2024 Playoffs Discussion Thread

[sidsid]

The success of these teams oriented around guard and big play makes me wonder about the decision to attach the franchise to Barnes.

Barnes is a chaos maker when the fourth quarter happens scoring and changing the game defensively, and he has shown times where he can be a force the full game. He really is his own system that is different than any other stars.

I still think he needs better bigs than Poeltl and KO. Right now we just don't have enough scoring around him. It is not on Barnes to score 30+ a game, but we should have 10 PPG from other rotation guys on the floor. Toronto has a talent gap.

The success you're seeing in the playoffs are teams that have actually figured out their wing positions and dominate there. Aaron Gordon, KCP and even MPJ when he's in the paint. OG, Hart, etc. Daniels, Kat when he tries inside. J Will, Dort and even SGA is tall. The Celtics will live and die on D based on it. The Clippers would walk through anyone but Denver if Kawhi was healthy.

The Suns aren't going anywhere with Hooper's and small guards because they spend half the game giving up offensive rebounds. The Lakers are having an unreal AD series and it doesn't matter because they don't have a single non-1 dimensional player.

Embiid is experiencing the same Gobert Utah effect. We learned that you can't leave even a great defender on an absolute island. This remains a wings league. The superstars just come in all varieties.

[sidsid]

Really not sure where KD goes if he’s going to be asking for a trade. Knicks?

Question is whether KD is still try to win a ring with a team he leads, or would he just be happy to join forces again with other stars?

If I were the Knicks, I would stay away from KD. The vibes and performance for the team are good, and they can go after a lesser star like KAT, who will be happy to be the second star beside Brunson.

He can do a story book narrative and ask to go to the Thunder. It's not going to be the LeBron return to Cavs level of a story because he'll just be accused of front running again, but it's a nice way to go out.

He's only got 2 years left on the contract, won't hurt the books long term, OKC can give plenty of picks/players from the non-core 3. The Suns take a step back again, but they'll have to regardless in a year.

[JB7]

In typical Embiid fashion, he always tries to find someone else to blame for his losses. This time it's the fans

"I love our fans. Think it's unfortunate and I'm not calling them out, but it is disappointing. Obviously, you got a lot of Knicks fans and they're down the road and I've never seen it," Embiid said. "And I've been here for 10 years. Yeah, it kind of pisses me off, especially because Philly is considered a sports town. They've always shown up and I don't think that should happen. Yeah. It's not okay."

[WaltFrazier]

I think someone posted one of this guy's videos criticizing Darko's defense vs the Knicks a few weeks ago. His voice is irritating but he gives really good technical breakdowns of teams' defenses, good and bad. Here are 2 that show how sophisticated and next level Thibs's schemes are:

Watch on YouTube

Watch on YouTube

[Dalek]

The success of these teams oriented around guard and big play makes me wonder about the decision to attach the franchise to Barnes.

Barnes is a chaos maker when the fourth quarter happens scoring and changing the game defensively, and he has shown times where he can be a force the full game. He really is his own system that is different than any other stars.

I still think he needs better bigs than Poeltl and KO. Right now we just don't have enough scoring around him. It is not on Barnes to score 30+ a game, but we should have 10 PPG from other rotation guys on the floor. Toronto has a talent gap.

The success you're seeing in the playoffs are teams that have actually figured out their wing positions and dominate there. Aaron Gordon, KCP and even MPJ when he's in the paint. OG, Hart, etc. Daniels, Kat when he tries inside. J Will, Dort and even SGA is tall. The Celtics will live and die on D based on it. The Clippers would walk through anyone but Denver if Kawhi was healthy.

The Suns aren't going anywhere with Hooper's and small guards because they spend half the game giving up offensive rebounds. The Lakers are having an unreal AD series and it doesn't matter because they don't have a single non-1 dimensional player.

Embiid is experiencing the same Gobert Utah effect. We learned that you can't leave even a great defender on an absolute island. This remains a wings league. The superstars just come in all varieties.

I agree with what you wrote. Wings are important and having that positonal size advantage helps. Back to my own point, I think it is about talent. You can't just walk into games expecting to win through defense, although the Knicks are sure proving that wrong. Having multiple scoring threats like Gordon/MPJ, and KAT/Edwards can swing a series. In this NBA you need a lot of scoring depth. Even a guy like Dort still shoots nearly 40% from three and gives you ten with defense.

[sidsid]

Barnes is a chaos maker when the fourth quarter happens scoring and changing the game defensively, and he has shown times where he can be a force the full game. He really is his own system that is different than any other stars.

I still think he needs better bigs than Poeltl and KO. Right now we just don't have enough scoring around him. It is not on Barnes to score 30+ a game, but we should have 10 PPG from other rotation guys on the floor. Toronto has a talent gap.

The success you're seeing in the playoffs are teams that have actually figured out their wing positions and dominate there. Aaron Gordon, KCP and even MPJ when he's in the paint. OG, Hart, etc. Daniels, Kat when he tries inside. J Will, Dort and even SGA is tall. The Celtics will live and die on D based on it. The Clippers would walk through anyone but Denver if Kawhi was healthy.

The Suns aren't going anywhere with Hooper's and small guards because they spend half the game giving up offensive rebounds. The Lakers are having an unreal AD series and it doesn't matter because they don't have a single non-1 dimensional player.

Embiid is experiencing the same Gobert Utah effect. We learned that you can't leave even a great defender on an absolute island. This remains a wings league. The superstars just come in all varieties.

I agree with what you wrote. Wings are important and having that positonal size advantage helps. Back to my own point, I think it is about talent. You can't just walk into games expecting to win through defense, although the Knicks are sure proving that wrong. Having multiple scoring threats like Gordon/MPJ, and KAT/Edwards can swing a series. In this NBA you need a lot of scoring depth. Even a guy like Dort still shoots nearly 40% from three and gives you ten with defense.

For sure, you're going to need stars. I was just backing the idea of having a significant piece like Barnes, who is a star, locked up at the premium wing position that every team seeks.

Getting that other star is really all that's important right now. You've shed your other premium wing strengths, and that's your next goal after that to at least get Barnes that help again. Hart and OG are chipping in enough O to keep the lights on if the Knicks actually had a superstar to move Brunson to 2. The C spot is way further down as you're only worried about this once you have the rest sorted.

[sidsid]

Always fun to see other fan bases run into the familiar issues you've had to endure with players/coaches.

Here we have the classic frustration of Nurse being too slow in a playoff run to make high level, strategic changes leading to multiple games you thought were winnable, paired with playing one guy way too long in a Nick/Thibs classic way.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/0UpzWP2ONkkb7Cz0ABryfu?si=2mb7FOl4TCeBzlnwKCxjTg&t=744

[Basketball_Jones]

In typical Embiid fashion, he always tries to find someone else to blame for his losses. This time it's the fans

"I love our fans. Think it's unfortunate and I'm not calling them out, but it is disappointing. Obviously, you got a lot of Knicks fans and they're down the road and I've never seen it," Embiid said. "And I've been here for 10 years. Yeah, it kind of pisses me off, especially because Philly is considered a sports town. They've always shown up and I don't think that should happen. Yeah. It's not okay."

Lol yeah I saw that. Disappointed in your fans. Man shut the hell up and focus on why you can’t score unless the refs are slobbing on you and gifting you free throws. Oh, and purposely injuring other players.

[Basketball_Jones]

Anthony Edwards game/trajectory as a star reminds me so much of early 2000’s Vince Carter

Read on Twitter

?s=46&t=8Evds9QVC4TEL0DTgBuPLg

Yeah, similar kind of face of the league thing too. Both were the alpha leading scorers for team USA. Ant should surpass Vince imo long as he stays healthy. Carter was way more popular though. Minnesota really has a crappy market for stars.

[MiamiSPX]

Cs
OKC
Denver

[Scase]

JV is literally the only reason the pels are in this, but I hear he's unplayable.

[C_Money]

Nuggets are playing like such crap.

[AbC?]

JALEN WILLIAMS

[WaltFrazier]

Reggie Miller's job is apparently to be LeBron's aoologist and fan first, analyze game second.

Gordon bangs a dunk off the back rim, bounces to center court right to Lebron. He got rewarded for his usual jog back late on defense

[Scase]

Nuggets are playing like such crap.

Meanwhile, still only down by 3 lol. This team is absurd.

[Basketball_Jones]

Lebron still one of the best it really does seem like he can play another two seasons.

[Brinbe]

i've seen this from the nuggets before when they play bad teams. they're not taking the lakers seriously

[EG73]

Lebron still one of the best it really does seem like he can play another two seasons.

I agree. At this age, it’s impressive. Probably 2-4 seasons all-star, 5 seasons starters and 10 seasons from the bench.
And Jokic only longevity away from being the GOAT.
Raptors and Denver fan here.
This matchup is very enjoyable, as it was last year. Close, interesting games, involving 2 of the 5 goat, and one of the gcoat (Canadian).
That long pass from Jokic at 9m35s in 3rd quarter. Wow!

[Syd-TK3]

i've seen this from the nuggets before when they play bad teams. they're not taking the lakers seriously

Jokic is not nearly aggressive enough especially with AD missing a arm

[Syd-TK3]

Jokic is playing like a idiot rn