NBA playoffs thread

[coqui900]

Apr 23, 2024 7:35:44 GMT -5 thelasallelunatic said:

I hear you. I just know that Hinkie pissed off other GMs and agents, so Silver felt he had to do something.

Hinkie is not trading up to draft Fultz though. You're 100 per cent correct.

The 7 Seconds Or Less Suns teams under Colangelo are essentially what the NBA is now. Bryan won Executive of the Year for one of those teams. He grabbed another when he was the Raptors GM after one of their teams improved by 20 games or so one year. He had some good drafts, too. He’s remembered for Baragni (a bust but he got rid of him quickly) but he got a possible future HOF guy in DeRozan at 9. I think he also brought Lowry to the Raptors, too. (Who got poached from… Houston.)

He should have been fired for the insane burner stuff. But Bryan and Jerry had a track

[JoeFedorowicz]

Apr 23, 2024 7:40:00 GMT -5 theneumann64 said:

I feel like any team that's about to do a big trade with the Celtics, especially teams in the Eastern Conference (looking at you, Brooklyn) should pause a second and think "If the Celtics are willing to do this trade with me, is that in fact a sign that I should NOT make the trade?

And then hang up the phone and do something else.

Ainge is gone now though.

[MisterD]

Apr 23, 2024 2:42:00 GMT -5 JoeFedorowicz said:

Dude had 34-10-6.

So down 1-0 in the playoffs, the MVP took 29 shots to almost play to his season averages while the Knicks scored 40 in the paint? Embiid is always going to find a way onto the statsheet and some Sixers fans are always going to grade him on a curve and say that means he was impactful.

[theneumann64]

Apr 23, 2024 8:48:25 GMT -5 JoeFedorowicz said:

Apr 23, 2024 7:40:00 GMT -5 theneumann64 said:

I feel like any team that's about to do a big trade with the Celtics, especially teams in the Eastern Conference (looking at you, Brooklyn) should pause a second and think "If the Celtics are willing to do this trade with me, is that in fact a sign that I should NOT make the trade?

And then hang up the phone and do something else.

Ainge is gone now though.

Still don’t trust that little leprechaun they have.

[JoeFedorowicz]

Apr 23, 2024 9:01:15 GMT -5 MisterD said:

Apr 23, 2024 2:42:00 GMT -5 JoeFedorowicz said:

Dude had 34-10-6.

So down 1-0 in the playoffs, the MVP took 29 shots to almost play to his season averages while the Knicks scored 40 in the paint? Embiid is always going to find a way onto the statsheet and some Sixers fans are always going to grade him on a curve and say that means he was impactful.

I was screaming at the TV to stop running plays for him in the fourth quarter. Tyrese Maxey is prime Dame right now with a better jump shot. The fact that every possession didn't start with his is malpractice. But Joel Embiid was the second best player on the floor and people chiding him for "looking tired" is just hate.

He's playing 36mpg. I think you can get away making that 30 or 32. Tyrese is that good.

[lasallejohn]

On 1 leg and now 1 eye

[MisterD]

I’m sure “Prime Dame” is handing that ball off at the end with the game on the line.

Maxey was outstanding, best player on either team beyond debate. Embiid scored 34 on 29 shots. That’s bad. Flip him and Hartenstein in the 2nd half and the series is tied.

[JoeFedorowicz]

Apr 23, 2024 9:20:56 GMT -5 MisterD said:

I’m sure “Prime Dame” is handing that ball off at the end with the game on the line.

I agree

[MisterD]

The two best players heading into this series have been somewhere between neutral to net negatives. Maxey has stepped up massively, the Knicks as a collective have mostly covered, but I think its pretty clear the Knicks have played worse versus their baseline, right?

[coqui900]

I think Nick Nurse is a great coach. But man why the fuck wasn’t everyone on the Sixers boxing out everyone in sight up to and including fans in the upper deck during the post-TO scramble? The Knicks are the best team in the league at crashing the boards and this should be drilled into everyone.

[MisterD]

Because their best rebounder was too injured or tired to work for it? I know there was chaos but Hartenstein with a clear path to fly in there is really illustrative of all the stats-not-wins knocks on Embiid.

(And above I should have said “two most important players”. I’d trade Brunson for Maxey in a second, long-term or just for this series.)

[theneumann64]

The guys on Sirius NBA radio this morning where very critical of Nurse not subbing Embiid out when Lowry was shooting FT's on the other end. I think for that very reason.

[JoeFedorowicz]

Apr 23, 2024 10:35:02 GMT -5 theneumann64 said:

The guys on Sirius NBA radio this morning where very critical of Nurse not subbing Embiid out when Lowry was shooting FT's on the other end. I think for that very reason.

Joel is very vocal about what he wants, to his own detriment.

The Knicks are all more athletic. They're longer. Every player is bigger than Lowry or Maxey. Hart and Donte are as athletic as Kelly Oubre. Knicks centers are huge. The Sixers did such a better job rebounding last night than on Saturday. One rebound killed them.

[MisterD]

Helps to have two starting-quality centers    

[MisterD]

[calsufan]

Apr 23, 2024 6:42:08 GMT -5 coqui900 said:

Apr 22, 2024 21:52:14 GMT -5 thelasallelunatic said:

Maybe coqui or Mr D can answer this...Has Lebron played defense at all, this decade? Like has he defended since 2021?

LeBron had two blocks, two steals and at least one drawn charge last night. And a bunch of defensive boards. He’s 39. And he has to pick his spots more because he needs to stay on the court. But LeBron still plays a lot of defense. We’re lucky we still get to watch him play.

Lucky my ass. LeBron lost me when he pulled that bullsh*t with "The Decision". The arrogance of him agreeing to do a tv special revolving around that. And please, don't tell me it was "youthful arrogance" on his part. That wouldn't explain his campaigning to have his son drafted (who CLEARLY is not a first round level talent) so he can play with him wherever he lands. F*ck LeBron James. That is all.

[MisterD]

(1) It raised over a million for charity and, even more importantly, (2) you have a remote control. You didn't have to watch LeBron do what every 3+ star HS kid in the country does.

[calsufan]

Apr 23, 2024 12:20:28 GMT -5 MisterD said:

(1) It raised over a million for charity and, even more importantly, (2) you have a remote control. You didn't have to watch LeBron do what every 3+ star HS kid in the country does.

1.) Great that it raised some money for charity, but if you don't think he made money off of that tv special (besides the contract), then I have a bridge in Brookyn that I've priced to move. 2.) I didn't watch it, but I was aware of it of course. 3.) No HS student gets a made for national tv special announcing his choice of college. He also was a pro at that point. Same point about no pro gets a national tv show for announcing a transfer. 4.) Regardless, he's still supremely arrogant.

[thelasallelunatic]

Apr 23, 2024 12:20:28 GMT -5 MisterD said:

(1) It raised over a million for charity and, even more importantly, (2) you have a remote control. You didn't have to watch LeBron do what every 3+ star HS kid in the country does.

Are you really going to carry water for Lebron? Knicks fan, Sixers fan, c'mon D. We can respect him as a player, but the way he plays GM (horribly, I may add) and gets coaches fired, and just bails on teams after he runs them into the ground, the collusion and tampering with other teams and players, it's unlike you to carry water for a guy like Lebron.

[MisterD]

A very quick google will show you that you're wrong about (3) above.

[MisterD]

Apr 23, 2024 14:02:16 GMT -5 thelasallelunatic said:

Are you really going to carry water for Lebron? Knicks fan, Sixers fan, c'mon D. We can respect him as a player, but the way he plays GM (horribly, I may add) and gets coaches fired, and just bails on teams after he runs them into the ground, the collusion and tampering with other teams and players, it's unlike you to carry water for a guy like Lebron.

Every great player, and some not so great players, are involved in those things. And "bails om teams after he runs them into the ground" is super weird phrasing given that he's won at 3 of his 4 stops.

[thelasallelunatic]

Cleveland is just starting to come out of where he left them 6 years ago.

The Heat were hurting, but with "The Heat Way," never bottomed out.

I don't know when the Lakers have a 1st round pick next, maybe 2029? Considering that they've been a play in team for the last 4 years, we aren't talking about picking 28th.

[MisterD]

Oh Jesus Christ. Do you think Cleveland is somehow in better shape than "championship banner hung plus a 4 seed this year" if LeBron didn't go back?

[theneumann64]

I like Lebron. A hell of a lot more than Michael Jordan. He lost me a little with the Decision and the Heat run, but a) he went back to Cleveland and got them a ring and b) I realized he absolutely made the right decision for his career and also that it wasn't his responsibility to stay so that people in Cleveland could have a point of civic pride.

Doesn't mean I always agree with him and sure he whines for calls a lot, like every other star in history, but he's been a great player since I've been in High School, under a huge microscope the whole time (and accounting for a whole cottage industry of dildos like Skip Bayless who spend 95% of their time criticizing him), I think he's handled himself admirably.

[calsufan]

Apr 23, 2024 14:03:39 GMT -5 MisterD said:

A very quick google will show you that you're wrong about (3) above.

Did a quick Google. I see no mention of a made for national tv show like Lebron's decision. Snippets. Maybe a fast announce on espn for some, but where are the 75 minute specials for an individual 3 star HS recruit?

[calsufan]

Apr 23, 2024 14:31:14 GMT -5 theneumann64 said:

I like Lebron. A hell of a lot more than Michael Jordan. He lost me a little with the Decision and the Heat run, but a) he went back to Cleveland and got them a ring and b) I realized he absolutely made the right decision for his career and also that it wasn't his responsibility to stay so that people in Cleveland could have a point of civic pride.

Doesn't mean I always agree with him and sure he whines for calls a lot, like every other star in history, but he's been a great player since I've been in High School, under a huge microscope the whole time (and accounting for a whole cottage industry of dildos like Skip Bayless who spend 95% of their time criticizing him), I think he's handled himself admirably.

I don't agree on some of your points, but I think everyone can agree that Skip Bayless is a dildo. Same with Cowherd. Same with Stephen A.

[theneumann64]

Apr 23, 2024 14:34:04 GMT -5 calsufan said:

Apr 23, 2024 14:31:14 GMT -5 theneumann64 said:

I like Lebron. A hell of a lot more than Michael Jordan. He lost me a little with the Decision and the Heat run, but a) he went back to Cleveland and got them a ring and b) I realized he absolutely made the right decision for his career and also that it wasn't his responsibility to stay so that people in Cleveland could have a point of civic pride.

Doesn't mean I always agree with him and sure he whines for calls a lot, like every other star in history, but he's been a great player since I've been in High School, under a huge microscope the whole time (and accounting for a whole cottage industry of dildos like Skip Bayless who spend 95% of their time criticizing him), I think he's handled himself admirably.

I don't agree on some of your points, but I think everyone can agree that Skip Bayless is a dildo. Same with Cowhered. Same with Stephen A.

For what it’s worth I don’t think the TV show was a good idea, but I think the backlash would’ve been lessened by only a minimal amount if he had just signed with Miami, sans public announcement.

[calsufan]

Apr 23, 2024 14:36:33 GMT -5 theneumann64 said:

Apr 23, 2024 14:34:04 GMT -5 calsufan said:

I don't agree on some of your points, but I think everyone can agree that Skip Bayless is a dildo. Same with Cowhered. Same with Stephen A.

For what it’s worth I don’t think the TV show was a good idea, but I think the backlash would’ve been lessened by only a minimal amount if he had just signed with Miami, sans public announcement.

I agree 100%. I didn't care where he went to play ball. I can't fault him there at all. It was just the whole spectacle that he created to draw attention to himself.

[thelasallelunatic]

He's a good dad, he's a good husband, he stays out of trouble. All commendable. Not a scumbag like AI was, no scandals, all good stuff.

Beyond that, he gives opinions on everything, thinks he's King of the NBA, is a walking contradiction (Play in tourney, in season tourney), gets coaches fired, thinks he's a GM, passive-aggressive in the media, a bitch on the court, and flops more than a player in the World Cup.

Jordan, and Kobe, to a lesser extent, didn't do any of that.

That's why I root against the Lakers every single game.

[thelasallelunatic]

And I'm a hater, but I'm not Skip Bayless. The guy lived up to the hype for 20 years. He just isn't the best player of all time.