The 2017 NBA Playoffs: This Is A Recording

[FiddySicks]

2 hours ago, dfwabel said:

Warriors want the Clippers too.

Not just shorter travel, but Staples Center could have 40% Warriors fans for a Game 3 and if they're up 3-0, even Clippers season ticket holder, Bill Simmons, said that fans will dump tickets in they're gonna get swept.

 

The first round really couldn't have worked out any more swimmingly for the Warriors. Tons of rest, an opponent who's coming off of a seven game series (and only has a day of rest), they'll likely play the Clippers (sorry Jazz fans, I just don't see the Clips dropping game 7), and they match up really well with either team (They OWN the Clips) and both teams have injured stars. 

 

Now, this may not hold up because you never know what's gonna happen, but this first round was a breath of fresh air after the total disaster that was last year's first round for Golden State. 

 

Now I'm just hoping for Houston and San Antonio to beat the crap out of each other. 

[dfwabel]

DG,

Bob Ryan now has a podcast, two guests in his first five episodes were Cousy and Bird.

But the one which dropped yesterday was...Hubie!

[DG_ThenNowForever]

You couldn't pay me to listen to a Bob Ryan podcast. There's enough old guy media out there without me actively seeking it out. 

 

I'm guessing the next few guests will include Larry Brown, Mike Lupica, Mitch Albom, and, say, Bobby Knight. 

[dfwabel]

3 minutes ago, DG_Now said:

You couldn't pay me to listen to a Bob Ryan podcast. There's enough old guy media out there without me actively seeking it out. 

 

I'm guessing the next few guests will include Larry Brown, Mike Lupica, Mitch Albom, and, say, Bobby Knight. 

Well, I hope you heard Hubie on with Richard Deitsch in May of last year.

 

I just need Ryan to interview another old dude before he dies, a guy I had a scotch or two with in 2002-04...Dick Motta.

[KittSmith_95]

4 hours ago, truepg said:

 

 

The Cavs have no defense whatsoever, and the Pacers continued to prove that with how close each game was. If we do what we did in Milwaukee, in which we allowed Antetokounmpo to get his while stifling his teammates, I see no reason as to why the Raptors shouldn't move on. Lebron is amazing player, but the mileage has to start showing up at some time. Why not now? 

[dfwabel]

1 hour ago, KittSmith_95 said:

 

The Cavs have no defense whatsoever, and the Pacers continued to prove that with how close each game was. If we do what we did in Milwaukee, in which we allowed Antetokounmpo to get his while stifling his teammates, I see no reason as to why the Raptors shouldn't move on. Lebron is amazing player, but the mileage has to start showing up at some time. Why not now? 

 

The "others" on the Bucks roster includes: Jason Terry, Greg Monroe, Malcolm Brodgon, Thon Maker, Matthew Delladevoda, Tony Snell, Michael Beasley and Khris Middleton.

 

CLE has: Kevin Love, Kyrie Irving, JR Smith, Kyle Korver, Channing Frye, Tristan Thompson, Iman Shumpert, and Deron Williams.

 

Which list of players would you prefer to fill out the other 200 minutes of a NBA game?  I easily know my pick.

[Rockstar Matt]

The Raptors definitely can beat the Cavs, however a lot has to right for Toronto and a lot has to go wrong for Cleveland in order for that to happen. Collectively, Toronto would have to play a near flawless series to make it happen. Possible, but highly unlikely. The Cavs are just too good and they have the 3 best players in the series. 

[FiddySicks]

Raptors won't beat the Cavs in the series. But, what they could do is beat the Cavs in a physical sense. If they play a long series vs Toronto, Boston is still pretty dangerous (Despite their struggles early vs an underrated and underachieving Chicago team). If anything, the Cavs could cruise into the Finals on some pretty tired legs, and face a relatively well rested, and DAMN motivated after last year + Durant, Warriors team. That doesn't bode too well for them. 

[dfwabel]

22 minutes ago, Bucfan56 said:

Raptors won't beat the Cavs in the series. But, what they could do is beat the Cavs in a physical sense. If they play a long series vs Toronto, Boston is still pretty dangerous (Despite their struggles early vs an underrated and underachieving Chicago team). If anything, the Cavs could cruise into the Finals on some pretty tired legs, and face a relatively well rested, and DAMN motivated after last year + Durant, Warriors team. That doesn't bode too well for them. 

All TOR has done to be more physical is to add a diminished Serge Ibaka

[truepg]

And the only significant change to Boston from a team that got swept last year, is Al Horford, whom I don't see as the difference-maker.

[truepg]

15 hours ago, Kaz said:

Someone from the Raptors would have to pull an Olynyk on LeBron

 

A rather descriptive word combination, lol.

[Wings]

Cavs in 6

[JWhiz96]

Isaiah Thomas is one tough son of a gun. Almost 30 through 3 quarters with a missing tooth? Pay that man.

[DG_ThenNowForever]

22 minutes ago, JWhiz96 said:

Isaiah Thomas is one tough son of a gun. Almost 30 through 3 quarters with a missing tooth? Pay that man.

 

Bill Simmons was saying there's a school of thought that if the Celtics wind up with the #1 pick, you move Thomas while his value is high and go with Ball or Fulz as your PG of the future. Especially since one of those two guys might play defense.

 

On the other hand, Thomas is great and had an Iverson-type year that everyone ignored because he wasn't LeBron, Harden, Westbrook, Kawhi or on the Warriors.

 

I think Thomas is one of the ten best players in the league, the same way Iverson was when he was at his peak. He'll never be THE best because of his size, but put a good team around him and anything is possible.

 

I'm not a GM, but for 2017-18, wouldn't you rather have a core of Isaiah/Crowder/Horford/Brown and say Paul George or Jimmy Butler than those same four + a rookie? Or Crowder/Horford/Brown and Lonzo Ball? A top three pick in a loaded draft is a huge asset, but so are proven scorers like George and Butler, even with years on them.

 

---

 

Do you think Sixers fans are watching the first couple rounds of playoffs and saying, "nah, our way is better"?

[JWhiz96]

I'd much rather have a consistent, proven scorer every night; a Butler or George would do the trick. The Celtics aren't too far away from title contention, they just need consistent defense and a SF that can score consistently (Crowder has great games here and there but is far from consistent). Both Butler and George give you great offense and defense, you're not gonna draft someone that can do what they do immediately out the gate.

 

So I'd sell if I were Ainge.

[DG_ThenNowForever]

Do you think we'll still be hearing about the Andersons getting tickets to the game next season?

[Fox]

4 hours ago, truepg said:

And the only significant change to Boston from a team that got swept last year, is Al Horford, whom I don't see as the difference-maker.

You main point still holds true, but the Cavs sweep was 2 years ago, last year they lost in 6 to Atlanta

[TheRicSlick]

The Clippers are bad, yet somehow only down by 7. C'mon Jazz!

 

Also, Rudy Gobert needs to stop fouling. 

[truepg]

11 minutes ago, Fox said:

You main point still holds true, but the Cavs sweep was 2 years ago, last year they lost in 6 to Atlanta

 

You're right, my bad.

[FinsUp1214]

I'm happy with the lead, but still not comfortable even if the Clippers are playing poorly. If this series has taught me anything, you don't really know where these game are going until the last minutes. 

 

And even though the calls on Gobert have been fairly ticky-tack (call it both ways, refs), he does need to be careful. He's naturally an all-out kind of player so reigning in a little may be tough, but it is what it is; that's just what he has to do. 

 

EDIT: 59-44. That's a better cushion, but still not very comfortable until that clock hits zero.