The 2024 NBA playoffs thread

[Lorenzo]

I knew that dallas has been bad of late in game 1's, but I heard a stat that they are only 1-11 in game 1's since 2011. not sure if it is going to change, but today would be a huge day to buck that trend.

 

[Lorenzo]

that was a weird first half. dallas just need to knock down some open looks and they have a chance. Minnesota are destroying them beyond the arc but dallas are staying in the game by destroying Minnesota in the paint. so much for goebert being a great defender. I can't believe goebert's name was brought up with the likes of Hakeem and Jokic earlier in this thread.

 

[Phrazbit]

You guys keep saying that trade didn’t make us better when that’s just empirically false.

The Suns with the CP3/Booker team was 25-26, coming off the heels of an epic 2nd round meltdown and was on pace to possibly MISS THE PLAYOFFS. That’s all we have to show for what the bad CP3/Unmotivated Ayton team was. That’s LITERALLY what we know pre-trade. You know what we also know? Post-trade, they ended up 45-37, which means they went 20-9 AFTER the trade and that was WITH KD missing 10 of 30 games.

You know what that means? It means the team WAS BETTER after the trade. You know what we also know? We know that despite a rash of injuries, a terrible coach and discontent everywhere on the team, a 49-33 record is ALSO BETTER THAN what 25-26 comports to.

You keep making a flatly false statement/argument that the team was worse post-trade, when the sad fact is by measure of wins and losses, that isn’t true at all. And spare me the 2022-2023 team had injuries excuse. You can only make that argument if you completely ignore the fact that the Suns post-KD trade have ALSO dealt with a rash of injuries whether that was KD in year 1, or Booker or Beal on year 2.

The reality, that we actually saw play out ON THE COURT in 2022-2023 and to end 2022, was that not only had our window shut without CP3 at an ALL-NBA level, but even being a playoff team at all was now at risk. So, sadly the trade actually DID make us better last season. The huge Problem is, the trade didnt re-open a title window which had slammed shut… it only cracked it enough to be a middling playoff team again, while severely hurting our future. That’s why it’s such a terrible trade. It only marginally made us better in the interim, while destroying the future… which ultimately looked grim any way because we don’t have a unicorn to build around. But at least we would have had more flexibility, which would have provided a little more hope.

Now, I expect you to start lying or ignoring again that I think it was a terrible trade, despite having said so multiple times. But after you do that, I’d love for you to actually make a plausible argument for trades involving the Garland, Trae Young or an aging Lillards of the world… and ones that aren’t based on Hoop Head’s magic fairy dust that would have gotten Lillard for CP3’s expiring and a couple draft picks.

Your account of the record and situation last season are just flat out wrong. You keep pulling this "25-26" number out, when we never, at any point, had that record and certainly didn't have it at the time of the trade.

And our injuries last year were far far far worse.

And one more time... it doesn't even matter. There is no situation were the KD trade was anything but horrible. There is no justification for gutting your franchise for a 35 year old, injury prone, gutless, toxic, malcontent.

 

[95pro]

You guys keep saying that trade didn’t make us better when that’s just empirically false.

The Suns with the CP3/Booker team was 25-26, coming off the heels of an epic 2nd round meltdown and was on pace to possibly MISS THE PLAYOFFS. That’s all we have to show for what the bad CP3/Unmotivated Ayton team was. That’s LITERALLY what we know pre-trade. You know what we also know? Post-trade, they ended up 45-37, which means they went 20-9 AFTER the trade and that was WITH KD missing 10 of 30 games.

You know what that means? It means the team WAS BETTER after the trade. You know what we also know? We know that despite a rash of injuries, a terrible coach and discontent everywhere on the team, a 49-33 record is ALSO BETTER THAN what 25-26 comports to.

You keep making a flatly false statement/argument that the team was worse post-trade, when the sad fact is by measure of wins and losses, that isn’t true at all. And spare me the 2022-2023 team had injuries excuse. You can only make that argument if you completely ignore the fact that the Suns post-KD trade have ALSO dealt with a rash of injuries whether that was KD in year 1, or Booker or Beal on year 2.

The reality, that we actually saw play out ON THE COURT in 2022-2023 and to end 2022, was that not only had our window shut without CP3 at an ALL-NBA level, but even being a playoff team at all was now at risk. So, sadly the trade actually DID make us better last season. The huge Problem is, the trade didnt re-open a title window which had slammed shut… it only cracked it enough to be a middling playoff team again, while severely hurting our future. That’s why it’s such a terrible trade. It only marginally made us better in the interim, while destroying the future… which ultimately looked grim any way because we don’t have a unicorn to build around. But at least we would have had more flexibility, which would have provided a little more hope.

Now, I expect you to start lying or ignoring again that I think it was a terrible trade, despite having said so multiple times. But after you do that, I’d love for you to actually make a plausible argument for trades involving the Garland, Trae Young or an aging Lillards of the world… and ones that aren’t based on Hoop Head’s magic fairy dust that would have gotten Lillard for CP3’s expiring and a couple draft picks.

Here comes brother.

Do you guys help each other pee too?

 

[Phrazbit]

Here comes brother.

Do you guys help each other pee too?

Lame

 

[BirdGangThing]

luka taking over - sota calls time

 

[Mainstreet]

Your account of the record and situation last season are just flat out wrong. You keep pulling this "25-26" number out, when we never, at any point, had that record and certainly didn't have it at the time of the trade.

And our injuries last year were far far far worse.

And one more time... it doesn't even matter. There is no situation were the KD trade was anything but horrible. There is no justification for gutting your franchise for a 35 year old, injury prone, gutless, toxic, malcontent.

Also, what is not factored into the equation by some is alternative trades the Suns could have made if they hadn't locked onto Durant.

It's not like the Durant trade or nothing.

 

[ajcardfan]

The Wolves are so bipolar. They will look unbeatable and then turn around and play so bad you wonder how they made the playoffs.

 

[BirdGangThing]

now dallas falling apart

 

[Lorenzo]

The Wolves are so bipolar. They will look unbeatable and then turn around and play so bad you wonder how they made the playoffs.

The 3 point shot is keeping them alive tonight. Dallas is having a terrible night from 3 comparatively.

 

[BirdGangThing]

good battle

 

[Lorenzo]

impressive win by dallas. they got away with a lot of poor turnovers, but aside from that I was impressed.

 

[Lorenzo]

now dallas falling apart

they are finding different ways to win games in these playoffs. in the past they don't win this type of game when they can't knock down 3's. if they knock down three's tonight they win going away. I thought Kidd called a great timeout there with about a min left and then got doncic the game wining shot.

 

[Yuma]

This is where it all started to go belly up. Not the KD trade, not what we gave up etc. The first domino was Ayton not living up to expectations. If Ayton lived up to his draft potential and was a legitimate #1 or even #2 on this team? So many other options open up to the Suns.

If Ayton was a legit #1 or #2 we never trade Bridges and Cam, imho. We wouldn't have needed another scorer with Booker. The KD trade doesn't get made.

 

[BirdGangThing]

dallas straight shut ant down - he tried screening - rolling - cutting - dallas was all over it plus kyrie ran ant ragged on defense

im thinking minnesota wins game 2 but losing that first one gonna be tough

 

[BirdGangThing]

they are finding different ways to win games in these playoffs. in the past they don't win this type of game when they can't knock down 3's. if they knock down three's tonight they win going away. I thought Kidd called a great timeout there with about a min left and then got doncic the game wining shot.

kidd's been great

 

[Lorenzo]

say what you want about draymond green, but he really makes the TNT set look dumb with his b-ball IQ. maybe it is because he actually understands the modern game.

 

[Yuma]

Not sure how much getting under the 2nd apron by $2-3mil helps us considering we’d go back over by filling the roster. Honestly getting under the apron helps if we’re blowing it up b/c it gives us more flexibility with incoming contexts for a KD trade. Plus we’d be giving up a lock to unload Nurk.

Just throwing that info out there. You could then trade Allen for a player or players. I agree. I don't think getting rid of Nurkic helps much.

 

[Lorenzo]

dallas straight shut ant down - he tried screening - rolling - cutting - dallas was all over it plus kyrie ran ant ragged on defense

im thinking minnesota wins game 2 but losing that first one gonna be tough

dallas is coming off a series where they couldn't contain SGA offensively. SGA and all of his teammates on the defensive end really made the series hard on doncic and Irving. tonight Irving and doncic had a lot more space to operate. IDK that ant man or Irving are going to stop one another one on one. honestly if dallas made their open shots they win by 10 points or more. Minnesota made a lot of 3's, but they also cooled off a bit in the 2nd half.

 

[clyde2tw]

MIN has the better overall defense, but lacks the superstar plays as Doncic and Irvine are both much more experienced and reliable scorers down the stretch than Ant. They lost middle in the 2nd half when their offense was chaotic, only coming back a bit by going to Towns for lowpost moves. What's the lesson for our Suns? We don't have nearly adequate defense to last to the final min where superstars decide the game. Our #1 guy Booker is much worse defender than any of Doncic, Irvine and Ant. Particular Doncic has been underestimated at his D, he is really great at anticipating the intentions of the offense, his stopping the last Conley pass to Gober in the air was an example.

 

[Phrazbit]

Just throwing that info out there. You could then trade Allen for a player or players. I agree. I don't think getting rid of Nurkic helps much.

Nurk was utterly useless in the playoffs, his playoff career is abysmal.

He's a bad defender and he struggles to score in the post and from outside. The rebounds and decent ball handling are nice but he was a serious liability against the Wolves.

I don't know what we could get for him but I think he's replaceable.

 

[Hoop Head]

Now, I expect you to start lying or ignoring again that I think it was a terrible trade, despite having said so multiple times.

Says the guy who keeps making up a 25-26 record for the pre KD Suns. Who is lying and making things up, again? I'll give you a hint, he's in your bathroom somewhere. Look for the shiny flat thing on the wall. Wave at him when you see him, for me.

 

[clyde2tw]

they are finding different ways to win games in these playoffs. in the past they don't win this type of game when they can't knock down 3's. if they knock down three's tonight they win going away. I thought Kidd called a great timeout there with about a min left and then got doncic the game wining shot.

Kidd is a very good coach. But MIN is also capable of adjusting over the series. It's gonna be a great conf. finals.

 

[Lorenzo]

MIN has the better overall defense, but lacks the superstar plays as Doncic and Irvine are both much more experienced and reliable scorers down the stretch than Ant. They lost middle in the 2nd half when their offense was chaotic, only coming back a bit by going to Towns for lowpost moves. What's the lesson for our Suns? We don't have nearly adequate defense to last to the final min where superstars decide the game. Our #1 guy Booker is much worse defender than any of Doncic, Irvine and Ant. Particular Doncic has been underestimated at his D, he is really great at anticipating the intentions of the offense, his stopping the last Conley pass to Gober in the air was an example.

I thought the dallas defense was ok today overall, and it was much better in the 2nd half. dallas gave up a lot of 3's and goebert had some put backs. towns made a mistake on that put back dunk, that shot could have dropped and I think that would have been a 3. lively and gafford canceled out anything that goebert and towns did at their offensive end (at the rim). dallas killed them in the paint.

 

[Lorenzo]

Kidd is a very good coach. But MIN is also capable of adjusting over the series. It's gonna be a great conf. finals.

I agree, it was a very good game 1. close game that the t-wolves could have won.