for the broadcast booth.
 
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Dogdeacon said:
Philly - Embid (on watch- partially torn meniscus), Green (out- 2 weeks)
BKLN - Kyrie (out-sprained ankle)
Clips - Kawhi (out- sprained acl), Ibaka (out- back surgery)
Utah - Conley (out- hamstring)
PHX - CP3 (out- Covid protocols)
Hawks- Hunter (out)
Bucks - Divincenzo (out)
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FIFY
 
polycom said:
Are we sure about Giannis? Are we sure? He continues to show he is a low BBQ player who is a freak of nature that doesn't bode well to his long term success when it comes to winning championships. Why are you guarding Joe Harris when KD is going off? Why are you taking fadeaways on Harden? We know that Coach Bud has single digit brain cells but what his Giannis excuse?
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The turnover at the very end was hard to watch.
 
if that's a complete tear that pretty much wipes him out for next year, that's crazy.
 
aceboon said:
if that's a complete tear that pretty much wipes him out for next year, that's crazy.
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it's a sprain
auror said:
Jeeeeeez. It's really anyone's year. Literally any team left could win it.
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if by anyone you mean the jazz or nets.

kawhi out for playoffs and cp3 tested postivie for covid so jazz are finals locks. danny green is a big loss for the sixers. even if they can get by the hawks they arent beating the nets who will get kyrie back (xrays negative).
 
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bendm said:
it's a sprain

if by anyone you mean the jazz or nets.

kawhi out for playoffs and cp3 tested postivie for covid so jazz are finals locks. danny green is a big loss for the sixers. even if they can get by the hawks they arent beating the nets who will get kyrie back (xrays negative).
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Technically a sprain is a tear... which is why I think the person you quoted said if its a complete tear.
 
polycom said:
Technically a sprain is a tear... which is why I think the person you quoted said if its a complete tear.
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if it was a complete tear people would be calling it a torn acl and not a sprained acl
 
ihatepants said:
I didn't think Chris Paul's shot selection would cost the Suns a trip to the Finals.
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The claim by Matt Barnes is that he was vaccinated. Who knows
 
bendm said:
if it was a complete tear people would be calling it a torn acl and not a sprained acl
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They're calling it a sprain for now, they reportedly have to do more imaging once the swelling subsides.
 
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I bet CP3 plays in game 1 he will have at minimum 4 days.
 
bendm said:
if by anyone you mean the jazz or nets.

kawhi out for playoffs and cp3 tested postivie for covid so jazz are finals locks. danny green is a big loss for the sixers. even if they can get by the hawks they arent beating the nets who will get kyrie back (xrays negative).
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Suns:
Why they can win it - CP3 will be back. Team is peaking in the playoffs.
Why they won't win it - They'll dig themselves into a hole in CP3's absence and won't be able to make it when he comes back. Jazz have home court.

Jazz
Why they can win it - Home court in WCF. Kawhi out now. Will have some of series without CP3 most likely. League best record, good scoring depth. and Gobert on D.
Why they won't win it - Donovan Mitchell banged up. Were looking in trouble against Clips before Kawhi injury.

Clippers
Why they can win it - Paul George might be the best player left in WC when he shows up.
Why they won't win it - Kawhi injury. Have to steal at least 1 on road against Jazz. Overall shot creation shortage without Kawhi. PG doesn't usually show up.

Nets
Why they can win it - Kevin Durant is the best player in the league. Best roster if healthy.
Why they won't win it - Harden looks to be 20% healthy and Kyrie is out next game and future timeline or playing capacity unknown. Still have to close out Bucks and win without home court against Sixers. Unproven head coach.

Sixers
Why they can win it - Best 2 way team. Home court advantage in ECF. Embiid can be absolutely dominant in paint against certain matchups. Simmons + Thybulle on D can give a team of 2 stars a real problem. Doc Rivers is only coach remaining with a ring (non LeBron stooge category).
Why they won't win it - Embiid is not 100%. Danny Green out hurts their shooting/spacing. Have to close out Hawks still, may continue history of playoff choking.

Bucks
Why they can win it - Healthiest stars remaining (only Divincenzo out). Giannis will get 30 and 10 every game. Jrue can shut down opposing guards.
Why they won't win it - Shooting hasn't translated to playoffs. Coach Bud has been actively bad. Giannis can't make a FT. Facing elimination in current series heading out on road.

Hawks
Why they can win it - If CP3 is out, they have the best offensive point guard remaining in Trae Young.
Why they won't win it - Wing corps is diminished (Hunter and Reddish out). Have to win on road. Least talented and experienced roster remaining. Head coach has substantial losing playoff record..
 
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I wanna see gobert win it all after last year…
 
auror said:
Suns:
Why they can win it - CP3 will be back. Team is peaking in the playoffs.
Why they won't win it - They'll dig themselves into a hole in CP3's absence and won't be able to make it when he comes back. Jazz have home court.

Jazz
Why they can win it - Home court in WCF. Kawhi out now. Will have some of series without CP3 most likely. League best record, good scoring depth. and Gobert on D.
Why they won't win it - Donovan Mitchell banged up. Were looking in trouble against Clips before Kawhi injury.

Clippers
Why they can win it - Paul George might be the best player left in WC when he shows up.
Why they won't win it - Kawhi injury. Have to steal at least 1 on road against Jazz. Overall shot creation shortage without Kawhi. PG doesn't usually show up.

Nets
Why they can win it - Kevin Durant is the best player in the league. Best roster if healthy.
Why they won't win it - Harden looks to be 20% healthy and Kyrie is out next game and future timeline or playing capacity unknown. Still have to close out Bucks and win without home court against Sixers. Unproven head coach.

Sixers
Why they can win it - Best 2 way team. Home court advantage in ECF. Embiid can be absolutely dominant in paint against certain matchups. Simmons + Thybulle on D can give a team of 2 stars a real problem. Doc Rivers is only coach remaining with a ring (non LeBron stooge category).
Why they won't win it - Embiid is not 100%. Danny Green out hurts their shooting/spacing. Have to close out Hawks still, may continue history of playoff choking.

Bucks
Why they can win it - Healthiest stars remaining (only Divincenzo out). Giannis will get 30 and 10 every game. Jrue can shut down opposing guards.
Why they won't win it - Shooting hasn't translated to playoffs. Coach Bud has been actively bad. Giannis can't make a FT. Facing elimination in current series heading out on road.

Hawks
Why they can win it - If CP3 is out, they have the best offensive point guard remaining in Trae Young.
Why they won't win it - Wing corps is diminished (Hunter and Reddish out). Have to win on road. Least talented and experienced roster remaining. Head coach has substantial losing playoff record..
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Well, somebody has to win it. ;-)
 
Outscored 40-15 before that meaningless Curry jumper at the buzzer, on their home floor, after blowing an 18 point lead in game 4.
 
auror said:
Sixers
Why they can win it - Best 2 way team. Home court advantage in ECF. Embiid can be absolutely dominant in paint against certain matchups. Simmons + Thybulle on D can give a team of 2 stars a real problem. Doc Rivers is only coach remaining with a ring (non LeBron stooge category).
Why they won't win it - Embiid is not 100%. Danny Green out hurts their shooting/spacing. Have to close out Hawks still, may continue history of playoff choking.
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Oops.
 
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