The 2017 NBA playoffs thread

[Hoop Head]

I'm curious to see how the Celtics play without IT. I think that will help them come draft time. Having a few games without their best player against a team they'll have to contend with for the next few years should give them more of an idea of what they need. I think they'll trade out of their pick, Fultz is good but he won't help them beat a team like Cleveland. He will only make them smaller but he would provide another scorer. They need a 2 way wing like Butler who can play above average defense and score.

 

[Finito]

I'm curious to see how the Celtics play without IT. I think that will help them come draft time. Having a few games without their best player against a team they'll have to contend with for the next few years should give them more of an idea of what they need. I think they'll trade out of their pick, Fultz is good but he won't help them beat a team like Cleveland. He will only make them smaller but he would provide another scorer. They need a 2 way wing like Butler who can play above average defense and score.

Ainge has shown he's always gonna make the right basketball move. He knew no matter what they did they weren't gonna beat the Cavs this year so no panic at the trade deadline.

Ainge will draft BPA and that's Fultz and if he's everything he's supposed to be Ainge will show Thomas the door when it comes time to pay him because he knows IT won't be worth the mega deal he's gonna want.

Celtics also have Brooklyns pick next year and that will most likely be top 5 again.

 

[Russ Smith]

Ramona Shelburne@ramonashelburne
MRI on David Lee's knee confirms he has a partially torn patella, according to his agent Mark Bartelstein.... (link: http://www.espn.com/espn/now?nowId=21-0658019820645651569-4) espn.com/espn/now?nowId…

wow it's a bone didn't even know you could tear it.

 

[Ronin]

Marc J. Spears@MarcJSpearsESPN
Warriors say Andre Iguodala (left knee soreness) is probable for Game 4 at Spurs while Zaza Pachulia (right heel contusion) is questionable.

 

[Ronin]

Ian Fitzsimmons@Ianfitzespn
From @ESPNStatsInfo the only time both teams in a @nba Finals met undefeated through the postseason was in 1957. Celtics (3-0) vs STL (5-0)

 

[Ronin]

Boston Celtics@celtics
Brad Stevens confirms that Marcus Smart will start tonight in place of the injured Isaiah Thomas. Amir Johnson will also start.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Ainge has shown he's always gonna make the right basketball move. He knew no matter what they did they weren't gonna beat the Cavs this year so no panic at the trade deadline.

Ainge will draft BPA and that's Fultz and if he's everything he's supposed to be Ainge will show Thomas the door when it comes time to pay him because he knows IT won't be worth the mega deal he's gonna want.

Celtics also have Brooklyns pick next year and that will most likely be top 5 again.

I'm not so sure. This mismatch is not IT's fault. This is a very mediocre team carried by one player. Finding a player that can score like him, especially in crunch-time, isn't easy. The cap seems to be set up to allow a team to pay 3 high salaried players and you could put a very dangerous team on the court if Thomas was your 3rd best player.

Boston is in a little bit of a fix though as expectations are sky high for the near future but it's really a team comprised of good role players. They have no other weaknesses really, just a lack of stars and that might take several years to acquire. If they are strong in any one area, it's at guard, so I could easily see them talk themselves into Jackson. And it remains to be seen if Fultz is truly an upgrade to IT, especially one worthy of just letting Thomas walk.

 

[Finito]

I'm not so sure. This mismatch is not IT's fault. This is a very mediocre team carried by one player. Finding a player that can score like him, especially in crunch-time, isn't easy. The cap seems to be set up to allow a team to pay 3 high salaried players and you could put a very dangerous team on the court if Thomas was your 3rd best player.

Boston is in a little bit of a fix though as expectations are sky high for the near future but it's really a team comprised of good role players. They have no other weaknesses really, just a lack of stars and that might take several years to acquire. If they are strong in any one area, it's at guard, so I could easily see them talk themselves into Jackson. And it remains to be seen if Fultz is truly an upgrade to IT, especially one worthy of just letting Thomas walk.

Part of it is his fault because the Cavs can and have extra exploited him like other teams couldn't. He's a flat out liability on defense and the fact they tax him so much on defense it effects his offense and energy.

IT needs to be ball dominate to do what he does he doesn't really play off the ball.

To me Boston seems like gimmick to me like it's been stated they might be fighting to actually make the playoffs in the west.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Part of it is his fault because the Cavs can and have extra exploited him like other teams couldn't. He's a flat out liability on defense and the fact they tax him so much on defense it effects his offense and energy.

IT needs to be ball dominate to do what he does he doesn't really play off the ball.

To me Boston seems like gimmick to me like it's been stated they might be fighting to actually make the playoffs in the west.

Sorry but that's what happens when you're the only real threat. Arguably, the best player in the history of the NBA is on the Cavs. The second best player in this series is also on the Cavs along with the third best. Boston has the fourth best player, when has that ever been a reasonable matchup? You switch Lebron and IT and this is an exciting series but short of replacing IT with the greatest player ever, this is a huge mismatch and reveals nothing about IT IMO.

IT needs to have the ball to score, yes, but he doesn't have to pound it to death like a lot of players do. And he's a great decoy, you can't forget about him just because he's playing off the ball if you have other weapons. Boston has no other weapons. Seriously, who else scares you on that roster? Old man Horford? Marcus Smart? Tristan Thompson might even be better than any Celtic not named IT.

IT was overrated all season long, last year too. But he's a great 3rd fiddle despite his shortcomings. It's not his fault that Boston doesn't have anyone capable of taking that first or second spot.

 

[AzStevenCal]

And I'll add this on Thomas, he's been struggling with this hip injury since the middle of March. Anyone that's watched Boston will tell you he hasn't been the same and he took a shot in the Washington series that aggravated it once again. He probably shouldn't have even finished that series let alone played against the Cavs.

 

[Errntknght]

It could really create havoc if the Celts don't take Fultz (or Ball). What would the Lakers do with their choice of Fultz and Ball... I'd bet on Fultz. Heck, Ball would probably drop to us, which has been my worst fear all along. He's as good a fit with us as is with any team - we like to run the floor which is his strongest suit and he'd feed Booker and TJ well. But we'd be a total sieve on defense, We'd have to play an all out zone to have a chance so our opponents would have a field day shooting threes. (Not that they don't already.) Any scenario in which the Lakers don't take Ball probably has the same result.

 

[AzStevenCal]

It could really create havoc if the Celts don't take Fultz (or Ball). What would the Lakers do with their choice of Fultz and Ball... I'd bet on Fultz. Heck, Ball would probably drop to us, which has been my worst fear all along. He's as good a fit with us as is with any team - we like to run the floor which is his strongest suit and he'd feed Booker and TJ well. But we'd be a total sieve on defense, We'd have to play an all out zone to have a chance so our opponents would have a field day shooting threes. (Not that they don't already.) Any scenario in which the Lakers don't take Ball probably has the same result.

I honestly do not believe we have any interest in Ball. We have a young, good looking, clean cut hopeful-star-in-the-making and I can't see that working well with the antics of Lavar. IMO we gave lip service to the idea we might be interested in Lonzo (pre lotto) but solely to keep our trade possibilities alive if we ended up in front of the Lakers.

 

[Finito]

Sorry but that's what happens when you're the only real threat. Arguably, the best player in the history of the NBA is on the Cavs. The second best player in this series is also on the Cavs along with the third best. Boston has the fourth best player, when has that ever been a reasonable matchup? You switch Lebron and IT and this is an exciting series but short of replacing IT with the greatest player ever, this is a huge mismatch and reveals nothing about IT IMO.

IT needs to have the ball to score, yes, but he doesn't have to pound it to death like a lot of players do. And he's a great decoy, you can't forget about him just because he's playing off the ball if you have other weapons. Boston has no other weapons. Seriously, who else scares you on that roster? Old man Horford? Marcus Smart? Tristan Thompson might even be better than any Celtic not named IT.

IT was overrated all season long, last year too. But he's a great 3rd fiddle despite his shortcomings. It's not his fault that Boston doesn't have anyone capable of taking that first or second spot.

No it doesn't happen because he's the only threat of happens because he's 5'9 and physically not capable of holding up

 

[Finito]

Heck Rondo doesn't get hurt and they probably don't even get out the first round.

 

[AzStevenCal]

No it doesn't happen because he's the only threat of happens because he's 5'9 and physically not capable of holding up

He's been playing injured for 2 months now. He took a hard spill against Minnesota that injured his hip and knee. He missed two games for it but he was never the same after that.

 

[Finito]

He's been playing injured for 2 months now. He took a hard spill against Minnesota that injured his hip and knee. He missed two games for it but he was never the same after that.

If he only missed two games two months ago that tells me it wasn't that big of a deal. Come on now man.

 

[AzStevenCal]

If he only missed two games two months ago that tells me it wasn't that big of a deal. Come on now man.

Read up on it, it's been hampering him for two months and was re-aggravated by contact in the Washington series. He's likely going to need surgery on it.

 

[Russ Smith]

wow.

What's more stunning that Cleveland blew that lead or that they didn't call the illegal screen on Horford that gave Bradley the winning 3.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Lebron with 11 points on 13 shots. 11, 6, 6 - not very lebron-like.

 

[Finito]

Read up on it, it's been hampering him for two months and was re-aggravated by contact in the Washington series. He's likely going to need surgery on it.

I don't need to

 

[Finito]

They obviously stopped trying. Good for the celtics to show some heart

 

[TJ]

Cavs fell asleep. Took game for granted, just like the fans. The Cavs will win in 5, but it has to play an extra game, which is not ideal.


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[AzStevenCal]

Cavs fell asleep. Took game for granted, just like the fans. The Cavs will win in 5, but it has to play an extra game, which is not ideal.

It's hard to blame them, it's pretty much how they approached the season too.

 

[Hoop Head]

Ainge has shown he's always gonna make the right basketball move. He knew no matter what they did they weren't gonna beat the Cavs this year so no panic at the trade deadline.

Ainge will draft BPA and that's Fultz and if he's everything he's supposed to be Ainge will show Thomas the door when it comes time to pay him because he knows IT won't be worth the mega deal he's gonna want.

Celtics also have Brooklyns pick next year and that will most likely be top 5 again.

I don't get why you dislike IT so much. Boston doesn't really have any offensive weapons other than him and he's played at an MVP level this season. When the voting is revealed he will finish in the top 5, maybe as high as 3. He's not a gimmick, he's a very good scorer. He's not a great PG but he's a good basketball player. He made the All NBA 2nd team this year for a reason. Boston has the pieces around him so he doesn't need to be the primary playmaker on the court at all times so they're able to use him to the best of his abilities, which is as a scorer.

He didn't lead the Celtics to a #1 seed only for them to send him packing because they're bringing in a rookie who plays the same position. Fultz is about the same size as Bradley, who IT starts with, so they may not need to make many adjustments to get them on the court together. They need another scorer, really bad, and Ainge will look to add someone who compliments their team the best, not necessarily the best rookie, because they're in position to do that with the #1 pick, a ton of youth, and more high draft picks plus cap space on the horizon. If they can add an All Star wing by trading their pick, I think they'd sooner do that and actually compete with the Cavs the next couple of years because Lebron is only getting older while the Celtics have a 3-4 year window before any of their core starts to decline due to age.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I don't need to

Good enough. Obviously, you know what you know.