2021/2022 NBA Thread: Anyone but the Lakers or Nets!

[I've seen black diamonds!]

Celtics will be playing in their 37th Eastern Conference Finals. This will be the 76th Eastern Conference Finals.

[Woodsy]

SO,

Is Jason Kidd actually a great coach?!?

[Danno]

Been wondering about that too. I was fairly critical of the hire, but it's looking like he has improved a lot over the years, and turned that team into a defensive monster.

[TahoeJ]

SO,

Is Jason Kidd actually a great coach?!?

He's at least very good. Forcing anyone but Booker to beat them was absolutely the right move. And Booker doesn't have the maturity / experience yet to make the other team pay for double teaming him. Monty Williams - it seems like - didn't make many adjustments to account for that, either.

Pretty nervous about this series coming up between Dallas and the Warriors. If the Warriors play sloppy like they have been they'll get their asses kicked. Really glad we have home court since I see this one going 7 games as well. On the other hand, we do matchup better against Dallas than Memphis, although Luka is just a beast right now.

[riser4]

Suns getting their shit pushed in.

[Danno]

Hunting Chris Paul, even though Paul is a great defender, was also an excellent move. Kidd knew that Paul couldn't carry a huge offensive and defensive burden over a long series.

[Woodsy]

He's at least very good. Forcing anyone but Booker to beat them was absolutely the right move. And Booker doesn't have the maturity / experience yet to make the other team pay for double teaming him. Monty Williams - it seems like - didn't make many adjustments to account for that, either.

Pretty nervous about this series coming up between Dallas and the Warriors. If the Warriors play sloppy like they have been they'll get their asses kicked. Really glad we have home court since I see this one going 7 games as well. On the other hand, we do matchup better against Dallas than Memphis, although Luka is just a beast right now.

Been telling all my betting friends a C's v. Warriors final is a lock with the C's winning since you cursed your team with your Patriot love.

[cinnepa]

the C's built their team quietly well the last 2 seasons......you taking notes sixers?

[TahoeJ]

Woodsy - defending the tuck play by pointing out reality (that Brady was hit in the face when he tuck/fumbled) isn't Patriots love - I hate the Pats and Brady. Just calling it like it is.



Heh.

BTW, Booker struggling against double teams reminded me of this from a few years back: https://fadeawayworld.net/nba-media/...n%20open%20gym.

[Adolf Allerbush]

Thank you...I'm glad someone got my reference and was able to dig up the youtube clip...I couldn't find it, although I didn't try very hard.

[Danno]

the C's built their team quietly well the last 2 seasons......you taking notes sixers?

That's the wrong way of looking at it, IMO. First, the core guys have been there for years. Only White and Horford and Theis are new this year, and Horford and Theis have been here before. Only Pritchard was new from last year. G. Williams is in his third season, R. Williams his 4th, and Smart, Brown, and Tatum even longer.

And many of their moves over the years have been criticized. Trading a first and taking on the Horford contract just to get off of Kemba's contract was always a good move to me, but not to everyone. Many people thought they should have broken up Tatum and Brown (not anymore). To act like the Celtics provide the obvious blueprint for how to do things is a mistake, although I think Stevens has done an incredible job.

[riser4]

Thank you...I'm glad someone got my reference and was able to dig up the youtube clip...I couldn't find it, although I didn't try very hard.

On Duck Duck Go I searched for 'training day shit pushed in'. So easy I could do it.

[Danno]

I'm really curious to see how the Ws defend Luka. While they are a great defensive team, he's different than the "usual", probably too big/strong for Wiggins or Klay to just take him on all the time (though they surely will some of the time). Maybe Dray? Maybe a lot of double teams?

[riser4]

That's the wrong way of looking at it, IMO. First, the core guys have been there for years. Only White and Horford and Theis are new this year, and Horford and Theis have been here before. Only Pritchard was new from last year. G. Williams is in his third season, R. Williams his 4th, and Smart, Brown, and Tatum even longer.

And many of their moves over the years have been criticized. Trading a first and taking on the Horford contract just to get off of Kemba's contract was always a good move to me, but not to everyone. Many people thought they should have broken up Tatum and Brown (not anymore). To act like the Celtics provide the obvious blueprint for how to do things is a mistake, although I think Stevens has done an incredible job.

I still haven't understood letting go of Big Al in the first place. Ya, he's "old" (he's only as old as he plays). Of course I guess they had to in order to arrive here and now because that is how the script for the movie was written.

I think Ainge got impatient a few years back what with bringing in Irving, Hayward (rotten luck), and then Walker thinking that he needed to import a star, and now Stevens has made the corrections that Ainge couldn't or wouldn't see. He put down a stellar foundation, just couldn't get the finishing touches. Yes, he also won the gamble with some really nice draft picks.

Then again there's a few more really important games left in their season to see if this really is it. Fingers crossed.

[Danno]

I still haven't understood letting go of Big Al in the first place. Ya, he's "old" (he's only as old as he plays). Of course I guess they had to in order to arrive here and now because that is how the script for the movie was written.

I think Ainge got impatient a few years back what with bringing in Irving, Hayward (rotten luck), and then Walker thinking that he needed to import a star, and now Stevens has made the corrections that Ainge couldn't or wouldn't see. He put down a stellar foundation, just couldn't get the finishing touches. Yes, he also won the gamble with some really nice draft picks.

Then again there's a few more really important games left in their season to see if this really is it. Fingers crossed.

Big Al got offered a boatload of money and years from the Sixers. I was sorry to see him go, and in retrospect he was clearly worth that money and years, but even if they were given the opportunity to match back then (and I don't know if they were), at the time letting him go had to happen.

[::: :::]

I'm really curious to see how the Ws defend Luka. While they are a great defensive team, he's different than the "usual", probably too big/strong for Wiggins or Klay to just take him on all the time (though they surely will some of the time). Maybe Dray? Maybe a lot of double teams?

draymond always gets that assignment, no?

like jokic, luka is as good at distributing as he is at shooting so not sure a double is always going to produce

we'll see, kerr seems to understand the game as well as any coach out there

[TahoeJ]

I'm really curious to see how the Ws defend Luka. While they are a great defensive team, he's different than the "usual", probably too big/strong for Wiggins or Klay to just take him on all the time (though they surely will some of the time). Maybe Dray? Maybe a lot of double teams?

My vote is to double Luka and make someone else beat you - but not always, they need to mix it up so it's not predictable. Sometimes fake the double, etc. Showing a smart player like Luka different looks is the only way to keep him out of his rhythm, because once he finds it he'll eat you alive. Dinwiddie was damn impressive in that game 7, and I suspect his play in this series will be a major part of the outcome. It'll also be interesting to see how Dallas tries to guard the super small ball lineup. You'd better believe we will be targeting Luka with high PnR's frequently.

[EWG]

Jimmy Buckets is a dangerous man.

To follow up on this, I just saw that Buckets, so far in the playoffs, has a PER of 31.2 and a TSS of .618. That's ridiculous.

Good lord. He also leads the playoffs in Win shares, offensive win shares, plus minus, VORP, and is second in PPG among those left (4th overall). He also leads all those left in PER, trailing only Jokic in PER for all playoff players.

Jimmy Fucking Butler is a bad, bad man. Danno, I'd be worried. Hoop is one of the only sports where one dude who just refuses to be stopped can win a series by himself.

Celtics are a better team.

The Heat have Butler.

[riser4]

Jimmy Fucking Butler.

[Danno]

To follow up on this, I just saw that Buckets, so far in the playoffs, has a PER of 31.2 and a TSS of .618. That's ridiculous.

Good lord. He also leads the playoffs in Win shares, offensive win shares, plus minus, VORP, and is second in PPG among those left (4th overall). He also leads all those left in PER, trailing only Jokic in PER for all playoff players.

Jimmy Fucking Butler is a bad, bad man. Danno, I'd be worried. Hoop is one of the only sports where one dude who just refuses to be stopped can win a series by himself.

Celtics are a better team.

The Heat have Butler.

Bring it on.

[Adolf Allerbush]

On Duck Duck Go I searched for 'training day shit pushed in'. So easy I could do it.

Well. When you put it that way...

Luka posting up Ayton was pretty amazing. I don't see Draymond letting that happen.

Dinwiddie went ape shit in that game 7. I don't think he'll do that again this playoffs or maybe again ever.

I said it earlier in this thread but Boston's defense is really impressive to watch. Watching the Heat I don't get the same vibe from their D. Maybe the Celts are banged up after that series with the Bucks, but I doubt it. I don't even like the Celtics but can recognize they're playing amazing basketball right now. Jimmy B is a baller...but the Celts can throw all sorts of schemes at him...it's going to be a lot different than playing a hobbled 76ers team with washed up Harden.

[Danno]

I don't want to anger the Jimmy Fucking Butler gods, but he's not Giannis. He may have a better team around him and a better coach, but the Celtics have a bunch of good defenders to throw at him. Tatum, Smart, Brown, White would all be capable and not an obvious mismatch. And the Celtics bigs are also good enough guarding wings that hunting for those matchups doesn't automatically yield results.

Yes, the Heat are good, they're the #1 seed for a reason. But I am still optimistic. And unlike riser, the idea of Jimmy Fucking Butler doesn't give me a boner.

[TahoeJ]

That Miami roster is stacked. Butler, Lowry (criminally underrated IMO), Adebayo, Herro, PJ Tucker... Morris, Robinson. The thing they have going is they have a lot of guys who can score whereas Milwaukee without Middleton didn't have many options outside of Giannis and Holiday. Boston won't be able to key on Butler on the same way they did on Giannis. Should be a great series and Miami having home court could be a very big deal. Gambling wise I'm not touching either of these conference finals matchups. Very easy to picture all four of the remaining teams winning it all.

[Danno]

Very easy to picture all four of the remaining teams winning it all.

Agreed.

NBA playoffs, it's fan-fucking-tastic.

[teleee]

^I agree with Tahoe J, I would not be surprised to see any of the 4 teams win it all. The playoffs are so much more enjoyable now that I don’t have to see Chris Paul on my tv.


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