NBA 2018/2019 thread

[TahoeJ]

WTF is hot stove contact? Is that really an NBA thing that somehow I've never heard before?

They just asked Steve Kerr about it in the pre game interviews and he hasn't either, and still doesn't understand what the hell it means.

Side note: Curry showed up to tonight’s game wearing an oven mitt.

[Danno]

I just watched those plays on a full screen and not my phone. The call on Durant was questionable, yes, but not utterly ridiculous IMO. The defender had his hands on Durant before he started to rise up. Yes, if I was a GSW fan it would tick me off, but it's really just the fact that it happened at that moment in the game. It is far from the worst call I've seen.

The fact that Curry got away with taunting the ref is remarkable.

The last play was definitely a foul, and the ball was definitely uncatchable. I don't know the rule book well enough to know how that should be called, but the ref is probably calling the foul as it happens, not waiting to see where the ball went (whether the call should be withdrawn because the ball was uncatchable is the rules part I don't know). Durant was holding him before the ball was put up, or at least before it became apparent that the ball was thrown too far.

Again, if I was a GSW fan I'd be pissed, but to act like this was the most ridiculous reffing ever seems melodramatic, especially when the second play/foul should never have been needed, because Curry should have gotten a T after making that shot.

[TahoeJ]

^^ It was a culmination of the entire game. And also shit like someone slapping Curry's ankle from behind and it doesn't even get called a foul, much less a flagrant.

[Danno]

yeah, didn't watch the game so can't comment on that, and agreed that ankle slap was as deserving of a foul/flagrant as Curry's ref taunt was deserving of a T.

[wyeaster]

i think trying to make somebody fall and possibly get hurt by going for their ankles is much worse than taunting a ref in the scope of a game and a career.

[DolphinSki]

i think trying to make somebody fall and possibly get hurt by going for their ankles is much worse than taunting a ref in the scope of a game and a career.

Me too. It didn't look like that to me though. It just looked like a really dumb way to try to distract him. More like a graze than a grab. As I said up-thread, he should definitely get fined as a discouragement to that type of behavior. It should have been a foul too. I just think over all the Warriors post-game reaction was overblown. It looked like a dumb attempt at distraction, it wasn't like he Zaza'd him or anything.

[wyeaster]

https://mobile.twitter.com/TheWarrio...0%2Fframe.html

[wyeaster]

it actually looks like he may have tried to step on curry's foot and didn't get there in time and resorted to the slap which missed the right and got the left.

[TahoeJ]

it actually looks like he may have tried to step on curry's foot and didn't get there in time and resorted to the slap which missed the right and got the left.

Exactly... fucking guy should be suspended and then the league said it shouldn't have even been a foul due to hot stove contact, whatever the fuck that means. Curry has had well documented ankle issues so no shit he was angry / fired up at the end of that game. Oh, but he taunted the refs!! Gee, can't imagine why. I've never seen a 2 time MVP get so little respect. If it was LeBron they'd take the guy out back and shoot him.

[nest]

The poor persecuted Warriors. Bay Area people are the worst

[mcski]

Ya, I can just imagine Lebron letting it slide if someone took a swipe at his feet from behind. He never worries about anything like that 🤣

[54-46]

The poor persecuted Warriors. Bay Area people are the worst

Hey man, you’ll always have the Jazz’ 07 playoff win over the We Believe team to fall back on. All good.

I mean, all we got was this: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tYpwjB0IzoU

[nest]

Haha. Touché

[DolphinSki]

Alright, so who of the lower playoff seeds is the biggest threat? Detroit and Brooklyn have been playing well in the East while the idea of the Thunder as an 8 seed sounds scary. Will we see a big upset in the first round? I definitely think it's possible, especially with some younger/inexperienced top seeds like Denver and Milwaukee.

[TahoeJ]

Is it an upset if Portland loses to a lower seeded team again? Or just expected based on history plus no Nurkic? Plus that Clippers team (currently the 6 seed) is definitely better than the sum of their parts.

Spurs vs. Nuggets in a 2 vs. 7 battle of high altitude could be interesting. Wouldn't be surprised if it went 7 games with the home team winning every game.

Jazz vs. Rockets could be good - both teams have been hot in the second half of the season. Although the Rockets will probably move up and pass Portland for the 3 seed.

I'd really rather not have the Warriors play the Thunder in the first round but looks like that's likely going to be the case.

The Eastern first round looks kinda boring (except maybe Detroit upsetting someone?), but then a heck of a lot more interesting after that.

[DolphinSki]

I wouldn't really see the Blazers losing being an upset, especially now without Nurk. I actually wouldn't be surprised if the lower seed in that series comes out as the favorite in Vegas.

I think the best series in the East will be Pacers-Celtics. Though I wouldn't call either team winning much of an upset. It may also be the only interesting first round series.

Right now I think the most likely big upset would be Spurs or Thunder over Nuggets, with Pistons over Sixers second.

[Danno]

I don't trust the Raptors and the Nets could be intriguing, but I expect the east to hold seed (and even if the Celts end up a 5 seed, I expect them to win and think a Pacers win would be a big upset, regular season records notwithstanding).

I think every team in the west is capable of losing to their opponent as it is currently set up, but the Clips have the most favorable matchup, I think they'd lose to every top 4 seed BUT the Blazers.

[TahoeJ]

Raptors have a new coach and Kawhi, so I don’t necessarily ascribe their past playoff chokes to the current squad.

[Danno]

Raptors have a new coach and Kawhi, so I don’t necessarily ascribe their past playoff chokes to the current squad.

I don't either, but I also do not trust them to be the juggernaut that many expect.

[DolphinSki]

I would call 2014-15 the Raptors last real choke playoffs. Since then they've just been losing to Lebron like everyone else in the East.

Yeah, I'm sure the odds will have the Pacers as underdogs no matter who ends up as the 4th seed, but that's all based off hype and expectations. The Celtics haven't lived up to the hype and expectations all season, I don't see them starting now. I would be surprised if that series doesn't go to 7 games. I think it will be real good.

[jfost]

Focus, goddammit. Look at the video...

that was BS for sure... looks to me like he had the idea to swipe his leg hard, then thought better about it halfway through the act, and still got him just lightly. Luckily no injury and hopefully he did get fined at least. No place for that in any sport and I can see why Curry was pissed!

They're still bored though

[PB]

Apparently the NBA disagrees. Green, Curry Durant fined for criticizing officials. Won't let me link, so find it yourselves.

[Brock Landers]

Nuggets +8.5 tonight is a joke right? Lot of points for teams basically neck and neck

[TahoeJ]

Nuggets +8.5 tonight is a joke right? Lot of points for teams basically neck and neck

It’s because the Warriors crushed them the last 2 times they played. But agree it’s a bit high. Should probably be more like Warriors +4 or 5. On the other hand, those oddsmakers know how the money rolls in and clearly know what they’re doing more than any of us. They want action.

[wyeaster]

Russell Westbrook became just the second player in NBA history to have 20 points, 20 rebounds and 20 assists in a game as the Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 119-103 Tuesday night.

Westbrook clinched the mark with a rebound in the final minute, drawing a large ovation from the home crowd. He finished with 20 points, 20 rebound and 21 assists.

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Wilt Chamberlain is the only other player to accomplish the feat. He had 22 points, 25 rebounds and 21 assists in a game in 1968.

It looked as if Westbrook's chance at the mark passed by just before the decisive rebound, as the ball bounced off his fingertips and away. But at the other end, he grabbed a miss by Lance Stephenson.

It was Westbrook's 31st triple-double of the season and brought him to within three assists -- assuming he plays in each of the last four games -- of averaging a triple-double for the third consecutive season.

Westbrook had at least 15 points, 15 rebounds and 15 assists for the eighth time in his career, tying Chamberlain for second-most all-time. Oscar Robertson had 14 such games in his career.