NBA Games Discussion Thread - Part 5

[dobrojim]

Before these playoffs, I had no idea that Ingram was this good. He and Tatum are the new KD
although Tatum is almost certainly a better 2 way player than Ingram.

[FAH1223]

Seems like a vast majority of the pixelsphere is completely unhinged when it comes to Ben Simmons.

In what universe did it even remotely make sense to bring in a guy that's missed the entire season and hasn't even been with the franchise for more than a few months to compete in an elimination game?

Wouldn't expect any different from the clown show on TNT and Screaming A(hole), but even seemingly levelheaded people like Reggie Miller have completely lost their minds over this situation.

I've never been one to sip the Kool-aid on Simmons, but this is getting ridiculous, just let the man be already and stop it with all the nonsensical speculation.

The issue is Klutch Sports through its mouthpiece Shams kept putting reports that Simmons would be playing in Game 3 or 4 for the last week.

Now that they’re about to get swept, it looks bad that he’s pulling out.

But it never made sense for him to even play at this stage to begin with. I agree with you there. BUT, Stephen A Smith makes a very valid point. The owners are going to be HUNTING the players down in the next CBA negotiations to have a 'Ben Simmons' rule on players sitting out just because they don't want to be around their team.

Windhorst and Legler have good insight here.

Watch on YouTube

Stephen A says the owners are UNITED in addressing the Ben Simmons situation

Watch on YouTube

[FAH1223]

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[Rafael122]

It's clear in watching these playoffs, there's a Bucks/Sixers/Celtics/Heat tier and probably a tier within those 4 teams....and then there's everyone else. Every team from 5-8 has flaws, Raptors just don't have a bench but Hawks/Nets/Bulls should all consider making moves this offseason.

[queridiculo]

.The owners are going to be HUNTING the players down in the next CBA negotiations to have a 'Ben Simmons' rule on players sitting out just because they don't want to be around their team.

Windhorst and Legler have good insight here.

I don't understand this take.

The CBA has already has mechanisms in place to deal with Ben Simmons.

You can't force a player to suit up for you if he doesn't want to, so fine him.

In essence it's not really any different from teams trading players against their will.

If the owners are willing to kill the golden goose, fine, but the players are going to unite on that front and any stipulation that puts more leverage in the owners hands is going to be met with a strike.

Organized NBA labor has more power than ever, don't think for a minute that the NBA can afford a protracted labor dispute with the new rights negotiations right around the corner.

This is low rent posturing and saber rattling by the league and its mouthpieces and it's got **** all to do with Ben Simmons, James Harden or Kyrie Irving.

This is about owners and executives getting their feelings hurt and piling on.

[badinage]

When players put themselves above the team or the sport, when they make it about themselves, it hurts the league. And it’s happening a lot right now. And ratings are down. Not a coincidence, I don’t think.

[Rafael122]

When players put themselves above the team or the sport, when they make it about themselves, it hurts the league. And it’s happening a lot right now. And ratings are down. Not a coincidence, I don’t think.

NBA has actually been killing it in the ratings this year. I think the sense of normalcy with the schedule and stuff brought fans back, and they are doing monster ratings for the playoffs.

[FAH1223]

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Watch on YouTube

It's clear in watching these playoffs, there's a Bucks/Sixers/Celtics/Heat tier and probably a tier within those 4 teams....and then there's everyone else. Every team from 5-8 has flaws, Raptors just don't have a bench but Hawks/Nets/Bulls should all consider making moves this offseason.

Yep. Very clear.

[dobrojim]

It's clear in watching these playoffs, there's a Bucks/Sixers/Celtics/Heat tier and probably a tier within those 4 teams....and then there's everyone else. Every team from 5-8 has flaws, Raptors just don't have a bench but Hawks/Nets/Bulls should all consider making moves this offseason.

I would have said the same thing a couple/few days ago.

I'm rooting 6ers but I have this feeling TOR could be the first team to win after
being down 0-3. They are playing better on both sides of the ball than PHL is.
And they are more balanced. Embiid will need at least 3 guys to step up and
play huge in order to move on to play MIA.

[FAH1223]

It's clear in watching these playoffs, there's a Bucks/Sixers/Celtics/Heat tier and probably a tier within those 4 teams....and then there's everyone else. Every team from 5-8 has flaws, Raptors just don't have a bench but Hawks/Nets/Bulls should all consider making moves this offseason.

I would have said the same thing a couple/few days ago.

I'm rooting 6ers but I have this feeling TOR could be the first team to win after
being down 0-3. They are playing better on both sides of the ball than PHL is.
And they are more balanced. Embiid will need at least 3 guys to step up and
play huge in order to move on to play MIA.

The Raptors length and their ability to fly around on defense is incredible. With Van Vleet out, there's no one for Harden to pick on with the switch on the pick and roll.

Raptors have a lineup of

PG: Scottie Barnes
SG: Gary Trent Jr.
SF: OG Anunoby
PF: Pascal Siakam
C: Precious Achiuwa

There's no weak link there. And Embiid can drop 30 but its not going to be enough.

I'm rooting for a Game 7 on Sunday.

[dobrojim]

Achiuwa doesn't understand that he isn't supposed to be taking it right to Embiid.

edit to add-

BOS, TOR and MIA are the EC teams that are playing lockdown playoff level intensity D.
I have not watched enough of MIL to say if I should include them.

[payitforward]

Watched the first half of the Memphis/Minny game -- odd & very entertaining game between 2 teams w/ some of the very best young players in the game.

I hadn't seen much of Minny before these playoffs; Anthony Edwards is an absolute beast!

[nate33]

Do you think maybe KAT might try posting up just once? He's been guarded by 6-5 Dillian Brooks the entire fourth quarter and he hasn't taken one shot in the paint.

[Jay81]

Do you think maybe KAT might try posting up just once? He's been guarded by 6-5 Dillian Brooks the entire fourth quarter and he hasn't taken one shot in the paint.

Also Brandon Clarke is 100x better than rui. Tommy gotta go

[FAH1223]

Read on Twitter

Do you think maybe KAT might try posting up just once? He's been guarded by 6-5 Dillian Brooks the entire fourth quarter and he hasn't taken one shot in the paint.

Also Brandon Clarke is 100x better than rui. Tommy gotta go

Clarke was amazing tonight. Just flat out incredible.

[FAH1223]

Kevin Durant getting sensitive about being a 'bus rider' to Steph Curry and not being the 'bus driver' for the Warriors championships as said by Barkley and the fallout has been hilarious

Watch on YouTube

Watch on YouTube

[closg00]

Do you think maybe KAT might try posting up just once? He's been guarded by 6-5 Dillian Brooks the entire fourth quarter and he hasn't taken one shot in the paint.

Also Brandon Clarke is 100x better than rui. Tommy gotta go

Wiz board scouts vindicated again

[payitforward]

...Brandon Clarke is 100x better than rui. Tommy gotta go

Wiz board scouts vindicated again

Prior to the 2019 draft, I never saw a single analysis nor even one mock draft that had Rui going as high #9 or going before Brandon Clarke.

But, I'd say it's false praise to vindicate this board -- there was pretty much 100% applause here for us picking Rui.

Moreover, it was followed by an endless reaffirmation of that judgement & an equally endless disparaging of Clarke. Which went on for years, btw. With a couple of notable exceptions, me being the most notable.

Of course... everyone makes mistakes! I make plenty of them. But it's rare to see anyone acknowledge his mistakes.

For example, you can be absolutely certain that there won't be a parade of posts in which people say something like "I sure was wrong about Brandon Clarke." No chance that happens.

So, no, I don't think this board is particularly adept at ranking draft prospects.

[doclinkin]

...Brandon Clarke is 100x better than rui. Tommy gotta go

Wiz board scouts vindicated again

Prior to the 2019 draft, I never saw a single analysis nor even one mock draft that had Rui going as high #9 or going before Brandon Clarke.

But, I'd say it's false praise to vindicate this board -- there was pretty much 100% applause here for us picking Rui.

Nah. Nonplussed and underwhelmed mostly. Link. But people like to give you hell because the board was being spammed on the topic Then as always once a player is ours fans bend reality to look at the bright side.

[Dark Faze]

Nets getting smacked shows that this team has no business gunning for an 8 seed. We're a tier below even that flawed Nets squad.