NBA Finals: OKC v Indiana

[CardiacAndre7]

couple things:
1) Why does the market matter? Wouldn’t you watch the colts in Super Bowl? NFL has much smaller markets than the NBA eg Green Bay and Buffalo
2) No star power? SGA just won the MVP… and
3) inside the NBA is still being produced by tnt but it will be licensed/aired ESPN.

It’s pointless to argue with people like this. They have this idea of the NBA in their head and they won’t change it. The playoffs have been legitimately incredible, Shai is the MVP, the Thunder are an All-Time team, and Haliburton is legitimately having the most clutch playoff run ever.

People are just curmudgeons.

 

[controlfade]

It’s pointless to argue with people like this. They have this idea of the NBA in their head and they won’t change it. The playoffs have been legitimately incredible, Shai is the MVP, the Thunder are an All-Time team, and Haliburton is legitimately having the most clutch playoff run ever.

People are just curmudgeons.

I do not even like the NBA and the playoffs have been must watch TV

 

[aceboon]

Yes, that shot floored me - it was simply D-I-R-T-Y.

I go back and forth when I'm watching the Pacers thinking Nembhard is their 3rd best player, then Nesmith, then Nembhard etc...

Yea I jumped off the couch when that play happened, this angle is even better

 

[HCCForever]

A comment to nobody in particular, but it's too bad that the next game is Sunday night and not tonight. And the next NHL Final game is not until Monday.

 

[aceboon]

A comment to nobody in particular, but it's too bad that the next game is Sunday night and not tonight. And the next NHL Final game is not until Monday.

Never understood why the league decided on this opening Thursday/Sunday rotation when they're in the same city for the first two games and then they're gonna have to take another 2 days off to switch cities. Just takes all the momentum away.

 

[Dogdeacon]

Never understood why the league decided on this opening Thursday/Sunday rotation when they're in the same city for the first two games and then they're gonna have to take another 2 days off to switch cities. Just takes all the momentum away.

This would have made for better basketball if Curry, LeBron or other 35+ yr olds were prominently involved.

 

[TroyHall98]

The story of game 1 is that Indiana’s front court physicality took Holmgren completely out of the game. Indiana can win this series if that continues.

 

[gsmooth]

Yea I jumped off the couch when that play happened, this angle is even better

There is many ways a player can create a shot for themselves and many different ways it can look.

However, if there is a video to define what shot creation looks like, this is it. I remember seeing Nemhard do that and thinking "wow". He didn't just do that in a game, he did in a finals game with the game on the line under the 2 minute mark.

 

[UConn990411]

It probably wouldn’t matter tonight with how OKC is playing, but it’s crazy how much fouling they get away with.

 

[twiceahusky]

I called the Pacers winning this series, everyone is acting like OKC just has to show up.

Any skin in the game? “Calling” not very impressive, especially since (1) no evidence of a bet to back it and (2) the Pacers are no where near winning this series.

 

[superjohn]

It probably wouldn’t matter tonight with how OKC is playing, but it’s crazy how much fouling they get away with.

It's ridiculous what they get away with.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Any skin in the game? “Calling” not very impressive, especially since (1) no evidence of a bet to back it and (2) the Pacers are no where near winning this series.

I will give him credit for calling the Pacers given that like 20% of this board’s posters rip others every time there is a wrong call despite those same posters never predicting anything.

Also, why would anyone bet the Pacers straight up since they were +550?

Thunder vs. Pacers updated odds: Oklahoma City remains a big favorite to win NBA Finals after Tyrese Haliburton's game-winner

Tyrese Haliburton won Game 1 for Indiana -- but oddsmakers still believe in the Thunder.

sports.yahoo.com

 

[nelsonmuntz]

OKC’s A game is a lot better than Indiana’s.

 

[Scoe]

Any skin in the game? “Calling” not very impressive, especially since (1) no evidence of a bet to back it and (2) the Pacers are no where near winning this series.

I want OKC to win this series, and no I didn't bet on this series. I picked the Pacers for no other reason just because no one else picked them. So I win either way my prediction is correct or the Pacers lose.

Indy already did what they needed to do got the split in OKC now they go home, Carlisle always makes in series adjustments we'll see what happens in game 3.

 

[aceboon]

I'd imagine we'll see Hali come out aggressive from the start in game 3 but I don't understand how he still has these wild swings from game to game

 

[Waquoit]

Never understood why the league decided on this opening Thursday/Sunday rotation

I think it’s just a matter of Thu/Sun being the two biggest TV nights of the week.

 

[TroyHall98]

I'd imagine we'll see Hali come out aggressive from the start in game 3 but I don't understand how he still has these wild swings from game to game

Lu Dort and his physical play

 

[aceboon]

Lu Dort and his physical play

Dort and the rest of all of their guard wing defenders are an issue but it's been happening well before this OKC series and playing Dort, it's very noticeable in how he gets downhill and how he moves without the basketball when he has an aggressive mindset from the start compared to when he doesn't

 

[Deepster]

The disastrous NBA Finals ratings are in, and they're worse than anyone imagined

 

[boog204]

couple things:
1) Why does the market matter? Wouldn’t you watch the colts in Super Bowl? NFL has much smaller markets than the NBA eg Green Bay and Buffalo
2) No star power? SGA just won the MVP… and
3) inside the NBA is still being produced by tnt but it will be licensed/aired ESPN.

#1 does matter to more casual viewers, and you just cannot compare anything NFL to the NBA. The Super Bowl is an American event that happens once a year. People who have not watched a second of football for the season will watch.

Regardless of how great SGA and OKC are, and how fun Indy is to watch, lots will not watch because those are not "sexy" teams. Also, I feel like fans of many of the other pro sports teams will shut down once their team is eliminated. I'm a Yankee fan, but once they're eliminated in the ALCS because they strike out 17 times a game, I tend to lose interest in what follows.

I think even if you are a Giant/Browns/Texans fan and you knew your season was over at the opening kickoff, you're still going to watch the Super Bowl regardless of who's in it, or if you love/hate the halftime show.

 

[navery12]

#1 does matter to more casual viewers, and you just cannot compare anything NFL to the NBA. The Super Bowl is an American event that happens once a year. People who have not watched a second of football for the season will watch.

Regardless of how great SGA and OKC are, and how fun Indy is to watch, lots will not watch because those are not "sexy" teams. Also, I feel like fans of many of the other pro sports teams will shut down once their team is eliminated. I'm a Yankee fan, but once they're eliminated in the ALCS because they strike out 17 times a game, I tend to lose interest in what follows.

I think even if you are a Giant/Browns/Texans fan and you knew your season was over at the opening kickoff, you're still going to watch the Super Bowl regardless of who's in it, or if you love/hate the halftime show.

I keep seeing people say this and I just really don't understand why fans care about market size. TV networks need it for deals and to boost their ratings, but I really don't think the average fan people talk about cares.

SGA is the MVP and OKC was the best team in the NBA all season, they are by definition the sexy team. This isn't the 1980s where you can only watch your local teams and read about the rest in a newspaper the next day. The internet exists and casual fans are seeing SGA highlights daily because he's one of the best players in the league

 

[Deepster]

I keep seeing people say this and I just really don't understand why fans care about market size. TV networks need it for deals and to boost their ratings, but I really don't think the average fan people talk about cares.

SGA is the MVP and OKC was the best team in the NBA all season, they are by definition the sexy team. This isn't the 1980s where you can only watch your local teams and read about the rest in a newspaper the next day. The internet exists and casual fans are seeing SGA highlights daily because he's one of the best players in the league

So you're telling me, you would watch a Kansas City/Arizona World Series over a Yankees/Dodgers one?

 

[navery12]

So you're telling me, you would watch a Kansas City/Arizona World Series over a Yankees/Dodgers one?

I'm not a good example, and I don't think anyone on this board is either, because we're all diehards and not casuals. But yes. What I'm saying is if Kansas City and Arizona are the 2 best teams I would rather watch that than big markets

 

[Deepster]

I'm not a good example, and I don't think anyone on this board is either, because we're all diehards and not casuals. But yes. What I'm saying is if Kansas City and Arizona are the 2 best teams I would rather watch that than big markets

No offense, but I think you're in the overwhelming minority there.

You sell the "sizzle". In an LA/NY series, you're seeing highlights of the matchups in the 70's, 80's, etc. Highlights of the big moments. The first pitch is by famous former players that stir emotion. The famous people or alumni in the stands. The pomp and circumstance is not even close.....and the product on the field, October level baseball, is still going to be there. OKC/Indiana aren't creating some amazing never before seen product because they were the best teams this season.....

 

[HuskyHawk]

So you're telling me, you would watch a Kansas City/Arizona World Series over a Yankees/Dodgers one?

I would, because KC is my #2 team to the Sox. I get your point, but nobody minded watching the old George Brett Royals back in the day. Likewise the Randy Johnson/Curt Schilling Diamondbacks were a draw. It's more than markets.

What I think is missing here is less about markets than personalities. There's nothing really interesting about these teams. I still remember the 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates and "We are family". The 1985 Bears. The Magic era Lakers weren't just big because of LA and the stars, it was "Showtime". It would have been big in Minneapolis too. These two teams lack any discernable identity, although I think they can build one. Halliburton's late game heroics are the stuff that can create that identity. The NBA has spent so much time marketing stars that it forgot how to market teams. We're moving past the "star" era now and they better figure it out. There's nobody who is going to be what LeBron, Michael or Magic was going forward.