NBA Games Discussion Thread

[FAH1223]

I was all over wanting the Wizards to get Stephen Curry. Kind of like I wanted Beal. Locking in early and never wavered.

But man did I miss the boat on Klay Thompson. I know he could shoot but I was worried about his defense. But damn.

Him and Curry together really challenges the defense.

This kid is impressing me too:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLV3emrdHK4[/youtube]

[Higga]

NBA Playoffs are a snoozefest until the later rounds, but Denver/Golden State will be a very fun series to watch. GS in particular reminds me of the Wizards during the Arenas era. You knew the team wasn't good enough to win a title but they were entertaining to watch at least.

[pancakes3]

I disagree. Maybe not every opening round match up is a rager but opening round games have given us a lot of good games ranging from MJ dropping 63 to that epic Rondo-Rose dual in 2008.

[MikeTheKid]

I was all over wanting the Wizards to get Stephen Curry. Kind of like I wanted Beal. Locking in early and never wavered.

But man did I miss the boat on Klay Thompson. I know he could shoot but I was worried about his defense. But damn.

Him and Curry together really challenges the defense.

This kid is impressing me too:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLV3emrdHK4[/youtube]

I love Beal but damn we could've had Curry/Klay/Barnes

[Illuminaire]

Meh to Barnes. He's had a weak year. One good playoff game means... exactly that. He had one good playoff game.

Beal is a better player now, is younger, and has more upside. Why the heck would you want Barnes over that?

[nate33]

^
I "and 1'ed" that.

[hands11]

Meh to Barnes. He's had a weak year. One good playoff game means... exactly that. He had one good playoff game.

Beal is a better player now, is younger, and has more upside. Why the heck would you want Barnes over that?

He did have a good game and he is a good fit on that team, but I agree. I would rather have Beal.

Specially if he is still growing. Beal at 6-6

McNasty.

[FAH1223]

Grizzlies bounce back. Game 4 will be a war, they gotta protect home court. Clippers are bad in the half court

[nuposse04]

I have a dream in which we draft Alex Len and he becomes the 2nd coming of Marc Gasol. Then I wake up.

Ed Davis needs to man up, in w.e minutes he gets, he gets abused in the paint.

[FAH1223]

I have a dream in which we draft Alex Len and he becomes the 2nd coming of Marc Gasol. Then I wake up.

Ed Davis needs to man up, in w.e minutes he gets, he gets abused in the paint.

Ed Davis just isn't built for it. Arthur puts in better minutes...

[pancakes3]

I just don't understand how the Bucks made all the wrong moves - ALL THE WRONG MOVES, and are still in the playoffs.

[deneem4]

I just don't understand how the Bucks made all the wrong moves - ALL THE WRONG MOVES, and are still in the playoffs.

Ellis sanders and illasoyva

[verbal8]

I just don't understand how the Bucks made all the wrong moves - ALL THE WRONG MOVES, and are still in the playoffs.

I think it mainly shows the weakness of the East.

With the glaring exception of Jimmer Fredette, they actually have done decently in the draft. Bogut wasn't a good pick, but they weren't the only one to whiff on the great PGs. Their trades seem to limit their upside, but seem to work out ok.

[Higga]

There should be a mercy rule in affect. Once a team goes up 3-0, series automatically over. That's what sucks about the NBA playoffs, there really aren't any upsets at all, compared to every other sport's postseason where upsets are a legitimate possibility.

I proposed this idea in the general NBA forum, I'll post it again here. Instead of an 8 seed, there should be a single elimination knockout tourney between all the non playoff teams(only 1-7 will clinch). Winner gets the 8 seed. That would be great to watch and would make up for terrible 1-8 matchups that almost always end in 4 or 5 tops.

[verbal8]

There should be a mercy rule in affect. Once a team goes up 3-0, series automatically over. That's what sucks about the NBA playoffs, there really aren't any upsets at all, compared to every other sport's postseason where upsets are a legitimate possibility.

I proposed this idea in the general NBA forum, I'll post it again here. Instead of an 8 seed, there should be a single elimination knockout tourney between all the non playoff teams(only 1-7 will clinch). Winner gets the 8 seed. That would be great to watch and would make up for terrible 1-8 matchups that almost always end in 4 or 5 tops.

If it was about quality basketball, the top 2 teams in a conference would get byes, and the series would probably be 5 games for at least the first round. However more games(especially play-offs) means more money for the poor nearly going broke owners.

[verbal8]

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/thunders-w ... 15437.html

Big game injury in the West. Westbrook is out - presumably for the play-offs.

I think they get past Houston. The match-up with the Clippers or Grizzles looks a lot tougher without Westbrook, especially if they have to face Chris Paul.

[dobrojim]

OKC can thank their stars they signed
Derek-what do you mean that grabbing hold is a foul-FIsher /green font

[verbal8]

OKC can thank their stars they signed
Derek-what do you mean that grabbing hold is a foul-FIsher /green font

Hmm FIscher or Reggie Jackson, slim pickings for the back-up PG. Good thing they got Georgios Printezis for Eric Maynor...

[Nivek]

There should be a mercy rule in affect. Once a team goes up 3-0, series automatically over. That's what sucks about the NBA playoffs, there really aren't any upsets at all, compared to every other sport's postseason where upsets are a legitimate possibility.

I proposed this idea in the general NBA forum, I'll post it again here. Instead of an 8 seed, there should be a single elimination knockout tourney between all the non playoff teams(only 1-7 will clinch). Winner gets the 8 seed. That would be great to watch and would make up for terrible 1-8 matchups that almost always end in 4 or 5 tops.

My idea is more radical. First, cut the season to 58 games. Everyone plays everyone twice. Do away with conferences and divisions because...who cares, really? Everyone makes the playoffs. Top two seeds get a first round bye. First round is best of 3; second round best of 5; best of 7 after that. Everyone gets an entry in the draft lottery, including the league's best teams. Weight it so that the odds are still in the favor of the worst teams, but eliminate the desire to tank. Give the 10 worst teams an extra ping-pong ball for every playoff game they win.

Under this kind of a system (which would NEVER happen), the Wizards would have Indiana in the playoffs this year.

[nate33]

There is no easy solution. Methods to make the playoffs more exciting basically amount to giving lower seeds more of a chance to beat the top seeds. But doing so renders the regular season more worthless. If the top seeds have no significant advantage, then there's no motivation to do any better than the 7th or 8th seed.

Yes, Round 1 of the playoffs can be pretty boring because the top seeds can often obliterate the 7th and 8th seeds, but that's really only a problem with 2 or 3 matchups and just in Round 1. Once you get to Round 2, the playoffs are pretty exciting. Any attempt to fix the excitement factor of Round 1 is ultimately going to reduce the importance of all 82 games of the regular season, and we don't want that.

If anything, I'd make an effort to make the regular season more important, not less important. I'd give the 3 division winners "super home court advantage" in Round 1. Give them home court advantage in Games 1, 2, 5, 6 and 7. My rationale is to reduce the coasting that takes place for many of the mid-tier playoff teams once they're assured of making the playoffs. Now, teams in that 3, 4, 5 and 6 range are extra motivated to try and grab super home court advantage, or to avoid being a 6, 7 or 8 seed and face a team with super home court advantage.

As far as addressing tanking for non-playoff teams, I think there's only so much you can do. The system now is about as good as it gets where it weights the bad teams with a bit more of an advantage to land a top pick, but it's still pretty much a crapshoot between the bottom 5 teams or so on who wins the #1 overall pick.

I kinda like the idea of a single elimination tournament between the several of the teams who just miss the playoffs to see who can be awarded the #8 seed. The only issue is the timing. You don't want the teams that secured a playoff seed to sit around and wait a full week before playing a playoff game.