2016-17 NBA Thread: Finals are over, please go away (1 Viewer)

[bananafish]

Tonight in Oakland I thought the Jazz played about as good as they could while Golden State played a ho-hum B- kind of game (though 7 turnovers tied a franchise playoff low) and still won easily. I don't see how the Jazz can push this to more than 5.

 

[TobiasFunke]

It's really breathtaking how every Washington team chokes. 

I kept a recording of my Tar Heels winning the national title on the DVR to watch after the Wiz and Caps choke away playoff games.  Only way I've been able to get any sleep this month.

 

[the moops]

IT's 86 points are the most points ever scored in the first two games of a playoff series. 

 

[Weebs210]

Glad the country got to see what we've been marveling at all season. Seen a lotta ball, but nothing quite like the Celtics' Li'l Big Man.

Unfortunately for you guys, you have no chance against the Cavs.

 

[TobiasFunke]

Glad the country got to see what we've been marveling at all season. Seen a lotta ball, but nothing quite like the Celtics' Li'l Big Man.

Pissah, you're one of the guys who complained about LeBron's flopping, right?  Would love to hear your thoughts on Marcus Smart, because holy #### does that guy flop.  He makes LeBron look like one of those guards at Buckingham Palace.

 

[tommyGunZ]

Glad the country got to see what we've been marveling at all season. Seen a lotta ball, but nothing quite like the Celtics' Li'l Big Man.

Would loved to have watched last nights IT gem in a Sacramento sports bar. 

 

[MattFancy]

It's really breathtaking how every Washington team chokes. 

*Nods head while sobbing a bit*

 

[wilked]

Best stat I saw

Thomas nearly outscored the entire WAS team in 4th Q / OT (IT-29, WAS-30)

 

[Bobcat10]

Pissah, you're one of the guys who complained about LeBron's flopping, right?  Would love to hear your thoughts on Marcus Smart, because holy #### does that guy flop.  He makes LeBron look like one of those guards at Buckingham Palace.

How about IT violating the lane on his free throw attempts?

Too picky?  

 

[the moops]

How about IT violating the lane on his free throw attempts?

Too picky?  

lol

FT lane violation. lololollol

 

[Bobcat10]

lol

FT lame violation. lololollol

Are you denying it?

Let me add...I don't know if he always does...but he clearly was in violation late in the game yesterday.

 

[TobiasFunke]

How about IT violating the lane on his free throw attempts?

Too picky?  

Yeah probably.  I think other players do it too, but you're not even close to the first person I saw bring it up. I think it's like the carrying- lots of people do it but he's the most blatant about it so it gets noticed more.

 

[Dedfin]

Fantastic game last night.  I wouldn't call it a Wizards choke (Beal excluded), the Celtics on the back of Thomas played inspired ball last night and won like champs.  I think the Cavs are gonna be in big trouble against this Celtics team.

 

[TobiasFunke]

Fantastic game last night.  I wouldn't call it a Wizards choke (Beal excluded), the Celtics on the back of Thomas played inspired ball last night and won like champs.  I think the Cavs are gonna be in big trouble against this Celtics team.

This seems like a stretch. It was an incredible individual effort, but we're talking about a team that needed six games and an injury to Rajon Rondo to get past a dysfunctional Bulls team, and would have suffered a home loss last night if not for foul trouble for the Wiz big men and the team's horrible bench. Last night's win was a collaborative effort by IT and Ernie Grunfeld, and David Griffin is no Ernie Grunfeld.

 

[Nigel]

I don't get Morris confronting Horford before the game, which was presumed by the analysts to being him accusing Al of intentionally spraining his ankle by putting his foot where he landed after shooting. I guess he alluded to it in the game 1 post game, seems like a stretch.

Love the mutual hatred in this series though, seems like the real deal. 

 

[SWC]

lol

FT lame violation. lololollol

Are you denying it?

Let me add...I don't know if he always does...but he clearly was in violation late in the game yesterday.

next year anteaternintendo is going to just dunk free throws so if he dunks before he touches the ground is that legit or what riddle me that labronamaniac take that to the bank bromigos 

 

[TobiasFunke]

I don't get Morris confronting Horford before the game, which was presumed by the analysts to being him accusing Al of intentionally spraining his ankle by putting his foot where he landed after shooting. I guess he alluded to it in the game 1 post game, seems like a stretch.

Love the mutual hatred in this series though, seems like the real deal. 

I don't know what was said, but worth noting it wasn't the first time Horford has done this. He undercut Beal on a jumper and hurt him two years ago- amazingly that was also Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semis. Deja vu!

The hatred is definitely the real deal.  Although if the Wiz blow it at home tomorrow night it's gonna be a pretty short series.

 

[Jayrod]

next year anteaternintendo is going to just dunk free throws so if he dunks before he touches the ground is that legit or what riddle me that labronamaniac take that to the bank bromigos 

Technically, I think it is supposed to be like breaking the plane of the goal line in football, so it would be a violation.

ETA: Here's the official rule, " The free throw shooter may not cross the plane of the free throw line until the ball touches the basket ring, backboard, or the free throw ends."
 

 

[wilked]

I thought the rule was that if you are under 5'10" you are allowed a 1 second head start?

 

[wikkidpissah]

Unfortunately for you guys, you have no chance against the Cavs.

As those in this thread who heard my Irish keening & laments when they didnt pick up a 2nd option @ the trade deadline know, i called "maybe one playoff series" two months ago. And we wouldnt have got that if Rondo (who knew our game better than 29 NBA coaches do) hadnt got hurt. We're a seriously-undermanned and over-amped team playin' house money (mostly 5'7" Leprechaun gold) already & i love it.

 

[Bobcat10]

Technically, I think it is supposed to be like breaking the plane of the goal line in football, so it would be a violation.

ETA: Here's the official rule, " The free throw shooter may not cross the plane of the free throw line until the ball touches the basket ring, backboard, or the free throw ends."
 

Wow, then there are alot of players in violation!  Including Kyrie.

 

[the moops]

I don't know what was said, but worth noting it wasn't the first time Horford has done this. He undercut Beal on a jumper and hurt him two years ago- amazingly that was also Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semis. Deja vu!

Geez. That video shows a guy playing defense and challenging a shot. Horford had nearly the same chance of landing on Beal's foot as Beal did on his.

 

[Bobcat10]

Let's also not forget the Cavs gave the Celts home court by not trying and resting players down the stretch.  This could be one of those things that come back to haunt.

 

[Jayrod]

Wow, then there are alot of players in violation!  Including Kyrie.

Yup.  Like many other violations, it is called with religiosity at the High School level and decreasingly so the higher up you get.  The NBA does have different rules than HS about the other players along the lane being able to get back, but the rules for the shooter are the same.

 

[wikkidpissah]

Pissah, you're one of the guys who complained about LeBron's flopping, right?  Would love to hear your thoughts on Marcus Smart, because holy #### does that guy flop.  He makes LeBron look like one of those guards at Buckingham Palace.

I'd neither deign nor dare touch even a frayed thread on the hem of the King's robe. He is truly profound and excellent & fair in all his ways.

Smart's a Dickensian thug, a footpad, a jackanape - unschooled & unschoolable. And, Lord, i love him so!

 

[the moops]

Wow, then there are alot of players in violation!  Including Kyrie.

Isn't ery single player's body/arms/knees/fingers are over this imaginary line when they shoot the ball?

 

[Bobcat10]

Geez. That video shows a guy playing defense and challenging a shot. Horford had nearly the same chance of landing on Beal's foot as Beal did on his.

Certainly not a Kelly O. play there.  That's good D.

 

[Bobcat10]

Isn't ery single player's body/arms/knees/fingers are over this imaginary line when they shoot the ball?

Yes, that's why I always thought it was physical contact with the line/lane.

 

[wikkidpissah]

Would loved to have watched last nights IT gem in a Sacramento sports bar. 

I grok the sentiment but, even with a reason, you want nuttin' to do with Sacramento

 

[TobiasFunke]

Geez. That video shows a guy playing defense and challenging a shot. Horford had nearly the same chance of landing on Beal's foot as Beal did on his.

I didn't say any differently.

But I will now: there's definitely a gray area on the topic of giving the jump shooter room to land, and it's technically a foul if you don't. You may remember this was briefly a big deal when Dahntay Jones sprained Kobe's ankle on a play like this a couple years ago.

I don't know how I'd call either Horford play- he kind of arrives at the landing spot at the exact same time as the shooters rather than truly undercutting them. And he's not a dirty player generally as far as I can tell. I was mostly just pointing out the weird coincidence and how that might be another contributing factor to the bad blood.

 

[SWC]

if it only matters if your foot crosses i am pretty sure that anteaternintendo can just reach out and dunk flat footed from the free throw line so just sayin brohans take that to the no bank shot required

 

[Short Corner]

Geez. That video shows a guy playing defense and challenging a shot. Horford had nearly the same chance of landing on Beal's foot as Beal did on his.

Except the shooter is the only one entitled to the spot.

 

[Dedfin]

As those in this thread who heard my Irish keening & laments when they didnt pick up a 2nd option @ the trade deadline know, i called "maybe one playoff series" two months ago. And we wouldnt have got that if Rondo (who knew our game better than 29 NBA coaches do) hadnt got hurt. We're a seriously-undermanned and over-amped team playin' house money (mostly 5'7" Leprechaun gold) already & i love it.

Reading your post, I would have thought they were a 8 seed.  Just checked again.  1 seed.

 

[wikkidpissah]

Reading your post, I would have thought they were a 8 seed.  Just checked again.  1 seed.

Ah, but they ARE an eight-seed, Blanche, they ARE!!

 

[the moops]

Except the shooter is the only one entitled to the spot.

Yea, so call a foul. It's not a cheap play by any stretch 

 

[thecatch]

Would loved to have watched last nights IT gem in a Sacramento sports bar. 

Thomas is popular in Sacramento. I think most are happy for him that he's in a great situation and not fighting Cousins for shots on a 29 win team. 

 

[STEADYMOBBIN 22]

Pissah, you're one of the guys who complained about LeBron's flopping, right?  Would love to hear your thoughts on Marcus Smart, because holy #### does that guy flop.  He makes LeBron look like one of those guards at Buckingham Palace.

Great line. 

 

[TobiasFunke]

Good point here that I hadn't considered- blame for the Wiz loss falls partly on Scott Brooks for calling time out after Thomas tied the game, allowing Stevens to sub out Thomas for the final possession of regulation and then just running a boring PnR to get Wall open for a look. 

The article contrasts it with Quin Snyder not calling time in Game 1 of Jazz-Clippers after the Clips tied the game, forcing the Clippers to defend with Jamal Crawford who gave up the game-winner to Iso Joe.

 

[STEADYMOBBIN 22]

Celtics/Wiz ain't over. The home team won twice. That's pretty much exactly what supposed to happen. The Wiz still have a shot.

 

[Short Corner]

Yea, so call a foul. It's not a cheap play by any stretch 

Sure it is.  Guys know what they are doing when the undercut a guy like that.

 

[STEADYMOBBIN 22]

Good point here that I hadn't considered- blame for the Wiz loss falls partly on Scott Brooks for calling time out after Thomas tied the game, allowing Stevens to sub out Thomas for the final possession of regulation and then just running a boring PnR to get Wall open for a look. 

The article contrasts it with Quin Snyder not calling time in Game 1 of Jazz-Clippers after the Clips tied the game, forcing the Clippers to defend with Jamal Crawford who gave up the game-winner to Iso Joe.

 In my opinion but lost the game was wall pounding the rock and throwing up one of his usual desperation shots with the clock expiring.  

 I think they need a closer à la Paul Pierce from a couple years ago. 

 

[the moops]

Sure it is.  Guys know what they are doing when the undercut a guy like that.

Did you watch that video? He jumped and challenged the shot. This wasn't a Bruce Bowen special

 

[Short Corner]

Did you watch that video? He jumped and challenged the shot. This wasn't a Bruce Bowen special

That same thing happens at the playground and someone's getting punched in the mouth.

 

[the moops]

That same thing happens at the playground and someone's getting punched in the mouth.

Sure thing tough guy

 

[Short Corner]

Sure thing tough guy

:eyeroll:  

 

[dgreen]

Good point here that I hadn't considered- blame for the Wiz loss falls partly on Scott Brooks for calling time out after Thomas tied the game, allowing Stevens to sub out Thomas for the final possession of regulation and then just running a boring PnR to get Wall open for a look. 

The article contrasts it with Quin Snyder not calling time in Game 1 of Jazz-Clippers after the Clips tied the game, forcing the Clippers to defend with Jamal Crawford who gave up the game-winner to Iso Joe.

Zards have allowed Isaiah to stand around and do nothing on d. Oubre just stands in the corner and Isaiah just stands next to him. They should post him up all game.

Also, they've struggled offensively when they slow things down in the half court game. Oh, and they seem to get killed when they go small. 

 

[wilked]

Celtics/Wiz ain't over. The home team won twice. That's pretty much exactly what supposed to happen. The Wiz still have a shot.

Do you know how often the home team wins in the NBA playoffs?  

Or I'll ask another way, does the home team win the first two playoff games more than half the time? 

Edited to fix Spoiler thing

Spoiler

The winning percentage in the NBA where teams up 2-0 have won 233 times, losing just 15 times. This .940 winning percentage is identical for all rounds of the playoffs and for the first round, where teams up 2-0 have gone 47-3.


 

Surely though you say, the record is not so one-sided when both of the wins occurred at home. After all, we always hear that a series doesn't really start until the home team loses. As it happens, the results are even MORE lopsided when the first two games are home wins. Teams up 2-0 after two home games have a 201-12 (.944) record in all NBA playoff series and a 46-2 record in the first round (.958). While this may seem counter-intuitive at first, bear in mind that the team that hosts the first two games is by definition the team with the better record (or at least the team that won a tie-breaker) so there are factors dictating their victory in the series that go beyond the mere fact that they lead 2-0.

 

[the moops]

Problem with the "just post Oubre up" is the fact that he sucks at that. Not his fault either, I mean, he is a 6'7" small forward who probably hasn't posted anyone up since his freshman year of high school ball. Not to mention that the Wizards offense isn't even remotely designed around Kelly ####### Oubre posting up.

What they should do is run pick n roll with whoever IT is covering so they can get the switch that they want.

 

[Jayrod]

What seems to have the most success against IT is a bigger guard just backing him down.  He looks like a little kid trying to guard a grown man when they do that.  If you can at least keep the backside honest or if the guard doing the backing is adept enough at passing, you can practically run an entire offense off of this.

 

[TobiasFunke]

Do you know how often the home team wins in the NBA playoffs?  

Or I'll ask another way, does the home team win the first two playoff games more than half the time? 

Edited to fix Spoiler thing

Spoiler

The winning percentage in the NBA where teams up 2-0 have won 233 times, losing just 15 times. This .940 winning percentage is identical for all rounds of the playoffs and for the first round, where teams up 2-0 have gone 47-3.


 

Surely though you say, the record is not so one-sided when both of the wins occurred at home. After all, we always hear that a series doesn't really start until the home team loses. As it happens, the results are even MORE lopsided when the first two games are home wins. Teams up 2-0 after two home games have a 201-12 (.944) record in all NBA playoff series and a 46-2 record in the first round (.958). While this may seem counter-intuitive at first, bear in mind that the team that hosts the first two games is by definition the team with the better record (or at least the team that won a tie-breaker) so there are factors dictating their victory in the series that go beyond the mere fact that they lead 2-0.

I always hate these things where it says "team that does X goes on to win X% of the time" because they tend to ignore context.  This one at least did provide some context- the reason home teams that win the first two playoff games win almost every series is that it's often a 1 v 8 or 1 v 4 lopsided matchup.  this is a 1 vs 4, but I don't think anyone had it lopsided.  I think the series was priced around Celts -155/Wiz +135 before Game 1.

I also like that it took down that stupid cliche about how a series doesn't start until the home team loses, which is up there with the dumbest sports cliches ever.