It's showtime -- let the (NBA) games begin!

[cliftonparksufan]

I wonder if instead of collapsing when Gobert went down the Jazz kept it together, but the Clippers started counting their chickens right away

I don't know. The Clips didn't look particularly well except for Chris Paul. Crawford looked terrible and Jordan didn't exactly excel and Blake Griffin shot 9 for 21 with six turnovers. George Hill really didn't play well for the Jazz, but Gordie was Gordie and Favors played the Clips bigs well enough. Johnson of course was the difference but for the Jazz to win game two they need better shooting from Ingels and Hood. Not sure they will hold the Clippers to 95 points again.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I don't know. The Clips didn't look particularly well except for Chris Paul. Crawford looked terrible and Jordan didn't exactly excel and Blake Griffin shot 9 for 21 with six turnovers. George Hill really didn't play well for the Jazz, but Gordie was Gordie and Favors played the Clips bigs well enough. Johnson of course was the difference but for the Jazz to win game two they need better shooting from Ingels and Hood. Not sure they will hold the Clippers to 95 points again.

Yeah, both teams have a lot of room to play better.

Favors is really the x factor. He hasn't been right all year. But if he can play well, that gives the Jazz a presence in the middle, and they're just not used to playing without that.

 

[Melancer46]

Wizards got the W! I'm hoping to get to Game 2 but we shall see. Never had a chance to go to an NBA playoff game before

 

[samspann1]

Embarrassing effort by the Celtics bigs today.

 

[Alsacs]

Embarrassing effort by the Celtics bigs today.

The bench is so hit or miss. They are going to lose this series.

 

[samspann1]

The bench is so hit or miss. They are going to lose this series.

Bigs are soft, and as you said, the bench is a huge question mark

 

[Melancer46]

My goodness, Beverley and Harden thoroughly dominated OKC last night. That was incredible to watch. Westbrook was also awful.

 

[Cusefan0307]

It's so easy to pack the paint against OKC. No shooting whatsoever. I would play McDermott and put him on Ariza.

 

[Melancer46]

It's so easy to pack the paint against OKC. No shooting whatsoever. I would play McDermott and put him on Ariza.

Yeah I was surprised they didn't play McDermott until garbage time. Still, I think Houston likely just targets whoever McDermott/Kanter are defending until they get switched onto Harden, Gordon, or Lou and then go to work like they did last night.

OKC's pick and roll coverage was pathetic last night.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Yeah I was surprised they didn't play McDermott until garbage time. Still, I think Houston likely just targets whoever McDermott/Kanter are defending until they get switched onto Harden, Gordon, or Lou and then go to work like they did last night.

OKC's pick and roll coverage was pathetic last night.

There's a great GIF on twitter of Donovan telling Mo Cheeks after Kanter gives up a lob on the P&R that lipreads "Can't play Kanter".

 

[OttoinGrotto]

There's a great GIF on twitter of Donovan telling Mo Cheeks after Kanter gives up a lob on the P&R that lipreads "Can't play Kanter".

He's impressively bad on defense.

 

[Knicks411]

Took Utah +190 to win the series. Wasn't feeling great when Rudy went down. Feeling a little better now

 

[Cusefan0307]

If Cleveland gonna struggle to stop Teague and George, what will Curry and Durant do...

 

[MikeSU02]

Nice win for the Cavs. Lost the big lead a bit, but that's going to happen in the playoffs.

 

[Fireball Jr.]

Nice win for the Cavs. Lost the big lead a bit, but that's going to happen in the playoffs.

There are some good lines in the box score, but my favorite is Kevin Love's: 27 points on 6 of 7 from the field -- and 12 for 12 from the line. Cavs'll be fine...as long as Kyrie, LeBron and Love stay healthy. Mainly, LeBron, who had a double double -- 25 points and 10 rebounds -- and coulda had a quadruple double -- 7 rebounds and (yikes!) 8 turnovers.
Pacers vs. Cavaliers - Box Score - April 17, 2017 - ESPN

 

[Knicks411]

If Cleveland gonna struggle to stop Teague and George, what will Curry and Durant do...

It's possible we'll never find out. I think Cle is more vulnerable than before the playoffs started.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

It's possible we'll never find out. I think Cle is more vulnerable than before the playoffs started.

How come?

 

[Knicks411]

How come?

I thought they'd play better than they have the first 2 games. They shouldn't be playing Indy close at home.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I thought they'd play better than they have the first 2 games. They shouldn't be playing Indy close at home.

Gotcha. Everybody with homecourt in the East looks pretty vulnerable so far. The Wizards are the only ones that have really shown well.

 

[Knicks411]

Gotcha. Everybody with homecourt in the East looks pretty vulnerable so far. The Wizards are the only ones that have really shown well.

I definitely thought we were gonna see them flip the switch a little more.

if you take the Cavs as what their record says they are (I still think there's probably another gear there, but...) the east is pretty closely matched across the board.

 

[Melancer46]

I definitely thought we were gonna see them flip the switch a little more.

if you take the Cavs as what their record says they are (I still think there's probably another gear there, but...) the east is pretty closely matched across the board.

Yeah, 538 obviously can't factor a hypothetical switch in there, but they have Cleveland as like the #12 team in the NBA and #5 or 6 in the East.

 

[Fireball Jr.]

This is classic. Love Fizdale. I'd like to see a GoFundMe set up to pay whatever his fine will be, and I'm assuming it's gonna be a lot.

 

[longislandcuse]

It's possible we'll never find out. I think Cle is more vulnerable than before the playoffs started.

Do you think the Wizards can beat them? The East is so bad - I can't really get into these first round matchups (on either side)

 

[Knicks411]

Do you think the Wizards can beat them? The East is so bad - I can't really get into these first round matchups (on either side)

I would definitely have s aid no a few days ago. I thought the Cavs had another level. They still may, but you would've thought they'd have shown it in these first 2 games. The cavs are still probably good enough to win a shootout with the Wiz, but they better go up about three notches if they want to stay on the court with GS.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Wash/Cleveland will be a high scoring series. Both teams are terrible defensively. The Wizards have the shooting to make it interesting.