NBA Playoffs

[nelsonmuntz]

Hate to see a key player go down, especialy in an elimination game. I hope Rubio can play next round.

It is fair to ask how good Westbrook really is. Players seem to get worse when they play with him.

Oladipo has exploded this year, and he is easy to like because he is excellent at both ends.

 

[champs99and04]

Westbrook played to all the stereotypes, good and bad, in that game. I don't think anyone is really changing their mind about him as a player after that one.

That said, I find it hard not to root for him. He's Kobe minus the selling his teammates down the river. Maybe he's not the most self-aware player in the world but you never hear a bad word about him off the court and I've yet to see a situation where he's aggressively sabotaging the team. His game just doesn't translate to instilling an offense like the Warriors run. That's a different thing than being selfish. Unless someone can provide examples of him refusing coaching or clashing with teammates, I'm inclined to believe he's largely a victim of circumstance. You're not a victim of circumstance when you shoot 2 of 16 in an elimination game or cash $28 mil checks to suck at your job.

 

[Kemba429]

I know were not supposed to like Louisville but I love Donovan Mitchell. Great kid thats really well spoken and is a great leader. Gonna be good for a long time.

 

[pepband99]

Insert Carmelo, team gets worse.
Remove Carmelo, team gets better.
Rinse, repeat.

 

[MadDogRevival]

Just read that the Cav's 2nd leading scorer against Indiana is Kevin Love. Guy is averaging 11 points a game on 32% shooting.
So bad, it's laughable.
Next year, after LBJ leaves, they are one of the worst 5 teams in the league.
They should change the "most valuable player" award to the "had the best season" award so it's not completely laughable when they give it to somebody else.

 

[champs99and04]

Fairly significant game upcoming here. I'm interested to see how engaged LeBron is. He's in a tough spot. Do you want to drag this corpse for another six weeks only to get clowned in the finals again? Or do you want to catch your breath for the first time since you were 20? It would be awfully easy to check out here.

 

[superjohn]

Fairly significant game upcoming here. I'm interested to see how engaged LeBron is. He's in a tough spot. Do you want to drag this corpse for another six weeks only to get clowned in the finals again? Or do you want to catch your breath for the first time since you were 20? It would be awfully easy to check out here.

Yep, he wants to lose. Give me a break.

 

[Robertelamin]

Fairly significant game upcoming here. I'm interested to see how engaged LeBron is. He's in a tough spot. Do you want to drag this corpse for another six weeks only to get clowned in the finals again? Or do you want to catch your breath for the first time since you were 20? It would be awfully easy to check out here.

Wha???

 

[superjohn]

I know were not supposed to like Louisville but I love Donovan Mitchell. Great kid thats really well spoken and is a great leader. Gonna be good for a long time.

Superstar.

 

[champs99and04]

Yep, he wants to lose. Give me a break.

Was that what I said?

 

[superjohn]

Was that what I said?

I wasn't quoting you but you absolutely questioned whether he'll want to win the game.

 

[champs99and04]

I wasn't quoting you but you absolutely questioned whether he'll want to win the game.

No, but we've seen LeBron play passively in the past when he knows he's outmanned. Boston-Cleveland game 5 in 2010 is probably the best example. That doesn't appear to be the case so far.

 

[Walker11]

The chats on free streaming sites are far and away the worst place on the internet.

 

[superjohn]

Refs completely taking over.

 

[Mots010]

No, but we've seen LeBron play passively in the past when he knows he's outmanned. Boston-Cleveland game 5 in 2010 is probably the best example. That doesn't appear to be the case so far.

I’m not watching but lebrons stat line is completely obsurd.

 

[champs99and04]

Lance managed to go -19 in 12 minutes. Please let us never hear again about how he gives LeBron problems.

Oladipo has next to no help on that team. Collison is the only one that showed today and he's a journeymen. Sabonis and Turner have promise but I'm left with a bad taste in my mouth after a series they should have won. You can talk about how great LeBron is and it's valid, but they lost that game with him on the bench.

 

[KemBaller]

Insert Carmelo, team gets worse.
Remove Carmelo, team gets better.
Rinse, repeat.

Who do the Knicks play next round?

 

[KemBaller]

Lance managed to go -19 in 12 minutes. Please let us never hear again about how he gives LeBron problems.

Oladipo has next to no help on that team. Collison is the only one that showed today and he's a journeymen. Sabonis and Turner have promise but I'm left with a bad taste in my mouth after a series they should have won. You can talk about how great LeBron is and it's valid, but they lost that game with him on the bench.

Just a brutal post here. Indy has nobody besides Dipo and should have won the series, meanwhile Indy lost today's game in the 5 minutes LeBron didn't play when he was dropping a monster game.

 

[bazz&boujee]

why didn't brimah turn into clint capella????

SMFH

 

[pepband99]

Who do the Knicks play next round?

So the Knicks weren't immediately better after he left? Especially before Porzingis went down?

 

[Dogdeacon]

Westbrook played to all the stereotypes, good and bad, in that game. I don't think anyone is really changing their mind about him as a player after that one.

That said, I find it hard not to root for him. He's Kobe minus the selling his teammates down the river. Maybe he's not the most self-aware player in the world but you never hear a bad word about him off the court and I've yet to see a situation where he's aggressively sabotaging the team. His game just doesn't translate to instilling an offense like the Warriors run. That's a different thing than being selfish. Unless someone can provide examples of him refusing coaching or clashing with teammates, I'm inclined to believe he's largely a victim of circumstance. You're not a victim of circumstance when you shoot 2 of 16 in an elimination game or cash $28 mil checks to suck at your job.

I don’t think it is hard to read between the lines and say Durant left b/c of Russ’ style. That KD went to a team with even more star power but an emphasis on ball movement reinforces walking away from Russ.

It would have been fascinating what each might have become if Harden was in OKC two more years.

 

[Rocktheworld]

No, but we've seen LeBron play passively in the past when he knows he's outmanned. Boston-Cleveland game 5 in 2010 is probably the best example. That doesn't appear to be the case so far.

Lol yeah let’s go back to a single game in 2010 for precedent

Now is LeBron averaging the most points all-time in game 7s with those 45? MJ was at 33.7, LeBron 33.2

 

[KemBaller]

So the Knicks weren't immediately better after he left? Especially before Porzingis went down?

Not really, no. Melo is definitely cooked, but the lack of success during his time in NY was much more of an organizational issue than a "can't win with Melo" issue.

 

[Yardigan]

Not really, no. Melo is definitely cooked, but the lack of success during his time in NY was much more of an organizational issue than a "can't win with Melo" issue.

I'd call it a combo platter...or maybe - to steal from the Chinese food thread theme - a poo poo platter...

 

[champs99and04]

Just a brutal post here. Indy has nobody besides Dipo and should have won the series, meanwhile Indy lost today's game in the 5 minutes LeBron didn't play when he was dropping a monster game.

What are you disagreeing with? Cleveland was a +6 in the five minutes LeBron didn't play and won by four (granted the garbage time three is defended differently with a lesser margin) - it's a pretty non-controversial point to say they lost the game there.

Indiana is thin outside of Oladipo. The fact that they won only 42 games last year without him (but with Paul George) is telling. It's not like they're Philly where you look at the roster and see a bunch of building blocks. It's Oladipo and then some young big men who might develop into something or might not. Nobody is looking at that team as a threat long-term.