NBA Playoffs 2023

[Deleted at users request]

Man. I don’t think either of those 3 can touch a candle to the top 3 in east. Boston is best team, Bucks are a title caliber team and Embiid is most dominating player in the league.

Suns have no chemistry, golden state is off, and I just don’t think lakers have enough talent. They get credit for being better, but a healthy TWolves team better than them.

We’ll see, but Durant and the Suns have played exactly 12 games together. That matters.

I’ll never trust a team with Harden as a #2 to be legit contenders, Jayson Tatum is not a #1 on a championship team imo even though they by far have the best roster in the NBA, and I don’t think the Bucks have a good enough two.

The best perimeter stars are in the West. Those are the guys that win these things imo. I’d trust Lebron, KD, or Steph to make big plays down the stretch over Harden, Jrue Holiday, or Tatum. A team can gameplan for Embiid and Giannas if you have the bodies.

 

[Mr. French]

I'm not going to defend Draymond, because he doesn't deserve the benefit of the doubt and when you see his foot land on the guy's chest, it's tough not to call something.

However, I find it pretty funny that his reputation has allowed everyone to ignore Sabonis grabbing both of his legs as he's starting his stride down the court - not exactly sure how he was supposed to NOT step on him somehow when his leg is midair and caught by 2 grown man arms.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I’ll never trust a team with Harden as a #2 to be legit contenders, Jayson Tatum is not a #1 on a championship team imo even though they by far have the best roster in the NBA, and I don’t think the Bucks have a good enough two.

The best perimeter stars are in the West. Those are the guys that win these things imo. I’d trust Lebron, KD, or Steph to make big plays down the stretch over Harden, Jrue Holiday, or Tatum. A team can gameplan for Embiid and Giannas if you have the bodies.

Nah, that's old school thinking. Tatum can certainly lead a team to a title. Damn near did last year and they learned from it and added Brogdan. If Williams was healthy they probably win. I'm not sure GS is getting past the Kings. The Lakers have no depth at all. The Suns, yes, there is lots of talent, but KD and Paul aren't spring chickens anymore and the playoffs are a grind.

 

[JohnFSilver]

I’ll never trust a team with Harden as a #2 to be legit contenders, Jayson Tatum is not a #1 on a championship team imo even though they by far have the best roster in the NBA, and I don’t think the Bucks have a good enough two.

The best perimeter stars are in the West. Those are the guys that win these things imo. I’d trust Lebron, KD, or Steph to make big plays down the stretch over Harden, Jrue Holiday, or Tatum. A team can gameplan for Embiid and Giannas if you have the bodies.

Interesting view. I probably disagree with all of it.

And weird on Tatum. He is a No. 1 on a title team by metrics, eye test and past results. They Should have won it last year. Giannis and Embiid are two dominant players in nba. Giannis has a title. Embiid is the mvp.

Lebron and stef will be lucky to get out of first round. KD is gonna lose to the clippers.

Shaking up as a Celtics/Bucks and Nuggets final.

 

[Deleted at users request]

Nah, that's old school thinking. Tatum can certainly lead a team to a title. Damn near did last year and they learned from it and added Brogdan. If Williams was healthy they probably win. I'm not sure GS is getting past the Kings. The Lakers have no depth at all. The Suns, yes, there is lots of talent, but KD and Paul aren't spring chickens anymore and the playoffs are a grind.

What’s old school thinking? When’s the last time a team with a big won the Finals?

Last year is my whole reason why I don’t think the Celtics can get it done. Tatum blew it in the Finals and even this year in comparison to other top scorers in the league, he shot a low FG%.

GS definitely has to worry about the Kings first and foremost. And if we’re worried about some of the older guys making it through the playoffs without injury I think that’s very valid.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Cool story

Not as cool as saying you watched it 20 times.

 

[Deleted at users request]

Interesting view. I probably disagree with all of it.

And weird on Tatum. He is a No. 1 on a title team by metrics, eye test and past results. They Should have won it last year. Giannis and Embiid are two dominant players in nba. Giannis has a title. Embiid is the mvp.

Lebron and stef will be lucky to get out of first round. KD is gonna lose to the clippers.

Shaking up as a Celtics/Bucks and Nuggets final.

Huh? The Lakers might sweep the Grizzlies at this point with Ja out and they looked very strong before his injury on the road. I could see the Suns losing this series too. If they do that means Kawhi is probably one of the best players in the NBA though and now they may have to be a team people look out for.

The Celtics would’ve won it last year too if Tatum was a real #1 on a championship team. But he stunk up the Finals. Maybe he comes back strong this year but that remains to be seen. His FG% worries me. Which is weird because it was 46% but in this new NBA guys who are legit are shooting right around 50%.

Steph- 49%
Kawhi- 51%
KD- 56%
Lebron- 50%
Luka- 49.6%

Even guys on the next tier down
Booker- 49.4%
Fox- 51%
Brandon Ingram- 48.4%

Apologize in advance on how this many trigger some of the Cs fans on this board.

 

[CardiacAndre7]

I'm not going to defend Draymond, because he doesn't deserve the benefit of the doubt and when you see his foot land on the guy's chest, it's tough not to call something.

However, I find it pretty funny that his reputation has allowed everyone to ignore Sabonis grabbing both of his legs as he's starting his stride down the court - not exactly sure how he was supposed to NOT step on him somehow when his leg is midair and caught by 2 grown man arms.

He got a flagrant for it….

Why is there this notion he didn’t get any punishment? It certainly wasn’t a flagrant 2.

And again, it was NOT just a step. You don’t charge back your knee to just step.

 

[Deleted at users request]

Last thing I’ll say on the Draymond situation too.

For those that think he had other options, try tripping over something right now and see what your foot does. Usually, it falls hard and short. Which is exactly what happened here because Sabonis grabbed his foot basically tripping him.

Unless Draymond was going to fall himself, there really wasn’t much he could’ve done.

 

[CardiacAndre7]

Last thing I’ll say on the Draymond situation too.

For those that think he had other options, try tripping over something right now and see what your foot does. Usually, it falls hard and short. Which is exactly what happened here because Sabonis grabbed his foot basically tripping him.

Unless Draymond was going to fall himself, there really wasn’t much he could’ve done.

Just went and tried it. I didn’t stomp on anyone’s chest.

 

[Deleted at users request]

Just went and tried it. I didn’t stomp on anyone’s chest.

Try putting someone’s chest on the floor. Maybe a co worker you secretly don’t like or something. Lol

 

[nelsonmuntz]

What’s old school thinking? When’s the last time a team with a big won the Finals?

Giannis Antetokounmpo/Brook Lopez (2021), Anthony Davis (2020) and Pascal Siakum/Serge Ibaka/Marc Gasol (2019) all say "hello".

 

[HuskyHawk]

Last thing I’ll say on the Draymond situation too.

For those that think he had other options, try tripping over something right now and see what your foot does. Usually, it falls hard and short. Which is exactly what happened here because Sabonis grabbed his foot basically tripping him.

Unless Draymond was going to fall himself, there really wasn’t much he could’ve done.

Come on. Maybe an old person with no balance. I've been doing PT for my knee and could stand on one leg like that a long time. I guarantee you Draymond could stand on one leg, even unbalanced, longer than me. He clearly paused, was pissed at Sabonis for the grab, and you can see him debate stepping over or stomping and he gave it a little extra, more than just a step.

 

[Deleted at users request]

Giannis Antetokounmpo/Brook Lopez (2021), Anthony Davis (2020) and Pascal Siakum/Serge Ibaka/Marc Gasol (2019) all say "hello".

I think you mean Lebron in 2020 and Kawhi Leonard in 2019.

I’ll give you Giannas, but even then that Finals run was a liiiiitle fluky seeing the injuries and teams they played lol.

 

[HuskyHawk]

What’s old school thinking? When’s the last time a team with a big won the Finals?

Last year is my whole reason why I don’t think the Celtics can get it done. Tatum blew it in the Finals and even this year in comparison to other top scorers in the league, he shot a low FG%.

GS definitely has to worry about the Kings first and foremost. And if we’re worried about some of the older guys making it through the playoffs without injury I think that’s very valid.

Every team has a "big". Do the Celtics have some old school center I don't know about? Rob WIlliams isn't that. Al isn't that. Embiid, ok, sure. The teams that win have tall guys who are skilled as their best player. Guys like LeBron, KD, Jocik, Tatum, Giannis, Leonard. Steph Curry is really the only guard leading teams to titles in recent memory, and he had KD for some, Green for all of them, and Wiggins coming up huge last year.

Are you fully aware that Tatum is roughly the same age as Nick Timberlake that UConn hopes to land as a transfer? He was overused last year by the time the finals arrived. He has shown he can improve. His hero ball tendencies cost them the Heat series a few years back, so he became a passer.

 

[Mr. French]

Not as cool as saying you watched it 20 times.

Always SO definite in opinions. But on the opinion message board if you disagree he just shuts down. "Cool story." "Weird."

He got a flagrant for it….

Why is there this notion he didn’t get any punishment? It certainly wasn’t a flagrant 2.

And again, it was NOT just a step. You don’t charge back your knee to just step.

I'm clearly talking about the discourse around it. He originally didn't get anything called and then they correctly called something on him after review. But as you see in this exact thread, which opinions we are currently discussing, many people found most of the fault with Draymond.

Are we in the same convo? I'm not talking about the ref calling a foul obviously.

 

[CardiacAndre7]

Always SO definite in opinions. But on the opinion message board if you disagree he just shuts down. "Cool story." "Weird."



I'm clearly talking about the discourse around it. He originally didn't get anything called and then they correctly called something on him after review. But as you see in this exact thread, which opinions we are currently discussing, many people found most of the fault with Draymond.

Are we in the same convo? I'm not talking about the ref calling a foul obviously.

They had to review everything. That stuff is hard to see in real time since it was in between multiple bodies in the paint.

Most people are critical of Sabonis too. It just doesn’t nearly rise to the level that Green brought it to. You see these plays in games all the time, someone hinders another player from progressing down the court.

 

[Deleted at users request]

Every team has a "big". Do the Celtics have some old school center I don't know about? Rob WIlliams isn't that. Al isn't that. Embiid, ok, sure. The teams that win have tall guys who are skilled as their best player. Guys like LeBron, KD, Jocik, Tatum, Giannis, Leonard. Steph Curry is really the only guard leading teams to titles in recent memory, and he had KD for some, Green for all of them, and Wiggins coming up huge last year.

Are you fully aware that Tatum is roughly the same age as Nick Timberlake that UConn hopes to land as a transfer? He was overused last year by the time the finals arrived. He has shown he can improve. His hero ball tendencies cost them the Heat series a few years back, so he became a passer.

I mean teams that are led by a big like the Sixers. A Center hasn’t won a Finals MVP since Shaq and he had Kobe for that. Harden is far from Kobe.

Tatum being young is valid, but I don’t think him shooting 46% in an offense that doesn’t require him to force shots is encouraging that this is the year.

 

[Scoe]

Knicks and Rangers start at the exact same time, awesome job by the NHL schedule makers.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Predictions for tonight's games. Suns and Cavs even it up. Boston goes up 2-0.

 

[HU5KIES]

Predictions for tonight's games. Suns and Cavs even it up. Boston goes up 2-0.

Excited to watch the suns/clippers game (and whole series). Lot of starpower there. Will be interesting to see any adjustments the Suns make to defending Westbrook.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Celtics shook off a slow start and a hot shooting streak later and won by 13.

Cleveland up 20 late in the 3rd.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Draymond suspended for game 3.

 

[CardiacAndre7]

Draymond suspended for game 3.

 

[JustbrewitMan]

I think all you "Draymond is getting a raw deal" stans should look that at the replay from this camera angle...you might change your tunes a bit:

 

[StllH8L8ner]

Did Sabonis or Draymond ever attend a Duke basketball camp as kids? Tripping, stomping, etc sounds like they may have so neither can really be blamed here if that’s the case.

Post/Handle

F Duke

 

[HuskyHawk]

I think all you "Draymond is getting a raw deal" stans should look that at the replay from this camera angle...you might change your tunes a bit:

I don't even think Sabonis grabbed his leg. He got shoved to the ground (foul) landed at Draymond's feet and one arm went between his legs. Can't control that. He tries to cover his head, Draymond looks down and intentionally stomps with all he has. Looking forward to him having an early exit from the playoffs.

 

[nomar]

I don't even think Sabonis grabbed his leg. He got shoved to the ground (foul) landed at Draymond's feet and one arm went between his legs. Can't control that. He tries to cover his head, Draymond looks down and intentionally stomps with all he has. Looking forward to him having an early exit from the playoffs.

Sabonis deserved a T for what he did but if anyone thinks Dray didn't purposely stomp Sabonis they need to get their eyes checked. Jaysus.

On a different note, I loved this pass and this camera angle:

 

[superjohn]

I think all you "Draymond is getting a raw deal" stans should look that at the replay from this camera angle...you might change your tunes a bit:

I love this video/angle. Sabonis fouls 3 times in 14 seconds without a single foul being called on the floor.

https://twitter.com/SeanCunningham/status/1648182630687608832/mediaViewer?currentTweet=1648182630687608832&currentTweetUser=SeanCunningham

NBA continues it's long history of rewarding instigators.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Sabonis deserved a T for what he did but if anyone thinks Dray didn't purposely stomp Sabonis they need to get their eyes checked. Jaysus.

On a different note, I loved this pass and this camera angle:

I'm not sure Sabonis even did anything at all.

As for the pass, watched it live. NBC Boston had a similar angle, but closer. The defender blocked your view of Al, so you had no idea what JT was seeing. It was a great play.

Derek White has been a machine. Plays great on both ends, rebounds. Feels like teams just don't have an answer really when White is the 7th man.