2020 NBA Playoff discussion

suns12345 · Post #241 » by **suns12345** » Thu Sep 3, 2020 4:06 am

King4Day wrote:
suns12345 wrote:Last comment... why the F didnt adams just walk to the ring on that last inbound. Trashy game wow.

I think he was worried about the 5 second violation.

True, suprised the play drawn up didnt get him diving to the ring earlier though.

Revived · Post #242 » by **Revived** » Thu Sep 3, 2020 7:30 am

Obviously biased but after watching these games, I seriously think we’re better than Portland, OKC and Houston and could beat any of those 3 in a 7 game series.

Utah, Denver, Dallas (if Porzingis healthy), and both LA teams I think would beat us in a 7 game series.

But Rockets, Blazers and Thunder? Man....

Imagine if we were in a similar situation and Rubio was the inbounder (which he obviously would be since he’s not a shooter yet an excellent passer) and we had a lineup of Book/Ayton/Bridges/Cam out there. Rubio would find Ayton on that back cut if Tucker defended him the same way as he did Adams.

Revived · Post #243 » by **Revived** » Thu Sep 3, 2020 7:36 am

That being said, I’m taking a lot of enjoyment in the Bucks being down 2-0. Still early but I hope they lose. I hate them for tanking against Memphis and then obviously I like Dragic way more than I like Bledsoe.

Miami is a very likable team period too. Jimmy Butler is probably the most misunderstood superstar in the league. He has that same Kobe/MJ mentality (without the same talent obviously) so he drives lot of the millennial stars/players in the league crazy (Simmons, Towns, whoever in Chicago etc). He’ll do whatever to win and some won’t like that. Dragic, Herro, Bam, Crowder, Robinson, DJJ etc are fun to watch too.

Surprised to see Kendrick Nunn not get minutes for them anymore. I remember people hyping him up earlier in the season as a diamond in rough find by Pat Riley.

Banana Milk · Post #244 » by **Banana Milk** » Thu Sep 3, 2020 11:15 am

Revived wrote:That being said, I’m taking a lot of enjoyment in the Bucks being down 2-0. Still early but I hope they lose. I hate them for tanking against Memphis and then obviously I like Dragic way more than I like Bledsoe.

Miami is a very likable team period too. Jimmy Butler is probably the most misunderstood superstar in the league. He has that same Kobe/MJ mentality (without the same talent obviously) so he drives lot of the millennial stars/players in the league crazy (Simmons, Towns, whoever in Chicago etc). He’ll do whatever to win and some won’t like that. Dragic, Herro, Bam, Crowder, Robinson, DJJ etc are fun to watch too.

Surprised to see Kendrick Nunn not get minutes for them anymore. I remember people hyping him up earlier in the season as a diamond in rough find by Pat Riley.

Completely agree with all of this, Revived. This Miami team is so enjoyable. The Heat have always been my number 2 and my eastern conference team since I lived in Sth Florida during the prime Wade years 2008 - 2010, post Shaq, pre LeBron. Saw a lot of awesome games in Miami.

On Nunn, he had COVID so had an interrupted lead up to the bubble, joining the team late, then had to leave and return again due to personal reasons. In that time, Dragic has just been so consistently great. Dragic has put up over 20 points in 8 out of 11 games so far including every playoff game. Dragic isn't giving that spot back this year.

suns12345 · Post #245 » by **suns12345** » Fri Sep 4, 2020 12:40 am

All these reviews suck. And offensive fouls for leading with the knee on a layup are so dumb, how else can you jump if not lifting your off-leg.

Post #246 » by **lilfishi22** » Fri Sep 4, 2020 12:51 am

Iffy calls against Toronto in this game

darealjuice · Post #247 » by **darealjuice** » Fri Sep 4, 2020 1:16 am

WOW what a finish!

suns12345 · Post #248 » by **suns12345** » Fri Sep 4, 2020 1:16 am

lilfishi22 wrote:Iffy calls against Toronto in this game

But wow what a shot

suns12345 · Post #249 » by **suns12345** » Fri Sep 4, 2020 1:17 am

darealjuice wrote:WOW what a finish!

Playoffs are starting to get good.

Post #250 » by **lilfishi22** » Fri Sep 4, 2020 4:10 am

suns12345 wrote:
lilfishi22 wrote:Iffy calls against Toronto in this game

But wow what a shot

Oh 100%

Post #251 » by **bwgood77** » Fri Sep 4, 2020 4:56 pm

Well, I feel better about my Toronto pick. In one respect, you could say they are lucky to be down only 2-1, but then again, game 2 was so close and Toronto led until about midway through the 4th quarter, where it was neck and neck after that. I did think the Heat would give the Bucks all they could handle and could upset them (and upset anyone), though in the end, I picked the Bucks, as good as Giannis had been all season. That pick isn't looking good, though I also would be surprised to be Boston roar back, even though I don't think Miami goes down in any game without a fight.

Frank Lee · Post #252 » by **Frank Lee** » Sat Sep 5, 2020 3:21 am

Tucker is just a flat out DAWG

Revived · Post #253 » by **Revived** » Sat Sep 5, 2020 6:16 am

This Rockets/Lakers series is showing how weight and strength is way more important than height. The only ever exception to this has been KD.

I hope Cam Johnson is watching and hitting the weight room. Need him in the high 220s-230s at least next season imo if he’s gonna play starting PF.

Post #254 » by **bwgood77** » Sat Sep 5, 2020 6:36 am

Revived wrote:This Rockets/Lakers series is showing how weight and strength is way more important than height. The only ever exception to this has been KD.

I hope Cam Johnson is watching and hitting the weight room. Need him in the high 220s-230s at least next season imo if he’s gonna play starting PF.

Well, it is one game. Portland took the first game against the Lakers too. LeBron will probaby spend like 30 hours reviewing the tape.

sunskerr · Post #255 » by **sunskerr** » Sat Sep 5, 2020 7:05 am

Revived wrote:This Rockets/Lakers series is showing how weight and strength is way more important than height. The only ever exception to this has been KD.

I hope Cam Johnson is watching and hitting the weight room. Need him in the high 220s-230s at least next season imo if he’s gonna play starting PF.

The distinction of playing PF is pretty moot here, with the way the Rockets play. They just switch almost everything so no single player is ever playing a defensive position that can be thought of as a classical PF. But your point about muscle is important, as that is a part of enabling the Rockets to switch everything and put smaller guys on big guys without being total doormats. So in other words, it's probably more accurate to say that we want Cam/Oubre/Bridges etc. to put on muscle not so they can play PF, but so they can be more effective at switching.

Watch on YouTube

This is one of the best quick breakdowns of the Rockets on defense and offense I have seen. Encourage everyone to watch it and take some principles from it when discussing things like trade targets and free agents, and player analysis.

Revived · Post #256 » by **Revived** » Sat Sep 5, 2020 7:18 am

bwgood77 wrote:
Revived wrote:This Rockets/Lakers series is showing how weight and strength is way more important than height. The only ever exception to this has been KD.

I hope Cam Johnson is watching and hitting the weight room. Need him in the high 220s-230s at least next season imo if he’s gonna play starting PF.

Well, it is one game. Portland took the first game against the Lakers too. LeBron will probaby spend like 30 hours reviewing the tape.

I still expect the Lakers to win the series. It would be maybe the biggest upset in the last 5-6 years of sports if Houston won the series.

That being said, based on personnel I would’ve expected the Lakers to beat the Rockets by like 20+ each game and cruise to wins. The Rockets don’t even have a big of the caliber of say Nurkić like Portland did.

Even if the Lakers win the next 5, I believe what I said would still apply. Strength is more important than height unless it’s someone like under 6 ft tall play a forward position imo.

Bogyo · Post #257 » by **Bogyo** » Sat Sep 5, 2020 7:52 am

Bit of a hot take, but Giannis needs to learn to play basketball. In my eyes he is a bit like Shaq in his Orlando days - different era, different skillset, but the major point is that it seems he can only do one thing - straight line drive to the basket and dunk. Yes, he does euro-steps and layups too, with a bit of footwork here and there - but basically he ain't really scoring unless his wrist is in the basket with the ball.
Shaq took his team to the finals with that skill and physical play in an earlier era (but got his butt whooped by Hakeem, who could play basketball), Giannis might not, as I don't really like anyone on his team over anybody on this Heat team. Bucks players pretty much are "just another guy"s, even Middleton. He is good, but not a real all star, not a real 2nd guy on a champ team. Lopez bros are good, but nothing special. Bledsoe same. Matthews, Korver are washed. Hill is OK, but again, nothing special at this point. Kinda like DiVicenzo (liked him at drafttime too). Now if I look at the age of these guys and some of their injury history... I really DO NOT like the future of the Bucks. Giannis will have had enough of this next year, question is where he goes.

Sidenote to this post - I really like this Heat team. Jimmy is just a tough oldschool mf-ing gangsta, and that team is well thought, well coached, has balance inside and out, good mix of age groups and personalities. If they get another star who is in line, their (and Jimmys) type they can do a lot of damage in the next 2-5 years, and even get some hardware along the way.

Sidenote to the sidenote: I dunno who is doing the scouting for miami, and I m lazy to look it up, but I have loved (even before draft time) their choices. I was all over Bam, and liked Herro as well, as I watched both play in a handfull of college games. Also a couple of other guys they have (Nunn and Robinson) who weren't even on my radar. So whoever is responsible for drafting over there needs a damn payraise, those 4 guys might mean the difference in a championship run, as they are very important contributors from 10+ picks, or even undrafted - on (relatively) low salary, which will kinda stay the same for their next contract as they will only be eligable for rookie max - if that.

Post #258 » by **bwgood77** » Sat Sep 5, 2020 4:48 pm

Bucks fans want Budenholzer gone. He's exactly the type of coach who has a system, that works if you have the right players to spread the floor, and especially if you have a superstar (Milwaukee) or multiple stars (Atlanta), but he's not an adjustment coach, and I don't think he necessarily makes his players better as players. Sure their stats may look better because he does have a good offensive system, but compare him to Spoelstra, Stevens, Nurse, etc, and you can see how those guys are very good at molding and developing their players, getting them to have the right mindset for a playoff atmosphere, are good at game adjustments, and just all the things that are really important when you face a team in a series and can learn their tendencies, adjust, get your players to dig deep by having that connection with them because you helped develop and mold them into the players they are today.

Bogyo · Post #259 » by **Bogyo** » Sat Sep 5, 2020 6:27 pm

bwgood77 wrote:Bucks fans want Budenholzer gone. He's exactly the type of coach who has a system, that works if you have the right players to spread the floor, and especially if you have a superstar (Milwaukee) or multiple stars (Atlanta), but he's not an adjustment coach, and I don't think he necessarily makes his players better as players. Sure their stats may look better because he does have a good offensive system, but compare him to Spoelstra, Stevens, Nurse, etc, and you can see how those guys are very good at molding and developing their players, getting them to have the right mindset for a playoff atmosphere, are good at game adjustments, and just all the things that are really important when you face a team in a series and can learn their tendencies, adjust, get your players to dig deep by having that connection with them because you helped develop and mold them into the players they are today.

Change of coach might be a good thing, but I'm not sure you could do a LOT better with that group of guys. I mean who is going to make Bledsoe a top 15 PG now in this league with those knees? Who will turn back time for Matthews or Korver? How will he make the Lopez bros better (and younger?)... I don't really see it. If Giannis learns to hit a jumper, maybe they can win it next year if they are healthy and have a bit of luck, but that is a tall order imho.

Post #260 » by **bwgood77** » Sat Sep 5, 2020 6:39 pm

Bogyo wrote:
bwgood77 wrote:Bucks fans want Budenholzer gone. He's exactly the type of coach who has a system, that works if you have the right players to spread the floor, and especially if you have a superstar (Milwaukee) or multiple stars (Atlanta), but he's not an adjustment coach, and I don't think he necessarily makes his players better as players. Sure their stats may look better because he does have a good offensive system, but compare him to Spoelstra, Stevens, Nurse, etc, and you can see how those guys are very good at molding and developing their players, getting them to have the right mindset for a playoff atmosphere, are good at game adjustments, and just all the things that are really important when you face a team in a series and can learn their tendencies, adjust, get your players to dig deep by having that connection with them because you helped develop and mold them into the players they are today.

Change of coach might be a good thing, but I'm not sure you could do a LOT better with that group of guys. I mean who is going to make Bledsoe a top 15 PG now in this league with those knees? Who will turn back time for Matthews or Korver? How will he make the Lopez bros better (and younger?)... I don't really see it. If Giannis learns to hit a jumper, maybe they can win it next year if they are healthy and have a bit of luck, but that is a tall order imho.

Well they had the best record in the NBA the last couple of years. They just don't' make the necessary adjustments, but Miami is very tough. Giannis should have played more than 34 minutes in a must win game too. They should have kept Brogdon though. He was perfect for that team.