2015-2016 NBA Playoffs

[kskate2]

OKC straight clowning the defending champs. Halftime score 72-47

 

[DarthFed]

The Thunder laid one on Golden State tonight. I think the winner of game 4 takes the series though I wouldn't be totally shocked if Warriors take game 4 and Thunder take games 5 and 6. If the Thunder win the title this year it will have been the most impressive run to a championship that I've seen in any sport. They will have taken out two Western giants with an average of 70 wins and then they get Lebron in the Finals barring something ridiculous in the ECF.

 

[Billie]

That was a beating. The warriors might have spent all of their energy and toughness on the regular season and the chase for the record. It might back fire on them in the conference final.

 

[brokenshoelace]

That was quite the all around performance. In addition to all of the obvious (Durant and Westbrook dominating), major props to Dion Waiters, who really turned a corner after a dreadful regular season. He's been tremendous and for the first time all year, OKC look like they have a bench. That a small ball line-up with Ibaka at center absolutely destroyed Golden State. That was one hot crowd too.

Also, by today's standards, Draymond should absolutely be suspended for game 4. Steve Kerr's comments post game about the NBA having to rescind the flagrant 1 because it was inadvertent are an absolute joke. No way was that not intentional.

 

[DarthFed]

^ I think you're absolutely correct. I didn't want to mention it because it almost comes off as an excuse for them but I kind of felt it took its toll by the end of the regular season and it continued into the playoffs (though injuries didn't help). I didn't read too much into Portland pushing them the last few games even with Curry playing but maybe I should've. Still, if the Thunder do win in 6 it will end up being the awful 2nd half of game 1 that did GSW in.

They chased that record hard!! The game is more demanding than 20 years ago and if we are comparing this team to the Bulls it has to be said that as great as Curry is he is not MJ and the Thunder are obviously no joke. The Bulls with God in basketball cleats could get away with chasing history a lot easier than GSW.

 

[DarthFed]

I'd be shocked if Draymond gets suspended. It's one of those plays where it's almost certainly intentional but just the 2% chance that it wasn't means you can't suspend the guy. Different sport but this exact scenario played out 2 years ago in the NFL. Bad boy Ndamukong Suh stepped on Rodgers' ankle while he was on the ground and it was almost certainly intentional. That Monday they suspended him for the first game of the playoffs and it got overturned within a few days.

 

[brokenshoelace]

I'd be shocked if Draymond gets suspended. It's one of those plays where it's almost certainly intentional but just the 2% chance that it wasn't means you can't suspend the guy. Different sport but this exact scenario played out 2 years ago in the NFL. Bad boy Ndamukong Suh stepped on Rodgers' ankle while he was on the ground and it was almost certainly intentional. That Monday they suspended him for the first game of the playoffs and it got overturned within a few days.

I don't think he'll get suspended to avoid any unnecessary drama, but the NBA just suspended Dahntay Jones for something pretty similar only not as flagrant. For consistency's sake they have to suspend Draymond. I don't think they will though, as this would clearly have a much bigger effect than some role player missing out on a playoff game like in the Cavs-Raptors series.

 

[DarthFed]

^ I actually didn't see the Cavs-Raptors game last night. Was it after the whistle? In this case the action happened very fast as the whistle blew. I absolutely think it was intentional but a cheap shot after the whistle can't be argued whereas this, shall we say, excessive follow through as you are getting fouled is a little more dicey.

 

[Billie]

A lot of players kick one of their legs when they shoot the ball. Jones didn't do it in the act of shooting, and he hit BB twice so it was intentional. Different cases for me.

 

[DarthFed]

Adams must do a lot to get under people's skin. He is subtle about it as I seriously rarely see anything excessive, but everyone hates the dude.

 

[DarthFed]

I just saw a replay of the Jones one. It actually is fairly similar to Green but I'd say even a little more blatant as he kind of winds up and clenches his fist. I'd say Green's case that it was unintentional is more arguable but we are splitting hairs...it will be interesting to see what the NBA does. That'd be a big blow to Golden State's chances if he gets suspended.

 

[DarthFed]

I assume everyone saw Lebron's shameless flop last night

http://ftw.usatoday.com/2016/05/leb...thompson-cavs-what-happened-here-nba-playoffs

He's really got to stop doing that stuff. It's one thing for some of the European players and guys like Harden to flop like that but Lebron's flopping is ridiculous.

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

The Canucks have definitely surprised this season. I figured the ugly playoff losses the last couple years would have more of an effect. I've rooted against them all playoffs, wanted Paul George and the Pacers to advance and then was hoping for the Heat and Cavs ECF. Hopefully they don't spoil what figures to be a decent NBA finals by somehow beating the Cavs. Games like last night are one of those where Lebron needs to say F it and shoot 30 times. It's not his comfort zone but when the supporting cast is that cold he has to take over more.

Haha, don't worry Darth, Cavs are the better team and will win this series, but Raps WERE better than both Miami and Indy, they just could not show it consistently. The effects of the past years , like you said. But they are learning. Next year, they will have the confidence too.

The "decent" final you are expecting, does it involve GSW or OKC?

 

[brokenshoelace]

Adams must do a lot to get under people's skin. He is subtle about it as I seriously rarely see anything excessive, but everyone hates the dude.

Adams is like those pro wrestling heels that just pull off these little tricks to get under his opponent's skin. What's impressive to me is that he's really seasoned at these kind of tricks for someone his age.

 

[Billie]

Adams is the youngest of 18 kids and from New Zealand, he got plenty of experience in being tough.

 

[DarthFed]

^ This is true. But being tough doesn't necessarily make someone want to kick you in the balls. Being a bit dirty and annoying will.

These game 4's will be interesting. Toronto is playing well at home and suddenly this could become a series if they win tonight. I think the Cavs will step up. Golden State is playing for their season tomorrow, it should be quite the game. It might be harsh but they will be a bit of a laughing stock if they don't win the title this year, especially if they don't even come close. It would be similar to the 2007 Patriots losing the Super Bowl after being 18-0 up until that point.

 

[DarthFed]

The Canucks have definitely surprised this season. I figured the ugly playoff losses the last couple years would have more of an effect. I've rooted against them all playoffs, wanted Paul George and the Pacers to advance and then was hoping for the Heat and Cavs ECF. Hopefully they don't spoil what figures to be a decent NBA finals by somehow beating the Cavs. Games like last night are one of those where Lebron needs to say F it and shoot 30 times. It's not his comfort zone but when the supporting cast is that cold he has to take over more.

Haha, don't worry Darth, Cavs are the better team and will win this series, but Raps WERE better than both Miami and Indy, they just could not show it consistently. The effects of the past years , like you said. But they are learning. Next year, they will have the confidence too.

The "decent" final you are expecting, does it involve GSW or OKC?

I may have come off as a Raps hater in the last post, my apologies :devil

But I have always liked Wade since he played at Marquette in college about 15 miles from me. He is already an all-time great and I was happy to see him turn back the clocks a little bit. It was a great series and Toronto did well to win it. I didn't think they would beat Miami after struggling badly with the Pacers. Paul George has grown on me over the years especially after coming back from that injury. Hopefully the Pacers get some good players around him again. Firing Vogel was a stupid move by Bird.

I think either of the potential finals, OKC or GSW vs. Cleveland would be good. Matchup wise I'd favor Cleveland over OKC. They have the bigs to hold their own on the glass and they have more options on offense and HCA but with OKC's red hot confidence it'd be hard to not have them as the favorites in the finals.

If GSW rallies and beats OKC, which I think is very unlikely, then I think they will take the Cavs again. Golden State gambled by chasing down the record and I think it's caught up physically and mentally. If they had cruised to a "mere" 70 wins and rested some of the guys the last couple weeks of the season I don't think we'd see them losing by 40 points in a playoff game.

 

[Billie]

I don't think Adams is dirty. He is just that way. Not his fault others can't handle a little bit of toughness and resort to low blows. Have you seen the All Blacks when they play rugby? That is their national sport and they are as tough as they come.

I would be surprised if the Raptors win tonight, but what do I know. They do better when I don't watch the whole match, so I might employ that tactic tonight.

 

[brokenshoelace]

Adams resorts to tricks rather than pure dirty plays. Like, I've never seen him do anything legitimately dirty, but he does a lot of shirt pulling, tangling up with the guy who's guarding him, wrestling him to the floor to try to draw a foul...that sort of stuff. He's more of an instigator who provokes rather than a dirty player. He's also tough as nails and is very cool and relaxed so he never retaliates.

 

[Billie]

Yeah, he is just old guard, in a way. They used to play like that years ago.