2021-22 NBA Thread

[Digby]

It was always wishful thinking to think a guy who hasn't played in a year and has never played with these teammates was going to somehow swing the outcome of the series. That was maybe the most insane narrative of this entire series. Simmons is talented enough and fits a need for Brooklyn to be a plus, but not enough of a plus to overcome all that, especially against a team that's been as dominant for 4 months as Boston.

 

Much as I love to dunk on Simmons, there's little to gain by putting him in for one, maybe two games at limited minutes at this point. Though as evidenced by Blake Griffin getting a run-out in game 3, Steve Nash's attitude may just be "eh, it's worth a try". Doesn't make it likely to succeed, but.

 

I've been accused of being one of those irrationally optimistic green-tinted lenses types of Celtics fans before, but even I wouldn't have predicted that Boston would be on the cusp of a sweep here. Tatum's officially a two-way superstar, the rest of the rotation is contributing significantly, and they've done as good a job defending KD as I've ever seen.

[Digby]

10 hours ago, DG_ThenNowForever said:

I'm not watching much of these playoffs because my favorite player isn't playing, but I have a feeling we're looking at Golden State v Boston in the Finals and I can't imagine a worse outcome.

 

I can see how it would be painful to see so many current- and next-generation all-star players, drafted and developed by teams who exercised patience and built chemistry, and traded none of these for a creaky Russell Westbrook.

[DG_ThenNowForever]

52 minutes ago, Digby said:

 

I can see how it would be painful to see so many current- and next-generation all-star players, drafted and developed by teams who exercised patience and built chemistry, and traded none of these for a creaky Russell Westbrook.

 

Exactly! You see my frustration!

[gosioux76]

Much like last year, I think this is shaping up to be an incredibly fascinating NBA playoffs. I'm not sure how, at this stage,  anybody could conclude that this is destined to be a Boston and GSW finals just because neither team has lost in this round.

 

Phoenix and Memphis are the only two power teams in either conference scuffling at this point. Outside of Boston, the Bucks, Heat and Sixers all have commanding 3-1 leads. The fact that the Pelicans and T-Wolves are battling it out with two of the league's best teams is great for the NBA and the future of the league, which is edging closer and closer to relative parity than it's ever been. 

 

I feel like we're well past the days when the super teams could run the table. The Warriors might still fit that definition, but the competition from teams that can boast of great balance and depth is stiffer than it's ever been. 

 

[DG_ThenNowForever]

24 minutes ago, gosioux76 said:

I feel like we're well past the days when the super teams could run the table. The Warriors might still fit that definition, but the competition from teams that can boast of great balance and depth is stiffer than it's ever been. 

 

 

The Warriors still have three max guys and Draymond at $25M/year; let's not pretend like they're still not a super team because they absolutely are.

 

But still, you're right that we're in a sea change in the NBA. The draft picks of the mid/late 2010s are taking over the league and we're at the end of the road for LeBron and CP3, and getting there for guys like KD, Harden and maybe even Steph if he remains a 60% guy the rest of his career.

[Digby]

I'm surprised at how KD has suddenly looked old this series. Not that it doesn't make sense, but previously he's always defied what seems sensible. Hard to tell how much of it is meeting a truly elite defense, and how much is the toll of dragging his team for a year and a half finally catching up to him at the worst time.

[Indigo]

3 hours ago, DG_ThenNowForever said:

 

The Warriors still have three max guys and Draymond at $25M/year; let's not pretend like they're still not a super team because they absolutely are.

 

But still, you're right that we're in a sea change in the NBA. The draft picks of the mid/late 2010s are taking over the league and we're at the end of the road for LeBron and CP3, and getting there for guys like KD, Harden and maybe even Steph if he remains a 60% guy the rest of his career.

The Warriors aren’t a regular superteam. They got their guys through drafting and developing leftovers from other teams (Poole, GP2, Wiggins). Jordan Poole’s transformation into Steph’s doppelgänger was unforeseen and incredible. Gary Payton II is a chip off the old block, and Andrew Wiggins became the player he was destined to be. Let’s not lump GS with the ray of the super teams who just threw max players together.

[heavybass]

Simmonds will be made the scapegoat for the Nets.... he's done as a player.

Next up: China.... it's where :censored: like him belong.

[DoctorWhom]

Despite the refs best efforts, the Celtics sweep the Nets.

Just like everyone thought they would.  

 

Celtics - Bucks will be interesting. If Celtics can shut down KD & Kyrie, they could make things very difficult for Giannis. Bucks do have better depth than the Nets though.  

 

Speaking of The Bucks, I love how Celtics just swept the team the Bucks were too scared to face. 

[DG_ThenNowForever]

Sweeping a team in the playoffs isn't easy. Celtics look totally legit, which is amazing after they nosedived early in the season.

[Dynasty]

3 hours ago, DoctorWhom said:

Speaking of The Bucks, I love how Celtics just swept the team the Bucks were too scared to face. 

 

Were they though? Because if they were, then they likely weren't the only team to feel that way. People thought Brooklyn was slumping throughout the season because of Durant's injuries and Irving being unavailable, but I'm assuming many were sweeping those concerns under the rug come playoff time because of them being at "full strength." They had high expectations and it was easy for people to overestimate them.

[DoctorWhom]

1 hour ago, Dynasty said:

 

Were they though? Because if they were, then they likely weren't the only team to feel that way. People thought Brooklyn was slumping throughout the season because of Durant's injuries and Irving being unavailable, but I'm assuming many were sweeping those concerns under the rug come playoff time because of them being at "full strength." They had high expectations and it was easy for people to overestimate them.

Well, they had their choice and for whatever reason the Bucs intentionally chose the the 3 seed. I don't seem to recall many times a team chose to take the worse seed option. That means they won't have Home court either after the 1st round (unless they play Philly, Toronto, or Atlanta in the Conference Finals). 

 

I don't blame them too much really though, Bulls did look like the weakest team. 

I don't know if people really "overestimated" the Nets. Celtics may have swept them, but all those games were pretty close. Their defense is the biggest reason they swept the Nets. Bucks maybe still beat them, but they obviously don't sweep them. Their defense is nowhere near as good as the Celtics. 

[Digby]

9 hours ago, Dynasty said:

 

Were they though? Because if they were, then they likely weren't the only team to feel that way. People thought Brooklyn was slumping throughout the season because of Durant's injuries and Irving being unavailable, but I'm assuming many were sweeping those concerns under the rug come playoff time because of them being at "full strength." They had high expectations and it was easy for people to overestimate them.

 

All the teams that were controlling their own destiny rested players in the last game(s) besides the Celtics. The Bucks were in control and could've sewn up the 2 seed on the last day if they won. They rested players and lost, Celtics played their usual guys and won, getting the 2 seed and the matchup we already knew was going to be the Nets. Turns out it was a great bet.

 

That was an awesome series, I can't remember seeing one where all the games were quite close but the whole thing ended in a sweep. Guess that suggests the Nets are good but the Celtics were simply better. Looked like they broke the spirit of the Nets out there... Dragic and Brown looked okay, but mostly because the Celtics were letting them have that space. Again, not a bad bet. They successfully made Durant look old and Kyrie look pedestrian. Kyrie's "let's get this over with, I wanna go home" look yesterday is a familiar one for Celtics fans.

[Indigo]

12 hours ago, DoctorWhom said:

Despite the refs best efforts, the Celtics sweep the Nets.

Just like everyone thought they would.  

I love how the refs tried to practically give Brooklyn the game in the end---and they still lost. From the ticky-tack foul that sent Tatum to the bench (they couldn't challenge because of an earlier call) to Blake Griffin getting a call every time someone touched him, to Brown losing the ball and getting a foul because KD ran through him, this was a clear and biased referee-ing game. Charles Barkley even said after the game that "that was the worst officiating I've ever seen".

[Digby]

12 hours ago, heavybass said:

Simmonds will be made the scapegoat for the Nets.... he's done as a player.

 

I hope not. I mean, I can't stand him, but if Brooklyn's best counterpunch was really "hope that Ben is ready to come back, after a year off, once his team has literally zero margin for error," then they're more adrift than I thought. Steve Nash did look overmatched as a coach in that series, but who's surprised? One more thing Boston's done right that Brooklyn hasn't.

[who do you think]

> Lakers get greedy even greedier then crap themselves so badly that they can only 33 win games

> Clippers paying a fortune in future draft picks for their two superteamers to sit on the bench all year and miss the playoffs

> Nets get high and mighty and arrogant, then get swept out of the first round

 

This has been a great season for the NBA and basketball as a whole. Not being sarcastic. Can't wait for the next sloppy superteam this glob of idiot socialites comes up with.

[DoctorWhom]

8 hours ago, LA Fakers+ LA Snippers said:

I love how the refs tried to practically give Brooklyn the game in the end---and they still lost. From the ticky-tack foul that sent Tatum to the bench (they couldn't challenge because of an earlier call) to Blake Griffin getting a call every time someone touched him, to Brown losing the ball and getting a foul because KD ran through him, this was a clear and biased referee-ing game. Charles Barkley even said after the game that "that was the worst officiating I've ever seen".

That's Scott Foster for you. 

Teams trailing in a series are something like 17-3 when he's the head ref. 

Clearly this wasn't the Celtics-Nets series the NBA wanted. 

[Indigo]

2 minutes ago, DoctorWhom said:

That's Scott Foster for you. 

Teams trailing in a series are something like 17-3 when he's the head ref. 

Clearly this wasn't the Celtics-Nets series the NBA wanted. 

That makes me think: does Adam Silver sit down with the officials and discuss what their ideal Finals matchup will be?

[Wings2]

On 4/25/2022 at 10:25 AM, DG_ThenNowForever said:

 

The Warriors still have three max guys and Draymond at $25M/year; let's not pretend like they're still not a super team because they absolutely are.

 

But still, you're right that we're in a sea change in the NBA. The draft picks of the mid/late 2010s are taking over the league and we're at the end of the road for LeBron and CP3, and getting there for guys like KD, Harden and maybe even Steph if he remains a 60% guy the rest of his career.

 

[MOD EDIT: Knock off the name-calling]

 

Edited April 27, 2022 by officeglenn

[DG_ThenNowForever]

14 hours ago, Wings2 said:

 

[MOD EDIT: Knock off the name-calling]

 

Maybe.

 

Who are you and why do you keep quoting my posts?

 

Edited April 27, 2022 by officeglenn