Playoffs Thread

Chris Webber talking endlessly about how Denver look better with Millsap than MPJ right now, has said so much without mentioning the obvious fact that MPJ is a turnstile on D and Millsap isn't.

''It's Jordan Clarkson time'' - Jordan Clarkson

Random thought of the day but I'm trending towards thinking Toronto will win it all. Best defense and most well rounded team in the playoffs. Just insane how deep they are.

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Originally Posted by Funcrusher

Random thought of the day but I'm trending towards thinking Toronto will win it all. Best defense and most well rounded team in the playoffs. Just insane how deep they are.

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I'm not sure. They're obviously very very good, Nick Nurse is a fantastic coach, but they have so little creation. They were a not-that-good offensive team all year, carried by their defense, and so far they've dominated the Nets but that's exactly what you would expect.

I think the Raptors/Celtics series is going to be a bloodbath, if Lowry is okay. We still don't have the news back on his injury severity yet. If Lowry is out, the Celtics will take it fairly cleanly.

I think the Mavs vs Celtics is going to be a great Finals series.

What I would give to get Quinn Snyder on this bench.

How does Chris Webber breathe without assistance? Clueless.

MPJ doesn't know how to trap

Imagine the Jazz with Bogdonvic. The West is going to be brutal next year.

Murray nailed that 3 but the refs just ignored the blatant foul

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Originally Posted by Pelicanidae

Murray nailed that 3 but the refs just ignored the blatant foul

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But they call that one for Conley lol

MPJ's defense is bowling shoe ugly. Awful footwork, super stiff, doesn't quite look like he knows what he's doing, constantly off balance as a result of all of this, just awful

Flamethrower!

Jamal Murray is so inconsistent but when he's on it's beautiful

Mitchell and Murray dueling it out. Fantastic game.

I don't think we'll ever see a playoff season with such insane individual scoring.

I love watching Donovan Mitchell when he's cooking. Nuggets have had absolutely no answers for him in this series.

Gobert gets away with so much stuff.

What a great game. Games like makes we want to draft a guy like Cole Anthony and prays that his game translate better than it did the college game.

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Originally Posted by Snarly

What a great game. Games like makes we want to draft a guy like Cole Anthony and prays that his game translate better than it did the college game.

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I think it will, as long as he goes to a team that has some structure and some other good players to take the pressure off him. Which is why I think it's probably a good thing for him in the long run that his draft stock has dropped: if he went to the Knicks or something and just got given the ball and asked to save them, it wouldn't end well. Going at like, #14 or something, means that he's likely to go somewhere that has at least a lil sumthin going on

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Originally Posted by Biasvasospasm

Gobert gets away with so much stuff.

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True, but people hack the hell out of him and get away with it too, so...karma?

I hate when games turn to free throw contests. Such.A.Drag.

Nuggets just don't have the wing defense for the Jazz. That's what it comes down to. They have nobody they can reliably put on Mitchell and trust to do a decent job.

alight the beacons and call Jrue Holiday for aid. Not sure what else they can do

— Spike Smeagol (Classic Mode) (@Cosmis) August 24, 2020

What could the Nuggs offer that would even get the Pels wet?

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Originally Posted by UNO Gracias

What could the Nuggs offer that would even get the Pels wet?

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No idea. I initially thought Millsap maybe as a centrepiece, I thought he was on like $25m for this year and next, but turns out he's expiring now and it's $30m anyway lol.

Obviously they wouldn't deal Jokic or Murray. I don't think Gary Harris is enough, really.

I would definitely be demanding Monte Morris and their 2021+2023 FRPs though.

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Originally Posted by Pelicanidae

No idea. I initially thought Millsap maybe as a centrepiece, I thought he was on like $25m for this year and next, but turns out he's expiring now and it's $30m anyway lol.

Obviously they wouldn't deal Jokic or Murray. I don't think Gary Harris is enough, really.

I would definitely be demanding Monte Morris and their 2021+2023 FRPs though.

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I'm not sure Murray is untouchable. It wouldn't shock me if they valued Porter over him. Mitchell is averaging almost 40 ppg. I could see a scenario where a Jrue for Murray swap with other moving parts becomes a legitimate discussion for both sides if Griff is high on him.

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Originally Posted by PelsFan2313

I'm not sure Murray is untouchable. It wouldn't shock me if they valued Porter over him. Mitchell is averaging almost 40 ppg. I could see a scenario where a Jrue for Murray swap with other moving parts becomes a legitimate discussion for both sides if Griff is high on him.

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I think I would start trying to get Murray. If that does not work, it would have to include Morris (with Harris likely for contract) with 21 and 23 unprotected and 2022 swap rights.

The Philadelphia 76ers fired coach Brett Brown, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 24, 2020

What on earth is C Web talking about? Jesus.

Chris Webber has no idea how to start a sentence, make his way through it staying on topic, and then end it within 50 words. Every single time he opens his mouth it's a run-on sentence that manages to stream-of-consciousness its way through about 12 different concepts. At no point, also, are any of those concepts accurately discussed.

Calling that a flagrant is a REAL stretch

C Webb immediately proving me wrong by saying the first thing he's said all playoffs that makes sense.

Whiteside gets a flagrant for spinning on the block, his elbow hitting AD in the collarbone/throat area. Refs say that it was a high elbow.

Webber says ''how can you have a low elbow if you're 7 feet tall?''

Good point.

16 ft for the Laker in the 1st QTR... What is going on?

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Originally Posted by Taker597

16 ft for the Laker in the 1st QTR... What is going on?

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Mixture of things. Lakers are attacking inside a lot, this is true, but the refs are also being pretty generous. Portland's defense is nonexistent other than fouling.

At the same time, the refs have refused to call at least 3 shooting fouls for Portland, who would still be down but it would obviously be closer than it is.

Lakers have shot really roughly as a team so far this series, but they're having a bounce back game, and that combined with the reffing is just burying Portland right now.

AD has degraded so far as a rebounder in LA man

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Originally Posted by Pelicanidae

AD has degraded so far as a rebounder in LA man

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I've posted before that this year is his career low REB%, but to put that into raw numbers:

It's his first season since his rookie season averaging single digit rebounds.
It's the first season of his career ever averaging single digit rebounds per 36

Last year with us he posted 37 games with at least 10 rebounds, despite playing highly reduced minutes the second half of the year. This year, despite playing a full starter's minutes for every game (admittedly, fewer games because lockdown), he posted only 29 such games.

2 games this year with at least 15 boards. 17 such games last season.

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Originally Posted by Pelicanidae

I've posted before that this year is his career low REB%, but to put that into raw numbers:

It's his first season since his rookie season averaging single digit rebounds.
It's the first season of his career ever averaging single digit rebounds per 36

Last year with us he posted 37 games with at least 10 rebounds, despite playing highly reduced minutes the second half of the year. This year, despite playing a full starter's minutes for every game (admittedly, fewer games because lockdown), he posted only 29 such games.

2 games this year with at least 15 boards. 17 such games last season.

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Ad doesn't want to bang bodies, rebound, play the 5, or be a leader. He just wanna make jumpshot and block shots.

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Originally Posted by Taker597

Ad doesn't want to bang bodies, rebound, play the 5, or be a leader. He just wanna make jumpshot and block shots.

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It's so frustrating because he has so much talent, physical ability, and even mental processing. When he really commits to being dominant, he's dominant. He's a fantastic player.

He just has no drive in him. Kind of sad to see how much he's cost in terms of his own career success just by being so whatever about things.

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Originally Posted by Pelicanidae

It's so frustrating because he has so much talent, physical ability, and even mental processing. When he really commits to being dominant, he's dominant. He's a fantastic player.

He just has no drive in him. Kind of sad to see how much he's cost in terms of his own career success just by being so whatever about things.

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What I learned internally from AD's camp was that after he made his money(175 million). His priorities sort of changed to being happy and living HIS life. He moved to LA and simply wanted to live that LA life without being out of state for 9 months of the year. Basketball has become secondary for him or as my person said... "A job". It's kind of crazy that he lost that next level drive for him to be great after he finally became a top 10 players and yet he still dominate on most nights. Him playing the 5 when Boogie got injured for a couple of months kind of set the precedent for it all. Then, the Boogie drama happened and the way the front office handled it was pretty classless and unnecessary. Then, Demps/Gentry forcing him to play the 5 by subtraction of Cousin and addition with another 4 in Randle. It was kind of the icing on the cake for when AD "stopped having fun." Lastly, AD signed up with Klutch Sports right before the season as a lot of stuff was slowly getting set in motion.

The results of an MRI of Damian Lillard's right knee tonight were inconclusive. Lillard will undergo a second MRI on Tuesday afternoon in Orlando.

— Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) August 25, 2020

Oof.

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Originally Posted by Pelicanidae

The Philadelphia 76ers fired coach Brett Brown, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 24, 2020

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Now they are reporting Jay Wright as a possible target. I was going to mention him for us, but I thought that man is wedded to Villanova for life.

One thing about their players is they seem to come into the league fundamentally sound. Which is why if Saddiq Bey is the pick i got no complaints. I'm sure Josh Hart would love them both here.

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Originally Posted by Taker597

What I learned internally from AD's camp was that after he made his money(175 million). His priorities sort of changed to being happy and living HIS life. He moved to LA and simply wanted to live that LA life without being out of state for 9 months of the year. Basketball has become secondary for him or as my person said... "A job". It's kind of crazy that he lost that next level drive for him to be great after he finally became a top 10 players and yet he still dominate on most nights. Him playing the 5 when Boogie got injured for a couple of months kind of set the precedent for it all. Then, the Boogie drama happened and the way the front office handled it was pretty classless and unnecessary. Then, Demps/Gentry forcing him to play the 5 by subtraction of Cousin and addition with another 4 in Randle. It was kind of the icing on the cake for when AD "stopped having fun." Lastly, AD signed up with Klutch Sports right before the season as a lot of stuff was slowly getting set in motion.

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How was the Boogie situation handled in a classless way by the Pels, from the AD camp perspective? We offered the best deal, by far, and one that seemed fair to me all things considered.

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Originally Posted by luigi modelo

How was the Boogie situation handled in a classless way by the Pels, from the AD camp perspective? We offered the best deal, by far, and one that seemed fair to me all things considered.

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The resigning process with Boogie was always rough from the start of that season and it really rubbed management the wrong way. It could be described as toxic. Then, the injury happened and Boogie was in the middle of a career year and breaking a lot of rebounding records and such. We just had to get over the Gentry Pre-Season hump and early season injuries. We try to resign him in April before free agency. Which was only two months from his injury. This is where the truth gets foggy, Always hear two sides of this story of it being known by Boogie that it was a take it or leave it in April. Boogie wanted to wait for free agency thinking the deal would still be there. It's just professional etiquette. The man was injured. The whole thing was really half hearted by the Pelicans and really wonder if they really had any intentions to signing him. Gave him a bad deal that he would turned down just to say "We tried". It still was hilarious how as a terrible organization that we was and still outbid ourselves on 2Yr 40MILLION. Granted, I don't remember if the contract was fully GTD. I believe it was really a one year deal. Then, free agency came and we completely ghosted Boogie. We already pull our deal off the table and got Julius Randle. Maybe it was a case of FO thinking they are better and know better. They where only half right.

It was really unnecessary to not let the man focus on his rehab, wait for free agency and let the market decide his value after a major injury. We would of win either way. After this incident with player relations, I knew the organization front office would be canned sooner than later. You don't operate like this unless a player does something really unacceptable. Especially, Boogie had a close relationship with AD. AD put on a front that "It's all business" but he did take it personal and began questioning a struggling organization.

This is all 2nd hand info. So, it can be a bunch of half truths and assumptions, but there is a lot of smoke In it.

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Originally Posted by Taker597

The resigning process with Boogie was always rough from the start of that season and it really rubbed management the wrong way. It could be described as toxic. Then, the injury happened and Boogie was in the middle of a career year and breaking a lot of rebounding records and such. We just had to get over the Gentry Pre-Season hump and early season injuries. We try to resign him in April before free agency. Which was only two months from his injury. This is where the truth gets foggy, Always hear two sides of this story of it being known by Boogie that it was a take it or leave it in April. Boogie wanted to wait for free agency thinking the deal would still be there. It's just professional etiquette. The man was injured. The whole thing was really half hearted by the Pelicans and really wonder if they really had any intentions to signing him. Gave him a bad deal that he would turned down just to say "We tried". It still was hilarious how as a terrible organization that we was and still outbid ourselves on 2Yr 40MILLION. Granted, I don't remember if the contract was fully GTD. I believe it was really a one year deal. Then, free agency came and we completely ghosted Boogie. We already pull our deal off the table and got Julius Randle. Maybe it was a case of FO thinking they are better and know better. They where only half right.

It was really unnecessary to not let the man focus on his rehab, wait for free agency and let the market decide his value after a major injury. We would of win either way. After this incident with player relations, I knew the organization front office would be canned sooner than later. You don't operate like this unless a player does something really unacceptable. Especially, Boogie had a close relationship with AD. AD put on a front that "It's all business" but he did take it personal and began questioning a struggling organization.

This is all 2nd hand info. So, it can be a bunch of half truths and assumptions, but there is a lot of smoke In it.

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Boogie had plenty of time to take the deal and thought he was being lowballed, so he strung it out. When Randle became available, the Pels could not keep waiting. Even after signing Randle, and Boogie's market was non-existent, the Pels offered him more than double any other team did on a 1 year deal and he got insulted.

yeah, that take is very slanted towards Boogie and it seems to have a lot of revisionist history

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Originally Posted by luigi modelo

yeah, that take is very slanted towards Boogie and it seems to have a lot of revisionist history

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Yep...and let's not forget that Boogie's history precedes him. That said, I'd offer him a one and one (with incentives and a very short leash) to stretch the floor for Zion.

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Originally Posted by luigi modelo

yeah, that take is very slanted towards Boogie and it seems to have a lot of revisionist history

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Because a front office didn't completely get canned a year later...oh wait.

And it's not slanted towards Boogie. It's slanted towards AD. Boogie isn't like by basketball FO and that's a given.

Yet, You let someone pressure you into a commitment while on crutches. It's still scummy.

Did we give Jrue a take it or leave deal while he was injuried? No, we let him test the free market. I don't care if it Ron Artest. You don't make business this way. And still almost gave a bad deal on top of that.

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Originally Posted by Taker597

Because a front office didn't completely get canned a year later...oh wait.

And it's not slanted towards Boogie. It's slanted towards AD. Boogie isn't like by basketball FO and that's a given.

Yet, You let someone pressure you into a commitment while on crutches. It's still scummy.

Did we give Jrue a take it or leave deal while he was injuried? No, we let him test the free market. I don't care if it Ron Artest. You don't make business this way. And still almost gave a bad deal on top of that.

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He was given the chance to test the FA market even after he dragged out the negotiations. He went into FA with that offer and another one that was more than twice what GS offered. He thought he was worth more and found out he was not.

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Originally Posted by As I See It

Yep...and let's not forget that Boogie's history precedes him. That said, I'd offer him a one and one (with incentives and a very short leash) to stretch the floor for Zion.

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I would not want him anywhere near this locker room with our young players.