NBA Playoffs: Round One Game Thread
- Thread starter riboflav
- Start date
Dallas shouldn't be here. The fact that they are going to push this series to, at least, six games is amazing. I mean, a few more made Mavs FTs and perhaps the Spurs are going home for the offseason after tonight.
DtTtB's SSS Playoff/Round 1 rankings through 4/28:shawnrbu said:
1. Miami
big dropoff
2. Portland
3. OKC
4. Memphis
5. GSW
6. SAS
7. Dallas
8. Houston
9. LAC
big dropoff
10. Washington
11. Brooklyn
big dropoff
12. Toronto
13. Chicago
big dropoff
14. Atlanta
15. Indiana
16. Charlotte
Ed Hillel said:
My thoughts exactly. Pretty awesome to hear that fan get on Paul George. Could hear that loud and clear over the commentators.
There has been plenty of unconfirmed rumors and gossip like George hooking up with Hiberts fiancé and juvenile things like that.
just posted on the Sterling thread, but more apt here:
Shifting to the game: so the Clippers came out and basically didn't try in game 4, letting the Warriors back into the series. Does this re-energize them? Will the fans show up and will those that do show up take this a rallying cry -- ding dong the wicked racist is dead, ding dong.... -- or is it going to be dead?
Thismay be is the most amazing first round in NBA history.
Shifting to the game: so the Clippers came out and basically didn't try in game 4, letting the Warriors back into the series. Does this re-energize them? Will the fans show up and will those that do show up take this a rallying cry -- ding dong the wicked racist is dead, ding dong.... -- or is it going to be dead?
This
I vote that the cloud is still hanging over the Clippers. Of course I am talking my book here but the franchise and these playoffs are tainted for them. This will be a story for as long as they are still playing.
I also don't agree that the Clippers gave up or didn’t try in game four. The Warriors made a big adjustment to their starting lineup which allowed them to spread the floor and play better defense on Griffin. These teams were evenly matched during the regular season (2-2) so its not like a tie series is a shock.
I barely watched, being as disaffected as anyone, but the minutes I did watch I saw a team that was barely getting back on defense and looked disinterested. I recall JVG (I think he was the color guy) making a comment (paraphrasing) "and once again only 2 Clippers get back in transition while 3 stay on their side of the court."
That's not to say the Warriors weren't locked and ready to go and maybe if I'd watched the whole game I'd have a different impression....so not saying my take is definitely correct.
That's not to say the Warriors weren't locked and ready to go and maybe if I'd watched the whole game I'd have a different impression....so not saying my take is definitely correct.
DeJesus Built My Hotrod said:
I agree. I see the Sterling situation as a distraction obviously, but not really the culprit of why LA lost the game. LA lost because GS got off to a scorching hot start and spread the floor wonderfully. I hear people saying "Well, it was clear the Clippers were in no emotional shape to play on Sunday," and I find that to be unjustified. If Steph Curry missed some jump shots no one would be saying that.
DeJesus Built My Hotrod said:
The teams were evenly matched in the regular season, but that was with a healthy Bogut. The Warriors are nowhere close to the same team without him defensively.
Well, it'll be an interesting test in a few hours. Obviously a ton of variables so nothing can be proven one way or the other whatever happens during game 5, but a good chance the emotional situation is quite different and, in my own subjective opinion, that'll have an effect on how the Clippers play. The Warriors scored 39 points in the 1st quarter (which I think was the most they scored in a quarter all season long, if I recall a comment correctly), I just don't see that happening if the Clippers put up resistance.
coremiller said:
No question but their move to start Green and have him guard Griffin was fantastic. Green can shoot from the perimeter just well enough that Griffin has to respect his shot. He is also the only Warrior capable of stopping Griffin defensively (insofar as stopping really means containing him a bit). With Lee at the five, he has enough range to pull Jordan away from the basket and opens up spacing for the rest of the shooters. The Warriors didn't just get lucky the other day or run into a team that had quit. They employed a different strategy and it worked. Now it remains to see what Doc counters with this game.
One thing that seems to be true is that when the Warriors play small and get the floor spread, the Clippers cannot defend the Dubs scorers. Paul gets in foul trouble and Reddick, Barnes and the rest of their bench are effectively turn-styles.
Gibson getting hurt and Boozer playing the 4th has absolutely killed the Bulls in this quarter. In addition to just being terrible on offense, he somehow managed to not box out Gortat on 3 straight offensive boards on the same possession. Unbelievable.
Washington is simply dominating the Bulls on the boards here late in the game. The Bulls will not get a last shot here because Nene is a beast and nobody can secure the ball for Chicago. Amazing.
It's gonna be funny when the Heats road to the finals ends up being Charlotte, Toronto, Atlanta.
The Grizzlies are blowing the Thunder out at home. Nobody in the West wants to play Memphis. They are the physically toughest team in the NBA.
ifmanis5 said:
Its a vestige of a much more ignorant time. He must have been scheduled last Friday.
This just seems overblown for me, and when I say that, I'm talking about how important this game is. Aldridge said Jordan got a text today saying something like "This game is bigger then basketball." I'm sorry, but I find that hard to believe. WTF is going to happen if the Clippers lose this game tonight? Is Donald Sterling going to regain control of the Clippers? Today was a really important day for the NBA, but for the Clippers, all this really is is just another playoff game. Maybe I can't speak for the players or Doc, but that is just how I feel.
Is OKC's window closed before it even opened? Where's the hope for that roster? They are playing 2.5 on 5. Ibaka has done absolutely nothing, isn't a great 1 on 1 defender and can't create on offense. They have the worst 4 through 12 players out of all the Western conference playoff teams and have shown no interest in adding any major salary at all. Courtney Lee was given away for nothing -- why weren't the Thunder in on him?
Durant and Westbrook would be fools to stay once their contracts are up, not with that owner.
Durant and Westbrook would be fools to stay once their contracts are up, not with that owner.
With no timeouts, I think OKC should foul here. Memphis may have done them a favor calling that timeout with 20 seconds left.
