NBA first round

[HuskyHawk]

He's considered the best player in the sport by a wide margin and people are talking about his place historically and he's 32% from the field the past two games with 10 turnovers and crucial missed ft's. It's not a good look especially when they were in position to have a stranglehold on the series.

His team isn't that good. Have no business even being competitive in this series. He's the only reason they are. I suppose if you look at legacy they way I was talking about Wilt, then yes, Jokic isn't likely to win a lot of championships. But he'll still be a hall of famer.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Indiana just put up a 19-2 run in the last 3 minutes of the half. Haven't watched much of them this year, they are fun and run some interesting cuts/dives.

I know it may sound weird with Boston down 1-2 but as a Celtics fan, I was in no way hoping they'd catch Cleveland for the #1 and Indiana is the reason why. Wanted no part of that team before the Eastern conference final. Much better team than the Knicks. Figured Indiana and Cleveland would be a rough series for both teams.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Things are getting interesting.

I've been saying since Saturday night that whoever wins tonight takes the series in six games

 

[CardiacAndre7]

Oh no. That could be an achilles

 

[aceboon]

Did Tatum tear his Achilles? That was the textbook reaction to an Achilles tear...

 

[controlfade]

Did he rupture his achilles?

 

[aceboon]

Tatum injury aside it was a nice contrast to see the Knicks burying the Celtics with a barrage of midrange jumpers while the Cs were playing mathball on the other end

 

[Dove]

He gone.

What Cardiac isn't sharing is that Jayson Tatum went down in a heap grabbing his right ankle. Looked bad.

 

[superjohn]

What a game! This feels like the NBA finals and it's not even the Eastern Conference finals.

When Boston is shooting like that they're so scary. Tatum and White couldn't miss. Unreal performances by Brunson and Tatum. I really hope Tatum is okay but that was non contact which is bad.

Bridges stepped up tonight.

 

[Scoe]

That was a great game, prayers to Tatum he really stepped up tonight too such a shame. When the Knicks 4 stars step up their really tough to beat, series isnt over yet though.

 

[Hunt for 7]

Hate to see that injury….at that time…we will never know if we could have won this game with Tatum playing to the end. But we were looking good. It was going to go down to the wire and I have to like the Knicks chances.

Let go Knicks! I have missed this for too long. That was a great game and if anyone thinks the mid range game is dead please see Mikael Bridges. That mid range fade away is money.

 

[gsmooth]

That Tatum injury is a downer after such a great performance. Depending on what the injury is the Celtics have to wonder what is in tap for next year.

I am wondering if it's an achilles injury-Lord I hope not or any other type of serious injury.

This is May Madness for the New York. When MSG is rocking, there is no other arena like it.

 

[superjohn]

Hate to see that injury….at that time…we will never know if we could have won this game with Tatum playing to the end. But we were looking good. It was going to go down to the wire and I have to like the Knicks chances.

Let go Knicks! I have missed this for too long. That was a great game and if anyone thinks the mid range game is dead please see Mikael Bridges. That mid range fade away is money.

Knicks up 9 with just under 3 minutes left. Would've liked to see it play out with Tatum on the court because it was a heavyweight fight but it felt like a win at that point.

Series still not over.

We need that from Bridges. Brunson has to carry so much of the burden. OG, Bridges, and Hart are all really good all around wings but Bridges is the most gifted scorer out of them. We need that type of performance consistently.

 

[superjohn]

That Tatum injury is a downer after such a great performance. Depending on what the injury is the Celtics have to wonder what is in tap for next year.

I am wondering if it's an achilles injury-Lord I hope not or any other type of serious injury.

This is May Madness for the New York. When MSG is rocking, there is no other arena like it.

There's no better building in sports. It's why it drove me nuts for the majority of my life Dolan screwed it all up. The NBA is so much better when the Knicks are good and the Garden is rocking.

 

[superjohn]

Refs were really bad in this one.

 

[Hunt for 7]

Refs were really bad in this one.

Agreed the block on Hart was a charge on Brown …..BS feet moving answer….and Tatum clearly double dribbled. There were a few mor Porzingas grabs low more on rebounding action more than I remember. Refs never see it. Being a Knicks fan is just like being a UConn fan…..8 against five…….

 

[superjohn]

Agreed the block on Hart was a charge on Brown …..BS feet moving answer….and Tatum clearly double dribbled. There were a few mor Porzingas grabs low more on rebounding action more than I remember. Refs never see it. Being a Knicks fan is just like being a UConn fan…..8 against five…….

Tatum carried it and then double dribbled. There was a period there where the Knicks kept getting thrown to the floor and it was a parade of Celtics to the ft line.

 

[superjohn]

I can't tell for sure, any MD's or people who suffered Achilles injuries?

 

[gsmooth]

I can't tell for sure, any MD's or people who suffered Achilles injuries?

It's why I guessed it's an achilles injury. It reminded me of Justin Moore's injury in the Elite 8 against Houston in the 2022 NCAAT.

 

[IndyLives]

Ive had enough of Joe Mazulla. 3rd game this series that the C's looked horrible in the 2nd half. Zero defensive intensity & zero adjustments. C's lost their identity. Maybe its the injuries but the C's looked slow the whole series. Brown, Holiday, Porzingis, Al, even D. White seem to be playing at half speed. Tatum (before the injury) was the only guy playing at a high level. Wish we still had Udoka as hes the better long term option.

 

[champs99and04]

The good news for Tatum, if it is an Achilles, is that he's still only 27. Durant was 30 when he tore his, and at least offensively he seemed to get all the way back.

It's unfortunate because he had become arguably the most complete player in the league and was playing the best ball of his career.

On that note, I continue to believe - but can't prove - that the pace & space era is what's causing the apparent uptick in non-contact injuries. Not only are teams averaging around 10 more possessions per game than they were ten years ago, but they're also asking players to cover more ground and exert more energy than ever before. That's why I laugh when I hear people from previous generations or different sports clowning the players for "load managing." It's not the same as it was before.

 

[CTBasketball]

Ive had enough of Joe Mazulla. 3rd game this series that the C's looked horrible in the 2nd half. Zero defensive intensity & zero adjustments. C's lost their identity. Maybe its the injuries but the C's looked slow the whole series. Brown, Holiday, Porzingis, Al, even D. White seem to be playing at half speed. Tatum (before the injury) was the only guy playing at a high level. Wish we still had Udoka as hes the better long term option.

Their identity is to shoot 3’s and get high percentage shots.

 

[Hunt for 7]

Nobody actually still thinks the Knicks are going to win this, do they?

Yup I think we are. Tatum injury was horrible but Celts were about to choke anyway. Now there will be excuses if we win.

But it was getting close at the end of the game and the Celtics were showing signs of cracking under the pressure again….even before Tatum went down.

Celtics fans need to remember this team before last year. That was their mo….it came back this year.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Agreed the block on Hart was a charge on Brown …..BS feet moving answer….and Tatum clearly double dribbled. There were a few mor Porzingas grabs low more on rebounding action more than I remember. Refs never see it. Being a Knicks fan is just like being a UConn fan…..8 against five…….

LOL. This is hysterical. Brunson flopping all over the floor getting imaginary calls, Towns literally shoving Pritchard in the back on an O rebound and put back and you worry about these two. Refs were bad alright, but not in the direction you're thinking.

Credit to the Knicks for shooting something like 67% in the 2nd half, many of those tough, contested, low quality shots. It reminded me of the Villanova vs Georgetown championship game.

 

[IndyLives]

Their identity is to shoot 3’s and get high percentage shots.

Which is a flawed strategy, imo. Besides Pritchard, they are a below average 3-pt. percentage team. And, at the expense of losing a defensive mindset - they cant seem to do both regardless of what 1-trick pony Mazzulla says. They have been blowing 4th quarter leads to good teams all year, not just this series. They have more team talent than all teams, but their scheme levels the playing field to inferior teams like the Knicks.