NBA 2019-2020 Thread

[DarthSkywalker]

So you have two of the most ball dominant guards in NBA history and you want them to just...move off the ball?

That's not what lost them the series. They can play the Lakers 20 times in a playoff series and they might win 5. D'Antoni's small ball crap works in the regular season, it has not, to date, worked to the tune of a championship. In multiple places, with multiple players and MVP quality talent. It's not ever going to work, anywhere.

On top of that, the main team that championed analytics and all the nonsense it brings allowed Harden to lull into isolating at the top of the key to shoot fall away 3s, probably the worst possible shot selection you could have. That's all D'Antoni folks...

Harden use to move off the ball. Also Curry can and has dominated the ball. That never kept him from moving off it.

It's easy to say, well they were never going to win. But Lebron spent years building different championship teams, even with Kyrie, who apparently makes everyone else but him worse. At some point, it's the players. Harden disappears and chokes. Westbrook just keeps missing. They are both in their 30s, neither have chips and both have multiple epic failures in the playoffs. They were brought together, both apparently so talented it should work, and yet neither has held a candle to the legit guys in the NBA right now. You brought up how great Westbrook was in the regular season, but if we are suddenly playing a different game when it matters, then what is the point of bringing that up if he useless in the playoff?

 

[Doc Samson]

I was talking about this whole season. Westbrook was hurt inside the bubble, but you're right, it wasn't his finest hour regardless. You put the jersey on, the team expects you to go.

I'm just saying above everything else, is the coaching style and philosophy. Curry moves off the ball because that's a system that's been implemented most of his career, whether he was with it or not. Neither Mark Jackson or Steve Kerr would allow anything else, Curry's simply following the gameplan.

What's been Houston's gameplan since D'Antoni's been there? Part of my disdain in watching Harden is how he hunts for fouls, flops, and continues to get bailed out. In the playoffs those calls cease, and D'Antoni allowed that type of offense for so long that Houston has nothing else to go to.

They did have a competent Center (in today's NBA anyway) that they gave away, mind you. They were at their best when they had that element to go to...

 

[Mister J]

These last few Heat games have not been good for my heart.

Insane block by Bam.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

These last few Heat games have not been good for my heart.

Insane block by Bam.

That ending was amazing. Also Tatum was awful down the stretch. He tried to force it, and it never worked.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

So, the Clips gonna Clip.

 

[TheGuy]

Consecutive 3-1 deficits and winning on game 7s. Wow.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Consecutive 3-1 deficits and winning on game 7s. Wow.

Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe Doc just became the first coach to ever lose a 3-1 lead three different times. Is he going to get fired?

 

[TheGuy]

Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe Doc just became the first coach to ever lose a 3-1 lead three different times. Is he going to get fired?

Magic (Rivers) vs Pistons
Clippers (Rivers) vs Rockets

And now this. So yeah. Dude is wildly overrated, especially after that Celtics title in 08, which was mostly due to Garnett's all-time defense. I've never gotten the impression that he was a great coach (very good ofc) considering how much praise he usually gets from the media or commentators.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Magic (Rivers) vs Pistons
Clippers (Rivers) vs Rockets

And now this. So yeah. Dude is wildly overrated, especially after that Celtics title in 08, which was mostly due to Garnett's all-time defense. I've never gotten the impression that he was a great coach (very good ofc) considering how much praise he usually gets from the media or commentators.

I think Doc talks a decent game, but he is exposed so often in the playoffs. That Celtics team was built on talent and very little else imo. Which is why they only got one title out of it. Yes they were older and guys got hurt, but they had the talent to win at least 2 and they allowed a much less talented Magic team get to the NBA finals one season and they choked in a game 7 to the Lakers while Kobe had an all time nightmare of a game. Any drop off, and they didn't win, because it was all talent.

Also, what does this say about Paul George? All this talk about Playoff P... he's awful in the playoffs. Like extremely very not good. Hard to hang this on Kawhi, because even if he takes a lot of the blame, he's done it twice with two different teams. I wonder what he is thinking, because if he was still with the Raptors, he would of got another ring this year. Easily imo. Now? He didn't get to live in LA for like 75 days, and then got sent home in the second round. He can walk after next season I believe. Will that get them to move on Doc?

 

[Lantern Venom]

These last few Heat games have not been good for my heart.

Insane block by Bam.

Son of the Bluegrass with a rejection for the ages.

 

[TheGuy]

I think Doc talks a decent game, but he is exposed so often in the playoffs. That Celtics team was built on talent and very little else imo. Which is why they only got one title out of it. Yes they were older and guys got hurt, but they had the talent to win at least 2 and they allowed a much less talented Magic team get to the NBA finals one season and they choked in a game 7 to the Lakers while Kobe had an all time nightmare of a game. Any drop off, and they didn't win, because it was all talent.

Also, what does this say about Paul George? All this talk about Playoff P... he's awful in the playoffs. Like extremely very not good. Hard to hang this on Kawhi, because even if he takes a lot of the blame, he's done it twice with two different teams. I wonder what he is thinking, because if he was still with the Raptors, he would of got another ring this year. Easily imo. Now? He didn't get to live in LA for like 75 days, and then got sent home in the second round. He can walk after next season I believe. Will that get them to move on Doc?

I agree. Those Celtics team were talented and should have won at least another chip, but on the Lakers-Celtics rivalry, not with the Big 3 era.

Paul George has always been a fluke and a low rent Kobe. This goes back to his Pacers days. Kawhi shouldn't have left Toronto and join him. Utterly nonsense after just one season and winning the chip in the same time. Not to forget, Kawhi is also a massive diva (his drama with the Spurs before departure).

 

[DarthSkywalker]

I agree. Those Celtics team were talented and should have won at least another chip, but on the Lakers-Celtics rivalry, not with the Big 3 era.

Paul George has always been a fluke and a low rent Kobe. This goes back to his Pacers days. Kawhi shouldn't have left Toronto and join him. Utterly nonsense after just one season and winning the chip in the same time. Not to forget, Kawhi is also a massive diva (his drama with the Spurs before departure).

Kawhi is only 29, but he has legitimately bad knees. Like a degenerative issue. I wonder how long he can manage that before he drops off a cliff because of it. Passing up another ring could end up haunting him.

 

[Mister J]

Whew, Cliippers. Woof.

Jokic is pretty damn fun to watch. I should have checked out that team more pre-bubble.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

 

[Doc Samson]

I just don't understand Paul George. He has one of the most smooth, poetic all around games I've ever seen. But he's possibly one of the biggest choke artists I've ever seen too. It's maddening to watch someone that skilled consistently disappear when it matters most...

 

[Mister J]

Pandemic P is pretty puzzling (that alliteration tho ). I used to stand up for dude awhile back (which was difficult considering how much I couldn't ****ing stand that Indiana team), but these recent runs are woeful. Just shrinking like crazy. Then, he keeps running his mouth after the fact. A number of that Clipper squad are mouthy and undeservedly so. The one guy who has ground to talk doesn't say anything, while others talk more than the Warriors. I wasn't sad to see them get bounced out of the bubble.

 

[Mister J]

All-NBA Teams

1st: LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Doncic, Anthony Davis, James Harden.
2nd: Damian Lillard, Kawhi Leonard, Nikola Jokic, Chris Paul, Pascal Siakam.
3rd: Ben Simmons, Jayson Tatum, Jimmy Butler, Rudy Gobert, Russell Westbrook

Switch Siakam and Jimmy (biased ) and I didn't expect to see Westbrook's name.

 

[Babillygunn]

All-NBA Teams

1st: LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Doncic, Anthony Davis, James Harden.
2nd: Damian Lillard, Kawhi Leonard, Nikola Jokic, Chris Paul, Pascal Siakam.
3rd: Ben Simmons, Jayson Tatum, Jimmy Butler, Rudy Gobert, Russell Westbrook

Switch Siakam and Jimmy (biased ) and I didn't expect to see Westbrook's name.

I think Jamaal Murray would like to have a word with the voters of this award.

 

[killface]

All-NBA Teams

1st: LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Doncic, Anthony Davis, James Harden.
2nd: Damian Lillard, Kawhi Leonard, Nikola Jokic, Chris Paul, Pascal Siakam.
3rd: Ben Simmons, Jayson Tatum, Jimmy Butler, Rudy Gobert, Russell Westbrook

Switch Siakam and Jimmy (biased ) and I didn't expect to see Westbrook's name.

Lillard should be switched with Harden

 

[Web-Head]

Pandemic P is pretty puzzling (that alliteration tho ). I used to stand up for dude awhile back (which was difficult considering how much I couldn't ****ing stand that Indiana team), but these recent runs are woeful. Just shrinking like crazy. Then, he keeps running his mouth after the fact. A number of that Clipper squad are mouthy and undeservedly so. The one guy who has ground to talk doesn't say anything, while others talk more than the Warriors. I wasn't sad to see them get bounced out of the bubble.

Can't stand that Clippers team aside from Kawhi. I used to love PG when he was in Indy, but I'm not a fan of him now at all.

I'm really glad they were bounced. Hoping for a Heat/Nuggets finals, but I think it's the Lakers title to lose still

 

[InCali]

So, the Clips gonna Clip.

That was very Clippery of them. Maybe the Clipperiest of Clipperies.

Bottom line is a lot of who wins and who doesn't is upstairs. I just don't know if Kwahi has his head in it at this point.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

That was very Clippery of them. Maybe the Clipperiest of Clipperies.

Bottom line is a lot of who wins and who doesn't is upstairs. I just don't know if Kwahi has his head in it at this point.

I do wonder if we saw the best of Kawhi already, and it might be down hill from here. I wonder how much last season's playoff run, which he played hurt, might have done some permanent damage to him. Last year wasn't peak Kawhi, and we might be a ways past that even.

 

[InCali]

Can't stand that Clippers team aside from Kawhi. I used to love PG when he was in Indy, but I'm not a fan of him now at all.

I'm really glad they were bounced. Hoping for a Heat/Nuggets finals, but I think it's the Lakers title to lose still

It's a roll of the dice. Some teams just have more of the sides than others. My take is that the Lakers can match up inside as needed or go small. The two best players in the playoffs are on the same team and one of those two is out for blood.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

It's a roll of the dice. Some teams just have more of the sides than others. My take is that the Lakers can match up inside as needed or go small. The two best players in the playoffs are on the same team and one of those two is out for blood.

Joker doesn't play for the Lakers.

 

[InCali]

Joker doesn't play for the Lakers.

Maybe LeBron can be recast as Snyder's Batman.