The 2022 NBA Play-In Tournament + Playoffs Thread

[AzStevenCal]

He won the MVP because he is a stat padder on a non contender.

I think you're mixing up points here. I don't know if he should be the MVP and if that was all you were saying I'd stay out of this argument but the idea he's a stat padder is absurd. 48 wins with that junk around him? Incredible. And it's not like he hasn't taken his team to the conference finals putting up great stats. Not as great, but he had more talent around him and didn't need to do as much every night.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I think you're mixing up points here. I don't know if he should be the MVP and if that was all you were saying I'd stay out of this argument but the idea he's a stat padder is absurd. 48 wins with that junk around him? Incredible. And it's not like he hasn't taken his team to the conference semi-finals putting up great stats. Not as great, but he had more around him and didn't need to do as much every night.

Such a good point.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

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[Russ Smith]

Apparently Cousins and Will Barton got into it on the bench and had to be separated and there's reports that the coach Malone was absolutely furious with Cousins after the game he felt like he had to put Jokic in earlier than he wanted because Cousins was out of control emotionally on the court and that ultimately led to Jokic getting kicked out. this link has some video of Cousins and Barton arguing.

Warriors turn Nuggets against each other as Will Barton, DeMarcus Cousins snap on bench in Game 2

Nikola Jokic was ejected near the end of Game 2 following the Nuggets' internal fight, too.

sports.yahoo.com

 

[Finito]

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The fact that you posted a Nick Wright video just makes you lose all credibility. Seriously?

You can’t “expose” a team when they are dealing with so many injuries. Stop ignoring that.

By the way it’s Golden State they would probably open up as favorites over us. Let’s not act like this is Utah that’s blowing them out it’s Steph, Klay and Draymond

 

[Chris_Sanders]

Did you watch it? Get ready for a flood of this

 

[Mainstreet]

It's more like I can see Nikola Jokic keep winning MVPs unless the standard is changed for that award.

 

[Russ Smith]

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He makes good points and I don't disagree that it makes no sense for the MVP to come from the Nuggets the team is not good enough. But he's going a bit too far Draymond is one of the best defenders in the league, it's not all that surprising Draymond is giving Jokic issues but still in 2 games he's averaging 25.5 10.5 boards and 5 assists. Not exactly weak numbers against a team keying on him. His defense has not been good but his offense has been stellar.

Maybe it's the local angle or the got into an issue with Klay and Draymond in game 1 and then stepped on Steph last night but for my money the biggest "problem" Denver has right now is Aaron Gordon 7.5 PPG 5 boards and the Warriors aren't even guarding him they're daring him to shoot, he's 6-19 taking wide open shots. he defends well he plays hard but the best plays he's made in 2 games is a 3 that somehow bounced around and rolled in (and then he blew on his fingers which was hilarious as cold as he's been) and a tipin last night that was clearly basket interference that the refs missed. They have key guys missing, Jokic hasn't been able to make 3's, but the real problem on offense that I see is it's 5 on 4 because the Warriors don't have to guard Gordon.

He's better than he's shown I assume he'll show that in Denver. With the best passing bigman in the game getting doubled you'd think Gordon could just dive to the rim and get dunks but so far he's not doing anything

 

[Finito]

Did you watch it? Get ready for a flood of this

Oh I don’t watch that show it’s horrible.

Watching it or not I’m guessing it supports your argument? So I don’t need to watch it.

 

[Covert Rain]

The problem is that the Suns will have to score 1.5 times as often as the Warriors will, because their shots will be worth 2 instead of 3.

The reason small-ball teams haven't worked in the past is that they haven't been so quick and such good shooters (and passers). The current death lineup is a super-charged version of the original one.

Jason Kidd said something similar after the Mavs win. He said it's math. If your team can shoot well enough from the 3, the other team has to work extra hard to keep up scoring only twos. It's how GS runs. They will shoot a ton of 3's. You either keep up with them or lose. Our 3-point shooting will never be more important than in a series with GS. You have to keep pace (not necessarily make more threes) and dominate the paint. Meaning our inside out game will have to be on point. This is the one team where even if our mid-range game is dominate it won't be enough.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

Oh I don’t watch that show it’s horrible.

Watching it or not I’m guessing it supports your argument? So I don’t need to watch it.

He's definitely a provocateur but I don't see him as any worse than the rest.

 

[Finito]

He's definitely a provocateur but I don't see him as any worse than the rest.

A lot of it has become gothcha television.

I got to admit I do love me some Skip and Shannon it’s a guilty pleasure

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

This is the lens of the MVP discussion. 66 MVPs in league history

Won the championship: 23
Lost in The Finals: Nine
Lost in the conference/division finals: 20
Lost in the conference semifinals: Eight
Lost in the first round: Five
Didn’t make the playoffs: One

If they get swept Jokic will be in his own catagory of "Didn't win a game in the playoffs".

But 6 others won it with losing in first round or not making the playoffs. So that’s 7 of 67. That’s 10 1/2%. Is it the majority? No. Is it a crazy outlier? Not by a mile when you consider it’s as many that won it having lost in the finals.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Wrong. See above.

Wrong. See above.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

52 of 66 MVPs to the conference finals. The award is absolutely about being a great player on a great team.

Great players on great teams have to sacrifice personal stats for winning.

Actually when you look at the stats of the previous guys who hit the 25/5/5 mark on the best team it shows most of them did not sacrifice stats. Most were both the high scorer on the best team and big stat guys. Nash is an outlier in the mvp stats conversation.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

The problem is that the Suns will have to score 1.5 times as often as the Warriors will, because their shots will be worth 2 instead of 3.

The reason small-ball teams haven't worked in the past is that they haven't been so quick and such good shooters (and passers). The current death lineup is a super-charged version of the original one.

You seem to not be reading what I’m saying. You stay home on the three shooters, only double off green, and live with green or Wiggins scoring. I’m saying don’t give the three that an ordinary rotation defense would give.

 

[Ronin]

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[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Jokic for MVP before the playoffs - Look how he has elevated this bad team into the playoffs

Jokic for MVP after the playoffs - Look how can he elevate this bad team in the playoffs.

The cat is both alive and dead.

Lol. He’s on a sixth seed playing a team that if healthy (which it is now) likely would’ve threatened for the one seed.

Yes he could drag the corpse that is the nuggets into the playoffs (and even the sixth seed no less), but expecting him to further elevate them over a vastly superior, and greatly favored, warriors team is just ignoring reason to be a hater (and I dislike that term, but it’s 100% appropriate in this discussion).

 

[Western Font]

There’s nothing wrong with saying Jokic shouldn’t be MVP because of his team performance, but there is something wrong with misconstruing his individual performance to make that point. The team might not have a high enough ceiling but he’s been the floor, the walls, the doors, and the windows.

 

[95pro]

You seem to not be reading what I’m saying. You stay home on the three shooters, only double off green, and live with green or Wiggins scoring. I’m saying don’t give the three that an ordinary rotation defense would give.

I say don’t even guard green to an extent. Make him be the scorer. Easier said than done.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

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That guy is an idiot. I don’t even know where to begin tearing him apart. But because I can’t respond directly to him, I’m not going to bother. I am stupider for having listened to his rant.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Apparently Cousins and Will Barton got into it on the bench and had to be separated and there's reports that the coach Malone was absolutely furious with Cousins after the game he felt like he had to put Jokic in earlier than he wanted because Cousins was out of control emotionally on the court and that ultimately led to Jokic getting kicked out. this link has some video of Cousins and Barton arguing.

Warriors turn Nuggets against each other as Will Barton, DeMarcus Cousins snap on bench in Game 2

Nikola Jokic was ejected near the end of Game 2 following the Nuggets' internal fight, too.

sports.yahoo.com

Yeah Barton lost it. I saw the replay.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

The fact that you posted a Nick Wright video just makes you lose all credibility. Seriously?

You can’t “expose” a team when they are dealing with so many injuries. Stop ignoring that.

By the way it’s Golden State they would probably open up as favorites over us. Let’s not act like this is Utah that’s blowing them out it’s Steph, Klay and Draymond

And it’s been a WHOPPING two games on the warriors home court. And he’s still averaging 25/10/5. Playing 1 on 5.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

It's more like I can see Nikola Jokic keep winning MVPs unless the standard is changed for that award.

That’s just it, there is no standard.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Oh I don’t watch that show it’s horrible.

Watching it or not I’m guessing it supports your argument? So I don’t need to watch it.

I watched it. Wished I hadn’t. It was stupid guy yelling. He was Stephen A. Smith stupid.