The 2016-2017 NBA basketball thread

[ode1]

Raptors/Bucks needs to be watched at really low volume, otherwise the sound of balls hitting the rim really hard can be distracting

 

It has been an ugly series, 1 decent game, the others have been lopsided, poorly played games. Toronto at least has a few players who are savy in Lowry and Derozan, they can draw a foul...the Bucks have no one that can do that.

 

I hope Cleveland sweeps whoever wins, so I don't have to watch either of these teams another game. The East is a joke, less the hope that Cleveland will step it up in the finals.

[MtlJeff]

There was an odd swishing sound tonight. I've watched every raptors playoff game the last 4 years and it was very unfamiliar. Not sure what it was or what caused it

[ode1]

They got on a roll and it did not stop. The defense optional Bucks were out in full force....I can see they are trying to make them a jump shooting team with all the help.....I don't know if they have enough offense to win two more games unless Toronto lays down. At least the Bucks got 3 home playoff games, that will help going into next year, with some hype. Hopefully they will have a strong year next, as the new arena is opening the year after.

[MtlJeff]

Having Parker with a healthy Middleton will be really nice for them. Assuming the three of them are ok next year that's a really long team when you factor brogdon in too.

 

Parker doesn't contest shots at the basket well, but he's not a bad one on one defender. He's just lazy with help. But the guy can really score

[ode1]

I'm not holding out much hope for Parker, two times with the same knee, although he is supposed to be progressing nicely in rehab. On paper they look good next year.....my fear is they gel with Brogdon, Middleton, Giannis, Thon, and Parker and bamb, Parker is gone with another knee injury......good news is they were 20-10 in the last 30, and they have shown they are a solid team without him.

[HoosierHacker89]

I am so frustrated with my pacers. they played a horrible series.

[sharkiesj]

Last night GS-Portland game was brutal. Never thought I'd see a team have nearly a 30 point deficit, in the first quarter. Game was over before anybody was sweatin..

[MtlJeff]

This is probably the first time I can remember where I'm more interested in the early playoff rounds. The Warriors really ruined this season they are so stacked. I'm interested in seeing some teams potential and how certain guys play. There is also value for some teams in making the conference finals or finals.

 

But barring injury this is likely a warriors slaughter the whole way through

[Peanut191]

This is probably the first time I can remember where I'm more interested in the early playoff rounds. The Warriors really ruined this season they are so stacked. I'm interested in seeing some teams potential and how certain guys play. There is also value for some teams in making the conference finals or finals.

 

But barring injury this is likely a warriors slaughter the whole way through

 

I agree. I don't see how anyone will be able to compete with GS for 7 games, not even Cleveland. They didn't really have much trouble even in the games where Durant sat in the Portland series.

[MtlJeff]

Watching the Thunder tonight sucks again. It's hard because i know where people are coming from with the Thunder's issues i just have a hard time blaming Westbrook. He hasn't shot well down the stretch (for the season his crunch time metrics are very good but in this series they suck), but so much of the offense just changes in the 4th quarter. The first few quarters they run screens, there's actions, there's cuts etc....

 

The 4th quarter they just give the ball to him and get out of the way and things fall apart. Is it him demanding this? Is Donovan doing this? The same actions are not present, they don't even run a ton of real pick and rolls. In the last 4-5 minutes of this game (there's 3 left) the offense is barely a high school offense. Usually Roberson or Abrines setting a screen and then lazily moving to the 3pt line, no threat as a cutter. And Russell ends up playing one on one ball with no one else moving

 

What's causing this? Do teammates not want to shoot? Does Westbrook not want them to shoot? Does Donovan want 100% Russell based offense? Westbrook is 0-5 in the 4th and i don't really blame him for putting the shots up. No one else is doing anything, and it's by design from the looks of it....Who is calling these plays?

 

It's just a terrible offense down the stretch. It's hard to wrap my head around it.

 

It's unfortunate that his shooting has been so bad this 4th quarter because everyone will write about that tomorrow and probably make it seem like he was some maverick gunning them out of the series. I just see nothing else from this team by design

[Peanut191]

Doesn't make sense that Donovan would want to run that offense. Not sure if Russell would have the power to make that call, but I do know that the Thunder sure don't want to lose him in free agency. I know that's a little tin foil hat conspiracy theory, but it's not as crazy as that offense they are running in the 4th qtr.

 

Game got really ugly there in the 4th qtr when Harden and Westbrook decided to start ramming into people and throwing the ball awkwardly at the rim to get foul calls. Just a disgrace. These two teams can play so beautifully sometimes, but I just can't stand it when they resort to that nonsense.

 

Anyone else notice that Quinn Snyder is starting to turn into Willem Dafoe?

[xxio]

The only way GS loses is if Kerr doesn't come back. There is a slight chance of losing due to being out coached.

[MtlJeff]

Without Kerr and with a hobbled Durant, they are still probably the favourite against anyone but maybe Rockets, spurs or Cavs make it a series

[F171615]

It's just an extension/variation of the Durant "raking" move.

 

The league is really offense biased.

 

Hard to find the balance.

 

How offense biased are we now: when Hoiberg made his comments about IT blatantly cheating to create an offensive advantage, we all just laughed at him like he's crazy for complaining about someone obviously cheating to give himself an unfair advantage to score.

[xxio]

 

 

No excitement in watching a 92-86 average playoff score.

 

Scoring sells tickets, merchandise, air time, commercials, jerseys, booble heads, argyle socks..

[F171615]

No excitement in watching a 92-86 average playoff score.

 

Scoring sells tickets, merchandise, air time, commercials, jerseys, booble heads, argyle socks..

 

Why don't you have an argyle sock monkey

 

[MtlJeff]

I think the second round of the playoffs....if all goes well, will be my NBA highlight of the season.

 

-Washington and Boston might end in a murder

-Toronto has potential and depth to give Cleveland some problems, though as a Raptors lover and skeptic i don't trust them. But i'll be on the edge of my seat. At least i know PJ Tucker is going to give Lebron everything he has

-Rockets/Spurs is going to be a very fun series with contrasting styles. And another series of top 3 MVP candidates who will match up sometimes

-Time to find out how legit Utah is. Golden State will win the series of course, but how competitive Utah makes the games will be a sign of how good they can be long term

[ode1]

wtf is wrong with khris middleton? The guy looks like he is on his death bed on the court!

[MtlJeff]

Phew, if Raptors had lost after that terrible no-call it would've been a crime

[ode1]

Lol, yeah that was pretty bad.

[Bob Cat]

I am so frustrated with my pacers. they played a horrible series.

 

Our Pacers franchise's only hope is that the ABA comes back and dilutes pro basketball enough to make them relevant again.

 

On a side note, I must say, the amount of whining by players after every call is out of control and I blame Lebron.

[HoosierHacker89]

I am so frustrated with my pacers. they played a horrible series.

 

Our Pacers franchise's only hope is that the ABA comes back and dilutes pro basketball enough to make them relevant again.

 

On a side note, I must say, the amount of whining by players after every call is out of control and I blame Lebron.

 

The pacers will never be able to win without being willing to go into the luxury tax. the simons are cheap and it shows. I feel like the refs never help the pacers out either.

[MtlJeff]

I loved the pacers of a few years ago. The 49-33 team that had the best starting 5 numerically in the league. PG/Lance /hill /west/Hibbert.

 

They were bad MF'S. Took the heat to the limit too

[devinh821]

I really think West leaving hurt them. Granted he doesn't play at the high level as he used to he was really good for that team. Now he's just ring chasing

[HoosierHacker89]

If they were ever going to do anything it would have been that team of a few years ago. They are a shadow of a good team now. very weak and PG is the only thing on the team that is worth writing home about. We keep signing players well past their prime, and they are barely serviceable role players. I am excited to see Turner develop, but I fear it may be too little too late with PG potentially on the move. If the pacers want to have a shot in the east they need to sign a BIG name free agent which they haven't really done in my entire life. Id say david west,Jermaine O'Neal, mark Jackson and Chris Mullins have been the best players that I have ever seen come to indy through free agency. There has never been a Star sign with the pacers. We only had Reggie and PG due to drafting them. If the pacers could stop being a middle of the road team and actually get a high draft pick or 2 we might have a shot at getting a stud for the team. PG fell into the pacers laps, and he has been way better than anyone ever expected. I feel like this pacers team now is very soft. David west brought the toughness and sack to the team that they needed at the time. the guy might have had the most sack of anyone in the league at that time. he was awesome, and indy has really missed that since.

[CELTIC]

All I have to say... Let's Go Celtics

 

Washington's in trouble

[MtlJeff]

I'm really excited for 3 of the 4 series. I mean watching the Warriors is always nice to see flawless basketball, but it's not like the games are good. The other 3 series all are interesting. Rockets/Spurs and Wizards/Celtics could be 7 gamers, and the Cavs/raptors will be a good litmus test for how good the Cavs can be when they "flip the switch", if they can that is

[MtlJeff]

Derrick favors would be a really nice get for someone who wants to play him as a center. It's clear he and gobert are not a fit for spacing reasons. But I imagine they will look to trade him when his value is still decent. He is athletic and can shoot on the midrange, and is a capable interior defender.

 

A team like the Bucks might be a great fit unless they think Maker is their guy. The Celtics could use him too and have plenty of assets

 

 

[F171615]

If they were ever going to do anything it would have been that team of a few years ago. They are a shadow of a good team now. very weak and PG is the only thing on the team that is worth writing home about. We keep signing players well past their prime, and they are barely serviceable role players. I am excited to see Turner develop, but I fear it may be too little too late with PG potentially on the move. If the pacers want to have a shot in the east they need to sign a BIG name free agent which they haven't really done in my entire life. Id say david west,Jermaine O'Neal, mark Jackson and Chris Mullins have been the best players that I have ever seen come to indy through free agency. There has never been a Star sign with the pacers. We only had Reggie and PG due to drafting them. If the pacers could stop being a middle of the road team and actually get a high draft pick or 2 we might have a shot at getting a stud for the team. PG fell into the pacers laps, and he has been way better than anyone ever expected. I feel like this pacers team now is very soft. David west brought the toughness and sack to the team that they needed at the time. the guy might have had the most sack of anyone in the league at that time. he was awesome, and indy has really missed that since.

 

What's the feeling among Pacer fans about Larry Bird leaving? Why did he leave now, and what does that mean for the future of the team?

[MtlJeff]

I'm interested to see how Gordon Hayward does against Golden State. They obviously have the best group of defensive swingmen in the league if Durant is playing, and can switch other good defenders on him. He's had a great postseason so far

 

The Jazz have no chance, but how Hayward does in this series, especially an ability to create shots against such great defense, might speak volumes as to how legit he would be as a say, 2nd best player on a contender.

 

His game is very methodical, kind of old school Joe Johnson, Demar Derozan where they get switches and he kind of winds his way into these short turnarounds and floaters. Will be tough to do against Thompson, Durant, Green.