NBA Playoffs Thread

[UKBB4Ever]

Cleveland needs to fire Atkinson. And they probably will.

His teams don’t compete on the big stage. Then he talks like an idiot. He says they won 2 games analytically. STFU!!

 

[Laparkafan]

Cleveland needs to fire Atkinson. And they probably will.

His teams don’t compete on the big stage. Then he talks like an idiot. He says they won 2 games analytically. STFU!!

That’s why Knicks fans should tread lightly on boasting Okc/spurs would regularly beat the Cavs by 30. It’s not like they crushed a loaded Boston team.

 

[UKBB4Ever]

That’s why Knicks fans should tread lightly on boasting Okc/spurs would regularly beat the Cavs by 30. It’s not like they crushed a loaded Boston team.

I agree. The Knicks are going to be heavy underdogs against either.

But there’s no denying that this Knicks team is playing with purpose.

Their defense is improved. The offense is really clicking now.

But two things can be true. The Knicks played great and the Cavs put up no resistance.

 

[Laparkafan]

I agree. The Knicks are going to be heavy underdogs against either.

But there’s no denying that this Knicks team is playing with purpose.

Their defense is improved. The offense is really clicking now.

But two things can be true. The Knicks played great and the Cavs put up no resistance.

Ya KAT’s utilization has been very impressive and less relying on Brunson helps. They are definitely in a better spot than 12 months ago.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

Lmfao

LeagueAlerts Inc. (@leaguealerts) on Threads

Jalen Brunson wasn’t taking any chances this time. As he walked up to grab his ECF MVP trophy, he immediately told Josh Hart to back up after what happened during the NBA Cup celebration last December 💀

www.threads.com

 

[Runt#1969]

Knicks sweep was impressive, a most impressive run to get to the finals! So half of the equation is made.

Almost at halftime of the OKC - SAS game 5. It seems pretty apparent that OKC's bench must be the end difference in this series, if they are to win. Bench is back to playing well and they have a double digit lead almost at halftime.

Conversely, Spurs really need to step up defensively and somehow make it tougher for the Thunder's offense. They're well on pace for 122+ points at this pace, and I don't think the Spurs can keep up with that.

we shall see...

Halftime
OKC 69
Spurs 58

 

[LineSkiCat14]

I dont think the Spurs are gonna be heavy favorites over the knicks. OKC yeah. Spurs, idk. I think Vegas is going to be a little more cautious with such a young Spurs team (thats a little banged up) going up against a veteran Knicks team thats breaking some records. Will knicls be underdogs against Spurs, probably, but I cant see it being by much.

 

[UKWildcats1987]

I dont think the Spurs are gonna be heavy favorites over the knicks. OKC yeah. Spurs, idk. I think Vegas is going to be a little more cautious with such a young Spurs team (thats a little banged up) going up against a veteran Knicks team thats breaking some records. Will knicls be underdogs against Spurs, probably, but I cant see it being by much.

U aren't gonna have to worry about the spurs hypothetical.

 

[Runt#1969]

Once again, the team scoring 122+ wins the game. Game 5 goes to OKC. What a great series. Now it's up to the Spurs to force a game 7 and stay alive taking it back to San Antonio to try and save the season.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

U aren't gonna have to worry about the spurs hypothetical.

Yeah I think OKC has figured them out. And or. Spurs lack of experience is showing. Too much youth still.

 

[The_Catfather]

Fox's max contract kicks in next year and he's looked awful. Hopefully it's the ankle injury holding him back because that's looking like a pretty bad deal right now and he's going to take a ton of heat if (when) they lose this series.

 

[DudahUK]

I dont think the Spurs are gonna be heavy favorites over the knicks. OKC yeah. Spurs, idk. I think Vegas is going to be a little more cautious with such a young Spurs team (thats a little banged up) going up against a veteran Knicks team thats breaking some records. Will knicls be underdogs against Spurs, probably, but I cant see it being by much.

Knicks will get smoked by whomever comes out the West, imo. It won’t be close. The East sucks like it has for the last decade plus.

 

[UKBB4Ever]

Knicks will get smoked by whomever comes out the West, imo. It won’t be close. The East sucks like it has for the last decade plus.

I thought that too. And the Knicks have had an easy path. But now they get more rest while the west teams are in a battle. There's no denying the Knicks are playing better than anyone. I don't think they can beat either west team. But it's not the slam dunk it looked like a couple weeks ago.

 

[DudahUK]

I thought that too. And the Knicks have had an easy path. But now they get more rest while the west teams are in a battle. There's no denying the Knicks are playing better than anyone. I don't think they can beat either west team. But it's not the slam dunk it looked like a couple weeks ago.

Yeah I’m kinda shocked they ran through the playoffs like they have.

 

[*Fox2Monk*]

Love SGA but these memes online are hilarious.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

Becky Hammond doubling down on Brunson not being physically big enough to be a star or win the title, is some wild work coming from someone coaching a game that she isn't physically able to play in. I understand that coaches in sports don't need to be players to be good at coaching... but Becky Hammond would get destroyed if she ever played in the NBA, and she likely is taking the job from another male assistant who deserves it more.. so for her to come at Brunson like that.. oof.

 

[UKWildcats1987]

Knicks will get smoked by whomever comes out the West, imo. It won’t be close. The East sucks like it has for the last decade plus.

I mean i agree on the Knicks.

The NBA finals last 10 seasons is 6 wins for west and 4 for east. So they are competing somewhat.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

I mean i agree on the Knicks.

The NBA finals last 10 seasons is 6 wins for west and 4 for east. So they are competing somewhat.

That might be the single best stat for the East to hold onto, because other than Lebron saving their ***, it's been an absolutely blood bath for the East for 20 years lol. Lebron, Toronto and Giannis, thats about it. There were some years where I think the 4th best team in the east wouldn't even make the playoffs in the West (8 team format at this time). It's been awful for them haha.

 

[Smeegs]

The Spurs dearly need Fox to step up. He’s one of my favorite players …and usually a joy to watch …but he has not looked anything like his usual self since returning from that injury.

Hopefully tonight he returns to form.

 

[UKBB4Ever]

The Spurs dearly need Fox to step up. He’s one of my favorite players …and usually a joy to watch …but he has not looked anything like his usual self since returning from that injury.

Hopefully tonight he returns to form.

Fox is obviously not 100%. He's not even close to same guy pre injury.

 

[MidseasonTweak]

Go Spurs Go

 

[LineSkiCat14]

Its gonna be wild with all this rest time the Knicks have, that they could actually go into game 1 of the finals with a bigger injury problem than either SAS/OKC with Mitch Robinson's finger and being out indefinitely lol. Typical for the Knicks.

Although I cant imagine he wont tape it up and play.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

I don't get the Thunder hate.

I want SGA to keep winning titles. That's good for our brand, and we need all the help with our fading brand that we can get right now.

 

[Laparkafan]

Its gonna be wild with all this rest time the Knicks have, that they could actually go into game 1 of the finals with a bigger injury problem than either SAS/OKC with Mitch Robinson's finger and being out indefinitely lol. Typical for the Knicks.

Although I cant imagine he wont tape it up and play.

When I saw the headline I thought the same thing it’s the finals tape it up!

 

[BBNinSCar]

Life long Knicks fan. I’m starting to believe.

 

[MidseasonTweak]

I don't get the Thunder hate.

I want SGA to keep winning titles. That's good for our brand, and we need all the help with our fading brand that we can get right now.

I want Johnson and Fox to get in on the fun

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

I want Johnson and Fox to get in on the fun

I get that, but it's far better for UK to have SGA and the Thunder continue to dominate.

 

[MidseasonTweak]

I get that, but it's far better for UK to have SGA and the Thunder continue to dominate.

As a neutral, I understand you. But I am a legitimate Spurs fan, so I cannot bring myself to root for them lol

 

[LineSkiCat14]

Life long Knicks fan. I’m starting to believe.

Going to game 7 helps for sure. And OKC and Spurs have each put up a clunker now. But, its late in the season and this is a battle. I know OKC is better than 79 points through 3.5 quarters of the game.

 

[Smeegs]

I don't get the Thunder hate.

I want SGA to keep winning titles. That's good for our brand, and we need all the help with our fading brand that we can get right now.

I think the “brand” thing is overblown these days when NBA stars only played college ball for one season (especially if they didn’t do anything special in that season).

That used to matter far more in the old days when guys like Jordan and Ewing were inextricably linked with their college team. But the public does not associate SGA with UK like that. He was only here for one very forgettable season, and hardly anyone (outside the BBN) can even remember him in a UK uniform.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

I think the “brand” thing is overblown these days when NBA stars only played college ball for one season (especially if they didn’t do anything special in that season).

That used to matter far more in the old days when guys like Jordan and Ewing were inextricably linked with their college team. But the public does not associate SGA with UK like that. He was only here for one very forgettable season, and hardly anyone (outside the BBN) can even remember him in a UK uniform.

So why does Cal successfully use his brand to keep landing players like Acuff and Smith?

Duke is using their brand.

Even Self convinced Stokes to come to Kansas due to how he utilized Peterson.

What the normy first weekend of the toureny fan thinks doesn't matter as much as what you can convince the players of that you're trying to recruit.

Plus, all we heard about in Pope's first year from guys like Butler was the Kentucky brand. It's minimal to assert that having almost 30 NBA players currently in the league, including 9 or 10 All-Stars, isn't a big deal if used by the right coach.

The issue is that Pope doesn't know how to use it.

 

[UKBB4Ever]

Its gonna be wild with all this rest time the Knicks have, that they could actually go into game 1 of the finals with a bigger injury problem than either SAS/OKC with Mitch Robinson's finger and being out indefinitely lol. Typical for the Knicks.

Although I cant imagine he wont tape it up and play.

Hope that finger injury doesn't affect his free throw shooting!

 

[bigblueinsanity (the real)]

I dont think the Spurs are gonna be heavy favorites over the knicks. OKC yeah. Spurs, idk. I think Vegas is going to be a little more cautious with such a young Spurs team (thats a little banged up) going up against a veteran Knicks team thats breaking some records. Will knicls be underdogs against Spurs, probably, but I cant see it being by much.

Agree. The spurs are built specifically to beat okc. They would probably beat the Knicks but it wont be just mopping the floor with them.

Okc is just a beast that would dominate the Knicks but have to get by the team literally constructed to beat them. They just need to sit j dub this game 7. Him attempting to play last night killed them.

 

[UKBB4Ever]

This is an interesting series. After game 5 it looked like OKC had solved Wemby. After last night it looks like OKC can never beat the Spurs again.

Game 7 looks like a classic. But it could turn into a blowout either way.

I wouldn’t have any idea who to bet in that game. OKC at home should tip the balance. But the Spurs have shown they can beat them there.

 

[TheApostleSaulSmith]

This is an interesting series. After game 5 it looked like OKC had solved Wemby. After last night it looks like OKC can never beat the Spurs again.

Game 7 looks like a classic. But it could turn into a blowout either way.

I wouldn’t have any idea who to bet in that game. OKC at home should tip the balance. But the Spurs have shown they can beat them there.

In Game 6 the Thunder were missing their best player.

Tony Brothers.

 

[BookofMormon]

This is an interesting series. After game 5 it looked like OKC had solved Wemby. After last night it looks like OKC can never beat the Spurs again.

Game 7 looks like a classic. But it could turn into a blowout either way.

I wouldn’t have any idea who to bet in that game. OKC at home should tip the balance. But the Spurs have shown they can beat them there.

It honestly all depends on how it's being called. I would never bet the game until I was who the officiating crew is.

 

[TheApostleSaulSmith]

It honestly all depends on how it's being called. I would never bet the game until I was who the officiating crew is.

Isn't that ridiculous though? Why do we give these zebras so much power and impact on the game? Aren't they all using the same rulebook?

These guys should be given the Cuba Gooding Jr. Rat Race treatment. If you know you know...

 

[The_Catfather]

 

[BookofMormon]

OKC sets the tone - youngens are now saying, if you can dish it, you better take it. That Hart hair pull on Castle was brutal. Wemby rallying the troops and simply saying, f these guys - they push, hold, flop, dirtiest team in the league. Hart and Dort are the ring leaders.

 

[BBallin23]

Wemby is the best player in the league! Go Spurs!