2020 NBA Playoffs

[JasonEvans]

I don’t know. The series now moves to Toronto for games 3 and 4, and the Raptors are very tough at home. I wouldn’t be surprised if the series returns to Boston tied 2-2.

Oh, and your comment about Danny Ainge was funny. 😆

Actually, Boston is the #3 and Toronto the #2, so the Celtics won the first two on the road

[Steven43]

Actually, Boston is the #3 and Toronto the #2, so the Celtics won the first two on the road

Uh oh, Toronto is really in trouble now.

[rsvman]

Jazz game is interesting. Down by 19 early in the second half, they are now down 5 early in the fourth quarter.

[rsvman]

Now a one-point game. I guess we will see whether Mitchell or Murray is preferable right now by seeing how they perform down the stretch in a game 7.

[rsvman]

Am I the only person watching this? This is an incredibly entertaining game. Now down to less than a minute to play.

[rsvman]

Unbelievable finish!

[Jedweb]

Pilgrims? New York? Beaver Pelts? Jason, you need to find a better school for your son.

[mr. synellinden]

Unbelievable finish!

That was a GREAT game - worthy of a game 7. The refs swallowed their whistles mostly (should have been a foul on Plumlee) and let the players decide the game. Whoever made the Gary Harris observation above - that was an astute call. He made a difference - and made the critical defensive play at the end. Still, Conley was THIS CLOSE to winning the series for the Jazz.

[duke96]

Heckuva day in hoops. Thankful that I got to watch the games with my kids, the most attuned of whom is my 6 year old middle son.

He was super focused on the games and has learned all the teams, players etc (thank you NBA 2k).

Was amazing to have this time together which, in the middle of COVID, I wasn't sure we would be able to experience - just as my son is getting super into the game.

Super appreciative that NBA is happening, creating this family opportunity in the very challenging times we're facing.

And, glad to be able to be part of the dialogue on this site as it all unfolds.

Fun stuff

[Steven43]

Am I the only person watching this? This is an incredibly entertaining game. Now down to less than a minute to play.

That was an exciting game. I especially liked how the officials didn’t call a bunch of ticky-tacky b.s. fouls. I was thinking how dramatically better the flow was as compared to the typical Duke ACC game or any NCAA Tournament game. It just makes the experience so much better for the viewer. Excessive foul calls are ruining the college game.

Anyway, Donovan Mitchell willed the Jazz back into the game all by himself in the 3rd quarter, after they had been down by about 20 points, with a series of sensational athletic plays. However, he was loose with the ball throughout, which cost his team dearly.

Gobert also had a strong 2nd half, with a considerable number of big baskets and defensive stops. Ultimately, Jokic won the game with 4 or 5 big (and very ugly) shots down the stretch, with some assistance from Murray.

This was an old-school, classic NBA playoff game. I can only hope the Oklahoma City v Houston game will come anywhere close, though with Harden and Westbrook participating I’m fairly certain it won’t. Regardless, I’ll be watching.

[Truth&Justise]

Unbelievable finish!

That was a GREAT game - worthy of a game 7. The refs swallowed their whistles mostly (should have been a foul on Plumlee) and let the players decide the game. Whoever made the Gary Harris observation above - that was an astute call. He made a difference - and made the critical defensive play at the end. Still, Conley was THIS CLOSE to winning the series for the Jazz.

Well that was wild! Harris indeed made the key play of the game, hounding Mitchell and poking the ball loose with a few seconds left. (Another key play: Jokic's looping hook shot over Gobert to give the Nuggets the lead. Love watching Jokic loft up those high-arcing shots). And then Murray & Craig almost threw it all away going for the contested layup instead of waiting to get fouled. Just wild!

Two underrated aspects of the final wild sequence: first, did Gobert step out of bounds on the rebound? Hard to say without replay, but his heel was certainly beyond the endline.

And second: could Mitchell have been involved in the final play if he'd gotten up sooner? He was looking for a foul on his drive and was pretty dejected about turning it over. Undoubtedly he thought there would soon be a stoppage in play, with Utah needing to foul. But had he gotten back up sooner, he may have been all alone for an outlet pass and an easy two to tie the game.

Finally, a minor quibble: an unbelievable finish doesn't always equate with a great game. Both teams looked pretty gassed and shot terribly. Utah's second half comeback was impressive, but neither team seemed to ever have much momentum. I agree the finish is the most important part in evaluating great games, but this one is a prime example of how an entertaining finish does not necessarily make a game great.

[-jk]

That was an exciting game. I especially liked how the officials didn’t call a bunch of ticky-tacky b.s. fouls. I was thinking how dramatically better the flow was as compared to the typical Duke ACC game or any NCAA Tournament game. It just makes the experience so much better for the viewer. Excessive foul calls are ruining the college game.

You liked the old Big East style?

-jk

[elvis14]

I think it was a great finish despite the refs swallowing their whistles.

[rsvman]

After that game, I am ready to choose which player I would prefer on my team, Mitchell or Murray. And the answer, even though Utah lost, Mitchell had a lot of turnovers including the final turnover that ultimately lost Utah the game, is Mitchell.

Why? Because at least he didn't play scared. He showed leadership, too.

Murray, frankly, choked. He had a memory of a poor game 7 showing last year and instead of erasing that memory, he cemented it. He was tentative on offense, shot very poorly (seemed stiff, especially when unexpectedly left open), and apparently didn't think very clearly, as he showed at the end when he almost threw the game away by driving the ball toward the basket when he should have backed off and waiting for the foul.

Don't get me wrong, he's a very good player with a lot of upside, but right now, today, I'd choose Mitchell even though he ended up on the losing end and got stripped when the team needed him to score.

[Truth&Justise]

After that game, I am ready to choose which player I would prefer on my team, Mitchell or Murray. And the answer, even though Utah lost, Mitchell had a lot of turnovers including the final turnover that ultimately lost Utah the game, is Mitchell.

Why? Because at least he didn't play scared. He showed leadership, too.

Murray, frankly, choked. He had a memory of a poor game 7 showing last year and instead of erasing that memory, he cemented it. He was tentative on offense, shot very poorly (seemed stiff, especially when unexpectedly left open), and apparently didn't think very clearly, as he showed at the end when he almost threw the game away by driving the ball toward the basket when he should have backed off and waiting for the foul.

Don't get me wrong, he's a very good player with a lot of upside, but right now, today, I'd choose Mitchell even though he ended up on the losing end and got stripped when the team needed him to score.

I also lean Mitchell since he's shown more aptitude on defense.

[jimsumner]

Am I the only person watching this? This is an incredibly entertaining game. Now down to less than a minute to play.

Some of us were too busy watching to post on the internet.

[Steven43]

You liked the old Big East style?

-jk

Not sure what you mean. I didn’t say anything about the Big East. I just know that the college game is almost unwatchable now because of the way it is officiated.

[Steven43]

After that game, I am ready to choose which player I would prefer on my team, Mitchell or Murray. And the answer, even though Utah lost, Mitchell had a lot of turnovers including the final turnover that ultimately lost Utah the game, is Mitchell.

Why? Because at least he didn't play scared. He showed leadership, too.

Murray, frankly, choked. He had a memory of a poor game 7 showing last year and instead of erasing that memory, he cemented it. He was tentative on offense, shot very poorly (seemed stiff, especially when unexpectedly left open), and apparently didn't think very clearly, as he showed at the end when he almost threw the game away by driving the ball toward the basket when he should have backed off and waiting for the foul.

Don't get me wrong, he's a very good player with a lot of upside, but right now, today, I'd choose Mitchell even though he ended up on the losing end and got stripped when the team needed him to score.

100% agree. Mitchell is a significantly better player than Murray, in my opinion.

[Jeffrey]

Not sure what you mean. I didn’t say anything about the Big East. I just know that the college game is almost unwatchable now because of the way it is officiated.

Thanks to the zebra’s swallowing their whistles and the major emphasis on D, the game played in a style similar to vintage Big East games.

[rsvman]

Some of us were too busy watching to post on the internet.

I figured out how to post from my phone, and how to do it during timeouts!