NBA Playoffs Game Thread

[DeJesus Built My Hotrod]

Hmmmm funny how things don't come so easily against playoff level defensive intensity/preparation.

 
I don't think anyone who posts here regularly thought that things would come easily.  The Grizzlies are a very good basketball team and present some challenging match-ups for a team like the Warriors.  As as noted earlier, Klay Thompson's subpar play is really hindering the Warriors production.  That said, Dave Joerger has had a great game-plan thus far.

 

[ElUno20]

The grizzlies disciple tonight has been a thing of beauty. This is still a close game and the warriors are in it but the grizzlies have continued to start their offense deep in the shot clock.

 

[DeJesus Built My Hotrod]

ZBo gets a gift call there.  

 

[HomeRunBaker]

Tony Allen is flat out killing it tonight!!

 

[nattysez]

Curry is going to have to hit a few 3s in the next couple of minutes or this is OVA

 

[nattysez]

The Warriors' overpassing is tough to fathom. It's like they're all afraid to shoot.

 

[coremiller]

A very sloppy performance by the Warriors.  20 turnovers, and a very large number of dropped and bobbled passes.

 

[jmcc5400]

Dubs are going to win this. Griz can't find any offense.

 

[jmcc5400]

Conley, wow! Nice to see him back.

 

[DeJesus Built My Hotrod]

"Nothing against Nick Calathes"....

 

[Tony C]

I'll say it:
 
So sick of hearing about Golden State, the Splash Brothers, and how Steph Curry is the greatest thing since sliced bread. I hope they get bounced.
 
Sorry :-/

 
I feel cad-ish saying it, because I think they're great, love Curry, love Steve Kerr, love Jerry West....but the high school level fans and the giddy posts about each and every good thing they do as if it's unprecedented beyond yaba dabba doo greatness gets a bit hard to take.  As an example, if Steph Curry had made that shot Mike Conley just did it would  be MIIIIKE MO FO AMAZING DAZING COOOOONLEY!
 
And, like you...sorry, because really I have nothing against the team itself (except Green -- who is a Doug Baldwin level ass).

 

[coremiller]

Dubs are 6-24 on threes.  The difference on offense between Games 1 and 2 (besides the turnovers) is that in Game 1 the other guys punished Memphis for taking away Curry on pick n rolls.  Not tonight.  The other starters are a combined 1-11 on 3s.

 

[jmcc5400]

How can you sit on a timeout with Gasol stuck bringing it up.?

 

[DeJesus Built My Hotrod]

 
I feel cad-ish saying it, because I think they're great, love Curry, love Steve Kerr, love Jerry West....but the high school level fans and the giddy posts about each and every good thing they do as if it's unprecedented beyond yaba dabba doo greatness gets a bit hard to take.  As an example, if Steph Curry had made that shot Mike Conley just did it would  be MIIIIKE MO FO AMAZING DAZING COOOOONLEY!
 
And, like you...sorry, because really I have nothing against the team itself (except Green -- who is a Doug Baldwin level ass).

I suppose that some of this is directed at me so I will take it.  I will say that I recognize big shots and great game planning by the opposition including that one by Conley.  I don't recall typing Mo Fo Amazing Dazing though.
 
Calling Draymond Green an ass makes zero sense unless you like your basketball the old timey way when men were men and NBA professionals wore the short shorts.

 

[DeJesus Built My Hotrod]

And that was a huge game by Conley.  Joerger had a fantastic game-plan and now we have a series.  I will go so far as to say that Memphis is the only team left in the West who can beat Golden State.   I think this series has a shot to go the full slate of games.

 

[coremiller]

The good news for the Warriors is that they played probably their worst offensive game of the entire season and still only lost by 7.  

 

[Statman]

I'll say it:
 
So sick of hearing about Golden State, the Splash Brothers, and how Steph Curry is the greatest thing since sliced bread. I hope they get bounced.
 
Sorry :-/

+1.

How about we wait a few more games before we annoit the golden state warriors the NBA champions? Playoff basketball is an entirely different species as compared to the regular season.

 

[DeJesus Built My Hotrod]

+1.

How about we wait a few more games before we annoit the golden state warriors the NBA champions? Playoff basketball is an entirely different species as compared to the regular season.

 
Who anointed them champions?  Seriously -I am interested in which media members or even posters here already have them hoisting a trophy?    Or should your handle be "Strawman"?  Sorry, couldn't resist!

 

[Tony C]

I suppose that some of this is directed at me so I will take it.  I will say that I recognize big shots and great game planning by the opposition including that one by Conley.  I don't recall typing Mo Fo Amazing Dazing though.
 
Calling Draymond Green an ass makes zero sense unless you like your basketball the old timey way when men were men and NBA professionals wore the short shorts.

 
It was a reference to his putting his ass into the Memphis bench/Conley's face while celebrating during game 1 -- very Doug Baldwin. But we know, already...GS's shit don't stink, James Harden is trashed as not sharing the ball because saying otherwise might dim Steph Curry's God-like aura etc etc. Really it's a bit tiring. They are, justifiably, the favorites for the championship and they are both a fun team and a very smart team with great management -- I just love the balls it took to dump Mark Jackson. But it's a game thread and the same way you're entitled in a game thread to be over the top in cheering, you have to understand that not everyone is on the same rah-rah bandwagon.

 

[HomeRunBaker]

The good news for the Warriors is that they played probably their worst offensive game of the entire season and still only lost by 7.  

It's playoff defense. This day was (or should have been) expected. It won't get easier in Memphis.

 

[fairlee76]

I'm a pretty casual NBA fan this year, but where does all the hate for Steph Curry and Draymond Green come from?  In a professional sports landscape dominated by phonies, poseurs, and prima donnas those two stand out as pretty damn likable and easy to root for.
 
And, shit, it's Golden State.  Given the history of the franchise, let them have their moment in the sun.

 

[AMS25]

I'm a pretty casual NBA fan this year, but where does all the hate for Steph Curry and Draymond Green come from?  In a professional sports landscape dominated by phonies, poseurs, and prima donnas those two stand out as pretty damn likable and easy to root for.
 
And, shit, it's Golden State.  Given the history of the franchise, let them have their moment in the sun.

 
Golden State's the favorite to win it all; some (like my daughter ) root for the favorite; some root against it. I have nothing against Curry or Green, but I am rooting for an interesting series. Thanks to Conley and the Grizzlies, I think we might get that.

 

[HomeRunBaker]

I don't have hate personally I love Steph he was far and away my MVP choice in large part to how he's taken his teammates to another level. I've felt his teammates are excellent complementary pieces next to him who benefit greatly by his presence. The playoffs are not easy, free flowing basketball as I've said all winter. The Warriors were my 4th/5th choice to win the WC playoffs and I stand by my Memphis/Cleveland final.

 

[DeJesus Built My Hotrod]

 
It was a reference to his putting his ass into the Memphis bench/Conley's face while celebrating during game 1 -- very Doug Baldwin. But we know, already...GS's shit don't stink, James Harden is trashed as not sharing the ball because saying otherwise might dim Steph Curry's God-like aura etc etc. Really it's a bit tiring. They are, justifiably, the favorites for the championship and they are both a fun team and a very smart team with great management -- I just love the balls it took to dump Mark Jackson. But it's a game thread and the same way you're entitled in a game thread to be over the top in cheering, you have to understand that not everyone is on the same rah-rah bandwagon.

Nowhere did I trash James Harden or say he doesn't share the ball.

And you don't have to like the Warriors or Draymond Green but your ire over his celebration seems a bit petty. All NBA teams have players are demonstrative - its now part of the game, like it or not. It strikes me your problem with players like Baldwin and Green is more cultural than anything else.

 

[coremiller]

It's playoff defense. This day was (or should have been) expected. It won't get easier in Memphis.

 
Sure, my point is just that the Warriors don't need to play thaaat much better on offense to win.  They were 6-26 on 3s last night with 20 turnovers.  Just looking at the offensive box score, you would have thought they lost this game by 25.  Some of that was good defense, but Curry and Thompson also missed several open looks they normally knock down.  Curry in particular bricked a couple of those open transition 3s that it feels like he normally shoots about 80% on.  
 
The Warriors' defense is good enough that they don't need to shoot 50% on a ton of 3s to win anymore, like they did in past years.  Memphis is going to struggle to score all series -- Randolph will get his points inside, but Conley is not going to shoot 8-12 every game.  If this game was a worst-case scenario for the Dubs, they are actually in pretty good shape, because their shooting and turnovers are unlikely to be that bad three more times.  They may not score at their regular season level -- they are unlikely to, since Memphis plays good D and the refs let more physical contact go in the playoffs, which hinders their style -- but they don't need to.  They just need to not be totally awful on offense.

 

[Blacken]

I'm a pretty casual NBA fan this year, but where does all the hate for Steph Curry and Draymond Green come from?

Don't buy in. There isn't much hate outside of the Hot Sportz Takez and Small Sample Size contingent, which is a pretty big chunk of this forum even with Brickowski being gone.

 

[Statman]

 
Who anointed them champions?  Seriously -I am interested in which media members or even posters here already have them hoisting a trophy?    Or should your handle be "Strawman"?  Sorry, couldn't resist!

 
Not referring to you at all.  You are a very level-headed Warriors fan who to me has realistic expectations for the team. 
 
I am referring to the NBA pundits and talking heads who can't stop raving about the "Splash Brothers" and how Curry hit an infinity amount of consecutive threes in practice. 

 

[Devizier]

I'm a pretty casual NBA fan this year, but where does all the hate for Steph Curry and Draymond Green come from?  In a professional sports landscape dominated by phonies, poseurs, and prima donnas those two stand out as pretty damn likable and easy to root for.
 
And, shit, it's Golden State.  Given the history of the franchise, let them have their moment in the sun.

 
No idea where the hate for Curry comes from, he's my favorite player in the league right now.
 
I'll take a stab at why there's an anti-Warriors sentiment (not just here, but in a lot of places)
 
1) People love to root against favorites
 
.
.
.
 
2) Some want basketbloggers to get their comeuppance. A lot of this is ridiculous but there is an Eric Van element in the APBR community that can be annoying as fuck.
3) Mark Jackson probably has a lot of friends in the NBA media and he's understandably salty about the whole situation.

 

[Al Zarilla]

 
Not referring to you at all.  You are a very level-headed Warriors fan who to me has realistic expectations for the team. 
 
I am referring to the NBA pundits and talking heads who can't stop raving about the "Splash Brothers" and how Curry hit an infinity amount of consecutive threes in practice. 

I think your reaction about Curry is like what Celtics fans or all non Cavs fans have when the announcers go gushing all over the place whenever LeBron does something grand, or same for Kobe when he was on top. They tend to gush more for the superstars than for anyone else. Fact of life.

 

[Kliq]

 
Who anointed them champions?  Seriously -I am interested in which media members or even posters here already have them hoisting a trophy?    Or should your handle be "Strawman"?  Sorry, couldn't resist!

 
The Warriors are a really good team, but I'm slightly rooting against them. It has nothing to do with my ghastly preseason prediction, but more with some of the stuff anointed above. I'm in college and I live on campus and I deal with a lot of people whose only sports knowledge comes from watching First Take and reading Bleacher Report. I really do get the "Splash Brothers, omg, best team everrrrr" stuff from people. Whether you have seen or not, the fact is that is a real contingent of people that some of us have to deal with, and yes, that can sour some people on a team. Their home crowd isn't helping matters, they react to every behind the back dribble, regardless of its actual value, like a bunch of 14 year old boys watching their first skin flick.
 
I wouldn't make the jokes about Strawman. You are the person who comes into the game thread to say things like "AND PEOPLE DON'T THINK DRAYMOND GREEN IS A MAX PLAYER" even though nobody who has watched the NBA after the first month of this season thinks that Green won't get a max contract. Also, if you really can't understand why some people might dislike Green, then you have been watching all those Dubs games with blinders on.
 
All that being said, Mike Conley is one tough son of a bitch. If you read about his injury, how the effects of the anesthesia were making him throw up, or how even yesterday he couldn't run for more then 2 minutes without getting tired, his performance last night is even more impressive.

 

[DeJesus Built My Hotrod]

 
The Warriors are a really good team, but I'm slightly rooting against them. It has nothing to do with my ghastly preseason prediction, but more with some of the stuff anointed above. I'm in college and I live on campus and I deal with a lot of people whose only sports knowledge comes from watching First Take and reading Bleacher Report. I really do get the "Splash Brothers, omg, best team everrrrr" stuff from people. Whether you have seen or not, the fact is that is a real contingent of people that some of us have to deal with, and yes, that can sour some people on a team. Their home crowd isn't helping matters, they react to every behind the back dribble, regardless of its actual value, like a bunch of 14 year old boys watching their first skin flick.
 
I wouldn't make the jokes about Strawman. You are the person who comes into the game thread to say things like "AND PEOPLE DON'T THINK DRAYMOND GREEN IS A MAX PLAYER" even though nobody who has watched the NBA after the first month of this season thinks that Green won't get a max contract. Also, if you really can't understand why some people might dislike Green, then you have been watching all those Dubs games with blinders on.
 
All that being said, Mike Conley is one tough son of a bitch. If you read about his injury, how the effects of the anesthesia were making him throw up, or how even yesterday he couldn't run for more then 2 minutes without getting tired, his performance last night is even more impressive.

 
There are people in this forum who said he wasn't a max player.  I didn't cite posts because I don't like the whole calling people out directly but believe me there are posters here who as recently as January or February thought he was not worthy of such a contract.  I have seen nobody here who has already given the Warriors the championship.

And I get the Warriors hate.  As I said earlier, they won a lot of games and generated a lot of hype.  Its only natural that there will be backlash.  That said, when you are the true fan of the sport, you have to admit that even when you root against certain teams or players, that behind the back dribble really is pretty sick and even gasp-worthy.  I personally don't love Kyrie Irving's game but even I have to admit that the guy does some breathtaking things on the basketball court.  It can't be a shock that NBA home crowds ooh and ahh at the stuff their stars do.  Its part of the experience of going to an NBA game.  NBA basketball is probably the most fun pro sporting event to attend live aside from playoff hockey.

 

[Blacken]

Whether you have seen or not, the fact is that is a real contingent of people that some of us have to deal with, and yes, that can sour some people on a team.

Have you ever met a Celtics fan?

 

[ElUno20]

I have no problem putting myself in the draymond isnt a max player camp. I dont care if it makes me look stupid or whatever but that dude is a role player. Period. He will get the max though because on the warriors, in that system, he is a max player.

And as far as the ass classification goes, come on now. He's an ass clown. I watch a roster full of ass clowns all year, he's right up there with the barnes, pauls, and griffins.

 

[HomeRunBaker]

I have no problem putting myself in the draymond isnt a max player camp. I dont care if it makes me look stupid or whatever but that dude is a role player. Period. He will get the max though because on the warriors, in that system, he is a max player.

This is precisely how I feel as well. Draymond owes Steph a lifetime of latte's for the contract he's about to receive. If any other team pryed him away they would soon regret it.

 

[The Social Chair]

Jordan is going to get a huge contract.

 

[ElUno20]

That last play sums up austin rivers ability

 

[Nick Kaufman]

The logic behind the free throw rule is to punish the team that fouls giving the opposing team a shot with high Expected Value. In doing, so free throws act as a deterrent to fouling. When a team starts fouling a bad free throw shooter in order to stop the clock and give the opposing team a shot with low Expected Value, the logic of the rule is perverted.
 
Therefore, IMO, the logic of the rule will be reestablished if the rulebook started giving the fouled team the option to take the free throw or inbound the ball.

 

[DeJesus Built My Hotrod]

That last play sums up austin rivers ability

I actually feel bad for Austin Rivers.  He has now spawned a million memes that will kill Bleacher Report's servers and will make reading Grantland at work near impossible due to firewall issues.  

Great game by Harden - he is Pierce 2.0 with a better first step and handles.  This series will likely go six or seven too.  Aside from the hack-a-drama, you have two of the most demonstrative coaches in the league in McHale and Doc.  Playoff NBA is fun.
 
As a side note, do James Harden's repertoire of post-score celebrations also fall under "being an ass" or "ass clownery"?  Do the crowd's reactions to his plays piss people here off too?  Because I love Harden's game and think the crowd fuels the guy as much as any player in the NBA.

 

[DeJesus Built My Hotrod]

Ok, Kenny Smith is winning the world with this lip synch battle.

 

[Kliq]

I didn't see the game, did Harden sink a three and then stick his ass in Chris Paul's face?

 

[DeJesus Built My Hotrod]

The NBA on TNT needs an Emmy for this segment.

 

[DeJesus Built My Hotrod]

I didn't see the game, did Harden sink a three and then stick his ass in Chris Paul's face?

 
If by ass, you mean Austin Rivers, well, then yes.

https://vine.co/v/eZQmI5TYXnu

 

[soxhop411]

Someone needs to YouTube that whole lipsync battle

 

[LondonSox]

I have no problem putting myself in the draymond isnt a max player camp. I dont care if it makes me look stupid or whatever but that dude is a role player. Period. He will get the max though because on the warriors, in that system, he is a max player.

And as far as the ass classification goes, come on now. He's an ass clown. I watch a roster full of ass clowns all year, he's right up there with the barnes, pauls, and griffins.

 
He'll get the max because a max contract now is a bargain in two years period. He'd likely get the max anyway as he's worth it, but he's CLEARLY going to get the max in this dynamic and if you don't think so then you don't understand the cap. It's not the system that is the primary cause it's cap dynamics. Talent second, system third, but you can debate the last two, and it's an opinion. The cap isn't an opinion it's maths.

 

[Devizier]

Missed this one -- moving. But Austin Rivers, LOL.

 

[Ed Hillel]

Missed this one -- moving. But Austin Rivers, LOL.

100 free throw attempts. That's what you missed.

 

[Lose Remerswaal]

Cool!  From "Cavs Fans in Favor of Domestic Violence" comes: https://vimeo.com/127109598
 
 
Wow.  It's now Private, was open just 5 minutes ago.
 
Was "Time of My Life" with a husband/wife (or bf/gf), she's a Bulls fan, he's a Cavs fan, and they do the lift from Dirty Dancing and he throws her out of the screen shot.

 

[ElUno20]

I actually feel bad for Austin Rivers.  He has now spawned a million memes that will kill Bleacher Report's servers and will make reading Grantland at work near impossible due to firewall issues.  

Great game by Harden - he is Pierce 2.0 with a better first step and handles.  This series will likely go six or seven too.  Aside from the hack-a-drama, you have two of the most demonstrative coaches in the league in McHale and Doc.  Playoff NBA is fun.
 
As a side note, do James Harden's repertoire of post-score celebrations also fall under "being an ass" or "ass clownery"?  Do the crowd's reactions to his plays piss people here off too?  Because I love Harden's game and think the crowd fuels the guy as much as any player in the NBA.

I personally don't like watching harden play basketball. His whole game is to generate a foul. That's his 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th motivation. And the officiating has changed to favor this style of basketball, so as opposed to having the intent to play basketball i have to watch a guy rack up free throws. It's smart, he's the master at it and has perfected it but it's not for me

 

[The Social Chair]

John Wall has fractures in his hand and wrist. That's a huge bummer. 

 

[radsoxfan]

John Wall has fractures in his hand and wrist. That's a huge bummer. 

This is why these guys should often be getting MRIs with negative xrays... Lots of occult things get missed on X-ray all the time.

Tough luck for Wall. Hopefully not a scaphoid fracture involved, but still hard to imagine him being able to play any time soon.