2021 NBA Playoffs

[Brothahorn 10087]

How can the MIP not have improved enough to be a factor in the playoffs?

[Underdog 28795]

He's tanking imo.  Someone check his bank account for any suspicious deposits.  

[Zeus 6171]

Draymond "nut kicker" Green in Barleys seat? Yikes

[Patrick Bateman 3933]

2 hours ago, Blotto said:

Not to me. Harden may be the more  skilled player, but he's also  kind of a fuckstick. neither of of them have a finals appearance, so relatively  little postseason  success for both. They met one time in the playoffs ('14) in a season where it was  a 4(houston)/5(portland) matchup and portland won 4-2. 

They are both great players who have never been on great teams. comparable career stats. I just happen to think Dame is more of  leader then Harden will ever be, which counts in my book. 

Again, looking at top line numbers will lead you to a ton of faulty conclusions.  And I'm not advocating simply looking at advanced metrics either, but they certainly will give you a much better comprehensive picture to how a player is producing towards winning basketball.

Rk	Player	From	To	G	MP	PER	TS	3PAr	FTr	ORB%	DRB%	TRB%	AST%	STL%	BLK%	TOV%	USG%		OWS	DWS	WS	WS/48		OBPM	DBPM	BPM	VORP
1	James Harden	2010	2021	133	4704	23.3	.591	.456	.488	2.4	14.8	8.6	30.5	2.5	1.3	14.7	29.3		13.5	4.8	18.3	.186		5.5	1.6	7.1	10.8
2	Damian Lillard	2014	2021	60	2415	19.7	.561	.441	.339	1.9	10.2	6.0	26.3	1.4	0.6	11.9	28.0		5.0	0.7	5.7	.114		5.1	-0.8	4.4	3.8

Harden is a better basketball player, even in the playoffs when he's had some notable failures.  

 

[Machinator 32099]

 

[Patrick Bateman 3933]

2 minutes ago, Machinator said:

 

Fucking terrible ownership.  First Abe Pollin, a fucking terrible loser and now Leonsis, who is marginally better.

 

[Underdog 28795]

Kevin Grevey isn't walking through that door. 

[PittsburghTiger 6209]

The Knicks should have just forfeited tonight. The effort is bad.

[Prepuce of Doom 21110]

Do you think that Trae Young looks any different when he first wakes up in the morning? 

[shadow_operative 15932]

haven't watched any of the game, just went and checked the box score, and uh, it looks like Utah is off to a good start.

 

[shadow_operative 15932]

and this was the live feed from the NYK game when i went to check the app:

 

oh, just your everyday, casual 32-foot jumper. cool, cool, cool cool cool no doubt no doubt...

Edited June 3, 2021 by shadow_operative

[GSU&UT 1798]

As a Hawks fan that was quite satisfying to see. Anything else after this gravy considering how rough they looked before Nate McMillan took over.

[MNLonghornFUKM 8822]

Good job Memphis. Almost gave up 50 in quarter 1, already down 20

[Machinator 32099]

 

[Machinator 32099]

 

[Mole 4333]

4 hours ago, Blotto said:

Not to me. Harden may be the more  skilled player, but he's also  kind of a fuckstick. neither of of them have a finals appearance, so relatively  little postseason  success for both.

I know it was pretty forgettable, but:

[Machinator 32099]

 

[aggie08 21557]

Man, big Cancun night tonight.

[Wulaw Horn 19153]

9 minutes ago, aggie08 said:

Man, big Cancun night tonight.

Yep. If the Mavs lose tonight feel like they might as well make their reservations. 

[shadow_operative 15932]

11 minutes ago, Machinator said:

 

 

lol holy shit @ that 2003 Mavs lineup. 

[Blotto 23585]

35 minutes ago, Mole said:

I know it was pretty forgettable, but:

what a chump.....couldnt even win with KD and Westbrook. forgot about that one obviously.

[Wulaw Horn 19153]

Dallas with the unravel here in the last 2 minutes and let off the hook when Batum misses the bunny. Will they be smarter than Mike Malone and foul up 3?  They should. Feel like Carlisle will. 

[Machinator 32099]

Cuban should remove fans from the AAC just for Game 6.

[Wulaw Horn 19153]

43 minutes ago, Blotto said:

what a chump.....couldnt even win with KD and Westbrook. forgot about that one obviously.

Not sure if trolling or absurd but that OKC team was a couple years ahead of Schedule and it was borderline shocking they beat a San Antonio team that was on a 20 game win streak. harden was awesome in the western finals to get them there and then he was putrid in the finals when Miami decided they were going to key on him and stop him and let KD and Russ get theirs. 
they were babies in 2011. 
Breaking up that team over $5,000,000 over 4 years for Harden was borderline criminal. 

Edited June 3, 2021 by Wulaw Horn

[Machinator 32099]

 

[aggie08 21557]

5 hours ago, dcar00 said:

yeah so I'm on NBA threads so fuck you.  LeBron/LeFlop and the Lakers are bitches.

Apologies where apologies are due. Never visited the Mavs' thread until tonight. I had you confused with the handful of one-time posters who ruined last year's already lukewarm playoff thread with political bitching about messages on jerseys and China memes. You actually watch and enjoy the sport. My bad, sincerely. 

[shadow_operative 15932]

3 minutes ago, aggie08 said:

Apologies where apologies are due. Never visited the Mavs' thread until tonight. I had you confused with the handful of one-time posters who ruined last year's already lukewarm playoff thread with political bitching about messages on jerseys and China memes. You actually watch and enjoy the sport. My bad, sincerely. 

fuck that noise, are you guys gonna fight or what? 

[Wulaw Horn 19153]

2 minutes ago, shadow_operative said:

fuck that noise, are you guys gonna fight or what? 

They are going to fuck. Keep up Derka. Keep up. 

[Machinator 32099]

 

[MoJames 8256]

fuck that noise, are you guys gonna fight or what? 

Yeah well fuck you.

[Wulaw Horn 19153]

7 minutes ago, aggie08 said:

Apologies where apologies are due. Never visited the Mavs' thread until tonight. I had you confused with the handful of one-time posters who ruined last year's already lukewarm playoff thread with political bitching about messages on jerseys and China memes. You actually watch and enjoy the sport. My bad, sincerely. 

LBJ’s politics should be mocked though, in the same way that so much of what he does should be mocked (and I think I’m probably about equal to you in being a Lebron defender). He does so much good for the community (just like he’s so amazing at basketball) but the hypocrisy on the China thing was beyond absurd. He gets to say whatever he wants (intentionally) regardless of if it costs the league money, but he berated Morey for more or less thoughtlessly/unintentionally doing the same. His hypocrisy bugs people and causes them/allows them to ignore all the vast good he does, just like the drama of it all associates with his play on the court causes people to overlook how amazing he is. 
I think it’s stupid people can’t see past that and consider- he’s a pretty decent human and an incredible player that has some traits that really grate (but then again who doesn’t), but it is what it is and people really don’t like hypocrisy. 
I think Lebron is 10 times the human that MJ is, but he’s so Millenial and that just drives the Xers nuts. I like millennials and think they are great while continuously rolling my eyes at them when they go overboard. I think the guys heart is in the right place he’s just really self absorbed about what he’s into and can’t see beyond that. 
Jordon was essentially a sociopath programmed to embarrass and destroy. People dig that more than hypocrisy or whining even though it’s way uglier. 

[Machinator 32099]

 

[aggie08 21557]

8 minutes ago, Wulaw Horn said:

LBJ’s politics should be mocked though, in the same way that so much of what he does should be mocked (and I think I’m probably about equal to you in being a Lebron defender). He does so much good for the community (just like he’s so amazing at basketball) but the hypocrisy on the China thing was beyond absurd. He gets to say whatever he wants (intentionally) regardless of if it costs the league money, but he berated Morey for more or less thoughtlessly/unintentionally doing the same. His hypocrisy bugs people and causes them/allows them to ignore all the vast good he does, just like the drama of it all associates with his play on the court causes people to overlook how amazing he is. 
I think it’s stupid people can’t see past that and consider- he’s a pretty decent human and an incredible player that has some traits that really grate (but then again who doesn’t), but it is what it is and people really don’t like hypocrisy. 
I think Lebron is 10 times the human that MJ is, but he’s so Millenial and that just drives the Xers nuts. I like millennials and think they are great while continuously rolling my eyes at them when they go overboard. I think the guys heart is in the right place he’s just really self absorbed about what he’s into and can’t see beyond that. 
Jordon was essentially a sociopath programmed to embarrass and destroy. People dig that more than hypocrisy or whining even though it’s way uglier. 

And he was widely and justifiably mocked and derided for his hypocrisy...in 2019. Since then (well, actually starting in 2017 with his bum comment), he's definitely had a brand new, angry, non-basketball fan contingent waiting around for he and the NBA to fail.

I prefer when the mocking comes from his flopping or his hairline, not misplaced real anger.

Sorry for the derail. Carry on.

[LTtxfan 49378]

Both LA teams on the verge of possibly losing their 1st Round Series... 

[dcar00 14380]

37 minutes ago, Wulaw Horn said:

LBJ’s politics should be mocked though, in the same way that so much of what he does should be mocked (and I think I’m probably about equal to you in being a Lebron defender). He does so much good for the community (just like he’s so amazing at basketball) but the hypocrisy on the China thing was beyond absurd. He gets to say whatever he wants (intentionally) regardless of if it costs the league money, but he berated Morey for more or less thoughtlessly/unintentionally doing the same. His hypocrisy bugs people and causes them/allows them to ignore all the vast good he does, just like the drama of it all associates with his play on the court causes people to overlook how amazing he is. 
I think it’s stupid people can’t see past that and consider- he’s a pretty decent human and an incredible player that has some traits that really grate (but then again who doesn’t), but it is what it is and people really don’t like hypocrisy. 
I think Lebron is 10 times the human that MJ is, but he’s so Millenial and that just drives the Xers nuts. I like millennials and think they are great while continuously rolling my eyes at them when they go overboard. I think the guys heart is in the right place he’s just really self absorbed about what he’s into and can’t see beyond that. 
Jordon was essentially a sociopath programmed to embarrass and destroy. People dig that more than hypocrisy or whining even though it’s way uglier. 

well that and the flopping and he's a Laker so fuck him...

[DonkeyCigars 143]

34 minutes ago, aggie08 said:

And he was widely and justifiably mocked and derided for his hypocrisy...in 2019. Since then (well, actually starting in 2017 with his bum comment), he's definitely had a brand new, angry, non-basketball fan contingent waiting around for he and the NBA to fail.

I prefer when the mocking comes from his flopping or his hairline, not misplaced real anger.

Sorry for the derail. Carry on.

He also was widely mocked, and rightly so, for stupid tweets and doubling down on stupid tweets about a girl about to stab someone. That rubbed a lot of people the wrong way.

[Pam Cummings 9684]

5 hours ago, aggie08 said:

And he was widely and justifiably mocked and derided for his hypocrisy...in 2019. Since then (well, actually starting in 2017 with his bum comment), he's definitely had a brand new, angry, non-basketball fan contingent waiting around for he and the NBA to fail.

I prefer when the mocking comes from his flopping or his hairline, not misplaced real anger.

Sorry for the derail. Carry on.

But what does Ja Rule think?

Edited June 3, 2021 by Pam Cummings

[ztejas 43547]

Man that's an ugly 42 from Luka. Got the job done though. Thats 3 games now in this series that Dallas has won where the Clippers were favored by at least 5 points. 

[Vic Mackey 47168]

Rondo after the Kawhi airball that could have tied the game lmao

[Wulaw Horn 19153]

6 hours ago, aggie08 said:

And he was widely and justifiably mocked and derided for his hypocrisy...in 2019. Since then (well, actually starting in 2017 with his bum comment), he's definitely had a brand new, angry, non-basketball fan contingent waiting around for he and the NBA to fail.

I prefer when the mocking comes from his flopping or his hairline, not misplaced real anger.

Sorry for the derail. Carry on.

Yeah I get it. And like I said I like Lebron more than many bc the whole package is a definite positive. But what Donkey said on the jump to conclusions and double down tweets is right to. 
For me what is irksome is he paints himself as thoughtful and a social conscience but he isn’t thoughtful- he’s so up in his world view that he has a knee jerk reaction all the time, and when presented with evidence he doesn’t say “my bad”. Those tweets were a great example of that. But that doesn’t make him sinister or unique, just like 90% of social media and message boards. 

[Underdog 28795]

Rather disappointing end to the season for the Knicks.  They may have overachieved but GD they got stomped on like Sherman through Atlanta. 

[Mitch Cumsteen 18594]

What is irksome is derailing the playoffs thread with Lebrons social media and political crap. 

So much better stuff to discuss like how terrible the mavs supporting cast is, yet they are one game from closing out the Clippers. That may be the worst team in the league sans Luka. Like Philly process level bad. Porzingis gets shit on but I think the guy's knees are shot. If you look back at his film when he came in the league, he was one of the best running big men ever. Getting out on the break, weakside help D out of nowhere and dropping threes in transition. He just can't move like he did.

Hardaway and Brunson are solid, and Boban should win some sort of Nobel prize for awesomeness, but my lord the rest of that roster could be swapped out for g leaguers and I don't think anyone would notice. 

I just don't know how you win a playoff series against a talented Clippers team when literally every possession is Luka making chicken salad. But they are doing it because he's that fucking good. They have got to find someone this offseason who can create some offense and take some of the burden off of him. I don't know if I've seen a bigger one man show since Lebron's first Cleveland stint. 

[LurkingHorn 1072]

15 minutes ago, Mitch Cumsteen said:

What is irksome is derailing the playoffs thread with Lebrons social media and political crap. 

So much better stuff to discuss like how terrible the mavs supporting cast is, yet they are one game from closing out the Clippers. That may be the worst team in the league sans Luka. Like Philly process level bad. Porzingis gets shit on but I think the guy's knees are shot. If you look back at his film when he came in the league, he was one of the best running big men ever. Getting out on the break, weakside help D out of nowhere and dropping threes in transition. He just can't move like he did.

Hardaway and Brunson are solid, and Boban should win some sort of Nobel prize for awesomeness, but my lord the rest of that roster could be swapped out for g leaguers and I don't think anyone would notice. 

I just don't know how you win a playoff series against a talented Clippers team when literally every possession is Luka making chicken salad. But they are doing it because he's that fucking good. They have got to find someone this offseason who can create some offense and take some of the burden off of him. I don't know if I've seen a bigger one man show since Lebron's first Cleveland stint. 

I honestly don't know who is out there in FA that fits. It's going to have to be via trade and I just don't know if I see it. It would be nice if Hardaway would take a team-friendly deal so they can add more pieces. 

[Hate 20146]

Rondo after the Kawhi airball that could have tied the game lmao

I didn’t watch a second of the game, but knowing that Kawhi air balled a potential game tying shot in a loss makes me very happy.

[SilasCoade 2622]

1 minute ago, Hate said:

I didn’t watch a second of the game, but knowing that Kawhi air balled a potential game tying shot in a loss makes me very happy.

It was an unnecessarily bad shot. Still had time to work and just tossed up a contested 3 without any sort of rhythm. They were only in it b/c Luka went ice cold in the 4th though.

[Pam Cummings 9684]

Street clothes needs to just say he's playing no matter what. Get out there and Willis Reed that shit if you have to. I just think he comes off as so soft.

[Catdaddyhorn 3448]

1 hour ago, Mitch Cumsteen said:

What is irksome is derailing the playoffs thread with Lebrons social media and political crap. 

So much better stuff to discuss like how terrible the mavs supporting cast is, yet they are one game from closing out the Clippers. That may be the worst team in the league sans Luka. Like Philly process level bad. Porzingis gets shit on but I think the guy's knees are shot. If you look back at his film when he came in the league, he was one of the best running big men ever. Getting out on the break, weakside help D out of nowhere and dropping threes in transition. He just can't move like he did.

Hardaway and Brunson are solid, and Boban should win some sort of Nobel prize for awesomeness, but my lord the rest of that roster could be swapped out for g leaguers and I don't think anyone would notice. 

I just don't know how you win a playoff series against a talented Clippers team when literally every possession is Luka making chicken salad. But they are doing it because he's that fucking good. They have got to find someone this offseason who can create some offense and take some of the burden off of him. I don't know if I've seen a bigger one man show since Lebron's first Cleveland stint. 

You don't have to look back much further than just last year. His last full game in the bubble against the Clippers Porzingis dropped 35pts and like 10+ rebounds. Until his recent bout of injuries KP was easily the most agile 7'2"+ player the league had ever seen . He's clearly either still suffering the affects of his knee surgery or is overly cautious because of it. He had a similar meniscus injury to the one Jaren Jackson of the Grizzlies suffered yet not only did KP suffer the injury more recently than Jackson, but he came back like 3 or 4 months earlier than him as well. I'm hoping against all hope that Porzingis will regain his fluidity and confidence because if he ever does the Mavs are gonna be a serious problem. At the very least I want him to regain his level play sufficiently enough to become a tradeable commodity so that the Mavs can receive something close to equal value in return.  

[ztejas 43547]

You look at Porzingis and Embiid and while they're a bit taller and heavier it makes it a bit more incredible that Durant at 6'11" tore his Achilles on the wrong side of 30, didn't play for two years and through 4 games was leading the playoffs in scoring again on obscene shooting %s. He also missed half the regular season with hamstring issues. And he's routinely going 38-40 minutes putting up 35+ while being their best and most versatile player on D.

But he's a snake and joined the Ws so it's not even a story. 

[threesheets 1677]

3 hours ago, ztejas said:

Man that's an ugly 42 from Luka. Got the job done though. 

You didn't tune in 'til the fourth huh.

[DonkeyCigars 143]

1 hour ago, Mitch Cumsteen said:

What is irksome is derailing the playoffs thread with Lebrons social media and political crap. 

So much better stuff to discuss like how terrible the mavs supporting cast is, yet they are one game from closing out the Clippers. That may be the worst team in the league sans Luka. Like Philly process level bad. Porzingis gets shit on but I think the guy's knees are shot. If you look back at his film when he came in the league, he was one of the best running big men ever. Getting out on the break, weakside help D out of nowhere and dropping threes in transition. He just can't move like he did.

Hardaway and Brunson are solid, and Boban should win some sort of Nobel prize for awesomeness, but my lord the rest of that roster could be swapped out for g leaguers and I don't think anyone would notice. 

I just don't know how you win a playoff series against a talented Clippers team when literally every possession is Luka making chicken salad. But they are doing it because he's that fucking good. They have got to find someone this offseason who can create some offense and take some of the burden off of him. I don't know if I've seen a bigger one man show since Lebron's first Cleveland stint. 

I agree with all of this, but especially the bold.

Boban is an awesome human being but I struggle with the idea that the tallest man in the league (who actually plays, unlike Tacko Fall) can get outrebounded and drove on/scored on with consistency while being horrible on perimeter defense and giving KL free 2 points if he's one on one. Would rather have Zubac than Boban on the court (no offense to his popularity because I agree he's awesome person).

Also, as exciting as this is, and I hope we beat the Clippers, I just can't imagine beating another team with weapons. Luka needs help and he needs his front office to support him and invest in the help as an investment into him and his career. If he can't get that, he's 1000% justified in leaving in the interest of both winning and his career, IMO.