2023-24 NBA (Playoffs!) Thread, Presented by YouTubeTV (12 Viewers)

[Instinctive]

I'm expecting MIN to come out blitzing, I'm expecting more pick and roll involving KAT in either spot on offense, and a concerted attack mindset from Edwards.

Up 1-0 on the road I wouldn't be surprised to see one or all of Washington, Jones, Gifford, Lively in foul trouble.

I'd think they bring Luka into every defensive action too.


My guess is that Minnesota wins by double digits, but it is also possible Dallas takes another hard fought one. In the latter case, I think it would result from hot shooting from the wings and the stars, kinda the opposite of game 1. Call it 70-30% Minny is my prediction.

But there's so the 5-10% case where Dallas just dominates inside again, but this time they shoot a reasonable percentage and Minnesota does too and it's a Mavs blowout.

 

[Capella]

Surprised Dallas is a 6 point dog. Figured it’d be 2.

 

[Tau837]

Possible scenario:

• Suns draft Bronny at #22
• Lebron signs for minimum salary contract with Suns to fill vacant PG role and get to play with Bronny

Could that team win the title? Odds Lebron would play for the minimum?

 

[Donny Loved Bowling]

Zion seems like the type who will definitely figure it out, but only after he hits rock bottom and gets moved. Sucks when you are team 1 in that scenario but some people only learn stuff the hard way

The problem is, he runs the risk of catastrophic leg injury with all that weight he carries around. Until he learns how to properly eat and drink (he apparently downs soda pop like a pimple-faced video game junkie on a bender) like an athlete he will never "get it". His rock bottom is soooooooo far below a normal person's rock bottom because he's already been paid like a top tier athlete. So he can sink....and sink some more. And when he does reach rock bottom, he will have pissed it all away due to chronic health problems.
Maybe New Orleans isn't the best spot for a 22 year old kid who has no self control and all the money in the world.

He should reach out to Embiid in the offseason. Joel came into the league in terrible shape and paid zero attention to diet and exercise - he had a well-known shirley temple addiction and often drank Chik-Fil-A milkshakes four at a time on road trips. He also spent time learning how to make himself less vulnerable to frequent leg injuries. (Some things are unavoidable I guess.) But he has turned around his physical habits and the difference is obvious. It's certainly not too late for Zion to forge a new path and fully realize his potential dominance.

 

[msudaisy26]

Are the playoffs over?

 

[the moops]

Surprised Dallas is a 6 point dog. Figured it’d be 2.

Home team down 0-1 who were favorites in game 1 and who lost in an extremely close game? Seems like most of those home teams would be decently favored in game 2

 

[Alex P Keaton]

Nice flop Luka

 

[Frostillicus]

No more drop coverage please.

 

[msudaisy26]

If I was Finch I would be attacking Luka the rest of the series. He is already hobbling.

 

[the moops]

No more drop coverage please.

Rudy has been a beast defensively in these two games. Drop is what he does

 

[msudaisy26]

No more drop coverage please.

Rudy has been a beast defensively in these two games. Drop is what he does

Drop was horrible game 1. They have been doubling Luka and it has worked better.

 

[the moops]

No more drop coverage please.

Rudy has been a beast defensively in these two games. Drop is what he does

Drop was horrible game 1. They have been doubling Luka and it has worked better.

Gobert played 38 minutes, during which time Minnesota outscored Dallas by 10 points and held the Mavs to 100 points per 100 possessions. In the other 10 minutes, Dallas scored 165 points per 100 possessions.

 

[msudaisy26]

No more drop coverage please.

Rudy has been a beast defensively in these two games. Drop is what he does

Drop was horrible game 1. They have been doubling Luka and it has worked better.

Gobert played 38 minutes, during which time Minnesota outscored Dallas by 10 points and held the Mavs to 100 points per 100 possessions. In the other 10 minutes, Dallas scored 165 points per 100 possessions.

I am just talking about the drop coverage on the pick and roll, not every possession.

Plus how is the blitz working tonight.

 

[Frostillicus]

Luka is amazing.

 

[Zow]

Nervously confident here.

 

[identikit]

Nervously nervous here

 

[Ministry of Pain]

How many double digit leads does one team need in a Playoff game at home?

This is must win territory for the T-Wolves tonight and they need to come back Game 5 with a 2-2 split
We are getting the stars in this Series, KAT and Edwards vs Kyrie and Luka, highly entertaining thus far

 

[Frostillicus]

Someone knock me out and wake me up after the game.

 

[msudaisy26]

I don't get to watch a lot of the Twolves, but I think Reid is becoming the best big for the Twolves.

 

[Zow]

Little Woz is at his cousins’ for the weekend. Everybody at that home is watching a movie. He’s in a bedroom watching the game by himself. We’ve spent most of it on FaceTime with each other.

I selfishly want the Wolves to play as many games as possible ’

 

[Ministry of Pain]

No more drop coverage please.

Rudy has been a beast defensively in these two games. Drop is what he does

Drop was horrible game 1. They have been doubling Luka and it has worked better.

They were pointing out at Halftime that the double coverage was coming late and was very effective, not staying on Luka with double coverage for too long as an example.

 

[msudaisy26]

Ant has been bad.

 

[ShamrockPride]

Kyrie the Closer.

 

[Ministry of Pain]

You knew Kyrie was draining that last 3, he didn't pop it immediately but settled into the spot and then just let it fly
What a shot

 

[identikit]

Ant has been bad.

In first 2 games

 

[Jayrod]

If Washington could hit an open 3 the Mavs would be up 5.

 

[Zow]

Naz Reid game?

 

[identikit]

Naz, singlehandedly

 

[Major]

Naz looking like Larry Bird out there

 

[ShamrockPride]

Mavs have had a million opportunities to go up by more than 1 possession. If they lose this, it's on them. Learn to sink a shot when you have a lead, damn.

 

[msudaisy26]

For a 7 foot tall guy Gobert sure plays small on the offensive end.

 

[identikit]

Naz alone ain't going to get this done

eta probably not

 

[msudaisy26]

Gafford throws Conley to the floor, slips and makes a crazy layup. Looked like a Gobert lay up,except it went in.

 

[Jayrod]

For a 7 foot tall guy Gobert sure plays small on the offensive end.

Yet he's been more effective in the 4th than Edwards.

Can the MJ comparisons die now? ANT is surrounded by a great team and he's disappearing or struggling for 3 games in a row.

 

[msudaisy26]

For a 7 foot tall guy Gobert sure plays small on the offensive end.

Yet he's been more effective in the 4th than Edwards.

Can the MJ comparisons die now? ANT is surrounded by a great team and he's disappearing or struggling for 3 games in a row.

Ant has been awful. Not sure Gobert being better than him is some huge accomplishment.

 

[Jayrod]

For a 7 foot tall guy Gobert sure plays small on the offensive end.

Yet he's been more effective in the 4th than Edwards.

Can the MJ comparisons die now? ANT is surrounded by a great team and he's disappearing or struggling for 3 games in a row.

Ant has been awful. Not sure Gobert being better than him is some huge accomplishment.

That's half my point, but the Gobert hate is funny considering the silence about Edwards after crowning him already.

 

[identikit]

More of that, ANT

 

[msudaisy26]

That is bad replay rule.

 

[Alex P Keaton]

Such a dumb rule. If you review an out of bounds play, you should be able to call a foul if the foul caused the ball to go out of bounds…..

 

[nysfl2]

That is bad replay rule.

And I thought the nfl had dumb replay rules

 

[identikit]

Oh ANT

 

[msudaisy26]

That is bad replay rule.

And I thought the nfl had dumb replay rules

I can't think of a rule that bad.

 

[ShamrockPride]

Ant really has poor decision making under pressure. Cross courts, other bad passes/TOs. This has been across the last 2 series I've noticed.

 

[The General]

Onions

 

[TLEF316]

Haha, that was absolutely cartoonist. Saying gobert was on skates doesn't come close to doing that justice

 

[msudaisy26]

Doncic is so good, but why is Gobert in? He had been out the last few possessions so they could switch everything.

 

[ShamrockPride]

Kinda feel bad for Rudy there lol. That limp hand just flailing in the air to distract Luka, his only defense.

 

[SayWhat?]

Wolves coaching is a D- this postseason.

 

[Capella]

Luka fried that dude

 

[identikit]

Mavericks earn another win

Congrats