The 2017 NBA playoffs thread

[Errntknght]

I have two, quite different, methods of ranking teams and Cleveland has shown up as an anomaly since LeBron returned - their record is well above their rank. Currently, one method ranks them 10 th in the league and the other ranks them 16th. For the most part teams are ranked just about like you'd expect - within 2 or 3 wins of their actual record. For most of the season the Cavs have been ranked ten games below their actual rank by won loss record. Now comes the playoffs and Cleveland is playing well above their actual rank! That suggests that Cleveland is able to adjust their level of play to suit the situation - and it seems to lie mostly with LeBron, since this showed up when he rejoined the team. I expect its a conscious effort in the playoffs but even while on cruise control in the regular season, he could still control the final score.

The other persistent anomaly is Minnesota, who wins much less often than the stats suggest they should. The ranking that has Cavs at 16, has Wolves at 15! When Love was with Minny, they were known as a team that couldn't win close games - he's long gone but their ability to lose close games is still with them.

The Suns come at 27 in both rankings with Orlando, Brooklyn and Lakers below them - no surprises there.

 

[Ronin]

Tony Jones @tribjazz
I'm told George Hill will miss his third consecutive game tonight

 

[Ronin]

Tim Roye @warriorsvox
Did you know that Draymond Green is leading all players in the playoffs in catch-and-shoot points per game (8.0)? pregame now

 

[Hoop Head]

Yeah if he's making anywhere close to 50% on 3's he's completely unguardable. It's only 8 games but I've never seen him shoot this well for this long from 3.

He's been incredible so far in the playoffs.

He's shooting 46.8% from 3 so far, averaging 5.9 attempts a game with 2.8 makes. Oddly enough he's actually shooting almost twice as many on the road vs at home. He's averaging 7.8 attempts and 3.5 makes for 45.2% with only 4 attempts and 2 makes at home. He shot 36.2% from 3 during the season.

 

[gmabel830]

Am I the only one more invested in the slinslin drama than the NBA playoffs?

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[Ronin]

ESPN Stats & Info‏Verified account@ESPNStatsInfo 49s49 seconds ago
Warriors: would have 82% chance to beat Spurs in Conf Finals according to BPI; 89% chance to beat Rockets.

 

[Ronin]

Today's Game 5/9/17
Rockets Vs Spurs Game 5 (TNT) 5:00 p.m. This series is tied 2-2
http://www.espn.com/nba/preview?gameId=400952494

 

[Ronin]

Tom Orsborn @tom_orsborn
Rockets are going to go with same starting 5 from 2nd half of Gm 4, meaning Gordon instead of Anderson, D'Antoni said.

 

[Mainstreet]

Rudy Gay plans to opt out of his contract with the Kings.

I was sort of hoping the Suns might trade Knight for Gay at the trade deadline even though he was injured. Then Gay would opt out and the Suns would be rid of both.

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/...t-sacramento-kings-contract-become-free-agent

 

[Russ Smith]

ESPN Stats & Info‏Verified account@ESPNStatsInfo 49s49 seconds ago
Warriors: would have 82% chance to beat Spurs in Conf Finals according to BPI; 89% chance to beat Rockets.

HArd to say the Spurs played the Warriors tough this year but with Parker out maybe that changes? To me it's a matchup thing, the Spurs have Leonard which somewhat neutralizes Durant, and they have several other good players to deal with Curry and Thompson, they have the defense to concern the Warriors it's not clear they have the offense over a full series.

Houston clearly has the offense, they may not have the defense.

As always the key is the refs, if they allow physical play it's a big advantage for the Spurs, if they allow Harden to flop and jump in and get FT's that's a big advantage to Houston.

One of the things that most impressed me in the Jazz series is the Warriors were so dominant despite the officiating being more along what the Jazz would want than the Warriors. They allowed tons of contact off the ball, they allowed, lots of contact on rebounds inside. It wasn't biased but if you are the Warriors you want the refs to call holding off the ball and call moving screens on drives because both hurt Utah more than you, neither were being called yet they still not only won easily, they led almost wire to wire in 3 of the 4 games.

 

[Ronin]

ESPN Stats & Info @ESPNStatsInfo
The winner of Game 5 in an NBA best-of-7 series tied 2-2 has gone on to win the series 83% of the time (162-34).

 

[Bert]

Cavs undefeated, Warriors undefeated. Zzzzzzzz

Were the playoffs even necessary?

 

[leclerc]

Just hope the Warriors beats LeBronland this year. Lesser evil.

 

[Ronin]

Suns Wire @sunssource
#NBA Wire: Patty Mills starting, Murray to the bench - Patty Mills | SA (link: http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nba/1624/patty-mills) rotoworld.com/player/nba/162… (link: http://playerpress.com) playerpress.com4:32 PM · May 9, 2017

 

[Chris_Sanders]

Cavs undefeated, Warriors undefeated. Zzzzzzzz

Were the playoffs even necessary?

Nope. This is why we should be thinking our window is 3 years from now.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Nope. This is why we should be thinking our window is 3 years from now.

I forget whether it was Sarver or Ryan but whichever it was pointed to 2020 also.

 

[Dback Jon]

Cavs undefeated, Warriors undefeated. Zzzzzzzz

Were the playoffs even necessary?

Was the regular season even necessary?

 

[Dback Jon]

Just hope the Warriors beats LeBronland this year. Lesser evil.

I don't want Durant to get a ring.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I don't want Durant to get a ring.

I don't really understand it but I know a lot of people feel that way.

 

[Proteus]

Shocker..not....a Mike D'Antoni coached team chokes away a game particularly a playoff game to the Spurs. Ugh.

 

[GatorAZ]

Shocker..not....a Mike D'Antoni coached team chokes away a game particularly a playoff game to the Spurs. Ugh.

That's the thing about coaching a superstar. You can run plays and he can basically ignore you. You take the good with the bad.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Shocker..not....a Mike D'Antoni coached team chokes away a game particularly a playoff game to the Spurs. Ugh.

It was against the higher seed at their home, so, it's hard to call it a choke job.

 

[ColdPickleNachos]

It was against the higher seed at their home, so, it's hard to call it a choke job.

True. But it feels like a real lost opportunity that they couldn't get a win in overtime with Leonard injured and on the bench.

 

[Cheesebeef]

It was against the higher seed at their home, so, it's hard to call it a choke job.

Not when you consider the home team was hobbled without their MVP candidate.

 

[SirStefan32]

Well that was a flashback to the Nash era. The game had it all- turning the ball over, not rebounding, only playing seven players.