NBA Playoffs 2022

[SouthernDukie]

Your friends are not very happy with Tatum tonight.

No doubt. “Get rid of the bum!” I can hear them all the down here in Florida.

[SouthernDukie]

The Celtics’ run is now officially over.

[mkirsh]

If the Heat need Bam to power them to victory, they are in trouble.

After being a beast in the regular season, Bam has turned into a lamb in the playoffs. His scoring average has gone from 19.1 to 13.6. Rebounds have dipped from 10.1 to 7.5. It has been even worse in recent games. In his past 6 games (4 against Philly, 2 against Boston) Bam has scored more than 12 points 1 time. He hasn't grabbed double digit rebounds at all. In 3 of the 6 games he did not even block a single shot.

Of all the reverse jinxes in this thread, this one may be the most effective

[Skydog]

For some reason Tatum wasn’t mentally ready tonight. He has been more consistent this season so it was disappointing to see this slip up.

[-jk]

It was a, um, physically demanding game.

-jk

[Skydog]

It was a, um, physically demanding game.

-jk

Or hack fest, as it’s colloquially known.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

The Celtics’ run is now officially over.

Did you see the stat? No team in NBA history has ever come back from a 2-1 deficit.



Keep breathing, SouthernDukie.

[SouthernDukie]

Did you see the stat? No team in NBA history has ever come back from a 2-1 deficit.



Keep breathing, SouthernDukie.

I wrote that one when Tatum went down. It looked so bad I didn’t think he would be coming back at all.

[arnie]

Your friends are not very happy with Tatum tonight.

No they weren’t and at one point I said ”guess he needs to be traded”. They recognize he’s exceptional, but feel betrayed if he plays poorly.

I didn’t enjoy the company during this game.

[bundabergdevil]

No they weren’t and at one point I said ”guess he needs to be traded”. They recognize he’s exceptional, but feel betrayed if he plays poorly.

I

Betrayal is a very odd feeling to feel when a professional athlete does not shoot a ball through a hoop at a below average clip.

[camion]

Betrayal is a very odd feeling to feel when a professional athlete does not shoot a ball through a hoop at a below average clip.

Seems a reasonable reaction to me.

Whenever a celebrity doesn’t live up to my expectations it’s always, always their fault.

[SouthernDukie]

Did I say GS in five? Meant to say GS in four. Stick a fork in Dallas.

[bundabergdevil]

Ugh. I really don't want to see Golden State waltz to a title (again). Enjoy your 15 minutes, Wiggins.

[JasonEvans]

Ugh. I really don't want to see Golden State waltz to a title (again).

Most experts agree that the East is tougher than the West at this point. I would take either Miami or Boston over Golden State. No one in the West is playing D the way they play it in the East these days.

[flyingdutchdevil]

Most experts agree that the East is tougher than the West at this point. I would take either Miami or Boston over Golden State. No one in the West is playing D the way they play it in the East these days.

While true, I see GSW beating the Heat and the Celtics beating the GSW.

The Celtics are the best team, but they are still kinda young and clearly erratic. Nickname: The Young and The Reckless

The GSW are the experienced, old-timers who have great shooting but are prone to a lack of focus. Nickname: The Old Fogeys

The Heat are Butler with two really good teammates (Bam and Lowry), an unpredictable 6th man (Herro), and a bunch of hand-nosed nobodies. Nickname: The Jimmy Butler Gang.

[Truth&Justise]

Ugh. I really don't want to see Golden State waltz to a title (again). Enjoy your 15 minutes, Wiggins.

This year seems markedly different from past GSW runs to the finals. In 2015 they were young and unproven and had to disabuse the commentator class about whether a "jump-shooting team" could win. They changed the game. In 2016 they played their best basketball but didn't win the title. Adding Durant made them a true juggernaut for titles in 2017 and 2018.

But just as quickly as that juggernaut was built, it collapsed. Durant gone, Thompson and Curry missing entire seasons. Cycling through role players. And the prize of those lean years--#2 pick James Wiseman--is not contributing anything.

Golden State is rising to the occasion now, with the aging core of the old dynasty. But it would be a mistake to think they're waltzing to a title like this is 2017. There were serious questions all season about their fitness level, depth, and defense. Kudos to them for figuring it out when other teams (Jazz, Suns, Nets, 76ers) fizzled.

The Celtics are the best team, but they are still kinda young and clearly erratic. Nickname: The Young and The Reckless

The GSW are the experienced, old-timers who have great shooting but are prone to a lack of focus. Nickname: The Old Fogeys

The Heat are Butler with two really good teammates (Bam and Lowry), an unpredictable 6th man (Herro), and a bunch of hand-nosed nobodies. Nickname: The Jimmy Butler Gang.

Oof, this post is brutal to the Mavericks.

[flyingdutchdevil]

Oof, this post is brutal to the Mavericks.

That one's easy. If the Heat are the 'Jimmy Butler Gang', the Mavs are the 'Luka Doncic Solo Act'.

Luka is a top 3 player in the world. Imagine him with Draymond Green, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, and Jordan Poole.

[wiscodevil]

Luka is a top 3 player in the world. Imagine him with Draymond Green, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, and Jordan Poole.

Imagine Draymond Green, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, and Jordan Poole without Curry 😀

[bundabergdevil]

Most experts agree that the East is tougher than the West at this point. I would take either Miami or Boston over Golden State. No one in the West is playing D the way they play it in the East these days.

This year seems markedly different from past GSW runs to the finals. In 2015 they were young and unproven and had to disabuse the commentator class about whether a "jump-shooting team" could win. They changed the game. In 2016 they played their best basketball but didn't win the title. Adding Durant made them a true juggernaut for titles in 2017 and 2018.

But just as quickly as that juggernaut was built, it collapsed. Durant gone, Thompson and Curry missing entire seasons. Cycling through role players. And the prize of those lean years--#2 pick James Wiseman--is not contributing anything.

I don't disagree with any of the above but if the GSW big three are putting it together at the right time, they're still the most dynamic set of talents in the NBA and I don't think there's much stellar defenses can do when Klay and Steph are rolling. We shall see.

[SouthernDukie]

Ugh. I really don't want to see Golden State waltz to a title (again). Enjoy your 15 minutes, Wiggins.

I don’t want to see that either. But that’s exactly what’s happening. Hopefully Boston or Miami has enough left in the tank to push them. But their experience makes them the favorite, in my opinion.