NBA Finals: OKC v Indiana | Page 9 | The Boneyard

NBA Finals: OKC v Indiana

As I noted well upthread, TJ McConnell is now a hot topic on sports talk radio. Just today there were two long segments on him during the two short car trips I took today, the first why he didn't play more, especially in 4th qtr, as he had the hot hand. The second, whether he belongs on the Mt. Rushmore of players born and raised in Pittsburgh (it's a short list - the consensus seems to be Maurice Lucas, Billy Knight, Dick Groat, TJ McConnell).

That's more NBA content in one day than we typically get in an entire month during the NBA playoffs.
 
superjohn said:
I didn't say anything about the NBA's money.

You asked if the ratings are bad? I told you they're bad and they've stunk for the past 6 finals.
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Compared to what? It’s a different world. People’s habits have changed.

Ratings are fine. It doesnt matter.
 
hopefully he holds up, playing on a strained calf is playing with fire

 
You gotta wear full body armor to defend SGA, guys probably gotta get an ice bath after dealing with shoulder/elbow bumps and off-hand push-offs all night
 
What's going on here?
1000015740.jpg
 
Indiana pushed the pace (no pun intended) all night offensively and defensively. 8 turnovers from SGA and -40 from JDub..ouch! No killer instinct from OKC tonight. They clearly played knowing they have the “luxury” of a game 7 at their place. Definitely a risky strategy against a team who can get you out of sorts quickly with their front court physicality, backcourt matchup problems (TJ, Nembhart) , and now has confidence that Hali can give them something. Should be a fun game 7!
 
aceboon said:
You gotta wear full body armor to defend SGA, guys probably gotta get an ice bath after dealing with shoulder/elbow bumps and off-hand push-offs all night
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I thought this guy was one of my favotie players in the league because he's all about the midrange and just a pure scorer. I clearly didn't watch enough regular season or his whole career. Has he been doing this all along and getting away with it?

I said the series was done when Indy fell apart in game 4 at home. I stand by that and it bums me out. The way SGA plays the game spoils so much of it for me. It's a different way/style but this is James Harden all over again. The guy is kicking butt but he's maniuputed the rules/refs and they've let him get away with it.
 
TroyHall98 said:
Indiana pushed the pace (no pun intended) all night offensively and defensively. 8 turnovers from SGA and -40 from JDub..ouch! No killer instinct from OKC tonight. They clearly played knowing they have the “luxury” of a game 7 at their place. Definitely a risky strategy against a team who can get you out of sorts quickly with their front court physicality, backcourt matchup problems (TJ, Nembhart) , and now has confidence that Hali can give them something. Should be a fun game 7!
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I gave up my fandom for any specific teams in the NBA years ago. I reserve my insanity for Uconn only. It allows me to fall in love with whatever good, fun basketball I'm seeing. Recently its been the Celtics, Knicks, Pacers, OKC, Denver and the Spurs. This years playoffs and these two teams in the finals have been incredible. Hopefully they usher in a new era of NBA basketball of team first, high energy, all out basketball. Like the concept in Soccer, Total Football, - Total Basketball.
 
Pressure is on Daigneault. OKC is really good and Indiana is just ok and has injuries. This would be a really bad loss for him.

What are the biggest upsets in NBA finals history? Detroit 2004 was a legitimate upset although the teams were close in the regular season. I don’t count the 2006 Heat or Cavaliers as significant upsets because both teams were very good and had generational superstars. Mavericks win was kind of an upset, although much of that turned out to be sandbagging by Carlisle, Dirk and Kidd in interviews.

OKC won 18 more games than Indiana, and it wasn’t like Indiana was missing a star for extended stretches or didn’t care about the regular season like Shaq or Hakeem used to do in their prime. Indiana needed every win it got. Its 50-32 regular season record is reflective of the above average, but nothing more, team that Indiana is. Indiana is only in the finals because Cleveland and Boston were gutted by injuries and Milwaukee has a lousy coach and was gutted by injuries.

There is no close comparable in NBA history for the level of upset this would be if Indiana wins.
 
Mr. French said:
I can't get with this take. He maybe "pushes off" to score 2-3x game without it being called, if we're being honest. A guy who averages over 30 a game and is as smooth as SGA and was the clear MVP being reduced to "this guy cheats the game and I can't watch it" is super weird. It's like Stephen A. multiplied his hot takeability by 1000.

It's not that serious - he scores like some of the best 2 guards of all time - he uses his body to score in a way that isn't getting called ... much like Jordan, Wade, Kobe, yes Harden (who despite the annoyance, is good at drawing fouls) and dozens of other guys in the history of the sport.

Also, it's funny to start a post saying "I thought this guy was one of my favorite players, but that's beacuse I barely watch him play."

Not really trying to go at you, superjohn, but this take is a strange one.
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You're not wrong. But I really get annoyed when the NBA refs decide what is or isn't a foul or a travel is too often based on the name on the back of the jersey. It's a giant popularity contest. Yes, Jordan committed thousands of uncalled offensive fouls, many of which were called defensive fouls. Harden runs people over, so does Giannis. LeBron travels like crazy. At the moment, SGA is in that rare star category that gets the calls, calls even other stars like Halliburton don't get.

If the NBA really wants to fix the ratings, it has to stop all the favoritism. Indiana has pushed this to 7 despite the league working against them.
 
nelsonmuntz said:
Pressure is on Daigneault. OKC is really good and Indiana is just ok and has injuries. This would be a really bad loss for him.

What are the biggest upsets in NBA finals history? Detroit 2004 was a legitimate upset although the teams were close in the regular season. I don’t count the 2006 Heat or Cavaliers as significant upsets because both teams were very good and had generational superstars. Mavericks win was kind of an upset, although much of that turned out to be sandbagging by Carlisle, Dirk and Kidd in interviews.

OKC won 18 more games than Indiana, and it wasn’t like Indiana was missing a star for extended stretches or didn’t care about the regular season like Shaq or Hakeem used to do in their prime. Indiana needed every win it got. Its 50-32 regular season record is reflective of the above average, but nothing more, team that Indiana is. Indiana is only in the finals because Cleveland and Boston were gutted by injuries and Milwaukee has a lousy coach and was gutted by injuries.

There is no close comparable in NBA history for the level of upset this would be if Indiana wins.
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No, Indiana is not just “ok”.
 
Mr. French said:
HALIIIIIIII

This Pacers team is awesome. I knew Haliburton was a great pure PG, but man this whole team has just gelled and continued to go go go at their opponents. I love it
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They may also have the best coach in the NBA. I put a lot of faith in that guy to make really good reads and adjustments.
 
SGA takes are so weird. He gets fouled all the time because no one can stop him. He does make contact on offense but the idea he pushes off on every play is absurd. The Harden stuff was about jumping into defenders on threes, something they had to rewrite the rulebook to stop. We really think the refs are in the tank for a guy from OKC?
 
gtcam said:
Nelson - look at what they have done in the 2nd half of the season,
Saying the Pacers are only OK is a head scratcher
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A team is what its record says it is. There is no way that the Pacers win the East if Cavaliers, Celtics and Bucks stay healthy and fresh. They barely got by an average Knicks team. The Pacers got some breaks in this playoff.

Breaks happen in tournaments. This is a UConn board, so we know that better than anyone. Tyus Edny takes one step left or right in his coast to coast drive against Missouri in 1995, or Donyell hits either free throw against Florida in 1994, and Calhoun wins his first title one or both of those years. Brimah doesn’t make a 3 point play against St. Joe’s in 2014, or the AZ 3 attempt in the 2011 Regional Final is 2 inches more on target, or Coach K manages his front court better against us in 2004, and any or all of those championships go away.

The 2004 Pistons are the closest comparable, but that team was really strong in the regular season. Siakam is the only likely Hall of Famer on this team, and he is not a lock. There are no generational superstars like other upset teams have had, like the 1995 Rockets.
 
nelsonmuntz said:
Pressure is on Daigneault. OKC is really good and Indiana is just ok and has injuries. This would be a really bad loss for him.

What are the biggest upsets in NBA finals history? Detroit 2004 was a legitimate upset although the teams were close in the regular season. I don’t count the 2006 Heat or Cavaliers as significant upsets because both teams were very good and had generational superstars. Mavericks win was kind of an upset, although much of that turned out to be sandbagging by Carlisle, Dirk and Kidd in interviews.

OKC won 18 more games than Indiana, and it wasn’t like Indiana was missing a star for extended stretches or didn’t care about the regular season like Shaq or Hakeem used to do in their prime. Indiana needed every win it got. Its 50-32 regular season record is reflective of the above average, but nothing more, team that Indiana is. Indiana is only in the finals because Cleveland and Boston were gutted by injuries and Milwaukee has a lousy coach and was gutted by injuries.

There is no close comparable in NBA history for the level of upset this would be if Indiana wins.
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I think you’re selling Indiana a bit short with your “ok” evaluation. They may have been during the regular season but they’re playing better than ok now. Nice mix of talent. They’re not one of the great finals teams but ok isn’t fair.
 
nelsonmuntz said:
A team is what its record says it is. There is no way that the Pacers win the East if Cavaliers, Celtics and Bucks stay healthy and fresh. They barely got by an average Knicks team. The Pacers got some breaks in this playoff.

Breaks happen in tournaments. This is a UConn board, so we know that better than anyone. Tyus Edny takes one step left or right in his coast to coast drive against Missouri in 1995, or Donyell hits either free throw against Florida in 1994, and Calhoun wins his first title one or both of those years. Brimah doesn’t make a 3 point play against St. Joe’s in 2014, or the AZ 3 attempt in the 2011 Regional Final is 2 inches more on target, or Coach K manages his front court better against us in 2004, and any or all of those championships go away.

The 2004 Pistons are the closest comparable, but that team was really strong in the regular season. Siakam is the only likely Hall of Famer on this team, and he is not a lock. There are no generational superstars like other upset teams have had, like the 1995 Rockets.
Expand ...
They developed later in the year and even during the playoffs but they are very very good. Their defense went from average to excellent in the finals and they are so hard to guard.
 
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