NBA Playoffs

[MSOrange]

Yeah the west first round is so weird; I pretty much expect at least 3 of the 4 series to be over in 5 games or fewer. And the Clippers may take care of business pretty quickly as well.

Look at who Memphis was playing yesterday. The Spurs might figure out a way to win t hat series in 3.

I really only follow the NBA once the playoffs start except for the Celtics and the Syracuse guys. I forgot Memphis was so decimated by injuries. I saw their lineup and was like - that's the lineup of a playoff team?

 

[MikeSU02]

Also just this first round in particular; the entire west first round seems like we're just killing time until the next round. (Despite the outcome of the game last night)

I am enjoying GSW and SAS and their pure dominance. I can watch SAS' defense all day. Kawhi Leonard is my favorite player to watch in all of the NBA.

I think the Det/Cle series is a good one. Love and Kyrie were running some nice PnR and it looks like Love at center was working VERY well (+8 in his time there). I think that is a very interesting look.

Watching Houston self-combust is a bit entertaining. Kind of like trying not to watch a car crash, I guess.

Not a great look for big time analytics GMs this year, with Hinkie and Morey. The players-as-commodities of real human beings and the de-prioritization of, ya know, any sense of camaraderie, mentorship, etc, is not a great look right now.

I really wish Utah had gotten the eighth seed.

 

[MikeSU02]

I love Westbrook but KD is becoming so overrated. He needs to leave OKC and go East to have any chance of not going the way of Melo and that isn't even fair to Melo since KD's OKC teams are light years better than anything Melo has ever been on and Westbrook is light years better than any teammate Melo has ever had.

I think KD is still a top five player, with potential to be the best player in the league (even though that is a stretch).

I just think that he hasn't played for a good coach. There is way too much hero ball, way too much of just him and Russ owning everything and, it seems to me, that he will try *any* shot, but won't quite put in the work to master specific shots (like a baby hook, up and under, turnaround). I know he is awesome, but he doesn't seem to be evolving, if that makes any sense. Again, all this imo.

 

[MikeSU02]

I really only follow the NBA once the playoffs start except for the Celtics and the Syracuse guys. I forgot Memphis was so decimated by injuries. I saw their lineup and was like - that's the lineup of a playoff team?

And it sounds like Conley is going to test FA. Tough break. Seemed like one of the major reasons Gasol stayed was because of him.

 

[Knicks411]

I think KD is still a top five player, with potential to be the best player in the league (even though that is a stretch).

I just think that he hasn't played for a good coach. There is way too much hero ball, way too much of just him and Russ owning everything and, it seems to me, that he will try *any* shot, but won't quite put in the work to master specific shots (like a baby hook, up and under, turnaround). I know he is awesome, but he doesn't seem to be evolving, if that makes any sense. Again, all this imo.

I think KD is definitely still top 5 in the league, probably Steph, Lebron, and Leonard are the guys ahead of him?

 

[longislandcuse]

KD is top 5 in the league but also overrated if that makes any sense. At some point, you have to do something when the team you're on is as loaded as OKC is and has been minus their injury year.

Everybody run to a corner and let KD and Russ take turns going ISO. When guys have off nights, it looks so bad.

 

[Knicks411]

KD is top 5 in the league but also overrated if that makes any sense. At some point, you have to do something when the team you're on is as loaded as OKC is and has been minus their injury year.

Everybody run to a corner and let KD and Russ take turns going ISO. When guys have off nights, it looks so bad.

The thing is, their injury year has kind of been every year since they made the finals. And now they are going to run up against 2 of the best teams of all time. They are very much like the mid 90's Sonics I think.

It is amazing how much iso you see though; it's like the first year Lebron went to Miami. But for 5 or 6 years.

 

[longislandcuse]

The thing is, their injury year has kind of been every year since they made the finals. And now they are going to run up against 2 of the best teams of all time. They are very much like the mid 90's Sonics I think.

It is amazing how much iso you see though; it's like the first year Lebron went to Miami. But for 5 or 6 years.

I'll admit, a lot of my animosity towards KD getting a pass is due to Melo. Melo has never had a Westbrook and never had a team like OKC, yet he gets ripped for not winning more. Melo also had some juggernaut teams in the West as well.

So sorry, I don't accept the argument that they've had to deal with the Spurs and now, Warriors. KD's team is loaded. Figure it out. How he escapes without criticism, or very minimal criticism is beyond me when people feel the need to say Melo never won anything in the NBA.

 

[longislandcuse]

Can we talk about Tim Legler for a second. Talking about how Melo and Harden are the same player. F outta here...

Talk about a group think hot take from this guy. Melo's offense is so much nastier than Harden's contact drawing flop fest. Melo's defense actually isn't that bad and any Knicks fan will attest to that after these past few years.

 

[Knicks411]

I'll admit, a lot of my animosity towards KD getting a pass is due to Melo. Melo has never had a Westbrook and never had a team like OKC, yet he gets ripped for not winning more. Melo also had some juggernaut teams in the West as well.

So sorry, I don't accept the argument that they've had to deal with the Spurs and now, Warriors. KD's team is loaded. Figure it out. How he escapes without criticism, or very minimal criticism is beyond me when people feel the need to say Melo never won anything in the NBA.

I've been waiting for the KD backlash to come. Seemed inevitable after he was held up as the guy doing the thing that right way when everyone hated Lebron.

Durant is a better player than Melo. And ever since making the finals his team has seemed to have an injury crop up in the playoffs every year. But hey, he's made the finals one time, and other than that, at the end of the day, the playoff results aren't there, and I don't expect that to change this year. So if you want to get on him for that, I'm not sure it's totally fair, but it's not totally unfair, if that makes any sense.

 

[OrangeDW]

I'll admit, a lot of my animosity towards KD getting a pass is due to Melo. Melo has never had a Westbrook and never had a team like OKC, yet he gets ripped for not winning more. Melo also had some juggernaut teams in the West as well.

So sorry, I don't accept the argument that they've had to deal with the Spurs and now, Warriors. KD's team is loaded. Figure it out. How he escapes without criticism, or very minimal criticism is beyond me when people feel the need to say Melo never won anything in the NBA.

Two top 6 players. Plus Ibaka(top 25-30 probably). No excuses. Melo got ripped for losing to Indiana with JR Smith as his top running mate.

 

[longislandcuse]

I've been waiting for the KD backlash to come. Seemed inevitable after he was held up as the guy doing the thing that right way when everyone hated Lebron.

Durant is a better player than Melo. And ever since making the finals his team has seemed to have an injury crop up in the playoffs every year. But hey, he's made the finals one time, and other than that, at the end of the day, the playoff results aren't there, and I don't expect that to change this year. So if you want to get on him for that, I'm not sure it's totally fair, but it's not totally unfair, if that makes any sense.

And I really like KD as a person. I've seen him at Hillsong Church in NYC and talk to people, take pictures etc. He's a good guy but he's too good a player with too good of a running mate and team to evade criticism like he has.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I've never seen a playoff team look like they wanted to go on vacation more than these Rockets.

I'm really bummed the Jazz crapped the bed at the end of the season. They at least play like they care and are on the way up.

I wonder if the Rockets and Kings would swap Boogie for the Beard?

 

[Knicks411]

Two top 6 players. Plus Ibaka(top 25-30 probably). No excuses. Melo got ripped for losing to Indiana with JR Smith as his top running mate.

I guess, but the Indiana team they lost to second best player was George Hill or David West I guess? Those guys are good, but OKC is presumably going to lose to San Antonio, who like I said, is probably one of the ten best teams of all time.

Melo was also saddled with Mike Woodson. Who may or may not be better than Donovan.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

And it sounds like Conley is going to test FA. Tough break. Seemed like one of the major reasons Gasol stayed was because of him.

I've been calling it for a while now - Conley will end up on the Spurs.

 

[Cusefan0307]

NBA playoffs are fun to watch, but it usually takes a few rounds to get into it. Over half the league is in the playoffs.

The first round used to have some great theater. Remember when Larry and Zo went at it and JVG held on Zo's leg for dear life?

 

[Knicks411]

The first round used to have some great theater. Remember when Larry and Zo went at it and JVG held on Zo's leg for dear life?

The first round like 2 or 3 years ago (they all blend together) was amazing. like 4 or 5 game 7's I want to say

 

[OrangeDW]

I guess, but the Indiana team they lost to second best player was George Hill or David West I guess? Those guys are good, but OKC is presumably going to lose to San Antonio, who like I said, is probably one of the ten best teams of all time.

Melo was also saddled with Mike Woodson. Who may or may not be better than Donovan.

Indiana had the better team than NY at that point in the season though. Hibbert was an all star in both '11 and '13 and he destroyed Tyson Chandler in that series, and Stephenson was playing out of his mind at that time.

 

[OrangeDW]

The first round like 2 or 3 years ago (they all blend together) was amazing. like 4 or 5 game 7's I want to say

Yup. I usually love the first round because in the West usually even the 8 seed has been a 50 win type team. The depth in the West is WAY down this year. It's 2 great teams(GS, SA), 2 good teams(LAC, OKC), one fun decent team that could be dangerous for a round(Portland), and a bunch of garbage. And even Portland is far less talented than they had been the previous few years. Memphis is usually a factor, but they're too beat up. Dallas sometimes surprised, but they are also beat up. Houston has really fallen apart.

The East is actually deeper for once...I'll take Miami, Detroit, Boston, and Charlotte over the West's 5-8 teams.

 

[Cusefan0307]

The first round like 2 or 3 years ago (they all blend together) was amazing. like 4 or 5 game 7's I want to say

No doubt. This year was a perfect storm of sorts. The strongest teams got stronger and the bottom teams in the west especially got weaker. Some of it due to injury/age (Memphis/Dallas), defection (Portland), or they just plane don't care(Houston).

 

[Briancuse]

I've been calling it for a while now - Conley will end up on the Spurs.

God help the rest of the Nba if he does.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Yup. I usually love the first round because in the West usually even the 8 seed has been a 50 win type team. The depth in the West is WAY down this year. It's 2 great teams(GS, SA), 2 good teams(LAC, OKC), one fun decent team that could be dangerous for a round(Portland), and a bunch of garbage. And even Portland is far less talented than they had been the previous few years. Memphis is usually a factor, but they're too beat up. Dallas sometimes surprised, but they are also beat up. Houston has really fallen apart.

The East is actually deeper for once...I'll take Miami, Detroit, Boston, and Charlotte over the West's 5-8 teams.

Yeah, the bottom fell out on the west. East isn't nearly as top heavy, but 3-9 (Bulls were competitive) in the east is stronger overall than 3-9 in the west I think.

 

[longislandcuse]

This is gross how the officials mistreat Zack Randolph.

 

[OrangeDW]

This is gross how the officials mistreat Zack Randolph.

Yup. That year when he destroyed Duncan and they knocked the Spurs out was awesome.

 

[gbo]

This is gross how the officials mistreat Zack Randolph.

I feel for Zebo because the rest of the playoff roster is garbage. He has to carry the team.