Aldridge thought about taking a longer second step, but then felt a swell of Longhorn solidarity.In all seriousness, this happens way more than people acknowledge.
Pop will probably kill him for that in the film session.
Aldridge thought about taking a longer second step, but then felt a swell of Longhorn solidarity.In all seriousness, this happens way more than people acknowledge.
Sure, like he did when Bowen played for him! His outrage was palpable then too.Aldridge thought about taking a longer second step, but then felt a swell of Longhorn solidarity.
Pop will probably kill him for that in the film session.
lol, no I meant he'll kill Aldridge for not taking a longer step to get into KD's landing space. And I'm actually kinda serious!Sure, like he did when Bowen played for him! His outrage was palpable then too.
Got it - and you are probably right. If Shea Serrano sees that, his head is likely to explode.lol, no I meant he'll kill Aldridge for not taking a longer step to get into KD's landing space. And I'm actually kinda serious!
Yup. Zaza's dirty play ruined Game 2. At least the Spurs had a big lead in Game 1 so it was an interesting finish. We'll see what Kawhi looks like on Saturday. Spurs are a great home team so they won't lay down like this next couple of games. You could see this beat down from a mile away.This is the kind of gamethread you get when Durant joins a super team and Kawhi gets hurt...
Yup. No doubt. In the 80s, players would get tackled like football players. In today's game, we are just trying to roll some ankles. Progress!Aldridge definitely took a shot for Durant's ankle tonight:
Amazing LMA can't even get his arms up to contest the shot.Aldridge definitely took a shot for Durant's ankle tonight:
Wait, so are you arguing that this Aldridge play isn't dirty?One step, two step ... oh, the horror.
I think I've pretty consistently argued that kind of play is standard-issue "dirty," but that it happens all the time, and was blown out of proportion in the case of Zaza/Kawhi, due mostly to the greatness of Kawhi and the ensuing Spurs collapse. If Damian Jones makes the same play against Bryn Forbes, they probably don't even replay it once.Wait, so are you arguing that this Aldridge play isn't dirty?
Yeah, I'll go along with all that. I do think it's a little unfair to assume that that first 2.5 quarter beatdown the Spurs delivered — with the Warriors coming off an 8-day break, and starting the game at an hour when they're usually rolling out of bed — was representative of what to expect from the series. The Ws were overwhelming favorites going into the series, with better players at every position including the bench (with the exception of the starting SF slot, which was basically a push), and I think would ultimately have trampled the Spurs either way. But the two games in SA (assuming Kawhi is good to go) will give us a better sense of how true that is. Spurs could still shut me up good.The whining isn't really going to die down. Were it not for the dirty play, we'd have a 1-1 series going back to SA for 2 games. Spurs may surprise and win both at home but my guess is a split and a series conclusion in Game 5, which means that this play could potentially cost us some great Game 6 or 7 excitement. I'm sure Warriors fans are perfectly fine with this but it sucks for everyone else.
All I'm saying is that Spurs win Game 1 without the play. They probably lose Game 2 and split in SA and we'd probably have an awesome Game 5 at 2-2 back in Oakland. My guess is GS would win that and then we'd have an awesome Game 6 with a super team trying to close out a series in basically the Foxboro of the NBA. And if they didn't, you'd have an epic Game 7 that GS would probably pull out.Yeah, I'll go along with all that. I do think it's a little unfair to assume that that first 2.5 quarter beatdown the Spurs delivered — with the Warriors coming off an 8-day break, and starting the game at an hour when they're usually rolling out of bed — was representative of what to expect from the series. The Ws were overwhelming favorites going into the series, with better players at every position including the bench (with the exception of the starting SF slot, which was basically a push), and I think would ultimately have trampled the Spurs either way. But the two games in SA (assuming Kawhi is good to go) will give us a better sense of how true that is. Spurs could still shut me up good.
I guess all I'd gently request of the Warriors haters is that that they choose between "totally unbeatable superteam that wrecked the league" and "lucky bastards that need to rely on injuries to win games."
Get rid of salary caps all together, do it like baseball does it. We need more superstar teamups, not fewer.It's been said before, but the prospect of two 12-0 teams meeting in the finals drives home the point that for the good of the game, the league needs to get rid of max contracts.
Amusingly, the ESPN ticker lists Pachulia out (heel)Kawhi officially ruled out for Game 3. Zaza Samuelsson can eat shit.
Gregg Popovich, too (much as I love Pop). No reason a player who had badly turned his injured ankle ten minutes earlier by stepping back into his own bench needed to be on the floor in the first place.Kawhi officially ruled out for Game 3. Zaza Samuelsson can eat shit.
What would this have looked like? I think the Celts would have been the 4th seed, and Cleveland, Utah, and the Clips would be tied for the 5-7 slots. Celts would likely have been bounced in the 2nd round against any of those teams as the 5 seed. Anyway.Also the easiest fix for the playoffs is keep the schedules the same (for now) but just take the best 16 records in the league, regardless of conference, and seed 1-16. In years like this and last where there is a major dropoff after the top 4 teams in the league, it would be nice if two of them didn't meet in the second round.
And it's the same Spurs team that lost by 100 in Game 2. They'll play better at home, might even squeak out a win, but this series was over before it began because of 1 stupid play. That just sucks.Gregg Popovich, too (much as I love Pop). No reason a player who had badly turned his injured ankle ten minutes earlier by stepping back into his own bench needed to be on the floor in the first place.
Mostly, just tough luck for hoops fans with no real horse in the race.
Still: never count out Pop and the Spurs. This is the same Kawhi-less team that went into Houston with the Rockets facing elimination and everyone assuming a Rockets blowout... and won by 40.
No, under a different system, pretty obviously the Cavs would have tried harder during the season and been 3rd or 4th, they were 23-23 after January 8th. It warps the entire season when Cleveland knows they basically won't be challenged until the Finals, 34-4 now in Eastern Conference playoff games since LBJ came back.What would this have looked like? I think the Celts would have been the 4th seed, and Cleveland, Utah, and the Clips would be tied for the 5-7 slots. Celts would likely have been bounced in the 2nd round against any of those teams as the 5 seed. Anyway.
The problem with this is that there would be a lot more playoff series between teams three time zones apart. That's the real reason for conferences and unbalanced schedules.Also the easiest fix for the playoffs is keep the schedules the same (for now) but just take the best 16 records in the league, regardless of conference, and seed 1-16. In years like this and last where there is a major dropoff after the top 4 teams in the league, it would be nice if two of them didn't meet in the second round.
No, under a different system, pretty obviously the Cavs would have tried harder during the season and been 3rd or 4th, they were 23-23 after January 8th. It warps the entire season when Cleveland knows they basically won't be challenged until the Finals, 34-4 now in Eastern Conference playoff games since LBJ came back.
Agree x 2The problem with this is that there would be a lot more playoff series between teams three time zones apart. That's the real reason for conferences and unbalanced schedules.
Hmm, by a quick count, this year there would be 5 Eastern time zone teams and 3 Pacific time zone teams, the other eight in the middle. With all of the off days in the playoffs, this seems like less of a problem, but they could easily switch to a 2/3/2 system to help if needed.The problem with this is that there would be a lot more playoff series between teams three time zones apart. That's the real reason for conferences and unbalanced schedules.
This. Really sucks for a basketball fan. Fuck Zaza and the Warriors.The whining isn't really going to die down. Were it not for the dirty play, we'd have a 1-1 series going back to SA for 2 games. Spurs may surprise and win both at home but my guess is a split and a series conclusion in Game 5, which means that this play could potentially cost us some great Game 6 or 7 excitement. I'm sure Warriors fans are perfectly fine with this but it sucks for everyone else.
34-4. I thought that was a misprint. What a hilarious, depressing stat.No, under a different system, pretty obviously the Cavs would have tried harder during the season and been 3rd or 4th, they were 23-23 after January 8th. It warps the entire season when Cleveland knows they basically won't be challenged until the Finals, 34-4 now in Eastern Conference playoff games since LBJ came back.
It doesn't help when the second best team in the conference plays them about as competitively as UConn women's basketball opponents play the Huskies.34-4. I thought that was a misprint. What a hilarious, depressing stat.
Yeah the Celtics shouldn't get McGee unless it's a dirt cheap contract. We've had this discussion before, the only people to ever enjoy the McGee experience are people who expect very little out of him.Spurs keeping it relatively close in the first half versus Golden State. Davis Bertans looks like another keeper for San Antonio and Manu is having a turn back the clock type half. On the other side, the resurrection of JaVale McGee continues with 16 points in 11 minutes. If I am the Celtics, I seriously look at him this offseason. As much as the Warriors are a great landing spot for his career resurgence, the Celtics, with their established management and team culture are another place where he can likely thrive.
I know we've had this discussion before but the topic isn't closed imho. People grow and mature. McGee clearly came into this season with a level of dedication and seriousness that he had never shown before in his career.Yeah the Celtics shouldn't get McGee unless it's a dirt cheap contract. We've had this discussion before, the only people to ever enjoy the McGee experience are people who expect very little out of him.
So, what is the purpose of this post exactly?Worse than what Zaza did, latest chapter:
Same knee in which Steph strained his MCL in last year's playoffs.
I guess just to show how incredibly common that type thing of is? And I suppose to quash any potential narrative that the Warriors have a tolerance for or a culture of goonery that the Spurs and other teams do not (not that I think anyone here really buys into that stuff, beyond just being bummed for Kawhi and sorry that we all probably missed what could have been an epic WCF).So, what is the purpose of this post exactly?
To start, I think that Dedmon and Aldridge were clearly retaliating for the Zaza play. Whether they did it on their own or with some kind of *wink* *wink* approval from the coaching staff, we'll never know. I'm not big on the retaliation stuff but Zaza clearly instigated this. I've watched a ton of Spurs games and I've never noticed this kind of stuff outside of Bowen.I guess just to show how incredibly common that type thing of is? And I suppose to quash any potential narrative that the Warriors have a tolerance for or a culture of goonery that the Spurs and other teams do not (not that I think anyone here really buys into that stuff, beyond just being bummed for Kawhi and sorry that we all probably missed what could have been an epic WCF).
I'm also totally open to an argument that what Dedmon did here was less egregious than what Zaza did. My sense is that it's significantly worse in term of its potential to cause serious injury, but since you guys are almost certainly more objective than I am, I'm curious what you think.
Yikes, that's awful. I thought the Zaza play was reckless, at best, and more likely than not had some intention behind it, but this is an escalation for sure. Kawhi being out sucks for everyone who loves basketball, but hopefully there's no more of this shit.Worse than what Zaza did, latest chapter:
Same knee in which Steph strained his MCL in last year's playoffs.