2021 NBA Playoffs Gamethread
- Thread starter JohnnyTheBone
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And he just gave Middleton the ball like a millisecond after rebounding the ball so they could foul him.
Absolutely unreal. The closest thing I can compare it to (in terms of a center being blocked on a clear dunk, in a huge moment) is LeBron's block on Tiago Splitter in the 2013 finals, but this was a bigger moment and Splitter is not Ayton.
Slightly underrated storyline is how awesome it is that Giannis wasn’t hobbled for the Finals. He is doing, dare I say, freakish things out there and is great for the sport.
Rooting for Suns to win it all ever since Celtics lost but very happy that block was by Giannis and not Embiid or Griffin/Durant
View: https://twitter.com/realskipbayless/status/1415518075315658756?s=21
“That Giannis block of Ayton is being completely overrated. IT WAS A LOB. Giannis had plenty of time to go up and meet Ayton as he was catching the ball at its peak. He almost couldn't help but block it.”
“That Giannis block of Ayton is being completely overrated. IT WAS A LOB. Giannis had plenty of time to go up and meet Ayton as he was catching the ball at its peak. He almost couldn't help but block it.”
Those were bigger (only because it was game 7), but I'm specifically referring to cases in which the block was on a center attempting a dunk. Amazing as Lebron's block was on Iggy, this block (and when Lebron blocked Splitter) required a different level of physical strength.
If this were game 7 this dunk would be a bigger deal. The moment was just as big (tied with 1:50 left vs. up 2 with 1:14 left), and blocking a center on a dunk attempt is harder than a chase down block on a layup.
Hopefully Suns can win in 6. I want some sleep before the Tokyo opening ceremonies Friday morning
The Suns choked away what could gave been a headlock on the finals.
Chris Paul was 1-3 with two TOs and no assists in the fourth quarter (before the uncontested layup with two seconds left.
Booker was 2-6 with one TO, and Middleton outscored him 14-4 in the fourth.
Chris Paul was 1-3 with two TOs and no assists in the fourth quarter (before the uncontested layup with two seconds left.
Booker was 2-6 with one TO, and Middleton outscored him 14-4 in the fourth.
Haven't cared for him since the 70 point game against the C's in '17. That game was a blowout entering the 4th that ended up a 10-point win with Booker against five human victory cigars, ballhogging his way into the history books. I thought I'd be over that by now but it's stuck with me for some reason.
Defense won the game for Bucks. Holiday had an ass shooting game but you would take that if you are Milwaukee if it means he is shutting down Paul on the other end. It really took a crazy Booker game to make it close; even though it wasn't a great Bucks offensive game. The turnover margin, 17-5, really tells the story.
Fun series, CP3 will have to exorcise some demons going back home.
Fun series, CP3 will have to exorcise some demons going back home.
Indeed. I don't want to hear any more talk about Giannis being overrated defensively.
Chris Paul played like he'd been given a tranquilizer before the game.
If you're talking about the outdoor crowd, I have been thinking about that too but doesn't seem like a spike in numbers in MIL. Maybe limiting it to vax'd fans?
Problem with getting old is that the clunkers come more and more frequently.
Is it just me or does this series have a lot less ref-lobbying or ref-working than say LAL or PHI or BRK, just to name a few teams. It's a lot easier to watch when guys aren't throwing fits every time a whistle is called.
Jrue can put people to sleep. Paul seems so worn right now but Jrue is also a terrible matchup for him
The replay makes that block look even more impressive. Giannis tracks that ball while facing Booker as he throws it up, turns around and times his leap perfectly.
Yup, Holiday is a beast defensively and it's definitely wearing on Paul. I was one of the people (maybe the only person?) who said before the year that Holiday was essentially a carbon copy of Bledsoe who just didn't have the track record of failure in the playoffs. His shooting has been ugly through the playoffs (though he's had a few moments), but unlike Bledsoe he doesn't let it destroy the rest of his game, which makes all the difference. That said, Paul missed a lot of really good midrange looks that he normally hits 70% of the time, so I wonder if it's just fatigue.
True on Giannis. Makes Bayless' tweet even more ridiculous.
PJ Tucker played 29 minutes and took just one shot, 0 points. He didn't exactly fill up the box score in other ways (5 boards, 1 assist, no steals or blocks). He had 5 fouls and was the primary defender on Booker, who went supernova. I don't quite know what to make of this.
Everyone has always said that Grant Williams can become Tucker. Maybe Tucker is becoming Grant instead.