2015 NBA Playoffs

glued

What a finish

Itssoeasy

Jesus a sickener.

For Forks Sake

Bollocks.

GoldFour4

Holy ****!!!!! What a series!!

Paully D

Yeah, that free timeout rule needs to be changed.

SantryRed

Devastating.

D2D

YYYYYYYYYYEEEEEESSSSSSS!!!!!!! Ugly game but that's a crucial win!:D:D:D

Liam O

Would be more a Bulls fan due to Rose being my favourite player in basketball but you have to love a finish like that.

Itssoeasy

Paully D wrote: »

Yeah, that free timeout rule needs to be changed.

It does its a stupid rule. And maybe I've missed it but why was it 1.5 seconds not 0.8 ? The ball didn't hit the floor out of bounds until 0.8 seconds left.

Paully D

Well, it's hard not to think that that wasn't the big chance blown.

Kyrie was hobbling and virtually ineffective, so much so that the Cavs might as well have been playing with 4, LeBron was awful from the field, the Cavs went on a run of about 10 or 11 missed FG's in a row in the 3rd and Chicago were up by 11 with 30 seconds left in the 3rd.

We needed someone to pick up the offensive slack in Pau's absence and Dunleavy and Mirotic did absolutely nothing. 15 points all in in the 4th quarter, **** off to be honest. Just a complete joke that we couldn't push on and win that game.

Hard to see a way back now despite the series being tied at 2-2, IMO. That was the big chance. I don't know if this group will ever get over the line. If you're not going to beat LeBron's Cleveland on your own court, 2-1 up in a series with a chance to put it away coupled with everything mentioned in the 2nd paragraph then when are you ever? The Bulls lack a killer instinct. A gut wrenching defeat

LuckyGent88

Incredible finish. The king really stepped up

PizzamanIRL

I know the free timeout thing needs to change, but did it really have an impact here? It was just LeBron losing Jimmy and taking the shot.

GoldFour4

I honestly can't believe how Thibs didn't call for a double on LBJ there as soon as he caught the ball. It's not as if he didn't have time to call a defensive play either and there was only one man that ball was going to go to.

Liam O

PizzamanIRL wrote: »

I know the free timeout thing needs to change, but did it really have an impact here? It was just LeBron losing Jimmy and taking the shot.

I feel with one second left you have to cover LeBron a bit better than that tbh, it was always going to him.

PizzamanIRL

Liam O wrote: »

I feel with one second left you have to cover LeBron a bit better than that tbh, it was always going to him.

Yeah he needs to listen to Mr. First Team All Defense

He(Jimmy ) was Standing straight up before the play even started & what Taj doing putting pressure on delladova.

ButtersSuki

That's a series defining loss right there. Cleveland to win now, hard to see them losing from here. Sadly…..sigh.

Echoing other posters by saying these but 2 clear mistakes by Chicago on the play:
1. Everyone in the building knows it's going to LeJon. You double team in this situation or you at least crowd the space. That's on Thibs IMO. Make someone other than LeJon beat you
2. Butler falls asleep on the play. As good as he is that's a defensive lapse. With that little time on the clock you have to make the guy work harder to get the ball than that. He bought the faked cut too easily. Yes, there's a little push by LeJon but no ref will call that at this level. Butler is also too slow recovering from the initial break to the corner

That said, LeJon's quickness to create that much separation was incredible - shows how much shedding the extra muscle from last year has increased his reaction time and speed.

ButtersSuki

Lol:
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/outlawing-backboard-usage-on-game-winning-shot

ButtersSuki

Lol Part 2:
http://breakingt.com/products/i-called-game

Soby

NufcNavan

Lebron played like total garbage all game but gets to pose like Jordan for the next 2 games because his last crappy jumper found the net.

nerd69

Deandre really should be able to go better than 10-28 from the line I think most of us could beat that

Soby

I get that Beverly, defensively anyway is a big loss as is Montejunias or however it's spelt, but that's still no excuse for Houston.

Harden is not a #1 option. The guy is just way too passive a franchise player to help your team win more than regular season games.. If you take penetrating the basket away from him and guard the three ball semi decently, he's doomed. LeBron, Kobe, Wade, and even Curry, Durant, Westbrook etc are or perhaps better said, were for the most part all killers when they had to be.

Feel a bit sorry for Dwight as he's actually played quite well at times in this series.

Carcharodon

NufcNavan wrote: »

Lebron played like total garbage all game but gets to pose like Jordan for the next 2 games because his last crappy jumper found the net.

I don't think that is a fair assessment, granted he has been a bit sloppy and he has more to give but he led the team in points, assists and rebounds, then knocks down the game winner. Not quite garbage in my opinion.
I do feel he should be more aggressive, as good as Butler and others have done on him, they can't really guard him, he is a total mismatch for them as he is for most, I feel he could be more aggressive for the next two games.

leggo

I just put €5 on the Clippers to win the NBA Championship.

I think the arguments we use against them aren't relevant anymore due to historical preconceptions and perceived flaws that just aren't hurting them. The Hack-A-DeAndre tactic makes one of their big 3 a liability...doesn't matter, they've just got stronger, and if anything the fact that Pop and the Spurs couldn't use it to beat them is proof that it doesn't work as a tactic. They're relying on Austin Rivers and have a weak bench...doesn't matter, they've just got stronger.

The reality is that they are the only team playing convincingly like champions right now. Would you trust Washington to go all the way without John Wall? Pfft. Would you bet the mortgage on LeBron and the Cavs to even see out the series? If you're picking the Bulls there, would you feel confident in them staying lucky with health for another month of constant grind? GSW are still the bookies favourites, but doesn't it look suspiciously like Memphis are peaking just as they're dipping? That said, remember how unconvincing Memphis were in seeing off Portland?

The Clips right now remind me of the 2011 Mavs, who I also bet on after their 1st round sweep of the Lakers. When there's no clear alpha dog, you have to take away all preconceptions and just look at who's playing the best basketball. It's them by a mile. It's been them from the start. They've got the heart, they've got the determination, they've got the story (which gives them the belief), they've got the players. It's all there for them just as every other favourite is dropping off.

nerd69

leggo wrote: »

I just put €5 on the Clippers to win the NBA Championship.

I think the arguments we use against them aren't relevant anymore due to historical preconceptions and perceived flaws that just aren't hurting them. The Hack-A-DeAndre tactic makes one of their big 3 a liability...doesn't matter, they've just got stronger, and if anything the fact that Pop and the Spurs couldn't use it to beat them is proof that it doesn't work as a tactic. They're relying on Austin Rivers and have a weak bench...doesn't matter, they've just got stronger.

The reality is that they are the only team playing convincingly like champions right now. Would you trust Washington to go all the way without John Wall? Pfft. Would you bet the mortgage on LeBron and the Cavs to even see out the series? If you're picking the Bulls there, would you feel confident in them staying lucky with health for another month of constant grind? GSW are still the bookies favourites, but doesn't it look suspiciously like Memphis are peaking just as they're dipping? That said, remember how unconvincing Memphis were in seeing off Portland?

The Clips right now remind me of the 2011 Mavs, who I also bet on after their 1st round sweep of the Lakers. When there's no clear alpha dog, you have to take away all preconceptions and just look at who's playing the best basketball. It's them by a mile. It's been them from the start. They've got the heart, they've got the determination, they've got the story (which gives them the belief), they've got the players. It's all there for them just as every other favourite is dropping off.

i maintain there bench will catch them eventually the spurs team they faced is not what they where timmy was superhuman but parker and ginobli are not the same and in this round the rockets are also top heavy but there first team is just not as good as the clips. golden state in the next round (if they beat the grizzlies) would be a completely different animal altogether

Lt J.R. Bell

Soby wrote: »

I get that Beverly, defensively anyway is a big loss as is Montejunias or however it's spelt, but that's still no excuse for Houston.

Harden is not a #1 option. The guy is just way too passive a franchise player to help your team win more than regular season games.. If you take penetrating the basket away from him and guard the three ball semi decently, he's doomed. LeBron, Kobe, Wade, and even Curry, Durant, Westbrook etc are or perhaps better said, were for the most part all killers when they had to be.

Feel a bit sorry for Dwight as he's actually played quite well at times in this series.

1. Harden is the only one who can make his own shot. The rest of the team rely on Harden's passing , they can't get their own shots. His defence sucks though. Ooh, and let's not forget, is is barely 25 years old. So it's rather tough going to have him as Leader #1. The team's game is predictable though, don't like watching them

2. When Dwight Howard, critically , considered as one of the best big men in the game can't keep his head and gets ratty over minor scuffles, no, sorry ,I feel sorry for his team mates. He should be screaming blue murder/ threatening to snap team mates necks , to be given that ball down low.

buyer95

leggo wrote: »

I just put €5 on the Clippers to win the NBA Championship.

I think the arguments we use against them aren't relevant anymore due to historical preconceptions and perceived flaws that just aren't hurting them. The Hack-A-DeAndre tactic makes one of their big 3 a liability...doesn't matter, they've just got stronger, and if anything the fact that Pop and the Spurs couldn't use it to beat them is proof that it doesn't work as a tactic. They're relying on Austin Rivers and have a weak bench...doesn't matter, they've just got stronger.

The reality is that they are the only team playing convincingly like champions right now. Would you trust Washington to go all the way without John Wall? Pfft. Would you bet the mortgage on LeBron and the Cavs to even see out the series? If you're picking the Bulls there, would you feel confident in them staying lucky with health for another month of constant grind? GSW are still the bookies favourites, but doesn't it look suspiciously like Memphis are peaking just as they're dipping? That said, remember how unconvincing Memphis were in seeing off Portland?

The Clips right now remind me of the 2011 Mavs, who I also bet on after their 1st round sweep of the Lakers. When there's no clear alpha dog, you have to take away all preconceptions and just look at who's playing the best basketball. It's them by a mile. It's been them from the start. They've got the heart, they've got the determination, they've got the story (which gives them the belief), they've got the players. It's all there for them just as every other favourite is dropping off.

I agree totally and was just coming on here to post something similar. The Clippers are one of the few teams whose two big pieces are playing at close to their peak. The bench has found life, and I don't believe there is a better statying 5 in the NBA. That being said a depleted Spurs team came within a hair of bouncing them in the first round. But I would view that as an enormous positive from thr Clippers perspective. Although the Spurs were weakened they still are the team that had gone to 2 straight NBA Finals, and realistically should have won both. So although they were not as good this season(due to injuries not age, Duncan was probably better this season than last) they still would have had more than enough for most teams in the first round. I've written this ad-nauseam on here, but I'll repeat, we were very unlucky that these teams met in the first round.
The fact that the Clippers were able to overcome them is huge, for CP3 it banished a lot of his demons, and cemented his greatness. There is no telling what that series win will have done for the teams confidence. They now feel they can beat anyone, and i Curry doesn't return to his MVP form then I wouldn't back against them.

Soby

Lt J.R. Bell wrote: »

1. Harden is the only one who can make his own shot. The rest of the team rely on Harden's passing , they can't get their own shots. His defence sucks though. Ooh, and let's not forget, is is barely 25 years old. So it's rather tough going to have him as Leader #1. The team's game is predictable though, don't like watching them

2. When Dwight Howard, critically , considered as one of the best big men in the game can't keep his head and gets ratty over minor scuffles, no, sorry ,I feel sorry for his team mates. He should be screaming blue murder/ threatening to snap team mates necks , to be given that ball down low.

He has time on his side, sure. But he is the head of the snake and has been for three seasons now, not one or two seasons and without another star beside him. When the going gets tough, Harden shrinks the most. Even the biggest Harden fan is honest with themselves, he's only ever had one truly good playoff series, and that was against the Spurs coming off the bench against their secondary unit for the most part when he was part of the Thunder team. That is not good enough for someone of his talent. I actually believed he really show up this year, and for me, I'd have had him as regular season MVP, as their record achieved without Howard playing much and his application to defense this season was very admirable.

As for Howard, yeah, he's timid, too much. But he's 1B to Harden being McHale has to shoulder a lot of the blame too as they don't run anywhere near enough plays for him, but when they gone to Howard, he has impressed except from the free throw line, which speaking of is making this series dreadful viewing. McHale resorting to Hack-A-Jordan less than four minutes into the game made it impossible to watch, and I think they were leading at the that time too!

Carcharodon

leggo wrote: »

I just put €5 on the Clippers to win the NBA Championship.

I think the arguments we use against them aren't relevant anymore due to historical preconceptions and perceived flaws that just aren't hurting them. The Hack-A-DeAndre tactic makes one of their big 3 a liability...doesn't matter, they've just got stronger, and if anything the fact that Pop and the Spurs couldn't use it to beat them is proof that it doesn't work as a tactic. They're relying on Austin Rivers and have a weak bench...doesn't matter, they've just got stronger.

The reality is that they are the only team playing convincingly like champions right now. Would you trust Washington to go all the way without John Wall? Pfft. Would you bet the mortgage on LeBron and the Cavs to even see out the series? If you're picking the Bulls there, would you feel confident in them staying lucky with health for another month of constant grind? GSW are still the bookies favourites, but doesn't it look suspiciously like Memphis are peaking just as they're dipping? That said, remember how unconvincing Memphis were in seeing off Portland?

The Clips right now remind me of the 2011 Mavs, who I also bet on after their 1st round sweep of the Lakers. When there's no clear alpha dog, you have to take away all preconceptions and just look at who's playing the best basketball. It's them by a mile. It's been them from the start. They've got the heart, they've got the determination, they've got the story (which gives them the belief), they've got the players. It's all there for them just as every other favourite is dropping off.

A whole $5, a lot of confidence there , joking buddy
I agree, Clips have never really impressed me theses past few seasons even with the great players they have, not a lot of depth plus they can disapear for periods of the game.
But after beating the Spurs, I thought they looked like a different animal, they got the confidence and belief now.
If Warriors lose the next game then they are probably done, would love to see Memphis take down the Clippers and win it outright at that point

Lt J.R. Bell

Another game, Bulls should have put to bed.

Lebron had multiple offensive fouls. Rose was brilliant

Anyone actually give Bulls a chance of beating Cleveland? They seem more solid on the road than home