NBA Games Discussion Thread - Part 5

[dobrojim]

To be fair they let the Wolves get away with everything in the first half until it mentally broke the Nuggets. Felt like I was watching the Kings-Lakers. I think the NBA found their new darling team in the T Wolves. KAT and Reid were playing out of their minds though too. I can’t believe I saw Reid shut down Jokic on multiple possessions. I’m still pissed we didn’t draft Reid in the second round. Guy had talent and was perfect for the new age NBA, just needed to be coached up and get fit.

Hard disagree on the officiating. The Nuggets just looked really weak especially Murray who threw a towel and and a heat pack at the officials who didn't even give a technical foul.

But props for you for calling to Naz Reid.

Murray deserves a suspension for that nonsense. Can’t believe they didn’t call anything on him in the game. And cheers on Reid. I miss Will Wade at LSU the old guard hated him. He is going to get a big time job probably after next season. He is going to be the new age Calipari in my opinion. Not the best X’s and O’s guy but runs analytics and understands the portal and who to target and can also recruit his tail off. Now that NIL is a thing he will turn whichever power 5 he ends up at into a contender.

There was also Malone running on the court and screaming at the official.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Dallas lost to OKC, but in the third quarter, Daniel Gafford was quite impactful at both ends.

He matches up a lot better with Chet Holmgren than he did with Ivica Zubac.

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[dobrojim]

Gafford's achilles heel is he's just not heavy enough. Holmgren can't attack that weakness.

[Kanyewest]

Dallas lost to OKC, but in the third quarter, Daniel Gafford was quite impactful at both ends.

He matches up a lot better with Chet Holmgren than he did with Ivica Zubac.

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Yeah Gafford had a good stretch but was also 5 of 12 from the field shooting 42%. I think he can play even better if he can pass the ball or defer to others especially when the defense collapses in on him. He was only -2 compared to Lively who was -20. It will be interesting to see if Gafford can be a difference maker for the Mavericks - a series win over OKC would cement that although the Mavs just dropped the first game by more than 20 points.

[Kanyewest]

This might be the first time I’ve kind of wondered if Deni could end up being better than Hali. He’s basically only looking to pass and the defense knows it.

Speaking of Deni, the hoop collective podcast brought up the fact that the Mavericks were willing to move 18 and Jalen Brunson to get Halliburton. They suggest that the Knick turned it down and took Toppin- I'm assuming the Mavericks made a similar offer to the Wizards.

[nate33]

After the blowout loss to Minnesota in Game 2, I didn't think there was any chance that Denver would tie the series 2-2.

[dobrojim]

you're only as good as your last game

[Kanyewest]

After the blowout loss to Minnesota in Game 2, I didn't think there was any chance that Denver would tie the series 2-2.

Nuggets have come back from 3-1 a couple of times in the bubble and this team is better, granted I thought the Wolves would win but I thought it was possible especially since game 1 could have gone either way.

[nate33]

After the blowout loss to Minnesota in Game 2, I didn't think there was any chance that Denver would tie the series 2-2.

Nuggets have come back from 3-1 a couple of times in the bubble and this team is better, granted I thought the Wolves would win but I thought it was possible especially since game 1 could have gone either way.

Even though Denver has come back, I'm not sure they have the upper hand yet. They still have no answer whatsoever for Anthony Edwards.

On a side note, Aaron Gordon has been magnificent in these playoffs. He is such a perfect role player. Jamaal Murray gets all the credit for being Jokic's Number Two, but I think a good case can be made that Gordon is the second-best player on that team.

[tontoz]

Gotta love the Knicks. This is the first time I can ever remember rooting for the Knicks in the playoffs.

Good for the league as well.

[NatP4]

After the blowout loss to Minnesota in Game 2, I didn't think there was any chance that Denver would tie the series 2-2.

Nuggets have come back from 3-1 a couple of times in the bubble and this team is better, granted I thought the Wolves would win but I thought it was possible especially since game 1 could have gone either way.

Even though Denver has come back, I'm not sure they have the upper hand yet. They still have no answer whatsoever for Anthony Edwards.

Annnnnnnd Denver wins another blowout. Edwards (the 2nd coming of Michael Jordan) held to 5-15 shooting 4 turnovers -12.

[NatP4]

Obviously, we’ll see what happens in game 6, but Minnesota is about to owe 170 million to 5 players next year. Gobert turns 32 years old this offseason and is still owed 90 million.

After the draft, they don’t have another 1st round pick until 2028.

They are set to pay 33 year old Gobert 46 million, and 171 million for KAT’s 30/31/32 year old seasons. Who is making these decisions?

[nate33]

Nuggets have come back from 3-1 a couple of times in the bubble and this team is better, granted I thought the Wolves would win but I thought it was possible especially since game 1 could have gone either way.

Even though Denver has come back, I'm not sure they have the upper hand yet. They still have no answer whatsoever for Anthony Edwards.

Annnnnnnd Denver wins another blowout. Edwards (the 2nd coming of Michael Jordan) held to 5-15 shooting 4 turnovers -12.

You are insufferable at times. I can't believe your take is to bash Anthony Edwards in a desperate attempt to justify you being wrong about him.

Edwards is 22 years old and he is averaging 31 points, 6 assists and 6 rebounds these playoffs on a .657 TS%. He is third in the league in playoff BPM behind only Jokic and Lebron. He has been incredible.

Can we please focus on the genius of Jokic? Last night, he posted 40 points on a .770 TS% with 13 assists and 0 turnovers against the best defense in the league - a team designed specifically to stop him. This is some GOAT type stuff here.

[NatP4]

Even though Denver has come back, I'm not sure they have the upper hand yet. They still have no answer whatsoever for Anthony Edwards.

Annnnnnnd Denver wins another blowout. Edwards (the 2nd coming of Michael Jordan) held to 5-15 shooting 4 turnovers -12.

You are insufferable at times. I can't believe your take is to bash Anthony Edwards in a desperate attempt to justify you being wrong about him.

I’ve been wrong about a lot of things. It happens.

I still think the hype train left the station on Edwards and SGA and the entire NBA world was disrespecting Jokic about 3 games ago.

I’m not bashing anyone or making things personal. I could go down the road about people being wrong about Brunson (who is receiving significantly less attention than Edwards despite averaging 30&6 albeit on lesser efficiency) but there’s no need.

You said Denver had no answer for Edwards, they come back and completely shut him down in game 6. TBD for game 5, but hopefully people are back to appreciating and acknowledging the greatest player of all time, Jokic.

[DCZards]

Edwards is 22 years old and he is averaging 31 points, 6 assists and 6 rebounds these playoffs on a .657 TS%. He is third in the league in playoff BPM behind only Jokic and Lebron. He has been incredible.

Ant is proving that he’s the best player out of the 2020 draft and not Haliburton, who has struggled against a Knick team without its best defender (OG).

[NatP4]

Edwards is 22 years old and he is averaging 31 points, 6 assists and 6 rebounds these playoffs on a .657 TS%. He is third in the league in playoff BPM behind only Jokic and Lebron. He has been incredible.

Ant is proving that he’s the best player out of the 2020 draft and not Haliburton, who has struggled against a Knick team without its best defender (OG).

Slow down on that one. Team context matters. Haliburton is not playing on a 56 win top seed with Gobert and KAT.

Still put up 22&12 on 60% TS.

[DCZards]

Edwards is 22 years old and he is averaging 31 points, 6 assists and 6 rebounds these playoffs on a .657 TS%. He is third in the league in playoff BPM behind only Jokic and Lebron. He has been incredible.

Ant is proving that he’s the best player out of the 2020 draft and not Haliburton, who has struggled against a Knick team without its best defender (OG).

Slow down on that one. Team context matters. Haliburton is not playing on a 56 win top seed with Gobert and KAT.

Still put up 22&12 on 60% TS.

Problem is Hali can’t produce like that in the playoffs where the pace slows down and the breakneck pace that Indy likes to play at is nullified. Hali is not nearly as good a halfcourt player as he is in the open court.

[nate33]

Edwards is 22 years old and he is averaging 31 points, 6 assists and 6 rebounds these playoffs on a .657 TS%. He is third in the league in playoff BPM behind only Jokic and Lebron. He has been incredible.

Ant is proving that he’s the best player out of the 2020 draft and not Haliburton, who has struggled against a Knick team without its best defender (OG).

Slow down on that one. Team context matters. Haliburton is not playing on a 56 win top seed with Gobert and KAT.

Still put up 22&12 on 60% TS.

It's real hard to compare the Western Conference games to the Eastern Conference games. It's like Varsity versus JV. I think the 7th seed Lakers were better than the 2nd best playoff team in the East. Comparisons of these players need to bear that in mind.

Of course, I could be wrong and the East winner could go on to rout the West winner, but I don't think so. Certainly, I don't think any non-Boston team in the East would have a chance against the West winner.

[NatP4]

Ant is proving that he’s the best player out of the 2020 draft and not Haliburton, who has struggled against a Knick team without its best defender (OG).

Slow down on that one. Team context matters. Haliburton is not playing on a 56 win top seed with Gobert and KAT.

Still put up 22&12 on 60% TS.

Problem is Hali can’t produce like that in the playoffs where the pace slows down and the breakneck pace that Indy likes to play at is nullified. Hali is not nearly as good a halfcourt player as he is in the open court.

I haven’t watched much of Indiana in the playoffs, so I can’t comment on that.

I think this is an archetype thing for me. I’m just not a fan of players like Edwards/Jalen Green/Booker, or even the player Bradley Beal eventually turned into. Probably why I’m lower on Ron Holland in the draft.

Haliburton is a legit primary playmaker that you can build an offense around, AND can play off the ball. Edwards is a ball dominant scorer that’s not really a primary playmaker or off ball guy. I think you have to have those skills to be top tier superstar like Jokic/Curry/Lebron/prime Harden/Embiid, or be all world defensively like Giannis.

[NatP4]

And yes, you could say this is the wrong time to have a critical discussion of Edwards, as he has been great in the playoffs.