2016 NBA Playoffs Thread

[Russ Smith]

This kind of thing has always happened; the big news is that the league is now trying to hold itself accountable. To be honest, I'll be surprised if this works, as much as I admire the idea. The patterns of making different calls (or non-calls) at the ends of games, or for stars, are so ingrained in both the officials' and the fans' minds that it may not be worth the struggle of retraining. My guess is that the league will get a serious push-back from the referees (do they have a union?) and that we'll see a lot less of this post-mortem critiquing in later seasons.

Did they make it public in the past though? I don't recall them doing so but maybe I just wasn't paying attention when they did it.

I agree they admitted to five mistakes in about 20 seconds in the OKC/Spurs series with essentially no fallout.

 

[Russ Smith]

I can't remember another player making such ridiculous daggers in the NBA as Curry does. The shake and bake threes to either tie, take the lead or put the final nail in the coffin in so many games are just outrageous.

With all the 3's off the bounce and stuff I still think the best shot of the night was the lefty floater teardrop. Anybody who has ever picked up a basketball can attest to what a difficult shot that is with your good hand but with your offhand at such a key moment in a game was unreal.

I'm at the point with him now that I'm disappointed everytime he misses, I just don't expect him to ever miss now.

needs to get his legs back, he was really bad on defense kept losing his footing and fell down several times. I think he just couldn't move laterally fairly well and kept losing balance.

 

[JCSunsfan]

There has never been anyone like him... In terms of "clutch" shots in key moments, the closest comp is Jordan. But Jordan did it differently... Personally, I don't think Curry would've been able to do then, what he does now... or, not as often and effectively. The rules and style of play just wouldn't allow it to happen. But in todays' game, he is simply a freak!

He would have been bullied physically. They don't allow that now.

 

[sunsfan88]

My goodness, Goran Dragic is coming through so clutch for the Heat in these playoffs. He destroyed the Hornets in the elimination game and in last night's win or your out scenario, he once again came through clutch and dropped a new playoff career high!

 

[slinslin]

My goodness, Goran Dragic is coming through so clutch for the Heat in these playoffs. He destroyed the Hornets in the elimination game and in last night's win or your out scenario, he once again came through clutch and dropped a new playoff career high!

if he did not suck in most of these games the Heat wouldnt have to go to 7 games again.

 

[Sunburn]

Goran is averaging 16.5 ppg, 4.8 rpb, 3.6 apg in the playoffs on 39, 45, 76% shooting.

http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/3423/goran-dragic

 

[sunsfan88]

if he did not suck in most of these games the Heat wouldnt have to go to 7 games again.

Except he's been their 2nd best player throughout these playoffs and they wouldn't even advance past 1st round if it wasn't for him.

 

[Ronin]

Hopefully the Suns stay away from DeRozan and Harrison Barnes in free agency.
Derozan is 11 for 28 in this game.bleh

 

[Phrazbit]

Except he's been their 2nd best player throughout these playoffs and they wouldn't even advance past 1st round if it wasn't for him.

No, he hasn't. Whiteside was definitely their 2nd best guy before he got hurt, if Toronto hadn't also lost their center at the same time the series probably would have ended in 5. Goran has been Goran. One game good, the next game bad, on the balance very average. He's also averaging a horrible 3.4 assists vs 2.7 turnovers in this series.

 

[Phrazbit]

Hopefully the Suns stay away from DeRozan and Harrison Barnes in free agency.
Derozan is 11 for 28 in this game.bleh

I agree. Not a Derozan fan, but I don't think we need to worry about the Suns even considering him. Barnes on the other hand... I could see us making a run at. He is an all right player but not worth anywhere near what it would take to sign him as a free agent.

 

[Ronin]

I think that is the last time the Raptors get a win this post season. They are about to get blitzed by Cleveland.lol

 

[Ronin]

I agree. Not a Derozan fan, but I don't think we need to worry about the Suns even considering him. Barnes on the other hand... I could see us making a run at. He is an all right player but not worth anywhere near what it would take to sign him as a free agent.

Barnes is just too inconsistent for my liking.

 

[Russ Smith]

Barnes is just too inconsistent for my liking.

Barnes has no game off the bounce it's why I didn't like him coming out of UNC. He can shoot, he defends and he rebounds but he's completely dependent on other people getting him shots.

I'm not a DeRozan fan either, very selfish player won't pass, takes really bad contested shots, some of which go in, at the expense of the overall team. Bad defender. When he gets hot he can be quite good but a volume shooter.

I agree they are likely going down 4-0.

 

[SirStefan32]

Except he's been their 2nd best player throughout these playoffs and they wouldn't even advance past 1st round if it wasn't for him.

Yeah, Dragic is the least of the Heat's problems.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Man, when did OKC become the Lakers. They have seemingly gotten the benefit of the doubt on EVERY call or missed call in close games the last two rounds.

 

[95pro]

Westbrook gave Curry fits tonight. Also they were physical on Curry during screens. Then Curry could not guard Westbrook at all, Curry picked up some fouls while guarding Westbrook.

Awesome game, happy for the Thunder. I am one of the few who can't stand Curry.

 

[95pro]

Also i'm sick of Green getting the benefit of the doubt when he goes "straight up" blocking someone. Finally seeing him getting called for those fouls.

 

[GatorAZ]

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Del is the real winner in the family.

 

[Russ Smith]

Man, when did OKC become the Lakers. They have seemingly gotten the benefit of the doubt on EVERY call or missed call in close games the last two rounds.

I know everyone will go on about the missed walk on Westbrook but the game was lost in the 3rd and OKC shot as many FT's in that quarter as the Warriors did in the whole game.

Kerr hinted at it during the interview said they shot too many FT's we gotta stop fouling or getting called for fouls.

OKC really big win, great defense survived Durant's bad 4th quarter.

 

[Russ Smith]

Westbrook gave Curry fits tonight. Also they were physical on Curry during screens. Then Curry could not guard Westbrook at all, Curry picked up some fouls while guarding Westbrook.

Awesome game, happy for the Thunder. I am one of the few who can't stand Curry.

He really only guards Westbrook on switches. 2 of thsoe fouls in the 3rd quarter were comical he switched, Westbrook pivoted and slammed into him like Shaq on a postup and they called a block on Curry both times. Both resulted in FT's too, after the game on local tv the local announcers were really harping on those calls saying the key to how the Warriors defend Westbrook is go under the screen and try and make him turn so you can double him, they did it, and both times the ref bailed him out with a foul.

He was brilliant in the 2nd half though carried OKC to the win.

 

[Russ Smith]

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Del is the real winner in the family.

Been saying it for years she is absolutely gorgeous.

 

[Southpaw]

I find it ironic that the "traveling" call is the headline grabbing moment while traveling has been allowed forever in the NBA on the way to the rim. Westbrook trapped himself at the sideline/timeline and dragged his foot while calling a TO. That is his fault, but a ridiculous call if made. GS has started the whining. Go OKC.

 

[Russ Smith]

I find it ironic that the "traveling" call is the headline grabbing moment while traveling has been allowed forever in the NBA on the way to the rim. Westbrook trapped himself at the sideline/timeline and dragged his foot while calling a TO. That is his fault, but a ridiculous call if made. GS has started the whining. Go OKC.

It's clearly a walk. I think you can argue Klay might have fouled Westbrook prior to it but neither was called.

The NBA will generally allow walks in the act of committing a basketball move like a shot, they generally don't allow them when doing things like what Westbrook did. But you can't blow a 14 point lead and then complain about a call that late. It was a missed call but the game was lost in the 3rd quarter not the 4th.

OKC's defense was terrific in the 2nd half, they did not let the shooters get to their spots and when the warriors went to the basket they blocked or changed their shots. I think Kerr should have played Speights more to try and keep one of those bigs from sitting in the paint rim protecting, make him guard Speights.

 

[Southpaw]

The NBA will generally allow walks in the act of committing a basketball move like a shot, they generally don't allow them when doing things like what Westbrook did. But you can't blow a 14 point lead and then complain about a call that late. It was a missed call but the game was lost in the 3rd quarter not the 4th.

An admission that the NBA orchestrates games.

 

[sunsfan88]

https://twitter.com/royceyoung/status/732413191867662336

So it doesn't look like Westbrook traveled at all considering that the timeout was called long before the travel happened.

And this is the NBA, they don't call travel anyway.