NBA Playoffs Open Thread: Nuggets @ Thunder, Game 7 WCSF 2025-05-18 Off By Chris Francis Good evening CtB! Still hungover from the Cavs’ epic collapse, no thoughts… just vibes. Chill here for what should be an entertaining Game 7. Go Cavs. Eastern Conference Semifinals Live Thread: Pacers @ Cavs, Game 5 RIP 2024-2025 Cavs, Open Thread: NBA Finals/Draft/FA
Please don’t ever trade DG to Suggs or anyone who’s a level lower for that matter. As bad as our guards are defensively, it is being salvaged by the scoring and playmaking they could bring.
no kidding!
THANK s BUCKAROO 🙏— ON “ MAKING IT BACK HOME —— MANY DIDNT !!!🫡
OTT ALWAYS SEEMED TO BE AN INTREGAL PART OF TIME OUT HUDLES / STRATEGY —— SUNS OWNER S “ STICK s “ IT TO GILBERT AGAIN—- THE FEUD LIVES ON———DAN / BOTH KA’s WILL FIND SOLID REPLACEMENT s 👍👍👍———- “ NOMAD FOR HIRE “👍🍺👍🍺
Ott to PHX.
Fortunately, Gilbert will spend. We’ll get more guys.
Congrats to Jordan Ott, but it’s hard to see that playing out well for him, other than a having a nice paycheck that he’ll likely be collecting long after he’s been fired.
thibs is toast.. losing has costs.. in some locals..in the 216, just “attaboys”.. let’s win some regular season games next season.. and maybe invest in some state-of the-art toe protection technology.. it exists.. was it used ?
“locales” … semper fi!
.. thx for the spell check steal..
FTS DRAFT PROSPECT— OMORUYI / ALABAMA— IS AN INTICING PROSPECT—-IF HE IS STILL THERE WHEN CAVS DRAFT. 👍👍👍👍
AGREED WITH NATE ON WHY THIBBS WAS FIRED —— AGENTS WERE PROBABLY “ ALREADY SETTING THE TABLE “ FOR BRYANT
DAMN —- MY BET BRYANT GET s IT
Agreed, seems like he’s inevitable to become an NBA HC at some point.
Knicks just fired Thibs. If Johnnie is smart, he’ll hold out for that job instead.
Yeah. My bet is this is why they fired Thibs now.
Yep.
From ESPN:
The Phoenix Suns have narrowed their head coaching search to two finalists from the Cleveland Cavaliers, associate coach Johnnie Bryant and assistant Jordan Ott, sources told ESPN on Monday.
Jordan seems like a good dude but has serial killer facial expression. But I guess that could be useful in a coaching role.
lol. I’ve always thought that about Carlisle so he fits the mold for great coach I suppose.
SIMMO — LMAO 🤣
MR STEAL I WAS IN DA NANG “ 68–70 “ USMC !!!!! 💪💪💪💪
Now I understand why you shout! 🫡
now that is as real as it gets.. glad you made it home, NOMAD bro..
OKC IN 6 👍🍺
guess what ? when you draft and build around soft pussies it should not come as a surprise when your team is a bunch of soft pussies.. anyone remember bird grabbing dr J’s neck ? what about McHale taking rambis down by the head ? Celtics had a “no layup” policy versus the lakers.. if it’s gonna be a fucking war.. better make it a fucking war on both sides.. the list is long.. anyone remember JR (i think it was him) cold-cocking some bitch with an elbow to the head in retaliation ? what about olynk pulling KLoves shoulder… Read more »
were you stationed in da nang
“Walter!”
Nastiness doesn’t work as much as the soldier boys and Captain Crunches and Sgt Peppers think.
Bird and the Celtics: 3 rings, done by 87. Magic: 5 rings, Finals in 80 and 91.
Draymond kicking LBJ: no ring.
JR cold cocking Jae Crowder: lose a home game, need a Bron miracle to not go down 3-1.
Nasty Pistons: L to Boston, L to Chicago, L to Lakers, and needed a freak Magic injury to get that first ring.
i respect teams and players that have a little self-respect..
Semper Fi to the keyboard warrior Captain Crunch
“ DITTO “ RAOUL —— THE OLD “ IF “
——————-DAD ALWAYS TOLD US ———— “ IF YOUR AUNT HAD BALLS—SHE WOULD BE YOUR UNCLE “ ———- CANT RELY ON “ IF “
Nice part is that we have a lot of not-ifs. 64 win team with double digit point differential (9.5 and was double digits prior to coast) and three Allstars. No rotation player over 30. Something like six bench players who have been good starters, and at least two legitimate prospects in Tyson and Tomlin. A versatile top 6 that can go small or big. Second round exit when injured. Second round exit with JB, and with Kenny as a new playoff coach. Going to be brutally hard to take the next step no matter what moves are made and the… Read more »
Really feel that could’ve been us.
I really dislike the pacers.
Seconded.
not as much as the Knicks
Ditto: this isn’t just playoff physicality. They mad at Kenny for “crying” and we yelled at our own guys for not getting open but Nesmith and Siakam and Nembhard are just putting guys in holds and wrapping up ball handlers on screen navigation. And then protesting!
I don’t know why these corn bums get a Warriors whistle all of a sudden.
PACER s IN MY OPINION NEED TO WIN THE NEXT GAME——IF IT GOES TO GAME 7 AT MSG —- MY MONEY WILL “ SWITCH “ TO THE KNICKS —————- NO BB GAME s —— NO PROBLEM THERE IS ALWAYS……………… “ MORE BEER 🍺 PLEASE—- AND MORE ( FOR ME ONLY) THE MRS NOMAD PLEASE 👍🍺😈👺
mine will still be on the Pacers. but the Thunder would love it to go to five
YEP TYRESE WAS NOWHERE TO BE FOUND——KNICKS HAD A GREAT GAME PLAN—-WILL SEE HOW CARLISLE///HALIBURTON RESPONDS———MY MONEY IS STILL ON THE PACERS
Set up up for a massive game six. Pacers obviously still the favorite, but that completely swings if they lose. None of them can do anything about the major problem though – that there is no basketball tonight!
having a healthy and good point guard eventually figure out the Pacers’ chaotic bullshit was always how this was going to end. If it’s not NYK and Brunson it’ll be SGA.
God’s Favorite halibooty returning with 8/6. Nesmith 1-8
IF CAVS WANT “ AN OVER THE HELL CHUCKER —- or change the CH to a F “ —-I AM AVAILABLE 👍🤪👍🤪
I forgot to add “over payed”!
NBA teams fan sites are proposing many schemes (usually packaging a high paid, over the hill chucker + a bunch of of lousy draft picks) for stealing DG or JA.
from the Cavs perspective, the right trade of DG for someone good might be a good idea.
The right trade is…who though? I think they are floating trial balloons through beat writers. The main problem with all of them is that they tend to rely on a good enough (I guess) offensive PG like Jalen Suggs and there being a significant offset on defense. But that doesn’t help! The Knicks have superior wing defenders and they are getting cooked by Indy. Donovan cannot carry the load himself and when he has it has resulted in some good stretches followed by him being injured and/or us being mediocre. And you still have to keep up and score with… Read more »
agree
do beat writers have any more cred than self appointed analysts? so much of this stuff is just made up out of thin air – reminds me of acting like I knew what I was talking about in highschool essays.
as an example, check out todays “Cleveland Browns news”: a couple of “insiders” and “experts” have Sanders as the future QB #1, and a couple others have him getting cut.
Fedor is decent. I haven’t listened to it in a while, but on his podcast he does a good job sharing what he’s hearing, which (like what Mrsteal is alluding to) is mostly what teams want you to hear, and then his insight of what that could actually mean. Sadly the good beat writers and analysts get drowned out by all of the other b.s. that drives clicks.
Yup, Fedor’s MO is that he’s Koby’s mouthpiece and also very conservative in his reporting. The fact he went on record saying DG and JA are available is highly newsworthy.
no, it’s mostly wishcasting. fans tired of DG/JA will see the reporting as noteworthy, but they’ve clearly been listening to offers on both those guys for at least a year for Darius and more than a year for Allen.
the FO’s slight softening on the DG/JA stuff feels like positioning to draw better offer this year in preparation for next year. We could have done the DG/Suggs plus a pick deal last year even with Suggs having his best and healthiest year and DG having his worst, so I’m not sure why Fedor goes there.
TOTALLY AGREE RAOUL👍👍👍
GOOD NIGHT WOLVES 💤
WE CAN ONLY HOPE MR STEAL 👍🏀
KJG SAYS CAVS WILL HAVE TO PICK BETWEEN JEROME / SAM WHO THEY KEEP——— WHAT YOU SAY CTB BROS
KJG is generally clueless. in contrast, FTS often knows what it is talking about.
yeah, we haven’t been a tax team in a while IIRC. In for a penny in for a pound will be the approach this year, we sign both.
GO LOOK UP 2020 DRAFT AND SEE ALL THE PLAYERS DRAFTED BEFORE HALIBURTON—— OUCH!!!
Warriors and Pistons and Bulls cringe. Okoro is bust-y but he’s not “pay $90M to suck” or “out of the league” bust. Just needs a change of scenery.
Maybe he and a second gets you Jalen Smith. Maybe he and a bunch of seconds / swaps gets you Derrick Jones Jr.
EVEN WATCHING HALIBURTON PRE 2020 DRAFT—- YOU WERE IMPRESSED WITH HIS SIZ/ LENGTH ——- GREAT HANDLES — COURT VISION—- PASSING—- AND HIS ABILITY TO GET TO THE RIM / FINISH——— CONCERNS WERE HIS JUMP SHOT —- DEFENSE—- PHYSICALITY———- CALL UP HIS COLLEGE DAYS VIDEOS AND YOU CAN SEE WHY NATE AND ALOT OF US HERE WANTED HIM
Haliburton was brilliant last night. That might be the best PG game I have seen since Magic filled in for Kareem at C (as a rookie) in G6 in the 1980 Finals. 42/17 IIRC.
He’s been the best player in the East POs so far. Better than Mitchell. Better than Brunson. Better than Tatum. All 3 were great. But Haliburton has been off the charts.
It was yet another high level performance on a big stage. Fair to say no CtB commenter will be calling him a fraud anymore.
don’t recall anyone here calling him a fraud. I picked the Pacers to go 4-0 against the Knicks.
I do.
PREACH BUCKAROO PREACH—- NATE WAS A HUGE SUPPORTER OF HALIBURTON ( AS WAS ALOT OF US HERE AT CTB ) KA SHOULD READ / LISTEN TO US HERE AT CTB ———- TO HIS. CREDIT HE HAS “ HIT “ ON MOST——- BUT HE WHIFFED ON THAT ONE——SO DID ALOT OF OTHER TEAMS
Interesting thing is that the Pacers haven’t drafted great — Duarte, Mathurin, Walker were misses for their draft position although Nembhard and Sheppard are clear hits — but their trades have been smart.
the bruce brown signing in particular was very clever.
Haliburton has been overall fantastic. He deserves his flowers.
don’t confuse trolling with preaching
hmmm,, it’s 2020.. who to take with the 5th pick.. okoro ? or halliburton.. hmmm.. wow, this is a hard one.. really challenging my A+++ hoops talent-o-meter (that i honed on those rough streets of middlebury.VT).. oh well.. guess i better flip a quarter.. just to be safe.. that worked pretty well with sexton and garland.. and heck.. we just want to win regular season games anyway..
Having taken Garland in 2020 and Sexton before that, there was no way we were taking a PG.
Though Vassell or Nesmith sure would look good about now. Vassell 11th, Haliburton 12th, Nesmith 14th, Maxey 21st, McDaniels 28th, Bane 30th, Pritchard 26th.
whiff-le ball..
Pacers had no picks in that draft either.
Sexton was such an awful pick.
NY have figured out a few things defensively and staggering their stars seems to be working. Haliburton starting to chuck. I sense panic.
FEAR THE SWORD HAS A GOOD ARTICLE ON THE 2 nd APRON LUXURY TAX AND THEIR OPTIONS
looks like the ant was stepped on..
Nice one 😝
SOME MEDIA COMPARING NYQUIL “ BREAKING OUT “ BECOMING ANOTHER OBI TOPPIN ——- I CAN LIVE WITH THAT 👍🏀
that would be great, although it might be a long shot.
not clear if Ethen Sands knows anything, or is in wishful think mode. it does look like he has done some research, which is better than most sports commentators.
HOPE ALL ARE ENJOYING THE HOLIDAY—- LIKE BUCKAROO SAID “ LET EM SIZZLE “ AND OF COURSE…………. “ MORE BEER 🍺 PLEASE “ ———- MR STEAL —— AM STILL TAKING PACERS PLAYING OKC IN THE FINAL s ——- JUST A “ HICCUP “ FOR TV RATING s
oh, yeah, for sure. 0-2 at home means you are dead. no one should be betting on the Knicks here.
i’m just pointing out that it only took a very small injury disruption to kill the Pacers’ aura and cause them to blow the game. And missing your fourth starter for a quarter was like 10% of what we had to deal with.
Just frustrating, no reason for Cleveland to fear any team but OKC in a series if healthy or to be anything but the 1 seed next year..
Injuries changed that series, but I do worry about the physical durability of some of our core 4 in the playoffs. Even today, playoffs are still a different level of physicality than most regular season matchups. Not sure there is much to be done about it. Putting on muscle through offseason strength training might help, but some guys just have more fragile frames than others. Maybe could use a tough, physical big or wing. Not sure we have that on our current roster.
If we want quality size, the trade that strikes me as plausible and relatively even is Max Strus for Bobby Portis.
Gutsy win by the Knicks.
yeah, good for them. I thought they would get swept.
PACER s HAVE AN “ EXTRA “ GEAR AND “ EXTRA “ PLAYER s TO THROW AT YOU
NOMAD bro.. and the cavs have engine, tranny and differential problems.. stuck in low gear, with zero overdrive, while red-lining a 4-banger.. but the paint job is killer.. koby on the lot kicking the tires.. talking up the ride.. (you know, in sales, the only way to survive is to sell the sizzle, and not the steak.. especially if you have no steak..)
Indy loses one starter to injury for a quarter and falls apart
Indiana just looks like they have an extra gear that the rest of the East is missing.
there were three good teams this year in the EC, plus the Knicks and Bucks with a prayer. the Celts and Cavs had injuries in the playoffs, so it looks like the Pacers will waltz into the finals.
Congratulations Evan! Now go take that leap offensively.
Thibs sat Robinson finally, maybe too late but Brunson giving them a sniff.
CARlISLE PLAYING/ USING 11 PLAYERS—- KNICKS / THIBBS BASICALLY USING 7—sometimes 8 —— CARLISLE “ MARATHON “ TACTICS WEARING THEM /KNICKS DOWN
2 min to go, and Pacers pulling away. Stick a fork in the Knicks, they are done.
I am surprised the Knicks gave the Pacers two close games. I was thinking there was a good chance for a 4 – 0 series.
Robinson looks cooked, Pacers look like they could play another half.
KJG WRITING/ CALLING THE DRE TRADE A COLLASAL MISTAKE——- MORON S
the Hawks fans are probably thinking the trade is a win for them — and so far it is. Dre needs to take a big step up next year
RANDLE A “ NO SHOW “
Knicks fans nodding.
OKC READY TO “ EXPLODE “ THE 2nd HALF—WILL WIN BY 15 or more
MiN playing dumb ball RN. Think yr right.
CARLISLE IS AN UNDERRATED COACH !!!!
dramatic finish.
SO WERE THE CAVS ( IDIOTS) — KNICKS BLEW A GREAT OPPORTUNITY!!
to avoid getting swept
No lead is safe against Indiana in the final 2 minutes. Wow!
No Knicks defending the inbound pass. Wow.
The Sacramento Kings were idiots.
and 10 or so other teams
Gd it the pacers suck.also the kings were morons.
That’s one nervous crowd.
Well, lookit the Knicks picking up the Pacers at 94 ft. How novel.
Also, Cavs desperately need a playable third big.
Incredible defense by both teams in the first half last night. T-wolves had clamps on SGA for the entire half and he couldn’t even bait his way to many FTs; never seen that before. Couldn’t contain him down the stretch though. And the Wolves need to adjust to the fact that if you take all day backing down your defender, someone’s going to swipe the ball away – have to be quicker in making a move.
Nate, your boy Caruso is killing it.
Not my boy. I find him annoying. But game recognize game.
Lol
don’t know which team I dislike more between OKC and Min. the usual theory of “root for which ever team is furthest from salt water” doesn’t apply very well here.
anyone have a theory on which team to root against in the WCF?
I don’t hold too much beef with any of the remaining teams. Just hoping for some competitive and entertaining match-ups. Boring answer.
In my pettier days I’d just root against the home teams to send an arena full of nuts home angry. That’s some Cleveland sports fan angst right there. Lebron helped exercise those demons back in 2016.
Pretty evenly split on these two teams, although I think Ant can be a bit of a douche sometimes, and I like Shai’s game. Finding myself leaning OKC’s way.
KOBY CHALLENGES DG TO GET STRONGER THIS OFF SEASON—— SHOULD PUT IN 80% OF ROSTER IN THAT CATEGORY ——— REALLY HOPE KA / COACHES SPEND TIME/ ENERGY WORKING WITH NYQUIL / TYSON THIS OFF SEASON—-ALONG WITH CPJ ——THOSE 3 CAN IMPROVE OUR BENCH ——- EMONI STILL A BIG ????
Shots fired
…so Draymond…?
Amen Thompson probably my vote.
getting better, being healthy, and being lucky will be a good start.
system changes should include
I mean der. That was the recipe for game 5. They stopped executing it
right — way insufficent emphasis!
it is always easier to chuck up a three than to work for a good shot. for top teams in the regular season, it is easy to get in the habit of firing away, because you are going to win most games no matter what you do. then you run into trouble in the playoffs.
and Indiana packed the paint to stop it, but as a rule they don’t do enough of it. ( Especially late in games )
This is outstanding.
https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nba/news/pigeon-nba-slang-nobody-wants-be-called-determining-playoff-winners/80287ebf9028cffa0eca2e42
good stuff. targeting weak defensive players is one of many aspects of success. but it is one of many — the author seems to think it is the only one.
Disagree. He’s noting the increased focus of it in the playoffs.
I’m sure he’s aware it isn’t the only tactic.
IDK, the last sentence suggests he thinks this is the key.
Cavs’ defensive rating while each player was on the floor vs. Indiana in Round 2:
Cavs’ offensive rating while each player was on the floor vs. Indiana in Round 2:
super interesting data. def checks out re: Darius. I would think the minutes sample was too small for some of the guys like Okoro who really did not play more than 10-15 minutes per game
The main story people should take away from the data is our youngest players performed the worst, which is typical in the playoffs.
I am having trouble seeing much pattern in the data. can you summarize it?
The 23 year old starting PF and the 25 year old starting PG were the poorest performing playoff players for the Cavs. Not sure how much more plainly I can put it.
this table indicates that the guys that played in garbage time are way better than the rotation guys
If that is how your mind is telling you to interpret the data, then so be it.
Anyone catch Koby’s presser, or are you all still drinking? I have just returned from a week in wine country, exactly where I needed to be when the wheels fell of the Cavs bus.
Seemed to be a repeat of previous years pressers. Growth mindset, get tougher etc. Interesting that he mentions part of the reason to get KA was for off-season development.
Let’s hope Kenny has a guest house over at Mobley’s this summer.
Yeah that’s why KA was hired in the first place, his NBA come up was skill development coach, working on an individual basis to improve player skill.
Yessir, sorry I should have added context instead of saying “interesting”. Koby during his rearguard action presser was alluding to KA not having had a full off-season with the team yet (“he’s still unpacking his bags from Paris”) and NOW he has a chance to work with these guys … Koby has always been good at spin but this one caught my attention. I think he is under pressure, wouldn’t surprise me if he is moved on soon.
Locking up the core four last summer looked really good during the regular season (dynasty?). Now it can be looked at in a different way. Interesting.
Yeah, there’s the argument for patience with player development (and having a healthy roster come the 2nd season), which is my preferred. But the level of disappointment resulting from reg season dominance to playoff irrelevance has to cause some reaction, whether that be aggressive trade moves or maybe FO restructure. Koby was also fawning Dan a lot, which he does regularly for the obvious reasons, but again it caught my attention. Maybe I’m becoming Joe Vardon, shit I don’t know.
right. there are no sure things. it is probably a good move. avoiding panic moves is the most important thing.
Lmfaoooo you’re all good brother, no apology necessary great catch just filling in the picture!!
from cleveland.com.. “Will Darius Garland ever be a clutch playoff performer? And, Terry Pluto asks, should he come off the bench?”.. not likely, and yes..
RAOUL OKC THREW ALOT OF BODIES AT HIM FROM HARD ROCK / HOLMGREM / CARRUSO —- DOUBLING/TRIPLING DOWN ON. HIM —- IF THEY FOULED/ THEY LIVED WITH IT —-OKC — SIMILAR TO THE PACER s ARE NEVER OUT OF IT ( CAN BE 30 down ) AND COME BACK
CALLED THAT 1 RIGHT—- KNEW OKC WOULD GO “ FULL THROTTLE “. SIR G – SURE MVP
NOMAD bro.. OKC may not lose again this season.. too many lethal weapons, and with hard rock and others, they bring a physical threat that the wimpy charmin-sodt cavs can only dream about..
didn’t watch, but did hear reports that OKC used the “foul Joker nonstop and hope they don’t call many” plan to win. any opinion on this?
and putting a small (Caruso) on a big (Jokic) and just daring the refs to call it. I think it’s a great strategy. The refs know the NBA product does not want to be a parade to the foul line. It is unfortunate but it’s how human psychology works and you can get the Thunder coaches are instructing their players thus
OKC DOUBLE DIGITS WIN SURFACING
HARD ROCK “ TEARING MY HEART “ OUT—— MAN HE GOES FULL THROTTLE ENTIRE GAME
LOVE ME SOME HARD ROCK
OKC BY DOUBLE DIGITS WIN TODAY