Topic: NBA Thread: Brought To You By The Tampa Bay Raptors Of Toronto

[BeautifulShy]

Yeah I have been watching them. 

A lot of these games have been blowouts so those tend to be not fun but this Mavs and Warriors game was pretty exciting.  Luka needs more help than sometimes Brunson and Dinwiddie.  Warriors have a pretty deep bench so that has been the difference.  Mavs really miss Tim Hardaway Jr.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Sheesh, here’s a summary of Suns vs. Mavericks:

Here's a summary of the Mavs vs Warriors so far....



video:
https://twitter.com/AverageAFPod/status/1528607257071702016?s=20&t=piTsxvPPzzySgs6VxDUWOQ


Luka and Kidd have both basically conceded, but even though it's not over yet, I think it's pretty safe to look forward to the Finals.

Question is will the Celts and/or Heat still have enough active players to get out of the East and still make it competitive?

I'm hoping the Heat continue to win, even though they've only won 2 out of 12 quarters so far.... but somehow lead the series 2-1. Warriors take the heat, that I'm almost certain of.

Celtics I think could be an issue, assuming they bring their best consistently every night, which they have not been doing in this current series.

[BlackNMild2k1]

another BS game in the east....

It seemed like the league was pushing to even up the series and push it to 7, if not push Boston as a favorite or something.

I also feel like the league gonna put in the call to take to 5 if the Warriors don't outshoot the whistles tomorrow. Just to keep as much basketball on TV as possible till the Finals, because these games in the East are just not doing it.

[BlackNMild2k1]

It's just sad....



please let Miami somehow beat the Celtics. LOL

[Adrock]

LOL, Draymond with that free throw.

Collectively, this is one of the worst post seasons in recent memory. These games are bad.

[BeautifulShy]

I'm sure BNM is happy with this result.  Warriors back in the Finals.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Let's Goooo!!!!

Mav's were a good opponent, but we just had too many weapons.
Luka in peak physical and mental shape, and w/ one more piece next to him, and results could easily be different.

Just hoping GP2, Otto Porter and Iggy are all Ready to Go for game 1. All hands on deck.


Now, even being willing to bet that Cetls win this series, I'm hoping the Heat show up at least one more time and take their series to 7. I know they are all beat the hell up, but this they last chance to give themselves a chance. All or nothing.

[BeautifulShy]

Yes I am hoping for the same result of making it to game 7 in the east just so if the Celtics make it to the finals that the Celtics have less time to rest and less of a chance from winning their 18th chip.   They can not pass the Lakers so soon after the Lakers tied up the chip total!!!

[BeautifulShy]

Yay, the Lakers signed Davin Ham to a 4 year deal!! 

[Adrock]

Finally, a close game in the Eastern Conference Finals. Big Heat win in Tiddy Garden.

I’m pulling for a Warriors vs. Heat matchup. I’d probably still lean Warriors, but I do want Jimmy Butler to get at least one ring.

Yay, the Lakers signed Davin Ham to a 4 year deal!!

Very happy with this hire. Long overdue head coaching opportunity for Ham. I’m hoping he can reign Westbrook in, get him to slow the hell down. I don’t want the Lakers using any more assets shedding Westbrook’s expiring contact so let’s see if Ham can get the most out of him.

[BeautifulShy]

Yeah that game was super close.  I was posting on SS&R about the Ham hire and missed the first 3 quarters.  Back and forth game the last five minutes.

The other good thing about this it is a 4 year deal.  Last time a head coach had more than a 3 year deal was with Phil Jackson.

So his contract runs through AD's current contract of 3 seasons.  So even if LBJ signs a 1+1 extension there will be cap space and development throughout the remaining years of Ham's contract.

[BeautifulShy]

BnM your team is my only hope.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Nothing against Tatum and Hoford, but the Celtics can't win this.

It's Curry's job to make sure WE show up and hold down home court. We're undefeated there during these playoffs, so I hope that continues.
Celtics have a bit of history of not holding their home court, so if can hold ours, we are in good shape.
Tatum has been rather inconsistent, and Brown been sloppy on the handle. I think we can take this version of these worn down Celtics in 5 or 6.

[Adrock]

This is embarrassing.

[BlackNMild2k1]

All was looking good till Kerr made substitutions at the end of the 3rd....

Poole was playing like it was rookie year again, all game long. Homeboy had nerves so shaky, he literally reverted back to G League status. He should have been benched because this ain't the venue to let him "work it out". Had he not started the 4th Qtr.... with his shook ass revolving door defense on Brown... maybe we retain that lead, and they don't suddenly find some confidence and become Warriors East and shoot us out our own building from 3. Boy needs to calm down and step into the moment, or ride the bench.

And Draymond with being Mr. 2 for 12.... come the **** on Dray... stop shooting the ball. The man couldn't make a layup or short 4ft shot to save his life. Legit the worst layuper in the league. Makes no sense. Couldn't fall in the ocean jumping off a buoy. Dray has no excuse for that. Even making just half of the misses changes the game (). 5 extra made shots = 10 points.... 1 of the 3 missed free throws (0-3), and we're suddenly at 11 extra points on the board. Suddenly 1 pt difference. can't be blowing every damn layup.

Now I know there's no way the C's shoot like that again, but honestly, they don't have to... next game Tatum likely shows up, and all the pressure is on the Warriors.

It also didn't help that even though Curry came out the kitchen COOKIN in the first, he followed up the first course with a palette cleansing 0 in the 2nd. We can't have that. Curry even putting up a modest 5-7 in the 2nd keeps up the lead going into the half.

Also Iggy's turn over out the time out that started the C's comeback was just tragic. Warriors really gotta get it together. We're supposed to be the 4th Qtr team, and we sure as hell did not play like it.

anyway.... on to Game 2.
Adjustments will be made... hopefully we do better and get this back on track. Cannot underestimate these C's as they are a legit defensive and offensive threat.

Jimmy B let us down.... I really wanted to face the Heat. That was Dubs in 5 for sure.

[broodwars]

Well, there it is, as expected. Quin Snyder has stepped down as Head Coach of the Dumstper Fire that is the Utah Jazz.

https://www.slcdunk.com/2022/6/5/23155620/quin-snyder-is-stepping-down-as-utah-jazz-head-coach

[Adrock]

That Poole Party 3 would have gotten a Mike Breen "Bang!" if he didn't have COVID. I hate this timeline.

Well, there it is, as expected. Quin Snyder has stepped down as Head Coach of the Dumstper Fire that is the Utah Jazz.

The Jazz can do us all a solid and hire Mark Jackson.

[Adrock]

This is embarrassing.

Same, just in the other direction. An entire quarter of garbage time. If nothing else, no Steph in the fourth quarter should be good for Game 3. Too bad the Warriors gave away Game 1.

Game 3 is on Wednesday. Is this scheduling normal? I originally thought Game 2 was supposed to be last night. There's only two days between Game 3 and Game 4.

[BlackNMild2k1]

This is how Game 1 should've looked, if it weren't for the "cheat code" 3's being unlocked for the C's last game. I knew they couldn't continue to shoot with that amount of luck and accuracy. I think it's fitting that they spammed the 3 in game 1, and then apparently broke the button for game 2.

Dray was flirting with an ejection.... I don't know why he keeps testing the ref's.... but he won the game of chicken this time. Under normal circumstances... it might've been a double T and the keep it moving.

I expect a closer game for Game 3, with the Dubs pulling out a win in Boston and goin up 2-1 after another big run in the 3rd or 4th to get some separation.

[BeautifulShy]

Lakers finally signed Darvin Ham and he said all the right things.  It made it sound like Russ was in the plans for the upcoming season but i get they have to say that to get Russ to buy in and not tank his trade value even lower than it is.  System seems good with the 4-1 out but if Russ is staying then it is going to be hard to use that unless they get back a floor spacing 5 or get the defensive wings in a low 3 and D wing free agency.

Best option seems to be trade Russ for Brogdan and Hield and grab OP Jr with the taxpayer MLE or trade for Rozier, Oubre Jr and Plumlee and go from there with wings and front court depth.

A lot of what was said in the press conference was about sacrifice but that was said last season with Russ, LBJ and AD playing different roles but it never happened.  So talk is cheap till I see otherwise.

[Adrock]

RE Warriors tonight: I was rooting for you, we were all rooting for you. How dare you?

System seems good with the 4-1 out but if Russ is staying then it is going to be hard to use that unless they get back a floor spacing 5 or get the defensive wings in a low 3 and D wing free agency.

The Lakers don't have the assets to make any splashy moves. They can probably get 3 OR D, not a wing who is both. That's fine given the circumstances.

The Lakers held a workout yesterday. People on Reddit and Youtube were dunking all over this. However, it's exactly what they should be doing. Most role players they sign should be under 30. They're likely all coming to come from the scrapheap, undrafted pool, and purchased second round picks. Cross your fingers they find a Spencer Dinwiddie-type diamond in the rough who every other team gave up on.

Best option seems to be trade Russ for Brogdan and Hield and grab OP Jr with the taxpayer MLE or trade for Rozier, Oubre Jr and Plumlee and go from there with wings and front court depth.

I've seen the Pacers trade thrown around a lot. I'd agree if the Lakers didn't have to give up any picks. The Pacers would be saving like $60 million in salary. That's the trade. If anything, the team absorbing the extra years/salary should be getting at least a conditional first round pick.

Ultimately, the Lakers' best move is to just ride out the year with Westbrook. Pelinka has been planning for years to have cap space in 2023. Stay the course unless a good trade pops up closer to the deadline next February. The Lakers absolutely should not be trading their 2027 or 2029 first round picks.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Well... what can I say about the game tonight?

Draymond didn't bring that energy.
Warriors didn't appear to have that energy and lacked effort at getting the boards.
We can't win if we don't make the necessary stops and get rebounds to give ourselves more chances at scoring, and taking away their extra attempts at scoring.

We simply got out played tonight, and let Smart score 24 points....
Which reminds me... Draymond needs to learn how to score the ball again.
Can we atleast get 10-15pts a night from Dray? Is that asking too much?
I don't prefer him taking shots when unnecessary, but that's mostly because he can't shoot, and his shot looks terrible (shooting like he got a backpack full of books on), but he should be able to make simple layups and short shots next to the rim. The fact that I can't even count on him to make a layup is ridiculous.


But anyway.... on to the next one.

edit: Oh yeah... and then there was of course this nonsense before the game.... :/


I hope when we come back to The Bay for Game 5, the Celtics practice rim is a Milk Crate screwed to a wooden backboard on a post that wobbles a little bit. only seems fair

[Adrock]

That man Steph Curry. Tiddy Garden got really quiet at the end. Mmm, mmm. Let's fucking go!

GIVE ME GAME 6 KLAY!

[BeautifulShy]

Heck yeah!!! Steph put the team on his back and scored 40. Wiggins was huge with all the rebounds.

[Adrock]

Curry always seems to have one bad shooting night per series. Good timing with that game being at home and when Wiggins went off.

Speaking of, the Warriors better pay that man, but I don't think they will because they have to pay Poole soon too. What sucks is that Wiggins is clearly best when he's the third or fourth option. I doubt he'll be this effective on another team. We already saw that guy in Minnesota.

Anyway, Tatum weirdly shot a bunch of airballs. And Mark Jackson continues to be intolerable on commentary. "Imma call him Klay. Imma call him Klay." Yeah, because that's his name. What are you talking about?

GIVE ME GAME 6 KLAY!

Soon.