ATL: The Finals and League Free Agency (Jenkins hired by Griz pg 75)

[Chuck Diesel]

Really wish Nurkic didn't break his leg.

It wouldn’t have mattered.

Definitely would have. That’s like saying there’s no discernible defensive difference between Thon and Brook. Kanter maxed out against the Nuggets, Nurkic would’ve been huge.

Portland should have no shame being one of the final four left standing. Wish they could’ve gotten game 2 but they’re up against an all time great.

[FlagsFlyForever]

but they probably work better as a team without him, weird as that sounds.

Think we've seen the results. They do work better as a team without him. He's like a rich man's Jabari.

Nowak: I love Durant now!

[Chuck Diesel]

Yeah, Durant sucks! What a loser!

[theFireBlanket]

Another Massachusetts team next round, okay.
Beating them will be fun.

[AussieBuck]

If Iggy has done his calf too this is over.

[stellation]

Really wish Nurkic didn't break his leg.

It wouldn’t have mattered.

Agreed, but I feel it wouldn't have been a sweep.

There's one dude who can fix a busted leg to combat a sweep.

[worthlessBucks]

Trajan Langdon. Blast from the past, what a terrific shooter.

[pifhluk23]

I'm not concerned about getting past the Raptors but there are some things that make me think we don't have a shot in the Finals.

1. Bledsoe has been trash this postseason (I said we should let him walk before they extended him.) 43%fg, 28% 3p, and 68%ft. He honestly should not even be playing in the last 5 minutes of games. Hill and Brogdon have been way better.

1. The Free Throw shooting of this team especially in end of game scenarios is so freaking bad.

3. Giannis ft shooting. He's likely tired but 66% overall and I think that goes much lower as the game goes on. GS will just foul him when he's too deep in the paint. Essentially hack a Shaq but not at half court etc.

[Pachinko_]

I'm not concerned about getting past the Raptors but there are some things that make me think we don't have a shot in the Finals.

1. Bledsoe has been trash this postseason (I said we should let him walk before they extended him.) 43%fg, 28% 3p, and 68%ft. He honestly should not even be playing in the last 5 minutes of games. Hill and Brogdon have been way better.

1. The Free Throw shooting of this team especially in end of game scenarios is so freaking bad.

3. Giannis ft shooting. He's likely tired but 66% overall and I think that goes much lower as the game goes on. GS will just foul him when he's too deep in the paint. Essentially hack a Shaq but not at half court etc.

66% on two free throws is an awesome outcome for any offense. The average NBA team shoots 55%TS. Let them hack all night.
Bledsoe does many things on the court, the main reason we win many games is because we have the best defense in the League. Bled gotta shoot a little better but some people only notice the shats, don't be those people.

[pifhluk23]

I'm not concerned about getting past the Raptors but there are some things that make me think we don't have a shot in the Finals.

1. Bledsoe has been trash this postseason (I said we should let him walk before they extended him.) 43%fg, 28% 3p, and 68%ft. He honestly should not even be playing in the last 5 minutes of games. Hill and Brogdon have been way better.

1. The Free Throw shooting of this team especially in end of game scenarios is so freaking bad.

3. Giannis ft shooting. He's likely tired but 66% overall and I think that goes much lower as the game goes on. GS will just foul him when he's too deep in the paint. Essentially hack a Shaq but not at half court etc.

66% on two free throws is an awesome outcome for any offense. The average NBA team shoots 55%TS. Let them hack all night.
Bledsoe does many things on the court, the main reason we win many games is because we have the best defense in the League. Bled gotta shoot a little better but some people only notice the shats, don't be those people.

I fully realize he plays good defense but our entire offense is built around surrounding Giannis with shooters. And at this point other teams can double off Bledsoe, let him shoot all day. Raptors have not done a good enough job of that but you can bet the Warriors will.

Giannis is below 66% towards the end of games. If he beats the first guy the 2nd guy might as well just wrap him up and put him at the line. That will wear on a guy all game long especially if its hard fouls. Idk if Toronto doesn't want to play dirty but I would be telling Ibaka, Gasol etc. hard fouls don't let him shoot in the paint.

TLDR other teams should be doubling off Bledsoe and giving Giannis the Shaq treatment once he beats the first guy or if hes already deep in the paint.

[Pachinko_]

I fully realize he plays good defense but our entire offense is built around surrounding Giannis with shooters. And at this point other teams can double off Bledsoe, let him shoot all day. Raptors have not done a good enough job of that but you can bet the Warriors will.

He's better on wide open shots. All he needs is to go back to his RS percentage (about 33% from outside from memory), he's not one of our most crucial shooters. Khris and Mirotic can shoot us out of a game because they take a million shots, Bledsoe not so much, he's mostly a slasher and a transition guy, and a really good one at both. Bledsoe puts tremendous pressure on their PG to stay low and try to keep him from going to the hoop, and we need that pressure. Dude is exhausting at both ends of the floor.

[truly]

Durant is such a cupcake.I've never seen a guy so insecure.

Read on Twitter

Read on Twitter

[truly]

Also,i am reading that Durant could possible be out until game 6 of the finals.Not sure how accurate that is but seems we have a great opportunity here to win it all.

[Chuck Diesel]

Durant is such a cupcake.I've never seen a guy so insecure.

Read on Twitter

Read on Twitter

What a complete dork-face! He’s not even that good at basketball!

[rrayy]

If you haven't seen Magic Johnson's intervew on First Take this morning, you need to watch it. He absolutely nuked Rob Pelinka:

Watch on YouTube

Threw him under the bus, ran him over, backed the bus up and ran him over again. Pelinka is done.

[BroncoBuck]

If you haven't seen Magic Johnson's intervew on First Take this morning, you need to watch it. He absolutely nuked Rob Pelinka:

Watch on YouTube

Threw him under the bus, ran him over, backed the bus up and ran him over again. Pelinka is done.

I had the complete opposite reaction. Magic looks like an idiot here. It’s clear he wasn’t doing the job and Pelinka and company grew tired of it. I mean come on, Magic “giving up his weekends” for the job is hilarious. I would’ve been more concerned if Pelinka and company were totally ok with it.

[worthlessBucks]

Some of those comments seem highly unprofessional. Probably an understatement.

[rrayy]

If you haven't seen Magic Johnson's intervew on First Take this morning, you need to watch it. He absolutely nuked Rob Pelinka:

Watch on YouTube

Threw him under the bus, ran him over, backed the bus up and ran him over again. Pelinka is done.

I had the complete opposite reaction. Magic looks like an idiot here. It’s clear he wasn’t doing the job and Pelinka and company grew tired of it. I mean come on, Magic “giving up his weekends” for the job is hilarious. I would’ve been more concerned if Pelinka and company were totally ok with it.

I don't think he looks like an idiot. He basically showed that Jeanie Buss is incomeptent and Rob Pelinka is a Jason Kidd like backstabber who only cares about himself and the power he amasses. Nobody is going to want to work with Pelinka knowing the guy is only out for everyone elses power. The only way Jeanie is going to get out of this is to fire Pelinka and install a GM who is solely in charge.

[brettski]

So right now the Warriors are starting: Steph, Klay, Draymond + Alphonso McKinnie + Jordan Bell... they're without Cousins, KD and Iggy and still a decent chance at sweeping.

[Touchpass]

Steph, Klay and Dre are locked in. Kind of terrifying.