I am glad Portland and Toronto won and both games were close, two good ones today. Both Denver and Philly are still learning, the two winners are more playoff experienced. They have good times ahead and will be back next year.
I wish Portland had Nurkic, I am afraid they are just going to get rolled by Golden State, like a 4-1 series.
Toronto / Milwaukee is interesting but I don't think Toronto matches up that well and Lowry needs to show up more than he has so far in the playoffs. I think Milwaukee takes it in 5 or 6 unless people not named Kawhi start having great games.
I wish Portland had Nurkic, I am afraid they are just going to get rolled by Golden State, like a 4-1 series.
Yeah, I'm hoping, but this series has a very "Gentleman's Sweep" vibe to it.
That is awesome DS, I am envious you are going to one of the games.
I can’t believe that happened. It’s a first in the NBA. My brain has melted.
I couldn't sleep for a while last night after the high of that game winner, OMG.
I'm still so happy. I feel like I've been waiting 18 years for that shot to go in, and last night it did. (2001 Vince Carter reference)
Toronto's whole team really needs to step it up though, we've been very inconsistent, and that's disappointing to see.
I'm looking forward to a different style of play with the Bucks, and hopefully the Raps can match up. To be honest, I'm happy with whatever happens at this point.
I guess the media ECF match up of the Powerhouse teams that are Boston and Philly will have to wait while the two actual best teams in the east (and clearly 2 of top 3 in the NBA) play. Looking forward to it.
I like that, standings wise, 3 of the 4 best teams are in the conference finals and the 4th team finished 5th best. Yet the media really are acting like this is totally unexpected. I know the Eastern Conference better than the Western Conference but the problems with the Celtics and Sixers were actual problems (how will the Celtics fit everyone in and gain a rhythm and can the Sixers young stars overcome their deficiencies) that were given lip service.
That game sucked.. and even if the shot doesnt go in I don't think the Sixers had enough to win in OT. I dont know what can be done with Simmons honestly.. at this point I'd let him go to the Lakers and hang out with the Kardashians.. I'd much rather have Leonard.
That being said Drake still sucks.. I mean seriously he's the worst.
That being said Drake still sucks.. I mean seriously he's the worst.
Drake is absolutely terrible in so many ways. Good thing the players on the Raptors are bucket-loads of fun and are easy to cheer for. I'm sure the Blazers and Bucks do as well but other than Giannis and Kanter, I don't really know anyone else's story.
As much as I don't hate the Warriors like everyone else, I'd be thrilled with any of Raptors, Bucks, and Blazers. Raptors are my number one, obviously.
TheGameguru wrote:That being said Drake still sucks.. I mean seriously he's the worst.
Drake is absolutely terrible in so many ways. Good thing the players on the Raptors are bucket-loads of fun and are easy to cheer for. I'm sure the Blazers and Bucks do as well but other than Giannis and Kanter, I don't really know anyone else's story.
As much as I don't hate the Warriors like everyone else, I'd be thrilled with any of Raptors, Bucks, and Blazers. Raptors are my number one, obviously. :P
Bucks highest draft pick on their roster was Brook Lopez at 10 by the Nets. Five 2nd round picks and no other player higher than 15 (Giannis). Absolutely great, tight knit, and unselfish roster. Very similar to Toronto in that regard (KL at #15 is their highest drafted player).
Boston? Six top 9 drafted players and 4 in the top 3 picks. Philly has 4 top 9 players. Golden State: 6 top 7 and 7 top 11. Portland has 7 top 11 picks. That surprised me a little bit.
I don't really care to much where a player was drafted but am more interested in their personal stories, journey's to the NBA, and life outside the court
For example, I like Brook Lopez a lot. He's a half-Cuban identical twin and Robin is the more publically outgoing of the two while Brook is quieter. He's also got a dry sense of humor. Really like he went from future star of the Nets, to constantly injured dinosaur with a terrible contract, to sharpshooting giant.
bhchrist wrote:Vector wrote:TheGameguru wrote:That being said Drake still sucks.. I mean seriously he's the worst.
Drake is absolutely terrible in so many ways. Good thing the players on the Raptors are bucket-loads of fun and are easy to cheer for. I'm sure the Blazers and Bucks do as well but other than Giannis and Kanter, I don't really know anyone else's story.
As much as I don't hate the Warriors like everyone else, I'd be thrilled with any of Raptors, Bucks, and Blazers. Raptors are my number one, obviously. :P
Bucks highest draft pick on their roster was Brook Lopez at 10 by the Nets. Five 2nd round picks and no other player higher than 15 (Giannis). Absolutely great, tight knit, and unselfish roster. Very similar to Toronto in that regard (KL at #15 is their highest drafted player).
Boston? Six top 9 drafted players and 4 in the top 3 picks. Philly has 4 top 9 players. Golden State: 6 top 7 and 7 top 11. Portland has 7 top 11 picks. That surprised me a little bit.
In fairness, Portland traded for a few of those. Lillard was acquired in a trade for Gerald Wallace. Same with Collins, who they took after trading down with 2 other first round picks. They signed a couple as free agents.
And that is the case with other teams as well. I think it goes more towards the perception issue and the idea that you have to have multiple high draft picks in order to rebuild and/or contend. No, you have to have the right pieces. Philly and Boston have accumulated all these picks over the years. They are inferior teams to both Toronto and Milwaukee.
I think all teams have players with great stories. Bucks sure do. Heck, Embiid is a great story. I also find him to be a front running, self-aggrandizing, smarmy troll. The story is great, but who is the person and how do they represent themselves? From everything we know, there really is no better combination of story and person than Giannis. Read the NYT piece from last week, or the 60 minutes piece, or the TNT one, or...you get the picture. Middleton, Brogdon (very intelligent and thoughtful individual), Lopez, and an number of others have neat backgrounds without being a-holes.
I really don't dislike any of the remaining players or teams. Can't say the same for Boston or Philly.
Oh, and Brook is a straight up, card carrying, geek culture nerd.
Sure to be a good team you need to have picks or chemistry but let’s face it what the NBA has show us for a decade is you need to convince 3 or 4 elite true max guys and some role players to play on the same team. It’s been Miami with Lebron, Cleveland with Lebron and Golden State. You had Boston with their super crew for a bit and San Antonio with their core. Other than that everyone else has to find the magic fit to finish in Second.
So I’m not sure there’s as much strategy as you are making it.
Excited about tomorrow night, because it will be the only highlight of the Knicks season and because I'm also interested to see how it goes horribly wrong for the Knicks.
Edit: Is it weird that one of my first reaction to the full pic was, "Jeremy Lin's a Raptor?"
I would've felt bad for a lot of people in the aftermath of that crushing loss, but not at all for uber-sh*t-talker Joel Embiid.
And to be clear, I'm fine with the broad majority of sh*t-talking.
I would've felt bad for a lot of people in the aftermath of that crushing loss, but not at all for uber-sh*t-talker Joel Embiid.
And to be clear, I'm fine with the broad majority of sh*t-talking.
He could still be crying for all I care.
So many NBA players current and historic sh*t talk way worse than Embiid.. not sure why he specifically gets called out here.. I guess social media magnifies what probably is no different than during Jordan's era.
76ers will keep Coach Brown for next season. Good, I think they should and didn't understand all of the media speculation that he was on the hot seat. His whole team changed mid-season and their best player was injured for half of their playoff games, I don't think he deserves to go out because they lost in the second round.
So many NBA players current and historic sh*t talk way worse than Embiid.. not sure why he specifically gets called out here.. I guess social media magnifies what probably is no different than during Jordan's era.
The "Why" for me is because most of the historic sh*t talking stayed on the court. Embiid has brought the level of disrespect to a whole new level in press conferences and social media. He is also notorious in shrinking away when things go poorly. He constantly trolls and baits both in the media and on the court. He is dismissive publicly of those who are "below" him. Want to call him a modern day Laimbeer with his taunting and baiting for a reaction? Sure. I didn't like Laimbeer either.The laughing about the elbow to the face of Jarrett Allen with Simmons in the press conference was the final straw for me.
On another front, this was gold:
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