2023 NBA Playoffs

Kliq

Kliq

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Justthetippett said:
It'll be really interesting to see how he's viewed in retirement. He's media savvy enough to have a career in the booth or on the set, and aside from decking his own teammate, I think a lot of his antics are viewed as crafty/borderline but not outright malicious. (Which is not accurate but alas.) He's pushing it though, and could really benefit from cleaning up this crap.
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I could see Draymond being on an FS1 show yelling at Shannon Sharpe every day. I don't see him being on Inside the NBA or anything like that, because I don't think most people find him likeable. Maybe that image softens as his playing career gets further and further away, but the reason people like Chuck and Shaq are successful despite often being wrong and ill-informed is because they are genuinely likeable personalities.
 
PedroKsBambino

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I said this about Green's attack on Celtics in the finals and Ime felt differently (look at how it ended up for him!!!!!)....but if I were Mike Brown I'd tell all my guys that any chance they get in the first half to deliver a flagrant 1 to Draymond they should take.

I do not think they will toss the first player to do it, but they may well toss Green when he responds (which is fairly likely).

What you don't want to do is what Celtics did, which is get frustrated with lack of calls/response to Green's act and let it stop you from playing better basketball. You need the players to feel like they can come out in a fair place overall on all this, and to stay focused on winning the game beyond that.
 
Ale Xander

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I’m thinking if it was 1-1 or GsW had the series lead, it would be more likely for Draymond to be suspended

I’m cynical
 
Cellar-Door

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Ale Xander said:
I’m thinking if it was 1-1 or GsW had the series lead, it would be more likely for Draymond to be suspended

I’m cynical
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I was looking it up.... only 2 players i could find got suspended in the playoffs in the last 7 seasons... in 2016 Draymond got the auto-suspension on flagrant points.
The only one who got a straight up suspension.... Dillon Brooks and that was one where the guy he fouled was injured and set to miss a month plus (he got 1 game).

If you don't injure a guy you're not getting suspended... if the Auto flagrant point suspension hits that's different obviously.
 
PedroKsBambino

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Long ago now, but Robert Parish was suspended for game 6 of a playoff series for the public-service act of clocking Bill Laimbeer in 1987...
 
InstaFace

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Kliq said:
I disagree in that I think the narrative around Draymond is that he is this cerebral player who pushes limits to tick off opponents and everything he does is with this deep, strategic intent. I think he is a hugely emotional player that is extremely reactive from moment-to-moment, and that can lead to very good things, like hustling and working really hard on defense and firing his team up, and it can also lead to really bad things, like picking up needless techs and getting ejected from games because he can't control himself. He is immature and dangerous, and the Warriors have cultivated a culture where they have empowered him to be that way because they think it gives them the best chance to win because they need him to be engaged.
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This is pretty much where I'm at. I'm all for celebrating super competitive athletes who might even be assholes during the game, but every single professional athlete draws the line at threatening an opponent's livelihood to get an edge. The exceptions are mostly enforcers in the NHL, or the rare Suh or Burfict in the NFL, and all of them are talked about with utter contempt from fans. Basketball is at least nominally a non-contact sport, you can count on one hand the number of players who had a meaningful career and were willing to injure opponents for momentary advantage (whether intentional or reckless disregard). And every one of them insisted that they weren't dirty, just misunderstood, never meant to be a villain, etc - they're rationalizing. Only Draymond seems to revel in it, "I welcome your hatred" while he just punched your star player in the nuts or something. Nobody has ever convinced him that there exist any lines he can't cross. If he could bring a crowbar onto the court he would.
 
Ed Hillel

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It’s amazing to me Draymond hasn’t gotten anything back yet. Someone needs to step in and cheap shot his leg or something.
 
shoosh77

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When is someone in the League going to put Dram(a)yond in his place? Is he some secret MMA skilled guy? Wouldn’t someone like Bobby Portia (who’s game I also despise) drop him in a fight? At some point the players need to police themselves.

My oldest is the nicest kid, but after being kicked a dozen times in the knees in a soccer game with no call he finally slide tackled the kid. And that was the end of it.
 
coremiller

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Kliq said:
I disagree in that I think the narrative around Draymond is that he is this cerebral player who pushes limits to tick off opponents and everything he does is with this deep, strategic intent. I think he is a hugely emotional player that is extremely reactive from moment-to-moment, and that can lead to very good things, like hustling and working really hard on defense and firing his team up, and it can also lead to really bad things, like picking up needless techs and getting ejected from games because he can't control himself. He is immature and dangerous, and the Warriors have cultivated a culture where they have empowered him to be that way because they think it gives them the best chance to win because they need him to be engaged.
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The interesting thing about Draymond is that he is both super-cerebral and super-emotional at the same time. He might be the smartest player in the league at reading offensive actions, being in the right position, anticipating plays and being one step ahead, communicating rotations to the rest of the team, etc. He drew three charges last night because he correctly saw what was about to happen and got to the right spot first.

OTOH, you're definitely right that he's a super-emotional guy who feels, and the Warriors management seems to agree, that he needs to stoke, rather than limit, that inner fire to be at his best. Maybe that comes from being a defense-first smaller guy who constantly has to battle with much larger players. He's not good at managing those emotions and I don't even know if he really tries -- and who knows, maybe he has toned it down before and it's negatively affected his play. But it does meant that he's constantly pushing limits and occasionally going over the line.
 
coremiller

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SemperFidelisSox said:
Not suspending Green also sends the message to everyone that they can get away with a lot more physical play in Game 3.
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Cellar-Door said:
I was looking it up.... only 2 players i could find got suspended in the playoffs in the last 7 seasons... in 2016 Draymond got the auto-suspension on flagrant points.
The only one who got a straight up suspension.... Dillon Brooks and that was one where the guy he fouled was injured and set to miss a month plus (he got 1 game).

If you don't injure a guy you're not getting suspended... if the Auto flagrant point suspension hits that's different obviously.
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Sacramento needs to avoid falling into this trap. Brooks' foul that led to his suspension last year happened in the first few minutes of Game 2 against the Warriors after Draymond got tossed from Game 1 for a flagrant foul.
 
Mystic Merlin

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coremiller said:
The interesting thing about Draymond is that he is both super-cerebral and super-emotional at the same time. He might be the smartest player in the league at reading offensive actions, being in the right position, anticipating plays and being one step ahead, communicating rotations to the rest of the team, etc. He drew three charges last night because he correctly saw what was about to happen and got to the right spot first.

OTOH, you're definitely right that he's a super-emotional guy who feels, and the Warriors management seems to agree, that he needs to stoke, rather than limit, that inner fire to be at his best. Maybe that comes from being a defense-first smaller guy who constantly has to battle with much larger players. He's not good at managing those emotions and I don't even know if he really tries -- and who knows, maybe he has toned it down before and it's negatively affected his play. But it does meant that he's constantly pushing limits and occasionally going over the line.
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If he can’t play his best without that bullshit - and I don’t buy that for a second - then he can take a hike. He’s in a league of his own on this front.
 
DeJesus Built My Hotrod

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Sabonis handles himself with his peer group pretty well in that he too takes whatever edge he can get. He isn't chest stomping or anything but he most definitely engages in behaviors that might upset those pining for a less physical game. And until Green pulled out his move, Sabonis had been manhandling any Warriors in his proximity, as he should.

My guess is that GS was incredibly frustrated with Damontas well before the incident. Also, I don't see Sabonis or any of the Kings retaliating. It plays right into the Warriors hands and, more importantly, Sabonis seemed intent on focusing on only hoops going forward during the post-game. The Kings need to keep their eyes on two more wins.
 
Auger34

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For some reason Thibs had both Brunson and Randle on the floor in a game that is clearly over…of course, Randle ends up taking a hard foul and hurts himself
 
MannyRam

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Durant chewing out Biyombo after a bad pass TO, on their way back to the huddle. All while Biyombo is admitting fault ("that's on me").

What an insufferable douche
 
Deathofthebambino

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I love me some Scott Foster.


Tonight.


Kawhi goes to the bench, and Russ proceeds to take every shot, with predictable results.
 
Van Everyman

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Kliq said:
Incredible use of language here by Shams. Makes sure to say "stepping" instead of "stomping" and points out that it came after Sabonis grabbed Green's foot.
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They've always been around of course but the access merchants who seem to have no actual insights into the sports or players they cover really are the worst.
 
slamminsammya

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The sun's took 60 midrange shots in game 1 which is absolutely insane in 2023

Similar style tonight. I just don't see that being sustainable. They really could've used more than 8 games to figure out their offense
 
Euclis20

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I'll be honest, I thought LAC would just roll over tonight content with taking 1 of the first 2 games in Phoenix. Suns in real trouble here, nothing is easy for them.
 
Kliq

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The thing with Phoenix is that with the big trade and Durant's injury, they never got a real chance to integrate. I feel like people focused on the fact that Durant can just seamlessly play well with anyone, which is true, but not having Durant out there they never got a chance for these other guys who are going to have to step up without Bridges and Johnson, people like Okogie and Torrey Craig, to fit in playing with Durant and the "new" Suns.
 
djbayko

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Shams leak a trial balloon?

Can't believe Silver did the right thing here.

Edit: The stomp + "pu**y" back and forth with fans was enough for 1 game. If the decision was based in part on Green's history, as the statement says, then it should be more.
 
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jmcc5400

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Since they just showed some Bob McAdoo highlights, thought I’d note that tonight Tatum moved out of a tie with McAdoo for 99th all time in playoff points and into a tie with Mark Aguirre for 95th (passing Kyrie in the process). And he’s only 19.
 
osori

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I enjoy watching Westbrick for funs and giggles, but it must be a really frustrating experience for Westbrook/Clippers fans.
 
Tony C

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You know, I don't believe at all the whole Scott Foster conspiracy vs CP3 stuff. But he just called a foul against the Suns from behind the action when the ref under the basket/next to the action called (correctly) nothing. Replay showed a good foot between the Suns defender and the Clipper player.

Bad calls are part of the game....but that was just weird.
 
Tony C

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tbb345 said:
I don’t want to offend anyone here but Klay seems like he’s really dumb. I know most people like him around the league but he kind of strikes me as someone like James Franco’s character in Pineapple Express. He seems well meaning, he’s stoned all the time and a dummy.
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He really does seem like he's simply stupid
osori said:
I enjoy watching Westbrick for funs and giggles, but it must be a really frustrating experience for Westbrook/Clippers fans.
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What, why would watching your guy blow dunks be frustrating? :)

I give him credit in that he does play like a Tasmanian devil...but lord have the skills deteriorated.
 
InstaFace

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Westbrook, first 9 seasons in the league: 82.3% FT shooting
Westbrook, last 5 seasons in the league: 67.9% FT shooting

There are certain skills you expect to deteriorate with age, and then there's that.
 
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