OT: NBA Playoffs

[uconnbaseball]

Nice win by Houston. I don't like this Lakers team, and I think a case can be made that getting this team the second best record in the NBA was Lebron's most impressive regular season achievement.

Harden has always had a top point guard next to him throughout his prime, and it has enabled Harden to be a lot more successful. Jamal Murray is similar to a young Harden, and I think the sky is the limit for Murray if he is paired with a Top 10 point guard. Harris is not that guy.

MPJ + Harris + a few first round picks for Beal? I know Beal is SG but think that combo would be disgusting. Washington needs to rebuild and MPJ would be as good a gamble as they can make.

 

[uconnbaseball]

The most talk has certainly been Miami but he should go to the Mavs. I don't see Giannis winning it all as the #1.

Golden State will definitely be involved.

Giannis can win as a #1 IMO but needs a much better Robin than Middleton.

 

[superjohn]

Giannis can win as a #1 IMO but needs a much better Robin than Middleton.

I just don't see it, he's a good passer but his offensive game is going downhill to try and bully you to the rim, players and schemes in the playoffs are too good for that when it matters. He can't shoot and you don't want him on the line with the game on the line. If you need a bucket with your season in the balance you sure as heck should expect to be able to count on the back to back MVP for that and you just can't with Giannis. You just don't have that concern with Lebron, Kawhi, Luka, Durant, Steph...heck I don't think many people are taking Giannis in that situation over Jimmy Butler.

Middleton and Lopez have been fine but in defense of Giannis they do badly need another guy who can take his man of the dribble to score and create.

 

[eebmg]

Middleton and Lopez have been fine but in defense of Giannis they do badly need another guy who can take his man of the dribble to score and create.

Wont be Giannis's concern for long.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

MPJ + Harris + a few first round picks for Beal? I know Beal is SG but think that combo would be disgusting. Washington needs to rebuild and MPJ would be as good a gamble as they can make.

That is a good idea. It doesn't need to be a great PG, but Murray needs someone that can put pressure on the defense and give him just enough daylight to get his shot off. Dragic is still good enough to be that player, and should be reasonably priced. I would start there if I was Denver. I would also take a look at Kris Dunn if I was Denver. He is young and fast and cheap.

 

[aceboon]

With as bad as Jaylen Brown has been tonight Kemba needed to be alot more agressive and assertive, he deferred way too much. On another note, interesting to compare Nurse riding his starters in must win playoff games the past 2 games to Budenholzer.

 

[husky429]

With as bad as Jaylen Brown has been tonight Kemba needed to be alot more agressive and assertive, he deferred way too much. On another note, interesting to compare Nurse riding his starters in must win playoff games the past 2 games to Budenholzer.

The entire celts team has been shockingly bad shooting the rock. 6/34 right now

 

[Mr. French]

I just don't see it, he's a good passer but his offensive game is going downhill to try and bully you to the rim, players and schemes in the playoffs are too good for that when it matters. He can't shoot and you don't want him on the line with the game on the line. If you need a bucket with your season in the balance you sure as heck should expect to be able to count on the back to back MVP for that and you just can't with Giannis. You just don't have that concern with Lebron, Kawhi, Luka, Durant, Steph...heck I don't think many people are taking Giannis in that situation over Jimmy Butler.

Middleton and Lopez have been fine but in defense of Giannis they do badly need another guy who can take his man of the dribble to score and create.

That’s right now. He’s not perfect no question, but he’s a basketball infant still. In 3-4 years how unstoppable could he be when 90% of the time NOW he’s unstoppable even with his limitations? He’s not 34 years old.

 

[Mr. French]

With as bad as Jaylen Brown has been tonight Kemba needed to be alot more agressive and assertive, he deferred way too much. On another note, interesting to compare Nurse riding his starters in must win playoff games the past 2 games to Budenholzer.

People have been too quick to call Brown and Tatum superstars. Tatum gets loose with the handle, puts his head down and drives with no passing, a bit out of control when he’s being guarded by a good D.

They’re both awesome, but as always people over exaggerate a young players’ superstar or bust status. Kemba is the engine on that team.

 

[jkfer98]

The good news is that I highly, highly doubt the Celtics will shoot that poorly from deep again, and that they are still doing a good job defensively - only 100 points for Toronto on under 40% shooting.

The general sloppiness and effort was discouraging though. You could tell out of the gate Toronto wanted it more. And Kemba did do too much deferring. Without Gordon, and with Brown looking as lost as he did, you have to know that you are one of two guys on this team trusted to score. Need more than 9 shots.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Toronto is the saltiest team in the NBA. They are as mentally tough as any team I have seen in recent years. The Celtics were not going to sweep them, and any hope the Raptors were going to pull a Bucks-style fold was wishful thinking. It will be a battle.

The Raptors are a mediocre team offensively, and I think the Celtics can shut them down, but the Celts have to bring their defensive A game every possession.

The Nuggets were also not going to be swept, and I still think the Clippers beat the Nuggets in 5 or 6 games. The only danger sign for the Clippers is Paul George's obvious decline. The impact to the team of the difference between a player being a superstar, and just being a good player, gets bigger every round of the playoffs. If George does not find that next gear, the Clippers are not the favorite to win it all anymore.

 

[the Q]

People have been too quick to call Brown and Tatum superstars. Tatum gets loose with the handle, puts his head down and drives with no passing, a bit out of control when he’s being guarded by a good D.

They’re both awesome, but as always people over exaggerate a young players’ superstar or bust status. Kemba is the engine on that team.

Brown has always been overrated. There’s a reason he’s not top 10 in vorp or bpm in his own draft class.

There’s upside, he’s not even close to there yet.

 

[the Q]

The most talk has certainly been Miami but he should go to the Mavs. I don't see Giannis winning it all as the #1.

Golden State will definitely be involved.

Him in either Miami or Dallas is scary.

Golden state is the one team he might actually sign with that could make a deal.

What other team has two potential top 5 picks?

Maybe someone takes the gamble that Toronto did with kawhi, (okc and Memphis maybe) but otherwise Gs might be the best offer

 

[Ratso]

heat - kemba?

 

[navery12]

Bet the Bucks are glad they have a glorified Danny Green tonight

 

[Kitaman]

Toronto is the saltiest team in the NBA. They are as mentally tough as any team I have seen in recent years. The Celtics were not going to sweep them, and any hope the Raptors were going to pull a Bucks-style fold was wishful thinking. It will be a battle.

The Raptors are a mediocre team offensively, and I think the Celtics can shut them down, but the Celts have to bring their defensive A game every possession.

The Nuggets were also not going to be swept, and I still think the Clippers beat the Nuggets in 5 or 6 games. The only danger sign for the Clippers is Paul George's obvious decline. The impact to the team of the difference between a player being a superstar, and just being a good player, gets bigger every round of the playoffs. If George does not find that next gear, the Clippers are not the favorite to win it all anymore.

I am impressed with Lowry. Kid complains and constantly acts (gets results though), but he's a baller. Just a savvy player who probably is the biggest PIA in the NBA to opponents. Kemba is not guarding him, but these two are fun to watch. That pass the other night (over Taco) probably couldn't have been made by any other player. I would seriously think about putting Smart on him, shut him down and the Raptors are in trouble.

 

[gtcam]

Giannis can win as a #1 IMO but needs a much better Robin than Middleton.

Middleton is vastly underrated

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Lakers/Rockets - This is turning into a good series. I think the Rockets are going to run out of gas soon because they area basically only playing 7 players and they are coming off a 7 game series and this one looks like it could go 6 or 7 games. Fatigue and wear and tear is cumulative on players if they do not have time to recover, and with games every other day, there is no recovery time.

Bucks/Heat - the lack of recovery time may have ended Giannis' season. Everyone that was saying "play them more" should provide some suggestions for a twice sprained ankle. I think the Bucks have to sit him on Tuesday unless it is a close game in the 4th, and hope that Middleton and company can squeak out another win. If it is close in the 4th, maybe the Bucks put him in.

I was listening to Steven A Smith basically make ESPN's pitch for Giannis to go to a bigger market team It feels like ESPN wants him in a big market so badly that it would pick up half the contract for him to play in LA or New York. I think the Bucks should hold tight, and make one last run at a title with this team next year. The Bucks get a team in the Conference Finals about every 15-20 years, and it will be about that long before the Bucks have another squad that can challenge for a title. Getting a bunch of OK pieces back for Giannis is a waste. If a team makes an offer that can't be refused, fine, but otherwise, the Bucks should tinker rather than rebuild.

 

[MilliniumPrince]

I wouldn't call him "not clutch" but for a guy who will have 2 MVP's and 1 DPOY before the age of 26 I watch him and there's just something missing. He's a stat monster and great player but playoffs roll around and build a wall, so much of his game is still just based on being freakier than everyone else. He seems like a guy who needs to be the #1 with the ball in his hands and I'm taking Luka, LeBron, Kawhi, and Steph over him every time (age related of course.)

Harden is the other stat monster I can never get behind, Westbrook as well but I don't think anyone puts him in that top tier anymore. I like Giannis more than Harden but there's still something missing.

What's missing is experience and a point guard who can both run the offense and hit open 3s. People are too quick to write players off. The three most dominant players over the last 40 years were Jordan, Shaq, and lebron not one of them won a title in less than seven years.

Freak's kryptonite is he allows himself to get into foul trouble in big games.

Harden will never be the best player on a championship team. I agree, he is a stat geek's dream, but the odds of him leading a team to a title are virtually nil.

 

[the Q]

What's missing is experience and a point guard who can both run the offense and hit open 3s. People are too quick to write players off. The three most dominant players over the last 40 years were Jordan, Shaq, and lebron not one of them won a title in less than seven years.

Freak's kryptonite is he allows himself to get into foul trouble in big games.

Harden will never be the best player on a championship team. I agree, he is a stat geek's dream, but the odds of him leading a team to a title are virtually nil.

He was an injury to the rockets second best player from doing it like 2 years ago.

 

[MilliniumPrince]

Golden State being in the mix feels like listening to WFAN in the 90s when Mets fans would call in asking why the Mets couldn't trade a middle reliever for Greg Maddux AND Tom Glavine. Golden State has nothing to offer that the Bucks would want.

For GSW, it would be a 3 team deal. Example, Giannis to GS, Klay and a pick to Philly, Simmons and picks to Milwaukee. But I think Pat Riley is going offer Freak half the arena to join Butler, Bam, and Dragic in Miami.

 

[MilliniumPrince]

He was an injury to the rockets second best player from doing it like 2 years ago.

One of the most overblown "what ifs" out there. That team wasn't beating Lebron in the Finals. But fantasies are nice.

 

[auror]

One of the most overblown "what ifs" out there. That team wasn't beating Lebron in the Finals. But fantasies are nice.

That Cavs team was bad. There was no Kyrie and bad depth. Their 3rd best player was like Rodney Hood or George Hill. The Warriors swept the Cavs easily and Rockets gave the Warriors all they could handle (up 11 at halftime in G7). Rockets team was >> the Cavs that year.

 

[MilliniumPrince]

That Cavs team was bad. There was no Kyrie and bad depth. Their 3rd best player was like Rodney Hood or George Hill. The Warriors swept the Cavs easily and Rockets gave the Warriors all they could handle (up 11 at halftime in G7). Rockets team was >> the Cavs that year.

Sport is about match ups, not transitive property. They split their season series that year, and the Cavs won the game Lebron missed. I am not saying the would not have won. I am saying it is nuts people assume they would have.

 

[Scoe]

Sport is about match ups, not transitive property. They split their season series that year, and the Cavs won the game Lebron missed. I am not saying the would not have won. I am saying it is nuts people assume they would have.

You could just have a simulation on whatifsports.com and find out. See who wins a best of 7 series, a 2-2-1-1-1 format Rockets get the homecourt.