NBA Playoffs 2019

[Vic Boss 612]

Dat Lillard 3

[Nairn Smoith 73]

Dame Lillard is such a badass

[Eizan 126]

Does it matter is anyone good enough to beat Golden State? 

[Vic Boss 612]

It'd be pretty significant for the Raptors as a franchise to pull off making the finals, especially since the Maple Leafs and the rest of the Canadian teams are out of the NHL playoffs. There's still smaller things to play for, I guess

[dr. b 492]

1st Round was for the most part a dud but there are some great 2nd Round match ups coming our way

 

I think Toronto has a pretty good shot at a Finals appearance, though it won't be easy from here on out.

 

Warriors/Rockets in Round 2 might be a better series than whatever the Finals match is.

 

7 hours ago, Eizan said:

Does it matter is anyone good enough to beat Golden State? 

 

Certainly won't be easy, but I can see the Rockets taking them out

[Nairn Smoith 73]

It feels like Round 1 has gone on forever.  It's hard to believe the Nuggets and Spurs still haven't played Game 7.  Get on with it so I can watch Dame Lillard fuck some more people up. 

[dr. b 492]

Please win a Game 1 today Raptors

[dr. b 492]

?

[Vic Boss 612]

TBH if I was assigned to guard Kevin Durant, I'd just wait for him to take a jumper and cross-body block his knees in the hopes that he blows out anything on the landing.

[Vic Boss 612]

Probs trade for Embiid now

[Vic Boss 612]

Oh man, that Quadruple Overtime Denver/Portland game

 

I like how Lillard wasn't given any space at half-court as regulation was winding down. No one's ever giving him that shot again

[dr. b 492]

Really ugly Game 3 at Philly. I'm pretty much convinced the Raps are fucked now. There are reports today that Siakam is doubtful for Game 4. I hate sprots.

 

3 hours ago, DeJaPon said:

I like how Lillard wasn't given any space at half-court as regulation was winding down. No one's ever giving him that shot again

 

Just Paul George - it's a bad shot!

[Vic Boss 612]

Eh, even though they would've lost it anyways, GSW letting the clock run down instead of fouling after Curry missed that layup was kinda weak

[dr. b 492]

I'm kinda torn about the Rockets/Warriors series. On one hand it would be interesting to see the Warriors get knocked out... but the Rockets' brand of basketball just plain isn't fun to watch. I can't cheer for them. I think the best outcome from this Finals would be for Golden State to win and then the players decide to go their separate ways (KD and Klay leaving in free agency). I have Warriors super team fatigue.

[Vic Boss 612]

If I was KD I'd stay until we stopped winning, and then maybe just a bit longer to make sure we've stopped winning.

[dr. b 492]

If his top priority is winning then I think he'd be nuts to consider leaving, but it seems like there are perhaps other things on his mind. Staying in Golden State has to give him the best odds of another championship, but he's already got a few championships to his name so maybe that's not so important to him anymore. I find it hard to believe all of the KD-to-NYK rumours, but the rumours keep hanging around and there are insiders that seem to think it's practically a done deal. Have to wait and see how the Finals play out first to see what happens.

[Vic Boss 612]

I saw Colin Cowherd actually put it pretty well on his youtube. KD always comes in second. Greg Oden got picked ahead of him in the draft, Westbrook got picked to be the guy ahead of him in OKC, the Warriors are always going to be Curry's team ahead of him, and for some reason the basketball media is really, really weird about legacy stuff (like you can't be an all-time great if you're not the marketing face of the franchise) so he comes in second there.

 

Which I think is pretty stupid tbh. Win a million rings, get to the point where they can only compare the Warriors to the '50s/'60s Celtics, and then wear every ring to every media appearance ever following that, just so the media nerds have to push their glasses up harder to try to figure out ways to not call him an all-time great.

[Eizan 126]

Nah, KD going to the Lakers to be #2 to Lebron.

[Vic Boss 612]

Toxicccccc

[dr. b 492]

5 hours ago, DeJaPon said:

I saw Colin Cowherd actually put it pretty well on his youtube. KD always comes in second. Greg Oden got picked ahead of him in the draft, Westbrook got picked to be the guy ahead of him in OKC, the Warriors are always going to be Curry's team ahead of him, and for some reason the basketball media is really, really weird about legacy stuff (like you can't be an all-time great if you're not the marketing face of the franchise) so he comes in second there.

 

Which I think is pretty stupid tbh. Win a million rings, get to the point where they can only compare the Warriors to the '50s/'60s Celtics, and then wear every ring to every media appearance ever following that, just so the media nerds have to push their glasses up harder to try to figure out ways to not call him an all-time great.

 

Yeah I think the driving force behind going to the Knicks we be so he could be without-a-doubt the #1 guy there (unless they get Kyrie with their other max slot and they're #1a and #1b ) It ties into the legacy thing. And if he could actually win a title in NY then that would add even more to his rep. But that organization is a mess so I hope he doesn't expect to win there  Or maybe he just wants to live in New York for other reasons. It's not like basketball was LeBron's #1 reason for wanting to be in LA.

 

4 hours ago, Eizan said:

Nah, KD going to the Lakers to be #2 to Lebron.

 

Wouldn't top the AD trade powerplay that blew up in LA and Clutch's face, but this would be a pretty juicy story too  

[dr. b 492]

17 hours ago, DeJaPon said:

the Warriors? are? always going to be Curry's team ahead of hi??m

 

Meant to comment on this yesterday... it sucks for Durant because Curry has been pretty bad all playoffs and KD has carried the team. But even if most people still think of the Warriors as being Curry's team, I do think fans and analysts will be able to recognize that they've gotten where they have in these playoffs mainly due to KD's efforts. He's for sure their #1 scoring option and go-to guy in tough situations right now. 

[Vic Boss 612]

Houston/GSW just got real

[dr. b 492]

If both of the Western conf series go 7 games, the two teams that advance are going to be pretty worn out with important games left to play. Lots of hard minutes for the starters in these series. 

[dr. b 492]

Oh man that Raptor win felt good last night. So good. I'm feeling a lot less pessimistic now. They were due to start shooting better. They missed quite a few open 3's in previous games. Really nice to see Danny Green look more like himself. 

 

Please finish it in Philly, I don't want any chance of a game 7 upset in Toronto

[Downshift 54]

[dr. b 492]

Good to see the Celtics out. Another bad shooting performance from Kyrie. Don't think he's going back to Boston

[dr. b 492]

Huh, just looking at game recaps now. I wonder if KD is going to miss the next game with the calf strain?

[Nairn Smoith 73]

Probably. I’d be really concerned as a Warriors fan about seeing him in a Game 7 too.

 

Rooting hard for the Raptors to win this whole thing. Kawhi is such a fucking beast.

 

[dr. b 492]

Really wish we weren't going to game 7, but at least they're playing it in Toronto. 

[Downshift 54]

Dat Curry, man. Durant who?

[dr. b 492]

It was one good game. Have you seen how KD has played throughout these playoffs compared to Curry?

[Nairn Smoith 73]

The Warriors are 27-1 without Durant.

[dr. b 492]

That shouldn't be surprising. They're still pretty much a super-team even if they're short one of their starters. However we have seen the other guys underperform already in the playoffs, while Durant has been a top player throughout. KD carried them through a couple games where it seemed like they were getting next to nothing from Klay and Curry. The Splash Bros have had some pretty bad shooting games by their standards. But they probably don't have to worry that much missing KD if those guys return to form.

[Downshift 54]

9 hours ago, little birdy said:

It was one good game. Have you seen how KD has played throughout these playoffs compared to Curry?

I have confidence that Curry can continue to step up in KD's absence.

[dr. b 492]

Watching this 4th quarter is too stressful

[dr. b 492]

Wow

 

???

[Revolver 27]

That was an amazing buzzer beater

[Vic Boss 612]

Oh my fucking god, Kawhi

 

(McCollum being p. clutch while Dame Killer's being covered too)

[dr. b 492]

Almost feels like that game last night was a dream. It happened  Great defense from the Raptors, Kawhi was obviously amazing, Lowry and VanVleet played with really good energy, and Serge really stepped up. He hit some huge shots. This team still has been missing a lot of shots though, which is concerning.

[Vic Boss 612]

>not rigging the draft to get Zion in New York or Los Angeles

 

What are you doing, NBA

[Nairn Smoith 73]

I can’t believe the Lakers picked 4th. Total horseshit.

[dr. b 492]

1 hour ago, DeJaPon said:

>not rigging the draft to get Zion in New York or Los Angeles

 

What are you doing, NBA

 

Trying to save the New Orleans franchise, I guess.

 

I wonder if they can convince AD to stay with Zion. They could turn into a pretty great team. Or if AD is still out then trade him for a good package potentially including the Knicks' or Lakers' pick + other interesting young players to build around Zion.

 

---

 

Back to playoff talk:

 

I didn't realize the Western Finals started last night Wish I would have tuned in. I'm thinking this series is probably Warriors in 5, maybe 6 games. Cheering for Portland though. 

 

As for Raptors @ Bucks: Milwaukee has built a really good team around Giannis. They're deeper. It's going to be tough. Probably Bucks in 6  But if the Bucks' supporting cast under performs and the Raptors secondary guys shoot well, and then it comes down to which superstar has the more impactful performance between Kawhi or Giannis then I can see the Raps winning. Odds seem to be against them though. 

[Vic Boss 612]

I'm wondering if Zion pulls an Eli Manning/Eric Lindros. Dude's probably already losing millions by not being in New York or LA

 

Hoping for the Raptors as a Canadian (Kawhi King in the North memes plz) and sorta Portland as a Pacific Northwesterner, but Warriors vs Bucks sounds like a way more interesting series. That way the storyline will be maximum levels of juicy when three-time defending champs GSW meets the KD New York Knicks in next year's finals.

 

(Also if you want, Ximo Pierto on youtube does 15 minute youtube videos showing every made basket except fouls so there's still a way to watch it)

[Downshift 54]

7 hours ago, Nairn Smoith said:

I can’t believe the Lakers picked 4th. Total horseshit.

Suns pick 6th?

Why do we have this lottery again?

[Vic Boss 612]

 

[dr. b 492]

1 hour ago, Downshift said:

Suns pick 6th?

Why do we have this lottery again?

 

They drafted 1st, 4th, and 4th the last three years IIRC and they're still a last place team. Are they tanking on purpose or just really bad at drafting / player development?

[Downshift 54]

1 hour ago, little birdy said:

just really bad at drafting / player development

 

[Nairn Smoith 73]

I refuse to believe a team with Eric Bledsoe at PG will make the NBA Finals.

 

Raptors in 6.

[dr. b 492]

I sure hope you're right Xy.

 

This first half has been fun as hell to watch. Not just 'cause the Raps are up. Just a fun game between two fun teams. The Bucks seem to allow a lot of pretty open shots from 3 though, which you'd think they'd defend more in today's NBA?  Great to see some good shooting from Toronto to start the game. If they're open for it and it makes sense to go for it, I want to see Lowry and Gasol taking more of those shots. I think even Norm hit a couple while he was on the court. If they could get more of a contribution from Norm and Fred that'd be huge.

[dr. b 492]

Got my hopes up and then they couldn't come through in the end Didn't figure they'd get beat by fucking Brook Lopez though...

 

Some big missed shots here in the 4th quarter.