2021 NBA Playoffs Thread

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

BTW, if I’m taking my medicine when I get a prediction wrong, I’m going to ask for a little bit of acknowledgment when I get one right. I said the Bucks would win game 4 by a more comfortable margin than the tight game 3 and even the series. And they did - even though I’m rooting for the Nets.

Fair enough. But if you want to use Anthony Davis's injury as an "out," you have to acknowledge that Irving's injury was responsible for the "comfortable margin."

All these things are why I find it more comfortable to poke at the predictions of others than to make my own.

[SouthernDukie]

Fair enough. But if you want to use Anthony Davis's injury as an "out," you have to acknowledge that Irving's injury was responsible for the "comfortable margin."

All these things are why I find it more comfortable to poke at the predictions of others than to make my own.

Of course. I’m really just joshing with you. But it didn’t translate well online.

[rsvman]

Why was the Joker ejected? I wasn't watching at the time. Anybody know?

[AGDukesky]

Why was the Joker ejected? I wasn't watching at the time. Anybody know?

He took a very aggressive swipe at the ball while Payne was holding it and caught Payne with his forearm across the face (mostly grazed him but also was an inch from breaking his nose).. announcer thought it should have just been a flagrant 1 one but ref said flagrant 2 due to the wind-up and follow through. It was a dumb play by Jokic…

[rsvman]

Thanks.

By the way, this Chris Paul guy isn't bad. He may have a future in this game.

[ice-9]

He took a very aggressive swipe at the ball while Payne was holding it and caught Payne with his forearm across the face (mostly grazed him but also was an inch from breaking his nose).. announcer thought it should have just been a flagrant 1 one but ref said flagrant 2 due to the wind-up and follow through. It was a dumb play by Jokic…

Bad call IMO. He was clearly going for the ball and while contact may have been more painful than it looked, it looked incidental. Flagrant 1 would have been more appropriate.

Meanwhile Giannis undercutting Kyrie and actually causing an injury wasn’t even called a foul.

[sagegrouse]

Bad call IMO. He was clearly going for the ball and while contact may have been more painful than it looked, it looked incidental. Flagrant 1 would have been more appropriate.

Meanwhile Giannis undercutting Kyrie wasn’t even called a foul.

Commish Silver to Director of Officials, Monty McCutchen: Why are we throwing the league MVP out of a close playoff game on a borderline call? In an elimination game?

[Skydog]

Bad call IMO. He was clearly going for the ball and while contact may have been more painful than it looked, it looked incidental. Flagrant 1 would have been more appropriate.

Meanwhile Giannis undercutting Kyrie and actually causing an injury wasn’t even called a foul.

He was going for the ball but pretty much didn’t care what he hit on the way. It was a long season, he played every game, was mentally & physically exhausted, down 3-0 and the Suns had just hit another tough 3 on the previous play. The frustration of it all got to him.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Thanks.

By the way, this Chris Paul guy isn't bad. He may have a future in this game.

I have been very anti-Paul ever since he Julius'd that player square in the Hodges, and then seemed to relish in repeating that behavior over and over.

But... by all accounts he's a stellar individual off the court, is clearly a generational point guard talent, and has kept his hand out of the cookie jar for a long, long time. The fact that he brings his top tier competition to every team he plays for is admirable. As long as he can refrain from cup checks and stay healthy, he'll be a player I am rooting for this season.

[DoubleBlue]

I have been very anti-Paul ever since he Julius'd that player square in the Hodges, and then seemed to relish in repeating that behavior over and over.

But... by all accounts he's a stellar individual off the court, is clearly a generational point guard talent, and has kept his hand out of the cookie jar for a long, long time. The fact that he brings his top tier competition to every team he plays for is admirable. As long as he can refrain from cup checks and stay healthy, he'll be a player I am rooting for this season.

I'm with you on this. Paul seems to have cleaned up his act as far as dirty play and whinning, but I still can't respect him for the corny State Farm commercials.

[dukelifer]

Thanks.

By the way, this Chris Paul guy isn't bad. He may have a future in this game.

Paul is deserving of a Finals run. He has been unbelievably consistent over his career. Let’s see if he can stay injury free- that has been an issue.

[budwom]

I saw some analysis on the NBA the other day, how teams build winners, and how the large market teams have such a huge advantage.

Then I look at the status quo, and see that Phoenix is already in the conference finals, and Utah and Milwaukee both have solid shots....

[Bluedog]

I saw some analysis on the NBA the other day, how teams build winners, and how the large market teams have such a huge advantage.

Then I look at the status quo, and see that Phoenix is already in the conference finals, and Utah and Milwaukee both have solid shots...

Phoenix is the 5th largest city in the U.S...It's sprawling certainly but don't know that it's "small market." Maybe not the glitz and glamour of teams in LA or NY or Miami. (Not saying I disagree with you, merely pointing out the population of Phoenix is tremendous.)

[SouthernDukie]

Paul is deserving of a Finals run. He has been unbelievably consistent over his career. Let’s see if he can stay injury free- that has been an issue.

Agreed. Of the non-Duke ties teams remaining (and there aren’t many of them left), the Suns would be the team I hope wins it all. As long as the Bucks don’t win, I’ll be satisfied with any other result.

[budwom]

Phoenix is the 5th largest city in the U.S...It's sprawling certainly but don't know that it's "small market." Maybe not the glitz and glamour of teams in LA or NY or Miami. (Not saying I disagree with you, merely pointing out the population of Phoenix is tremendous.)

that's a fair point, it's the tenth biggest metro area in the U.S...but don't most of the people there go to bed at 7 pm?

[sagegrouse]

Phoenix is the 5th largest city in the U.S...It's sprawling certainly but don't know that it's "small market." Maybe not the glitz and glamour of teams in LA or NY or Miami. (Not saying I disagree with you, merely pointing out the population of Phoenix is tremendous.)

A better measurement might be Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area (SMSA). Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler AZ is 10th at 5.06 million. The "small market" teams in the NBA are Utah, New Orleans, Oklahoma City, Milwaukee and Memphis -- with SMSA populations of between 1.24 and 1.57 million and national rank between 47th and 40th. Reputedly "small-markets" like San Antonio and Sacramento are about twice as large.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Phoenix is the 5th largest city in the U.S...It's sprawling certainly but don't know that it's "small market." Maybe not the glitz and glamour of teams in LA or NY or Miami. (Not saying I disagree with you, merely pointing out the population of Phoenix is tremendous.)

I hate the "market size" argument in sports. It seems to only work when it's convenient. It seems most folks when they say "market size" really mean "fan base."

The Packers have a tiny TV market in their home town. But a YOOOOGE fan base. That seems as impactful if not more.

Fans matter. Winning culture matters. TV markets matter, to a degree I guess. It's just when blowhards like Colon Cowherd reduce EVERYTHING to market size, it ticks me right off.

[Bluedog]

I hate the "market size" argument in sports. It seems to only work when it's convenient. It seems most folks when they say "market size" really mean "fan base."

The Packers have a tiny TV market in their home town. But a YOOOOGE fan base. That seems as impactful if not more.

Fans matter. Winning culture matters. TV markets matter, to a degree I guess. It's just when blowhards like Colon Cowherd reduce EVERYTHING to market size, it ticks me right off.

Yes, Green Bay is a great example. By any measure of city/metro size, a "tiny market." I have a relative from there, and man, it's totally random that Green Bay as a city got an NFL Franchise. But as you said, an enormously large following. Now, how at DBR do we scientifically measure fanbase sizes? 😉 I'm sure there's a way in this day and age...with data proliferation. I guess the size of the metro might have been more impactful during days where only local TV had contracts with the teams and access was more restrictive. Even then though a team like the Packers managed to sustain its presence and image.

[CrazyNotCrazie]

I hate the "market size" argument in sports. It seems to only work when it's convenient. It seems most folks when they say "market size" really mean "fan base."

The Packers have a tiny TV market in their home town. But a YOOOOGE fan base. That seems as impactful if not more.

Fans matter. Winning culture matters. TV markets matter, to a degree I guess. It's just when blowhards like Colon Cowherd reduce EVERYTHING to market size, it ticks me right off.

Market size theoretically matters more in a sport like baseball, which has a much more decentralized revenue structure. The NFL has a central TV contract that makes up a huge portion of team revenues, so the size of the local market and/or fan base doesn't matter as much. Baseball has a big national TV market but some teams (Yankees, Dodgers, etc.) also make a lot off of their TV contracts. I'm not an expert at this but I assume the contract size factors in both the number of people who live in the metro area of the team, but also the number of fans who actually watch the games. Also, a bigger local market theoretically makes it easier for the team to draw fans when they have to fill a stadium 81 games a year.

Bigger markets also can be helpful in attracting players - many (but definitely not all) players prefer to be in bigger, glitzier cities. For top players, being in these bigger cities also provide them with more ways to market themselves.

Having said that, there are countless exceptions to everything I said above. Plenty of baseball teams have succeeded in smaller markets, largely by outsmarting other teams. Smaller markets have succeeded in attracting free agents, and some players in these markets have done very well with endorsement contracts. So market size can have an impact, but it is definitely not the be all/end all and plenty of teams have found a way to succeed despite being in a smaller market.

[sagegrouse]

I hate the "market size" argument in sports. It seems to only work when it's convenient. It seems most folks when they say "market size" really mean "fan base."

The Packers have a tiny TV market in their home town. But a YOOOOGE fan base. That seems as impactful if not more.

Fans matter. Winning culture matters. TV markets matter, to a degree I guess. It's just when blowhards like Colon Cowherd reduce EVERYTHING to market size, it ticks me right off.

Different problems to solve -- totally. The NFL has to fill the stadiums eight times a year plus a couple of exhibitions and maybe a playoff game or two. Moreover, TV revenue -- as pointed out above -- is shared equally.

Baseball's the toughest, I suppose -- 81 home dates. But baseball has been gifted with being the summer sport -- picnic atmosphere, kids in the stands. Baseball franchises prosper or suffer based on the size of their own TV contracts, which are far more important than the national contracts. Therefore -- Yankees, Dodgers and some others.

The NBA has 41 home dates -- many in the winter. I expect home TV contracts are also very important -- linked to fan base, but don't know how they compare with the ESPN, TNT national contracts.