NBA playoffs thread

[theneumann64]

Yeah I was pissed about it at the time. Not even because I thought he was going to the Knicks, I never really thought that was going to happen. I've always had a soft spot for Cleveland teams, and I've always hated the Heat, for reasons that should be farily obvious as someone who grew up a Knicks fan in in the '90's. And I understand/agree with a lot of the criticisms of the spectacle, although I can't envision and "low-key" way he could've signed anywhere at that point.

But when it got into like "He stabbed every person in Northeastern Ohio in the heart" it was kind of a bit much.

[theneumann64]

Yeah but like Michael Jordan was a sociopath who I think turned a huge portion of future athletes into insane, nasty people because they thought his outlook on life was something to emulate. Jerry Krause's widow getting booed this past winter in Chicago is the kind of consequence his bullshit has that people just dismiss as "That's what it takes to be the best" ignoring that plenty of people are "the best" without acting like that.

I'd take Lebron as a person, is what I'm saying.

[thelasallelunatic]

Apr 23, 2024 15:01:56 GMT -5 theneumann64 said:

Yeah but like Michael Jordan was a sociopath who I think turned a huge portion of future athletes into insane, nasty people because they thought his outlook on life was something to emulate. Jerry Krause's widow getting booed this past winter in Chicago is the kind of consequence his bullshit has that people just dismiss as "That's what it takes to be the best" ignoring that plenty of people are "the best" without acting like that.

I'd take Lebron as a person, is what I'm saying.

I hear you Andrew, and we agree on alot of things, but Jerry Krause broke up a dynasty because he didn't want Phil Jackson to coach the bulls anymore. They probably win a 7th title in 99 before the run is over, but Krause had to be Krause.

His widow didn't make the decisions. She should be excluded from all the venom.

[theneumann64]

25 years later booing his widow because Michael Jordan can't let a grudge go is kind of what I'm talking about. Think his continuous harping on it in the Last Dance might've kept it fresh in people's minds?

[MisterD]

Apr 23, 2024 14:31:55 GMT -5 calsufan said:

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?

Sure, if you move the goalposts all the way to "it wasn't the same run time on the same channel", no HS athlete has gotten that. They have had live national TV announcements and they were all far less important, then and now, to their sports than LeBron has been.

Anyone who has been known by pretty much all sports fans since their teens is going to do something you don't like. I can't, off-hand, think of a single universally loved athlete over the age of 30. "This all-time top __ player isn't humble enough for me" or "he did a free agency TV show" is really, really tame shit.

[MisterD]

If you gave me a limited amount of sports career what-ifs where I get to change a single thing and see how it plays out, undoing Pippen for Polynice is up there.



(Brady getting drafted anywhere else, Eric Davis and Grady Sizemore with healthy careers and "what if Michael Sauer never got concussed" round out the top five, if you're curious.)

[thelasallelunatic]

That's a good pull on the Grady Sizemore being healthy. This is a great thread.

[coqui900]

If the worst thing LeBron did since he became famous was came off poorly when announcing his free agency decision when he was in his early 20s, then he did a lot of things right. And he had a lot of people hoping he was going to get caught doing something wrong. His Cleveland Returns announcement was a lot more humble and I don’t even remember how it came out he was headed to the Lakers.

Also, isn’t him lobbying for what he thinks are his son’s best interests what he should be doing as a parent?

He’s also always been a fantastic player to watch. I have always loved watching him. He possibly has the highest basketball IQ out of anyone who has ever done it. His ability to read what is happening and bend the other team to what he wants them to do alone made him Must See TV. But then when you combine that with this 1 percent of 1 percent athleticism — there really was no one else ever like him.

Jordan might have more rings and etc. But I enjoyed watching LeBron so much more than the Bulls.

[thelasallelunatic]

Clutch put out an announcement for the Lakers move. LeBron took a trip to Europe and was getting on the plane at the time of the announcement.

I strongly disagree on who was more entertaining in MJ vs. LeBron, and I was a Barkley fan. But that's OK.

[MisterD]

LeBron is just you as a kid wondering what would happen if Jordan and Magic merged into one player.

[thelasallelunatic]

Apr 23, 2024 15:40:32 GMT -5 MisterD said:

LeBron is just you as a kid wondering what would happen if Jordan and Magic merged into one player.

I watched ESPN build the kid at St. Vincent St Mary's. All the bullshit Hummer H2, much Mitchell & Ness signed jerseys. ESPN attached their wagon to LeBron and it paid off exponentially. He delivered. However, When he, at 260 lbs, gets hit and falls like my 44 pound daughter getting hit on a soccer field, or runs up to a ref like Apollo Creeds trainer in Rocky IV on a non-call, and then bitches about it in a press conference, he loses me. It's been 20 years of the shit. Half of my life. I can't do it anymore.

[calsufan]

Apr 23, 2024 15:12:33 GMT -5 MisterD said:

Apr 23, 2024 14:31:55 GMT -5 calsufan said:

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?

Sure, if you move the goalposts all the way to "it wasn't the same run time on the same channel", no HS athlete has gotten that. They have had live national TV announcements and they were all far less important, then and now, to their sports than LeBron has been.

Anyone who has been known by pretty much all sports fans since their teens is going to do something you don't like. I can't, off-hand, think of a single universally loved athlete over the age of 30. "This all-time top __ player isn't humble enough for me" or "he did a free agency TV show" is really, really tame shit.

No, I didn't move the goalposts, that was in my original rebuttal, but fine, show me one 3star HS player that got his/her own show, again, not a snippet on tv, that was nationally televised announcing where they were going to college. Hey, if I'm wrong, I'm wrong and I'll freely admit it, but some kid announcing where they're going on a local cable access or local tv show for 3 minutes isn't what I was talking about and I made that quite clear.

[MisterD]

Apr 23, 2024 13:43:41 GMT -5 calsufan said:

3.) No HS student gets a made for national tv special announcing his choice of college.

Holmgren was scheduled live on ESPN.

[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.

Where's the 3star recruit announcement on national tv? And Chet, the number 1 recruit getting 5 minutes on national tv isn't even close to being the same thing as the LeBron "Decision".

[MisterD]

Go back and see who said 3 stars were on TV.

[JoeFedorowicz]

NBA Officials Last Two Minute report is out and boy is it a doozy.

official.nba.com/l2m/L2MReport.html?gameId=0042300112

:27 - Brunson grabbed Maxey’s jersey. Incorrect No Call. They note that attempts to call timeout by Nick Nurse are neither recognized or granted.

:24.9 - Hart fouls Maxey causing him to go to the floor. Incorrect No Call. They note that attempts by Nick Nurse to call timeout were not recognized or granted, but Hart hit the ball as that was going on (when he fouled him)

They did include an incorrect no call where Embiid made contact with Donte but when you look at the video it was nothing AND Donte flopped like a fish.

This is a stolen game. The Sixers, again for the second year in a row, are on the receiving end of a 3 to 1 misses call disadvantage. I’m not saying it’s malicious, just incompetent.

[MisterD]

Thinking about getting Cosby on the case?

[calsufan]

Apr 23, 2024 16:15:31 GMT -5 MisterD said:

Go back and see who said 3 stars were on TV.

You made original 3star comment and I then followed up with a few posts that asked you to show me the 3star commit that was on tv and not just a snippet. There was one post before and one post after your Chet Holmgren post that I asked for that.

[MisterD]

Correct, I mentioned that LeBron made an event out of announcing his decision just like every 3 star does. I don't believe a reasonable reader would take that to imply I believe there are 200+ live ESPN events per recruiting season, but maybe I'm wrong.

(Above you did say no player gets the national TV treatment. Holmgren did. I believe Suggs came up in a search too and, if you'd like, I can have my intern find more.)

[calsufan]

Apr 23, 2024 16:57:07 GMT -5 MisterD said:

Correct, I mentioned that LeBron made an event out of announcing his decision just like every 3 star does. I don't believe a reasonable reader would take that to imply I believe there are 200+ live ESPN events per recruiting season, but maybe I'm wrong.

(Above you did say no player gets the national TV treatment. Holmgren did. I believe Suggs came up in a search too and, if you'd like, I can have my intern find more.)

Funny how you say I implied that about the 200+ announcements. Whereas I clearly implied that I was talking about a similar situation to LeBron's "Decision" there's no such equivalent of any recruit to that, 3star or similar. But you want to read into it so you can prove you're right, so whatever.

[JoeFedorowicz]

Apr 23, 2024 16:46:53 GMT -5 MisterD said:

Thinking about getting Cosby on the case?

NBA admits they missed three things in the last thirty seconds any one of which would have likely swung the outcome of the game. But nah lump me in with that other guy.

[MisterD]

If it makes you feel better, mid 3rd period Embiid went elbow first into Hartenstein and still got an and-1. So that’s a 3 points the other way swing right there.

It wasn’t a flawlessly officiated game with an inherently fair 2 point lead right up until the end.



(And also it’s fun to make the implication you’re like Steve.)

[thelasallelunatic]

Well, it says here that the NBA is going to assign Tony Brothers on Thursday, and Embiid and Maxey may shoot a combined 50 foul shots as a result of the final 2 minute report from Game 2.

Sorry Knicks fans, might wanna see if the Yankees play, or turn on the NFL Draft (one event I hate watching and would watch Many Saints of Newark over, it's not a real sporting event)

The only question for you guys is this... Does Adam Silver want this series tied up at 2 on Sunday or is he OK with a Sixers win as penance for Monday night's last minute? Watch out for Tony Brothers and Scott Foster.

***In all seriousness, I hate the release of the 2 minute report. It does NOTHING for the Sixers other than get everyone pissed off, it doesn't change anything, it doesn't help the situation. Have your closed door meetings and do what you have to do.

[theneumann64]

Yeah I'd imagine we're going to see Jericho Sims at some point tomorrow when Hartenstein and Robinson both have 4 fouls like a minute into the 3rd Quarter. It happens. First game in Philly, series 2-0, I don't think it means there's a grand conspiracy, it's just what happens.

Mostly with you on the draft. I can watch the draft itself (I mostly won't because of the playoff game), and with how bad the Giants have been for 10 years they've had a lot of high picks, but the months long talk about it is vomitous.

Sixers owner will be down in DC I'm guessing.

[glorydays]

Cover of SI from 58 years ago. Not much has changed regarding the officiating in the NBA.

My favorite magazine cover of all time.

[MisterD]

Apr 24, 2024 7:07:52 GMT -5 theneumann64 said:

Yeah I'd imagine we're going to see Jericho Sims at some point tomorrow when Hartenstein and Robinson both have 4 fouls like a minute into the 3rd Quarter. It happens. First game in Philly, series 2-0, I don't think it means there's a grand conspiracy, it's just what happens.

I think it'll be Precious over Sims because of Thibs deference to age, but otherwise that's the expectation. Its a Billy Beane game; don't watch or else you'll just get mad.

[theneumann64]

I'm hoping Precious starts to get a few minutes regardless. Thibs has cut the rotation down to 8 so far, but I mean realistically he's going to have to change the rotations a little at some point. Josh Hart can't *actually* play 48 minutes a game every night going forward, I don't think.

[thelasallelunatic]

Apr 24, 2024 7:07:52 GMT -5 theneumann64 said:

Yeah I'd imagine we're going to see Jericho Sims at some point tomorrow when Hartenstein and Robinson both have 4 fouls like a minute into the 3rd Quarter. It happens. First game in Philly, series 2-0, I don't think it means there's a grand conspiracy, it's just what happens.

Mostly with you on the draft. I can watch the draft itself (I mostly won't because of the playoff game), and with how bad the Giants have been for 10 years they've had a lot of high picks, but the months long talk about it is vomitous.

Sixers owner will be down in DC I'm guessing.

There are election conspiracy theorists, there's covid conspiracy theorists, there's flat earth conspiracy theorists, 9/11 conspiracy theorists, Elvis death conspiracy theorists, walking on the moon conspiracy theorists, Kennedy assassination conspiracy theorists, I could go on and on...

Most of these things are total bullshit.

I believe that the powers that be in the NBA have a rooting interest in extending series. It's a finite number of programming slots, one game does not determine a series winner, and the NBA wants the playoffs to go until Father's Day, or as long as possible. The NBA Draft is a week after that, Free Agency is a week after the Draft. Connect the dots here. It's why these series have some games with 2 days off in between games vs. playing every other day, like the NHL playoffs do.

The NBA loses viewership with sweeps and shorter series. It's a simple math equation. There's 15 playoff series. That's a minimum of 60 playoff games and a maximum of 105 playoff games. Where do you think the NBA wants that number to land? In a league where an official has gambled, at least one player has gambled (it's probably waaayyy deeper than any other league if you want to go down the rabbit hole), am I naive enough to think Adam Silver (who wants his fingerprints on everything) and company are above telling the officials to call a game a certain way, in light of fucking up the ending of the most recent game in the series?

It ain't Alex Jones level shit here.


****I'm not giving an opinion on politics, other than listing prior conspiracy theories.****

[MisterD]

Apr 24, 2024 8:52:07 GMT -5 theneumann64 said:

I'm hoping Precious starts to get a few minutes regardless. Thibs has cut the rotation down to 8 so far, but I mean realistically he's going to have to change the rotations a little at some point. Josh Hart can't *actually* play 48 minutes a game every night going forward, I don't think.

If you listen to Brunson, he can. Someone asked him a few months back what Hart's best basketball quality was and he answered something along the lines of he literally never gets tired, can just run forever.

I agree with the short bench catching up to them eventually but I also like it because it means not watching Alec Burks creating his own misses off the dribble repeatedly until he's pulled.

[theneumann64]

Yeah we don't need to see Burks again this year unless there's a 25 point differential one way or another. I'm all set there.