2021 NBA Playoffs Thread

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

They played up Morant who is their star- who had a game that helps to build a brand- goes toe to toe with Curry and wins. All that said- Allen did his thing and I am sure his teammates appreciated his contribution to the win.

Well, Morant is a rising superstar. That's got jack squat to do with Grayson's Duke days.

[arnie]

I seriously doubt that there's some sort of media bias against Grayson these days.

Will disagree with this. He had a very poor game recently and the wolves were out in force. He’s likely hated as much as any other NBA player with websites devoted to his failures.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Will disagree with this. He had a very poor game recently and the wolves were out in force. He’s likely hated as much as any other NBA player with websites devoted to his failures.

I don't doubt that a subset of fans may have carried over their dislike. He has also had a few dust ups in the NBA that may have won over a few new detractors. But I severely doubt that any legit sports news is biased against him.

I could be wrong.

[arnie]

I don't doubt that a subset of fans may have carried over their dislike. He has also had a few dust ups in the NBA that may have won over a few new detractors. But I severely doubt that any legit sports news is biased against him.

I could be wrong.

https://www.reddit.com/r/nba/comment...grayson_allen/

You mean like this thread? I have a family member who regularly writes about NBA teams and he wrote a positive article on Grayson about a year ago. Grayson’s mom actually responded to him with a very long note expressing gratitude for anything positive about her son.

I recognize he is responsible for some of the hate, but I think it’s over the top and has spread to more mainstream media. Anyway, just my opinion and if he has a good series against Utah, maybe we see other positives.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

https://www.reddit.com/r/nba/comment...grayson_allen/

You mean like this thread? I have a family member who regularly writes about NBA teams and he wrote a positive article on Grayson about a year ago. Grayson’s mom actually responded to him with a very long note expressing gratitude for anything positive about her son.

I recognize he is responsible for some of the hate, but I think it’s over the top and has spread to more mainstream media. Anyway, just my opinion and if he has a good series against Utah, maybe we see other positives.

Sorry, a Reddit comment thread is not a "legit sports media site."

[arnie]

Sorry, a Reddit comment thread is not a "legit sports media site."

And didn’t intend to convey that thread as legitimate. Just amazed at intensity of sports hate on many sites. I mean, it’s not like he spent 4 years at the Dump.😀

[SouthernDukie]

Bucks/Heat will be a tough out for Brooklyn, should they advance pass Boston. I fully expect them to do that, but I wouldn’t put any money on the Nets to beat either of Milwaukee or Miami.

Same old Clippers. They wilted down the stretch again. I think Dallas has a real shot at taking them out.

[bundabergdevil]

Bucks/Heat will be a tough out for Brooklyn, should they advance pass Boston. I fully expect them to do that, but I wouldn’t put any money on the Nets to beat either of Milwaukee or Miami.

Same old Clippers. They wilted down the stretch again. I think Dallas has a real shot at taking them out.

Hope so. JJ is out for the first series and it would nice to see him get playoff burn.

[sagegrouse]

Bucks/Heat will be a tough out for Brooklyn, should they advance pass Boston. I fully expect them to do that, but I wouldn’t put any money on the Nets to beat either of Milwaukee or Miami.

Same old Clippers. They wilted down the stretch again. I think Dallas has a real shot at taking them out.

I dunno, S. Dukie. You seem to be down on the Nets -- Why? They are the betting favorites to win the title.

Brooklyn Nets +240 12/5
Los Angeles Lakers +375 15/4
Los Angeles Clippers +600 6/1
Utah Jazz +750 15/2
Philadelphia 76ers +750 15/2
Milwaukee Bucks +900 9/1

[SouthernDukie]

I dunno, S. Dukie. You seem to be down on the Nets -- Why? They are the betting favorites to win the title.

Brooklyn Nets +240 12/5
Los Angeles Lakers +375 15/4
Los Angeles Clippers +600 6/1
Utah Jazz +750 15/2
Philadelphia 76ers +750 15/2
Milwaukee Bucks +900 9/1

I’m actually rooting for the Nets to win it all. But I’m worried that their lack of an inside presence, and a decent amount of hero ball that I saw yesterday from the big three, will doom them against a balanced team like Miami, Milwaukee, and Philadelphia. Here’s to hoping I’m wrong.

[JasonEvans]

Just checked the Sixers-Wiz score and it was 97-89 with about 2 minutes left. I figured, game over... then I realized, that is the score with 2 mins left in the 3rd quarter. Gonna be a final score in the 130s or 140s.

[Billy Dat]

I didn't get to watch a ton of playoffs this weekend, but of what I did see...

-I was pleasantly surprised to see Jabari give the Celtics some good minutes. Despite the injuries, he still seems to have a lot of bounce in his step and is only 26. He has been on 6 teams.

-RJ had a good opening game against the Hawks. Even though his shooting percentage wasn't great, he was "in the fight" in a big way. The Knicks need a new game plan for Trae Young, and they didn't do too well against Lou Williams either. Still, if RJ can get a steal when he got his hand on a corner pass to Bogdon, and if Bogdon doesn't miraculously catch the deflection and with no room and falling forward hit a game tying 3 with under two to play...tough loss.

[JasonEvans]

-RJ had a good opening game against the Hawks. Even though his shooting percentage wasn't great, he was "in the fight" in a big way. The Knicks need a new game plan for Trae Young, and they didn't do too well against Lou Williams either. Still, if RJ can get a steal when he got his hand on a corner pass to Bogdon, and if Bogdon doesn't miraculously catch the deflection and with no room and falling forward hit a game tying 3 with under two to play...tough loss.

I can't decide if the Hawks were lucky to win one where Alec Burks went off for perhaps the best game of his career... or the Hawks had to win that one because Julius Randle won't play that poorly again in the series.

-Jason "there is a world in which the Lakers don't let Julius Randle walk (he only cost $9 mil per season) in 2018 so they could bring in Javale McGee and Lance Stephenson... think Randle could help the current Lakers right now?" Evans

[jimsumner]

I can't decide if the Hawks were lucky to win one where Alec Burks went off for perhaps the best game of his career... or the Hawks had to win that one because Julius Randle won't play that poorly again in the series.

-Jason "there is a world in which the Lakers don't let Julius Randle walk (he only cost $9 mil per season) in 2018 so they could bring in Javale McGee and Lance Stephenson... think Randle could help the current Lakers right now?" Evans

Would Randle have gotten the minutes, the touches and the long leash in L.A? He would always have been the third option. What he's done for the Knicks this season is truly remarkable but I think he had to have a blank slate to do it.

[JasonEvans]

Would Randle have gotten the minutes, the touches and the long leash in L.A? He would always have been the third option. What he's done for the Knicks this season is truly remarkable but I think he had to have a blank slate to do it.

Yup, there's no chance he averages 24, 10, and 6 if he is on the Lakers. Totally agree... but he might have been 16, 7, and 4 and a key facilitator when Lebron was not on the floor.

But, no reason to think about that. It never happened and there is a domino effect to any change like that.

[Billy Dat]

I can't decide if the Hawks were lucky to win one where Alec Burks went off for perhaps the best game of his career... or the Hawks had to win that one because Julius Randle won't play that poorly again in the series.

-Jason "there is a world in which the Lakers don't let Julius Randle walk (he only cost $9 mil per season) in 2018 so they could bring in Javale McGee and Lance Stephenson... think Randle could help the current Lakers right now?" Evans

The Knicks W-L when Julius scores +/-20 is stark - he is clearly the proverbial head of the snake. The Knicks 3-0 record against the Hawks this year was a bit of fools gold because (A) 2 of the 3 games were really close and (B) the only convincing Knicks win was when the Hawks were in their mid-season slump. Julius had huge games all 3 times. He didn't look right from the jump, although he hit a big 3 down the stretch. The Knicks bench mob of Rose, Burks, Quickly and Gibson has been a huge part of the team's success, we usually get a decent scoring punch from 2 of the 3 perimeter guys. Why Thibs continues to start Elfrid Payton is every Knicks fans question.

I think it's a really evenly matched series with the Hawks having better talent and the Knicks having better season-long continuity. I hope Big Jule shows up for Game 2.

[SouthernDukie]

Milwaukee leads Miami 46-20 at the end of the 1st quarter!! 10 3’s made by the Bucks in that opening quarter. Truly unbelievable. The Bucks are serious contenders to represent the East this season. If I were the Nets I’d be far more concerned about facing them than I would be eventually facing the 76ers.

[Duke79UNLV77]

I saw that Kyrie joined Bird, Durant, and Curry as the only players to average over 25 ppg with 50/40/90 shooting percentage splits in a season. Could it be that he's not a terrible player after all??

[budwom]

Bucks/Heat will be a tough out for Brooklyn, should they advance pass Boston. I fully expect them to do that, but I wouldn’t put any money on the Nets to beat either of Milwaukee or Miami.

Same old Clippers. They wilted down the stretch again. I think Dallas has a real shot at taking them out.

I think the Nets interior defense is suspect...

[tommy]

I saw that Kyrie joined Bird, Durant, and Curry as the only players to average over 25 ppg with 50/40/90 shooting percentage splits in a season. Could it be that he's not a terrible player after all??

Has someone asserted that Kyrie Irving is a terrible basketball player? I must've missed that. I've heard his off court behavior and commitment and things like that questioned but have never heard anyone question his skills as a basketball player. Nor would I expect to.