The 2022 NBA Play-In Tournament + Playoffs Thread

[AzStevenCal]

I'd rather face the Celtics if the Suns make it out of the West. The Bucks destroyed them today and that's with Robert Williams III.

The Bucks size along with Giannis is a problem.

If he's not up to speed he's probably more a liability than an asset.

 

[Mainstreet]

If he's not up to speed he's probably more a liability than an asset.

I don't know where Robert Williams is but the Celtics looked outmatched today. I hope it's just the one game but it didn't look like it today.

 

[somethingshesaid]

Geeze the Bucks just embarrassed the Celtics today. I guess the Nets really were that terrible.

Grizz and Warriors are as advertised.

Pretty interested to see Harden solo, most likely he’ll shrink and have a non existent fourth quarter.

Suns should be good tomorrow. The only real panic is facing the winner of the warriors or Grizz.

That you call it a "panic" even perhaps flippantly is a bad sign.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I don't know where Robert Williams is but the Celtics looked outmatched today. I hope it's just the one game but it didn't look like it today.

I didn't watch the game, I didn't realize he was back till you mentioned it. But who knows how long it will take for him to be all the way back.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I didn't watch the game, I didn't realize he was back till you mentioned it. But who knows how long it will take for him to be all the way back.

I think He’s been back since Game 3 of the Nets series.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I think He’s been back since Game 3 of the Nets series.

Really? Can you tell I didn't watch a moment of that series?

 

[Mainstreet]

I didn't watch the game, I didn't realize he was back till you mentioned it. But who knows how long it will take for him to be all the way back.

The way the Bucks looked today, I don't think it matters. The Bucks are really big up front and Ibaka only played 1 minute.

Grayson Allen looked good off the bench.

 

[AzStevenCal]

The way the Bucks looked today, I don't think it matters. The Bucks are really big up front and Ibaka only played 1 minute.

Grayson Allen looked good off the bench.

I certainly won't shed a tear if Boston gets bounced by the Bucks, Marcus Smart is near the bottom of the list of players I like to watch. Not that I'm looking forward to seeing Grayson play should we reach the finals.

 

[Mainstreet]

I certainly won't shed a tear if Boston gets bounced by the Bucks, Marcus Smart is near the bottom of the list of players I like to watch. Not that I'm looking forward to seeing Grayson play should we reach the finals.

The West is really tough but I'd rather not play the Bucks if the Suns make it to the Finals. If Middleton should return they are that much tougher.

 

[Mainstreet]

The Grizzles and the Warriors are so quick plus shoot and pass so well, they make a big man look like a luxury.

 

[DJ Tabooh]

He absolutely shouldn't have started over Booker but I think it's unfair to say he's no better than Trae Young. He's worlds better especially in decision making and relating to his teammates.

Just look at how his teammates rallied around him when the talk started about Memphis being better without him. You'd never hear that from Trae's teammates, many of whom would likely agree with that sentiment.

I was more so referring to the defensive end. They’re minus defenders who get hidden. Whether Trae’s teammates like him or not, they were 2 wins from the Finals last year.

I love Ja, he’s a tremendous competitor and a heck of a player. But the Grizz are the 2nd youngest team in the league. Bane and Brooks were a combined 5/23 tonight….we’ll see how the Grizz respond in game 2.

 

[LoyaltyisaCurse]

Lol:

 

[Phrazbit]

Last year going into the 2nd round I was starting to feel like the title was ours to lose... I certainly am not that confident this year. Although, I came away from that Warriors/Grizz game feeling a bit better about our chances vs either. The last 5 minutes of that game were extremely chaotic, a lot of terrible shots, hero shots and a lot of guys getting left open, very different than the way we grind teams down in the 4th.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I will never ever agree with this assessment. I am a lifelong Warriors fan and you might say I’m biased but I am also free to admit when you draymond crosses the line and that’s what flagrant 2 is for. He did not cross the line. Its the most ridiculous call but I’ve ever seen and I will stand by that.

I was surprised they called flagrantvtwo until I saw the blow to the head. There were two acts there, the blow to the head and then pulling a guy in the air down by his Jersey. I would’ve said it was back-to-back flagrant 1s that result in him being tossed. When you’re a guy that does that stuff you don’t get the benefit of the doubt. Didn’t help his cause they running around the court like a Jackarse after the fact.

 

[Hoop Head]

I hope the Grizzlies can squeak out a series win but I don't think they can beat the Warriors so much as the Warriors bad habits can cost themselves the series.

I'm not worried about the Grizzlies at all as an opponent. As I've said all along, they're a pretender and will only go as far as Ja can carry them and in the postseason it's much easier to shut him down, or at least gameplan against him, than the regular season.

The Warriors fall in love with bad shots too often and Draymond being their only big makes their margin of error quite small since they're not a good defensive or rebounding team.

The series in the East are much more competitive and entertaining, IMO. I worry more about how the Suns would match up with the Heat, Bucks, and Celtics than any remaining teams in the West. Philly might have been worth considering before Embiid broke his face but that exposes how bad they are without him as well as how bad of a coach Doc Rivers is.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Ja is amazing on offense but my goodness he completely loses Payton for a layup and then yells at his teammate

I was shocked how little effort ja makes on defense. I’d hunt him. It’s not that he’s bad, it’s he just doesn’t even try. I don’t know if he’s bad or good because often he’s nowhere near his man after going for steals. I suppose that’s okay when you’ve got lots of rim protection behind you, but the better teams are going to make you pay in a playoff series.

 

[Phrazbit]

I was surprised they called flagrantvtwo until I saw the blow to the head. There were two acts there, the blow to the head and then pulling a guy in the air down by his Jersey. I would’ve said it was back-to-back flagrant 1s that result in him being tossed. When you’re a guy that does that stuff you don’t get the benefit of the doubt. Didn’t help his cause they running around the court like a Jackarse after the fact.

Yeah, I don't get the outrage. He did 2 flagrants in one play, I was miffed before the announcement that the announcers were not presuming an ejection. And you are 100% correct that his history doesn't help.

 

[Phrazbit]

I was shocked how little effort ja makes on defense. I’d hunt him. It’s not that he’s bad, it’s he just doesn’t even try. I don’t know if he’s bad or good because often he’s nowhere near his man after going for steals. I suppose that’s okay when you’ve got lots of rim protection behind you, but the better teams are going to make you pay in a playoff series.

Reminds me of Oubre on D. He's got all the ability to be a good defender but spends too much time ball watching and hunting lanes instead of tracking his man.

 

[Russ Smith]

Yeah, I don't get the outrage. He did 2 flagrants in one play, I was miffed before the announcement that the announcers were not presuming an ejection. And you are 100% correct that his history doesn't help.

If they had said flagrant 1 for the hit to the head, flagrant 1 for the pull down I wouldn't have objected.

 

[Russ Smith]

Reminds me of Oubre on D. He's got all the ability to be a good defender but spends too much time ball watching and hunting lanes instead of tracking his man.

It took a bit but in the 3rd q the Warriors started Klay, Poole and Steph all together with Wiggins and Looney. Having 4 scorers made it really obvious how indifferent Ja is on defense they exploited him. Memphis tried to hide him on Looney at times but the Warriors move the ball too much. When Klay(I think) got his 4th they put in Payton and Memphis was like ok we hide him on GP2. But Payton kept getting open because of it and either scoring or creating help and recover that opened someone else up.

Against Denver the offense was often find Joker or Boogie and attack, I suspect this series we're going to see find Ja and attack. He did make a good play on the flop against Kuminga he flopped but he was in position so it was a charge before the flop. But I think the W's will go back to that too get him on a big and attack him

He's so good on offense you have to go at him on the other end

 

[Proximo]

The West is really tough but I'd rather not play the Bucks if the Suns make it to the Finals. If Middleton should return they are that much tougher.

I feel the opposite, I want payback.

 

[Dback Jon]

If they had said flagrant 1 for the hit to the head, flagrant 1 for the pull down I wouldn't have objected.

Which equals a flagrant two which is basically what they did
Draymond is a dirty player always has been.



He’s gotten a lot less flagrant fouls than he’s deserved so any Warriors fan crying about him not getting any type of benefit really is laughable

 

[Russ Smith]

Which equals a flagrant two which is basically what they did
Draymond is a dirty player always has been.



He’s gotten a lot less flagrant fouls than he’s deserved so any Warriors fan crying about him not getting any type of benefit really is laughable

Point is they didn't assess 2 they called it a flagrant 2. If they had explained it as we called one for the face and one for the pulldown I would not have objected. The ref did mention face and pulldown but he didn't say that equals a 2. It was Javie on tv who explained he thought the hit to the face had to have been the 2 because the pulldown didn't warrant a flagrant since he clearly was trying to hold him up.

My guess is that's what they did but they didn't explain it. Neither of the contacts warrant a 2 IMO, but I can see the argument each of them warrant a 1.

 

[95pro]

Point is they didn't assess 2 they called it a flagrant 2. If they had explained it as we called one for the face and one for the pulldown I would not have objected. The ref did mention face and pulldown but he didn't say that equals a 2. It was Javie on tv who explained he thought the hit to the face had to have been the 2 because the pulldown didn't warrant a flagrant since he clearly was trying to hold him up.

My guess is that's what they did but they didn't explain it. Neither of the contacts warrant a 2 IMO, but I can see the argument each of them warrant a 1.

Only warrior fans think this, which is why it's a flagrant 2.

 

[Russ Smith]

Only warrior fans think this, which is why it's a flagrant 2.

And literally everyone on ESPN and the guys at halftime etc. He had his left hand on the jersey and then reaches with his right hand to try and hold him up. Damian Lillard, who nearly came to blows with Draymond a couple of years ago, said on twitter he didn't get the call because Draymond tried to hold him up.

And Steve javie who's not a Warrior fan said it can't be for the pulldown because he tried to hold him up so I assume it's for the contact to the face.