2021 NBA playoffs thread

I know the dinosaurs here like to shit on the NBA, but Jesus the talent out there right now is amazing.

 

Absolutely. The league is so deep right now it's absurd.

Overall I think the dependency on the three pointer is hurting the quality of the game. But the talent? We've never had it so good. There are guy worth watching on damn near every team.

 

I was going to call it “Dame and the Lilliardettes” it was so bad. Dame was unbelievable, he was 12 for 16 on 3s!!!

Barkley with an all-time nickname: Anthomy “Street Clothes” Davis.

 

It is the most efficient way to play, but not the most entertaining. Just like baseball.

I just laugh at these idiots who think they don’t care and don’t play defense like the teams of the 80’s and 90’s. These same teams who hadn’t slept in 2 days and did lines before games.

 

Micheal Ray Richardson in the house!

 

Great analysis here.

 

@heyabbott level.

love watching this stuff

 

I took Ayton at 015.5 last night but was not mad that he missed it, by a lot. It was clear from the start he wasn't going to get there, that the Suns had a gameplan for him to play off the ball, screen high and open the lane for the Suns' pesky guards and create open 3 pointers. What's more, he seemed to enjoy it. Helps when you're winning, but it was a nice ploy by Monty that worked well. Obviously, CP3's shoulder is a concern again, but man, if Davis is done, the Suns - CP3 are a far superior team to the Lakers - AD.

Was really surprised LeBron didn't attack more early. Stuck in facilitator mode with subpar offensive options around him. Schroeder wanted nothing to do with shooting the ball, even when wide open, which makes me think his ankle is bugging him more than he's letting on, probably can't get any lift on his shot. Also, six cup of coffee day for this guy ... oy, West Coast basketball does not mesh with an early-morning East Coast golf schedule. But after 11 years with no playoffs, I'll gladly sacrifice the sleep.

 

Anyone know when the last time there wasn't a past NBA champion going back 40 years in the Final Eight? It could happen if the Lakers are dumped out and the Clippers win. Heck, even if the Clippers lose, you're talking about no team with a title in the past 10 years in the final eight - and of those with titles (Bucks, Knicks, Hawks, Sixers, Mavs) - the Knicks and Sixers have six of the nine (when you include franchise history)

 

Maybe, finally, a sign of his age? Ha. He was also just coming off an injury coming into the playoffs. I doubt he can play Hero Ball effectively for four quarters like he did in 2007 though.

By the way, Davis is signed through 2023-24, with a player option for 2024-25. I realize you do that signing 99 times out of 100, and the Lakers already have one championship to show for it. But his Top 10 comparables on B-R aren't so pretty, with several of them - Elton Brand, Shawn Marion, Dominique Wilkens - just taking nosedives in production as nagging injuries or weight caught up to them. It wouldn't surprise me if, when LeBron retires, it's 50/50 whether Davis is the bridge to the next great Lakers team, or if they're in teardown mode again. (I mean, they're the Lakers, so that'll last one or two years, until their cap clears, but still.)

 

Durant’s ability to face up and shoot over players from 14-20 feet is almost unfair. You can do everything correctly, not let him back you down, stay in front and get a hand in his face and he still can kill you.