Open Thread: 2021 NBA Playoffs, Round 2 (and Game 7 DAL/LAC)
2021-06-05Hello CtB!!! Hope you’re all enjoying the weekend!!!
Tonight, we have a heavyweight matchup with the Bucks taking on the Nets. We will also have Denver against Phoenix and Hawks versus the 76ers, who might be without Joel Embiid. We will also have the winner of Mavs/Clips taking on the awaiting Utah Jazz.
Per CtB tradition, we’re starting a new thread just so they don’t get too unwieldy to navigate… enjoy the show!!!
This game is so ragged. I think nets should consider running offense through blake at point forward with Kyrie out.
I know it’s ESPN hype but they are touting there 5 stars atop the draft rankings, led by 2 wings. Should this be a reason to be optimistic however the lottery goes?
https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_/id/31605394/nba-draft-2021-cade-cunningham-jalen-green-rest-top-five-historically-great
Thoughts, gents?
yeah I do like 4 out the five, only guy I’m wary of is Kuminga.
I think there are three guys I really believe in… Cade, Mobley, and Suggs. Green I can live with.
Agreed. As for those a bit outside the “top 5″, I think Scottie Barnes is a good prospect. A basketball player. He is not gonna score a lot but does everything else. Might have fit issues with Okoro in terms of spacing.
Davion Mitchell would be next. Another 6’2” combo guard scares me a bit. Especially shooting 64% from the FT line. But his assist/TO & AST% numbers are good. And Luka sucks at FTs…
I’m meh on Scottie Barnes, would roll the dice on Jalen Johnson for his scoring upside.
I think Moses Moody could be a decent role player with ISO scoring upside.
I’d rather roll the dice on Jaden Springer from Tennessee instead of Mitchell or Butler. Springer has great shooting touch and high upside ISO scoring potential.
Kyrie down. Look like a real bad ankle sprain
yeah, that was awful… Nets could be in trouble now.
Hate to see it…. still one of my favorite players to watch (speaking strictly on the court stuff)
Yep. Absent another Bucks injury, it is gonna be tough for Brooklyn without Kyrie. Assuming Harden remains out.
Though I like some if Brooklyn’s role players (Green, Harris, Dinwiddie, Brown, etc), I cannot stand their big 3. Harden most, then KD. Kyrie the most tolerable if the three for me.
KD should have got a one game suspension because his personal bouncer entered the playing area during a dustup.
BTW, what a dork: burner phones to talk about himself, needs a bouncer, …
Give him your best thoughts, hey guys? :)
https://twitter.com/ByJayKing/status/1404082075507044353?s=20
Yep. Looks like 2-1 here. Think Conley plays in G4?
IDK…. reaggravated hamstring. i honestly think it’s 50/50 he even plays in the series.
Impossible to say. But up 2-1, I doubt they are going to play him unless he’s ready. If it goes to 2-2, it might be more of a decision.
Yep. I agree. Until they are behind, they likely don’t rush him back. It might need to be 2-3.
Uh oh, Mitchell limping to the lockerroom…also, Lue must be saving Playoff Rondo for game 7…
Back on the bench, guessing not serious…
Same ankle? He was super pissed last game about it.
I know reputations are earned, but even when PG plays great the commentators produce back-handed compliments.
Clips looking much more composed tonight. Feel like they can close this one out.
Gobert seems to be everywhere in this series. Every time I see someone guarding on the perimeter, it seems to be him.
Clips keeping Mitchell under control…for now. Reggie Jackson having on of his spurts where he’s just en fuego. But you always have to pay the piper eventually with guys like that.
I took the Clippers at -5…. was expecting a blowout, hopefully they will not disappoint!!!
man sad i missed the suns/nuggets game, heard the Suns put on a master class, granted Nuggets just aren’t healthy enough at all.
I honestly think the Suns can compete with anybody…. would love to see them against the Nets or Sixers in the finals.
I agree. They’re clicking on all cylinders. Super fun to watch.
They had it going last night, seemed like everyone was hitting. Jokic wasn’t hitting shots like he normally would, but still the only guy keeping the Nuggets in the game.
CP3 knows this is the time to do it… and he has the horses with him to get him there if he can lead them right.
CP3 getting look after look after look at CP3 automatic shots…
Man, Gordon needs to hit some shots, just killing them.
If anyone missed it, Jokic getting the MVP trophy before the game was pretty cool. He was super low key, as you’d expect, but it was pretty nice.
Love me some Campo. Rivers playing well too
https://twitter.com/oldseaminer/status/1403550697065435137?s=20
Had a bad game tonight but has been pretty darn good all year and in POs for Denver.
Suns so fun to watch. James Freakin Jones.
Just tuning in….my god is that the voice of Hubie????
Man if Embiid lasts this series, I’ll be shocked. He’s be on the ground like 5 times tonight
Looks like his knee has fully recovered though, watching that slam.
Tobias Harris drops. War of attrition here.
Oh man. What happened?
Fell and hit his head on a cameraman
Losing Hunter (on top of Reddish) is gonna hurt Atlanta.
Hope Conley gets back for game three. If the Jazz end this quick, do we think Kawhi walks? He has a PO option this year.
always interesting seeing on Twitter – ‘fan reaction’ to Ty Lue making a dumb coach decision, and its like, duh, he was doing that all through his time in Cleveland haha WC is going to be interesting if not a large market team – Utah and Phx possibly in WCF?! good for league and casual fans but be interesting how the media numbers go Still see ECF as Philly-BKN…I know Hawks are going to fight tooth and nail but unless Embiid gets hurt enough to never play again I don’t see it, even the Hawks win was close and they… Read more »
Oh yeah, although now that we have JB I pine for Ty Lue LMFAOOOOOOOOOO
But yeah, people were lauding Ty Lue for beating a crappy Dallas team outside of Luka when the Clips were the far superior talent LMFAOOOOOOO and it took him 7 games!!!!
Yeah, Embiid’s the best player in the series and Philly is a deep squad.
WOW, UTAH SUNS WCF LETS GOOOOOOOO!!!!!!
Utah is ridiculous.. not sure if the Clips have it in them to take 4 out of 5 from these guys.
Not offensively. Kawhi walking from this Clips team?
I WONDER!!!???!!! LMFAOOOO I mean I’ve been trolling people that he’s definitely leaving, but I do honestly believe there’s a non-zero chance he leaves!!!
Makes me wonder – have we seen a player of his talent move to different teams this much during their prime years? I know that’s the new reality, chasing chips seems to be the dominant force driving decisions these days, but every transfer involves risks too.
From people the reasonable Clips fans I talk to, I don’t think he’s leaving…. he’s a San Diego (?) guy and apparently loves it there. But PG13 has been a massive disappointment and they’re stuck with him I’d think.
I think LeBron was the only one really? Maybe Barkley would fit? But Barkley was pretty washed by the time he went to Houston.
Remember when PG was a ‘good defender’?
He and Kawhi don’t have the lateral quickness anymore to stay in front of Mitchell… father time undefeated.
also, that leg injury really screwed him, never been the same player since defensively.
Not counting out Nuggets
They still have the best player in the series, so I get it, but Suns roster is sooo much better/deeper.
Jazz giving plenty of chances, Clips rushing it tho.
Biiiiig bucket from PG13
Lol. No one picks up Ingles and he walks into a triple to put the jazz up 10.
Level of play in last 3 minutes through the roof.
It’s insane!
the 4th quarter was effing amazing.
Loss of composure by Jackson leading to no buckets. Can’t afford to fall behind again right here.
Woah he’s making up for that now. B2B 3s!!! Clips in front.
Have been distracted during this game, but every time I look, Zubac has another foul
What a shooting display by Utah. Can’t see Clips mustering a charge with this going on.
their passing >>>>>>>>>>>
Clips somehow weathering the storm, staying in touch. Impressive
Switched to a zone and it stopped their passing!
Feels like a game that Kawhi will win…
Mitchell Sexton comps are utter silliness.
I agree. Post the stats all you like, but they are meaningless.
the advanced stats have shown there’s no comparison… Fedor and others just toss out the counting numbers to fit their narrative.
https://twitter.com/Anthonysmdoyle/status/1403184434740961286?s=20
Sheer relief on Middleton’s face. Dude looks so gassed, don’t think OT would have suited him.
He sucked the first two games, but he brought it tonight…
86 points winning a playoff game…
Love the old-school hard fought game. Such a refresher… each bucket means something down the stretch
against one of the greatest offensive teams ever built!!!
Fun game. KD Irving pick and pop if it’s. Me with kyrie as screener.
https://twitter.com/oldseaminer/status/1403172754417926147?s=20
Heck of a defensive effort there for the Bucks…
Looool Giannis on the line to ice this
Oh nvm, foul to give
i will say i am impressed with the bucks keeping it this close.. they cannot win this series, but have not given up after surrendering the 20 pt lead..
You put some $$ down Buck?
nah.. too chicken.. i am bad luck to myself.. but i will say there have been a large number of longshots that i took note of that would have yielded big payoffs.. probably worth throwing a few $$ at occasionally.. but for me only small stakes.. i have head my head served back to me too many times
Finally a bucket for Jrue
WOW< unbelievable play!!!!!
Durant is freaking ridiculous.
Durant and Middleton going back and forth
Got my money on Durant winning that one
They can’t stop him. Never could. Needed a lot more scoring from Holiday et al.
If I’m Giannis, I’m taking on that challenge and guarding Durant. Just too easy shooting over the shorter Tucker
Classic rockfight…
Jesus. Is this score real? Just tuned in.
Giannis, just stop…
Nets scrubs are really setting egregiously illegal screens…
https://twitter.com/oldseaminer/status/1403167533688049669?s=20
the Bucks offense is offensive to watch, glad we only have 2 more games of it.
or one LMFAOOO
Yeah it’s way uglier than I thought it would be. I’ve seen enough.
LMFAOOOO they might be worse than Cleveland’s offense for real.
Giannis fumbles Middleton’s pocket pass again…
Bucks TOs have definitely been a big part of this series…
They should give Giannis a TO in the box score for every 3 he takes..
And he finally freaking hits one…
Gotta say, I loathe all the Harden reaction shots from the camera crew. Get bent.
This game is more like what I expected from this series. Unfortunately, the Bucks decided to play like a lottery team the second game.
Gotta agree with JVG.
Flypaper Kyrie seems to be a thing of the past.
Bud needs to start fining Giannis 500k for every 3 he takes…
Bus would have to notice first
this is has got to be the nail in the coffin on Bud you’d think LMFAOOO
I’d hire D’Antoni, if Portland doesn’t take him first…
it’s gonna take a king’s ransom to get MDA
I dunno, but it seems like shooting a 3 early in the shot clock with a defender in your face is telling the opponent you have no confidence in your inside game.
5 min of really dumb ball by the Bucks. Durant owning them all over the court.
For the love of god, Giannis, no more threes…
from 30-11 to 32-26.. bucks are toast.. tears of anteto not far away.. BRK on 15-2 2nd Q run.. c’est fini.. durant and kyrie haven’t even warmed up (10 pts total)..
uncle buck knows.. BRK on 7 pt run to start 2nd Q.. anteto going down..
now is the time to put some $$ on the bucks losing this game and being swept.. probably a very nice return.. uncle buck says that is what happens.. BRK too strong.. they will cut the lead,, and then it is ovah.. where could i legally put some cash into play.. i guess the jack casino ?
30-11 after Q1 but why do I get the feeling that the Nets are going to be right back in this…
All square by halftime I reckon
Bucks came to play tonight!
Middleton not playing drunk tonight, apparently…already 15 points…
JVG just made sort of the same point, but Giannis should just go to the FT line, take two dribbles and shoot. Could the results be worse? Seriously?
Yeah he’s in his own head
Much smarter start for the Bucks. Hoping the Nets bench guys don’t play like the 2015 Warrior starters for a change.
Chris Paul in this series… 26 assists to 1 turnover. Unreal.
It’s a treat to watch him at this level, on this stage, currently uninjured (touch wood). Hoping for the best outcome for him, would be a great story.
Hope DG is studying him!
Point God.
I get why a lot of attention is paid to guys like LeBron, Luka, Jokic, and Harden as ball-handlers. They score more points. Triple doubles! But they also turn the ball over more. A LOT more.
CP3 almost always gets you a shot, and usually a high quality one. Would love for CP3 & Conley to square off in WCF. Old school, pass first PGs.
Watching some tape on him today (yes I was inspired by Ty Lue, who always seems to be off to the tape room after every press conference) – Paul’s head movements as he moves through the half court is amazing. Whether he is leading, equal to or behind his teammates as they move up the floor, he knows where EVERYONE is and picks the best position to pass to most times.
Difference in that regard between he and LBJ is that LBJ’s head never moves :)
PHX.. so sweet.. so smooth.. its fun when smart and talented folks run pro teams.. when fools have the bridge, watch out.. it’s as fun as watching a leaking diaper..in slow motion
Reggie Miller blown away that you can play in 3 different decades in one career. Maths ain’t his thing, I guess.
Dumb gets you beat.
CP3 LETS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
I think that, despite what most pundits think, Utah and Phoenix are the two best teams in the west. With Murray healthy, I’d have taken Denver.
Clippers are a wildcard, since they can beat anyone if they hit a high percentage of threes. (and lose to anyone if they don’t) Such a bummer that Murray is out, he being a wildcard himself. He has always been feast or famine. At the least, they wouldn’t be giving Campazzo big minutes.
Agree that if fully healthy (i.e., Conley is not impaired, and CP3 is close to 100) Suns and Jazz are a handful.
I think Clips should be included in the best of the West conversation, I think I still would’ve taken Phoenix over Denver too, but yeah it would’ve been a pick ’em series.
MPJ’s back is messed up… Denver is doomed.