ATL - Ham Slamwich to the Lakers

[FrieAaron]

I think re-evaluating what a charge is would help too. Backing someone down and giving them a bump, not overly excessive or out of control, should not be a charge if the guy falls over.

This was my point. Horford did this to Lopez, Giannis, and Bobby multiple times in the series. Yesterday, in the first quarter Horford bumped into Bobby in the post three times on the same possession. Bobby stood his ground, kept his arms up, and forced a miss.

Even when the player flops and there isn't a call they end up tripping Giannis which will eventually cause a serious injury. Tired of it....and if called correctly we are still in it.

The NBA definitely has to do something about this. Giannis definitely deserves his share of charges, but players are ref baiting contact so much, and it's not even big guys anymore. How many times would you guys estimate a player falls over on a jumpshot this season?

[drew881]

I think Kidd is a decent coach after all. It helps that he has Luka of course, but Carlisle did too.

Having Dinwiddie and Brunson is nice. 3 guys who can create. That trade was excellent.

We've lacked having a backup who can score a lot for years. Wonder if there's a vet willing to join for the minimum?

Dinwidddie makes 20 per, so you get what you pay for. I’ve said it already, but get me Mitchell/Conley for Middleton. And you roll the dice that Mitchell will be a better creator and if Conley has anything left you have a backup that can run offense or even play in a 3 guard lineup with Holiday at SF. If it doesn’t work, you have an expiring next year.

[LikeABosh]

Go Mavs

[paulpressey25]

To cheer you guys up, go read the Suns board. They're imploding over there. Combination of drafting Ayton over Luka and a desire to trade everyone except Bridges.

Can't see their owner doing it though. Think he matches an Ayton offer sheet or S&T's him, while keeping the rest of the team intact to sell tickets.

[MickeyDavis]

Yup I think the Suns run it back another year. With some minor tweaks. Ayton will be the one that goes if they do make a move.

Their board is a riot. After coming close last year and dominating the regular season they figured they would have an easy run to the finals. And then not just lose game 7 at home but to get humiliated. That's a shame.

We're all unhappy our season ended but at least we got the holy grail last year.

[th87]

To cheer you guys up, go read the Suns board. They're imploding over there. Combination of drafting Ayton over Luka and a desire to trade everyone except Bridges.

Can't see their owner doing it though. Think he matches an Ayton offer sheet or S&T's him, while keeping the rest of the team intact to sell tickets.

They'd do well to just rest Paul until the second round of the playoffs and hope he holds up down the stretch.

[RiotPunch]

IDK, I don't like the money counting douchebag and Paul/Crowder are pricks, but they don't reach the same levels of hate that I have for Jason Kidd. The Suns getting blown out wayyyy more humiliatingly than us takes the spotlight off us, at least, but doesn't make me feel much better about the Cookie Monster in the WCF.

[Plossum]

The Ayton and Monty stuff is weird. Wonder if that relationship is near irreparable. Their big issue is the need to start succession planning for CP3’s role.

[Profound23]

To cheer you guys up, go read the Suns board. They're imploding over there. Combination of drafting Ayton over Luka and a desire to trade everyone except Bridges.

Can't see their owner doing it though. Think he matches an Ayton offer sheet or S&T's him, while keeping the rest of the team intact to sell tickets.

Imagine a Booker/Luka backcourt.

1.) They would dominate this league probably already have one title (which means beating us last year)
2.) The flopping of those two together would be hard to stomach

[DrWood]

Imagine a Booker/Luka backcourt.

1.) They would dominate this league probably already have one title (which means beating us last year)
2.) The flopping of those two together would be hard to stomach

Which one is going to take 6 fewer shots per game? I don't think they'd dominate.

[DrWood]

The Ayton and Monty stuff is weird. Wonder if that relationship is near irreparable. Their big issue is the need to start succession planning for CP3’s role.

Who's going to give Ayton the Max contract he wants?

[blazza18]

The Ayton and Monty stuff is weird. Wonder if that relationship is near irreparable. Their big issue is the need to start succession planning for CP3’s role.

Who's going to give Ayton the Max contract he wants?

Charlotte and Indy will

[Sigra]

Ayton=Adebayo IMO

He is crucial for Suns just as Adebayo is for Heat because they set great screens (and that is main offense for both Suns and Heat) and are great for switching defense because they can defend multiple positions.

This playoff Ayton clearly had chemistry problem with coach and maybe thinking about next contract was behind it all (wanted more touches for better contract for example). But he is very very good player and very very important for what Suns do. If they lose him I predict they will fail to be top 4 at west next year.

He is not good 3 point shooter though so not good option for us. But teams that have 3p shooter at PF should kill for him.

[DanoMac]

If the Suns are having a fire sale, find a way to get Cam Johnson and/or Crowder

[Coach Carter]

To cheer you guys up, go read the Suns board. They're imploding over there. Combination of drafting Ayton over Luka and a desire to trade everyone except Bridges.

Can't see their owner doing it though. Think he matches an Ayton offer sheet or S&T's him, while keeping the rest of the team intact to sell tickets.

Imagine a Booker/Luka backcourt.

1.) They would dominate this league probably already have one title (which means beating us last year)
2.) The flopping of those two together would be hard to stomach

No defense

[rilamann]

Going to be interesting to see Boston go up against a team that doesn't implement a 1995 style defensive philosophy.

Also going to be interesting to see Boston go up against a team with a coach who is actually great at making adjustments and exploiting weaknesses. If your team has a weakness, Spoelstra will find it and then exploit the **** out of it until you do something about it. Udoka has faced Nash and Bud so far in the playoffs. Against Spoelstra, we're going to find out how good, or great of a head coach Udoka truly is.

Bud kind of schooled Udoka in game 1, but it was all downhill for us after that as far as adjustments go, with the exception of the 4th quarter in game 5. Then in game 6, we went away from those adjustments....lol. Udoka vs Spo will be a real chess match.

Boston Miami is one of those series where the coaching match up might be the most fun match up of the series.

Also going to be interesting to see how Miami's shooters fare against Boston, especially Herro.

I am also very interested to see what kind of impact PJ has against this Boston team we just lost to. I will have my popcorn for this one.

Should be a really good series, it's a toss up for me. I think Boston can win the series, but it's not going to be a waltz to the Finals for them against Miami like some people think. I might actually lean Miami in 7. Although if the Celtics win game 1 on the road, 48 hours after playing the 7th game of a tough series. While Miami had a few days to rest and chill at home, it could be curtains pretty quick for the Heat.

[drone3]

The Ayton and Monty stuff is weird. Wonder if that relationship is near irreparable. Their big issue is the need to start succession planning for CP3’s role.

Who's going to give Ayton the Max contract he wants?

Charlotte and Indy will

Ayton to the Spurs filling the David Robinson role would be poetic. S&T Poeltl & pick

[jschligs]

I’d prefer the following order for champs:
1. Golden State - why not, they already have won so it’s just another dynasty that keeps winning.
2. Dallas - hate Kidd, like but also dislike Luka, rest of team is fine.
3/4. Miami/Boston - hate both. Hate Butler and Herro. But hate Smart more.

[tydett]

Yup I think the Suns run it back another year. With some minor tweaks. Ayton will be the one that goes if they do make a move.

Their board is a riot. After coming close last year and dominating the regular season they figured they would have an easy run to the finals. And then not just lose game 7 at home but to get humiliated. That's a shame.

We're all unhappy our season ended but at least we got the holy grail last year.

An interesting thought exercise is to imagine how this board would be if we had lost to Phoenix last year and had the same playoff result this year.

[Iheartfootball]

Here's who I'm rooting for in the playoffs: