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

[BeautifulShy]

Doncic is heading back to the locker room.   He might come back in overtime.  He is back on the court.

Lakers win in OT!!

[Adrock]

I’m glad the Lakers won. After watching the last play in regulation, I don’t know why the Mavs closed out on LeBron. Let him get the dunk. There were fewer than three seconds left; he’d be doing you a favor because the Lakers were down by three.

Anyway, the Warriors are getting worked. D’Angelo Russell has 30, but just isn’t getting a lot of help based on the box score. Also, the Jazz lost to the Kings. Someone check on broodwars.

[ejamer]

Warriors aren't tanking, but Draymond is now also injured and seems likely to miss time.
(Seriously: I know we are really early on still, but just write off this season and view it as development/investment in the future already!)

Really wish the Lakers game last night was on League Pass - but probably better that I didn't stay up until wee hours of the morning watching, especially when it went to overtime. Maybe worth watching the compressed version today?

[BeautifulShy]

Warriors aren't tanking, but Draymond is now also injured and seems likely to miss time.
(Seriously: I know we are really early on still, but just write off this season and view it as development/investment in the future already!)

Really wish the Lakers game last night was on League Pass - but probably better that I didn't stay up until wee hours of the morning watching, especially when it went to overtime. Maybe worth watching the compressed version today?

I watched the stream on ESPN last night. Maybe it is up there still.

[Adrock]

Nice, hard fought win. The Lakers are so infuriating to watch sometimes. You can’t let yourselves fall behind 15 points. The Mavericks are decent to good this year, and it took literal last second heroics from Danny Green to make this win happen. Against more elite teams, don’t expect to come back and win by nine.

[ejamer]

...
I watched the stream on ESPN last night. Maybe it is up there still.

Pretty sure I can't watch ESPN streams in Canada - they are blocked. But League Pass lets you stream older games for pretty much everything so it's good.  (And yes, the game is a fun watch!)

Love seeing Luka and Kristaps going up against LeBron and Anthony. Lakers win that battle right now, and should be a better team overall. But it's closer than many might expect - and I feel like the Mavs duo have greater potential for growth over the next couple of years. I know that Lakers vs Clippers is the rivalry everyone wants to talk about, but if these teams were going to be together for a few years I can't help but wonder if Lakers vs Mavs might be more exciting... bring one more piece in for the Mavs and they could look dangerous!

[BeautifulShy]

...
I watched the stream on ESPN last night. Maybe it is up there still.

Pretty sure I can't watch ESPN streams in Canada - they are blocked. But League Pass lets you stream older games for pretty much everything so it's good.  (And yes, the game is a fun watch!)

Love seeing Luka and Kristaps going up against LeBron and Anthony. Lakers win that battle right now, and should be a better team overall. But it's closer than many might expect - and I feel like the Mavs duo have greater potential for growth over the next couple of years. I know that Lakers vs Clippers is the rivalry everyone wants to talk about, but if these teams were going to be together for a few years I can't help but wonder if Lakers vs Mavs might be more exciting... bring one more piece in for the Mavs and they could look dangerous!

I had no idea you were in Canada and that is how it worked up there.   It was hard to watch early on but the Lakers made 10 straight stops to be able to stay in the game.   I also hadn't realized that LeBron and Doncic both had triple doubles. I think that may have been a first in the NBA.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Warriors aren't tanking, but Draymond is now also injured and seems likely to miss time.
(Seriously: I know we are really early on still, but just write off this season and view it as development/investment in the future already!)

damn, what happened to Draymond!?
Injury Bug got it's last victim.... hopefully it decides to hibernate again, it's gotten all our remaining starters from the previous season. We are done.... we have now paid our dues.

I was out with some friends and the game wasn't on TV, so I was following the score.
Did Dray get hurt early in the 3rd? that seems to be when the Dubs started falling behind.

[BeautifulShy]

Warriors aren't tanking, but Draymond is now also injured and seems likely to miss time.
(Seriously: I know we are really early on still, but just write off this season and view it as development/investment in the future already!)

damn, what happened to Draymond!?
Injury Bug got it's last victim.... hopefully it decides to hibernate again, it's gotten all our remaining starters from the previous season. We are done.... we have now paid our dues.

I was out with some friends and the game wasn't on TV, so I was following the score.
Did Dray get hurt early in the 3rd? that seems to be when the Dubs started falling behind.

I guess he injured his left index finger.
https://sports.yahoo.com/draymond-green-sprained-finger-warriors-injuries-150822754.html

[BlackNMild2k1]

wow, that sucks, but at least it's nothing major. maybe he misses a game or three.
but those jerseys are ugly. I hope to never see them again. LOL

[ejamer]

Kind a bummer about how the Mav Lakers OT game ended.

There were a couple of consecutive calls missed, or that went the Lakers way, that really took the steam out of the ending there. (I know this is old news.  Still catching up.)  That clear offensive foul on Howard that gave Danny Green an open three was maybe the worst one, but there were a couple of other plays that stood out too. After such a great back-and-forth game. it's a shame to have a few reffing mistakes stand out as the defining moments.

Oh well. Happens every year for a handful of games; you just have to hope your team isn't on the wrong end.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Apparently DLo sprained his ankle in yesterdays game, so that makes the Warriors injured list as "The Starting 5": Steph (broken hand - 3 months), Klay (torn ACL - 8 month/1 season), Looney (? ? - ? ?), Draymond (Sprained Finger - 2-3 games), DLo (Sprained Ankle - game to game)

So that makes tonights starting 5 as.... ?, ??, , ?, and Willy Cauley Stein?

On the plus side, tickets to tour the Chase Center stadium during the Warriors game is only $45 dollars, and I believe they even throw in a game viewing seat to go with the tour entrance tickets

[ejamer]

Raptors first quarter shooting: a blistering 3 for 16.   
We the Champs! 


(Secretly glad that I'm working overtime tonight instead of watching the game.)

[BlackNMild2k1]

I just caught up on the Mavs Lakers game.
Now that the Warriors are starting 5 is a tankathon, I might have to tune into more Mavs games to get my bball fix.

But apparently Luka got concussed and that's half the reason the game made it to OT (quick points capitalized on by the Lakers). They apparently "ruled out" a concussion on the sideline during a quick time out on the sideline (!?).... and then apparently ruled it out again after the game.

I didn't watch the whole game (just some clips), but apparently everyone watching and even the commentators were commenting on how Luka looked a little off and might be concussed.
I also saw that 2 hand hold by Howard to get Green open in the corner, which led to the game tying 3 at end of regulation. I don't know how the refs missed that...


and just looking at the score, it looks like everything went south for the Mavs in OT.

edit: and here an interesting fact from the game:

[BlackNMild2k1]

I almost thought this was for the Santa Cruz Warriors



lol. But somehow we winning....
almost fell apart at the end of the 2nd, but still got a 5pt lead somehow.

[Adrock]

I don’t think the refs missed the call at the end of the Lakers-Mavericks game. Unless it’s egregious, they tend to let the players decide the game.

Anyway, D’Angelo Russell is injures too?! At this point, I’m surprised Steve Kerr didn’t just suit up tonight. No one is currently wearing #25 on the Warriors, right?

[ejamer]

I don’t think the refs missed the call at the end of the Lakers-Mavericks game. Unless it’s egregious, they tend to let the players decide the game.
...

Sure... except it was pretty egregious. Howard literally grabbed the Seth Curry's hips with two hands, making defensive impossible and granting Danny Green a wide open corner three. It was commented on it right away during the game, and the replay made it even more obvious. The still photo above doesn't do justice to what effect the grab had.

Big picture, the Mavs made mistakes and should have found a way to win regardless of a couple bad calls. This isn't some kind of conspiracy or agenda; it's just refs choosing to swallow the whistle and let whatever happens on the court go. But when you have a tight and exciting game like this one, with both sides playing very well for long stretches of time, it makes for a very unsatisfying ending when the winner is decided missed/uncalled fouls instead of by talent on the court. (Unless you are a Laker fan, apparently?)

Regardless, I'll be excited to see these teams play again. Even though I think Lakers are a better team, there are a lot of great match-ups here.

[BeautifulShy]

With the refs in the Lakers vs Mavs game I think near the tail end of the game they were just letting them play and just see the results of the game. I do know on the other end there was a play the Mavs did that the refs missed.  Doesn't make it right just the refs way of bring balance again to the game.

[Adrock]

Sure... except it was pretty egregious.

My intention is not to argue semantics or what constitutes as egregious. To clarify though, someone has to get practically mauled or intentionally fouled as in the player tells a ref before the play begins “I’m going to foul [player]” (like a hack-a-Shaq kind of thing) for refs to blow the whistle. If the commentators saw, the refs did too. They didn’t stop the play because they generally tend to let end of games play out.

The Lakers absolutely should have lost that game (side-bar: I kind of wish they did; learn from it and don’t fall behind 15 points). I’m not defending this practice by the refs and/or NBA, just relaying some information. This isn’t insider info. Journalists, analysts, and former players admit refs swallow their whistles at the end of games all the time on shows, podcasts etc. Why do the refs/NBA do this? I guess it makes better television with the added benefit of more advertising revenue. This was a nationally televised game. 🤷‍♀️

[BlackNMild2k1]

To be honest, I watched the play, I really don't see how the refs didn't call the hold, it was BLATANTLY egregious, and a deciding factor on why Danny Green was open to make that last shot to tie the game. Howard literally grabbed Curry with both hands by the jersey and held him (like the pic shows) allowing green to be open to accept the pass on the 3pt line.
There's no way the refs didn't see that. It was very obvious.

[ejamer]

... To clarify though, someone has to get practically mauled or intentionally fouled as in the player tells a ref before the play begins “I’m going to foul [player]” (like a hack-a-Shaq kind of thing) for refs to blow the whistle. If the commentators saw, the refs did too. They didn’t stop the play because they generally tend to let end of games play out.
...

This often isn't true, and just stating it as a fact doesn't make it true. "Letting them play" depends on the game, the foul, the players involved, the situation...  This is why they started doing the two-minute reports, so fans can see that calls are generally made without issue for the vast majority of games.

In defense of the non-call, I feel like the refs were letting both teams play for a large portion of the game. It's still a terrible and embarrassing way to let that game end though. There is absolutely no way this could be sold as incidental contact. It was an intentional, illegal action that clearly created a significant advantage for one team on perhaps the most important play of the game.  And as a viewer who loves the sport and has no particular interest in either team, that's a shitty way to finish off an otherwise fantastic match.

Anyway, on to the next game!

[Adrock]

To be honest, I watched the play, I really don't see how the refs didn't call the hold, it was BLATANTLY egregious, and a deciding factor on why Danny Green was open to make that last shot to tie the game. Howard literally grabbed Curry with both hands by the jersey and held him (like the pic shows) allowing green to be open to accept the pass on the 3pt line.
There's no way the refs didn't see that. It was very obvious.

We all watched the play. The refs intentionally didn't call it.

Ideally, the refs always call it like they see it, everyone accept genuine missed calls, and no one complains. We don't live in that kind of world. There is definitely room for improvement, and the NBA is trying things like the one-per-game coach's challenge. Ultimately, refereeing is inherently inconsistent due to the human element.

This often isn't true, and just stating it as a fact doesn't make it true. "Letting them play" depends on the game, the foul, the players involved, the situation...  This is why they started doing the two-minute reports, so fans can see that calls are generally made without issue for the vast majority of games.

Which part isn't true? It's documented that refs will hold their whistles at the end of games. The NBA won't admit it, but there's tons of video of supporting this practice. Whether this happened in the Lakers-Mavericks game is obviously my opinion.

The last two minute report is meant to be a good faith action by the league to be transparent, but even some players have admitted publicly that it doesn't make sense. They only draw more attention to other missed calls that aren't in the report.

[Adrock]

Kuzma at the buzzer!

That game was embarrassing. It never should have been that close. The Lakers were up by 19 then just forgot what a basketball was. Glad they won, but they're so hard to watch sometimes.

[BeautifulShy]

103 to 96 Lakers. Another team held under 100 points.

[BeautifulShy]

Picked up my tickets to go to the Pelicans game when they come into town on the 21st.  It is another upper deck seat but I will be with a friend so it is all good.  Section 206, Row 6 and seats 3 and 4.