2021 NBA Playoffs Gamethread

bigq

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
11,083
Who knew that two of the keys to the Clippers to finally advancing to the WCF would be ditching Doc and having Kawhi sidelined by injury. The theme for this year's NBA playoffs should be expect the unexpected.
 

Kliq

Member
SoSH Member
Mar 31, 2013
22,667
Don't like the Clippers, don't really want them to win, but on the other hand there is Balmer, and i adore Steve. The guy is just all in about anything he touches, and this isn't an act.
I'm the same. Guy puts his money where his mouth is and like it or not, Clippers have turned into a consistently competitive, if albeit disappointing, team under his ownership.
 

ElUno20

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 19, 2005
6,055
I'm the same. Guy puts his money where his mouth is and like it or not, Clippers have turned into a consistently competitive, if albeit disappointing, team under his ownership.
It'll go unnoticed and unheralded (and probably deservedly so since he's a gazillionaire) but he's poured and will continue to pour a ton of money into Inglewood where they plan to buildg the stadium.

He's tried his ass off. Love Balmer
 

PedroKsBambino

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Apr 17, 2003
31,187
Perhaps Kawhi is a little bit overrated.

People go gaga over this guy. But he's always hurt and he gets hurt this year and his team just crushes without remorse in the next two games.
Sort of fair? He’s played almost exactly same number of games (2 more) over last three regular seasons as Lebron, a couple more than Embiid, and 30 more than Curry. So not sure “always hurt” is fair in a relative sense…but yeah, he’s not Karl Malone.
 

Euclis20

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 3, 2004
8,014
Imaginationland
Sort of fair? He’s played almost exactly same number of games (2 more) over last three regular seasons as Lebron, a couple more than Embiid, and 30 more than Curry. So not sure “always hurt” is fair in a relative sense…but yeah, he’s not Karl Malone.
Embiid is the most injury prone star in the league, and Kawhi is 4 and 7 years younger than Curry and Lebron, respectively. Being mentioned in that company isn't great, plus cutting it off at 3 seasons means we don't have to count 2018, when Kawhi missed 73 games (compared with 50 combined for Embiid/Curry/Lebron).
 

HomeRunBaker

bet squelcher
SoSH Member
Jan 15, 2004
30,096
Perhaps Kawhi is a little bit overrated.
Perhaps Patrick Ewing was as well. /Simmons

I mean we see teams thrive with other NBA players stepping up for short periods of time all the time. Jackson and Mann doing what they did doesn’t mean Kawhi is overrated it simply shows that others stepped up in his short term absence.
 

terrynever

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Aug 25, 2005
21,717
pawtucket
Quick question: Are you guys enjoying the playoffs? I am. We have two Game 7s in the East tonight and Sunday night. The four remaining East teams have flaws. They get hurt a lot. No lead is safe. Trae Young is a revelation. The Nets and 76ers are unlikeable. The Suns are fun to watch.
 

Buster Olney the Lonely

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 16, 2006
4,517
Atlanta, GA
I’m enjoying the heck out of the playoffs—maybe more than usual. The big thing is that it doesn’t feel like there’s a clearcut favorite. Brooklyn? Ton of risk there.

So many huge comebacks. I don’t remember a playoffs where we had anything like this

Also, lots of good stories like the Clippers and Suns. So much potential for a team that has never won before—Clips, Nets, Suns, Hawks (St Louis doesn’t count).

And Trae is so exciting. I cannot emphasize enough how big he is here in Atlanta. Local athletes tend to be very milquetoast. This guy is an instigator and loves to play to the fans. The only athlete I can compare him to was Vick who didn’t bring a fraction of the personality thst Trae brings.

Finally, when the Celtics are not playing I can enjoy the playoffs more. No stress. Put that in the mix.
 

nighthob

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
12,678
People go gaga over this guy. But he's always hurt and he gets hurt this year and his team just crushes without remorse in the next two games.
In fairness he hasn't been the same since the cheap shot he took while playing Golden State.
 

jmcc5400

Member
SoSH Member
Sep 29, 2000
5,203
I’m enjoying the heck out of the playoffs—maybe more than usual. The big thing is that it doesn’t feel like there’s a clearcut favorite. Brooklyn? Ton of risk there.

***

Finally, when the Celtics are not playing I can enjoy the playoffs more. No stress. Put that in the mix.
The Celtics being eliminated sucks, but was a relief in a way. Once the Lakers were eliminated, the playoffs became stress-free and enjoyable. It is really nice being removed from other fanbases' gut punch losses
 

128

Member
SoSH Member
May 4, 2019
10,016
The Celtics being eliminated sucks, but was a relief in a way. Once the Lakers were eliminated, the playoffs became stress-free and enjoyable. It is really nice being removed from other fanbases' gut punch losses
For me, at least, the playoffs will be more enjoyable when/if BKN gets eliminated. The last thing I want to see is Kyrie get a ring this year. I'm not big on the Sixers, either, but I'll take them ahead of the Nets.
 

ElUno20

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 19, 2005
6,055
Is there any word on CP's status? He has to be out game 1 at least right?

Also, probably doesnt mean much but Kawhi was at the game yesterday walking around like normal. No brace or anything on his knee
 

HomeRunBaker

bet squelcher
SoSH Member
Jan 15, 2004
30,096
Is there any word on CP's status? He has to be out game 1 at least right?

Also, probably doesnt mean much but Kawhi was at the game yesterday walking around like normal. No brace or anything on his knee
My hunch with no other knowledge or information is the CP3 will be “cleared” to play G1. Too much quiet on this front imo.
 
Is there any word on CP's status?
I'm coping OK, thanks. Oh...you meant CP3. ;)
I'm going to enjoy watching Trae Young average 48 p/g vs the Nets.
From your lips to God's ears.

Y'know, it's certainly occurred to me that playing in front of tense Philly fans could be advantageous to the Hawks relative to playing in front of tense Atlanta fans...but who knows? It's also occured to me that Atlanta winning the title would be about as close as the NBA could ever really get to Leicester City winning the Premier League title. But as an Atlanta native, I'm certainly conditioned to expect the worst, and for our season to be done tomorrow. (We are due for a good shooting game that lasts for more than a quarter, mind you - and Collins cannot possibly play any worse than he did last night, can he?)
 

Jimbodandy

Member
SoSH Member
Jan 31, 2006
11,403
around the way
Quick question: Are you guys enjoying the playoffs? I am. We have two Game 7s in the East tonight and Sunday night. The four remaining East teams have flaws. They get hurt a lot. No lead is safe. Trae Young is a revelation. The Nets and 76ers are unlikeable. The Suns are fun to watch.
I'm enjoying them for sure, especially the Hawks Sixers series.
 

djbayko

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 18, 2005
25,894
Los Angeles, CA
So the bucks offense right now is everyone stand around and wait for Giannis to decide what to do. And sometimes he’ll even bring it up the court.
 

osori

Member
SoSH Member
Oct 8, 2009
2,302
I'm rooting for Nets to lose, but I hope that counting when shooting a FT never stops until Giannis retires.