OT- NBA playoffs Lillard

[polycom]

People saying this bucks team would give the warriors a series need to watch these games. Yes Toronto is an elite defensive team but they can’t score like the warriors

 

[superjohn]

Raptors are the better team. They move the ball better and make fewer mistakes on defense. Bucks are lucky to be tied 2-2 heading back to Milwaukee.

Bledsoe kind of sucks and Giannis is a way freakier Harden who can't shoot. His entire game is predicated on driving and getting fouled. Refs can tire of that over a 7 game series and good coaching and players can figure it out over a 7 game series. I still think they'll win the series but this makes it interesting.

I really like the guy and he's so freaky but I'm realizing I don't really like watching Giannis play, similar to how I don't like watching Harden.

 

[Rocktheworld]

Raptors are the better team. They move the ball better and make fewer mistakes on defense. Bucks are lucky to be tied 2-2 heading back to Milwaukee.

At first I was getting worried because I initially wanted Milwaukee to win, as I figured they would be a tougher match-up against GS, who I'd love to lose.

But not that I think, you have Lowry/Curry, Green/Klay, Kawhi/Durant, Siakam/Green, and Gasol/Looney. I don't see any huge defensive mismatches against Toronto there. Lowry may have a tough time keeping up with Steph, wonder if they have VanVleet bother him. If GS goes small, you put Ibaka in at the 5.

Then you have each team's respective bench, which is an advantage to Toronto. And Toronto has home field advantage too.

 

[superjohn]

People saying this bucks team would give the warriors a series need to watch these games. Yes Toronto is an elite defensive team but they can’t score like the warriors

I'm changing my thinking on what I said earlier. They should be able to figure put Giannis. Warriors have an embarrassment of long good defenders in Draymond, Iggy, Durant, and Klay and if you're relying on 3 point shooting from guys like Lopez and Brogdon to carry you there is no chance.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Bledsoe kind of sucks and Giannis is a way freakier Harden who can't shoot. His entire game is predicated on driving and getting fouled. Refs can tire of that over a 7 game series and good coaching and players can figure it out over a 7 game series. I still think they'll win the series but this makes it interesting.

I really like the guy and he's so freaky but I'm realizing I don't really like watching Giannis play, similar to how I don't like watching Harden.

The Bucks are a collection of guys that have never been there before (Giannis, Middleton, Brogdon, Mirotic) and ex-star players of bad teams (Bledsoe, Lopez). Put Ilyasova in either bucket, and he is 3 years past his prime anyway. George Hill may be the only player on the team that has played in a second round game, and he is playing the best of any of the Bucks top 8.

I know everyone likes to play rotisserie basketball when comparing teams, or look at matchups, but basketball is a team game and experience matters. The Bucks may be more talented than anyone else, but we are watching an epic choke by Bledsoe, and while Middleton had 30 points tonight, he sucked on D and has struggled on offense the first three games of this series. The whole Bucks team is playing tight and simply not making plays. Home court in the best of remaining 3 gives the Bucks a decent shot to win it, but the Raptors have to like this series so far.

 

[uconnfan68]

Also, they're good shots:



The number of 35-foot 3-point attempts in the NBA has just about doubled in the last two years. Bet we see that trend continue.

IMO, in the long run they're going to have to make 2s worth 3 and 3s worth 4, because as it is now, the 3-pointer is just too overpowered. The game has changed too much.

I remember World B. Free launched 35’ jumpers when they were only worth 2. And he made them when he needed to. Like a man playing against boys.

 

[tzznandrew]

I think it's easy to overreact. The Raptors were close to being down 3-0.

The Bucks just as easily could have come out of Milwaukee 1-1 and the Raptors out of Toronto 1-1.

That's the sign of an even series.

 

[polycom]

I think it's easy to overreact. The Raptors were close to being down 3-0.

The Bucks just as easily could have come out of Milwaukee 1-1 and the Raptors out of Toronto 1-1.

That's the sign of an even series.

I mean yes statistically that is true if the ball rolls a different way. But I'd argue that the Bucks look not in sync as a team.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

The game to game overreactions are the best part of these playoff threads.

 

[polycom]

The game to game overreactions are the best part of these playoff threads.

Of course, thats what's fun about the NBA v. any other major sport.

 

[husky429]

Bledsoe kind of sucks and Giannis is a way freakier Harden who can't shoot. His entire game is predicated on driving and getting fouled. Refs can tire of that over a 7 game series and good coaching and players can figure it out over a 7 game series. I still think they'll win the series but this makes it interesting.

I really like the guy and he's so freaky but I'm realizing I don't really like watching Giannis play, similar to how I don't like watching Harden.

I just don't understand how the guy could get this much better in the league and not learn how to shoot. I mean, I get it... it's a different skill. But is TERRIBLE. He's holding the ball 2 feet from his chest on FTs. No one has done that since 1988

 

[nelsonmuntz]

I think it's easy to overreact. The Raptors were close to being down 3-0.

The Bucks just as easily could have come out of Milwaukee 1-1 and the Raptors out of Toronto 1-1.

That's the sign of an even series.

The two teams are close, but right now the Raptors are the better TEAM. Nurse made a mess of the substitutions in Game 1 which actually cost him in Game 2 because several of his players were spent after Game 1. Game 3 was just a well-played battle between two good teams, but you can't point to anything in that game and say "if the Bucks had done X or Y, they would have won". If Nurse had played Ibaka, Powell and Van Fleet at least 15-20 minutes each in Game 1, I have no doubt in my mind that the Raptors would have won that game.

 

[Dogdeacon]

I think it's easy to overreact. The Raptors were close to being down 3-0.
The Bucks just as easily could have come out of Milwaukee 1-1 and the Raptors out of Toronto 1-1.
That's the sign of an even series.

It is not easy to overreact, it is hard! You have to watch really closely, look at stats and make too much of one game while totally disregarding a greater body of work. Then you have to post an opinion that gets an equally big counter-reaction. The series looks even right now, but if you look hard enough you can see it favoring either team.

Our posts just make it look easy.

 

[Walker11]

The two teams are close, but right now the Raptors are the better TEAM. Nurse made a mess of the substitutions in Game 1 which actually cost him in Game 2 because several of his players were spent after Game 1. Game 3 was just a well-played battle between two good teams, but you can't point to anything in that game and say "if the Bucks had done X or Y, they would have won". If Nurse had played Ibaka, Powell and Van Fleet at least 15-20 minutes each in Game 1, I have no doubt in my mind that the Raptors would have won that game.

VanVleet playing well is such an x-factor. He was legitimately good the past 2 years and was a trainwreck in they playoffs, going 3-23 in the Philly series. VanVleet finished a lot of games last year alongside DeMar and Kyle and having another handler/shooter is so important in the playoffs. Green is obviously a big part of the team success this year leading the league in 3-point shooting and being one of the better wing defenders in the league but FVV is at imes more valuable down the stretch when he is right.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

VanVleet playing well is such an x-factor. He was legitimately good the past 2 years and was a trainwreck in they playoffs, going 3-23 in the Philly series. VanVleet finished a lot of games last year alongside DeMar and Kyle and having another handler/shooter is so important in the playoffs. Green is obviously a big part of the team success this year leading the league in 3-point shooting and being one of the better wing defenders in the league but FVV is at imes more valuable down the stretch when he is right.

In the modern NBA, a team really needs a legitimate 8 man rotation to go deep in the playoffs. VanVleet is a very solid #8.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

I think the Eastern Conference Finals are also proving just how overrated and disruptive to team chemistry Kyrie Irving is. A year ago, this Celtics team, without Kyrie, beat the Bucks in the first round. This year, with Kyrie, the Celtics get knocked out in 5 games, and the 3 of the losses were by 10+ points.

There was some excuse making around "the Bucks are unstoppable". Well, the Raptors are showing that the Bucks are very stoppable, but not when Kyrie is playing hero ball for 35 minutes a game. It was hard enough for the Kyrie apologists to defend him after the Bucks series, but now, watching the Bucks struggle with the Raptors, it is impossible to defend Kyrie.

 

[Walker11]

I think the Eastern Conference Finals are also proving just how overrated and disruptive to team chemistry Kyrie Irving is. A year ago, this Celtics team, without Kyrie, beat the Bucks in the first round. This year, with Kyrie, the Celtics get knocked out in 5 games, and the 3 of the losses were by 10+ points.

There was some excuse making around "the Bucks are unstoppable". Well, the Raptors are showing that the Bucks are very stoppable, but not when Kyrie is playing hero ball for 35 minutes a game. It was hard enough for the Kyrie apologists to defend him after the Bucks series, but now, watching the Bucks struggle with the Raptors, it is impossible to defend Kyrie.

As a Bucks fan you know better than anyone that this team is not comparable to last years team no matter how similar the roster may be. I don't think this series shows how disruptive Kyrie is, but his entire career may.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

As a Bucks fan you know better than anyone that this team is not comparable to last years team no matter how similar the roster may be. I don't think this series shows how disruptive Kyrie is, but his entire career may.

The Bucks are better, mostly because Giannis has taken his game to another level, although Lopez and Hill were both very important additions too. That said, Brown and Tatum got a year older at a point in their career when they should be showing big improvement year over year. The only thing that got worse on Boston was Kyrie's attitude. He is a nightmare, and the quicker he is sent packing, the better it will be for the Celtics. Kyrie belongs on a bad team looking to sell tickets, not a good team trying to make a deep run in the playoffs.

If I were the Celtics, I would make a hard run at George Hill in the offseason. He is the perfect point guard for that team, and could make them a title contender.

 

[superjohn]

The Bucks are better, mostly because Giannis has taken his game to another level, although Lopez and Hill were both very important additions too. That said, Brown and Tatum got a year older at a point in their career when they should be showing big improvement year over year. The only thing that got worse on Boston was Kyrie's attitude. He is a nightmare, and the quicker he is sent packing, the better it will be for the Celtics. Kyrie belongs on a bad team looking to sell tickets, not a good team trying to make a deep run in the playoffs.

If I were the Celtics, I would make a hard run at George Hill in the offseason. He is the perfect point guard for that team, and could make them a title contender.

You think if Boston stays the same except they swap Kyrie for George Hill and they are a title contender?

 

[Dogdeacon]

You think if Boston stays the same except they swap Kyrie for George Hill and they are a title contender?

This is great coming off the overreaction posts. Last year at this time George was on his way out of the league.

Its not wrong about the Celtics, just an over-reaction. Would they be better with George Hill vs Kyrie - no, but maybe Mike Conley or someone who can distribute first but also score. Key for the Celtics is first deciding what they have between Tatum, Brown and Hayward and then adjusting based on what those guys look like for the next 1-5 seasons.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I think the Eastern Conference Finals are also proving just how overrated and disruptive to team chemistry Kyrie Irving is. A year ago, this Celtics team, without Kyrie, beat the Bucks in the first round. This year, with Kyrie, the Celtics get knocked out in 5 games, and the 3 of the losses were by 10+ points.

There was some excuse making around "the Bucks are unstoppable". Well, the Raptors are showing that the Bucks are very stoppable, but not when Kyrie is playing hero ball for 35 minutes a game. It was hard enough for the Kyrie apologists to defend him after the Bucks series, but now, watching the Bucks struggle with the Raptors, it is impossible to defend Kyrie.

Yes, and part of the problem is that the Celtics' identity last year was focused on defense. Toronto, lead by their star, has that kind of defensive intensity and focus. Boston, aside from game 1, didn't. Kyrie can be a great player, and before he got hurt last year, was really buying into Stevens' system. This year he didn't buy in. I don't think he wants to play the way Boston needs him to play. He can, he's more than capable, he just doesn't want to. Leonard would have been an ideal fit in Boston.

 

[Walker11]

This is great coming off the overreaction posts. Last year at this time George was on his way out of the league.

Its not wrong about the Celtics, just an over-reaction. Would they be better with George Hill vs Kyrie - no, but maybe Mike Conley or someone who can distribute first but also score. Key for the Celtics is first deciding what they have between Tatum, Brown and Hayward and then adjusting based on what those guys look like for the next 1-5 seasons.

God I absolutely love the Conley fit

 

[the Q]

Yes, and part of the problem is that the Celtics' identity last year was focused on defense. Toronto, lead by their star, has that kind of defensive intensity and focus. Boston, aside from game 1, didn't. Kyrie can be a great player, and before he got hurt last year, was really buying into Stevens' system. This year he didn't buy in. I don't think he wants to play the way Boston needs him to play. He can, he's more than capable, he just doesn't want to. Leonard would have been an ideal fit in Boston.

Boston going all in for Kawhi would’ve been interesting for sure.

Had they not made the kyrie trade they probably had the assets for him and brow (and could’ve traded for brow at the trade deadline).

 

[HuskyHawk]

Boston going all in for Kawhi would’ve been interesting for sure.

Had they not made the kyrie trade they probably had the assets for him and brow (and could’ve traded for brow at the trade deadline).

Think about that defense, on a team with Smart and Brown as well, and Al shifting to the 4. That's a very very tough defensive team.

 

[the Q]

Think about that defense, on a team with Smart and Brown as well, and Al shifting to the 4. That's a very very tough defensive team.

I would assume brown is a spur in that scenario.

But still al and brow as the front court is absurd.

 

[superjohn]

It's easy to put it all on Kyrie since the Celts were close to the finals last season and they didn't look too great this year having major chemistry issues but people don't seem to be factoring in how much better the East got. Philly got better and Milwaukee and Toronto are light years better than last year.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

I would keep Rozier and sign Hill. I bet the Celtics could get both for under $20/year. Put Hill on a tight minutes cap, and don't play him on consecutive nights. The Celtics can get to 50 wins with Hill only playing 2000-2200 minutes. They need Hill for the playoffs.

The Celtics will regret trade Brown or Tatum, because they won't get value back for either player right now.

 

[polycom]

Kemba needs to go to the Bucks.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

This is what playoff experience looks like against a team that has never made it out of the first round.

 

[superjohn]

This is what playoff experience looks like against a team that has never made it out of the first round.

They totally figured out Giannis.