Luis Taint said:Steph Curry is incredible
who said they're overrated? My lawd.DeJesus Built My Hotrod said:
He and Harden are NOT overrated. Harden, in particular, has upped his game the past few weeks.
bball831 said:Harden should have barreled into the lane and forced the refs to make a call. The pass back to Dwight was tremendously stupid.
Kliq said:Some quick thoughts:
- Harden just lost his head in the final possession. He probably had a chance to take it to the basket, but he decided to panic the ball back to Howard, who did the right thing and passed it back to him and by then the help defense was there.
- That being said, Harden was brilliant, playing a nearly flawless game and was the Rockets entire offense. Stats might prove me wrong, but he very well might have been responsible for every single one of the Rockets points in the 4th quarter. He was Jordan all game except for the final 10 seconds.
- Don't know how Houston can expect to win by putting bigs isolated against Curry on offense. He is too crafty in getting his shot off against slower defenders. Brewer seemed to do pretty decent against him.
- Houston is in the hole now, but they certainly need THAT Howard for the rest of the series to take it, he answered the bell tonight.
- I just hate the fans in Oracle. If I was a big Warriors fan I would probably love it, but as a neutral observer they are just obnoxious. The excitement about threes I can handle, the 20,000 whines after every call against the Warriors I can't.
- GS has killed Houston on simple plays, with either Bogut or Green setting an off-ball screen for Thompson or Curry and Curry and Thompson getting a great look from the corner. That needs to be the first thing Houston tackles in the film room.
- Draymond Green is an excellent all around player, but he also comes off as a giant prick.
- The fact that Mark Jackson has the best commentary job in basketball is sad.
- Textbook Bogut game on defense, he did everything he could in battling Howard and Harden when they attacked the basket.
- Houston has some players, Smith, Howard and even Harden, that sometimes make just terrible, undisciplined, plays that kill their team. You could make the case that a few less turnovers here or there could swing this series, so that is a huge, huge problem.
- I really like this series, the games are really fun to watch. I consider this the defacto finals, and I hope Houston can get back in it at home because I don't think whoever plays in the finals is going to be close.
I rewatched the last 7 seconds, and when Howard got the pass -- he had a fairly open path to the hoop (with one defender deep in the paint, and one off to the right).Soxy Brown said:
The pass was stupid but he had no chance to barrel into the lane. Once his drive to the basket was cutoff, Harden had to either take the jumper (and he had a bit of space for a moment) or call TO. Those were his two viable options.
I generally agree with most of your points here but I take issue with the bolded lines.Kliq said:Some quick thoughts:
- Harden just lost his head in the final possession. He probably had a chance to take it to the basket, but he decided to panic the ball back to Howard, who did the right thing and passed it back to him and by then the help defense was there.
- That being said, Harden was brilliant, playing a nearly flawless game and was the Rockets entire offense. Stats might prove me wrong, but he very well might have been responsible for every single one of the Rockets points in the 4th quarter. He was Jordan all game except for the final 10 seconds.
- Don't know how Houston can expect to win by putting bigs isolated against Curry on offense. He is too crafty in getting his shot off against slower defenders. Brewer seemed to do pretty decent against him.
- Houston is in the hole now, but they certainly need THAT Howard for the rest of the series to take it, he answered the bell tonight.
- I just hate the fans in Oracle. If I was a big Warriors fan I would probably love it, but as a neutral observer they are just obnoxious. The excitement about threes I can handle, the 20,000 whines after every call against the Warriors I can't.
- GS has killed Houston on simple plays, with either Bogut or Green setting an off-ball screen for Thompson or Curry and Curry and Thompson getting a great look from the corner. That needs to be the first thing Houston tackles in the film room.
- Draymond Green is an excellent all around player, but he also comes off as a giant prick.
- The fact that Mark Jackson has the best commentary job in basketball is sad.
- Textbook Bogut game on defense, he did everything he could in battling Howard and Harden when they attacked the basket.
- Houston has some players, Smith, Howard and even Harden, that sometimes make just terrible, undisciplined, plays that kill their team. You could make the case that a few less turnovers here or there could swing this series, so that is a huge, huge problem.
- I really like this series, the games are really fun to watch. I consider this the defacto finals, and I hope Houston can get back in it at home because I don't think whoever plays in the finals is going to be close.
Not the play I was referencing, but really? That was a tangle with nothing coming from it. No anger, no retaliation either way.Kliq said:Oh that Draymond Green, what a good sport:
<iframe src="https://vine.co/v/eATJm6I2zEF/embed/simple" width="600" height="600" frameborder="0"></iframe><script src="https://platform.vine.co/static/scripts/embed.js"></script>
Kliq said:Oh that Draymond Green, what a good sport:
<iframe src="https://vine.co/v/eATJm6I2zEF/embed/simple" width="600" height="600" frameborder="0"></iframe><script src="https://platform.vine.co/static/scripts/embed.js"></script>
Greg29fan said:I loved the no timeout call by Houston because Barnes, who fell down after missing the layup, and Green, who got pushed under the basket on the rebounding action, were both trailing the play, giving Houston a 4 on 3 break when they brought the ball into the frontcourt (Jones was wide open, having beaten Green down the court, but Harden missed him).
Harden/Houston messed up the execution but you should always take the advantage when you have it and don't allow the other team to play a set defense.
DeJesus Built My Hotrod said:
Really? He was down on his back and held his man from getting up and giving the other team a numbers advantage. I don't know where you've played ball but I know coaches who would make players do suicides if they let the other team get a man advantage without trying to tie the guy up. That makes him a poor sport in your book? Your rec league wouldn't like any of the good players I know...
He'd already been stomped in the face by Ariza's shins (professional intentional, not violent). You watching?Kliq said:
If you were lying down and grabbed both of your opponents legs and prevented him from getting back on defense while his man streaks to the basket for an uncontested layup, you would get stomped in the face where I play (and that is at a public liberal arts college).
Kliq said:
If you were lying down and grabbed both of your opponents legs and prevented him from getting back on defense while his man streaks to the basket for an uncontested layup, you would get stomped in the face where I play (and that is at a public liberal arts college).
DeJesus Built My Hotrod said:
You do realize the difference in stakes between what is going on in the NBA playoffs and your school, right? And it has nothing to do with sportsmanship. That Vine was the equivalent to a modestly hard foul. I suspect if the positions were reversed, Ariza would have done the same thing and I would still have no problem with it. Also note that Trevor Ariza plays for this noted beacon of sportsmanship. And despite this video, I don't think people outside of LA would call McHale a dirty player either.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7r6vXeOfyQ&ab_channel=KenCileli
Kliq said:
The only reason I brought up what would happen at my school is because you started with the "I don't know where you play..." nonsense. To me, Green's actions in that play were underhanded and gave his team an unfair advantage. I am far from the only person that dislikes the way Green plays. The McHale clothesline adds nothing to the conversation so thanks for sharing that. I personally don't really like the way Green always conducts himself, while also admitting that he is also a very talented and valuable player. You guys seems to care way to much about a small point I made.
DeJesus Built My Hotrod said:
Underhanded? Really? Do you watch much professional sports?
And the reason I cited McHale is that it was a good, hard foul in the context of that era's NBA but much worse than the underhanded, unfair deed that Draymond Green is accused of perpetrating on humanity. Its fair if you dislike him but please stop with the sanctimonious bullshit. You are watching the NBA playoffs.
Harden tried to attack twice then when the defense forced him to retreat he was flat-footed and passed to Howard to get it back in an attack position. He tried to attack again but as soon as he put the ball on the floor he was doubled and the ball came loose. There was no offensive set whatsoever.....McHale gambled that Harden could freelance it but the Rockets swarmed him the moment he crossed halfcourt. It's ridiculous to blame Harden for not scoring with TWO aggressive defenders all over him.Soxy Brown said:
The pass was stupid but he had no chance to barrel into the lane. Once his drive to the basket was cutoff, Harden had to either take the jumper (and he had a bit of space for a moment) or call TO. Those were his two viable options.
First, right back at you in terms of admiration. I appreciate your perspective in a forum that has less than 20 active participants during a given NBA season and you clearly understand basketball on a higher level.Kliq said:
I like you, I really do, but you are being a little sensitive right now.
DeJesus Built My Hotrod said:First, right back at you in terms of admiration. I appreciate your perspective in a forum that has less than 20 active participants during a given NBA season and you clearly understand basketball on a higher level.
That said, I don't consider this the least bit personal nor should you. I feel that Green plays basketball the "right way" given that it is 2015. You do not. Fair enough - I would admit that he can be polarizing if you just recently started watching his style of play. However it appears to me that the majority of players who face Golden State like the guy and given that they have far more insight into how the league works, I am inclined to defer to them.
Let's agree to disagree and move on. I am more interested in what Houston does in game three - I think DH12 gets marginalized...
I think teams/players who haven't accomplished much in the past have a tendency to outperform in the regular season - more motivation and focus, maintained over a looong regular season. Atlanta and the C's are examples. Meanwhile, accomplished teams/players use the regular season to prepare for the "real" seasonDeJesus Built My Hotrod said:What the playoffs have shown is what McHale said last night - the regular season does not matter. The Hawks are hurting, for sure, but they clearly are inferior to the LeBron-led Cavs. I love Steph Curry but until proven otherwise, LeBron is the true MVP in that he is the most impactful player in basketball.
Unless Atlanta steals one in Cleveland, this series is done. The Rockets/Warriors series, on the other hand...
Yeah there isn't much ground to stand on for those saying the regular season doesn't matter when both conference finalists are the 1 and 2 seeds even if Atlanta isn't exactly built for playoff success.Tony C said:Yeah, it's a really distorted post-season because of the injuries -- has made match-ups weird and sort of dampened a much anticipated playoff season. Sucks: almost like the NFL where it's a war of attrition more than anything else. I hope Kyrie, at least, is healthy for (presumably) the finals. I found that last Hawks-Cavs game just unwatchable.
Disagree on the regular season not mattering -- #1 seed in the West has been gold for Golden State. If they had skated to, say, the #3 seed and faced, say, the Spurs, Clippers, and Rockets....that's a much harder route than Pels, Grizzlies, and now in the conference finals their first real test in the Rockets -- this after a season of talking about what a death march it'd be for all teams in the Western playoffs. That's not to take anything away from the Dubs -- they earned that #1 seed and are taking advantage fair and square (unlike the Hawks). It's just to say that it's been quite worth the effort. On the flip, the Hawks make the opposite case, I suppose. Did they expend too much energy getting the #1 seed? I can't imagine their woes are that they miss Thabo. And this article makes the case that...well...that there is no clear statistical reason for their faltering: http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/fancy-stats/wp/2015/05/20/what-happened-to-the-hawks-offense/ Korver and Horford both look like different (and much lesser) players....fatigue? Minor injuries?
Bottom-line is even the Nets gave them a battle. The Wizards looked like the better team. And now they're getting creamed by a Cavs team without Love and Irving. It's a shame -- they were a super fun team to watch during the regular season.