NBA Thread

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

I don't think they would be calling an offensive foul against the Cavs in a big scrum to cut the lead to four with four minutes left if they were determined to let Cleveland progress. Lebron gets calls, but that's what happens to superstars in the NBA.

I'm in no way claiming the game is rigged. I'm saying the officiating is so bad throughout the entire game, it obviously changes the outcome. Look at the technical foul given out early in the game, probably the fastest T I've seen all season. But James and others can scream and cry and put on an entire show without a technical.

Then look at the flagrant given to Stephenson.

Indiana's big man fouls out on some awful calls.

If the officiating isn't consistent, the game isn't really about the best team. It's about who is good enough if they are given the necessary calls to take advantage and that sucks.

I'm not a Pacers fan, it just devalues the playoffs when this sh!t keeps happening.

 

[Irish#1]

Well yeah but I don't think saying the Cavs suck makes his point about the Pacers any less true. The Cavs minus Lebron are a lottery team. You should be better than them.

Bigs have eaten the Cavs alive all season offensively. Its no secret they have had trouble defending anyone, much less bigs.

I was speaking specifically to their defensive effort, which was very disappointing many times throughout the series.

Sure, they had moments on that end, but Love had at least 3 games where he was physically dominating underneath and getting boards he had no reason getting because Myles/Thad/Sabonis would get boxed out by a much smaller guy, or a weak Love himself.

This is glossing over Lebron being able to put the screws to them for 2 games without even needing an outside shot because the lane was wide open and nobody would mix it up with him. Ill let this one slide because stars will almost always get the call when driving and they knew that , but the glasswork was, as I said, soft....

Regardless, the series turned out to be much more fun than I anticipated, and it looks like the Pacers hit a home run with the PG trade. Their fans are disappointed today, but should be proud tomorrow.

It's all in perspective. The Pacers were projected to be a 30 win team before the season began. I think the Pacers do need to get better on the boards, but you have to remember, that Turner and Sabonis are still pups. The Pacers biggest need is someone who can compliment Oladipo so teams can't double team.

James gets the calls all the time. What gets me, is when he gets called for a foul and acts like all ten commandments were violated against him.

 

[IrishSteelhead]

NBA Thread

To express further disappointment in Pacers bigs being soft: Valanciunas dropped 21 and 21 last night on Cleveland, despite early foul trouble.

 

[Irish#1]

To express further disappointment in Pacers bigs being soft: Valanciunas dropped 21 and 21 last night on Cleveland, despite early foul trouble.

And couldn't hit a couple of bunnies last night that would have won it for them. Toronto choked big time last night. No offense late and DeRozen driving into crowds over and over. They've been claiming they belong, but it didn't show last night.

 

[koonja]

Toronto's not a 1 seed. They're all chicken sh~t besides Lowry. Demar Derozan is the ultimate regular season star, but he can't even get a shot off in the playoffs against a contender. Just a weak team with minimal offensive talent. Would be a 7 seed in the west.

 

[IrishSteelhead]

Agree with both. Toronto has been a paper tiger all season.

 

[KPENN]

The cavs are living rent free in the raptors’ heads.

 

[IrishSteelhead]

The cavs are living rent free in the raptors’ heads.

I blame the Pacers for the Cavs walk to the Finals. If they laid down and got knocked out in 5 games, Lebron isnt in playoff mode yet. They woke the dragon pushing him 7 hard fought games. Good luck Philly/Boston, youre gonna need it.

 

[Irish YJ]

I think the Pacers are a lot better than folks give them credit for, and Toronto is not near as good as their record indicates.

The Pacers are one piece away from challenging for the East IMO. I think the fact that they lacked a piece forced VO to mature a lot this year and find his own. They will only get better, and could be really good if Turner and Sabonis mature/improve.

Toronto, well they're Canadians. Nuff said lol. At the start of the playoffs, I thought Cavs in 6 over the Pacers, and in 5 over Toronto. Pacers came very close to moving on. Two 15+pt wins, and four losses of 4pts or less. Now thinking the Cavs may sweep Toronto.

 

[greyhammer90]

I think it comes down to defending Lebron 1 on 1. Pacers have a few people that can do it somewhat well, and the Raptors have no one that can. I don't think the Pacers are better than the Raptors, they're just not built to beat a team with a generational wing.

 

[KPENN]

Also, the east isn't that good. Golden State is gonna frickin roll whoever comes out of it.

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

I blame the Pacers for the Cavs walk to the Finals. If they laid down and got knocked out in 5 games, Lebron isnt in playoff mode yet. They woke the dragon pushing him 7 hard fought games. Good luck Philly/Boston, youre gonna need it.

I'd take Boston over the Cavs right now.

 

[Irish YJ]

I think it comes down to defending Lebron 1 on 1. Pacers have a few people that can do it somewhat well, and the Raptors have no one that can. I don't think the Pacers are better than the Raptors, they're just not built to beat a team with a generational wing.

Not really sure they guard him that well. I think Stephens does get in his head a bit, but Paul George was really the only one that I'd say defended James somewhat well. He gone now. I think the Pacers impacted everyone else and made James beat them. Which he did. Pacers are just scrappy as hell. And big games from VO and Bogs along the way helped a ton.

Also, the east isn't that good. Golden State is gonna frickin roll whoever comes out of it.

I just don't see it. Sure I'd bet that GS wins, but I don't think they will roll at all.

I'd take Boston over the Cavs right now.

Cavs in 6 is my bet. I do think Boston will advance (they are the team I'm cheering for now) this round, but I wouldn't count out the 76ers. I think it will go 7.

 

[greyhammer90]

I'd take Boston over the Cavs right now.

We'll see if Boston can beat Philly at home before I start drinking the KoolAid on the Celtics. They were lucky to not drop one at home last night and I think the crowd was a major influence on the young Philly team. A series doesn't start until a home team loses so right now the Celtics have simply held serve.

 

[Irish#1]

Agree with both. Toronto has been a paper tiger all season.

The cavs are living rent free in the raptors’ heads.

Yep, prior to the playoffs starting, Raptors were going on and on about getting respect and how they deserved to be mentioned as the east favorite. When a team has to keep telling everyone that, they are trying to convince themselves. They're too focused on that instead of proving it.

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

Not really sure they guard him that well. I think Stephens does get in his head a bit, but Paul George was really the only one that I'd say defended James somewhat well. He gone now. I think the Pacers impacted everyone else and made James beat them. Which he did. Pacers are just scrappy as hell. And big games from VO and Bogs along the way helped a ton.



I just don't see it. Sure I'd bet that GS wins, but I don't think they will roll at all.



Cavs in 6 is my bet. I do think Boston will advance (they are the team I'm cheering for now) this round, but I wouldn't count out the 76ers. I think it will go 7.

We'll see if Boston can beat Philly at home before I start drinking the KoolAid on the Celtics. They were lucky to not drop one at home last night and I think the crowd was a major influence on the young Philly team. A series doesn't start until a home team loses so right now the Celtics have simply held serve.

I'm not drinking Celtic koolaid, I just believe they are a very resilient club. It's incredible they've lost their two best players and they are on the brink of going to the Eastern Conference finals.

Name one other team that could even be close to that. If Celtics can stay healthy next year, they are going to be a very dangerous team.

While Lebron plays this level of basketball, the Cavs will be very hard to beat *but* I think he's going to run out of gas. Kevin Love will fall back to mediocrity and his support players aren't good enough to carry things.

Cavs just need a little adversity again and they will crumble

 

[Ndaccountant]

Also, the east isn't that good. Golden State is gonna frickin roll whoever comes out of it.

Houston is gonna win the west.

 

[greyhammer90]

People who complain about Lebron flopping must think Harden is literally Hitler. I'm an "all's fair in war" leaning guy and he is one of the most annoying players to watch because his style completely destroys the flow of the game. He's constantly baiting fouls and acting like he got shot when someone enters his personal space.

 

[IrishSteelhead]

LOL

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

People who complain about Lebron flopping must think Harden is literally Hitler. I'm an "all's fair in war" leaning guy and he is one of the most annoying players to watch because his style completely destroys the flow of the game. He's constantly baiting fouls and acting like he got shot when someone enters his personal space.

Yep, I also don't like it. I understand analyzing the game and looking for holes to exploit but I really like when it's done from the perspective of the game. I get it, do anything to win but it really kills the quality of viewing.

We want to see the best teams with the best athletes battling at basketball. Acting and forced contact have taken over a percentage of the game and it's to the detriment of the sport.

 

[greyhammer90]

I don't know what Toronto did to Lebron in another life but this is punishment from God type stuff.

 

[Irish#1]

Good night Toronto.

 

[greyhammer90]

Good night Lebronto.

FTFY

 

[KPENN]

So glad I am alive at the same time to watch LeBron James play basketball.

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

So glad I am alive at the same time to watch LeBron James play basketball.

And I'm so disappointed that I have to watch Harden play basketball. He is seriously killing the game with this sh*t.

Is he the one who started the "forcing contact" movement?

This is like WRs figuring out how to just run into CBs to get interference calls instead of attempting to actually make the catch.

 

[Rogue219]

The coaching in these playoffs has been absolutely tremendous, but Brad Stevens is standing out above the pack. What a tremendous job he's done thus far, especially in this 76ers series.

The NBA and MLB are where it's at for me right now as a consumer. Just awesome.

 

[IrishSteelhead]

The coaching in these playoffs has been absolutely tremendous, but Brad Stevens is standing out above the pack. What a tremendous job he's done thus far, especially in this 76ers series.

The NBA and MLB are where it's at for me right now as a consumer. Just awesome.

Standing out so much he received ZERO votes for COY. EIGHT guys received votes, including DOC RIVERS. SMH.......What a joke.

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

Standing out so much he received ZERO votes for COY. EIGHT guys received votes, including DOC RIVERS. SMH.......What a joke.

What a fvcking joke

 

[Irish#1]

The coaching in these playoffs has been absolutely tremendous, but Brad Stevens is standing out above the pack. What a tremendous job he's done thus far, especially in this 76ers series.

The NBA and MLB are where it's at for me right now as a consumer. Just awesome.

Now you know why I was disappointed when he left Butler. I saw most every game and heard him regularly on the radio. Listening to him you could hear how different he is from most coaches. He may not be the best coach in all of basketball, but I can’t think of a coach I would take over him.

 

[Irish YJ]

Now you know why I was disappointed when he left Butler. I saw most every game and heard him regularly on the radio. Listening to him you could hear how different he is from most coaches. He may not be the best coach in all of basketball, but I can’t think of a coach I would take over him.

I always wanted to see him at IU, at ND, with the Pacers, or still with Butler. I was a Boston fan in my early childhood (was my Dad's team) before the Miller era, so not totally unhappy he's at Boston. Unbelievable he didn't get a vote. Did he do something to piss off the other 29 coaches or what?

Glad McMillan got some votes or vote. Pacers were picked I think to be at the bottom of the Eastern Conference, so a pretty damn good job.

Cheering for Boston now to take it all since the good guys are done.