2024-25 NBA Thread

[BM1090]

The craziest thing about the Knicks/Celtics series is that it's not like NY has been on fire.  Tatum has had a number of huge playoff performances.  I remember one on the road in Milwaukee.  He's certainly capable.  But that said, this idea that the C's bricking is the only variable in this series is debatable. What happens if the Knicks shoot a decent percentage?  Brunson is 15-42. 

36% is just fine.

[wadesworld]

Turns out Draymond is a really good backpack for Steph Curry.

[MuggsyB]

Turns out Draymond is a really good backpack for Steph Curry.

Interesting that Kuminga was 8-11.  Winning 3 games without Curry is basically not happening. There's a tiny chance he could play G6 and 7. 

[BM1090]

Don't think Minnesota is mature enough to win 2 in GS. They'll get more from Podz, Hield, Moody and maybe Post at home.

Probably will go back to Minnesota 2-2 then it'll depend on Steph's health.

[cheebs09]

Draymond's post game rant was......something.

[The Sultan]

Draymond's post game rant was......something.

Yes. I wonder why the guy who has a history of yelling at refs and flagrant fouls is being portrayed as angry. It's a mystery.

[Billy Hoyle]

Yes. I wonder why the guy who has a history of yelling at refs and flagrant fouls is being portrayed as angry. It's a mystery.

I took it as a sign he's going to go out of his way to get flagrant and technical fouls and

Draymond's post game rant was......something.

Has he set up a GFM for his fines yet? That's next.

[MuggsyB]

Draymond's post game rant was......something.

Ya....that was a doozy.

[Hards Alumni]

Draymond is two away from a suspension, and since Steph probably won't be back he may as well have his sort of fun and then play the victim.

[MU82]

36% is just fine.

36% from 3 is just fine ... but Brunson is shooting 36% overall. For both the season and his career, he is a 49% shooter, so 36% stinks.

But 2 games is a small sample size so we'll see. I think Muggsy's point is: What if Brunson goes on a heater and makes 60% of his shots at MSG, which is certainly a possibility? The Celtics are already having enough problems without Brunson lighting it up.

[wadesworld]

Moral of the story, dealing with Jrue Holiday for a 7 game series sucks.  Ask Devin Booker/CP3 how fun it was.  Guy is a hound, and if Tatum (and Brown and White, honestly) wasn't stinking it up the C's would be up 2-0.

[MU82]

Moral of the story, dealing with Jrue Holiday for a 7 game series sucks.  Ask Devin Booker/CP3 how fun it was.  Guy is a hound, and if Tatum (and Brown and White, honestly) wasn't stinking it up the C's would be up 2-0.

White is a good defensive guard, too; he and Holiday often made it tough on Brunson. But Brunson also missed numerous open shots, and he missed what should have been the game-winning drive at the end of regulation in Game 1 after cleanly beating Holiday.

All 3 are great players, and it's been fun watching them compete.

Tatum and Brown have sucked, but the Knicks also have had plenty of offensive underperformers in the series. For example, KAT is averaging only 17.5 ppg (7 below his average) and Bridges only 11 (6.5 below his average). Others, such Anunoby and Hart have picked up the slack and have helped the Knicks tremendously. Plus, the Knicks have made the key defensive plays, especially Bridges.

Fun series so far!

[MuggsyB]

White is a good defensive guard, too; he and Holiday often made it tough on Brunson. But Brunson also missed numerous open shots, and he missed what should have been the game-winning drive at the end of regulation in Game 1 after cleanly beating Holiday.

All 3 are great players, and it's been fun watching them compete.

Tatum and Brown have sucked, but the Knicks also have had plenty of offensive underperformers in the series. For example, KAT is averaging only 17.5 ppg (7 below his average) and Bridges only 11 (6.5 below his average). Others, such Anunoby and Hart have picked up the slack and have helped the Knicks tremendously. Plus, the Knicks have made the key defensive plays, especially Bridges.

Fun series so far!

Very good analysis.  My take is that no matter the result, we win (assuming you dislike both franchises).   I want NY but them blowing 2 road wins would be fun.  Boston fans are just as obnoxious and we'd also get a new champion.  I have a hard time believing Tatum will continue to be this abysmal.  I would treat G3 like G7 if I was the Knicks.

[MuggsyB]

Jokic is way off.  I wonder why he's launching 3's. 

[MU82]

"I was the worst player on the court, but we won." - Jokic

That was the worst I ever remember seeing him play. That OKC couldn't take advantage is amazing. Big games by Gordon, Porter and Murray saved Denver.

[MuggsyB]

Ya...I can't believe OKC didn't win that game.  These playoffs are crazy. It's too bad Steph got injured.

[Uncle Rico]

Ya...I can't believe OKC didn't win that game.  These playoffs are crazy. It's too bad Steph got injured.

No, it's good he's hurt to stick it to Steve Kerr

[MuggsyB]

No, it's good he's hurt to stick it to Steve Kerr

Kerr is an excellent coach.  And Draymond is an excellent defensive player.  But both of them should give 4/5 of their net worth to Steph Curry.  And that's a conservative %. 

[forgetful]

Draymond's post game rant was......something.

And he's right. For 4 of his 5 T's no one else would have been called for a T for (maybe all 5, I don't remember what his 5th was four). Some of his flagrants wouldn't have been called on almost anyone else.

I've seen Lebron do many of the same things, and Lebron whines and yells a the refs as much or more than Draymond. Lebron also flails his arms when he wants to get a call and sometimes hits the other player. So do many other players. Players don't flop as much against the other guys, and the refs don't reward the flopping like they do when Draymond is involved.

Lebron runs around screaming (with no T's) and the narrative is how he was wronged by the refs. Draymond does it, when the call was clearly incorrect, and he is portrayed as an angry player who brought it upon himself.

There is a double standard when it comes to Draymond. He is right.

[The Sultan]

And he's right. For 4 of his 5 T's no one else would have been called for a T for (maybe all 5, I don't remember what his 5th was four). Some of his flagrants wouldn't have been called on almost anyone else.

I've seen Lebron do many of the same things, and Lebron whines and yells a the refs as much or more than Draymond. Lebron also flails his arms when he wants to get a call and sometimes hits the other player. So do many other players. Players don't flop as much against the other guys, and the refs don't reward the flopping like they do when Draymond is involved.

Lebron runs around screaming (with no T's) and the narrative is how he was wronged by the refs. Draymond does it, when the call was clearly incorrect, and he is portrayed as an angry player who brought it upon himself.

There is a double standard when it comes to Draymond. He is right.

This is laughably inaccurate, but at least you're committed to the bit.

[wadesworld]

This is laughably inaccurate, but at least you're committed to the bit.

Yeah. Draymond should be called for WAY more Ts than he is. Draymond seemingly takes a T early just so he can act any way he wants to the rest of the game, daring refs to kick him out knowing they won't.

[MU82]

And he's right. For 4 of his 5 T's no one else would have been called for a T for (maybe all 5, I don't remember what his 5th was four). Some of his flagrants wouldn't have been called on almost anyone else.

I've seen Lebron do many of the same things, and Lebron whines and yells a the refs as much or more than Draymond. Lebron also flails his arms when he wants to get a call and sometimes hits the other player. So do many other players. Players don't flop as much against the other guys, and the refs don't reward the flopping like they do when Draymond is involved.

Lebron runs around screaming (with no T's) and the narrative is how he was wronged by the refs. Draymond does it, when the call was clearly incorrect, and he is portrayed as an angry player who brought it upon himself.

There is a double standard when it comes to Draymond. He is right.

I'm still pissed at LeBron for America's involvement in Vietnam, the Oklahoma City bombing, the Cubs' 2003 playoff collapse, and Covid reaching our shores.

And Draymond doesn't get enough credit for rescuing us from the Great Recession.

[cheebs09]

Yikes. Not a great start for Pope Leo XIV. Looks like the Celtics got their groove back a bit.

[forgetful]

This is laughably inaccurate, but at least you're committed to the bit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7OE2lpS76o

Most of those are not called on anyone else. They happen all the time and it is play on. Draymond got one of the T's for stepping in between people fighting to diffuse the situation, where others shoved, or borderline threw hands, and weren't T'd up...but he was for stepping in between people fighting.

One of them was almost identical to a play by Lebron in the playoffs, where Lebron threw a defender to the ground...on that play, the foul was called on the defender...Draymond was T'd up.

There are likely at most 2 legitimate T's or flagrants out of all of those. For anyone that watched the Houston/Warriors series, those were all nothing compared to no calls in that series (which was extremely aggressive).

[The Sultan]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7OE2lpS76o

Most of those are not called on anyone else. They happen all the time and it is play on. Draymond got one of the T's for stepping in between people fighting to diffuse the situation, where others shoved, or borderline threw hands, and weren't T'd up...but he was for stepping in between people fighting.

One of them was almost identical to a play by Lebron in the playoffs, where Lebron threw a defender to the ground...on that play, the foul was called on the defender...Draymond was T'd up.

There are likely at most 2 legitimate T's or flagrants out of all of those. For anyone that watched the Houston/Warriors series, those were all nothing compared to no calls in that series (which was extremely aggressive).

I mean cmon. All but the first were obvious technicals / flagrants. And Green should have picked up another one later on in a couple of those games.

Honestly, every year in the playoffs I wonder WTF you are actually watching.