2015 NBA Playoffs

Lt J.R. Bell

I hope the games from tonight to Sunday are just as good. Damn it, seems that I missed a load of good games last night. Damn work. Evil! (saw most of the Celtics game)

ButtersSuki

My very late R1 Predictions, apologies for the tardiness (I have major sheet going on in the real world right now). I'm being 100% honest when i say these are my genuine predictions BEFORE the Play Offs started and not me being smart half way through….those of you who know me "long time" from the thread over the years will believe me!

East Match-ups

1) Atlanta Hawks vs. 8) Brooklyn Nets
4-0; Atlanta too well drilled by a Nets team that peaked to make the Play Offs.
2) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. 7) Boston Celtics
4-1; as a Celtics fan this kills me but too ugh talent in Cleveland right now to trouble the Boston "kids"
3) Chicago Bulls vs. 6) Milwaukee Bucks
4-0; Milwaukee have outdone themselves to be a 6 seed with Kidd at the helm, but Thibs is way too smart for him and with Rose back, Chi Town will be on a high.
4) Toronto Raptors vs. 5) Washington Wizards
4-3; SFA between these two and it could get "frisky"

West Match-ups

1) Golden State Warriors vs. 8) New Orleans Pelicans
4-0; next.
2) Houston Rockets vs. 7) Dallas Mavericks
4-3; Any all-Texas series is a nightmare for either of the three teams but Dallas are loaded talent-wise and will push Houston all the way. Ultimately home court prevails despite advantage to Dallas on the coaching front.
3) L.A. Clippers vs. 6) San Antonio Spurs
2-4; not much of a reward for the Clippers to finish 3rd in the toughest conference in the league to get the Spurs in the first round. As much as Doc is a Beantown hero and legend, he's going up against possibly the smartest pro-basketball coach ever. It's San Antonio's in however many games they want this.
4) Portland Trail-Blazers vs. 5) Memphis Grizzlies
2-4; It's hard to look beyond Memphis, home court advantage to Portland or not. From memory Memphis had a better season than Portland stats wise and Portland seeded higher only as they were divisional winners. Memphis are just a horrible team to play against and in many ways play play off basketball all year round - shot clock eaters on every play, huge inside presence and huge emphasis on team work and D. Gasol and Randolph to beat Portland into submission, quite possibly literally.

SlimJ

ButtersSuki wrote: »

That said, the comeback last night showed heart an guts on a level they haven't had to dig into this year. And Curry was clobbered on that last play. How a ref can't see that is beyond me.

Dude no he wasn't clobbered. He went to ground as soon as he let the shot go to try and draw the foul.

https://vine.co/v/eaVJAOLjW03

SlimJ

Lt J.R. Bell wrote: »

D'Andre Jordan must be bulling

Actually Draymond Green got more first preference vote, easily. He must be furious

Seems like he's taking it in good humor

https://twitter.com/SherwoodStrauss/status/591291556604354561

Lt J.R. Bell

Hey I would be delighted if Celtics get 1 play off win

SlimJ

aaaaand Houston just scored 42 points in the first quarter. Damn.

Carcharodon

ButtersSuki wrote: »

Haven't had a chance to post as things are crazy for me right now in the real world.

I hate saying this as they were my pick to win it all this year but GSW are going to get trounced in Round 2 unless they SERIOUSLY improve and get some composure in themselves and their game. They look so nervous and a different team to the team that had the league's best record. And before anyone says it, it's not the fricking "jump shot teams don't win the play offs", it's just awful execution.

That said, the comeback last night showed heart an guts on a level they haven't had to dig into this year. And Curry was clobbered on that last play. How a ref can't see that is beyond me. He'd have been at the line and as a career 90%+ FT shooter it's game over. Horrible officiating. Imagine if he MISSED the shot? He should have been at the line with 3 shots to tie. Game changing call.

The Scott Brooks thing is a farce. I don't think he's a good coach and should have been sacked before now, but to sack him after KD and Westbrook missed all the games this year is a joke and a chicken-sh!t move by Presti who's likely bricking it he's next too. As previously posted, last chance saloon next year for OKC.

Wil be back later to post my predictions (I know, very late but I'll be honest!) and Extra Butter.

I think "trounced" is a bit of an exaggeration but they may have trouble if they don't move the ball like they did all season. Spurs are really the only team that I could see them getting a good beating against, none of the other teams in the West would scare me that much.
There just isn't enough between the top seeds for trouncing in my opinion

Carcharodon

SlimJ wrote: »

Dude no he wasn't clobbered. He went to ground as soon as he let the shot go to try and draw the foul.

https://vine.co/v/eaVJAOLjW03

What game were you watching, he clearly hit him, there is video of it

SlimJ

Carcharodon wrote: »

What game were you watching, he clearly hit him, there is video of it

You mean like the video I linked? Find me contact in that clip.

SlimJ

And in the tradition of "Ridiculous halftime shows", the Wizards just had a bunch of breakdancing eight-year-olds.

SlimJ

SlimJ wrote: »

You mean like the video I linked? Find me contact in that clip.

You know what? I'm 100% wrong on this. I was watching the Dallas game and now I'm watching the Washington game and both sets of announcers have talked about how it was clearly a foul. I guess my idea of 'if there's no contact before the shot goes off' is severely miscalibrated. Apologies, CCD-RON.

But hey, I'm the best kind of new poster to have, aren't I? Opinionated and frequently blatantly wrong! What could be better?

Carcharodon

SlimJ wrote: »

You know what? I'm 100% wrong on this. I was watching the Dallas game and now I'm watching the Washington game and both sets of announcers have talked about how it was clearly a foul. I guess my idea of 'if there's no contact before the shot goes off' is severely miscalibrated. Apologies, CCD-RON.

But hey, I'm the best kind of new poster to have, aren't I? Opinionated and frequently blatantly wrong! What could be better?

All good bro,Well, the whole "contact" thing is one of the most randomly differently officiated rules in the NBA, if the refs can't figure it out, how can we ?
Players flop around and try and draw fouls all day long but curry got knocked over like some bowling pins, I don't know how the refs didn't cal it.

PizzamanIRL

Oh Kawhi, how I love your game. Finally broke his career high. 27pts midway through the 3rd.

Actually it's 29 which he has tied now

Carcharodon

Ah, I love watching the Clippers loose, some great players but I find them obnoxious as a whole. Spurs will be hard to beat now but Floppers got enough talent to make it interesting.

killwill

ButtersSuki wrote: »

Haven't had a chance to post as things are crazy for me right now in the real world.

I hate saying this as they were my pick to win it all this year but GSW are going to get trounced in Round 2 unless they SERIOUSLY improve and get some composure in themselves and their game. They look so nervous and a different team to the team that had the league's best record. And before anyone says it, it's not the fricking "jump shot teams don't win the play offs", it's just awful execution.

That said, the comeback last night showed heart an guts on a level they haven't had to dig into this year. And Curry was clobbered on that last play. How a ref can't see that is beyond me. He'd have been at the line and as a career 90%+ FT shooter it's game over. Horrible officiating. Imagine if he MISSED the shot? He should have been at the line with 3 shots to tie. Game changing call.

The Scott Brooks thing is a farce. I don't think he's a good coach and should have been sacked before now, but to sack him after KD and Westbrook missed all the games this year is a joke and a chicken-sh!t move by Presti who's likely bricking it he's next too. As previously posted, last chance saloon next year for OKC.

Wil be back later to post my predictions (I know, very late but I'll be honest!) and Extra Butter.

Apparently according to the officials if he missed the 3 the foul would have been called!!!

buyer95

SlimJ wrote: »

You know what? I'm 100% wrong on this. I was watching the Dallas game and now I'm watching the Washington game and both sets of announcers have talked about how it was clearly a foul. I guess my idea of 'if there's no contact before the shot goes off' is severely miscalibrated. Apologies, CCD-RON.

But hey, I'm the best kind of new poster to have, aren't I? Opinionated and frequently blatantly wrong! What could be better?

Player who shoot has to be allowed to land contact free, the refs will call an undercut play like that 99% of the time

mixery

buyer95 wrote: »

Player who shoot has to be allowed to land contact free, the refs will call an undercut play like that 99% of the time

I've heard the same thing, just a couple of days ago when Matt Barnes tried to undercut one of the Spurs after a jump shot I think. It makes sense so I went to find it in the NBA rulebook to check out how it's phrased exactly, but couldn't find anything about it .

me and the biz

Wall is just an incredible player, fantastic court vision and ball handling and such a superstar on that team. Wizards bench was the difference last night with Pierce just demoralising the Raptors. Derozan had 20 points in the first quarter and looked like he couldn't miss. Then was sat out for the first half of the second which to me was Bizzare. A player like that needs to be kept in and he was cold for a good bit after. Think he only had 2 points off free throws in the 2nd quarter.

Looking like a sweep there and a bit of a regression for the Raptors. Derozan looked like a poor man's Rudy Gay last night. When hot was unstoppable and when he wasn't dropping shots just dribbled into traffic and ran down the clock, settling for a terrible shot.

me and the biz

Also that was quite a beat down on the Clippers by the Spurs. Kawhi looked like the Finals MVP of last year.

buyer95

mixery wrote: »

I've heard the same thing, just a couple of days ago when Matt Barnes tried to undercut one of the Spurs after a jump shot I think. It makes sense so I went to find it in the NBA rulebook to check out how it's phrased exactly, but couldn't find anything about it .

It's a dangerous play that the refs were instructed to clamp down on a season or 2 ago. I remember Kobe got injured on a play like this a few years ago, where the defender didn't give him room to land after a jumper. Just looked it up there, this is an article about the Kobe undercut
http://hangtime.blogs.nba.com/2013/03/14/kobes-right-official-missed-the-call/

PizzamanIRL

The NBA admit they missed the call on Curry on that shot. Lucky they fecking won it so.

http://www.nba.com/2015/news/04/24/nba-curry-was-fouled-on-tying-3-pointer-in-game-3.ap/index.html?ls=iref:nbahpts

ButtersSuki

I can't remember exactly who questioned my criticism of the no call in the Curry 3 to tie the other night (I'm on the luas on my phone and I'm not going back) but if/had you ever played the game you'd know that's a foul in any league. As a shooter you have the right to land vertically in the spot you jumped from for your jump shot. You effectively own the cylinder of space your body occupies. What the NOP Players do through contact (and there is contact there - not on his arm but his body) is force him out of the cylinder. And they do that in full knowledge that they're forcing him out of his rhythm as he now has to worry about his landing too. It is a nasty and cynical move and is the type of move where guys can tweak/sprain/break ankles landing. For that reason it's widely condemned and players especially HATE it. It's also the kind of thing that other players will hate you for doing. There's a code of honour that says its a no-no and usually only really dirty players go there.

He's also knocked over and out of play after the shot

Even the NBA, who are notoriously slow to criticise officials say it was a foul.

The refs however saying if he didn't make the shot it's a foul and 3 free throws is such a BS explanation. If it's a foul it's a foul - and that was a foul. Bottom line he shod have been on the line with a free throw to win the game.

I'm not boasting here (promise). I've played the game to international level. I've refereed and coached at National League level. That last play is a foul on a number of levels.

ButtersSuki

SlimJ wrote: »

Dude no he wasn't clobbered. He went to ground as soon as he let the shot go to try and draw the foul.

https://vine.co/v/eaVJAOLjW03

He is clobbered in the motion of shooting (post ball release). There is a difference in what happened there and trying to draw the foul. He is trying to shoot that fairly. If he was trying to draw the foul he'd delay the shot very slightly and LET them clobber him in the act of shooting to make it obvious as hell. And as s 90+% FT shooter he could have done that. But he choose to take the ballsy shot first.

These are subtle differences but if you've played the game you should know this.

Carcharodon

ButtersSuki wrote: »

I can't remember exactly who questioned my criticism of the no call in the Curry 3 to tie the other night (I'm on the luas on my phone and I'm not going back) but if/had you ever played the game you'd know that's a foul in any league. As a shooter you have the right to land vertically in the spot you jumped from for your jump shot. You effectively own the cylinder of space your body occupies. What the NOP Players do through contact (and there is contact there - not on his arm but his body) is force him out of the cylinder. And they do that in full knowledge that they're forcing him out of his rhythm as he now has to worry about his landing too. It is a nasty and cynical move and is the type of move where guys can tweak/sprain/break ankles landing. For that reason it's widely condemned and players especially HATE it. It's also the kind of thing that other players will hate you for doing. There's a code of honour that says its a no-no and usually only really dirty players go there.

He's also knocked over and out of play after the shot

Even the NBA, who are notoriously slow to criticise officials say it was a foul.

The refs however saying if he didn't make the shot it's a foul and 3 free throws is such a BS explanation. If it's a foul it's a foul - and that was a foul. Bottom line he shod have been on the line with a free throw to win the game.

I'm not boasting here (promise). I've played the game to international level. I've refereed and coached at National League level. That last play is a foul on a number of levels.

everyone on here agrees it was a foul, the one guy that questioned it has retracted the statement and also believes it was a foul.
The refs explanation of it is pretty ridiculous, its just not a credible explanation.

Paully D

Spurs are going after LaMarcus Aldridge, per Woj:

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/eye-on-basketball/25162933/report-spurs-to-pursue-lamarcus-aldridge-after-giving-kawhi-leonard-max-contract

The San Antonio Spurs have their new franchise cornerstone in Kawhi Leonard, the two-way superstar who scored 32 points while smothering the Los Angeles Clippers in Game 3 on Friday. He'll be a restricted free agent in July, and the Spurs are hoping to lock him up with a max deal, then chase another free agent -- Portland Trail Blazers big man LaMarcus Aldridge, according to Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski:

In a perfect scenario, the Spurs have a full understanding of the futures of [Tim] Duncan, [Manu] Ginobili and Danny Green when they walk into a 12:01 a.m. ET meeting on July 1 with Leonard and his agent, Brian Elfus, in Los Angeles. The Spurs will offer Leonard a full maximum contract extension, get a commitment and turn themselves toward prying Aldridge back to his Texas roots.

…

For now, there's no scenario where Leonard plans to pursue offer sheets on the market, league sources tell Yahoo Sports.

Leonard wants to be a Spur, and the Spurs are expected to come calling on July 1 with the max offer that they resisted delivering Leonard in the preseason, a move born out of preserving cap space to bring on a star free agent this summer.

The Spurs can't be sure how they'll proceed on July 1 until they know Duncan's and Ginobili's plans. Whatever they decide, the possibility of pursuing Aldridge on the recruiting trail could offer the Spurs the chance to do the only thing that they've never done in the NBA: Lure an All-Star free agent in his prime, beat New York and Los Angeles somewhere besides the basketball court.

Adding Aldridge, who turns 30 in July, would obviously extend the Spurs' championship window. It would also mean he'd be going back on his word -- the four-time All-Star said last summer that he definitely intended to sign a five-year deal in 2015 and wanted to become the best Blazer of all-time.

The Oregonian's Jason Quick, however, called Aldridge fickle, moody and unpredictable when reporting that at least one Blazer thought there was a 50-50 chance he'd leave. While he's beloved in Portland and has a great running mate in Damian Lillard, San Antonio would offer him a chance to play in his home state, under Gregg Popovich, alongside Leonard, Tony Parker, great role players and possibly Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili, depending on if they want to make another run. There have been rumors about this for a long while, and he'd be crazy not to at least consider it.

The funny thing is imagining Leonard playing the role of recruiter. He's the quietest guy in the league, and it's incredibly difficult to picture him trying to convince any free agent to do anything. Fortunately for the Spurs, his play is doing the talking for them.

me and the biz

Very interesting! I don't see him leaving Portland though. The injuries have been savage this year I'd say he'll be back to make another run in Portland.

buyer95

ButtersSuki wrote: »

He is clobbered in the motion of shooting (post ball release). There is a difference in what happened there and trying to draw the foul. He is trying to shoot that fairly. If he was trying to draw the foul he'd delay the shot very slightly and LET them clobber him in the act of shooting to make it obvious as hell. And as s 90+% FT shooter he could have done that. But he choose to take the ballsy shot first.

These are subtle differences but if you've played the game you should know this.

As you say anyone who played the game would instantly recognise that as a dirty play and an obvious foul. To be fair to the guy who initially disagreed he is new to the game

GoldFour4

Jason Kidd with a great play call with 1.3 secs left. Jared Bayless with the buzzer beater. Chicago will have to play again vs the Bucks.

NufcNavan

Horrible D by Rose on that last play.

me and the biz

Stayed up for end of Pellies game, may as well stay on for a bit of the Blazers Memphis game. Whisper shouting in full effect