NBA Games Discussion Thread - Part 3

[Sluggerface]

This Atl vs Nets series reminds me alot of last year when the Pacers almost lost to the Hawks in 7 games. Its especially similar when you consider both years the Wiz wrapped up their series quickly and ended up waiting to see who would win. Last year we got the Pacers and lost in 6, this year I hope to get the Nets. The Nets aren't a particularly easy match up, but I think the home court advantage would pull us though, even with Lopez having a great series. With the Hawks, you never know when that 60 win team will show up again and their ability to force TOs is scary since the Wiz are TO prone anyway.

Agreed, on all three counts. ATL/BKN = IND/ATL - just hope the outcome is different too. Nets will be tough but I think we can run them off the court - they don't hustle back on D (might change in the playoffs). ATL just seems to have our number and are able to spread the court (and I don't trust Wittman to start with a stretch 4).

ATL vs. BRK isn't even remotely similiar to IND vs. ATL last year.

Atlanta gave Indiana serious matchup issues all series with their ability to draw Hibbert, who is basically a stump, out of the paint.

Brooklyn has ZERO, I repeat, ZERO matchup advantages over Atlanta. They are literally worse at every single position on the court compared to Atlanta, and they have no lineups or combinations that can actually punish the Hawks on the level that the Hawks themselves did to Indiana.

[hands11]

http://espn.go.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=400790960

And that's why I like CJM in that draft.

Congrats young man.

He had a rough start to his career. Injured before the draft. Injured his first year in the NBA.

Hope he can stay healthy.

http://hoopshype.com/salaries/portland.htm

Wow. Portland is really up in the air for what they will look like next year.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Not seeing any of the ball movement that got the Hawks 60. Under pressure they turn into a jump shooting team. Right now, a rich man's Raptors.

Watch them look like the Spurs in the next round vs us.

It'll be #SoWizards

I agree.

Brooklyn is playing at a much higher level than Toronto. Atlanta has much quicker players in their frontcourt. Teague has been effective vs Wall. If they move the ball they can shoot threes at all 5 positions in some lineups. Millsap at 4 hits threes. Antic at 5 hits threes. Horford will have a quickness advantage when he's a 5 against Gortat or Nene. He'll hit midrange shots against Nene. He's too mobile for Gooden.

Atlanta will be a great challenge. They will be favored to eliminate the Wizards.

[tontoz]

KLove just had surgery and will be out 4-6 months. I think we can assume that he won't opt out of his contract which puts him in play for us next summer.

[hands11]

Not seeing any of the ball movement that got the Hawks 60. Under pressure they turn into a jump shooting team. Right now, a rich man's Raptors.

Watch them look like the Spurs in the next round vs us.

It'll be #SoWizards

I agree.

Brooklyn is playing at a much higher level than Toronto. Atlanta has much quicker players in their frontcourt. Teague has been effective vs Wall. If they move the ball they can shoot threes at all 5 positions in some lineups. Millsap at 4 hits threes. Antic at 5 hits threes. Horford will have a quickness advantage when he's a 5 against Gortat or Nene. He'll hit midrange shots against Nene. He's too mobile for Gooden.

Atlanta will be a great challenge. They will be favored to eliminate the Wizards.

We have line ups to match.

Wall, Beal, Otto, Paul, Gooden against Antic
Wall, Beal, Otto, Paul, Gortat

Antic really is an interesting player and is an under told story about that team. He allows them to play 15-20 minutes of total stretch ball. We can match that then come back and power ball them some.

Its amazing how important Gooden is to this team against an ATL

Also, Temple should be ready by then if we need an extra wing defender. Hopefully he is getting up a **** load of 3s while he was out.

But it is nice to have then resting, practicing and gathering game tape on both teams. ATL is passing version of TOR will more mature players. That's a bigger challenge for sure. But TOR played ATL well during the season.

2nd round playoff basketball is some good stuff. Glad we are hear again. Good to test of meddle of this team. Thats what pushes you to grow and shows you where you really stand.

[Ruzious]

Antic really is an interesting player and is an under told story about that team. He allows them to play 15-20 minutes of total stretch ball. We can match that then come back and power ball them some.

Its amazing how important Gooden is to this team against an ATL

Antic is a real anomaly. His stats are pretty bad - his shooting percentages are poor (makes barely 45% of his 2's and 30% of his 3's), his rebounding #'s stink for a big (Gooden's a much better rebounder), he's got a 9.6 PER (awful for a big), but every time I watch him - he's helping the Hawks. Stretch 5's may be the wave of the future?

[dckingsfan]

This Atl vs Nets series reminds me alot of last year when the Pacers almost lost to the Hawks in 7 games. Its especially similar when you consider both years the Wiz wrapped up their series quickly and ended up waiting to see who would win. Last year we got the Pacers and lost in 6, this year I hope to get the Nets. The Nets aren't a particularly easy match up, but I think the home court advantage would pull us though, even with Lopez having a great series. With the Hawks, you never know when that 60 win team will show up again and their ability to force TOs is scary since the Wiz are TO prone anyway.

Agreed, on all three counts. ATL/BKN = IND/ATL - just hope the outcome is different too. Nets will be tough but I think we can run them off the court - they don't hustle back on D (might change in the playoffs). ATL just seems to have our number and are able to spread the court (and I don't trust Wittman to start with a stretch 4).

ATL vs. BRK isn't even remotely similiar to IND vs. ATL last year.

Atlanta gave Indiana serious matchup issues all series with their ability to draw Hibbert, who is basically a stump, out of the paint.

Brooklyn has ZERO, I repeat, ZERO matchup advantages over Atlanta. They are literally worse at every single position on the court compared to Atlanta, and they have no lineups or combinations that can actually punish the Hawks on the level that the Hawks themselves did to Indiana.

Disagree - Brook Lopez has been very much a matchup advantage on the offensive end. Alan Anderson has also been a matchup nightmare for Atlanta.

Guess we get to agree to disagree on this one...

[nate33]

It really looks like Atlanta's success has been, to some degree, based on smoke and mirrors. Their ball movement system works great in maximizing the offensive skills of otherwise ordinary role players, but when teams have enough time to scout it and figure it out, they look ordinary.

The fact is, as one-on-one players, the Atlanta Hawks are not that great. If your defense can turn it into a game of isolations, Atlanta is going to suffer. Teague is really the only guy who can create his shot. (Millsap and Horford aren't bad, but they're both playing hurt.)

I'm starting to believe the Wizards have a real chance. It's a real benefit that Wittman and his staff have had this opportunity to study how Brooklyn has figured Atlanta out. The Wizards should be ready for them.

[montestewart]

It really looks like Atlanta's success has been, to some degree, based on smoke and mirrors. Their ball movement system works great in maximizing the offensive skills of otherwise ordinary role players, but when teams have enough time to scout it and figure it out, they look ordinary.

The fact is, as one-on-one players, the Atlanta Hawks are not that great. If your defense can turn it into a game of isolations, Atlanta is going to suffer. Teague is really the only guy who can create his shot. (Millsap and Horford aren't bad, but they're both playing hurt.)

I'm starting to believe the Wizards have a real chance. It's a real benefit that Wittman and his staff have had this opportunity to study how Brooklyn has figured Atlanta out. The Wizards should be ready for them.

I've watched parts of three of the Hawks-Nets games and agree that the series now looks more winnable than I'd thought, but Horford didn't look too slowed last night, and those role players remind me of Spurs role players.

[Kanyewest]

The Wizards have a good chance to advance to the conference finals. I'm not sure that the Wizards are the favorite but beating Atlanta seems realistic which didn't seem like a good possibility before the playoffs. Atlanta is still generating good shots but they haven't been knocking those shots down with the same consistency as they were during the regular season.

That being said, the Wizards faced a floundering number 1 seed in the Pacers last year, but didn't have enough to get it done. I expect the Hawks defense to be better than what the Raptors put out there.

The Wizards bench will need to keep it up. Sessions, Porter, and Gooden seemed solid enough. I do think Pierce at the stretch 4 remains a viable option although Milsapp might rough up Pierce for some offensive boards.

I would still prefer to play Brooklyn even if they are hot and take the homecourt advantage. Either way, it should be an exciting series.

[tontoz]

Horford's hurt finger has been a big problem. Normally his jumper is money but Lopez has been able to play off him which has screwed up the Hawks' spacing.

I also think they miss Thabo in D. I doubt Anderson would be going off like he did last night if Thabo was playing.

[FAH1223]

ATL vs. BRK isn't even remotely similiar to IND vs. ATL last year.

Atlanta gave Indiana serious matchup issues all series with their ability to draw Hibbert, who is basically a stump, out of the paint.

Brooklyn has ZERO, I repeat, ZERO matchup advantages over Atlanta. They are literally worse at every single position on the court compared to Atlanta, and they have no lineups or combinations that can actually punish the Hawks on the level that the Hawks themselves did to Indiana.

Disagree - Brook Lopez has been very much a matchup advantage on the offensive end. Alan Anderson has also been a matchup nightmare for Atlanta.

Guess we get to agree to disagree on this one...

Yup. Lopez can score on Horford or whoever if the Nets just feed him the rock.

And Anderson has been able to take advantage of no Sefalosha

[miller31time]

Well that was an abomination of basketball in Milwaukee.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Antic really is an interesting player and is an under told story about that team. He allows them to play 15-20 minutes of total stretch ball. We can match that then come back and power ball them some.

Its amazing how important Gooden is to this team against an ATL

Antic is a real anomaly. His stats are pretty bad - his shooting percentages are poor (makes barely 45% of his 2's and 30% of his 3's), his rebounding #'s stink for a big (Gooden's a much better rebounder), he's got a 9.6 PER (awful for a big), but every time I watch him - he's helping the Hawks. Stretch 5's may be the wave of the future?

First time I've seen your name with the bold, blue mod status, Ruz.

From a purely fundamental standpoint, I'm glad to see that big men won't be limited to post moves and heavy physical play in the paint. It makes all the sense in the world to teach big players how to dribble, drive, and shoot FREE THROWS and JUMPERS.

Kareem shot a SKY hook. He wasn't at the top of the key or at the NBA three point line, but he was 8-12 feet from the basket. He beat guys running up and down the court. I would have loved to have seen Shaq vs Kareem. I recall seeing stretch 5s like Dave Cowens give Kareem a battle.

I like the way the game is evolving.

At the same time big men are learning perimeter skills, guards need to know what Tony Parker does inside. They won't execute it as well but they need to learn how to attack the basket, using the backboard from all types of angles.

It's great to see John Wall understand how to use the floater now. He's improved that aspect of his game.

All this on a rant and we were talking about Antic.

Antic and the Hawks in general worry me. Randy's going to have to really coach this next round.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

It really looks like Atlanta's success has been, to some degree, based on smoke and mirrors. Their ball movement system works great in maximizing the offensive skills of otherwise ordinary role players, but when teams have enough time to scout it and figure it out, they look ordinary.

The fact is, as one-on-one players, the Atlanta Hawks are not that great. If your defense can turn it into a game of isolations, Atlanta is going to suffer. Teague is really the only guy who can create his shot. (Millsap and Horford aren't bad, but they're both playing hurt.)

I'm starting to believe the Wizards have a real chance. It's a real benefit that Wittman and his staff have had this opportunity to study how Brooklyn has figured Atlanta out. The Wizards should be ready for them.

I've watched parts of three of the Hawks-Nets games and agree that the series now looks more winnable than I'd thought, but Horford didn't look too slowed last night, and those role players remind me of Spurs role players.

I feel the opposite.

Like last season when Indiana looked beatable after their series with the Hawks; I think this year the Hawks first round should not be the basis of great optimism.

When I see the Hawks I see DeMarre Carroll running. I see Horford spacing the floor. I see Millsap rebounding, scoring, stealing the ball, and even hitting threes. I see Antic at the three point line. I see Bazemore and Schroeder playing fast. I see enough guards to tire Wall and Beal. I see Korver and I wonder if Beal wil cover him.

I still think the Hawks are likely to beat the Wizards in the coming series; but I sure hope I'm wrong.

[FAH1223]

Pop just called his team soft.

He outcoached himself. He stuck with Green and Parker too long while Mills and especially Belinelli were on fire.

Spurs can't defend the high pick and rolls tonight as they did in Game 5 late. CP3 is drilling jumper after jumper when it counts, I wish John could do this.

I'm not sure it matters where Game 7 is in this series. The home team has had execution mishaps aside from Game 1 and Game 3.

Pop should forget about hacking Deandre because putting the Clippers in the bonus is pretty deadly especially with Paul deliberately trying to generate fouls through flopping harder than Ginobili.

Kawhi Leonard was 3-15 FG. Which was odd because the kid has been beastly at home for the last two months.

Doc made a great adjustment having Griffin rest at the end of quarters rather than playing the whole 1st and that accumulated strain has made him gassed late in games.

The refs missed an obvious travel on Crawford which would have given the Spurs the ball with the score at 98-96 with about 10 secs left and two timeouts.

[Ruzious]

Antic really is an interesting player and is an under told story about that team. He allows them to play 15-20 minutes of total stretch ball. We can match that then come back and power ball them some.

Its amazing how important Gooden is to this team against an ATL

Antic is a real anomaly. His stats are pretty bad - his shooting percentages are poor (makes barely 45% of his 2's and 30% of his 3's), his rebounding #'s stink for a big (Gooden's a much better rebounder), he's got a 9.6 PER (awful for a big), but every time I watch him - he's helping the Hawks. Stretch 5's may be the wave of the future?

First time I've seen your name with the bold, blue mod status, Ruz.

From a purely fundamental standpoint, I'm glad to see that big men won't be limited to post moves and heavy physical play in the paint. It makes all the sense in the world to teach big players how to dribble, drive, and shoot FREE THROWS and JUMPERS.

Kareem shot a SKY hook. He wasn't at the top of the key or at the NBA three point line, but he was 8-12 feet from the basket. He beat guys running up and down the court. I would have loved to have seen Shaq vs Kareem. I recall seeing stretch 5s like Dave Cowens give Kareem a battle.

I like the way the game is evolving.

At the same time big men are learning perimeter skills, guards need to know what Tony Parker does inside. They won't execute it as well but they need to learn how to attack the basket, using the backboard from all types of angles.

It's great to see John Wall understand how to use the floater now. He's improved that aspect of his game.

All this on a rant and we were talking about Antic.

Antic and the Hawks in general worry me. Randy's going to have to really coach this next round.

Going way back in the day, the Knicks used Jerry Lucas at center when Willis Reed got injured. This was before the 3 pointer. He survived against Wilt Chamberlain and others by going outside and hitting long jumpers. Teams didn't know what to do against him.

[Ruzious]

Pop just called his team soft.

He outcoached himself. He stuck with Green and Parker too long while Mills and especially Belinelli were on fire.

Spurs can't defend the high pick and rolls tonight as they did in Game 5 late. CP3 is drilling jumper after jumper when it counts, I wish John could do this.

I'm not sure it matters where Game 7 is in this series. The home team has had execution mishaps aside from Game 1 and Game 3.

Pop should forget about hacking Deandre because putting the Clippers in the bonus is pretty deadly especially with Paul deliberately trying to generate fouls through flopping harder than Ginobili.

Kawhi Leonard was 3-15 FG. Which was odd because the kid has been beastly at home for the last two months.

Doc made a great adjustment having Griffin rest at the end of quarters rather than playing the whole 1st and that accumulated strain has made him gassed late in games.

The refs missed an obvious travel on Crawford which would have given the Spurs the ball with the score at 98-96 with about 10 secs left and two timeouts.

Game 7 should be epic. The Clippers need to get the big playoffs monkey off their back, and this could be the last ride for the old SA trio.

[Higga]

I'm not a Clippers fan by any means but I kinda hope they beat the Spurs. Just wanna see some fresh blood in the postseason.

[FAH1223]

Game 7 should be epic. The Clippers need to get the big playoffs monkey off their back, and this could be the last ride for the old SA trio.

This is only the first round though.

The Clippers have advanced past this stage before. They beat Memphis in the Grindhouse in a Game 7 in 2012.

I'm not a Clippers fan by any means but I kinda hope they beat the Spurs. Just wanna see some fresh blood in the postseason.

I agree about new blood but the Clippers are annoying to watch. Their players and bench cry for calls every night.

A Houston-LAC series would be unwatchable with the flopping going on and the cries to the refs.

Sure, the Spurs have floppers but they actually play the game for the most part.