I have no dog in the hunt but I have totally enjoyed the NBA playoffs. Havent missed Lebron in the least. Its been great to see new stars.
2018-2019 NBA season thread
darthweasel
Well-known member
I am almost afraid PDX fans are in for a letdown. The whole "missing Durant" thing...still have better backcourt than Blazers, nobody I have seen is afraid of Harkless and Aminu on offense, and as well as he has played...Kanter is still a guy eaten on the perimeter and does not bring enough offense to overcome. Golden State is the better team and there is a sort of air the Blazers coming off the amazing story they are on has a good chance for tonight...the betting line is showing people believe in PDX as it is pushed to them being 7.5% dogs...Vegas needs people to bet on Golden State. Words I never thought I would say...
I think Portland, best case, wins game 2 but man they better bring their A game in 3 and 4 if they do...
Kawai is something else. Wow that shot will go down in history . Clutch and he called it too which was awesome. The Greek freak and the Bucks will be our best test yet. A great lead up to the Warriors if we can make it. Would love to see my two favorite teams battle it out in the final
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SlightDraw
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Should be a fun series. Just saw Dame showed up at the arena in an A's jersey. Power move
Northerner
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Pelicans win the draft.
-CJ-
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Well before anyone chimes in on the Trail Blazers defensive strategy, it wasn't that bad. What was really bad is they were flat on offense, really lethargic on player and ball movement. Were was Lilard? I saw him out there on the court but was he really there? With 21 turnovers with GSW on the break is a recipe for a LOSS.
Back to the D, I get the concept and like it. With Kanter and Collins it is better to hang them back and make the cover guy fight over the pick to push the ball handler into a drive or a pull up 2. Kanter and Collins would get eaten alive if they came up on the switch as GSW would let the guard ISO and blow by, now Portlands center would be stuck on the arc and no shot blocker down low.
The only issue I had is they stuck with that the whole first half, and allowed GSW to see the same D set every time down. They needed to throw a random double team, followed buy a stunt, then after 3-4 plays throw in a trap. This would have kept GSW on their toes and not be able to run THE SAME EXACT PLAY with Steph and Klay. Coach waited until the second half to finally throw in a bunch of traps. It was to late for that and like I said GSW is offensively better with out KD as the ball doesn't get stuck and moves. On a trap once the ball gets out then its a defensive scramble against one of the most unselfish teams.
Even though if Portlands offense wasn't so "Meh" they still could have had that game.
Back to the D, I get the concept and like it. With Kanter and Collins it is better to hang them back and make the cover guy fight over the pick to push the ball handler into a drive or a pull up 2. Kanter and Collins would get eaten alive if they came up on the switch as GSW would let the guard ISO and blow by, now Portlands center would be stuck on the arc and no shot blocker down low.
The only issue I had is they stuck with that the whole first half, and allowed GSW to see the same D set every time down. They needed to throw a random double team, followed buy a stunt, then after 3-4 plays throw in a trap. This would have kept GSW on their toes and not be able to run THE SAME EXACT PLAY with Steph and Klay. Coach waited until the second half to finally throw in a bunch of traps. It was to late for that and like I said GSW is offensively better with out KD as the ball doesn't get stuck and moves. On a trap once the ball gets out then its a defensive scramble against one of the most unselfish teams.
Even though if Portlands offense wasn't so "Meh" they still could have had that game.
SlightDraw
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If it were the Knicks they would have cut to Zion immediately to show his reaction.... Not showing his face as the selection was made was the right move because no way is he happy right now. Tons of $$ in endorsements out the window by not playing in NY.
-CJ-
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Even with this, Tanking will still keep happening.
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Lopez having the game of his life. Killing the Raps.
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Nicely done Milwaukee kudos to the bucks!
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Lopez saved the day for the Bucks. Just threw up bricks from outside all game. I'm pretty happy they won, especially considering how poorly they played.
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Raps defence got running around in the fourth. Was pretty disappointing to watch.
Also Danny Green has completely disappeared these playoffs. Haven’t been able to rely on the kick out since about game 3 of the Orlando series
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Also Danny Green has completely disappeared these playoffs. Haven’t been able to rely on the kick out since about game 3 of the Orlando series
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-CJ-
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Agreed Lopez was the main reason they won, he not only did it in the paint and tossing up a bazillion 3's, he gave 100% effort on D and fought for rebounds. It was good to see bledsoe have a decent game. but the rest of the bucks looked blah. Giannis needs to start practicing shooting 1000 free each day, it is brutal to watch him clank the front of the rim.
Danny Green's only good playoff run was in 2013, and since then most expect that from him. He is not that guy, and his defense is "Meh" to me. Lowry was great! Awesome to see him have a game like that, he more than Danny Green disappears in the playoffs (yet you up north blame DeRozen). I hope this sparks him for the rest of the series!
Confused that the bucks play bad and the raps played 3qtrs good yet it was close game?
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I didn't know much of Green back then. I'm more just comparing regular season vs. playoffs. Dude was over 45% from 3 during the regular season and I think they mentioned last night he's something like 33%. When you have Kawhi driving, have to be able to rely on him to hit a couple of threes and right now it's just not happening.
Was great to see Kyle play well last night, though he didn't score much, he had a great game 7 against the Sixers. Now add that it appears that he's got some confidence again shooting and hopefully propels him to have a great series.
I wouldn't be shocked it every game between these two comes down to the final 2-3 possessions.
-CJ-
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The Sixers series I wouldn't expect to have seen him to do anything, JJ's one and only defensive job was to stick to Green's hip. If you watched JJ there were time he should have rotated off green to close or slow a drive but didn't, he stayed on Green like glue. JJ is good at hiding his lack of defensive ability by sticking to his man even if its the wrong thing to do.
My biggest saying that sets me off and will get you a ranty lecture is "but my man didn't score".
My biggest saying that sets me off and will get you a ranty lecture is "but my man didn't score".
darthweasel
Well-known member
well that hurt. Before the game I had a group of people I told the Blazers had their best shot last night and I thought they were going to win. When they built their lead to 15 I said they were going to lose which had my group laughing at me. But man, Golden State just has that extra gear Portland doesn't have and when they lock in defensively...they are a fearsome beast that destroys everything in its path.
I knew going in they were the better team but Portland had a punchers chance, but they needed to live in that 5-10 point range where Golden State is playing but not desperate. That big lead was a giant red bandanna and that bull smashed everything to get to it. Portland had a great season but there are now 2-3 games left in it. Been fun to watch. Hope Nurk comes back healthy, Collins levels up and they find a way to replace the one-year rentals.
I knew going in they were the better team but Portland had a punchers chance, but they needed to live in that 5-10 point range where Golden State is playing but not desperate. That big lead was a giant red bandanna and that bull smashed everything to get to it. Portland had a great season but there are now 2-3 games left in it. Been fun to watch. Hope Nurk comes back healthy, Collins levels up and they find a way to replace the one-year rentals.
-CJ-
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Don't throw in the towel yet. The fact that Portland showed they can weather the defacto GSW 3qtr runs, is a huge bright blinking neon sign that its going to be a 7 game series. Portland came out with a different defense was huge, and the defense I thought they should have played, see above post (humble brag).
Dame seems to show up begining of 1st qtr and then you really don't see him again until mid 4th qtr, that needs to change. Both games Aminu looks lost on defense and has lost the ability to find a body to rotate to on GSW drives. He also needs to stop looking like a deer in headlights on offense when the ball is in his hands. Him and Kanter didn't have that "edge" to them last night, which is why you saw Leonard on the floor and many 4th qtr minutes.
I think Portland has the better Coach, but GSW has the better team "feel" because of how many years they have been together playing for the championship. They just know what each other is doing before they even do it.
Dame seems to show up begining of 1st qtr and then you really don't see him again until mid 4th qtr, that needs to change. Both games Aminu looks lost on defense and has lost the ability to find a body to rotate to on GSW drives. He also needs to stop looking like a deer in headlights on offense when the ball is in his hands. Him and Kanter didn't have that "edge" to them last night, which is why you saw Leonard on the floor and many 4th qtr minutes.
I think Portland has the better Coach, but GSW has the better team "feel" because of how many years they have been together playing for the championship. They just know what each other is doing before they even do it.
darthweasel
Well-known member
I have no skin in the game but how on earth was the Siakam block not a foul when he goes all WWE drop the elbow from the top role and roll him up for the pin? Officiating this playoffs has seemed...interesting. Every series I have watched, both fanbases have legit complaints because the calls are not consistent. Call it consistent and the same for both teams would be pretty special.
-CJ-
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How does the bench for the Bucks score as much as the starters while doing it with 36 less shots?
My gosh, what does Portland have to do to get a call? That was an absurd no call.
MakingARun
Member
Steph Curry proved over the last 4 games that the Warriors are his team , not KD’s.
No lead is safe when the GSW warriors are playing. If there’s any such thing as series being competitive in spite of it ending in 4 games, I think we saw it. I really enjoyed watching Portland play this post-season I hope we see them get over the hump and win the title in the next few years.
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darthweasel
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this was THE run for this edition of the team. Kanter, Hood, Curry were 1 year rentals, Aminu is unrestricted free agent. With Nurk out for the first x months of next season (and nobody seems to know what number x is), the odds of taking Turner and/or Leonard and their expiring contracts, possibly Harkless with his solid contract, and running a package to "consolidate" (because, you know, a team that overachieved to get to the WCF has so much excess talent), you could see only Lillard, McCollum, Collins and Nurk that got meaningful minutes back. They might bring back Layman if nobody makes him an offer, but that is kind of the point...if he is valuable enough to have someone make an offer, the Blazers can't afford him...so they can only afford him if he is not worth having...
Hoping to see Simons and Trent Jr. make leaps next year, Collins consider his growth, and them shock us all by finding a way to get better while losing Aminu, Hood, Curry and Kanter.