General NBA Discussion

[azurepred]

I agree most first round series have been fun to watch. I'd expect the excitement level to drop the deeper into the playoffs we go. I feel a lot of the young guns play is competition and as they progress to more experienced playoff teams their productivity may drop.

I'm actually rooting for the Sixers from the east as the Cavs just won't add any excitement against GSW or HR in the finals. I'm not seeing a killer attitude, the get ahead the play slows down and they become ineffective. Love isn't playing well and LeBron while playing well seems disinterested. Not getting back on D taking plays off....meh

Maybe in the West that would happen, but the East has a lot of young, inexperienced teams. I'm hoping Boston plays Phi because that will be a crazy physical series and the winner would probably be the favs to come out of the East.

While I agree Lebron has taken some plays off. You have to give him some sort of pass? The guy is playing tons of minutes, entire 2nd halves. He's gotta take some plays off. He's still playing great ball overall. He's OLD. Love just looks straight up bad, I don't know if he's injured or what.

I'm glad my Timberwolves at least got 1 win. too bad they couldn't have stole game 1 too and be up 2-1 right now... oh well.

T-Wolves are lucky they didn't get swept imo. 50 points in a qtr is insane.

 

[Darth Madden]

I was not under any delusion that the T-Wolves would win the series. I just wanted one win and I at least got that. They need to fire the HC the second game 5 ends.

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[BurningRage]

Thunder in trouble.

 

[LexiKon318]

They should’ve never traded for Carmelo ha

I just don’t see how having him out there helps them.

5/18 shooting last night. Yikes.

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[Darth Madden]

Thunder in trouble.

Good. They need to go down and go down hard.

 

[azurepred]

I was not under any delusion that the T-Wolves would win the series. I just wanted one win and I at least got that. They need to fire the HC the second game 5 ends.

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what's wrong with Thibs? He basically brought you Chicago Bulls 2.0 lol

They should’ve never traded for Carmelo ha

I just don’t see how having him out there helps them.

5/18 shooting last night. Yikes.

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Idk if Melo is the problem. Look how inefficient PG has been in this postseason compared to his body of work as the top dog in Ind. Also look how great Oladipo has been when not playing with Russ compared to playing with him. OKC should be much better than what they are. I'm not convinced PG or Melo is the real issue.

 

[LexiKon318]

what's wrong with Thibs? He basically brought you Chicago Bulls 2.0 lol



Idk if Melo is the problem. Look how inefficient PG has been in this postseason compared to his body of work as the top dog in Ind. Also look how great Oladipo has been when not playing with Russ compared to playing with him. OKC should be much better than what they are. I'm not convinced PG or Melo is the real issue.

I just feel the team works better without him. Sure, Westbrook and George are flawed but I think a lineup of those two with a bunch of guys who can defend would work better.

The Jazz were relentlessly attacking Melo on pick and rolls ... put Grant out there, who is a rangy defender who can protect the rim, and maybe things don’t get out of hand like they did in the 3rd.

If Melo’s shot is not falling -and it hasn’t in 3 of the 4 games- what does he provide? He’s not THE problem but he doesn’t really help either.


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[Khev]

I'm glad my Timberwolves at least got 1 win. too bad they couldn't have stole game 1 too and be up 2-1 right now... oh well.

Yeah, after a 14 year drought of even making the playoffs I'll take the one single win.

 

[Shawpaw]

Thunder in trouble.

Very much so. You can tell which team wants it more.

They should’ve never traded for Carmelo ha

I just don’t see how having him out there helps them.

5/18 shooting last night. Yikes.

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I know Enes Kanter's defense sucks, but he helped rebound and was a presence under the basket offensively. Melo is cold and doesn't add anything substantial to the team.

Good. They need to go down and go down hard.

The Thunder are much better on paper than the product. Melo just complicates things. PG has a bad offensive year. His defense has been good. We just need to drop Melo.

 

[Darth Madden]

what's wrong with Thibs? He basically brought you Chicago Bulls 2.0 lol

Too bad it's not the 90's Bulls.

 

[Darkseed]

Maybe in the West that would happen, but the East has a lot of young, inexperienced teams. I'm hoping Boston plays Phi because that will be a crazy physical series and the winner would probably be the favs to come out of the East.

While I agree Lebron has taken some plays off. You have to give him some sort of pass? The guy is playing tons of minutes, entire 2nd halves. He's gotta take some plays off. He's still playing great ball overall. He's OLD. Love just looks straight up bad, I don't know if he's injured or what.
.

Philly vs Boston or Mil would be fun in the east. Everyone else rather uninteresting to me....

I don’t fault Bron, he’s producing but I don’t think he trust his teammates. They get a lead he dominates the ball right up to the shot clock and boom Indy is back in it. They need to run and keep running but then that leads them into a different puddle of fun.

He’s done if stays in Cle....he’ll pile up stats but not championships. Wouldn’t fault him bolting again this summer

 

[Sweet Rabbit]

He picked the team

 

[DinoDB1975]

They should’ve never traded for Carmelo ha

I just don’t see how having him out there helps them.

5/18 shooting last night. Yikes.

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His best days are behind him. I really think he'd be productive as "instant offense" off the bench...I'm dating myself now, but think Vinnie "The Microwave" Johnson from the Pistons. Those too young to remember, think Dwyane Wade's current role with the Heat. Unfortunately, it's not going to happen. A few weeks before the end of the regular season, a reporter asked Melo if he could help the team better off the bench and Melo laughed.

Idk if Melo is the problem. Look how inefficient PG has been in this postseason compared to his body of work as the top dog in Ind. Also look how great Oladipo has been when not playing with Russ compared to playing with him. OKC should be much better than what they are. I'm not convinced PG or Melo is the real issue.

Westbrook is a huge talent, but as Kenny Smith and others so astutely mentioned, him trying to shut down Ricky Rubio last night/one up him was not the way the Thunder were going to win.

Very much so. You can tell which team wants it more.



I know Enes Kanter's defense sucks, but he helped rebound and was a presence under the basket offensively. Melo is cold and doesn't add anything substantial to the team.





The Thunder are much better on paper than the product. Melo just complicates things. PG has a bad offensive year. His defense has been good. We just need to drop Melo.

Yeah...unfortunately, Melo has a player option for $27 million next year...he's not getting that on the open market, so no way he declines $27 million.

What I love about playoff basketball is that I get to watch teams that I would not regularly watch. Case in point, Utah; I'm in the Washington, DC television market, so unless Utah is on a nationally televised game, I don't get to see them. Even then, they'd usually be on the second half of a double header and it be too late for me to stay up and watch on account of work the next morning. Utah's a really good team, and it's more impressive that they have to build that team through player development and good drafting; apologies to any residents of Utah, but Salt Lake City is not really a hot free agent destination.

 

[azurepred]

Philly vs Boston or Mil would be fun in the east. Everyone else rather uninteresting to me....

I don’t fault Bron, he’s producing but I don’t think he trust his teammates. They get a lead he dominates the ball right up to the shot clock and boom Indy is back in it. They need to run and keep running but then that leads them into a different puddle of fun.

He’s done if stays in Cle....he’ll pile up stats but not championships. Wouldn’t fault him bolting again this summer

I don't think Mil matches up well against Phi, so that's not one I'd be interested in seeing. I think they got blown out by like 30 in a game they had to win late in the year. I don't think chasing chips enhances his legacy in any way, so I'd rather him stay put, but that team is in such a **** hole with that salary cap mess. They would have to gut the team either way I guess.

I just feel the team works better without him. Sure, Westbrook and George are flawed but I think a lineup of those two with a bunch of guys who can defend would work better.

The Jazz were relentlessly attacking Melo on pick and rolls ... put Grant out there, who is a rangy defender who can protect the rim, and maybe things don’t get out of hand like they did in the 3rd.

If Melo’s shot is not falling -and it hasn’t in 3 of the 4 games- what does he provide? He’s not THE problem but he doesn’t really help either.


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Like already mentioned, Russ is just so emotional that he is a detriment to his team. Melo would defn be more useful coming off the bench.

What I love about playoff basketball is that I get to watch teams that I would not regularly watch. Case in point, Utah; I'm in the Washington, DC television market, so unless Utah is on a nationally televised game, I don't get to see them. Even then, they'd usually be on the second half of a double header and it be too late for me to stay up and watch on account of work the next morning. Utah's a really good team, and it's more impressive that they have to build that team through player development and good drafting; apologies to any residents of Utah, but Salt Lake City is not really a hot free agent destination.

Utah looks to be a extremely talented young team that has been good all year long. They need at least one more all star caliber player to have a real chance though. The coach seems to be really good.

 

[azurepred]

wow, I thought those bums were gonna blow it. One band show. Great shot.

 

[DinoDB1975]

Great block and shot...LeBron is just superhuman. But he can’t do it alone. 44 points...with the second leading scorer Kyle Korver with 19 and Kevin Love as the only other player in double figures with 11.

 

[azurepred]

This current team really reminds me of the team he had in his 1st stint with Cle. I think the East is much tougher than it was that year from what I recall minus Detroit. The only team I don't think they could make it past is Phi. Toronto and Bos , maybe.....if they make it past Ind first. Close games. It still drives me nuts Osman isn't playing.

 

[Darkseed]

Osman....fan fav but not really that productive. Then again he matches the rest of the lineup and is far less expensive lol.

I'm hoping the fun continues in the lower rounds because the finals themselves likely be a bore

 

[azurepred]

Osman....fan fav but not really that productive. Then again he matches the rest of the lineup and is far less expensive lol.

I'm hoping the fun continues in the lower rounds because the finals themselves likely be a bore

I like his defense and charisma. There's only one way to get experience. They did well when he started, so like you said, it wouldn't be a downgrade from what they are getting already, so why not try him?

I'm down for a Houston vs. Phi finals.

 

[Shawpaw]

OKC is so bad.

They were lucky to even win that game. Down 3-2 to Utah. Melo is really a liability out there.