@Ravix You do have to wonder about things being rigged. San Antonio actually gets #2 pick, and for a team that was a dynasty from 2003-2014, they’ve already been gifted by the draft gods another franchise altering number one pick with Wemby, (after building their dynasty on the two others, Robinson and Duncan), and then almost gifted Flagg too! So I wouldn’t put it past the NBA to feel like they need to compensate Dallas instead. 😅
“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”
@Ravix I am really surprised at the playoff outcomes. For large portions of the year, NY and Indy appeared (from a distance, mind) to be unpredictably sleepwalking through the season. Same for Denver. Even to the point that Denver fired their coach! 😅 Now that looks like it may have been the right decision, although losing last night probably sealed their fate to keep them from getting the series upset.
But as I had mentioned a few weeks ago, the West was a really tight race with everyone clumped together after the large gap underneath OKC. There wasn’t much difference between seeds 2-8.
It’s the East that I’m flummoxed by. Cleveland and Boston seemed a cut above, and the rather unceremonious way the two teams are choking in the second round is puzzling. Boston may yet make the series competitive but even in the off-chance that they turn the tides and win three in a row to advance, it’s not how I would have predicted.
Like I said above, the injury ‘wild-card’ really changed the fate for many teams. In the end, I still like OKC to win it all, but I’m certainly less confident than I was a few weeks ago!
@Th3solution how do you see the Celtics in any way making it competitive? 😅 Brown's knee is hanging on by a thread, Porzingis can't breathe and Tatum is done until season 2026/2027, effectively. Which means a malaise will fall on them.
Weirdly, I did want to see Baylor Scheirereiererereirieman (I'm not going to try and spell his name with the e's and i's in the right place so i'll exaggerate it) in this playoffs run to see how he copes being thrown in the deep end. Maybe not like this, but still. But his development went from "the NBA is too fast paced for him" to the G-League is too easy, and now the NBA has slowed down for him significantly in the space of about 2 months, which was cool to see in the second half off the season.
Brad Stevens is going to have to work wonders next year to fill the Tatum gap whilst still paying him. Ah, if only you could exempt injured wages from league rules 😭
But, who knows, Pritchard and White could share 80 again and catch NY off guard. But I'd say it's highly unlikely. And we never got a good old fashioned brawl in this series either 😢
@Ravix The mental blow is definitely an added obstacle to the physical issues. The Celtics have a lot of pride and won’t lay down, and Mazzulla will definitely have them prepared, but I am thinking it will be over in 6 games, if not tonight.
Who will you root for in a NY vs Indiana matchup?
“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”
@Th3solution Indiana, for sure. Even though I like Mikal Bridges (he has got even better in my estimation and they should go to him a lot more) and to an extent Josh Hart... when he's not playing against us 😅 I have lost some respect for Brunson during this playoffs though, as I can't stand the head snap flopping and cheating refs into soft foul calls. He was way worse vs Detroit, but he still does it nearly every game. I mean, he's fantastic, but just stop it now, you don't need to do it. His next move should be to become clutch in every quarter instead of relying on conserving energy and conning refs
I can't see NY going all the way, and at some point Brunson, Hart and the like will be getting these big injuries too, and any game could be the last the way Tibs pushes them in extended minutes. You never know though, but if they don't pick up injuries, at some point they may simply be gassed. Hart was hanging on in the last game and looked worn out, and he is a non-stop kind of player. KAT is still very much a player who goes missing for entire quarters at a time, and sometimes you have to check he's still on the court.
I'll tell you what though, big respect to Mitch Robinson, even though he took two of the funniest freethrows I've ever seen that fully missed underneath the net 😂 he has been their real difference maker in this series, and we don't stand a chance rebounding against him (it was a problem last year too, and I think I pointed it out to you that even though Boston has good rebound stats, we can't play against good rebounding players, as our rebounds are usually from bad shots late in the clock when teams have given up, and not any actually competitive rebounds)
But yeah, Robinson has been a beast, and maybe he could be a difference maker vs Indy too, as you can't play fast if you give up offensive rebounds, and he will probably dominate in that regard.
Have you seen anything from Denver that says they could still beat OKC, and how do you think OKC vs Minnesota would go down, if not? Edit: thought GSW had been knocked out already, but its 3-1 but Steph still injured?
@Ravix Yeah, I think the last report I saw was Steph still out. So GS is in the same boat as Boston, in that it’s possible for them to win 3 straight, but very unlikely since they are missing their key player.
Denver has really surprised me. Not Jokic, I’ve known all along he can consistently put up 40+ points and 15+ rebounds, but it’s the supporting cast that has come to play. Still, I would give them maybe a 20% chance to pull off two wins in a row, but not much more. 80% chance OKC can win at least one of the next two.
So in the probable OKC-Minn match, the Thunder will be able to neutralize Ant and co. and I don’t think it’ll be very close. Minn will win maybe one surprise game and probably one home game. Thunder in 6.
“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”
@Th3solution well, these playoffs continue to surprise, I guess 😅
Without Tatum they were forced to pass and move a bit more and it actually really helped for this one game. That's how they played all season anyway, tbh though.
I always end up in two minds about playoffs, usually pace slows down, stars get more of the ball yada yada, but sometimes you just wonder would it not be better to have to win the same way you've been winning all year, as you're already comfortable and it comes naturally to you. And they played like this with Tatum and without Tatum all year, and it definitely looked like they were comfortable again.
And the usual happened, shut everyone on NY down which they have done for 2 years. The only difference in all the losses this playoffs were: once up, they'd start slowing down, over complicate it and make mistakes on offence which would lead to collapses and giving them a chance to make runs, but they couldn't risk doing that in this game, so... they didn't. It all seems so simple.
Also Kornet. More Kornet. You know I had my passionate Kornet post a few months ago, and yet in this series, game 4 even, he barely played and has been used just to foul Robinson at times. But now he's doing what he has done all year, dominate play and semi-ironically bark at everyone 😂
Porzingis needs to go and get himself sorted out health wise though. Because he is absolutely atrocious right now on the court. It's genuinely shocking how bad he suddenly became, it's like he is a total different person. At this point he has to be benched for the next game too for the good of everyone. If we somehow manage to sneak through, maybe he can be reassessed. Mazzulla confirmed what I thought before though, He can't breathe. He needs to find out what's gone wrong with his health and stop trying to get back and forcing it.
@Th3solution I mean, he was fouling, so it's fair 👏 He expects those fouls himself, and he always gets them too, I.E he just puts his head down and runs into people and flaps about. But oh, he very much doesn't like when he's called for it too. We have targetted KAT and Brunson with our offence in every game, so it was good to see it pay off. (KAT is a proper idiot with fouls too, he just grabs people or pushes them in really bad moments and has to go and sit himself down. It must really annoy Thibs)
I like how (I don't know if you watched) but Brunson elbowed JB in the... ahem, basketballs, early on in the play before Hart got his eye split open, and the way Brunson fouled out he stepped in front of JB for an illegal screen - feet wider than shoulders - (legs akimbo 😅) so JB made sure to take that free foul and knee him in the nethers as he was doing so for a little payback 😁
I still don't think we'll win, but these playoffs have been fantastic to watch, and I'm glad there is a bit more fight in this series now, at least.
Brunson and Towns must have two of the most slappable faces in all of sports. The more I see of them, the less I like the way they play. But thankfully they are no more.
Brunson's +/- has been atrocious all series, that is something they will have to look at. To me, it looked like Bridges had it going, but then they have to get it back to rely on Brunson even though Nembhard had him in his back pocket all game.
To lose a game where you got such a favourable 'big market' whistle too. Embarrassing showing.
Contrast that to Halliburton, who I like more and more the more I see of him. If he can sort out consistency and stay aggressive every time he could be the legit face of the league they are always seemingly searching for.
They'll probably get battered in the finals, but I'm here for the underdog story now, and hope they can do it. And, to be fair, maybe one thing going for them is they are maybe a year more advanced than OKC in experience, despite OKC being the better team overall 🤷♂️ you never know.
They put up a stat about game winners/tieing shots in playoffs and he's on the listnwith LeBron and Reggie Miller. I didn't see the exact framing of the stat, but he's done it 5 or 6 times already which is just mad.
When it happened I was thinking, "oh no, time-out! There's no time to get any space here!" and he still somehow got to a spot and hit a really tough shot with 0.3 to go.
If Siakam gets anything going in game two they could get another W. It still seems like he has to make his own shot for the most part, which seems crazy. And there's no way that Indy are turning it over 22(?) times in the first half again in the series, you'd think.
I do have this feeling OKC will blow them out in response, that's the kind of thing the Celtics would do if they lose a game, and OKC have had a similar path in terms of all the similar winning margin stats to the Celtics, and are themselves the team that seemed destined for the championship this year because of it. They seem like a team where a loss focuses them on the task at hand.
When it seems you're out of luck.
There's just one man who gives a f*************ck
⚔️🛡🐎
@Ravix I do wonder if OKC got too full of themselves and thought they would sleepwalk through to a finals victory. They are still a young team, relatively speaking, and so it might come back and bite them in the rear if they don’t get their focus back. Indy has a way of making the other team panic. OKC doesn’t need to re-invent anything, they just need to close out games better. Some of that is coaching too. Carlisle probably isn’t getting enough credit for the way he’s just putting on a coaching clinic this postseason. He’s been a magician at knowing which buttons to push.
But yeah, for Haliburton to be in the list with Reggie and LeBron is quite an accomplishment already. The one I thought of was the run that “Big Shot Bob” Robert Horry had several years ago with the Rockets, then Lakers, then Spurs. He made a whole career out of making game tying or game winning shots, such that it became his whole persona. He was a fairly mediocre player otherwise.
@Th3solution yeah, I imagine it must be the list for a single post season total. Basically the players that carried their teams through an entire playoffs in terms of making those winning plays in tight games.
It could all go back to my thought that the Pacers overall have a bit more experience good and bad. They had the NBA cup run last season, same as OKC this year, they got to the conference finals last year, but OKC didn't get that far. They have Siakam as their former champion, who is a key starter and leader.
It could simply be that this year is for Indy and next year is for OKC. If OKC don't get it this year, you feel like they'd have to be almost certain next year, just because thats kind of how things go. It took the Celtics a bunch of slaps in the face to get over the hump, and they have a very similar makeup with the young team having to go through adversity and grow up a bit more through those experiences.
If OKC do get it done they are still ahead of schedule, even if they are seen as massive favourites. This is why they have the best chance to become a dynasty, I suppose.
When it seems you're out of luck.
There's just one man who gives a f*************ck
⚔️🛡🐎
@Ravix You’re right, OKC has the perfect set up for creating the next dynasty , they have a win-now roster as well as a bunch of draft capital to keep restocking or trade for upgraded resources.
If by some chance they let this year slip, I do think they are still in a good position, but it happens so often that off-season moves are done radically after a disappointing season end and sometimes a team loses the secret sauce in the process. There’s a common management philosophy that if the team didn’t win the championship then some form of overhaul needs to happen. Whether it be fire the coach, trade and bring in a big name free agent, or let expensive players walk to replace with younger or cheaper talent.
And actually the Thunder franchise has been in this position before, iirc. The Durant-Westbrook version of the team was knocking on the door for several years and ended up getting blown up. Some of that was player driven rather than management driven, but that fanbase I’m sure will feel so incredibly defeated if they can’t get over the hump this year.
“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”
Pacers 2-1 up now. After the start I wasn't so sure what would happen with this game, but the Pacers kept the intensity up and eventually went on a run at the very end. They were defending SGA very well throughout and caused a lot of team turnovers too.
The US Open starts today. I consider the US Open as truly evil golf, and I absolutely love to see all the best players in the world slowly lose their minds as they struggle to cope with the tough course set ups. Should be a good one.
Could Justin Rose win it all once again? He's been in sensational form at the toughest events, and has all the experience. He can still have one really off day, but if he doesn't he should at least be competing with the expected Scheffler challenge. That's kind of my hope, anyway. It'd be cool to see him win a major after his performances at last year's Open and the Masters this year and in a Ryder Cup year.
When it seems you're out of luck.
There's just one man who gives a f*************ck
⚔️🛡🐎
Evil golf hahahaha. Justin Rose hit his third shot (after a drop) from up against a hedge and it somehow hit into a tree and then, after about 20 seconds the camera caught it slowly rolling back down the cart path, back past him by a good 20 yards and ending up under someone's mobility scooter 😂😂😂😂
Jrue Holiday to Portland and Porzingis to Atlanta.
It's going to be weird to see the Celtics starting line up next year (as it stands at the moment) be Brown, White... and that's it from the championship starters. (If Brown has completed rehab, as I don't know how long his knee recovery is)
I'm still half wondering if he's going to try and ship Brown to Edit: Dallas on draft night to get Flagg 🙈
But the latest rumblings are we are aiming for acquiring some good picks for next year still.
American sport is crazy compared to European sports, as this kind of thing never happens, but is par for the course in the NBA, NFL, etc as teams have to balance books and fit in to various salery caps.
As it stands, I'm going to miss Holiday and Porzingis, but I can deal with it if we keep White and Pritchard, and hopefully offer Kornet a deal? Maybe Horford can stay one more year and move in to coaching? Don't send them all away haha 😭
I'd happily take Nembhard and Neesmith though, if Indy wanted Brown or some crazy sh** like that. Or any players who have the type of qualities I enjoy to watch, ala Marcus Smart, Pritchard, and the dogs who are always my favourite players to watch develop on court and fight for every possession.
It's kind of funny that Niang is coming, he's surely just a tax relief type of player. But he's a Mass native, and Scalabrine always made commentary fun when we played against him, so there's that, at least 😭😂
@Th3Solution any thoughts on trades, and the NBA in general now OKC have done what was always expected they should. I will find it hard to keep up with all of the other teams in the NBA as they won't feature on any UK news media as background noise that can be casually absorbed, as in the US. And I won't have the desire to fully deep dive all teams and what they are up to myself tbh, Boston aside.
@Ravix I’ll definitely admit that the finals didn’t go quite the way I predicted, although the ultimate outcome of the Thunder hoisting the trophy was still the same as what I expected several months ago. Indiana gave them all they could handle and, once again, an untimely injury to the best player could have robbed the Pacers of the chance to win.
As for the trade market, the two big Boston contracts (as predicted), KD to Houston, and Bane to Orlando are the trades that stick out so far. The biggest winner I think is Houston, who just got a lot better even if KD is oft injured and getting toward the twilight of his career. I felt all year that the Rockets were overachieving and didn’t strike me as a #2 seed and sure enough they lacked the veteran leadership to even get out of the first round.
As far as Boston, I think Porzingis will find a good fit in Atlanta, but I’m not so sure about Holiday in Portland. I don’t see that being all that great for either party. As for Boston, I think the unloading of the two big contracts will allow everyone else to stay and get extensions. I’m not convinced about what they did with the draft though. They traded their pick of the Frenchman Penda and stockpiled a couple second round picks. I think the Spaniard Gonzalez looks like a good prospect but will take a couple years to acclimate. I can’t help but think next year might be bumpy until Tatum returns.
“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”
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