NBA Playoffs 2015

[JNort]

First, I am a basketball nut. While I am not as savvy as most of you in the nuances of the game, I absolutely watch it just as much. I guess you can call me the casual fan. I whole heartedly agree the NBA is full of the "best of the best" and they ultimately should be able to put out a great product essentially every game. However, in the game you mentioned. Why in the world would the defending champs, with arguably two or three of the best players in the NBA, ever resort to a hack a Shaq on Deandre Jordan? It just makes the game hard to watch for the casual fan, and the casual fan is who the NBA wants to attract. Shaq himself wanted to know what happened to teams just beating the other by playing superior basketball. In the same game I watched arguably the best power forward in the game, one of my favorite players going back to college, set moving picks (literally pushing the ball handlers defender towards the 3 point line) at least 3 times and it never gets called. It is a rule that the man setting a pick has to be set correct?

It's called exploiting the rules (hack a shaq) which every sport does. Look at Duke for instance, we get called out for taking charges but hey guess what? As long as you can do it we will try. They will probably make a rule at sometime to stop the "hack shaq" but I kinda wish they wouldn't. Make the guys learn free throws coach!

Example from football just this year. New England Patriots were running those weird plays with receivers on the field checking in as ineligible just to confuse teams and it was working. NFL just made a rule against it for the upcoming season.

[FerryFor50]

I disagree on paragraph 2, especially with respect to Smith. You simply can't throw punches. He absolutely should be suspended.

I don't think Smith threw a punch. He swung his arm blindly and recklessly and was trying to make contact with Crowder, and did - but if he had missed, he wouldn't have been tossed.

I don't condone what Smith did, but I do see why he retaliated - Crowder was shoving him in the back and had been trying to bully the Cavs all series long.

Definitely should be suspended/fined, but I don't know if it should be a very long one.

[CDu]

First, I am a basketball nut. While I am not as savvy as most of you in the nuances of the game, I absolutely watch it just as much. I guess you can call me the casual fan. I whole heartedly agree the NBA is full of the "best of the best" and they ultimately should be able to put out a great product essentially every game. However, in the game you mentioned. Why in the world would the defending champs, with arguably two or three of the best players in the NBA, ever resort to a hack a Shaq on Deandre Jordan? It just makes the game hard to watch for the casual fan, and the casual fan is who the NBA wants to attract. Shaq himself wanted to know what happened to teams just beating the other by playing superior basketball. In the same game I watched arguably the best power forward in the game, one of my favorite players going back to college, set moving picks (literally pushing the ball handlers defender towards the 3 point line) at least 3 times and it never gets called. It is a rule that the man setting a pick has to be set correct?

Well, for one thing, the Spurs don't have 2 or 3 of the best players in the NBA. They are a very good team and very well-coached, but I'm not sure I'd put any of their players in the top 15 of the NBA.

As for the "hack-a-Deandre" (or whatever one wants to call it)? The Spurs do it because it works. Jordan is a horrible free throw shooter. If you want it to stop, Jordan needs to hit more than half of his free throws. Otherwise, in what is essentially a coin-toss series (remember: the Spurs are the lower-seeded team, not the Clippers; and the Clippers have the two best players in the series), it absolutely makes sense to foul.

Also, that is one single example in one series. There is tons of defense played (better defense than any other level of basketball). There is also tons of good offense played (better offense than any other level of basketball). I would call the quality of the product (the "hack-a-Deandre" aside) some of the best basketball we have ever seen right now.

[CDu]

I don't think Smith threw a punch. He swung his arm blindly and recklessly and was trying to make contact with Crowder, and did - but if he had missed, he wouldn't have been tossed.

I don't condone what Smith did, but I do see why he retaliated - Crowder was shoving him in the back and had been trying to bully the Cavs all series long.

Definitely should be suspended/fined, but I don't know if it should be a very long one.

I consider a swinging fist (even if blindly) the same thing as a punch. He had the same intent as a punch. The closed fist making contact with Crowder's face had the same result as a punch. Thus, I think it should be legislated as a punch.

Yes, the Celtics were playing physically. But don't think for a moment that the pushes in the back were one-sided. Tristan Thompson makes his living shoving defenders in the back to gain position for offensive rebounds.

Regardless, physical play does not warrant swinging fists at the opponent. He should be suspended and fined. I'm not saying 3+ games or anything, but it needs to be at least a game suspension. You just can't condone that by not giving a suspension. It sets a horrible precedent. If we start legislating down on swinging of fists just because the series had been overly physical, next thing you know pretty much any fights are going to be free of suspension (because pretty much ALL fights are the result of overly physical play).

[Billy Dat]

RE: Hack-a-DeAndre
I agree that this is horrendous to watch, but I also agree that it is well within the rules. With DeAndre, like Shaq and Dwight Howard, we have to remember that the goal is not only to potentially lower the offensive efficiency because there is a good chance that the shooter will miss both free throws, but also they are trying to force a huge defensive presence off the floor. Jordan does a really nice job guarding Tim Duncan. If repeatedly fouling him gets him off the floor...Plus, it's a chess move that makes the other coach go away from his game plan and make adjustments of the fly. I think Pop probably has a lot of confidence in that arena, although Doc is no slouch with in game management. You are not alone, though, in thinking it is unwatchable and the rules committee is supposed to be addressing this issue at the next board of governors meeting. I am not sure what the result will be, but giving the offense the option of just keeping the ball rather than shooting is one that has been floated. I do kind of side with those who think that failure to hit foul shots should be something that the other team can exploit.

RE: JR
As a Knicks fan who watched JR basically implode and never recover from his elbow to the face of Jason Terry in the playoffs in 2013, I find his behavior pathetic. He's got a legit chance to win the title and he gets sucked into the BS chippiness that was happening on the court. Bush league move, I don't care how much the Celtics were trying to ugly it up. CDu salivates as his Bulls get the next crack at Cleveland...

I am very psyched about a Game 5 at 2-2 for Spurs v Clips and very happy that Austin had a big game in Game 4. I really think the "Austin sucks" narrative has gone way too far and I hope he can continue to build himself a career as a rotation player. He's still really young.

[CDu]

RE: JR
As a Knicks fan who watched JR basically implode and never recover from his elbow to the face of Jason Terry in the playoffs in 2013, I find his behavior pathetic. He's got a legit chance to win the title and he gets sucked into the BS chippiness that was happening on the court. Bush league move, I don't care how much the Celtics were trying to ugly it up. CDu salivates as his Bulls get the next crack at Cleveland...

Yeah, JR Smith is about as unlikable a guy as there is in the league. I suspect he'll get at least a game suspension (possibly more), and it couldn't happen to a more appropriate guy.

I do hate that the Love injury (he could miss weeks with the dislocated shoulder) and pending JR Smith suspension will mar what otherwise should be a fantastic series. I do think the Cavs can still win the series (especially if they go small with LeBron at the PF spot), but things do appear to have gotten a bit easier for the Bulls (assuming we can dispatch the pesky Bucks).

That said, you got to play with the guys you have. The Bulls have been on the unfortunate end of injuries for the previous 3 playoffs, so I know what Cavs fans must be thinking right now. It just really stinks for their true fans who have suffered through years/decades of torment.

As for the Bulls/Bucks, I'm becoming more impressed by Jason Kidd's coaching and less impressed by Thibs' coaching the further this series has gone on. For some reason, Thibs has refused to realize two key things: (1) this injured version of Joakim Noah is not a PF; and (2) Nikola Mirotic is not a SF. Thibs has steadfastly played Noah and Gasol together, despite the fact that neither of them (at least not while Noah isn't healthy) can guard a stretch-4 to save their lives, and despite the fact that neither is best suited to be a stretch-4 on offense either. Kidd has countered this by literally not guarding Joakim Noah on offense. The counter move Thibs should be making is to split up the Gasol/Noah tandem. Replace Noah with Gibson in the starting group and you get the supposed value of Noah defensively without the abhorrent offensive limitations. Pairing Mirotic with Noah would allow Noah to stay closer to the rim and force teams to honor him defensively (he can still make a layup uncontested).

Instead, we're regularly seeing Mirotic at the SF (with Noah/Gasol AND Gibson), and we're regularly seeing Noah and Gasol together. Both the Noah/Gasol pairing and playing Mirotic at the SF spot just kill the floor spacing for the Bulls, which makes life difficult for their two superstars (Rose and Butler) to do what they do best (attack the rim). It's really frustrating to watch a guy who previously seemed a bulletproof coach get outcoached by a second-year guy.

[Billy Dat]

As for the Bulls/Bucks...

Excellent breakdown, I have seen virtually none of this series and will use your take as a primer as I try to catch the rest of it. I agree about Kidd as absolutely no one saw this level of acumen coming after his first year in Crooklyn, and maybe that says something about the collective mentality of the Nets roster, especially when you factor in The Truth Pierce's recent scathing commentary about his former teammates.

As for playing with who you got, damn skippy. As a Bulls fan, you have more then earned the right to say that. It's also fun happenstance that your squad will battle the Cavs (all disclaimers about the Bucks series not being over aside) after the DBR firestorm your critique of Kyrie set off earlier this year. Like our beloved Blue Devils, could the waves be parting for the Bulls to make a run to the Finals and, once you make the finals...Like many, I feel like Cavs v Bulls is the Eastern Conference finals, which I understand gives the Hawks no love, which isn't really fair.

First things first, the Pesky Bucks must be dealt with.

[CDu]

First things first, the Pesky Bucks must be dealt with.

Yes, this first. We absolutely need to win tonight, to rid ourselves of their annoyance and to start to heal up for the next round.

Regarding this Bulls/Bucks series, aside from the general awesomeness of Jimmy Butler and the resurrection of Derrick Rose (who has looked amazing in this series), it's been a blah series. Milwaukee can't shoot, but they are really long and athletic had have forced a ton of turnovers. The Bulls have been in control for most of the series, yet were completely sleepwalking for the last 2 minutes of regulation in Game 3 and for the first 3 quarters of Game 4. It's like they know they should/will win and are just trying to save energy. Not fun for a fan.

As for playing with who you got, damn skippy. As a Bulls fan, you have more then earned the right to say that. It's also fun happenstance that your squad will battle the Cavs (all disclaimers about the Bucks series not being over aside) after the DBR firestorm your critique of Kyrie set off earlier this year. Like our beloved Blue Devils, could the waves be parting for the Bulls to make a run to the Finals and, once you make the finals...Like many, I feel like Cavs v Bulls is the Eastern Conference finals, which I understand gives the Hawks no love, which isn't really fair.

Regarding the potential Cavs series, it should be a lot of fun. Irving has had a great year this year playing off of James. Being more of a scorer than the primary playmaker has really helped his game. He will have the chance to forever bury that label (which I won't repeat for fear of electronic gunfire from folks around here!) with a big series against the Bulls (and against anyone else should the Cavs get past the Bulls). I'm hopeful he plays great... but that the Bulls win the series anyway.

I definitely like the Bulls' chances better if Love can't play and if Smith gets more than a one-game suspension. Those two guys are terrific shooters and provide the floor spacing that gives the Bulls' defense (especially when we play the plodding Gasol and Noah together) fits. If those guys are out, their replacements (Shumpert and Thompson) play more to the strengths of the Bulls (i.e., they aren't shooters).

If the Bulls are fortunate to get past both the Bucks and Cavs, I hate the matchup with the Hawks. The Hawks are very much a "spread the ball around and shoot 3s" offense, which is the weakness of the Bulls defense. We can do pretty well against teams that try to iso against us (which is why I think we match up better with the Cavs than the Hawks). So I'm absolutely cheering for Washington over the Hawks, as they appear to be a more favorable matchup.

But, heck, if we do happen to get past Cleveland, I'll take whatever comes our way. It's just nice to finally see a Bulls team with a healthy Rose AND a couple of scorers around him that can take the pressure off. It's been a long time since Rose has been healthy, and he's never had the kind of weapons around him that he has now with Butler and Gasol and Dunleavy.

[g-money]

For any Cleveland residents on the board, I'm curious: How many death threats were called in on Kelly Olynyk today on AM sports radio?? Haha. (Sorry, too soon?)

In all seriousness, I do hate that the physicality of the NBA playoffs has now led to key players being knocked out. It's also terrible to watch.

Regarding the Cavs-Celts series specifically, Brad Stevens probably didn't have much choice given the talent disparity, but I wish he'd left "the Butler Way" back in college.

Out here on the West Coast, I'm psyched that the Warriors escaped the first round unscathed. Now I can sit back with some popcorn and enjoy the Clips and Spurs. It's so much easier on the eye than any series in the East.

[CDu]

The Bulls lack of focus is biting them. This series should be over, but instead the Bulls just keep turning it over with sloppy, lazy passes. Credit to the Bucks for playing harder the past two games. But the Bulls really have nobody to blame but themselves for extending this series to what is looking like a game 6.

[Duke95]

The Bulls lack of focus is biting them. This series should be over, but instead the Bulls just keep turning it over with sloppy, lazy passes. Credit to the Bucks for playing harder the past two games. But the Bulls really have nobody to blame but themselves for extending this series to what is looking like a game 6.

Yep, exactly. Just lazy, unfocused, complacent basketball by the Bulls.
The Bucks took the crowd out of the game early.

[Duvall]

Hansbrough, Olynyk...seems like some guys can't handle the transition from All-American to scrub without becoming a blight on the game.

[Austin Maida]

Is Los Angeles Clippers head coach/GM Doc Rivers' gamble starting to pay off? Rivers' son Austin, whom he traded for earlier this season, was a steadying flash of offense on Sunday in the Clippers' pivotal Game 4 victory over the San Antonio Spurs, an afternoon that marked the (as of now) high point of Austin's NBA career. Fresh off the heels of a Game 3 blowout loss that saw Austin make some solid plays in fourth quarter garbage time, the backup guard came off the bench to provide an offensive spark in Game 4. After not taking a shot in one minute of first quarter action, Austin shot 7 for 8 from the field over the final three quarters, and threw in a couple of "and-ones" for good measure. Take a look at this finish at the rim against Tim Duncan in the first few minutes of the fourth quarter:

https://vine.co/v/eWXBXtH5WQa

By the time the clock hit triple zeroes Austin had tallied 17 points, the fourth-highest total of his 45 games in a Clippers uniform this season. His ability to create his own shot was on display Sunday, as he got off several good looks from within fifteen feet, including a seven-footer off the glass while drawing a foul on San Antonio's Patty Mills. His constant drives to the basket seemed almost effortless, and assuredly weren't something the Spurs expected to see much of. It wasn't just the offense, as Austin deflected no fewer than three San Antonio passes, two of which led to steals. This was not only the biggest moment, but also the biggest stage, of the 22-year-old's young career.

None of this was lost on LA's leader and All-Star point guard Chris Paul, who led his teammates in a post game round of applause for the young guard. "Game ball goes to Austin Rivers," Paul said. "This is his first playoffs. What he did out there, it really just motivated our team. It's a hell of a game by Austin."

The key for Austin now will be sustaining this level of play, and thus the ever-growing confidence that his teammates have in him. He has shown small flashes on offense during his two years in the league, but his game lacks consistency. When he decides to put his head down and charge towards the rack, as he did on Sunday, he can make plays for himself as well as loosen up the defense for LA's outside shooters.

After a huge Game 4 win, the Clippers return home to face the Spurs in tonight's Game 5. While it was just the start for Austin in proving that he can be a trustworthy cog in the Clippers' ship, Sunday afternoon's performance was nonetheless necessary. More playoff performances like that one can go a long way in proving his father's gamble (trading away talented 2014 first-round-pick Reggie Bullock), was one worth taking.

[Richard Berg]

Hack-a-Jordan does not make the game "unwatchable". A 2-shot sequence in the NBA is very predictable: 45 seconds from whistle to box-out. Just note the score before & after and hit the skip button the appropriate # of times.

With DeAndre, like Shaq and Dwight Howard, we have to remember that the goal is not only to potentially lower the offensive efficiency because there is a good chance that the shooter will miss both free throws, but also they are trying to force a huge defensive presence off the floor. Jordan does a really nice job guarding Tim Duncan.

It's also a free timeout to rest your old guys. (Timmy played 45min the other night).

[luburch]

Apparently Love is going to miss the remainder of the playoffs. May need shoulder surgery.

[_Gary]

Apparently Love is going to miss the remainder of the playoffs. May need shoulder surgery.

Meanwhile, back on the ranch... JR Smith gets two games for a non-punch swipe (ridiculous) and Olynyk (the guy that in many ways really set the tone for everything that happened afterwards) gets only 1 freakin' game next year! One game! That's a joke when compared to JR getting two. Sorry, but that was a completely non-basketball, intentionally dirty play that is far more serious than what JR did. And yes I'm dead serious. Wrenching a guy's arm down is far more dangerous than any swing of the arm (which was not a face up punch to the head with full force). The League has now all but assured that Cleveland will have almost no chance to advance to the next round. They've lost not one, but two starters for their next two games. Losing one is bad enough. Losing two makes it virtually impossible for them to advance.

Does the NBA understand the definition of the word "disproportionate" and "fair"? Apparently not.

[Austin Maida]

Apparently Love is going to miss the remainder of the playoffs. May need shoulder surgery.

Cavs were not going to win it this year anyway. People saying this will actually HELP them (because of Love's lack of defense) just don't get it. Cleveland needed Love to be able to pull Chicago's bigs away from the basket and carve out lanes if they were going to win the series. Now the Bulls have all the help they didn't need to send the Cavs packing.

[tux]

Cavs were not going to win it this year anyway. People saying this will actually HELP them (because of Love's lack of defense) just don't get it. Cleveland needed Love to be able to pull Chicago's bigs away from the basket and carve out lanes if they were going to win the series. Now the Bulls have all the help they didn't need to send the Cavs packing.

Are we sure the Bulls are going to beat the Bucks?

Unfortunate for Love. I'm interested to see how the Cavs respond. Lebron and Kyrie are going to have to play out of their minds... could be fun to watch.

[CDu]

Meanwhile, back on the ranch... JR Smith gets two games for a non-punch swipe (ridiculous) and Olynyk (the guy that in many ways really set the tone for everything that happened afterwards) gets only 1 freakin' game next year! One game! That's a joke when compared to JR getting two. Sorry, but that was a completely non-basketball, intentionally dirty play that is far more serious than what JR did. And yes I'm dead serious. Wrenching a guy's arm down is far more dangerous than any swing of the arm (which was not a face up punch to the head with full force). The League has now all but assured that Cleveland will have almost no chance to advance to the next round. They've lost not one, but two starters for their next two games. Losing one is bad enough. Losing two makes it virtually impossible for them to advance.

Does the NBA understand the definition of the word "disproportionate" and "fair"? Apparently not.

Totally disagree with your take on Smith's fist to the face of Crowder. And don't blame the NBA: Smith didn't have to punch (yes, punch: he hit Crowder with a closed fist, with a full swing) Crowder in the face.

It absolutely sucks that Love is out for the playoffs. You can certainly argue that Olynyk could be suspended longer. But the NBA had to punish Smith severely for that non-basketball play punch. And since he is not a first-time offender, the punishment was likely to be a bit higher. The Cavs have nobody but Smith to blame for his two-game absence.

The NBA is not in the business of concerning themselves with making sure a particular team has a chance to win a series. Smith knew Love was injured and made the incredibly foolish decision to throw a fist at an opponent's face anyway. He cost the Cavs greatly by his stupidity.*

* I would also say that Smith's absence for two games is far less of a hurdle than Love's absence when discussing the Cavs' chances. They absolutely can still win their next series. Especially if the Bucks find a way to take the next two games. Love's injury kills any realistic shot at a title (unless he can make it back at some point) because they can't beat the West with just LeBron and Irving. But they absolutely can still make the Eastern Conference finals.

[_Gary]

Totally disagree with your take on Smith's fist to the face of Crowder. And don't blame the NBA: Smith didn't have to punch (yes, punch: he hit Crowder with a closed fist, with a full swing) Crowder in the face.

It absolutely sucks that Love is out for the playoffs. You can certainly argue that Olynyk could be suspended longer. But the NBA had to punish Smith severely for that non-basketball play punch. And since he is not a first-time offender, the punishment was likely to be a bit higher. The Cavs have nobody but Smith to blame for his two-game absence.

I agree that he probably got two games instead of one because he's not a first-time offender. No doubt the League took that into account (and they should always consider past behavior - no problem there). But I disagree that it should be labeled a "punch" in the traditional sense of the word and I disagree that there's no one to blame but Smith himself. The officials had a chance to send a message early in that game after the goon play by Olynyk and they did nothing. There was a ton of physical - even dirty - play going on in that game but the officials chose to let too much go until late in the first half after it was too late to control tempers. Of course Smith shouldn't have reacted like he did, but anybody telling me Crowder didn't provoke that with hyper-physical/marginally dirty play earlier loses all credibility in my book. Watch the entire sequence and you'll see Crowder come down the lane and slam Smith with an elbow/body blow to the side and then, after that, puts an elbow into his lower body and pushes him hard again as the ball is shot. There was no wind up by Smith. It was a gut reaction (emphasis on the "re") to being hit hard - twice - by the man seconds before. He swung his arm backwards, so I just can't characterize that as a punch.

The Cavs are now almost surely done for the playoffs. I liked their chances before Sunday's game. Probably a difficult 7 game series with the Bulls on the horizon, but in my book a win nonetheless. Now? Those odds have shifted severely in the Bulls favor.