2021 NBA PLAYOFFS THREAD

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Originally Posted by Taker597

Mad a good bit of change on the Suns

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The way so many people in the media just totally dismissed the Suns was weird as hell to me. Like yes, if AD and Lebron were 100% healthy I can see an argument for the Lakers being the favourite in that series but we knew going in that AD and Lebron were dinged up, and the Suns were legitimately good.

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Originally Posted by Pelicanidae

The way so many people in the media just totally dismissed the Suns was weird as hell to me. Like yes, if AD and Lebron were 100% healthy I can see an argument for the Lakers being the favourite in that series but we knew going in that AD and Lebron were dinged up, and the Suns were legitimately good.

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The disrespect was real from Vegas. I don't understand that or Nets vs. Celtics lines.

Leonard on fire tonight

Step back 3s not even really a Kawhi thing, but he made it his thing to shut the door on Dallas this game.

45 points ties his career high. Regular season and playoffs.

Battle of "Which Pandemic P gonna sabotage their Team" has been a Rollercoaster.

I was reading an LA Times article on the Lakers playoff debacle, and I thought I'd share the AD money quote: "“I don’t have to prove nothing to anyone,” Davis said. “I know what I go through, what I play through, and I don’t need to prove anything to anyone and I’m not going to prove anything to anyone.” And the dude wonders why he gets so few endorsements, etc. He is such a dud of a personality, and completely incapable of thoughtful introspection. Compare that to Zion, and I am thankful for the way things played out 2 years ago.

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Originally Posted by luigi modelo

I was reading an LA Times article on the Lakers playoff debacle, and I thought I'd share the AD money quote: "“I don’t have to prove nothing to anyone,” Davis said. “I know what I go through, what I play through, and I don’t need to prove anything to anyone and I’m not going to prove anything to anyone.” And the dude wonders why he gets so few endorsements, etc. He is such a dud of a personality, and completely incapable of thoughtful introspection. Compare that to Zion, and I am thankful for the way things played out 2 years ago.

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https://i.ibb.co/9b98ChB/4-AF8-A57-E...-DAB491-F3.png

Guess the next question would you take him back if Lakers want o kick him to curb in 2 /3 years?

That ship has sailed

Wanted to say this earlier regarding the Knicks. But that series also magnified another major whiff. Imagine the impact Tyrese Haliburton could have had for them instead of Obi Toppin. He's exactly what they are missing and many thought that's who they'd take.

Oooff

Looking forward to this Bucks Nets series so much. I honestly think either could win.

At the end of the day, thinking about it with just cold logic, I feel like the Nets are the favourite. Simply because of the firepower: there's a universe, on paper at least, where the Bucks have a hot offensive series (based on holes in the Nets D) but still can't slow down KD/Harden/Kyrie enough for it to matter.

On the other hand, while I do think this is less likely, there's also a chance that the Bucks defense is just so much better than the Nets' defense that the impact overall will till Bucks and Milwaukee can take the series in 7.

It's either Nets in 6 or Bucks in 7, is my initial thought. Hoping hard for the Bucks to win because Jrue Holiday.

But I don't trust Bud.

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Originally Posted by Pelicanidae

Looking forward to this Bucks Nets series so much. I honestly think either could win.

At the end of the day, thinking about it with just cold logic, I feel like the Nets are the favourite. Simply because of the firepower: there's a universe, on paper at least, where the Bucks have a hot offensive series (based on holes in the Nets D) but still can't slow down KD/Harden/Kyrie enough for it to matter.

On the other hand, while I do think this is less likely, there's also a chance that the Bucks defense is just so much better than the Nets' defense that the impact overall will till Bucks and Milwaukee can take the series in 7.

It's either Nets in 6 or Bucks in 7, is my initial thought. Hoping hard for the Bucks to win because Jrue Holiday.

But I don't trust Bud.

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I think I'm gonna take Nets - 2 1H and ride it out from there. May take the Bucks +4.

Bucks really match up nicely to the Nets. It's all how Jrue running mate lock down the opposite threat. Jrue can't guard Irving and Harden. I honestly like to see Holiday stay on Irving and take my lumps with Harden.


My thing is that Nets team is deep with scorers.

Harden already off to the locker room.

His health has been wildly variable for the Nets this year. If he misses significant time in this series then the Bucks become a big favourite.

He appeared to be grabbing his right hamstring -- the same one that caused him to miss over a month in the regular season. https://t.co/8ILeyhY7jH

— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) June 5, 2021

The fact that the Bucks have been able to go pretty much toe-to-toe with the Nets despite Kyrie and Durant starting off with 13 points on 5/8 shooting (pretty solid) and Jrue/Middleton starting off with 5pts on 2/10 shooting (not good at all) shows how vital Harden can be for them at times.

Obviously at some point Jrue and Middleton will need to start hitting some shots for that to be sustained, but it's proof that they can survive momentary droughts when the Nets don't have all 3 guys on the floor.

Nets need Harden back to stay favourites.

If Harden doesn't come back, it's Bucks in 6.

Nets’ James Harden is OUT for remainder of Game 1 vs. Bucks due to right hamstring injury.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 6, 2021

Sound the alarm on the Nets

Well... Looks like I'm breaking even... Lame. Injury suck. Hopefully, Nets can hold on to finish the half.

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Originally Posted by Pelicanidae

If Harden doesn't come back, it's Bucks in 6.

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I wouldn't say that. Maybe Bucks in 7 confidently tho

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Originally Posted by Taker597

I wouldn't say that. Maybe Bucks in 7 confidently tho

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I think whether it's 6 or 7 depends on Budenholzer.

He has historically had a real nasty habit for putting hard caps on minutes for players in playoff series. Last year was dreadful for it, and it's a big part of the reason the Bucks didn't make the finals.

It's rearing its head already tonight as well. Bucks down, Middleton non-existent, Giannis is on pace for 32 minutes tonight. What?

Budenholzer is also a master of random, weird lineups that make no sense.

The Bucks starters have not played a single minute with all 5 of them on the floor in the 2nd quarter. Bud ran a lineup earlier with Bryn Forbes, Jeff Teague, and Bobby Portis all on the floor together. Giannis was the only starter, iirc.

That makes zero sense. The whole point of having 3 all-star calibre players is so that you can have 2 of them on the floor basically all the time.

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Originally Posted by Pelicanidae

Budenholzer is also a master of random, weird lineups that make no sense.

The Bucks starters have not played a single minute with all 5 of them on the floor in the 2nd quarter. Bud ran a lineup earlier with Bryn Forbes, Jeff Teague, and Bobby Portis all on the floor together. Giannis was the only starter, iirc.

That makes zero sense. The whole point of having 3 all-star calibre players is so that you can have 2 of them on the floor basically all the time.

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Yeah... this is why I took Nets 1st half. Bud 2nd QTR rotation are suspects, but he gives starts some heavy minutes in the 2nd half. If he goes full Playoff Bud... He shouldn't be allowed to finish this series with a job.

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Originally Posted by Taker597

Yeah... this is why I took Nets 1st half. Bud 2nd QTR rotation are suspects, but he gives starts some heavy minutes in the 2nd half. If he goes full Playoff Bud... He shouldn't be allowed to finish this series with a job.

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Completely agree.

It's fine if the Bucks lose. Well, it's not fine, but you know what I mean: the Nets are a good team even without Harden and anything can happen in a 7 game series. But if they lose because Bud refuses to let Giannis play 42 minutes in a close game 7 or something, that should be Bud fired.

Man... Blake Griffin is such a weird story.

Nets are literally the Super Team of Super Teams... Every time they are about to peak. They get hit with another injury.

Decent stats for Jrue so far

Jrue and Middleton have both been very inefficient tonight, and Jrue's defense hasn't been up to its usual par either.

They're a combined 13/36 from the floor (36.1%) and 2/9 from 3.

Also, Budenholzer minutes alert: Giannis, even if he played every single minute of the 4th, could only hit a maximum of 38 minutes tonight. Likelihood is, he doesn't top 36.

It's so easy to imagine this series going to the Bucks without Harden, but at the same time, it just feels like there's too much going against them.

A bad game one from Jrue and Middleton sucks, but it happens.

But the weird minutes restrictions and stuff from Bud? That's a multi-year trend: you can't win by having the best player on the floor if he's just not on the floor for huge chunks of time. That's not how it works.

Then you have stuff like this reffing: Durant's fouled out through 3 quarters but he's still in the game for the 4th cause the refs just decided not to call 2 of them, despite them being blatant.

How are you supposed to overcome stuff like that, as a player?

Meanwhile, KD and Kyrie both on pace for 43+ minutes.

Bud, read the room.

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Originally Posted by Pelicanidae

Jrue and Middleton have both been very inefficient tonight, and Jrue's defense hasn't been up to its usual par either.

They're a combined 13/36 from the floor (36.1%) and 2/9 from 3.

Also, Budenholzer minutes alert: Giannis, even if he played every single minute of the 4th, could only hit a maximum of 38 minutes tonight. Likelihood is, he doesn't top 36.

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Holiday has 8 rebounds

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Originally Posted by 13 - 3

Holiday has 8 rebounds

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...who cares?

He shot 7/19 from the floor and 2/7 from 3, and 1/3 from the stripe, and his defense was massively spotty off-ball. It was far from a good Jrue game.

Also, yeah

8 point loss. Giannis played 35 minutes, Durant played 40, Kyrie played 45.

That matters.

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Originally Posted by Pelicanidae

...who cares?

He shot 7/19 from the floor and 2/7 from 3, and 1/3 from the stripe, and his defense was massively spotty off-ball. It was far from a good Jrue game.

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It’s better than Bledsoe

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Originally Posted by Pelicanidae

Also, yeah

8 point loss. Giannis played 35 minutes, Durant played 40, Kyrie played 45.

That matters.

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Hey don’t blame me we did not play Zion enough

Middleton was awful

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Originally Posted by luckyman

Middleton was awful

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The Bucks spent a lot of time trying to make Middleton Kobe and not nearly enough time trying to make Giannis Shaq.

Bucks starters played a total of thirteen minutes together.

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Originally Posted by Pelicanidae

Bucks starters played a total of thirteen minutes together.

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You are right. We should have hired D ‘ Antoni

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Originally Posted by 13 - 3

Holiday has 8 rebounds

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Blake Griffin outworked Brook Lopez on the boards 14-5.

I wouldn't touch Bucks with a 50 foot pole. Nets are playing like they actually wanna win a championship.

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Originally Posted by As I See It

Blake Griffin outworked Brook Lopez on the boards 14-5.

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Yep. Going to tough to stop the Nets

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Originally Posted by Taker597

I wouldn't touch Bucks with a 50 foot pole. Nets are playing like they actually wanna win a championship.

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I do think Bucks win a home game.

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Originally Posted by As I See It

Blake Griffin outworked Brook Lopez on the boards 14-5.

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Blake playing well was surprising...best game as a net for him i think... Brook has always been a bad rebounder though even when he was with the nets where he played inside most of the time.

https://twitter.com/outsidethenba/st...929582597?s=20


Bud really hasn't learned anything.

Nets in 6.

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Originally Posted by Taker597

https://twitter.com/outsidethenba/st...929582597?s=20


Bud really hasn't learned anything.

Nets in 6.

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He's a clown. 82 game coach.

Great at designing relatively good, all-purpose gameplans for the regular season. Garbage at adjusting to the specificities of the playoff game.

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Originally Posted by Pelicanidae

He's a clown. 82 game coach.

Great at designing relatively good, all-purpose gameplans for the regular season. Garbage at adjusting to the specificities of the playoff game.

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I guess I woke up in a reality where Kobe, Jordan, and Lebron didn't average 41 minutes a game in the playoffs while Giannis is constantly capped at 35 minutes for no logical reason.

James Harden got an MRI. That is a large piece of the puzzle if it is something

https://www.forbes.com/sites/mikemaz...s-mri-results/

We saw what playing an injured Davis did to Lakers

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Originally Posted by Taker597

I guess I woke up in a reality where Kobe, Jordan, and Lebron didn't average 41 minutes a game in the playoffs while Giannis is constantly capped at 35 minutes for no logical reason.

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Giannis is 26 years old. He's averaging exactly 36.0 minutes per game these playoffs. Last year, aged 25, he averaged 30.8 minutes per game in the playoffs. Bud's refusal to play him serious, heavy minutes, is absurd. He's not injury prone, he's not unwell, he's not old, and he's not whiny. There's zero reason to hold him down to 36 and under almost every night. Here's the kind of minutes other all-time greats were playing in the post-season at the ages of 25 and 26. I've included players from different eras and across different positions to show that this isn't just a weird thing where only PGs play heavy minutes like this, or that it was only a thing that happened in the 90s.

Jordan:
Age 25: 42.2 mpg
Age 26: 42.1 mpg

Lebron:
Age 25: 41.8 mpg
Age 26: 43.9 mpg

Shaq:
Age 25: 38.5 mpg
Age 26: 39.4 mpg

Garnett:
Age 25: 43.3 mpg
Age 26: 44.2 mpg

Tim Duncan:
Age 25: 42.2 mpg
Age 26: 42.5 mpg

John Stockton:
Age 25: 43.5 mpg
Age 26: 46.3 mpg

Larry Bird:
Age 25: 40.8 mpg
Age 26: 40.0 mpg

Chris Paul:
Age 25: 41.7 mpg
Age 26: 38.5 mpg

Dwyane Wade:
Age 25: 40.5 mpg
Age 26: 40.7 mpg

It's just absurd that Giannis seems to have a firm minutes cap around 36mpg in this situation. Like I said, if he was old or had a long catalogue of injuries, I'd get it, but neither of those things are true. There's just no real explanation for it. Bud keeps saying it's to keep them fresh and well rested, but if they don't win who cares? If they don't play more minutes now, there won't be any minutes later for them to be fresh for. Does Bud think he's keeping Giannis well rested for Cancun or something?

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Originally Posted by Pelicanidae

Giannis is 26 years old. He's averaging exactly 36.0 minutes per game these playoffs. Last year, aged 25, he averaged 30.8 minutes per game in the playoffs. Bud's refusal to play him serious, heavy minutes, is absurd. He's not injury prone, he's not unwell, he's not old, and he's not whiny. There's zero reason to hold him down to 36 and under almost every night. Here's the kind of minutes other all-time greats were playing in the post-season at the ages of 25 and 26. I've included players from different eras and across different positions to show that this isn't just a weird thing where only PGs play heavy minutes like this, or that it was only a thing that happened in the 90s.

Jordan:
Age 25: 42.2 mpg
Age 26: 42.1 mpg

Lebron:
Age 25: 41.8 mpg
Age 26: 43.9 mpg

Shaq:
Age 25: 38.5 mpg
Age 26: 39.4 mpg

Garnett:
Age 25: 43.3 mpg
Age 26: 44.2 mpg

Tim Duncan:
Age 25: 42.2 mpg
Age 26: 42.5 mpg

John Stockton:
Age 25: 43.5 mpg
Age 26: 46.3 mpg

Larry Bird:
Age 25: 40.8 mpg
Age 26: 40.0 mpg

Chris Paul:
Age 25: 41.7 mpg
Age 26: 38.5 mpg

Dwyane Wade:
Age 25: 40.5 mpg
Age 26: 40.7 mpg

It's just absurd that Giannis seems to have a firm minutes cap around 36mpg in this situation. Like I said, if he was old or had a long catalogue of injuries, I'd get it, but neither of those things are true. There's just no real explanation for it. Bud keeps saying it's to keep them fresh and well rested, but if they don't win who cares? If they don't play more minutes now, there won't be any minutes later for them to be fresh for. Does Bud think he's keeping Giannis well rested for Cancun or something?

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It's more concerning that with Harden getting hurt and Bud flat out refused to pounce on it before the Nets can regroup before half time. Let them hang around... Just soft.

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Originally Posted by Taker597

It's more concerning that with Harden getting hurt and Bud flat out refused to pounce on it before the Nets can regroup before half time. Let them hang around... Just soft.

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I mentioned it earlier in this thread, but the Bucks starters only logged 13 minutes together the entire game. They won those minutes, even with Jrue and Middleton shooting like garbage.

The minute Harden went down, it should have been like blood in the water. Bud should have immediately realised the importance of stealing this game, and piled those minutes on. Those starters should have logged 25 minutes together, and the Bucks should be up, having stolen one on the road.

But this is the difference between regular season and post-season coaching. Post season coaches desperately need to be able to adjust on the fly, improvise, change game plans, take advantage of anything that comes up. You can't just walk in with your game plan set in stone before opening tip off, that's how you lose winnable games. That's all Bud does.

Sometimes it feels like Bud could just send in a piece of paper to the refs detailing when in the game clock he'd like to make substitutions and not even show up to the game. He's about as inventive and dynamic as the paper would be.