2018 Playoffs Thread

[Hoop Head]

It's one game, the Cavs have been able to put together a few good performances this postseason but they haven't been able to string them together. They've put themselves in a position where there is little margin of error left against the Celtics. They need to win 3 of the next 4 and that won't be easy.

 

[Cheesebeef]

It's one game, the Cavs have been able to put together a few good performances this postseason but they haven't been able to string them together. They've put themselves in a position where there is little margin of error left against the Celtics. They need to win 3 of the next 4 and that won't be easy.

they also started the game by shooting the lights out of the gym and it seemed like once down big, the C's just kinda chucked it up to being one of those games.

Game 4 will probably be a dog-fight. Will be interesting to see if the C's lose if they start to buckle under the pressure while Cleveland starts to believe Superman can take them home.

 

[Mainstreet]

It's one game, the Cavs have been able to put together a few good performances this postseason but they haven't been able to string them together. They've put themselves in a position where there is little margin of error left against the Celtics. They need to win 3 of the next 4 and that won't be easy.

It can be done.

Although not the Finals, you bring back memories of the 2016 Finals where the Cavaliers came back from 3-1 deficit to beat the Warriors for the Championship.

 

[Cheesebeef]

It can be done.

Although not the Finals, you bring back memories of the 2016 Finals where the Cavaliers came back from 3-1 deficit to beat the Warriors for the Championship.

No Kyrie this time for the Cavs though.

That said... no Kyrie right now for the Celtics either!

Would love to see this series become a war and go to 7.

 

[Mainstreet]

No Kyrie this time for the Cavs though.

That said... no Kyrie right now for the Celtics either!

Would love to see this series become a war and go to 7.

Alas, a common denominator.

Let it go 7 games.

 

[Hoop Head]

Damn shame Kyrie isn't part of this series. If the Celtics had a star like him to take over when things look rough for them they would have this series in the bag. If they had Kyrie and Hayward I don't think the Cavs would stand a chance. How well Stevens has the Celtics playing is amazing. Last year they only took 1 game and that was after IT was sat, this year they took a 2-0 lead without any stars. When the Cavs came back and beat the Warriors part of that was Kerr's inexperience coaching and while Stevens doesn't have a lot more experience I think his players buy-in to his system more than the Warriors do with Kerr. Stevens is too good of a coach to let them fall apart for the next 4 games, but they do need to win 2 more. If they had a 3-1 lead I think they'd have the series virtually locked up.

We've seen players like Nash turn average players into great contributors on the court but I don't think we've seen a coach do the same in quite some time. Stevens gets more out of role players than any other modern coach. I know Popovich is great at that also but he's also had leaders on the floor like Duncan, Ginobli, and Parker to lead other players by example while Stevens doesn't have those guys or the championship history to point to in order to convince players that his system will bring them wins.

 

[Mainstreet]

Damn shame Kyrie isn't part of this series. If the Celtics had a star like him to take over when things look rough for them they would have this series in the bag. If they had Kyrie and Hayward I don't think the Cavs would stand a chance. How well Stevens has the Celtics playing is amazing. Last year they only took 1 game and that was after IT was sat, this year they took a 2-0 lead without any stars. When the Cavs came back and beat the Warriors part of that was Kerr's inexperience coaching and while Stevens doesn't have a lot more experience I think his players buy-in to his system more than the Warriors do with Kerr. Stevens is too good of a coach to let them fall apart for the next 4 games, but they do need to win 2 more. If they had a 3-1 lead I think they'd have the series virtually locked up.

We've seen players like Nash turn average players into great contributors on the court but I don't think we've seen a coach do the same in quite some time. Stevens gets more out of role players than any other modern coach. I know Popovich is great at that also but he's also had leaders on the floor like Duncan, Ginobli, and Parker to lead other players by example while Stevens doesn't have those guys or the championship history to point to in order to convince players that his system will bring them wins.

Kyrie would definitely add some spice to the series if he were available to play against Lebron.

It's amazing the Celtics acquired Kyrie for so little in terms of trade and they signed Hayward as a free agent... and neither are playing.

The Celtics have to be "the" team in the East next season.

 

[HeHasRosen]

Kyrie would definitely add some spice to the series if he were available to play against Lebron.

It's amazing the Celtics acquired Kyrie for so little in terms of trade and they signed Hayward as a free agent... and neither are playing.

The Celtics have to be "the" team in the East next season.

Unless Lebron goes to philly.. But for some reason i think he will go to the west

 

[Mainstreet]

Unless Lebron goes to philly.. But for some reason i think he will go to the west

IMO, the Celtics will be the new dynasty in the East. With their assets and coaching they should go along way next season.

I'm so ready for Lebron to move on. Watching the Cavaliers has gotten old to me.

 

[Hoop Head]

IMO, the Celtics will be the new dynasty in the East. With their assets and coaching they should go along way next season.

I'm so ready for Lebron to move on. Watching the Cavaliers has gotten old to me.

I agree with all of this. It's odd how the Cavs have gotten old to see considering they've changed their roster quite a bit since Lebron's first run with them 4 years ago. Love, Tristan Thompson, and JR Smith are the only pieces that have been there for that run but it still seems like the same tired old team that will come up short in the end.

So long as Lebron doesn't go to Golden State or Boston I'd like to see him move on. Either of those teams would be worse than KD signing with the Warriors by a considerably amount.

Boston should be the team to beat for the next 2-3 years until the Sixers get a little older and more experienced. They'll probably need to replace Brett Brown also. I don't think he'll be able to turn them into viable contenders. If they get Lebron I don't see Brown lasting the full season. Having Colangelo as their GM or President may keep Brown on throughout the first season but that's probably it. I can't see Colangelo letting their new acquisition come in and kill the coach that quickly. I know Bryan isn't Jerry but he tries to be like Jerry and that would be a cold move.

 

[Mainstreet]

I agree with all of this. It's odd how the Cavs have gotten old to see considering they've changed their roster quite a bit since Lebron's first run with them 4 years ago. Love, Tristan Thompson, and JR Smith are the only pieces that have been there for that run but it still seems like the same tired old team that will come up short in the end.

So long as Lebron doesn't go to Golden State or Boston I'd like to see him move on. Either of those teams would be worse than KD signing with the Warriors by a considerably amount.

Boston should be the team to beat for the next 2-3 years until the Sixers get a little older and more experienced. They'll probably need to replace Brett Brown also. I don't think he'll be able to turn them into viable contenders. If they get Lebron I don't see Brown lasting the full season. Having Colangelo as their GM or President may keep Brown on throughout the first season but that's probably it. I can't see Colangelo letting their new acquisition come in and kill the coach that quickly. I know Bryan isn't Jerry but he tries to be like Jerry and that would be a cold move.

Or worse for the Suns in regards to the draft, he goes to Miami.

Hopefully the Warriors and the Celtics cannot pay everybody.

 

[Russ Smith]

Absolutely game changing call there at the end of the half on Bell. Complete BS, plays harden perfectly he misses Warriors ball up 13 with a chance to go up more but the ref calls a complete phantom foul and harden cuts it to 11. I hate NBA refs.

I don't get why the Warriors aren't doing to Harden what the Rockets do to Curry, make him switch and then attack him, his defense is all about avoiding fouls, that one at the end where he did an ole on Durant and let him go in for a layup was embarassing. Seems like he's not going to shoot this badly the whole game(hopefully Curry doesn't either) so why not attack him at the other end and try and wear him down. They need to run 2 man games with Durant and whoever Harden is guarding, force them to switch and then attack with Durant.

 

[Russ Smith]

Great 3rd for the Warriors and Curry complete with a this is my bleeping house after a drive and layup over Luc. 18 in the 3rd for Steph.

I know everyone hates Draymond and I agree he's a dirty player but Chris Paul is unreal. At the end of the quarter there on an inbounds they tried to run a lob for Jordan Bell and Paul "accidentally" hit him in the midsection with an elbow. So they inbounded it to Livingston, he spun and made a short jumper, Bell came flying in for an offensive rebound and Paul undercut him and drove his butt into Bell's "goods." Given his history of hitting people in the nuts I think it's pretty obvious he did it to Bell on purpose.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Great 3rd for the Warriors and Curry complete with a this is my bleeping house after a drive and layup over Luc. 18 in the 3rd for Steph.

I know everyone hates Draymond and I agree he's a dirty player but Chris Paul is unreal. At the end of the quarter there on an inbounds they tried to run a lob for Jordan Bell and Paul "accidentally" hit him in the midsection with an elbow. So they inbounded it to Livingston, he spun and made a short jumper, Bell came flying in for an offensive rebound and Paul undercut him and drove his butt into Bell's "goods." Given his history of hitting people in the nuts I think it's pretty obvious he did it to Bell on purpose.

People in glass houses...

 

[Errntknght]

I thought for sure this was going to be a close, thrilling game...

 

[Russ Smith]

People in glass houses...

Like i said I know Draymond is dirty I just can't believe all the stuff Paul pulls. He's a great player but he's dirty.

 

[Russ Smith]

I thought for sure this was going to be a close, thrilling game...

Game 4 will be. The Rockets missed so many close shots in the first half and then just got buried by Curry in the 3rd. The issue is still the same

And right on cue Draymond makes a dirty play for no reason

 

[Russ Smith]

Never give a team extra incentive. blowout win the last thing you need is Draymond yet again doing something stupid and getting Houston mad. Again I know why he did it, Houston had taken a couple of cheap shots on Bell and he wanted to retaliate but either let it go, or at least go after the guy who did it, Paul, not take down Ariza and then shove Harden. Really stupid

 

[GatorAZ]

Reggie Miller is a joke trying to make Draymond the victim right now.

 

[Cheesebeef]

What did Draymond do this time?

 

[Phrazbit]

What did Draymond do this time?

Ariza beat him with a pump fake and then started to drive passed him... so Draymond grabbed him by the shoulders and spun him down, then acted like he was trying to keep Ariza from falling or something.

 

[Russ Smith]

Reggie Miller is a joke trying to make Draymond the victim right now.

I think sometimes Reggie just wants to be the counter to whatever is the obvious, he can't seriously think Draymond did nothing wrong there. he didn't try to hurt Ariza, but there was no reason to grab him up high like that in the first place, just totally stupid play.

 

[Phrazbit]

I strongly dislike both these teams...

 

[GatorAZ]

I think sometimes Reggie just wants to be the counter to whatever is the obvious, he can't seriously think Draymond did nothing wrong there. he didn't try to hurt Ariza, but there was no reason to grab him up high like that in the first place, just totally stupid play.

Agreed and now he’s ripping D’Antoni for not playing over the hill JJ that’s made a couple garbage time jumpers. He’s got some scorching takes in his arsenal tonight.

 

[Russ Smith]

Agreed and now he’s ripping D’Antoni for not playing over the hill JJ that’s made a couple garbage time jumpers. He’s got some scorching takes in his arsenal tonight.

yep, note if anybody else had suggested the Warriors should be giving Quinn Cook major minutes because he put up 11 in the last 5 minutes they'd get laughed at. But I guess because jackson was at one point a great scorer, Reggie believes it's a valid point.

Really for Houston turnovers, missed layups hurt them early and then to an extent Harden sort of quit in the 3rd quarter and had some absolutely embarassing defensive efforts there in the 2nd half. I don't like Chris Paul at all but at least he kept playing hard at both ends and actually tried to keep Houston in the game in the 3rd quarter, once it got to 20 Harden coasted.

But I fully expect Houston to win game 4, and Draymond's cheap shot will probably contribute to that by getting Houston pissed off.