NBA playoffs 2018
- Thread starter DeJesus Built My Hotrod
- Start date
How much does the NBA world freakout if: LeBron loses game 7, GS and Hou win 1 or 2 at home? Would anyone actually be shocked if all 3 occurred in the next few days?
I don't understand the 2nd part: are you saying GS and HOU might split the home part of their series?
LeBron losing is obviously quite possible, probably 40%+ odds.
Sorry, meant 1 OF 2 at home. Basically if on Wednesday LeBron is out, GS is 1-1 and Hou is 1-1 on the road, it'll make for quite the shift in narrative for the crowd that had GS as a lock, or maaaaaybe Houston, or maaaaaybe Playoff LeBron.
Of course I fully expect GS to win it all, just saying...
Of course I fully expect GS to win it all, just saying...
I am not sure that every game goes this way but the Pelicans were a poor match-up for the Blazers. The Warriors, even without Curry, are a poor match-up for the Pelicans.
That said, not sure that this series will be that easy for the Warriors going forward.
The Pelicans match up really badly against the Warriors. But I’m not sure Houston will have much of a chance against a locked in GSW team at full strength. And no Eastern conference team stands a chance (not till Boston next year anyway).
The NBA has so much going for it now with great story lines and exciting young stars emerging, but having a team with a 73 win nucleus + Kevin Durant is ridiculous. For the sake of having some competitive playoff series, really hoping one of GSW’s big 4 have a (non career threatening) injury that knocks em out the rest of the way.
The NBA has so much going for it now with great story lines and exciting young stars emerging, but having a team with a 73 win nucleus + Kevin Durant is ridiculous. For the sake of having some competitive playoff series, really hoping one of GSW’s big 4 have a (non career threatening) injury that knocks em out the rest of the way.
538 now has the Warriors all the way up an 11% shot, which is better than the 4% they gave them a couple weeks ago, but still lower than the 12.5% allotted to the average quarterfinalist if you just drew one of the eight teams from a hat. Gjge, Nate Silver.
Will be interesting to see how quickly the mainstream's take on the Warriors moves from “banged up underachievers who are gonna get bounced in the early rounds if Curry doesn’t get back soon” (Kellerman, Bayless, Earl Watson, Nick Wright, et al.) to “meh, what do you expect, this was always a foregone conclusion. Zzz.” And then back again if the Warriors lose a game or two.
El Uno may be the only Warriors observer I read/see regularly who has never been fooled.
Fwiw, I agree with NoX that the Rockets have a good shot to take them out. Not sure it’s better than 50%, or even 40%, but it should be an epic series (assuming both teams gets past NO/Utah and are healthy).
Will be interesting to see how quickly the mainstream's take on the Warriors moves from “banged up underachievers who are gonna get bounced in the early rounds if Curry doesn’t get back soon” (Kellerman, Bayless, Earl Watson, Nick Wright, et al.) to “meh, what do you expect, this was always a foregone conclusion. Zzz.” And then back again if the Warriors lose a game or two.
El Uno may be the only Warriors observer I read/see regularly who has never been fooled.
Fwiw, I agree with NoX that the Rockets have a good shot to take them out. Not sure it’s better than 50%, or even 40%, but it should be an epic series (assuming both teams gets past NO/Utah and are healthy).
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I don’t think any team has a “good” chance at taking them out but Houston certainly has the best chance out of everyone else. GS looked amazing last night...without their future HoF PG.
They have a chance, (if Curry comes back healthy) which isn't the same as saying it's a good one. GS easily advanced in the first round despite losing their best player. They won easily last night, without their best player. Imagine how far the Cavs or Houston would have gone if either lost Lebron or Harden?
GS is easily the best team in the nation and the only thing that could potentially stop them is an ankle.
LeBron bowing out in the first round this afternoon would really be the cherry on top of this basketball weekend sundae.
Warriors in 5
Rockets in 6
Sixers in 5 or 6 I'm torn so 5
Toronto in 6 vs either pacers or Cavs
Rockets in 6
Sixers in 5 or 6 I'm torn so 5
Toronto in 6 vs either pacers or Cavs
NBA is going to make sure Cleveland wins this game. They just gave a tech for a guy making a play less than a second after the whistle...
Two things.
First LeBron sold that Lance foul really well. Surprised that was not a flagrant and that James isn't undergoing brain surgery right now.
Also, the Cavs defense is so porous. They deflect a pass back above the line with seven seconds remaining on the clock and yet Joseph fields the ball and threads a pass to Sabonis for an easy layup. Good or even adequate defensive teams don't let that happen after they have the offense on its heels.
First LeBron sold that Lance foul really well. Surprised that was not a flagrant and that James isn't undergoing brain surgery right now.
Also, the Cavs defense is so porous. They deflect a pass back above the line with seven seconds remaining on the clock and yet Joseph fields the ball and threads a pass to Sabonis for an easy layup. Good or even adequate defensive teams don't let that happen after they have the offense on its heels.
That was as nice crossover from Stephenson, but that's not the shot they need to get back in this quickly.
If we've learned anything about this Cleveland team, it's that they'll come out hot on offense and then start defending the pick and roll and transition defense like they're optional. We'll see if that happens in an elimination game.
If we've learned anything about this Cleveland team, it's that they'll come out hot on offense and then start defending the pick and roll and transition defense like they're optional. We'll see if that happens in an elimination game.
Pacers missed a ton of open looks early and then had some trouble getting those looks at the end of the quarter. I feel like this is really close to getting out of hand early if Indiana can't string together some buckets fast. I really wanted a competitive game to enjoy this afternoon so I hope they get their shit together.
Lebron plays every minute of the 1st quarter, and ends it by making a 20 footer at the buzzer. 5/5 from the floor for 13 points.
Make it 6/6. Can't help but respect the guy. He absolutely throws his team on his shoulders more than anyone else in sports.
Make it 6/6. Can't help but respect the guy. He absolutely throws his team on his shoulders more than anyone else in sports.
LeBron is just not capable of lifting the team to the level needed to get anywhere much this year (regardless of result today)
He has to do everything offensively and even if he put max effort in defensively they would still be bad, and if he did he could not carry this amount of load offensively.
You can blame him for the roster of course but you can't really criticize his play. He's a monster.
He has to do everything offensively and even if he put max effort in defensively they would still be bad, and if he did he could not carry this amount of load offensively.
You can blame him for the roster of course but you can't really criticize his play. He's a monster.
The Pacers aren't scared. And they know if they can keep running their PnR and get stops, this will be a game. Outside of James and maybe Green, the Cavs cannot defend.
