2021 NBA Playoffs Gamethread

HomeRunBaker

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Jan 15, 2004
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Lebron for Wiggins Wiseman and both lotto picks this year, who says no?

I mean, probably the Lakers because they have no draft picks so they're almost forced to just run this years team back and pray, but I don't see how this gets any better next year with no way to improve the team.
I’m gonna say one year too early for this. Next summer could be interesting though if the Lakers struggle again. Blowing it up won’t be out of the question at that point.
 

lovegtm

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Apr 30, 2013
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I’m gonna say one year too early for this. Next summer could be interesting though if the Lakers struggle again. Blowing it up won’t be out of the question at that point.
We're also at 2 of the last 3 years where LeBron has broken down. I understand the Lakers taking one more shot at getting him through a year (their best move imo), but it's a real thing now. This isn't the same guy who went 48 minutes to beat the Pacers in 2018 and then did similar to beat the Celtics.
 

128

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We're also at 2 of the last 3 years where LeBron has broken down. I understand the Lakers taking one more shot at getting him through a year (their best move imo), but it's a real thing now. This isn't the same guy who went 48 minutes to beat the Pacers in 2018 and then did similar to beat the Celtics.
All true, and our hearts break for the Lakers.
 

Devizier

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They can sign two or three ring chasers on the cheap. If Lebron and AD are healthy, they will be a top contender again next year.
Possible, depends on what the Heat do with Dragic. But the list is pretty much Rose and Lou Williams otherwise, unless Lowry wants to leave a ton on the table.
 

PedroKsBambino

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Yeah, I am not sure about the mix of ring chasers and Laker slots that gets them back. Pelinka has done a really poor job overall, imo....they really have two alphas, Kuzma (overpaid but useful rotation wing), Caruso (useful third guard), THT (interesting upside guy, but not yet there) and a bunch of dreck. I get Danny Green and Rondo were old, but they at least fit. Schroeder didn't really work, nor did Harrell, and KCP did not look good.

If you're starting with LBJ and AD you are a threat, but there's a lot of work to do there. I hope they continue to fail to do it :)
 

BigSoxFan

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Yeah, I am not sure about the mix of ring chasers and Laker slots that gets them back. Pelinka has done a really poor job overall, imo....they really have two alphas, Kuzma (overpaid but useful rotation wing), Caruso (useful third guard), THT (interesting upside guy, but not yet there) and a bunch of dreck. I get Danny Green and Rondo were old, but they at least fit. Schroeder didn't really work, nor did Harrell, and KCP did not look good.

If you're starting with LBJ and AD you are a threat, but there's a lot of work to do there. I hope they continue to fail to do it :)
Kuzma was especially awful last night. Lakers will continue to be good but wouldn't be surprised if this started a string of mediocre playoff performances. Of course, until the Lakers pull out another star out of their asses.
 

bosockboy

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Kuzma was especially awful last night. Lakers will continue to be good but wouldn't be surprised if this started a string of mediocre playoff performances. Of course, until the Lakers pull out another star out of their asses.
They’ll get Dame for a ball rack.
 

Jed Zeppelin

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The Atlanta Hawks just won their first playoff series in five games or fewer since 1986. Think about that for a minute.
Especially with the 1st round being Best of 5 for
‘I was told his pain intensified when his mobility is tested’

Fucking sports speak.

How about: ‘when he plays on the groin it hurts too much for him to continue’
Glad I am not the only one who caught that. One of the funniest things I’ve ever heard spoken live on television.
 

cheech13

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Jan 5, 2006
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You take Lebron, AD, and the title 100 times out of 100 but it’s wild to think that if the Lakers had basically done nothing at all they’d have a roster of Lonzo, Russell, Ingram, Randle, Nance, Hunter, Zubac, Clarkson, Hart, THT and Caruso.
 

OurF'ingCity

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Apr 22, 2016
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Outside of the Mavs, none of the remaining nine teams has won a title in the last 37 years.
Which raises the question - who is everybody rooting for at this point? I think my ranking would be (bias towards WC teams since many of the East teams annoy me due to past series vs. Cs)

Hawks
Suns
Mavs [if they advance]
Jazz
Nuggets
Bucks
Clippers [if they advance]
Sixers
.
.
.
Earth destroyed by meteor
.
.
.
Nets
 

PedroKsBambino

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Bobby Marks had a somewhat interesting idea that they use their pick this year (day after draft, when they can trade it) and pieces to do a sign and trade for DeRozan.

The only other 'star' I can sort of see is if they have just the right salary pieces assemble to get Kevin Love---whcih is hard to structure and also unclear if it makes sense

I think from a Laker-hater perspective we're rooting for Harrell to decline his player option (seems fairly likely to me) and also someone to drop a big, back-loaded offer sheet on THT
 

JCizzle

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Which raises the question - who is everybody rooting for at this point? I think my ranking would be (bias towards WC teams since many of the East teams annoy me due to past series vs. Cs)

Hawks
Suns
Mavs [if they advance]
Jazz
Nuggets
Bucks
Clippers [if they advance]
Sixers
.
.
.
Earth destroyed by meteor
.
.
.
Nets
For whatever reason, Giannis doesn't bug me the same way that other opponents have in the recent past. I absolutely love his competitiveness. I'm pulling for the Bucks from the east and Suns in the west. I like Mitchell a lot, so the Jazz are a close second to the Suns on that side of the bracket. Absolutely agreed that the Nets are in last by a significant margin.
 

Ale Xander

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Oct 31, 2013
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Which raises the question - who is everybody rooting for at this point? I think my ranking would be (bias towards WC teams since many of the East teams annoy me due to past series vs. Cs)

Hawks
Suns
Mavs [if they advance]
Jazz
Nuggets
Bucks
Clippers [if they advance]
Sixers
.
.
.
Earth destroyed by meteor
.
.
.
Nets
Suns
Nuggets


Mavs
Jazz



Clippers (just to f with Fakers fans)







Bucks










Hawks (post-Game 6 2008 angina, Tree Rollins, F Oklahoma)

Sixers






meteor







Nyets
 

PedroKsBambino

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It's primarily about hating Kyrie for me. I like Harden, as annoying as some of his diving is, and appreciate his overall game. Ditto Durant (substitute 'fake tough guy' for 'diving') I don't hate on them enough to have them, say, behind the meteor for me.

But Kyrie is awful and single-handedly ramps the hate up well beyond all other remaining teams
 

HowBoutDemSox

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Aug 12, 2009
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Rooting interests by tier:

Tier 1 - Let's goooooo!
Bucks - Would love to see Giannis get rewarded for sticking around a mid sized market, I had a good time in Milwaukee the one time I was there - cheese and beer, what's not to like?
Clippers - Their success would piss off the Lakers and their fans so, so much.
Hawks - Fun, young, well built team.

Tier 2 -Good for them, I guess
Nuggets - Joker is fun, no other strong feels there.
Mavs - They'll be a perpetual contender with Luka and have won semi-recently. Cuban can be annoying but he's not the worst.
Suns - Booker is likeable but CP3 can be a whiner/cheap shot artist, so basically cancels out.

Tier 3 - Hopefully not
Jazz - Gobert was an ass about COVID last fall, don't find them to be a likeable team (Ingles in particular is annoying) other than maybe Mitchell.
Sixers - I hate how they assembled that team through tanking, I don't want them to be rewarded for it with a title.

Tier 4 - I should have been emitting more hydrocarbons so that global warming acted faster to destroy life as we know it
Nets - enough said.
 

OurF'ingCity

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For whatever reason, Giannis doesn't bug me the same way that other opponents have in the recent past. I absolutely love his competitiveness. I'm pulling for the Bucks from the east and Suns in the west. I like Mitchell a lot, so the Jazz are a close second to the Suns on that side of the bracket. Absolutely agreed that the Nets are in last by a significant margin.
I don’t mind Giannis himself but the treatment he gets from refs really annoys me. For a while I thought I might just be overstating that based on Celtics-Bucks games but having watched some Bucks games against non-Cs opponents recently, it seems like he gets some ridiculous calls no matter who he is playing.

That said, when playing the Nets I hope he gets to the line 25 times every game.
 

Kliq

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Mar 31, 2013
22,673
I actually think the Lakers had a pretty good roster this season, but they were undone by injuries. They have a supporting cast of guys that know their roles, play really hard and are very competitive on the defensive end. If LeBron and Davis were healthy, they would have been a top contender. But injuries are a problem when you are relying on a 36 year old with a billion miles on his odometer and Davis, who has rarely played a full healthy season. Of course the supporting cast looked like ass when Davis was hurt and LeBron wasn't 100%.

I get people are expecting LeBron to just carry this bunch of role players to victory, and some people are pointing at his age, which is definitely a factor. Maybe 2013 LeBron just Hulk-lifts this team to glory, even without Davis. I think a big factor is also that LeBron is not playing in a weak Eastern Conference. He is playing in a difficult Western Conference where many teams have star players that will put you out of your misery if you let them. It's hard to look at some of those Celtics team that LeBron blew past, or the Pacers, and compare them to the Suns. The Suns (and many teams in basketball today) are closer to the Spurs teams that overwhelmed peak LeBron than they are to the Pacers or Celtics who were deeply flawed when they played Miami/Cleveland.

The Suns are really good. Booker...I mean what a killer! Talk about going into LA and just immediately destroying the defending champs. CP3 has helped the team a lot and his role can't be understated, but I also think this is a really good team for him to be on. He has another creator who can work off-ball or on-ball and they have a good collection of big wings that can defend and shoot. I said earlier this year that Ayton was the X Factor for this team, and boy did he come through. The Lakers strength is that they can play really big and bully other teams off the floor, but Ayton did the bullying throughout the series. He shot 80% from the floor and controlled the boards. Really encouraging series if from him if you are the Suns.
 

luckiestman

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Of the remaining players I think I like CP3, Booker, Jokic, Giannis, and Embiid, Luka the best (4/6 foreign born...interesting how international the top end of the game has gotten).

I also like the way the SLC coach looks like he is straight out of an 80s movie.

Nets are the only problem really remaining but they have 3 soft guys so I hope we get them out of there.
 

HomeRunBaker

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Have people come to the realization that Harrell hasn’t been really good in a couple of years? He’s a turnstile defensively, gets overpowered by size on the block and his only value is as a garbage man offensively around the basket.
 

Sam Ray Not

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Which raises the question - who is everybody rooting for at this point? I think my ranking would be (bias towards WC teams since many of the East teams annoy me due to past series vs. Cs)

Hawks
Suns
Mavs [if they advance]
Jazz
Nuggets
Bucks
Clippers [if they advance]
Sixers
.
.
.
Earth destroyed by meteor
.
.
.
Nets
I’ll go...

Nuggets, Hawks, Bucks, Suns, Jazz, Sixers, Mavs, Clippers, Meteor.
 

radsoxfan

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Aug 9, 2009
13,622
I’m gonna say one year too early for this. Next summer could be interesting though if the Lakers struggle again. Blowing it up won’t be out of the question at that point.
I agree, they were still good with healthy Lebron/AD this year. I don't think they have much choice other than to hope they get at least one more good year out of that combo. None of the injuries look to be Kemba or Blake Griffin type progressive arthritic declines.

Of course Lebron is going to be 37 and AD is chronically injured at age 28, so no assurances next year ends any differently. But I still think they will try to run it back while tinkering on the edges for at least one more season.

As far as rooting interests going forward, mainly I'll be rooting for the team playing the Nets. So go Bucks!

Aside from that I don't care too much, I suppose Bucks, Suns and Mavs would be my top 3.
 

ElUno20

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Jul 19, 2005
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There's this given in talking about the lakers like lebron isnt old and breaking down. Their future is kinda fucked. AD isn't suddenly going to become a reliable healthy player. He's a ticking time bomb for a major injury.

They need another #1 to help lebron. A dame, steph, etc.
 

Euclis20

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or Chris Paul. He's no longer at the same level as Dame/Steph, but with him reportedly declining his $44M option, who knows what he's looking for next year. He'd be a massive, massive get for the Lakers, even as they'd be tripling down on future HOFers with high risk of injury.
 

TripleOT

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Jul 4, 2007
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My teams now that the Celtics are eliminated

Clippers, who have always been my (distant) second team due to the URI connections over the years. I also felt bad about rooting against Rondo last season.

Hawks, who are a fun team, with an Italian player. Plus they block the Sixers

Suns, because I like how they play, and like Jae Crowder.

Nuggets, because of Mike Malone, and their great uniform. Plus I like the old school game of Jokic.

Bucks because them winning means the Nets aren’t winning.

Mavs because I like the way Rick Carlisle coaches, plus watching Luka on the big stage will be fun.

Jazz, because they are not the Sixers or Nets




Sixers, only because they block the Nets, and I like Doc Rivers, and Sam Cassell.





<if this post could go to a length that would take a lifetime to scroll to the end>. The Nets.
 

Cellar-Door

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Aug 1, 2006
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or Chris Paul. He's no longer at the same level as Dame/Steph, but with him reportedly declining his $44M option, who knows what he's looking for next year. He'd be a massive, massive get for the Lakers, even as they'd be tripling down on future HOFers with high risk of injury.
3 years $100-120M is what he's looking for next year, and it won't be with LAL.
 

Euclis20

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My first reaction when he opted out was that he's looking to go to a title contender, but looking more closely it sounds like I'm wrong. He can look for that, but he's an oft injured 6 foot 36 year old. Maybe some stupid team with cap space that strikes out with bigger name free agents (Knicks!) takes the plunge, but I think that's a horrible move for any team that isn't one player away from a title.
 

Cellar-Door

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My first reaction when he opted out was that he's looking to go to a title contender, but looking more closely it sounds like I'm wrong. He can look for that, but he's an oft injured 6 foot 36 year old. Maybe some stupid team with cap space that strikes out with bigger name free agents (Knicks!) takes the plunge, but I think that's a horrible move for any team that isn't one player away from a title.
He's on a title contender right now. He's going to get more guaranteed money from PHX to stay with Ayton and Booker.
 

Euclis20

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The doors have opened a bit with Davis/Murray/Embiid injured, but this team is still a few years away from peaking (Booker/Ayton are 24 and 22). Beating a thoroughly mediocre Lakers team (and that's what they were with Davis out and Lebron clearly not at 100%) doesn't change that. I think that Paul can go to any playoff team missing a point guard and make them about as good as this Suns' team, but to each his own. Staying in Phoenix definitely maximizes his potential earnings, and maybe that's his goal (either because he just wants the money or because he feels an obligation as the president of the players association to get the biggest contract possible), but he's 36, only been as far as the conference finals once, and he's already one of the highest earning players of all time ($300M, almost exactly) before you even start counting endorsements. The Suns are absolutely not the best option for him to win a title in the next 2-3 years if winning a title is goal #1.

For what feels like the first time in his career I'm rooting for him, so in that sense I hope he stays in Phoenix.
 

Tony C

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Nice slam by Porzingis, but he is a shell of what he used to be. Or what he was purported to be.
 

cardiacs

Admires Neville Chamberlain
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I am enjoying this game. Both teams playing hard and with an edge. Hope Dallas can advance a few rounds, they are a fun team to watch
 

HomeRunBaker

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Jan 15, 2004
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Clippers bench:
0-3
0 points

Clippers bench + MaMo
1-10
4 points

Reggie Jackson putting on his best Monte Morris impersonation tonight.
 

Cellar-Door

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Clipps getting a great offensive game from Kawhi, they should win.... especially since PG13 is having a solid game
 

scottyno

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Kawhi massively outplaying Luka tonight and it's still not enough so far
 

Sam Ray Not

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His game is great to watch. But the never ending complaining is starting to make me root against him. In a league full of complainers, he might be in his own tier.
If he's is in his own complaining tier, it's a tier below LeBron's.
 

Tony C

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His game is great to watch. But the never ending complaining is starting to make me root against him. In a league full of complainers, he might be in his own tier.
yeah, i find the incessant complaining about complaining players to be lame: these guys are hyper competitive, of course they're gonna complain all the time. It's also a bit ironic to complain about others complaining. That said, Doncic is in his own tier and it does detract from enjoying his amazing game.
 

Cellar-Door

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Kawhi is having one of the best games of his career, Luka is struggling.... somehow it's still only a 5 point game
 

HomeRunBaker

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Reggie wtf are you doing? How can you be so undisciplined in a spot like this? Inexcusable.