NBA Playoffs Thread

FireMorey · Post #521 » by **FireMorey** » Sun May 26, 2024 7:48 pm

I don't think the "Jay's" are very good. Tatum is ok. I've never been a Brown guy, he's a high end role player, he's nothing special. You'll never win with those guys as your top two unless the NBA rigs it for you, which is entirely possible, if not likely.

Mik317 · Post #522 » by **Mik317** » Mon May 27, 2024 2:37 am

Mavs mid season picks up have come up big for them

we got Hield who forgot how to shoot and the corpse of Kyle Lowry

Negrodamus · Post #523 » by **Negrodamus** » Mon May 27, 2024 2:39 am

Boston vs Dallas will be fun. If Porzingis plays, he and Irving played for both. It’s hard to say who would win though. Mavs have the two best players but the Celtics have overall better players.

Sixteen · Post #524 » by **Sixteen** » Mon May 27, 2024 2:40 am

just highlights how dumb praising towns getting to the CF before embiid was, as if he was the driver

FireMorey · Post #525 » by **FireMorey** » Mon May 27, 2024 2:56 am

Kyrie is the ultimate loser player, but it actually disproves that stupid narrative of "You can't win with [insert player name here]." As I've said for years you can win with any player if the rest of your roster is good enough or you have the right circumstances fall your way. The playoffs are more about circumstance than people want to admit. Fans hate to admit it because they don't like the feeling that success is out of their favorite team's control. In the playoffs, it really is.

That's why if you're evaluating teams and players, the regular season is honestly a better indicator of who the better team is because it's the larger sample size. Sometimes the playoffs confirm that(like when the Warriors won all those years, they were clearly the best team) but even if they didn't win those years, they were still the best team. The best team doesn't always win. Especially in a rigged ass league like the NBA.

And yes, the Sixers can win a championship with Embiid as long as the team around him as good enough. It was stupid to ever suggest they couldn't.

76ciology · Post #526 » by **76ciology** » Mon May 27, 2024 3:27 am

The Sixers can win a championship with Embiid, but it requires more than just talent, unlike other top 5 players in the league. With Embiid, you face two challenges: shooting variance and health variance.

Every game, you wonder, "Is this the type of game where he can shoot more than two 3s?" or "Is this the type of game where he looks sluggish?" You need a consistent and reliable player when your entire team relies on him as an anchor on both ends.

What’s the back-up plan if he can’t shoot? Can he take it down low without relying that the ref will blow their whistle? Because you cant rely on the refs in the playoffs.

If he is sluggish on defense and is being hunted by superstar scorers like Brunson or Tatum, how do you deal with it?

To address this, you have to change your system. Don't rely on him to anchor your offense and defense entirely. Build a team that can thrive even if he's not shooting well or if he's sluggish.

You also don’t just quit. Celtics knew Tatum is a weak superstar but they dont just roll over and do a complete rebuild. They accept his limitation and build a team on how to hide it.

76ciology · Post #527 » by **76ciology** » Mon May 27, 2024 3:28 am

The Mavs have the fingerprints of the Nets and Cavs teams. They feature lob threats and role players who will fly around the court, outwork opponents on defense, and make shots for their creators. Their offense relies heavily on isolation plays or a two-man game, followed by kicking out and swinging the ball.

Kobblehead · Post #528 » by **Kobblehead** » Mon May 27, 2024 11:23 am

Imagine a team not realizing what it had in Brunson (letting him walk to go be a star in another franchise) and yet still be on the brink of the Finals a couple of seasons later.

Doncic is the best basketball player to ever live. He'll need the hardware to prove it, of course. Getting chip #1 at this age would be a fantastic first step.

Zumramania · Post #529 » by **Zumramania** » Mon May 27, 2024 12:27 pm

Well, they also got Kyrie, who is a clutch playoff winner and can play perfectly as an option B, unlike proven playoff chokers like PG and Harden, or even KD who only won a chip with three other stars on the roster.
But even more than that, it seems that they struck gold with affordable playoff-grade role players. Since they acquired Gafford and PJ Washington, they were 26-5.

So, option A, option B and good role players, sounds simple...but they got really good options A and B. It will be interesting in the Finals, a battle between the one of the best backcourt duos ever in Doncic and Kyrie, and two all-star wings (Tatum and Brown) together with some unrealistically good teammates like Jrue, Porzi and Derrick White. I think Dallas may win it.

mjkvol · Post #530 » by **mjkvol** » Mon May 27, 2024 1:06 pm

Kobblehead wrote:Imagine a team not realizing what it had in Brunson (letting him walk to go be a star in another franchise) and yet still be on the brink of the Finals a couple of seasons later.

Doncic is the best basketball player to ever live. He'll need the hardware to prove it, of course. Getting chip #1 at this age would be a fantastic first step.

I wonder if Brunson and Doncic could have played together as seamlessly as Luka has with Kyrie? Brunson served as more of a backup to Luka in Dallas, and needs the ball to be as effective as he can be, while Kyrie is just as comfortable off-ball as he is on-ball.

Dallas got Kyrie at the exact right time, when he has appeared to have finally grown up as a person as well as a player, and is functioning as a leader there. Two killer closers and a collection of stud role players - they certainly have the formula of a champion.

Stan Van Gundy has been calling Luka and Kyrie the greatest offensive backcourt in NBA history. I honestly can't think of a better one, and certainly not of one containing two guys who could close games like these two.

GoSixersBro · Post #531 » by **GoSixersBro** » Mon May 27, 2024 2:37 pm

elchengue20 wrote:
eyeatoma wrote:
elchengue20 wrote:Brunson just had an Iverson like run these Playoffs, creating all the offense by himself in a team based on hustle, rebounding, defense. They play similar styles, even if the tools they use are not exactly the same, not a bad comparison at all.

Tatum is more of a Vince Carter or something like that than a Kobe.

Hali is the next Steve Nash.

Lol no he didn't. Iverson got to the finals, and beat an infallible Lakers team in game one.

He dropped 50 multiple times in the playoffs against the likes of the Raptors and the Bucks. He didn't flail around like Brunson after a finger nail touched him.

The only think Brunson did well was carry, and shoot well. Iverson also dealt with more injuries and still ended up playing.

I'm not saying he was as good, just a similar run and playstyle/team concept, so i can see the comparison.

He had a 40 point game stretch that wasn't done since Jordan, you can give the guy some credit.

Watch on YouTube
;ab_channel=ThinkingBasketball

Nobody isn't giving Brunson credit. They're just pointing out comparing Iverson in the 2001 playoffs to Brunson going home in the second round is a reach and a half.

Mik317 · Post #532 » by **Mik317** » Tue May 28, 2024 2:19 am

TJ is so awesome at random times.

that offseason was so bad goddam

Mik317 · Post #533 » by **Mik317** » Tue May 28, 2024 2:26 am

the pacers have all of these young guys stepping it up at random

'we are relying on decaying zombies and looking to max out another

lol

Mik317 · Post #534 » by **Mik317** » Tue May 28, 2024 2:34 am

too bad the Pacers have our closing playbook of lol just turn the ball over lol

Negrodamus · Post #535 » by **Negrodamus** » Tue May 28, 2024 2:41 am

Has this been the easiest cakewalk path to a Finals ever? I mean, they did their job, it’s just so embarrassing that the East is so bad right now.

ExplosionsInDaSky · Post #536 » by **ExplosionsInDaSky** » Tue May 28, 2024 3:24 am

Boston had it way too easy. They're a lock to win it all. It's been that way from the start of the season.

76ciology · Post #537 » by **76ciology** » Tue May 28, 2024 4:51 am

Negrodamus wrote:Has this been the easiest cakewalk path to a Finals ever? I mean, they did their job, it’s just so embarrassing that the East is so bad right now.

That documentary they’re doing for their season has got to be absolutely boring

[x]

Read on Twitter

?s=46&t=bJcUtOCSwzTqqyZgysWpbQ[/x]

76ciology · Post #538 » by **76ciology** » Tue May 28, 2024 5:55 am

mjkvol wrote:
Kobblehead wrote:Imagine a team not realizing what it had in Brunson (letting him walk to go be a star in another franchise) and yet still be on the brink of the Finals a couple of seasons later.

Doncic is the best basketball player to ever live. He'll need the hardware to prove it, of course. Getting chip #1 at this age would be a fantastic first step.

I wonder if Brunson and Doncic could have played together as seamlessly as Luka has with Kyrie? Brunson served as more of a backup to Luka in Dallas, and needs the ball to be as effective as he can be, while Kyrie is just as comfortable off-ball as he is on-ball.

Dallas got Kyrie at the exact right time, when he has appeared to have finally grown up as a person as well as a player, and is functioning as a leader there. Two killer closers and a collection of stud role players - they certainly have the formula of a champion.

Stan Van Gundy has been calling Luka and Kyrie the greatest offensive backcourt in NBA history. I honestly can't think of a better one, and certainly not of one containing two guys who could close games like these two.

They’re also at two different phases of their “hero’s journey”. Brunson still wants to be an alpha to earn his supermax, while Kyrie seemed more mature, fine being second option and knows what it takes to win.

Post #539 » by **Stanford** » Tue May 28, 2024 10:56 am

The playoffs have been pretty funny for the general board.

Jokic went from the GOAT to a fraud to the GOAT to a fraud again...
Edwards went from closest player to Jordan to a fraud.
The Gobert trade went from a huge mistake to a massive win for Minnesota, back to a huge mistake.

It's been a wild month.

Gant · Post #540 » by **Gant** » Tue May 28, 2024 12:19 pm

Stanford wrote:The playoffs have been pretty funny for the general board.

Jokic went from the GOAT to a fraud to the GOAT to a fraud again...
Edwards went from closest player to Jordan to a fraud.
The Gobert trade went from a huge mistake to a massive win for Minnesota, back to a huge mistake.

It's been a wild month.

A lot of people watch this sport not for love of the game, but for love of hating.