Around the NBA: Playoff Edition #2

[Polynice4Pippen]

I love Joe Ingles game. Take that guy on my team any day.

he is who we all wanted Doug to be. If you close out on Joe he has enough quickness to take the ball to the basket and make a play if need be. JUst a smart basketball player compared to Doug.

And he's a plus defender. He was on Paul most of the series. Very impressive.

[Ice Man]

Strat and I were trying to tell you guys, all that fussing about the Bulls' defense was misplaced. Boston plays a midget team that is built to score, not defend. Any remaining playoff team that holds those guys to 105 points per game, as we did, will win the series.

We defended just fine. The team's offense is terrible, although the FO drafts mostly for offense, and Fred was hired for offense.

[johnnyvann840]

Strat and I were trying to tell you guys, all that fussing about the Bulls' defense was misplaced. Boston plays a midget team that is built to score, not defend. Any remaining playoff team that holds those guys to 105 points per game, as we did, will win the series.

We defended just fine. The team's offense is terrible, although the FO drafts mostly for offense, and Fred was hired for offense.

I kinda have to disagree. Our offense was the bigger problem but after game 2 we really didn't defend well at all. We stood and watched a lot, missed rotations , failed to close out on shooter. How many wide open 3's did they get while we stood there and watched with nobody even close to closing out? We let IT get in the paint with no punishment at all, ever.... the entire series we never fouled him hard once.

[CharityStripe34]

Welcome to Chicago, Chris Paul.

I can't think of a single reason why he would go to Chicago, lol. Other than it's a great city.

[Ice Man]

I kinda have to disagree. Our offense was the bigger problem but after game 2 we really didn't defend well at all. We stood and watched a lot, missed rotations , failed to close out on shooter. How many wide open 3's did they get while we stood there and watched with nobody even close to closing out? We let IT get in the paint with no punishment at all, ever.... the entire series we never fouled him hard once.

Washington gave up 122. Boston isn't easy to defend, if you don't defend the perimeter they bomb 3s, and if you do, they cut and score in the paint. We will be the only team to hold them to 105 points per game.

[CharityStripe34]

Avery Bradley looks like a star.

Last series he handily matched and surpassed Butler. 6'2" 180 guy shutting down our 6'7" 232 guy.

Well, Bradley has good wing-span, and he's been shutting down tall SGs and SFs for years. That was his original selling point.

Butler just seems to lose his cool with small guards.

Same thing used to happen with Lebron (Jason Terry?).

IMO it's a mistake to play these heavy wings on quick and limber guards. We need a guard who can match-up with Bradley, Kemba, and Beal.

Meh, problem is bigger guys don't really know how to post up anymore. I respect Bradley's tenacious defense but he should not be able to guard Butler, especially on or near the block. Butler's height and weight advantage is considerable.

[Ice Man]

Avery Bradley did not handily match and surpass Jimmy Butler. Let's not be silly. Butler 23/7/4 per game, while being trapped and doubled. Bradley 16/4/3 per game while never being trapped or doubled, in fact often left open because of IT.

SMH

[kulaz3000]

Avery Bradley did not handily match and surpass Jimmy Butler. Let's not be silly. Butler 23/7/4 per game, while being trapped and doubled. Bradley 16/4/3 per game while never being trapped or doubled, in fact often left open because of IT.

SMH

Indeed.

That's not to discount Bradley's performance at all, but if Bradley was the prime focus for a teams defense like the Celtic's targeted Jimmy Butler, it would be a entirely different ball game.

If anything, it just goes to show that we are lacking that second star player to help Jimmy Butler when he is focused on so much on the defensive end. Just like Derrick couldn't do it alone, neither can Jimmy. At least with Derrick he had capable role players around him, even though he was lacking a legitimate star sidekick, Jimmy doesn't even have capable role players around him who aren't two old buggers who are on their last legs.

[Payt10]

I don't want to hear about a Blake Griffin injury, Gobert basically wasn't playing this series. LAC had a game 7 at home and no showed as usual.

Not sure why Snyder isn't getting more love for COY, he has done a hell of a job.

I remember when he was hired, I was like, "Who?" Didn't think much of anything about him, but he's been proving himself in this league ever since. Great coach. Kind of reminds me a little bit of Spoelstra. He's got those guys playing lock down defense.

[Payt10]

Welcome to Chicago, Chris Paul.

I can't think of a single reason why he would go to Chicago, lol. Other than it's a great city.

Positive vibes, my friend. Positive vibes.

[Ice Man]

That's not to discount Bradley's performance at all,

Definitely not. That guy is a championship quality guard. He's Ron Harper quality, obviously of a different body type and skills, but about as good as Harp was during his Bulls' years -- a fine defender and good complementary scorer. I love Avery Bradley. He played well again today, helped to control Beal and Wall. He's a tough hombre.

[Ice Man]

Snyder has been great, but it's hard to deny D'Antoni the COY Award given that team's 14 game improvement and how well he his coaching style has matched their personnel.

[ChiCitySPORTS#1]

CP3 should go to the Spurs. I don't really know what the other real options are for him to get to a contender that doesn't have an all star point guard already

[Payt10]

Read on Twitter

LMAO

[Payt10]

Snyder has been great, but it's hard to deny D'Antoni the COY Award given that team's 14 game improvement and how well he his coaching style has matched their personnel.

In my opinion, Spoelstra should be the overwhelming favorite to land COY. What he did this year, after the terrible start, and after the Winslow injury, was nothing short of sensational. That roster was dog crap, and they still almost made the playoffs.

[Mech Engineer]

CP3 should go to the Spurs. I don't really know what the other real options are for him to get to a contender that doesn't have an all star point guard already

In theory, it looks good. But, the Spurs need some athleticism not more old guys. They are better off paying Mills and getting another young PG rather than a ball dominating smallish PG. Kawhi will be the 1st option....can CP3 play off ball?

[Ice Man]

In my opinion, Spoelstra should be the overwhelming favorite to land COY. What he did this year, after the terrible start, and after the Winslow injury, was nothing short of sensational. That roster was dog crap, and they still almost made the playoffs.

Good point. I can go with that.

[Benedict Miller]

The fact that Doc Rivers has a hair line, without actually having hair 4real has had me triggered for years...

[bledredwine]

Completely out of the blue but I was right about Chris Paul. Since after 2008, he's been overrated and as I stated, would never make WCF because he can't carry a team. 7 years later, I feel good about that.

[Rerisen]

Strat and I were trying to tell you guys, all that fussing about the Bulls' defense was misplaced. Boston plays a midget team that is built to score, not defend. Any remaining playoff team that holds those guys to 105 points per game, as we did, will win the series.

We defended just fine. The team's offense is terrible, although the FO drafts mostly for offense, and Fred was hired for offense.

Eh, their offense was 8th, defense 13th, so neither side what you would call elite.

Ironic thing is the first 2 games the narratives here, their board, and the media, was they just don't have enough reliable backup offensively once you defend IT good (like Jimmy did down the stretch).