2020-21 NBA Season Discussion

[Zarozzor]

I can’t believe what I saw tonight. What an incredible performance by Giannis.

[SeniorWalker]

Imma give the general board the business but y'all clever people also need to have a long think about how you've let your anchoring bias affect your evaluations of Giannis. You've nearly all **** up real bad but I'll give you some rope.

What is anchoring bias?

I don't know but as one of the few guys standing up for Giannis itt when the ridiculous narratives were rolling earlier in the playoffs I feel no need to give anyone the business but certainly don't mind feeling a bit vindicated.

And I'd hope Aussie stops and enjoys the moment more than he worries about rubbing the haters noses in it. This should be a time of joy not petty revenge tours.

No, please continue to rub the haters noses in it lol. It's great honestly. You're a happy bucks fan and I'm glad you're getting a ton of enjoyment out of this. I don't have a home team and haven't for awhile. If I still lived in Chicago and we're rooting for the bulls I'd be doing it, at least just for the night.

I guess just don't get too carried away, but I'm sure you're a grown up in that regard.

[bondom34]

Slight aside, but someone mentioned Duncan's quadruple double in best playoff game. Wasn't really into the NBA as heavily then, but good mention.

[Odinn21]

Slight aside, but someone mentioned Duncan's quadruple double in best playoff game. Wasn't really into the NBA as heavily then, but good mention.

His game 1 performance was actually better than that quadruple double game.
It was a time of low ratings without the internet streaming. Not many saw those Duncan games to have good recollections with his monster performances.

[MartinToVaught]

Slight aside, but someone mentioned Duncan's quadruple double in best playoff game. Wasn't really into the NBA as heavily then, but good mention.

His game 1 performance was actually better than that quadruple double game.
It was a time of low ratings without the internet streaming. Not many saw those Duncan games to have good recollections with his monster performances.

I remember those games vividly and I'm still pissed at that scorekeeper for not counting that 10th block!

[Lost92Bricks]

I am with you on being irritated by the whole "CP3 deserves a ring, he's so unlucky" narrative, like he hasn't blown a ton of golden opportunities in the playoffs himself over the years. Even now, the blame is starting to be placed on Booker and Ayton, not the guy who was mediocre at best all playoffs except for when he got to face a Campazzo-Rivers backcourt (and now expects a $100 million contract at age 36). Much like Doc Rivers, it's somehow always everyone else's fault when CP3's team loses and nobody notices that he's the common denominator. Why does CP3 deserve any more sympathy than guys like Westbrook or PG?

Westbrook and PG are not on his level.

And the Suns losing doesn't have to be "blamed" on anyone. They had a great run and almost won a championship after not even making the playoffs last year. They were great.

[Mos_Heat]

Congrats to the Bucks and Giannis. Freak finished his crazy 3 year run with a crown, deservedly so.

As for the Suns, they seem like a team that catched lightning in the bottle, somewhat like last years Heat. They had their chance, but with old CP I don't see them making another run like this

[Jaivl]

The offense was awesome, but that very well may have been the greatest defensive performance I have ever seen. Man defended the rim in the halfcourt, was a menace in transition, and shut down anyone he guarded on the perimeter. Whenever CP3 got Giannis on the switch, CP3 wasn't going anywhere.

Like I get that he's 36, but I'd never have imagined that a seven-foot rim protector guarding an elite point guard would be considered a bad matchup for the offense.

Antetokoumpo's presence got to minds of Phoenix players real bad. I mean there were possessions in the 4th like Ayton would've dunked 99 out of 100 times but he didn't dare to look at the rim because Antetokounmpo was there, even he was off-position. Ayton just refused to try scoring. Then similar with Booker, and then similar with Paul.
The only player who wasn't afraid to attack the rim and create something was effing Crowder.
Phoenix players were rattled by sheer presence of Antetokounmpo. That's the sign of an insane defensive player.

I noticed this too. We see this a lot with Gobert, but I've never seen anything like it except... Game 6 of the 2016 Finals, when Draymond and Curry were pump faking bunnies, afraid that LeBron was gonna come and swat it (IIRC one of those was in transition!)

I mean, you haven't really been looking then. Gobert does that much more consistently, what Giannis did yesterday (defensively) is the norm for him.

[HeartBreakKid]

I'm not sure what would be better for MTV, for the Suns to win and for him to say it's Booker's team or for the Suns to lose and say, see, Chris Paul sucks!

[70sFan]

Giannis had GOAT-level performance tonight, don't need to say anything else.

I became a fan of this Bucks team. They are full of excellent defenders, they played hard and they could win even when the three point shot isn't falling. I love their bigman lineup as well, such a refreshing thing from all these small ball lineups I hate.

I think that Giannis should work in the off-season with his back to the basket moves and on his footwork. He's so much more incrdible when he combines his ball-handling with his bigman game. He posted up a lot more in the last 2.5 series and it paid off. He also moves without the ball better than ever. On top of that, his defense in the finals was absolutely marvelous. He still makes some mistakes (for example, his footwork against drivers comming off screen is mediocre) but the level of intensity he put up on that end is truly Hakeem-esque. Suns players were legitimately scared of him.

What's even more impressive is that Giannis performance seems to be sustainable. He didn't make a lot of tough shots, he wasn't hot from outside and he still missed FTs outside of game 6. It's not 2020 AD situation, Giannis can be this dominant all season long.

[70sFan]

By the way, I don't know what to do with POY. For most of the season, I'd take Jokic and Embiid comfortably ahead of Giannis but they way Antetokumpo played in last 15 games started to change my mind on that one. He still has his old flaws, but they become far less important when he decides to maximize his strengths and stop playing point forward role.

[Dupp]

By the way, I don't know what to do with POY. For most of the season, I'd take Jokic and Embiid comfortably ahead of Giannis but they way Antetokumpo played in last 15 games started to change my mind on that one. He still has his old flaws, but they become far less important when he decides to maximize his strengths and stop playing point forward role.

I dont really understand how anyone ever thought this. Was said a lot all year, specifically in mvp talk. Very similar production, embiid probably was better but not by heaps. However 61 games to 51 games is a big gap.

[GSP]

Imagine if the Clips made the finals even with Kawhi healthy?

Giannis might've averaged 40/20 Batum at the 5? Downsizing with Terrence Mann against Giannis?

They're similar to the Suns without Ibaka. A team full of guards, wings and 1 big (Ayton/Zu) except their defense is more inconsistent

[RSCD3_]

I see some say the suns caught lightning in a bottle but I think booker and ayton can still improve a lot, not to mention bridges gives me “guy who develops into a star” potential

Even if Paul slows down I can’t see them getting worse, now how they deal with a healthy Denver/lakers/clippers team is another issue but I think they’re still at the level of a the 2010’s clippers teams at worst, but with actual potential to grow

[CumberlandPosey]

wow.what a performance by antetokounmpo in the finals.biggest stage and he more than delivered especially in game 5 and 6.unreal.game 6 he went nowitzki-level from the stripe.what??

world champion pj tucker.i have to let that one sink in...

[HeartBreakKid]

I see some say the suns caught lightning in a bottle but I think booker and ayton can still improve a lot, not to mention bridges gives me “guy who develops into a star” potential

Even if Paul slows down I can’t see them getting worse, now how they deal with a healthy Denver/lakers/clippers team is another issue but I think they’re still at the level of a the 2010’s clippers teams at worst, but with actual potential to grow

Yup, Ayton is still a very limited player. Him improving will keep the Suns up there.

[GSP]

Paul ain't winning ****.

And even if he does this Suns team is a great ensemble

Mentally prepare baby boy.

What was that bruh?

Baby boy? WTF

Where is Joey Wheeler? He was a huge Suns supporter and also one of the biggest Giannis critics IIRC went as far as to say him winning Mvps delegitimized the award

[GSP]

Giannis just isn't a very good offensive player, his MVPs were the last nail in the coffin of the award's credibility. He's too easy to scheme out of a series/turn into a outright liability.

You there brah?

[Colbinii]

Mentally prepare baby boy.

What was that bruh?

Baby boy? WTF

Where is Joey Wheeler? He was a huge Suns supporter and also one of the biggest Giannis critics IIRC went as far as to say him winning Mvps delegitimized the award

Something Something Anthony Davis is the GOAT.

[Mos_Heat]

I see some say the suns caught lightning in a bottle but I think booker and ayton can still improve a lot, not to mention bridges gives me “guy who develops into a star” potential

Even if Paul slows down I can’t see them getting worse, now how they deal with a healthy Denver/lakers/clippers team is another issue but I think they’re still at the level of a the 2010’s clippers teams at worst, but with actual potential to grow

I'm not as high on Bridges, to me he's a classic 3nD guy. I guess they can sustain their current level, I just don't think it's good enough for a true contender.