Griffin out for the rest of the playoffs. Damnit. That team is seriously cursed.

Now GSW have an easy route to conference finals. I wanted them to struggle and wear down, so that either the Rockets or Spurs would have a better chance.

Side note: Leonard had a divine performance tonight. Grizzlies still pulled through at the buzzer though.

It's going to be another rematch.

Lots of these NBA dudes purposefully lean out. Steph looks way more jacked back in his younger days versus now. Lebron is lean as well but the illusion is he is jacked as all the rest of the NBA guys prefer to be more cut. You don't need the mass anymore to body people in the paint, nobody is able to clutch and grab and bash you around so the focus is now is on agility and spread versus power.

That is bad news for the Clippers. The series with the Jazz was looking good to go 7 games. It has been a good match up. I'm not happy about Rondo's injury as well. You see now how Chicago struggles to get flow on offence with Rondo not setting things up. I don't line when injury happens in the playoffs. It's a buzzkill as you just want teams to go at it.

The Raptors, now back to grinding things out after the backs were up against the wall. Finally Coach Casey gets over his damn self and starts Powell who did not load up the box score but was very impressive in doing the little things in both ends of the floor. His speed and ability to tighten up space lead to Middleton being a non-factor, Gianas couldn't find a groove as Tucker could commit to him on defence. It was an ugly game but the Raptors are an ugly team. If you are going to go stone mill and grind out a game they will more times than not best you. We can lock down on Defence when all bodies commit. Are bipolar scoring is what does is in far to many games. The next move is to put the pressure back in the Bucks as we need to win Game 5 now to get the young Bucks sweating.

Watching the Toronto and Cleveland game, now I see what Kosko was talking about. These idiots shoot shots like my rockets do, except they don't have the field goal percentage to do that. So now they are mad crazy behind and cannot even knock down a simple 2 point shot to save their lives. They also play panicked and cannot get wide open looks because Cleveland plays solid defense.

If you are a Toronto fan that shit has to be frustrating, because that is the coach fault 100%.

Oh my God they are terrible. They don't help each other in the paint and end up isolated and double teamed. They are still shooting threes too. The sad thing is that they get turnovers but cannot convert it to points.

It would not be a bad bet to bet on Toronto getting swept. That's how bad they look.

Toronto always looks panicked and deer eyed in Game 1. I thought Cleveland would have rust but they pounced on Toronto's ADHD in the starting frame.

I noticed JV was able to get to the rim very quickly with the additional space from Ibaka spreading. JV had butter fingers and could not convert but he was able to get good looks at the basket. I don't know why they did not try to just punish it inside with Ibaka and JV, I don't think Cleveland would have the size to match up and it would force Lebron to play closer to the paint and keep him away from the fast breaks off the misses.

When the guys miss shots the game gets ugly quickly and then they have to dig themselves out. They also never double down on what they are good at, or what seems to work well.

Patterson needs a big series. Waste minutes jacking up shots and missing them all. If he makes 35% of his shots the Raptors only are down 3 after it is said and done.

Toronto came out very flat as per usual. They will make adjustments and play better in Game 2, this is just how they operate. Cleveland was feeling themselves too much., they still gave up 100+ points to a Raptors team that could not make any shots. Cleveland's bench almost let our scrubs get back into it as well. The whole game was a love fest with TNT stroking Lebron the whole game.

Speaking of Love, we have to shut this guy down. No reason JR smith should be having some good looks as well. Lebron and Kyrie are not the problems. Both can score 50 and the Cavs still loose a game; Lebron still having to play 40+ minutes each game. We need to lock down Kevin Love as he has bent us over each time.

I think the adjustments can be made for Game 3. Cavs are exposed in the sense that you know what they will run at you. They don't have a lot of flexability with lineups and thier bench is suspect.

This stuff is unwatchable, even the Cleveland fans are not into it.

Even though the Cavaliers came out on fire in the first two games, I still don't see them sweeping the Raptors. They will win at least one games at home.

However, Celtics and Wizards has the potential to go seven games, potentially giving the Cavaliers additional rest.

Raptors are a joke and will prolly get murdered.

Spurs and Rockets at one a piece. Should be an excellent series.

Spurs stumbled the past few years, so they got a chip on their shoulder. But this is also the best Rockets team in recent memory. Plus, Harden.

Which way will it go?

It would have been easy money to bet on the Spurs last night. No way in hell Popovich would get clowned two games in a row, you knew he was going to prepare his team to put the beat down on.

The dynamic changes now with Parker out. He is like 35 but he does important little things well and he has been playing well in these playoffs.

Thoughts on those $500 Lonzo Ball sneaks?

I hope the spurs beat the warriors somehow. I would love to see manu win another one.

So with Leonard out Harden decided to take the night off as well?

What a shitty showing for such a big game. Harden is annoying as be sometimes.

I an happy the Rockets are out. Video game shit jacking up so many 3s all the time. I don't care about the math of percentages on it, overall, it just makes for shitty basketball and allows the Rockets to run lazy offence 90% of the time. It got old quick.

Now we got two elite teams to go slug it out. Warriors vs Spurs will be legendary.

(05-12-2017 12:17 AM)kosko Wrote:  So with Leonard out Harden decided to take the night off as well?

What a shitty showing for such a big game. Harden is annoying as be sometimes.

I an happy the Rockets are out. Video game shit jacking up so many 3s all the time. I don't care about the math of percentages on it, overall, it just makes for shitty basketball and allows the Rockets to run lazy offence 90% of the time. It got old quick.

Now we got two elite teams to go slug it out. Warriors vs Spurs will be legendary.

As a Rockets fan, I feel like I am the only one in Houston that absolutely hates the way they play basketball. That's not the game I grew up playing nor the way I was taught. Shooting 3s non-stop is not sound fundamental basketball. Taking easy 2 buckets keep you in range for when you get turnovers, you can close gaps. There is never anything wrong with a layup. Their ball movement is terrible too. Looks like children playing pickup with thugs from the neighborhood that took a break from selling dope, talking about they wanna hoop for an hour. Getting boxed out and cannot pass to someone open because they willingly allow themselves to get isolated because they want to shoot a 3 pointer so badly. Stupid shit. If Pop and those vets know to box you out on threes, forcing you to make 2 pointers, they know your arrogant team won't adjust and go for 2s. I hate Darryl Morey's bullshit GM style. All this analytics bullcrap about averages and 3s, when basketball is an artform, not a hard science. If someone wanted to get me to train fighters using fight analytics I would tell them to fuck off. I can watch film on an opponent and write a book on what he is doing. I don't need punch statistics to know he favors a certain punch or angle over another.

Coach Pop has always done alot with very little because he is huge on fundamentals. People say it's boring basketball, but he has all those rings as proof that it works.

I don't think my Spurs can beat Lebron and the Cavs. Talent like that, with sound fundamentals, is better than what they have. If Tim was still on the team and in his prime, they could take a run at them. Tony is old and injured, so it's not likely. Shit they probably cannot get past GS. Can they even win 1 or 2 games against them? Who knows.

Houston got rocked! How come Harden still has a full beard when it's clear he's into shaving..points that is! That last game looked suspicious as fcuk. For a seasoned guy like me, who has been watching stuff for a long time, I know a rat when I smell one. James tossed that last game and it would only convince rookie eyes.

Let's not take away from Aldridge's performance last night though. And the bench guys pulling more than their weight.

I really, really hope Kawhi is healthy. Sit him G1 if needed. But I hope he's in good shape for most of the series. I'd like to see the Warriors tested and worn down before the almost inevitable repeat of last year's finals.

Who knows, though. Spurs are the most adaptable team in the league. They got blown out at home in their first game against Houston, and eventually won G6 on the road without two key players because they shut down the offence while stepping up their game.

(04-23-2017 01:05 AM)captain_shane Wrote:  

This picture bugs me every time I open this thread. Whose face was combined with Curry's in the picture?

Here's the original:

^^^

(05-12-2017 02:55 PM)Corollary Wrote:  

(04-23-2017 01:05 AM)captain_shane Wrote:  

This picture bugs me every time I open this thread. Whose face was combined with Curry's in the picture?

I think they just gave Curry this dude's chin:

That little bitch James Harden has been getting ripped all day! What a choke artist. He vanished like David Blaine. MVP my ass!

How about that triple from Wall, with 7 seconds to go, facing elimination to win it and force game 7?

Contender for best moment of the playoffs so far.

That shot from Wall was big time. Game 7 will be interesting. I think Boston will bounce back though.

The best moment of the playoffs so far is definitely ginobili's block.

Great come from behind win for GS. Curry was a beast with 40 while Durant needs to step it up. Klay needs to get his shot back. Good team effort. Durant has to be more aggressive against Kawi.

Spurs played well and will be a tuff matchup. If Kawi is out, I don't think Aldridge can carry them.

Cavs are sitting back on a 2 week vacation and then will have little to no competition in the eastern finals as usual. It will be tough for either GS or the Spurs to beat the roster that the Cavs have assembled.