NBA Playoffs 2014

[Scipio Afracanis]

really rooting for the Mavs as long as they promise to crush Portland, if not have the Spurs dominate Blazers.

Really nice shot by DM for the last second 3, got to give it to him and his teammates.

Teaser series, the NBA does it again, fool us to thinking a 1 or 2 seed will lose, unless Dallas pulls off the miracle the 1st round got me excited but left me hot and bothered..................

[Thorn777]

Well that sucked. Hope Portland kicks those pesky spurs out. I hate that team. I had a really bad feeling after the last seasongame loss against Memphis. If we had won that Memphis would head the Spurs, and we OKC which we played 2-1 in the season.

Its hard to have a derby so often with a team usually better. Specially at handling Dirk.

Also sad to see Atlanta go in their game 7.

Both teams went above their expectations though and with some good new pieces both can become contenders imo.

[ivan_the_terrible]

Lillard has been spectacular. So much weight on his shoulders and he performs.

I think it's pretty clear that Houston has to get Harden out of the starting lineup, or better yet out of the team. He is a streaky attacker at best, but what is inexcusable is his complete and inexplicable refusal to play defense.

[Thorn777]

I think that whole team is strung together like loose sand. Depending on talent and overpowering opponents. Give Houston and Harden a Carlysle or Budenholzer(and some adjusting pieces) instead of McChale and I think you'd see an entirely different Houston/Harden.

[Henry of Grosmont]

I think it's pretty clear that Houston has to get Harden out of the starting lineup, or better yet out of the team. He is a streaky attacker at best, but what is inexcusable is his complete and inexplicable refusal to play defense.

As much as i don't like Harden because of the flopping, he clearly is one of the top gurads in the league.

I think that whole team is strung together like loose sand. Depending on talent and overpowering opponents. Give Houston and Harden a Carlysle or Budenholzer(and some adjusting pieces) instead of McChale and I think you'd see an entirely different Houston/Harden.

I think that McHale got to Howard and somehow made him play hard - he was a beast in the Portland series. Plus, they were the youngest playoff team and it's their first season together.

OKC looks tired against the Clippers. I know that both teams played 7 games and that Paul won't shoot 10-14 with 8 threes but if you watched the game, it was painful. Here's the coach who has to adjust or go.

Washington winning game 1 did not surprise me at all. They're confident and just dismantled the Bulls while Indiana barely past the Hawks. Hibbert is a mystery to me - clearly something's wrong with the guy.

[jukeness]

I think Hibbert is thinking and worrying way too much about his game and he's ing up because of it.

[Scipio Afracanis]

No rebounds, points and lots of fouls have been his lines for awhile, talk about falling off a cliff, more like that space station skydive........

Spurs dominated the Blazers, Clips stole home court so even if CP3 doesn't shoot as well they have the advantage over a what seems like the clueless OKC team, dribble dribble, 1 pass bad shot. It would be better for OKC in the long run if they lost and got rid of that coach of theirs. Top 5 PG, Top 2 player, a good 3rd player in Serge and they struggle so much against alot of teams. Even with Harden the Heat beat them in 5 so I don't understand how they are supposed to win a ring with less talent not that they will make it out of the West anyways.

Washington will start getting the pub as the only team that can beat the Heat once Nets lose 2nd game in Miami. Bulls were the team that many were picking to beat the Heat preseason, they lost Rose early so that came to the end.(started again with no one wants to play Chicago in the playoffs but that to was put to bed.)

Then Indy got off to a fast start and then it was game 7 in Indy ECF with Pacers winning since home court means everything and Hibbert dominating all playoffs. Well that turned out funny, didn't it?

Then it was Nets sweep Heat in regular season= no one wants to play them in the playoffs and they were made to beat the Heat.......... With a 1st year head coach, KG who has been done for most of this year, PP who can give you some but not nearly enough, one way player in JJ who has never made any team he was on significantly better, D-Will who is there best player but isn't even the Utah version of himself anymore which wasn't that great to begin with........... Got a wake up call today with a really easy win by the Heat.

Next it will be Wizards, Nene is to big for the Heat, no one can stop Jon Wall and BB, ect.........

[Celsius]

I think Hibbert is thinking and worrying way too much about his game and he's ing up because of it.

Seems that was rectified tonight against Washington

A close game either way though. I don't see them winning this series unless Hibbert plays like he did tonight.

[ivan_the_terrible]

Very disappointing to see the Heat win so easily. Or at all...

I really hope OKC comes through, and I think they can do it. Even with Doc Rivers and Chris Paul the Clippers are, I would say, evenly matched with what can only be described as a directionless OKC team. Scott Brooks has done a good job of building a team with great starters and considerable depth on the bench, but I can't understand his unwillingness to respond when particular combinations are not having a good day. He is a bit too laissez-faire, and I think this might cost them against Popovich, if not Rivers.

As much as i don't like Harden because of the flopping, he clearly is one of the top gurads in the league.

I disagree completely. His shooting percentage is not that great, he doesn't perform consistently, he turns the ball over or makes bad decisions at crucial times... and this is on offense, his supposed strength. On defense he is just atrocious. But worst of all is his attitude towards the game and towards his team. I think he is one of the most over-rated guards; he happened to have a good playoff run with OKC a while ago, and just hasn't been up to much since, apart from the occasional big points haul. But his big-scoring games are inconsistent and he takes way too many shots. And it's not the kind of 'many shots' that Westbrook has, i.e. driving and penetrating. They can both get to the foul line, but the difference is that Westbrook actually makes plays for the rest of the team on those drives, where Harden just does a bad Kobe impression and jumps into defenders -- once Portland figured out to just pressure his shot a bit and let him miss he had nothing, because by that point in the play he couldn't involve his team-mates.

He would make a decent 6th man, maybe, if he cleans up his attitude and start playing defense.

[ivan_the_terrible]

Wow, Kevin Durant's MVP acceptance speech was really touching. What a genuine dude.

[Henry of Grosmont]

Wow, Kevin Durant's MVP acceptance speech was really touching. What a genuine dude.

Remember the part when he says that they had no furniture and thought that they "made it"? Wow.

[ivan_the_terrible]

What are you getting at? I think he meant in that specific moment, when they moved into their apartment, he felt like everything was alright...

(Unless you meant that in a genuinely admiring way, in which case I apologise!).

[Henry of Grosmont]

What are you getting at? I think he meant in that specific moment, when they moved into their apartment, he felt like everything was alright...

(Unless you meant that in a genuinely admiring way, in which case I apologise!).

Why would I mean it in any other way? And no need to apologise, we live in an era when sarcasm on the internet is more common than a genuine empathy.

Seems like San Antonio is getting back into themselves, beating the crap out of Portland. Do I smell a sweep here?

I don't think Brooklyn will continue shooting 60% from 3 point range, so it might go 4-2 at best.

OKC and Clippers is an interesting matchup, can go to 7 but can also end pretty quick.

And Indiana vs Washington isn't interesting at all, so Indian in 6.

P.S. @ivan
I really don't like Harden or this Houston team as a whole (Howard ditching the Lakers doesn't help the matters either) apart from Parsons but even I can't say that he's as bad as you portrayed him. A bit overrated, but not too much.

[Thorn777]

Im repulsed by the startreatment of Lebron James in game 5 against Pierce/Johnson. Its saddening to see such caliber players face up against each other and one being pampered by the refs all game, while when he does the very same on his end without calls.

Really got Miami into the game again, and that last call was just so pathetic that the reffs had to pretend in their review something entirely fantastical happened to at least get the Nets the ball back. Should have been two Nets FT's with being behind 94-96.

James, you dont want to reign like this. So ugly.

[Scipio Afracanis]

Same like the OKC star treatment, Ibaka punches Blake in the groin again and no punishment, Randolph gets banned for a game 7 for a weak hit on Adams(albeit on the jaw), really questionable calls end of GM5 between 2 teams that are closer in talent in than Heats Nets. The funny thing is the Spurs will beat either team so that series doesn't really matter unless Parker is really hurt.

[ivan_the_terrible]

Hooray! Great win by Indiana!

And Hibbert played really well; hopefully he's back for good this time. I felt really bad for him with all the hate floating around the internet, especially those garbage can memes. Lets hope he takes it out on Miami.

Why would I mean it in any other way? And no need to apologise, we live in an era when sarcasm on the internet is more common than a genuine empathy.

Seems like San Antonio is getting back into themselves, beating the crap out of Portland. Do I smell a sweep here?

I don't think Brooklyn will continue shooting 60% from 3 point range, so it might go 4-2 at best.

OKC and Clippers is an interesting matchup, can go to 7 but can also end pretty quick.

And Indiana vs Washington isn't interesting at all, so Indian in 6.

P.S. @ivan
I really don't like Harden or this Houston team as a whole (Howard ditching the Lakers doesn't help the matters either) apart from Parsons but even I can't say that he's as bad as you portrayed him. A bit overrated, but not too much.

I just wasn't sure if you were being sarcastic

Re: Harden, i was probably too harsh, but it's only because all that wasted potential is heart breaking. He needs a serious attitude re-adjustment.

Russell Westbrook, on the other hand, I can forgive for almost anything he does wrong because he has such an outstanding attitude and energy. He is always 100% in everything he does on the court, even if he makes the wrong decision. Harden is usually somewhere around 70%...

[Thorn777]

I imagine that beard being very hot in Houston summers.

Anyway, great show by Ibaka last night.

[Henry of Grosmont]

I like how Paul George blamed the refs for their loss. True, it did seem that Stevenson and Hibbert got ghost fouls called on them. But if you watched the game, Miami dominated form the very beginning. What did they think? That Bosh will continue missing his shots through all games? Or giving up rebounds is a good sign? Or that Indiana's offense, while looking as stagnant as it gets, will break Miami's defense?
San Antonio had fewer free throw attempts as well but they weren't nearly as aggressive as they were in games 1 and 2. Same goes for the Pacers. I'm no Miami lover but c'mon, instead of attempting to trash talk the champions they need to focus on the game...

P.S. Pop's "between the quarters" interview was freaking hilarious.

[Scipio Afracanis]

The 1st game in Indy was the same FT numbers except they favored the Pacers even though Miami dominated them in the paint, Indy is still up in the series by 7 FT's or so. If your team has the best two players on the court it's really hard to beat them 4 times. The Spurs series can be the same way but Ibaka dictates somewhat if Parker is the 2nd best player in that series.

KD
?(Westbrook/Parker)
Timmy/Leonard/Ibaka/Manu/ The other PG who isn't #2

Tonight is the big game, 3-1 or 2-2. Spurs seeing Miami trying to close out quick and get rest, they don't want a 7 game series with a scrappy up and coming team.(Even though Spurs got the sweep against Memphis last year and Heat had to go 7 games against Indy)

[Thorn777]

Westbrook was so ill last night.

That was very 90's I know, but at least that was better than seeing these super alpha athletes in bow-ties, urkle glasses and tight leather pants. Why Westbrook why?

Such supermen in such gear depress me.