2023 NBA Playoffs

DSafetyGuy · Post by **DSafetyGuy** » Sun Apr 23, 2023 11:11 am

tennbengal wrote: ↑Sun Apr 23, 2023 10:14 am Dillon Brooks is such an insufferable fuckstick.

sancarlos · Post by **sancarlos** » Sun Apr 23, 2023 11:52 am

Between Draymond Green and Dillon Brooks, these playoffs are pretty “unique” in NBA history, eh?

DaveInSeattle · Post by **DaveInSeattle** » Mon Apr 24, 2023 9:10 pm

Jimmy Butler is a bad man...

Johnnie · Post by **Johnnie** » Tue Apr 25, 2023 12:30 am

Lebron is incredible.

That almost game winning half court heave tho...

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Tue Apr 25, 2023 7:29 am

If you'd have told me that was his first 20-20 game I would not have believed you before last week, when somehow I ended up on his BBref page.

L-Jam3 · Post by **L-Jam3** » Tue Apr 25, 2023 10:24 am

DaveInSeattle wrote: ↑Mon Apr 24, 2023 9:10 pm Jimmy Butler is a bad man...

Every huge Butler game reminds me that the 76ers went with Ben Simmons over him.

In all actuality though, Jimmy Butler is the living embodiment of Heat Culture.

DSafetyGuy · Post by **DSafetyGuy** » Tue Apr 25, 2023 5:07 pm

L-Jam3 wrote: ↑Tue Apr 25, 2023 10:24 am
DaveInSeattle wrote: ↑Mon Apr 24, 2023 9:10 pm Jimmy Butler is a bad man...
Every huge Butler game reminds me that the 76ers went with Ben Simmons over him.

Not quite.

And Minnesota kept Towns over him.

Johnnie · Post by **Johnnie** » Tue Apr 25, 2023 8:58 pm

Dammit, Trae Young.

Johnnie · Post by **Johnnie** » Wed Apr 26, 2023 11:34 pm

DaveInSeattle wrote: ↑Mon Apr 24, 2023 9:10 pm Jimmy Butler is a bad man...

Uh, yup.

And naturally...

EnochRoot · Post by **EnochRoot** » Thu Apr 27, 2023 6:54 am

The fact Grayson Allen was on the roster of the team that performed one of the biggest choke jobs in modern NBA history (going back 50 years) brings a smile to my face.

Giff · Post by **Giff** » Thu Apr 27, 2023 7:13 am

That was a pretty blatant push off on the game-tying basket.

L-Jam3 · Post by **L-Jam3** » Thu Apr 27, 2023 7:14 am

DSafetyGuy wrote: ↑Tue Apr 25, 2023 5:07 pm
L-Jam3 wrote: ↑Tue Apr 25, 2023 10:24 am
DaveInSeattle wrote: ↑Mon Apr 24, 2023 9:10 pm Jimmy Butler is a bad man...
Every huge Butler game reminds me that the 76ers went with Ben Simmons over him.
Not quite.

And Minnesota kept Towns over him.

Right. Tobias Harris. I don’t know if that makes me feel better or worse.

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Thu Apr 27, 2023 7:30 am

Giff wrote: ↑Thu Apr 27, 2023 7:13 am That was a pretty blatant push off on the game-tying basket.

Are you a cop?

Giff · Post by **Giff** » Thu Apr 27, 2023 7:34 am

Just a narc.

DSafetyGuy · Post by **DSafetyGuy** » Thu Apr 27, 2023 8:17 am

L-Jam3 wrote: ↑Thu Apr 27, 2023 7:14 am
DSafetyGuy wrote: ↑Tue Apr 25, 2023 5:07 pm
L-Jam3 wrote: ↑Tue Apr 25, 2023 10:24 am
DaveInSeattle wrote: ↑Mon Apr 24, 2023 9:10 pm Jimmy Butler is a bad man...
Every huge Butler game reminds me that the 76ers went with Ben Simmons over him.
Not quite.

And Minnesota kept Towns over him.
Right. Tobias Harris. I don’t know if that makes me feel better or worse.

I wouldn't worry about it. Chicago picked Zach LaVine over him. At this juncture, it seems like just hanging onto Butler is the wise move, regardless of who "Option B" is.

Rex · Post by **Rex** » Thu Apr 27, 2023 9:15 am

The NBA is now on pace to go an incredible 4 for 4 in having the most ratings-friendly second round matchups. Which is the most important thing. Nuggets-Suns is arguable, but I think it will do okay given that it's the 2 best teams in the league.

DSafetyGuy · Post by **DSafetyGuy** » Thu Apr 27, 2023 9:24 am

Rex wrote: ↑Thu Apr 27, 2023 9:15 am The NBA is now on pace to go an incredible 4 for 4 in having the most ratings-friendly second round matchups. Which is the most important thing. Nuggets-Suns is arguable, but I think it will do okay given that it's the 2 best teams in the league.

Getting all four teams in the Eastern Conference in the Eastern time zone and none in the Central time zone from the Western also make for easy/friendly scheduling. 7pm/9:30pm Eastern doubleheaders for games Denver hosts, so no oddly late local start times.

L-Jam3 · Post by **L-Jam3** » Thu Apr 27, 2023 9:34 am

DSafetyGuy wrote: ↑Thu Apr 27, 2023 9:24 am
Rex wrote: ↑Thu Apr 27, 2023 9:15 am The NBA is now on pace to go an incredible 4 for 4 in having the most ratings-friendly second round matchups. Which is the most important thing. Nuggets-Suns is arguable, but I think it will do okay given that it's the 2 best teams in the league.
Getting all four teams in the Eastern Conference in the Eastern time zone and none in the Central time zone from the Western also make for easy/friendly scheduling. 7pm/9:30pm Eastern doubleheaders for games Denver hosts, so no oddly late local start times.

Also the Eastern Conference are two classic rivalries, especially for us who remember 80s (yay!) and 90s (boo!) NBA.

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Thu Apr 27, 2023 9:36 am

IS there a little cart before the horse going on here or did I forget some classic Hawks-Sixers battles?

L-Jam3 · Post by **L-Jam3** » Thu Apr 27, 2023 9:38 am

Bob Pettit vs. Dolph Schayes got all the eyeballs back in the day.

Johnnie · Post by **Johnnie** » Thu Apr 27, 2023 9:51 am

I love Giannis.

Rex · Post by **Rex** » Thu Apr 27, 2023 9:53 am

I like the sentiment, but Jordan thought it was a failure when he lost a party game.

sancarlos · Post by **sancarlos** » Thu Apr 27, 2023 11:28 am

Rex wrote: ↑Thu Apr 27, 2023 9:53 am I like the sentiment, but Jordan thought it was a failure when he lost a party game.

Lots of money riding on those party games.

DSafetyGuy · Post by **DSafetyGuy** » Thu Apr 27, 2023 12:19 pm

L-Jam3 wrote: ↑Thu Apr 27, 2023 9:34 am
DSafetyGuy wrote: ↑Thu Apr 27, 2023 9:24 am
Rex wrote: ↑Thu Apr 27, 2023 9:15 am The NBA is now on pace to go an incredible 4 for 4 in having the most ratings-friendly second round matchups. Which is the most important thing. Nuggets-Suns is arguable, but I think it will do okay given that it's the 2 best teams in the league.
Getting all four teams in the Eastern Conference in the Eastern time zone and none in the Central time zone from the Western also make for easy/friendly scheduling. 7pm/9:30pm Eastern doubleheaders for games Denver hosts, so no oddly late local start times.
Also the Eastern Conference are two classic rivalries, especially for us who remember 80s (yay!) and 90s (boo!) NBA.

With more scoring than the 80's and less... Charles Oakley than the 90's?

Rex · Post by **Rex** » Sun Apr 30, 2023 6:12 pm

INTERN: Hey boss, the Knicks are in this game! We don’t have any bumper footage for that!

PRODUCER: Just go with something from the last time they were good

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Mon May 01, 2023 12:30 pm

So acknowledging that while I've followed the NBA a lot more closely the last year or two than the previous two decades I'm still not super fluent and that I have natural dislike of Philadelphia teams ... is this Embiid stuff known to all and universally exhausting? Every fucking month during the regular season and every playoff series he's sooooooo injured and wow it's going to take a lot for him to play oh look he's going to play but this game started bad so he's limping so everyone knows it or they win and its amazing he gutted that out he's the real MVP. Its like if Jordan had a flu game every other week or something.

Johnnie · Post by **Johnnie** » Mon May 01, 2023 1:37 pm

mister d wrote: ↑Mon May 01, 2023 12:30 pm So acknowledging that while I've followed the NBA a lot more closely the last year or two than the previous two decades I'm still not super fluent and that I have natural dislike of Philadelphia teams ... is this Embiid stuff known to all and universally exhausting? Every fucking month during the regular season and every playoff series he's sooooooo injured and wow it's going to take a lot for him to play oh look he's going to play but this game started bad so he's limping so everyone knows it or they win and its amazing he gutted that out he's the real MVP. Its like if Jordan had a flu game every other week or something.

The sports media universe is playing all sides at the same time all the time and taking every tiny molehill and making it a mountain. They need the clicks and everything is exaggerated.

The games are almost secondary at this point. It isn't even about the matchups and execution of gameplans. It's about everyone getting their opinion out there. And in order to do so you need to be the loudest.

In total, you're not wrong at all.

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Mon May 01, 2023 1:52 pm

Johnnie wrote: ↑Mon May 01, 2023 1:37 pm
mister d wrote: ↑Mon May 01, 2023 12:30 pm So acknowledging that while I've followed the NBA a lot more closely the last year or two than the previous two decades I'm still not super fluent and that I have natural dislike of Philadelphia teams ... is this Embiid stuff known to all and universally exhausting? Every fucking month during the regular season and every playoff series he's sooooooo injured and wow it's going to take a lot for him to play oh look he's going to play but this game started bad so he's limping so everyone knows it or they win and its amazing he gutted that out he's the real MVP. Its like if Jordan had a flu game every other week or something.
The sports media universe is playing all sides at the same time all the time and taking every tiny molehill and making it a mountain. They need the clicks and everything is exaggerated.

The games are almost secondary at this point. It isn't even about the matchups and execution of gameplans. It's about everyone getting their opinion out there. And in order to do so you need to be the loudest.

In total, you're not wrong at all.

I like these parts the best.

L-Jam3 · Post by **L-Jam3** » Mon May 01, 2023 8:51 pm

Tough 24 hours for Boston, eh Swampers?

Johnnie · Post by **Johnnie** » Mon May 01, 2023 8:53 pm

The Celtics are fucking soft.

Edit:

They lost to this tonight:

Reaper · Post by **Reaper** » Mon May 01, 2023 8:54 pm

L-Jam3 wrote: ↑Mon May 01, 2023 8:51 pm Tough 24 hours for Boston, eh Swampers?

I haven't been this NBA invested in 22 years. My kids are way into it though so I've followed suit.

Brontoburglar · Post by **Brontoburglar** » Wed May 03, 2023 1:01 pm

Johnnie wrote: ↑Mon May 01, 2023 1:37 pm
The sports media universe is playing all sides at the same time all the time and taking every tiny molehill and making it a mountain. They need the clicks and everything is exaggerated.

The games are almost secondary at this point. It isn't even about the matchups and execution of gameplans. It's about everyone getting their opinion out there. And in order to do so you need to be the loudest.

In total, you're not wrong at all.

Johnnie wrote: ↑Mon May 01, 2023 8:53 pm The Celtics are fucking soft.

Edit:

They lost to this tonight:

the top post juxtaposed with the second post here and the nfl memes post with the inappropriate caption in the other thread sums up perfectly why the take economy thrives like it does. people love opinions -- bad or good -- and love sharing their own. the opinions garner the attention they do because it's what people like and want.

that's not a defense of the take economy either. I've got lots of issues with it. it's just the simple truth.

L-Jam3 · Post by **L-Jam3** » Wed May 03, 2023 8:55 pm

Between losing on a walk-off grand slam followed by this decimation, the last three hours has been one continual punch in the balls.

Ryan · Post by **Ryan** » Wed May 03, 2023 9:18 pm

AKA the PJ Tucker

rass · Post by **rass** » Fri May 05, 2023 9:03 pm

Johnnie · Post by **Johnnie** » Fri May 05, 2023 9:51 pm

Draymond Green in shambles.

DSafetyGuy · Post by **DSafetyGuy** » Sat May 06, 2023 7:51 am

From the regular season thread:

DSafetyGuy wrote: ↑Sat Mar 11, 2023 3:43 amI think Durant can play with anyone. It's in large part a function of him being an elite scorer and very good wing defender as opposed to a primary ball handler because what he does can easily blend in. This is not to say someone like LeBron, Giannis, or Jokic couldn't, but what Durant's on-court role is helps make it easier. And he's so good at that he does, it tilts a lot of things on the floor for the benefit his teammates.

In the three games Durant suited up for Phoenix, Devin Booker averaged 36 points per game on 56% FG and 50% from three (25 FGA per game). It's obviously very small sample and Booker is a tremendous scorer, anyway, but Durant's presence just opens up the entire offensive end.

It has only been eight games, but Booker has gone nuclear in the playoffs: 36.9 points, 6.9 assists, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.1 steals per game and is one three and two free throws shy of shooting 60/50/90. He had 47 points last night (second time in the postseason) on 20/25 shooting from the field and nine assists last night.

HaulCitgo · Post by **HaulCitgo** » Sat May 06, 2023 11:00 am

But isn't that why you don't have to go get Durant and trade away all hope of help for the rest of the decade. They're not getting anything for Paul.

Johnnie · Post by **Johnnie** » Sat May 06, 2023 4:17 pm

Are tickets to a Heat home game expensive or are there better things to do on a Saturday in Miami?

Edit:

Nevermind. Must have been some long concession lines or something.

DSafetyGuy · Post by **DSafetyGuy** » Sat May 06, 2023 4:46 pm

HaulCitgo wrote: ↑Sat May 06, 2023 11:00 am But isn't that why you don't have to go get Durant and trade away all hope of help for the rest of the decade. They're not getting anything for Paul.

I would posit that having Durant, who demands the opponent's best wing defender, makes Booker's life a hell of a lot easier and he is responding in kind. As a tandem, they make the Suns a legit title contender now with Paul just playing like the 38-year-old he is. Not trading for Durant would have left them with one true star player and no path to a second one, unless Mikal Bridges was still going to take about three steps forward (and he turns 27 before next season). Ayton ain't it.