2018 NBA Playoffs Thread

[B Sox]

Hardens iso game is cool for the dudes that hoop at 24 hour fitness because they can ooh and aww when people get crossed etc, but it doesn’t equate to winning basketball. I’ve always disliked hardens game. My guy Dwade gets labeled Dwistle but Hardens game is more reliable on the refs and it doesn’t translate in the playoffs. Harden just a better And 1 mixtape player with a better jump shot.

He was the best player on a team that won 65 regular season games and then just lost in Game 7 of the conference finals to a team that has 4 all-stars, 2 of which are former MVPs, with Chris Paul missing both Games 6 and 7.

Why are we doing this?

 

[MVP]

Was Harden spotted at gentleman's establishment last night?

 

[abematic]

**** the warriors.

Hope Lebron does the remarkable.

 

[keko jones]

I really do hope I dont hear how GSW got the easy way to the finals when Lebron didnt face anyone.

This NBA is a joke when you constantly are seeing the finals before the finals.

 

[ill steelo]

He shot 8 free throws last night and that's with the refs missing back-to-back calls on Harden 3s (would be another 6 FTs) and then an And-1 3 that they ended up calling a foul on the floor instead of the shot. Would've been another FT. If the refs actually do the right thing, that's 15 FT attempts. That would be 5 more FT attempts than he averaged in the regular season per game, and 7 more attempts than he averaged in the playoffs.

The refs have missed multiple calls in every single game Harden has ever played in, yet he always continues to apply relentless pressure and eventually the whistles come.

Those first 2 calls you’re referencing also did not occur in the 2nd half when GSW made their run after Houston went dry from deep. Only egregious miss I saw in the 2nd half was that missed 4 point play you mentioned in the 3rd.

Other than that, his craft was nowhere to be found after halftime.

 

[Fozz]

I really do hope I dont hear how GSW got the easy way to the finals when Lebron didnt face anyone.

This NBA is a joke when you constantly are seeing the finals before the finals.

Oh you'll hear it. Because people can't appreciate a good team and have to find something to nitpick their 4-year run.

 

[addict4sneakers]

Harden and Gordon did get good looks from the mid post and when they took those floaters they made them. I’m not blaming them more so than Morey’s analytical strategy and Dantoni’s “don’t deviate from the plan” philosophy. Baseball managers get scrutinized all the time for not making postseason adjustments and cost their teams the series. This isn’t any different.

But there wasn’t an adjustment to be made. Harden and Gordon got looks at the basket and but eventually those got cut off by gsw.

Harden settles at times for step back 3s and it’s fair game on criticism there. But him and Gordon weren’t going to be enough to beat the Avengers

 

[Based Jesus]

It’s not that easy to just shoot midrange jumpers instead of 3’s and layups

You have to be able to generate good looks from the midrange for this to be a viable option.

If you can’t dribble or playmake of course you’re going to shoot a ton of 3’s because no one aside from Harden could dribble w/CP out

There aren’t too many guys in the league who can generate quality midrange looks

Nostalgia got people thinking that the inefficient midrange iso game of the NBA of yesteryear was actually good ball. It wasn't.
Space the floor with 4 shooters. Have a decent paint presence. 2 people who can handle the rock. A lot of cuts and screens.
Don't be afraid to switch on defense. Bake for 48 minutes. This is the formula to win nowadays and it's a damn good one.

 

[keko jones]

What's a greater accomplishment....

Making it to the finals 9 straight times and winning 3 or making it to the finals 4 straight times and winning 3?

 

[P C H]

Harden and Gordon did get good looks from the mid post and when they took those floaters they made them. I’m not blaming them more so than Morey’s analytical strategy and Dantoni’s “don’t deviate from the plan” philosophy. Baseball managers get scrutinized all the time for not making postseason adjustments and cost their teams the series. This isn’t any different.

Particular to last night and this past season with Houston, it’s not so much “not deviating from the analytical strategy” they (nor most other teams) have the players to make the midrange an efficient part of their offense.

When CP was on the floor Morey and D’antoni had no problems with CP taking a ton of those

 

[Bert.]

Rooting for the Cavs.


Good luck

 

[buc em]

This NBA is a joke when you constantly are seeing the finals before the finals.

Next year’s Warriors vs Rockets and Sixers vs Celtics will change that

 

[Lovetohate3000]

Remember when curry was food after game 2, didn't hear much of that after that game.
He played well on d the rest of the series.
Erupt might be right , possible he's an elite defender.

 

[MVP]

What's a greater accomplishment....

Making it to the finals 9 straight times and winning 3 or making it to the finals 4 straight times and winning 3?

Simple math should suffice here but with today's media getting there 9 times and winning only 1 would be praised more. Jerry West somewhere kicking a chair at Doc cursing that he didn't come up in this participation trophy era.

 

[HIM]

Remember the 100 times I told y'all Houston was Chris Paul's team?

I wish I was wrong

 

[fac3 tak30v312]

There's a reason Cleveland didn't have any championships before 16' nobody wants to live in that place. Also to be fair Dan Gilbert having trash teams is what led to Lebron winning a ring there. Having 3 top 3 picks was huge in constructing the team that won.

NBA players can live anywhere in the world if they so choose... They can pool their money together and build the playgrounds they want... then charge other players to visit there.. Like really only the ones that want to be seen as celebrities have a problem living in cities like Cleveland

 

[Tony $now]

He was the best player on a team that won 65 regular season games and then just lost in Game 7 of the conference finals to a team that has 4 all-stars, 2 of which are former MVPs, with Chris Paul missing both Games 6 and 7.

Why are we doing this?

Has Harden won anything other than a MVP award playing the way he does? Regular season basketball is totally different than post season basketball. All teams have GM’s and scouting departments. It’s a lot luck involved when drafting players but is it GS fault that 3/4 core players ended up becoming all stars? Chris Paul missed 30 regular season games this year and the Rockets still won during the regular season. It does suck that CP3 was injuried because unlike most, I like to see teams at full strength but injuries happen. The narrative switches depending on the team.

 

[moe200069]

Yeah, I just think people had a problem with it because resorting to that is the type of **** you do if you're an underdog or less talented. Not up by 10. Not with 4 HOFers in their prime.

I get the strategy though. And it worked.

Kerr is out here to win games not appease some basketball “purists.” Underdog or favorite, it doesnt matter how great your team is. if it’s a strategy that is working in a game 7 to get you into the finals, you absolutely do it.

 

[bostoiah]

Forgot how dope those Sonics Uni’s were

 

[Fozz]

What's a greater accomplishment....

Making it to the finals 9 straight times and winning 3 or making it to the finals 4 straight times and winning 3?

I think making the Finals 9 straight times is crazy to believe.

As a Warriors fan, it's just a great accomplishment because they were trash for decades.

 

[MVP]

Harden don't get a pass. He literally disappeared in every 2nd half of this series sans game 1.CP0 saved the Rockets from getting gentleman swept. I thought the plan was for the fatigue to be alleviated with the addition of Paul but even when he was out there that didn't seem to be the case.

 

[lynchpin33]

.

 

[BIG LEEMELONE]

New rule. You're not allowed to complain about the refs unless your team actually played well enough to win the game. Outside of game 1 harden played like a ho all series. Also you can't default to the other team is just too good when your mvp doesn't show up in a close out game. Jesus some of yall are full of excuses

With CP3 out the last two games, I don’t understand how you create an open catch and shoot look for him with no playmakers.

See: first round, game 4, 3rd quarter. They were running dribble hand offs with capela and even Nene to get harden good clean looks. Never went back to that all playoffs or all season.

He shot 8 free throws last night and that's with the refs missing back-to-back calls on Harden 3s (would be another 6 FTs) and then an And-1 3 that they ended up calling a foul on the floor instead of the shot. Would've been another FT. If the refs actually do the right thing, that's 15 FT attempts. That would be 5 more FT attempts than he averaged in the regular season per game, and 7 more attempts than he averaged in the playoffs.

He was shooting 36% for the majority of the game. How bout just make more shots?

The rockets lost because their head coach and mvp just aren't good enough and didn't deserve to be in the finals. Period

 

[lynchpin33]

Was Harden spotted at gentleman's establishment last night?

Was just coming here to ask the same question. I figure if it hasnt been posted yet, TMZ must still be in negotiations with the party that has the footage.

 

[addict4sneakers]

See: first round, game 4, 3rd quarter. They were running dribble hand offs with capela and even Nene to get harden good clean looks. Never went back to that all playoffs or all season.

Minnesota was a bottom defense doe. Everything works against them.