NBA Playoffs 2018

[phaedrus]

It most certainly isn't just the Pats. That may be just you. Or it could be that the hate for the Pats masks the hate for the other teams (really just the Celtics and the Red Sox).

Not sure how to measure "hate", but here are just a few quick articles:
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1...eams-in-sports
https://www.thesportster.com/enterta...ams-in-sports/
https://www.buzzfeed.com/abahammad/t...VGp#.in2d4ykbg

Yeah - it isn't great journalism but it gets the point across.

It's interesting that the Boston franchises (other than the Patriots) are enmeshed in some of the best, if not the best, historic rivalries in their respective sports: Lakers-Celtics, Red Sox-Yankees, Bruins-Habs. That would seem to increase fan polarization - even for fans not that invested in the rivalries.

[CDu]

It most certainly isn't just the Pats. That may be just you. Or it could be that the hate for the Pats masks the hate for the other teams (really just the Celtics and the Red Sox).

Not sure how to measure "hate", but here are just a few quick articles:
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1...eams-in-sports
https://www.thesportster.com/enterta...ams-in-sports/
https://www.buzzfeed.com/abahammad/t...VGp#.in2d4ykbg

Yeah - it isn't great journalism but it gets the point across.

Interesting. I think that more likely the hate for the Pats and to a lesser degree the Red Sox combined with the Pats/Red Sox success-induced chirping from Boston fans must be carrying over to a general disdain for Boston teams then. Because the Celtics and Bruins certainly haven’t been good enough for their success to elicit hate.

The Red Sox in the 2000s and Pats of the 00s and 10s elicited hate based on success. But folks don’t hate the Giants or Blackhawks or Penguins, and all three of those teams have been more successful than the Red Sox or Bruins this decade. And the Celtics haven’t been even a good team but for the past two years. So I don’t think success is why anyone hates the Bruins or Celtics, and it certainly is not recent success driving Sox hate.

[flyingdutchdevil]

Interesting. I think that more likely the hate for the Pats and to a lesser degree the Red Sox combined with the Pats/Red Sox success-induced chirping from Boston fans must be carrying over to a general disdain for Boston teams then. Because the Celtics and Bruins certainly haven’t been good enough for their success to elicit hate.

The Red Sox in the 2000s and Pats of the 00s and 10s elicited hate based on success. But folks don’t hate the Giants or Blackhawks or Penguins, and all three of those teams have been more successful than the Red Sox or Bruins this decade. And the Celtics haven’t been even a good team but for the past two years. So I don’t think success is why anyone hates the Bruins or Celtics, and it certainly is not recent success driving Sox hate.

Historic success may have a lot to do with it. After all, plenty of folks still hate the Cowboys with an undying passion and they haven't been relevant since the 1990s. And the Celts and Bruins do have plenty of historic success.

I agree that success doesn't always lead to hate, but the two are more often than not correlated.

Anywho, moving on.

What the hell happened with Jabari? That dude has lost a lot of money in the last two games.

[sagegrouse]

Historic success may have a lot to do with it. After all, plenty of folks still hate the Cowboys with an undying passion and they haven't been relevant since the 1990s. And the Celts and Bruins do have plenty of historic success.

I agree that success doesn't always lead to hate, but the two are more often than not correlated.

Anywho, moving on.

What the hell happened with Jabari? That dude has lost a lot of money in the last two games.

You know, FDD, I don't know a soul who hates all things Boston or all teams from Boston. There are lots of New Englanders, I believe, who find Bostonians to be a bit, well, "in-your-face," but most of these root for the Boston-based sports teams as a matter of both exposure and regional pride. Yet across the country there are loads of pro football fans who hate the Patriots -- some because the Pats seem to win all the time and some because of the history of cheating and the less than attractive persona of Bill Belichick.

[phaedrus]

Historic success may have a lot to do with it. After all, plenty of folks still hate the Cowboys with an undying passion and they haven't been relevant since the 1990s. And the Celts and Bruins do have plenty of historic success.

I agree that success doesn't always lead to hate, but the two are more often than not correlated.

Anywho, moving on.

What the hell happened with Jabari? That dude has lost a lot of money in the last two games.

I haven't watched the games, but noticed he only played 15 minutes and 10 minutes in the two games. By contrast, he played 32 minutes per game in April while the team was fighting for playoff position.

So was he unproductive because he didn't get minutes, or did he not get minutes because he was unproductive?

[JasonEvans]

I haven't watched the games, but noticed he only played 15 minutes and 10 minutes in the two games. By contrast, he played 32 minutes per game in April while the team was fighting for playoff position.

So was he unproductive because he didn't get minutes, or did he not get minutes because he was unproductive?

Chicken or egg... though I suspect that if he was playing well, the team would find a way to get him on the floor. Jabari has always been a mediocre (at best) defender. When he is not scoring well, it is easy to find a spot for him on the bench.

The game 2 performance is the really puzzling one. Only 10 minutes and just 2 shots in those 10 minutes. This from a guy who averaged a FGA every 2 minutes last year and one every 2.3 minutes this season. Put another way, in 10 minutes of time, you would expect him to have twice as many shots. And it ain't like his FGAs are down because he is getting fouled and shooting FTs. He's yet to get to the line a single time in this postseason (he's never been great at getting fouled, which is one reason his efficiency numbers are not better).

I agree with FDD that Jabari is costing himself money. Last October, when he was still rehabbing from his torn ACL, the Bucks reportedly offered him $54 mil in a 3 year deal ($18 mil per season). Jabari held out because he wanted a max extension that would have been 5 years, $146 million. Essentially, Jabari bet on himself... and his bet went bust.

I think he will struggle to get much more than maybe a $7-9 mil per season this summer. Teams will want to sign him to a 3 or 4 year deal but I am betting he again bets on himself and only signs a 1 or maybe 2 year contract, hoping he will play better and get his big extension at that point.

-Jason "reminds me a bit of Nerlens Noel, who turned down a 4 year, $70 mil deal last offseason and only took a 1 year $4 mil deal so he could be a free agent this summer... and then only played in 30 games while having his worst season yet. He'll be lucky to get $4 mil from anyone in the off-season" Evans

[CDu]

A ho-hum 44 points (on just 24 shots!), 12 rebounds, 5 assists as Cleveland keeps themselves alive.

[dudog84]

After game 1 I really thought the Cavs would come back and win this one by 20. They may be in trouble in this series.

[Furniture]

I can’t believe that reporter asked Lebron about Erin Popovich in the after game interview. He obviously didn’t know and he seemed really upset but he handled it really well. I am flabbergasted and disgusted.

[LasVegas]

After game 1 I really thought the Cavs would come back and win this one by 20. They may be in trouble in this series.

As a Cavs fan after game one, I was just hoping for a win.

[jimsumner]

I confess I thought Donovan Mitchell would be a nice NBA player. But I never saw this coming. A star on the road to becoming a super-star, perhaps sooner rather than later.

[darthur]

I can’t believe that reporter asked Lebron about Erin Popovich in the after game interview. He obviously didn’t know and he seemed really upset but he handled it really well. I am flabbergasted and disgusted.

Agree.

I'm reminded of the Louisville game where Kevin Ware got injured. In sports, it's easy to forget that every time your team wins, it comes at someone else's expense. When your team is playing against someone going through a tragedy like this, you just feel guilty and bad. At least I do. It's trite, but there are more important things in life than winning basketball games.

Best wishes to Pops, his family, and the whole Spurs team. They were the first team I hated in the NBA -- they were so damn good and they kept beating the teams I liked. But they represent everything that's good and right about sports.

[Troublemaker]

Game's not quite over yet but Houston leads 100 to 79 over Minnesota with 90 seconds remaining. Houston has taken 51 threes (making 16), and Minnesota has only taken 17 threes (making 5). I'm not sure the TWolves can win a game unless they narrow that margin.

[duke4ever19]

Game's not quite over yet but Houston leads 100 to 79 over Minnesota with 90 seconds remaining. Houston has taken 51 threes (making 16), and Minnesota has only taken 17 threes (making 5). I'm not sure the TWolves can win a game unless they narrow that margin.

Towns has been M.I.A. and his shot selection is horrific. It was fun listening to Charles Barkley be audibly disgusted watching Towns "highlights" at the half.

[Reilly]

I can’t believe that reporter asked Lebron about Erin Popovich in the after game interview. He obviously didn’t know...

LBJ said he did know/was informed ahead of time: http://www.sportingnews.com/nba/news...o1oo92wppmbsse

[JNort]

Same reason a ton of folks hate Duke basketball. Or Notre Dame football (historically). Or the Yankees (historically). Or the Cowboys (historically). Yeah, deflate-gate/filming competitor practices/Tom Brady's beautiful face don't help, but Boston's success is reason #1. Outside of New York, no one hated Boston in the 1990s.

Yeah I don't get it... never understood hating a franchise for winning. I don't like certain teams based on individuals and that's basically it. For example I hated the Celtics while KG, PP, and Ray Allen were on the team. As soon as they left I don't mind them anymore.

[gep]

Yeah I don't get it... never understood hating a franchise for winning. I don't like certain teams based on individuals and that's basically it. For example I hated the Celtics while KG, PP, and Ray Allen were on the team. As soon as they left I don't mind them anymore.

Just curious... how did you feel about the Celtics teams with Parrish, Bird, and McHale?

[flyingdutchdevil]

A ho-hum 44 points (on just 24 shots!), 12 rebounds, 5 assists as Cleveland keeps themselves alive.

46 points, actually.

Man, Lebron's supporting staff is just weak right now. There are some talented teammates: KLove, George Hill, JR, Hood... but everyone is scared to shoot the ball. Kevin Love is the only non-Lebron player last night to shoot more than 8 times. And the bench shot a total of 17 FGs; really, really weak.

[CDu]

46 points, actually.

Man, Lebron's supporting staff is just weak right now. There are some talented teammates: KLove, George Hill, JR, Hood... but everyone is scared to shoot the ball. Kevin Love is the only non-Lebron player last night to shoot more than 8 times. And the bench shot a total of 17 FGs; really, really weak.

Yeah, I posted that with about 20 seconds left once the game was decided. He added 2 free throws after that.

Hill and Hood have been disappointing so far. Korver was great, but he is just a catch and shoot guy at this point.

[ice-9]

46 points, actually.

Man, Lebron's supporting staff is just weak right now. There are some talented teammates: KLove, George Hill, JR, Hood... but everyone is scared to shoot the ball. Kevin Love is the only non-Lebron player last night to shoot more than 8 times. And the bench shot a total of 17 FGs; really, really weak.

Maybe...LeBron misses Kyrie?