2018 NBA Playoffs: SEMIFINALS

[Lawful Metal]

KD was terrific. Curry on defense is hot garbage. 

This series will be bad for my liver.

[Lawful Metal]

https://streamable.com/2d69u

[Brian Fowler]

It's exactly what I'd expect. If every team plays their "A" game, Golden State is gonna beat everybody. Houston had a great season, earned homecourt, have the presumptive MVP... But if GSW plays as well as they can, Houston is outmatched. In terms of pure, raw, talent, they might be the best ever assembled in the NBA.

[GuerrillaMonsoon]

He was right about the reffing. Although Warriors got dudded more times than not.

Over in 5. Capela is awful. Just not Dwight Howard with no will to live awful.

[Niners Fan in CT]

I think Houston will still get a game because there's probably going to be one where they hit 18 threes or some shit. 

[Brian Fowler]

28 minutes ago, RolandTHTG said:

He was right about the reffing. Although Warriors got dudded more times than not.

Over in 5. Capela is awful. Just not Dwight Howard with no will to live awful.

Capella just kicked the ass of two of the better centers in the NBA the previous two rounds. It's not that he sucks, he's emerging as a legit really good player. Golden State is just that fucking good.

[Elsalvajeloco]

8 minutes ago, Niners Fan in CT said:

I think Houston will still get a game because there's probably going to be one where they hit 18 threes or some shit. 

If they don't do it in Houston on Wednesday, it ain't happening.

[Brian Fowler]

Just now, Elsalvajeloco said:

If they don't do it in Houston, it ain't happening.

Golden State does occasionally throw a game a way by trying too many overly difficult passes and such. But if Houston doesn't win game 2, they ain't coming back and making a real series out of this

[Jiji]

They were intentionally safe with their passing, despite drilling some absolute beauty assists on the money. I'm with Chuck. Warriors in 3.

[Lawful Metal]

Having sobered up a bit, the Rockets made mistakes out there. Ryan Anderson and Gerald Green should never be on the floor together. Mbah a Moute missed every layup dunk wide open three he took. Tucker missed everything. Turning point was Ariza’s fifth foul. Should’ve been a charge, but you never know what the ref will call. Durant took a charge when neither of his feet were even on the court, so who the hell knows. His previous four fouls were complete junk. Ariza can disappear from the box score, but he’s our glue guy, 3 and D guy.

Obviously I will always find fault with the refs, but the Rockets did enough mistakes to do themselves in, which you can’t do against GS. Still, would have been nice if the refs called the fouls in the lane instead of that lame ticky tack bullshit.

funny thing is, it’s only one game. Rockets have been playing better on the road this postseason anyway. Why not make it harder on yourself. Can’t be Clutch City without some adversity.

Astros lost game 1 of the World Series.

[Lawful Metal]

And all Klay Thompson only hits dagger threes.  Fuck that guy. 

[_MJ_]

1 hour ago, Lawful Metal said:

And all Klay Thompson only hits dagger threes.  Fuck that guy. 

I know the Warriors are tough to guard, but there were at least two Klay Thompson three pointers I saw last night where he had enough time to take an extra dribble and recite the US Constitution.  No one needs any advanced analytics to know that will not end well for Houston if it continues.

The Warriors consistent weakness has been turnovers; likely due to their high passing rate (and some would argue carelessness with the ball at times). Game 1, I think, they had 9 turnovers. Scary sight.

Edited May 15, 2018 by _MJ_

[S.K.o.S.]

3 minutes ago, _MJ_ said:

I know the Warriors are tough to guard, but there were at least two Klay Thompson three pointers I saw last night where he had enough time to take an extra dribble and recite the US Constitution. 

[Jiji]

A couple of seasons ago when they set the regular season record for wins and I was trying to watch every game, the teams that seemed to give them the most trouble were long, athletic, up-tempo teams like the Bucks, as they could take advantage of the turnovers and outrebound the Warriors. If GSW remain as conscientious with the ball as they were last night, shut this bitch down because it's over. They did a really nice job of switching on the high PnRs that Harden loves to use and tries to milk 3 point fouls off of. It was a masterclass in defending as a unit and something Golden State does better than most everybody else.

[GuerrillaMonsoon]

19 hours ago, Brian Fowler said:

Capella just kicked the ass of two of the better centers in the NBA the previous two rounds. It's not that he sucks, he's emerging as a legit really good player. Golden State is just that fucking good.

Felt Towns just choked more than anything Capella did. He offers a lot defensively for a team that doesn't really play it, but just a non-factor offensively. His free throw shooting still a massive issue.

Can't say I saw much of the Jazz series to be able to comment there - we got dudded with the timezone difference seemingly on every game of that series.....EXCEPT FOR JOE MOTHERFUCKING MATH TEACHER INGLES JUST RAINING DOWN MOTHERFUCKING THREES LIKE THEY WERE GOING OUT OF BUSINESS. JOE INGLES.

[GuerrillaMonsoon]

If you look past the whole "has to be a name guy that wins" aspect. If you voted on it now, you'd have Terry Rozier a strong candidate for finals MVP

[Niners Fan in CT]

JR Smith should have been ejected but the way he was playing it's better for the Celts to have him out there.  

[SirFozzie]

He should get game 3 off. It'd probably help the Cavs thougj

[sydneybrown]

1 hour ago, RolandTHTG said:

If you look past the whole "has to be a name guy that wins" aspect. If you voted on it now, you'd have Terry Rozier a strong candidate for finals MVP

Igoudala got it a few years ago and I can't say he was a "name guy who wins."  

But you gotta factor in A) they aren't in the Finals yet and B) some guys absolutely collapse when they are in the moment especially playing against guys who've been there (that one Thunder guy in 2012 for example.)

[Contentious C]

If Hill and Korver don't show up, then after the season, LeBron is going to fire them. 

Into space. 

[GuerrillaMonsoon]

Off the basis of his job on Lebron., if you're applying the Being John Cena Title logic to it.

I'm still not convinced they will - Lebron's got a 50 game in him sooner or later, and way too many playing above themselves for the time being. My point was that if you stopped the finals *now* and voted on it, he'd be thereabouts.

 

[Niners Fan in CT]

I don't believe so.  Al Horford is more valuable to the success of the team than Rozier.  His passing and ability to step out and knock down a 3 opens up everything and he torches Love in the post which makes Cleveland have to play Thompson and they really don't want to because the Cavs were designed to have LeBron and 4 shooters. 

That's not factoring in that Horford is also a tremendous defender.   Rozier is streaky.  He's nowhere near the level of Kyrie,  I hate that some people think Boston don't need Kyrie. 

Also,  the biggest thing of all this is every game Brown and Tatum get under their postseason belts is so valuable, they needed this experience and this year they've gotten it in spades.

[Jiji]

Yeah, the bigger question is what the fuck do you do with Brown, Tatum, and Hayward?

[Brian Fowler]

You go small and stretchy around Horford and Kyrie.

[Niners Fan in CT]

The starting five was supposed to be 

Hayward/Tatum/Horford/Brown/Kyrie.   Smart is unfortunately going to be an odd man out.  I love the guy despite his poor shot selection. He's an unbelievable defender and always makes big plays at the most crucial times.  But he's a free agent and someone will give him the big bucks.