NBA playoffs 2018

DannyDarwinism

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Jul 7, 2007
4,883
With all due respect to Pat Beverley, if someone told you that a six foot guard was gonna out-Draymond Draymond, well, Rondo’s your huckleberry.

I’ll stay up late for this series just to see which one of them can do the pettier, more irritating shit to the other.
 

CantKeepmedown

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Jul 15, 2005
2,579
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Toronto trying to beat Cleveland is a lot like the Twins trying to beat the Yankees. They might tease you for a little bit, and maybe even get the occasional W. But we all know how this story will end.
 

BaseballJones

ivanvamp
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Oct 1, 2015
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Frigging LeBron is going to make it to the NBA finals again, isn't he? We can all see it coming, right?
 

TheRooster

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Aug 3, 2001
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Toronto trying to beat Cleveland is a lot like the Twins trying to beat the Yankees. They might tease you for a little bit, and maybe even get the occasional W. But we all know how this story will end.
And I expect the tease to come in the form of a blowout Toronto win in Game 2 or 3. At some point in one of those games James will decide there is no point and just rest. And tons of fans/media will overreact. He knows he only has to win 3 of the next 6 games.
 

Deathofthebambino

Drive Carefully
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Apr 12, 2005
41,946
Nobody watching Utah take it to the Rockets on their home floor? Up by 17 with 3 minutes to go in the 1st half.

Of course, I fully expect James "Sir Flopalot" Harden and his refereeing cronies to slowly drag them back into it in the second half.
 

Deathofthebambino

Drive Carefully
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Apr 12, 2005
41,946
Nobody watching Utah take it to the Rockets on their home floor? Up by 17 with 3 minutes to go in the 1st half.

Of course, I fully expect James "Sir Flopalot" Harden and his refereeing cronies to slowly drag them back into it in the second half.
In the remaining 3 minutes after I made this post, Harden had 14 points, including 6 free throw attempts, and it's now a 9 point game at halftime. LOL. So predictable.
 

dhellers

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Oct 31, 2005
4,203
Silver Spring, Maryland
In the remaining 3 minutes after I made this post, Harden had 14 points, including 6 free throw attempts, and it's now a 9 point game at halftime. LOL. So predictable.
Harden is super skilled offensive player, but I hate the bs fouls he gets. Play a team that the refs have to respect, is Harden nearly as effective?

Utah just caught the raptoritis
 

tbrep

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Apr 26, 2012
637
Donovan Mitchell just murdered the rim!

Side note: his playmaking skills have really improved over the course of the playoffs. Tonight, his shot hasn’t been falling but he can still contribute in so many other ways
 

jmm57

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Jul 15, 2005
1,485
The league is so dumb with the way Harden is officiated. Worse then any star I have seen .
 

Deathofthebambino

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Apr 12, 2005
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Yet he was called for 4 fouls with 5 left in the 4th...

And, no, it's not any worse than how Jordan was officiated.
No, just stop. There is nothing, absolutely nothing in common between the way Harden plays basketball, and the way Jordan played, and there is even less in common with how the officials handled each of them. Lebron might be a better comparison for Jordan, but even that's a stretch. The way Harden plays and the way he's officiated is unlike anything or anyone we've ever seen.
 

PC Drunken Friar

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Sep 12, 2003
14,539
South Boston
No, just stop. There is nothing, absolutely nothing in common between the way Harden plays basketball, and the way Jordan played, and there is even less in common with how the officials handled each of them. Lebron might be a better comparison for Jordan, but even that's a stretch. The way Harden plays and the way he's officiated is unlike anything or anyone we've ever seen.
I agree, it's different. But Jordan got the call 95% of the time. And never got called for fouls himself.

But, by all means, continue complaining about the refs in literally every game thread. In every sport.
 

Deathofthebambino

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Apr 12, 2005
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I agree, it's different. But Jordan got the call 95% of the time. And never got called for fouls himself.

But, by all means, continue complaining about the refs in literally every game thread. In every sport.
Dude, you just compared Jordan, who took 20+ shots a game inside the 3 point line, usually driving to the hoop, to James Harden, who takes 10 shots a game that aren't 3 pointers, and yet goes to the foul line equally as much as Jordan. There is nothing comparable between the two.
 

Deathofthebambino

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Apr 12, 2005
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Nice to see a kid who has battled injuries and been maligned look like he belongs.
There's a lot to like about the whole team. They lose their best player in the offseason and come back to do what they're doing. I don't think they can beat Rockets in a 7 game series, but I'd love to see them push it to 6 or 7 games.
 

Sam Ray Not

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Jul 19, 2005
8,847
NYC
Wow, Jazz. They take a Game 1 punch in the mouth and punch right back, just as they did v. OKC. And without their starting PG this time. Bravo, Quin Snyder and co.

Now they go home to the thin air and raucous crowd of SLC, and we get to see if the Rockets are any less gutless than they were last year in this round v. the Kawhi-less Spurs.

Edit: delayed reaction, but that putback dunk by Mitchell was totally insane.
 

PC Drunken Friar

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Sep 12, 2003
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South Boston
Dude, you just compared Jordan, who took 20+ shots a game inside the 3 point line, usually driving to the hoop, to James Harden, who takes 10 shots a game that aren't 3 pointers, and yet goes to the foul line equally as much as Jordan. There is nothing comparable between the two.
The game has changed. A lot. This is the new NBA. The refs favor the stars, no matter what, even if it is Wilt never fouling out of a game, Jordan getting all the calls, or Lebron getting a combo of Jordan /Harden. It's the way the game has always been. Deal with it.
 

ElUno20

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Jul 19, 2005
6,055
it's starting to look like Golden State is going to roll over everyone again.
Starting to look?

I seriously think they should rest Steph next year for about 70% of the season and just roll him out in the playoffs to collect another ring.
 

HomeRunBaker

bet squelcher
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Jan 15, 2004
30,096
Yet he was called for 4 fouls with 5 left in the 4th...

And, no, it's not any worse than how Jordan was officiated.
Maybe it's as simple as the highest skilled players also being the most skilled in taking advantage of their lesser skilled counterparts in utilizing angles and game flow in drawing fouls? Revolutionary thinking I know.

Harden and Paul, prior to coming to Houston, have long ago mastered the art of drawing fouls in delayed transition by gaining position on a big running aimlessly down the floor. We all know they are trying to draw a foul by gaining position with the ball in front of the out of control runner.....this isn't poor officiating it is savvy basketball strategy as they are allowed per the rules of the game to gain that spot with the ball regardless of intent.
 

Montana Fan

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Oct 18, 2000
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Twin Bridges, Mt.
In honor of the Sir Flopalot nickname for Harden. Here's 7 minutes of video where things don't go his way. some of you may remember it. Skip forward to 3:30 for the best ending to a game this season.

 

the moops

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Jan 19, 2016
4,700
Saint Paul, MN
Nice to see a kid who has battled injuries and been maligned look like he belongs.
He also had a completely boneheaded play with 2 minutes to go as he charged down the court and threw up a shot as only 6 seconds ran off the shot clock. And of course it got blocked and went out of bounds off him.
 

jmm57

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Jul 15, 2005
1,485
Celts are same time Monday. I don’t remember them doing that in the past.
 

Montana Fan

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Oct 18, 2000
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Twin Bridges, Mt.
This game is gonna suck. Toronto will likely win but there's really not much excitement about a home team down 1-0 in a must win game. Wake me up for game 3 if the Raps win this afternoon.
 

lovegtm

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Apr 30, 2013
11,996
This game is gonna suck. Toronto will likely win but there's really not much excitement about a home team down 1-0 in a must win game. Wake me up for game 3 if the Raps win this afternoon.
It's not like Cleveland is a lock to win at home; I actually find this series pretty engaging.
 

Montana Fan

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Oct 18, 2000
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Twin Bridges, Mt.
It's not like Cleveland is a lock to win at home; I actually find this series pretty engaging.
Yeah but I'm thinking it's 90/10 that Toronto wins today. If that occurs, the next 2 games will be much more meaningful and interesting than this one. That said, I'll watch the 4th to kill time leading up to the Celts game.