NBA Thread 2019-20

[Mutaman]

And if you want to go with "he had some blemishes" as a reason not to put him on a pedestal, then call out Russell and his Nation of Islam ties, his outright nasty demeanor to many "neutral" parties cause of racism he perceived or felt elsewhere, etc...

You're equating someone with a "nasty demeanor" to someone who committed rape?

[The Sultan]

Jimmy beats the Bucks by taking over in the 4th quarter. Giannis kinda choked.

Meanwhile, some terrible coaching down the stretch for the Rockets, who don't even try to get Harden involved as Westbrook pisses away the game.

I don't think Giannis choked.  I think again a well coached defensive team showed his limitations like Toronto did last year.  His outside shot is getting better, but until he can hit it with some consistency, it's going to be hard in crunch time for him to function with the ball in his hands. 

[MU82]

You're equating someone with a "nasty demeanor" to someone who committed rape?

Yeah ... I didn't like that comparison, either.

Nevertheless, I'm a big second-chances guy, and even though I believe Kobe got away with some pretty serious shyte, he certainly seemed to have grown up and become a positive force.

[MU82]

I don't think Giannis choked.  I think again a well coached defensive team showed his limitations like Toronto did last year.  His outside shot is getting better, but until he can hit it with some consistency, it's going to be hard in crunch time for him to function with the ball in his hands.

Obviously depends on how one defines "choke," but down the stretch he clanked two FTs - barely even hit the rim on the second - and committed a very costly turnover.

He definitely didn't have a good game, and yes, I do credit Spoelstra and his team for doing a nice job on him.

[The Sultan]

Yeah, a poor FT shooter missing a couple isn't a choke.  Miami was the better team for three quarters.  They understand how to beat Milwaukee (slow the game down, blanket Giannis in the paint, make shooters beat you) and outside of Middleton going off in the first quarter, it by and large worked.  Using a word like "choke" is really not accurate.

[cheebs09]

This reminded me of the Raptors series. Giannis didn't have anywhere to go in the half court, the offense was a mess, and tons of turnovers.

I'm hoping when Bledsoe gets back, he can limit dribble penetration.

[JWags85]

Yeah ... I didn't like that comparison, either.

Nevertheless, I'm a big second-chances guy, and even though I believe Kobe got away with some pretty serious shyte, he certainly seemed to have grown up and become a positive force.

I wasn't equating it.  But Bill Russell has some gnarly public statements and behaviors in his past that don't make him a paragon of virtue and admiration.  That's all.

Ive always been particularly annoyed by the people who speak with absolute certainty and definitive voice about the Kobe case, and use it to broad brush disregard everything he did thereafter.  Even Kareem, who is rightly categorized as a great human who did much off the court, speaks about him glowingly.

[MU82]

I wasn't equating it.  But Bill Russell has some gnarly public statements and behaviors in his past that don't make him a paragon of virtue and admiration.  That's all.

Ive always been particularly annoyed by the people who speak with absolute certainty and definitive voice about the Kobe case, and use it to broad brush disregard everything he did thereafter.  Even Kareem, who is rightly categorized as a great human who did much off the court, speaks about him glowingly.

Understood, and I agree.

Using a word like "choke" is really not accurate.

Okey dokey, Sultan. Y'all are allowed an opinion, too.

[MUfan12]

This reminded me of the Raptors series. Giannis didn't have anywhere to go in the half court, the offense was a mess, and tons of turnovers.

I'm hoping when Bledsoe gets back, he can limit dribble penetration.

They have really fallen in love with quick shots in the bubble. Giannis, Bled, Khris, all have taken some really questionable shots early in the shot clock.

The offense is a bigger issue than the defense, IMO. It's stagnant. Miami was able to rest on the other end of the floor, as it was mostly iso and two-man game in the halfcourt.

Giannis should be getting more wide post touches. Easier spot to operate from and he can see the help better. Driving from the wing is not gonna work.

[BM1090]

They have really fallen in love with quick shots in the bubble. Giannis, Bled, Khris, all have taken some really questionable shots early in the shot clock.

The offense is a bigger issue than the defense, IMO. It's stagnant. Miami was able to rest on the other end of the floor, as it was mostly iso and two-man game in the halfcourt.

Giannis should be getting more wide post touches. Easier spot to operate from and he can see the help better. Driving from the wing is not gonna work.

Agreed with the last point. Hope we see it tomorrow night.

Wild finish to a wild series in Denver-Utah. It was pretty ugly like a lot of game 7s are, but the last couple minutes were high quality. Jokic with the difficult double pivot hook shot to go ahead followed by the madness of the last 20 seconds. Fun first round series.

Excited to see Denver/LAC.

And get ready for some fireworks of Houston can't finish off OKC tomorrow.

[JWags85]

Agreed with the last point. Hope we see it tomorrow night.

Wild finish to a wild series in Denver-Utah. It was pretty ugly like a lot of game 7s are, but the last couple minutes were high quality. Jokic with the difficult double pivot hook shot to go ahead followed by the madness of the last 20 seconds. Fun first round series.

Excited to see Denver/LAC.

And get ready for some fireworks of Houston can't finish off OKC tomorrow.

Jamal Murray, after being otherwordly the entire series, decides not to pull it out there for some bizarre reason.  Shades of Todd Mayo.

Mitchell, after being terrific the entire series, not only has a terrible sloppy game, but if he had popped right up and stayed with the play after losing the ball, he would have likely been WIDE open on the wing for a simple catch and step into jumper to win the game.  Instead he laid on the ground in frustration for a few seconds, and then got up after the play reversed back towards the Jazz basket and angles were compromised.

GREAT moment from Murray though after the game.  He didn't even briefly celebrate before seeing Mitchell laying on the ground and running over to support him.  Awesome stuff

[MU82]

Jamal Murray, after being otherwordly the entire series, decides not to pull it out there for some bizarre reason.  Shades of Todd Mayo.

Mitchell, after being terrific the entire series, not only has a terrible sloppy game, but if he had popped right up and stayed with the play after losing the ball, he would have likely been WIDE open on the wing for a simple catch and step into jumper to win the game.  Instead he laid on the ground in frustration for a few seconds, and then got up after the play reversed back towards the Jazz basket and angles were compromised.

GREAT moment from Murray though after the game.  He didn't even briefly celebrate before seeing Mitchell laying on the ground and running over to support him.  Awesome stuff

Agree with all that - especially the last paragraph. Kind of like the hockey handshake, only 100x better!

Oh ... I think you meant Buycks and not Mayo on the layup attempt, no?

[Billy Hoyle]

Agreed with the last point. Hope we see it tomorrow night.

Wild finish to a wild series in Denver-Utah. It was pretty ugly like a lot of game 7s are, but the last couple minutes were high quality. Jokic with the difficult double pivot hook shot to go ahead followed by the madness of the last 20 seconds. Fun first round series.

Excited to see Denver/LAC.

And get ready for some fireworks of Houston can't finish off OKC tomorrow.

what I liked is the last personal foul call was with 5:57 left and the last free throw was taken with 6:57 left. The officials let them play and decide it on the court.

 
Instead he laid on the ground in frustration for a few seconds, and then got up after the play reversed back towards the Jazz basket and angles were compromised.

With as little time as was left Conley really had no choice but to dribble and shoot it himself to get a good shot off in time. Shades of the 2003 Louisville game when Novak was open on the wing but if Travis passes it a shot wouldn't have gotten off before the buzzer so instead Travis took the shot.

[Mutaman]

Bucks v  heat: Like watching a Wojo coached team vs a Buzz coached team.

[Jockey]

Incredibly stupid play. How many times can you foul a jump shooter in one game?

[The Sultan]

It is really hard when your alpha player isn't initiating your offense at crunch time.

[#UnleashSean]

Butler had to of traveled 3 times before making that awful pass.

[#UnleashSean]

Wowwwwww that was a terrible call.

[The Sultan]

Two bad calls.

[GooooMarquette]

The last couple of minutes were unwatchable. Missed layups and bad calls.

[Johnny B]

crap team

[MUfan12]

I wasn't sure that Bud's rep was all that fair, since he never had a star player.

Now, I think it might have been generous. He's been awful this series.

[JWags85]

I wasn't sure that Bud's rep was all that fair, since he never had a star player.

Now, I think it might have been generous. He's been awful this series.

He's so damn stubborn. You have the MVP and DPOY on your team and you play him 35 min because of sticking to your regular season rotation for some silly reason. Jamal Murray and Donovan Mitchell both played 42 min last night.

[Skatastrophy]

He's so damn stubborn. You have the MVP and DPOY on your team and you play him 35 min because of sticking to your regular season rotation for some silly reason. Jamal Murray and Donovan Mitchell both played 42 min last night.

Giannis was in foul trouble the entire game. It's not on the coach. The refs were going easy on him, too.

[MUBBau]

Giannis was in foul trouble the entire game. It's not on the coach. The refs were going easy on him, too.

Giannis got his 3rd foul with 4 minutes left in the 2nd quarter, he didn't get his 4th foul until there was 0.0 left on the clock. 28 minutes of game time in between fouls, he should have been on the floor for 24 of them.