From Distance: C:tV Playoffs Shorty 2019-04-19 Off By Ben Werth I did this one Isaiah Thomas style: short, jerky, relatively ineffective, and potentially a target for mockery. If you want a foggy tour around the Playoffs in under five minutes, here she be. Podcast 201: Who’s In Charge? Podcast 202: First Round of the Off Season
WHAT A SHOT——-SEE THE BLAZERS ARE NOT TRUSTING ” NPH—NON-PLAYOFFF HOOD “—–TOO BAD THE GUY HAS THE POTENTIAL THERE —–ALTHOUGH THE WORD “POTENTIAL ” IS TOO OFTEN USED AND USED CARELESSLY
Lillard is ridiculous. Two buzzer beating series winners? I mean, come on. It is his year. The conference semis will be epic. NBA is awesome!
Westbrook showed up tonight, PG was good for the most part, Lillard too good, and I think Donovan found a workable lineup too late…they were more effective without Adams…
The problem with Russ is that he’s not a good game manager…. PG absolutely cooking tonight, and Russ shoots 11(!!!) more shots than him…. and he bricks two bad shots down the stretch to lose it.
Thunder had some killer turnovers…including PG, who has a pretty loose handle at times…seemed like almost all of those turnovers went for Blazer points…
Yep. I think they said George missed 1 non 3pt shot all night.
Though PG did miss 2 FTs in one trip and had a TO late.
Schroeder was also excellent.
Terrible shot from Dame. I mean really, a step back 35 footer? But it went in.
Jeremi Grant, 7-8… shooting lights out past two games…. hardly gets a look.
Those 2 missed PG FTs were pretty big…
Lillard is like Kyrie if Kyrie was way better, a better teammate, and not a complete moron…
^^^So much this.
Ha! Nurk just dropped the f-bomb live….
Kyrie is two years younger. The sad part about Kyrie is that he has all the talent in the world. More talent than Lillard. He just is a headcase which will keep him from unlocking that talent to its fullest potential. That and durability maybe.
I don’t think he has more talent. He has more nifty spins off the backboard, etc, he’s not the shooter Lillard is, and not the passer, either. They’re pretty much neck and neck talentwise, Lillard is just a far better player, and he’s always been better. I don’t really give a crap about Kyrie’s ‘insane handles’. Lillard is better without the pointless showy dribbling.
Lillard maybe has more range, but not sure he is a better shooter overall.
I think Lillard can be the best player on a championship team. I dont think Kyrie can.
Holy…..
Good lord, Lillard…
I feel like CJ is a free-range Cav, just needs to come home. How good would that be.
PG misses the FT!
Thunder up 8 with around 9 minutes left off a Schroeder 3, but have left PG and Westbrook in while Blazers rest Lillard…think Thunder are going to have to get those guys a blow…
Great atmosphere…tight game, a lot on the line. Playoff quality!
amen to that!
Heck of a game going to 4th…it’s incredible how Kanter has been brutalizing them on the boards, all series…it’s been a pretty poor series for Adams, who I generally like…
OKC switch everything. A lot of times Grant ends on Kanter.
Lillard has 32, not even half, all in the flow of the game…just freaking ridiculous…Thunder still lead, but Lillard is playing so well…
Yup… nearly flawless closeout performance so far
Please God. No
https://twitter.com/TheSteinLine/status/1120797982947983360?s=19
Why?
Please no…there are so many other good candidates…
Apparently the Nets collectively decided before the game to crap the bed tonight…
Lol. Mike O might get his wish.
http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/26587748/kidd-interviewed-lakers-vacancy-sources
Oh please please please…
Lakers gonna lake.
I absolutely love how the Lakers are so tight with Kurt Rambis, btw…I’ll never forget him inbounding the ball to Magic to start the fast break…just a legend. I honestly feel he should be POBO for the Lake crew.
I mean his wife basically is in Jeanie Buss’s ear for everything related to the Lakers according to some Lakers blog stuff I have read.
THANKS JOHNB !!
HOW LONG IS BROGDON OUT FOR THE BUCKS/ ANY CHANCE HE IS READY FOR CELTICS SERIES —-SHOULD BE A GOOD SERIES/—-GO BUCKS -( THAT HAS A NICE / FAMALIAR RING TO IT ) : )
They are hoping he is back for that series.
PER THE “WALTON CHARGE “—I AM ALWAYS BAFFLED / BEFUDDLED BY THE TIMING OF THESE ALLEGATIONS—–3-4 YRS LATER ????——–OR WAS IT CONVENIENT NOW THAT HE IS NO LONGER A LAKER EMPLOYEE—-NOT CONDONING IF WHAT HE DID IS TRUE—JUST THE TIMING SEEMS PECULIAR ???
I believe his accuser works in LA as a sports reporter. I can see a pretty obvious case of her fearing she’d get blacklisted if she accused the Lakers HC of sexual assault.
Through that lens, the timing makes perfect sense.
Yeah I was thinking the same.
Power dynamics in a work environment can be toxic.
Just look at Harvey Weinstein for examples of that. Not saying Walton is on that level. Or that it is true. Just illustration of how people fearing reprisals might not speak up.
Who knows, but this accuser is credible to me. Not someone coming out of the woodwork. Your guess is as good as mine as to what really happened.
I’d be down with Kokoskov… not sure how he manages personalities, but his offensive scheme would really benefit Sexton and Cedi, and a Morant or Culver if they come here. A lot of open looks for 3 for KLOVE as well, or for someone like Hunter.
Am I missing something? Phoenix was just as terrible under Kokoskov as they were with any number of other coaches.
I don’t know how good a head coach he will be in the NBA, but he was absolutely set up to fail in Phoenix. Not sure if there is much to take away from that stint.
Offensive system didn’t cater to Ayton’s strengths….. And a good point guard is critical to the success of his offensive system. So drafting Ayton and not acquiring a good point guard were major personnel mistakes in that regard
Mixed reviews on the suns blogs. But dunno how much to take from that. A lot of those posters seemed disappointed with that season. What did they expect with that roster. I was super high on Ayton. I think he still turns out to be a decent player. But he is maybe the least impactful 7 footer I have ever seen at rim protection. Like there were times I watched him go away from challenging, even when he had zero fouls. Also Booker is a complete non-defender. He is not a number one option. I get the numbers, but I… Read more »
The development issues is my primary concern.
are*
Suns blogs also talk about communication issues and game management. Under utilizing Ayton on offense and things like that.
So either he was truly terrible. Or it is the Suns being the suns. I mean a single year on a terrible team. That just seems reactionary.
To me 17/46 (37%) from three while scoring 91 points is a weird product of the modern era.
Sad to see the Walton accusations. Bummer.
O’Neale pretty big for the Jazz tonight, offensively and especially defending the Bearded Turd…
Mitchell coming to life in the 4th after being pretty quiet most of the game…Jazz by 11 in the 4th, crowd into it…
https://twitter.com/MZavagno11/status/1120549420779606016
https://twitter.com/MZavagno11/status/1120548900648230913
https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1120548606392639488
Seven coaches in 8 years for Phoenix. And terrible GMs. Get a friggin PG.
No problem with Kokoskov getting a look.
Wowser. That is crazy. One year?
The next round of the playoffs is going to be *good.*
Yeah, going to be amazing…
With the Rockets it’s all about matching firepower…only teams that I see able to realistically do that are GS and maybe Toronto (maybe)…
Jazz role players play about as well as you can ask (Jae fricking Crowder has 18 at half on 6-8 shooting…don’t expect to ever see that again), and only up 6 at half. I suppose it’s possible they win this game, but hard to see them doing more than that. Terrible draw for them.
Valiant effort from Griffin on one leg tonight. Easy choice (for me) for 3rd team all-nba.
1st: Curry, Harden, PG13, Giannis, Jokic
2nd: Dame, Kyrie, Kawhi, KD, Embiid
3rd: ???, ????, ????, Griffin, Gobert
Jae Crowder? JK, I’d have Lebron in there.
Walker, DeRozan (somebody has to go from the Spurs), Vucevic or KAT? Dunno what the positional restrictions are, but wow LBJ’s defense was what? How do you even describe it? Do you reward that? I dunno. There needs to be a YouTube video of the utter lack of effort, because this was the worst I have ever seen from him. Granted I only watched about 10 of their games, but damn.
I would assume Russ gets a spot too. Not that I think it’s a gimme, but I have a hard time believing the voters will leave off someone who average a triple double
https://twitter.com/75a618aeb49344f/status/1120342862724587520?s=19
The Celtics aren’t that much different than the Pacers, but without Dipo the fact that the Cs have one of the League’s great closers in Kyrie means everything..
Draft for me:
Our pick: 1 = Zion, 2 = Morant, 3 = Barrett, 4-6: Hunter, Culver, Garland, White.
Houston pick: Grant Williams (Tenn), Ty Jerome (UVA), Cameron Johnson (UNC), Dylan Windler (Bel), Chuma Okeke (Aub). Also like PJ Washington but he will likely be gone.
Perhaps another pick in a JR deal.
I haven’t watched a single second of college basketball other than Zion highlights so I don’t know anything about the players. What I do know is that more important than the players is the organization they will grow in. Unless it is Zion (or Lebron, Durant, Davis) who looks like a culture setter and difference maker, the team environment plays as big a role as the talent of the player when it comes to his evolution. Had Kawhi been drafted by the Kings, he could still be a random 3 and D guy. Devin Booker who is an amazing offensive… Read more »
I think Morant is going to be a star. I hate to say it, but even Zion’s potential could be stunted by an organization weak on development. I think he will be minimum a Blake Griffin type impact. But he can be so so much more than that. Defensively he needs to get more disiciplined even though he will be a tremendous switch capable on ball defender and help defender right away. And obviously having a great shooting coach will help.
Love the posts from Vintage & GCF. On Russ (way overrated) and rebuilding. The Clippers, Bucks, Pacers, Jazz, Spurs, Nuggets, and Celtics have all rebuilt without tanking. Retooling.
Draft well. Avoid albatross contracts. Build a culture. Front office stability helps. As does a good coach (Bud, Doc, Pop, McMillan, Malone, etc).
Getting the coach hire right is huge. Then the draft.
Coaching, a great front office, and stability once you have those are the only guarantee of being good consistently and pulling off a retool instead of a complete rebuild. Of course not an easy thing to get all three of those management aspects. Comes down to ownership making great hires, letting those hires do their work, and then keeping those management positions stable.
The more I watch Russ, the more I am amazed at how quickly Sexton learned to improve his jumper, stop taking long 2s and have a consistent 3 point shot. Let alone start to do all that in one season!! Yes, Westbrook, is an athletic marvel and competitive spirit is up there with the best in the game. B2B2B triple double seasons. But with OKC down 2-1, last night I watched him take nonsensical shots while Lillard took over in the 3rd. I could give him some of the same critiques as he’s received since his first year in the… Read more »
What you said is very spot on. We always expect linear improvement from young players when that is in actuality rarely the case. We just take the Lebrons and the Durants who just keep improving till their thirties for granted when they are the outliers. Bad habits, especially mental ones, are very hard to shake off. This is why I want Clarkson as far from Sexton as possible and I want to have Delly on the team indefinitely. This is also why full-on rebuilds rarely materialise into something tangible because young players grow losing habits, whereas “retooling” while remaining at… Read more »
Surprised how well Portland is doing wuthout Nurkic.
Now 10-3 including POs.
Missed the game tonight, but I think a lot of it is Lillard is probably playing his best basketball ever…I wish Nurkic hadn’t gotten hurt…
This series I think is more about the Thunder sucking than it is about Portland, who are doing an excellent job taking advantage of their opportunity. It also speaks about the importance of guard and wing play in today’s basketball compared to the importance of bugs. It is good to have good Big’s but unless they are very agile they get exposed in the playoffs. See Gobert. Even Capella against the Warriors. That’s why I think the takes that Portland’s season was over when Nurkic was hurt were complete overreactions. It lowered their ceiling some, but not by that much.… Read more »
WARRIORS BENCH IS NOT WHAT IT WAS 3-4 YRS AGO —HAVE AGED / NOT AS DEEP / SKILLED
DAMN CELTICS–( GEEZ MADE ME CUSS ON EASTER SUNDAY ) –SWEEP THE PACERS –WAS HOPING THEY WOULD GIVE THE CELTICS A 6-7 GAME BATTLE
If Dipo was healthy, they would have.
Really looking forward to the Rockets Warriors series. The Rockets will certainly give them a run for their money. Warriors are terribly thin especially at guard. Bogut will be unplayable for the most part, so they will have to overextend Iguodala and Livingston. It also doesn’t hurt that they are meeting one round earlier this season, which means a better chance fat Chris Paul is healthy. The disadvantage for the Rockets is that they don’t have home court this season. Either way, it is going to be a special series.
Yep, that one is going to be great. I actually think the Rockets will win, but so tough to say, since so many Warrior players can just go YOLO in any given game…
I want the Rockets to win too. It is so hard to pick against the Warriors though. It’s just that this year they feel vulnerable. Of course, it’s the Rockets and they will miss 642 straight threes and the warriors will win again.
Clippers are really a fun team. Quite the contrast from that horrible Laker crew…
Clips really battling Dubs…actually have lead in 3rd…SGA having a game…
Cavs are denying the Pitino rumor, yet I have no doubt Gilbert did discuss the job with him — Pitino is exactly the kind of guy who blows Gilbert’s skirt up, despite the fact that he was absolutely a disaster when he was in the NBA. I don’t think he was ever close to a real job offer, but I have zero doubt Gilbert loves him.
Let’s hope sanity prevails. I am (mostly) confident it will.
He could be the Prime Minister of Greece if he wanted to right now. He has completely turned around a disappointing Panathinaikos squad. They are probably not getting to the Final Four still, but he has done an admirable job nonetheless. The Ringer had an amazing story on his time in Greece. My 2 cents is that he stays in Greece for one more season, unless of course someone blows him off with an offer, which I find unlikely.
Think you’re right and then he goes to a struggling college program.
Happy Easter/Passover, everyone!
Report out there that Gilbert has discussed coaching job with Pitino. No idea how real that is (I’m sure it happened, not sure how far it went), but if that were to happen, I’m done for a while.
It’s Peter Vecsey which means it’s about as reliable as bathroom wall graffiti.
Yeah, I know the source, but I have no doubt it happened. It’s so, so Dan Gilbert to be enchanted by Rick freaking Pitino…I hope the early reports that he was leaving the coaching hire up to Altman are accurate…
What national writers other than Woj are reliable as far as stories? I really am unclear. Don’t pay attention enough to the rumor mill journalism
I thought Gilbert was leaving this to Altman?
Who is sleazier? Pitino or Calipari?
FWIW, I do not believe this report for a second.
Heck of a half in Jazz game…Harden held without a FG…probably won’t be able to watch 2nd half due to work in morning, which is a bummer…
So glad I don’t have to watch Crowder and Hood on the Cavs anymore…
In response to ctb tweet, which may have been rhetorical. Nothing precludes K Love playing a jokic role save Denver’s offense is predicated around motion around him, and that Jokic has all time vision and passing ability as a big. Still that is what we should be doing, should have been doing. Love can be a lesser version of Jokic and it would/has on occasion worked wonders for the cavs motion in the half court. Definitely a goal to stive for, but will require an offense based on disciplined motion principles (read and react) and good execution of off ball… Read more »
Jokic is a LOT bigger than Love. And a better passer.
Any non-C that gets switched on him and it almost an automatic two at the rim. A lot of long/strong PF types bother Love (Thad Young). Jokic just overpowers those types.
Bottom line, he commands more doubles & is a better passer. And a better dribbler. Love ain’t initiating P&R.
Love at the elbow? Yes, please.
Yeah he is a lot bigger. I think Love could play a Jokic style role, albeit, less effectively.
Rockets-Jazz more competitive and fun tonight so far…hard to imagine the Jazz really pressuring them this series unless Mitchell and Ingles start going off, though…
So much this. You don’t want Crowder playing minutes for your playoff team if you have thoughts about winning.
https://twitter.com/MZavagno11/status/1119783641910009856
Really impressive showing by the Nuggets tonight with the season on the line essentially. Kept their composure early when things were going the Spurs’ way and counterpunched. I really don’t like the Spurs. Overrated team. They play like 200% better than their talent. Put the same players in a Cavs uniform (or any other for that matter) and they are the favourites to land Zion.
One of thise games the Nuggets aren’t going to lose. All their guys have been on fire most of the game.
Yeah that is the exact reason why I like the Spurs.
I mean I don’t like them as contenders. I obviously respect what they have been doing and Pop is a treasure.
I mean, yeah they have no shot to win this year.
DeRozan and Aldridge are two legit all stars. Come on.
All those rebounds must drive Pop nuts.
https://twitter.com/MZavagno11/status/1119733542496419842
Lol…second banana in tailpipe for Patty Mills…Barton actually hitting some shots, good news for the Nuggets…
Familiar routine in first quarter Nuggets-Spurs…Spurs seem to get whatever they want on offense, and Nuggets miss a bunch of shots. Spurs up 12. Only thing keeping Nuggets in the game is offensive rebounding…
Philly should play like the Lakers used to. Run like crazy but if it isn’t there, post Embiid every time.
Por/OKC & Phi/Brk have neen nice because there has been beef. A little in GSW/LAC as well.
These playoffs, outside the couple of predictable mismatches, have been awesome so far…
Most disappointing so far is the Jazz-Rockets…I expected the Rockets to win, but not to boat race them. Hope we still get some good games there…
LeVert has become a really good NBA player…really tough to defend…
Yep. I thought the Nets were sunk when he got hurt earlier.
Man, if Harris could hit a 3 and Ed Davis wasn’t hurt, the Nets could level up. This series gets real interesting if Brooklyn evens it up. Putting LeVert & Dudley in the starting lineup has helped them.
Still, I love the intensity in this series. Has an 80s/90s feel.
Or even 70s.
IDK if losing Dudley will help Brk or not.
Those were some weak ejections (save maybe Dudley’s, as he pulled Simmons down as well). And that foul was not flagrant.
Sixers are a team of mentally weak idiots…you could say the same for the Nets, but nobody considers them a title contender…another fake brawl after a hard foul from Embiid…probably techs coming on Butler, Dudley, maybe Simmons…
Wow, Butler and Dudley ejected…big win for the Nets…
Nets/ Dudley may be in Simmons’ head a little…Simmons needs to grow up and work on his game this offseason, like he didn’t last summer. He’s being paid a lot of money to be a pro, none of that is just given.
Embiid icing the knee a few minutes before half…you wonder if he’s done for the day…tie game…
I JUST LOST MY DINNER READING YOUR POST MIKEO : )—-GOOD ONE !!
Thanks Ben.
Rooting for Nets and Blazers. Failing that, rooting for as much GSW drama and embarrassment as possible.
AMEN JRL—CLUELESS / LONGO LAKERS HAS A NICE RING TO IT !!!——–ROOTING FOR THE BUCKS AND THE BLAZERS —BUT MOST OF ALL ROOTING AGAINST THE CELTICS !!!!
When I think of what Longo could do with Boogie defensively on the Lakers…just as a connoisseur of defensive basketball, I get excited…
Great recap!
So the Lakers really want a second interview with Lue?
Please basketball gods, I pray on bended knees for cLUEless to become the next head coach of the historic Lakers. Please make it happen. And somehow get Longo in there too. Thanks!
Is thst too much to ask?
Weirdly enough, I think he may not be a terrible option for that team. As in he may be the only guy on their radar that lbj listens to. EG made that point on the pod or something along those lines. Although you have to wonder how Lue will deal with LBJ’s defense. I mean last year was the least effort I have ever seen from lbj on d. Whoever gets the job will have to address that if it continues and needs to have the cachet with James to call him out on it. Lue might be the only… Read more »
I love the NBA playoffs. But this year for me it’s mostly about who I want not to win. And that would be the Warriors and Boston. My motives as a Cavs fan are pretty obvious. I think I want Boston to lose the most. If Portland had Nurkic, I’d probably affirmatively root for them (‘cause they would have a chance). I could root for the Raptors (hey, after the beatings we gave them). Gosh, who should I pull for? The Bucks? Do they really have a shot? As long as the Celtics don’t win, I’ll be content.
For the time being, I’m gonna root for the Blazers. Lillard is amazing.
25 in the 3rd is ridiculous.
Some of his layups were just so…beautiful.
Me, too. No Dubs. No Celtics.
Bucks and Rockets seem best equipped to stop either. Perhaps Raptors/76ers out East. Would give Blazers a shot if Nurkic was healthy.
I think that Jared Dudley did Ben Simmons a big favor by insulting him. Seems to have lit a fire under his behind. Might be just what he needs.
I agree with this. His words were definitely heard. Simmons walked the fine line though, I watched that game and he lost a bit of control which lead to the Nets getting back into the game (briefly). I was going to write a post about Dudley a few days ago disparaging his 23 (I think) minutes on court with almost nothing to show for it. Then I saw an interview he gave postgame, and he was hilarious, so I thought better of it. I’d never really heard him talk before. Then he backhanded Simmons and I thought I’d love to… Read more »
I recognize that the Nuggets are more talented, but as the chess player Siegbert Tarrasch once wrote, it’s not enough to be a good player…you also need to play well. I have never seen another NBA team in my lifetime that wins so many games by playing well as the Pop Spurs have over the years. The Spurs are playing better, and, frankly, they really should be up 3-0 right now. If you’re a Spurs fan, watching DeRozan must be unbearably frustrating. Yeah, he’s had big quarters, big games, but it seems like he seldom really impacts games like you… Read more »
He consistently maximizes talent which is why he is the greatest coach in nba history considering how much player movement there has been in the era he has coached.
Someone in my NBA dm group just said that SAS doesn’t get enough criticism for throwing in Danny Green in that trade.
Well, DeRozan is coming the other way & plays his spot. Though I think they could have played together. Salary match?
The Spurs lost Ginobili, Leonard, Parker, Green, Murray, Kyle Anderson, and P. Gasol either in the off season or this. Got back DeRozan & Peotl.
If Murray was healthy….
THANK YOU BUCK !!!! : )—–POSTED ON PREVIOS BLOG—WILL POST AGAIN——-A VERY HAPPY / SAFE EASTER TO ALL !!!
yo NOMAD.. u must chk out the Gov’t Mule (w/audley freed) video of Simple Man on Ytube.. simply awesome.. especially for those who were there in “real-time” ..
Here is an interesting question. If the Warriors implode, or play stupid/sloppy for three or four games against Houston again and Chris Paul remains healthy, and Houston knocks off the Warriors next round, where does Harden rank in the top 5? Number 2?, Number 3? Is his scoring so unstoppable now that it vaults him into being the second best player in the nba?
Good question. For me, I do not think Bron is top 5 anymore. Not in the 82 anyway. And you cannot use PO impact for a player who cannot get his team to the POs.
For me: Giannis, Steph, Harden, healthy Kawhi/PG13, KD.
I think if Houston somehow managed to pull it off, and Harden dominates, he probably leapfrogs Steph for me. His regular season scoring at least did go to another level this year. I still think Giannis has him because of overall impact.
Great recap, always good to hear from you, Ben!