PLAYOFFS 2022 - ROUND 1 - GAME 3 - CROOKLYN - AWAY

gyso wrote:Back to our regularly scheduled post-game comments:

This confirms my eye test that Jayson has owned KD this series, Perk called it punked, taking him out to the woodshed, call it whatever you want. Hope there’s no limit on how many players from one team can be on the all defensive, because 2 J’s should be on that team too. Kawhi never dismantled KD the way Tatum and this team has this series.

Let us not put the cart before the horse. Let's play tomorrow's game, let's win tomorrow's game. then we move on to the next series. One step at a time. Crazy decisions can be made in haste.
I do agree, Grant needs an extension, Al? After next year, who knows.

Let's just shut Kyrie up tomorrow. His post game remarks were sickening. NOT GELLING....guess why they are not gelling you fool. YOU. Shut him up and take this platform away from jim

Watching Jason Tatum consistently play top level defense, as well as the rest of the team, is simply a joy!

Lots of credit to Ime for somehow getting everyone to buy into his defensive philosophy.

I am in awe of this team.  Where they were vs where they are now.  Where they are now vs a team that was predicted to win the Championship at a time in the season we were in 11th place.  When we're not blowing teams out we are grinding them up like they were nothing but sausage, like last night.  The game never really got out of hand.  We just got up on them and never let them breathe life back into themselves by tying it up.  As a wise man once said, "See me in April!".  Ask not for whom the bell tolls, Ks, it tolls for thee and it's the Js that are pulling on the rope.

Boston Celtics @celtics
about 27 minutes ago
Marcus Smart: “It’s going exactly how we expected, for the most part, just because we believe in ourselves more than anything.”

We believe in you too, Marcus.  If you asked many of us two months ago you might have gotten a different answer (well, ok, not from Rosalie but maybe from the rest of us).

Jayson Tatum just passed one of the top 3 players of his era, Kevin Durant.  The torch has been passed.  I'm not saying KD's done, he'll be 34 but is still playing at a high level, but if you asked anybody who you'd rather have on your team next year I'll bet not many people would choose KD over JT and that's not because of the age difference.  In KD's defense he's been averaging 41+mpg for the last 5-6 weeks as the Nyets had to work to avoid dropping down to the #10 spot.  41mpg is a lot of minutes, even in the playoffs, and 33+ year old Kevin Durant started logging them a month before the playoffs even began.  The reason for that, of course, is that his running mate only played in 29 regular season games, dropping the weight of carrying the team squarely on KD's shoulders.  Someone said something to the effect of "well, at least KD will have a lifelong friendship with Kyrie".  After this?  After wasting a precious year of the 2nd half of his career?  Lose my freaking number, dude.  How the Hell does KD take 8 fewer fgas than Bruce Brown?  Kevin Durant didn't take a single fga in the last 11:15.  I don't care how good a defender, or team defense, you have on him.  You cannot stop a scorer of KD's caliber from taking a fga.  You can force him into a shot he doesn't want to take, but you cannot stop him from taking it.  Only he can do that.

Chris Forsberg @ChrisForsberg_
about 7 hours ago
Jayson Tatum defending Kevin Durant this series, per NBA tracking data: 27:01 matchup time 120.9 possessions 10 points 2-15 FG (13.3%) 0-4 3PT (0%) 10 turnovers 2 blocks 2 shooting fouls


But you don't need a coach, right Kyrie?  I feel like we're watching the end of Kyrie's career.  The only time he ever won anything is when he was LeBron's little brother.  Everywhere else he was a negative, a locker room cancer.  He has a player option for $36.5M next year.  He'll also turn 31 right around now next year.  Brooklyn is probably praying he thinks he can do better somewhere else.  Would anybody offer him even that much?  I think he's damaged goods.  I used to accept that Kyrie Irving was a first round lock for the HOF.  Now?  I'm not even sure he makes it into the HOF at all.  Basketball-reference.com ranks the probability of players making the HOF.  They have KI listed at 83.66%.  I'll be interested to see if that drops by next season.  

https://www.basketball-reference.com/leaders/hof_prob.html

Speaking of which I wonder what the P-god's probability of the HOF is.  Cowens?   10 points in < 4 minutes in the 2nd.  Nick Wright said, after Game 2, that the Nets should be attacking Pritchard every time down the floor since he's their weak link on defense.  I've heard that crow is great in a casserole if you're not averse to carbs.  JJ Redick and Jalen Rose, after the game, raved about the Celtics' defense and said there were no weaknesses.  Rose and Redick are ex-NBA players.  They know.

The next star of the Brooklyn Nets is Dorchester native Bruce Brown.  If they don't lock him up I'd love see him come home to Dot.  Nothing against Derrick White but I'd make that trade in a New York second.  Unless they move KD or if KI doesn't exercise his player option, they don't need another scorer.  What they need is a quality back court defender, which Curry is not, and a floor general to feed those two and Curry.


Jaylen with a 4-6, 7 point 4th.  The Nets put on a 3 minute mini-run, fueled by the corpse of Blake Griffin, scoring 9 points on 3-3 from 3 but Jaylen was right there to match them, with a two point cherry on top by Tatum.  Ramadan doesn't seem to be affecting Jaylen Brown.  Maybe that's not it, Steve?  Maybe one of your stars is just a little prima donna head case?  I probably should be kinder to Steve Nash.  He never had the support of his stars from the get-go, how can it be fair to blame their failures on him?  He's just trying to say the right things now, but what are his options?  Throw the Ks under the bus?  He'd be on that bus outta town if he did.  Well, even faster than he will be anyway.  Kyrie took a shot at Nash because he finally put Blake Griffin in?  Griffin guarded Jaylen, or at least he tried to.  It was not a good matchup for Brooklyn, so what exactly is Kyrie talking about?  Blake's offense.  The problem, Kyrie, is that you guys don't play defense.  Not good team defense, not good individual defense.  If you and KD did your jobs you wouldn't need to be be inspired by Blake's offense.  But you didn't, so you were.  No matter where you go, there you are.

Not a huge impact by The Time Lord.  A block, a dunk, that's it but who cares?  He's back, he's ahead of schedule and he is reporting no pain or discomfort.  No Lowry for Miami, no Middleton for Milwaukee and Joel Embiid has a thumb that will undergo an MRI today (he says he intends to play no matter what the MRI says.  Any surgery would wait until the offseason.  Even so, it's hard to catch passes when the thumb on your shooting hand is damaged).  The table is being set for us, and we should try and run it.

John Karalis @John_Karalis
about 12 minutes ago
Ime: "I'm a guy that will never count something being done until it's done. Ray Allen hit a shot to take away a championship ring my first year as a coach, and so that's always in my mind...one thing can happen to flip a series, and you don't want to be on the wrong end of that."

Technically it's not over.  We need to remember that.  Nevertheless, having said that, 3 down and 13 to go.  Chivalry is dead.  This is no time or place for gentlemen, or their sweeps.  Get out the brooms and sweep their vapid souls into the dustbin of NBA history.

https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameId/401430211




Bob


.

bobc33 wrote:Watching Jason Tatum consistently play top level defense, as well as the rest of the team, is simply a joy!  

Lots of credit to Ime for somehow getting everyone to buy into his defensive philosophy.  

Exactly, loving this too. It gave me such joy as a kid to see the 70’s C’s defend with my idol at the time Dave Cowens. Then loved watching the Bird C’s defend with the Big 3 vs those great Sixer teams. Then another historic defense with KG, Perk and Rondo, if only we could have gotten KG 3-4 years earlier. I am enjoying this team just as much, amazing how great our defense has been this series WITHOUT the great Timelord. Smart is Smart and 2 J’s have really picked it up, Al is so steady and love Theis, who does so many things and is a great fit. Anything is possible.

May the Brooklyn Nets experience go down in history as one of the biggest flops in NBA history. Covid, injuries, et al did not stop other teams that, in the beginning of the season had no chance, come forward and put in decent seasons. Brooklyn??? they spent the season making excuses for a star player who did not give a crap what was happening to his team, worked their star player into oblivion and made a trade that has. for right now, blown up in their faces.

Hall of Fame.....you mean Hall of Shame don't you Bob. I am sorry, too many young players are being crowned long before they have done half the work that the REAL Hall of Fame players have put in. Kyrie Irving is a disgrace to basketball. Just because he has a fancy "handle" makes him a HOFer? Come on now!! Throw Anthony Davis in there with him.

I am with you, get the broom out and sweet this trash away. I am sick of hearing him blame everyone else for the short comings of his teammates. JERK that is the nice word I will use to describe him. I will follow the rules!!!

Hey Bob great post as always, Jaylen had 10 points in the 4th not 7. He has been the key cog in carrying us in the 4th 3 games in a row. I didn’t give him enough love either in my post; but if he isn’t so great, we could easily be down 2-1. Thank you Danny and thank you Jaylen for being such an exemplary human being and constantly improving your game.

Durant might not be done, he could easily avg 30 ppg again next year, but against our ferocious young defense, it’s over. We have his number and he knows it, I do not see him having any success against us in the near or long term future. Jayson has totally shockingly shut him down, I didn’t see this coming to this effect and it’s great to have guys like Smart and Jaylen also joining in on the pounding. I really can’t think of a better 1-2-3 than Smart, Brown and Tatum on defense. All 3 guys are big, strong and fast for their position and can cover multiple positions all over the floor. Durant can still look like himself vs others, but not us. Thank you again Danny for putting these parts together.

cowens/oldschool wrote:Hey Bob great post as always, Jaylen had 10 points in the 4th not 7. He has been the key cog in carrying us in the 4th 3 games in a row. I didn’t give him enough love either in my post; but if he isn’t so great, we could easily be down 2-1. Thank you Danny and thank you Jaylen for being such an exemplary human being and constantly improving your game.

Durant might not be done, he could easily avg 30 ppg again next year, but against our ferocious young defense, it’s over. We have his number and he knows it, I do not see him having any success against us in the near or long term future. Jayson has totally shockingly shut him down, I didn’t see this coming to this effect and it’s great to have guys like Smart and Jaylen also joining in on the pounding. I really can’t think of a better 1-2-3 than Smart, Brown and Tatum on defense. All 3 guys are big, strong and fast for their position and can cover multiple positions all over the floor. Durant can still look like himself vs others, but not us. Thank you again Danny for putting these parts together.

Cow,

Looking at the play-by-play carefully, and matching it up with 3rd quarter boxscore vs game final boxscore, Jaylen scored 9 points in the 4th.

14 after 3, 23 after 4.


9:34 Kevin Durant bad pass (Payton Pritchard steals) 81 - 76
9:27 Jaylen Brown makes two point shot (Payton Pritchard assists) 83 - 76
9:00 Seth Curry makes 23-foot step back jumpshot (Kevin Durant assists) 83 - 78
8:36 Jaylen Brown makes step back jumpshot 86 - 78
8:17 Blake Griffin makes 23-foot three point jumper (Seth Curry assists) 86 - 81
7:54 Jaylen Brown makes driving layup 88 - 81
7:42 Blake Griffin makes 26-foot three point jumper (Kevin Durant assists) 88 - 84
7:18 Jayson Tatum makes three point jumper (Jaylen Brown assists) 91 - 84
6:58 Blake Griffin misses 26-foot three point jumper 91 - 84
6:56 Robert Williams III defensive rebound 91 - 84
6:37 Jaylen Brown makes 21-foot step back jumpshot 93 - 84


Bob


.

gyso wrote:

Um, jump in your flat-earth hot-tub time machine, go back to Christmas, get a jab, play in the regular season, keep Harden interested, and . . .

Oh wait, the earth ain't flat.

Nevermind.  Next question.

LOL!!!

bobheckler wrote:I am in awe of this team.  Where they were vs where they are now.  Where they are now vs a team that was predicted to win the Championship at a time in the season we were in 11th place.  When we're not blowing teams out we are grinding them up like they were nothing but sausage, like last night.  The game never really got out of hand.  We just got up on them and never let them breathe life back into themselves by tying it up.  As a wise man once said, "See me in April!".  Ask not for whom the bell tolls, Ks, it tolls for thee and it's the Js that are pulling on the rope.

Boston Celtics @celtics
about 27 minutes ago
Marcus Smart: “It’s going exactly how we expected, for the most part, just because we believe in ourselves more than anything.”

We believe in you too, Marcus.  If you asked many of us two months ago you might have gotten a different answer (well, ok, not from Rosalie but maybe from the rest of us).

Jayson Tatum just passed one of the top 3 players of his era, Kevin Durant.  The torch has been passed.  I'm not saying KD's done, he'll be 34 but is still playing at a high level, but if you asked anybody who you'd rather have on your team next year I'll bet not many people would choose KD over JT and that's not because of the age difference.  In KD's defense he's been averaging 41+mpg for the last 5-6 weeks as the Nyets had to work to avoid dropping down to the #10 spot.  41mpg is a lot of minutes, even in the playoffs, and 33+ year old Kevin Durant started logging them a month before the playoffs even began.  The reason for that, of course, is that his running mate only played in 29 regular season games, dropping the weight of carrying the team squarely on KD's shoulders.  Someone said something to the effect of "well, at least KD will have a lifelong friendship with Kyrie".  After this?  After wasting a precious year of the 2nd half of his career?  Lose my freaking number, dude.  How the Hell does KD take 8 fewer fgas than Bruce Brown?  Kevin Durant didn't take a single fga in the last 11:15.  I don't care how good a defender, or team defense, you have on him.  You cannot stop a scorer of KD's caliber from taking a fga.  You can force him into a shot he doesn't want to take, but you cannot stop him from taking it.  Only he can do that.

Chris Forsberg @ChrisForsberg_
about 7 hours ago
Jayson Tatum defending Kevin Durant this series, per NBA tracking data: 27:01 matchup time 120.9 possessions 10 points 2-15 FG (13.3%) 0-4 3PT (0%) 10 turnovers 2 blocks 2 shooting fouls


But you don't need a coach, right Kyrie?  I feel like we're watching the end of Kyrie's career.  The only time he ever won anything is when he was LeBron's little brother.  Everywhere else he was a negative, a locker room cancer.  He has a player option for $36.5M next year.  He'll also turn 31 right around now next year.  Brooklyn is probably praying he thinks he can do better somewhere else.  Would anybody offer him even that much?  I think he's damaged goods.  I used to accept that Kyrie Irving was a first round lock for the HOF.  Now?  I'm not even sure he makes it into the HOF at all.  Basketball-reference.com ranks the probability of players making the HOF.  They have KI listed at 83.66%.  I'll be interested to see if that drops by next season.  

https://www.basketball-reference.com/leaders/hof_prob.html

Speaking of which I wonder what the P-god's probability of the HOF is.  Cowens?   10 points in < 4 minutes in the 2nd.  Nick Wright said, after Game 2, that the Nets should be attacking Pritchard every time down the floor since he's their weak link on defense.  I've heard that crow is great in a casserole if you're not averse to carbs.  JJ Redick and Jalen Rose, after the game, raved about the Celtics' defense and said there were no weaknesses.  Rose and Redick are ex-NBA players.  They know.

The next star of the Brooklyn Nets is Dorchester native Bruce Brown.  If they don't lock him up I'd love see him come home to Dot.  Nothing against Derrick White but I'd make that trade in a New York second.  Unless they move KD or if KI doesn't exercise his player option, they don't need another scorer.  What they need is a quality back court defender, which Curry is not, and a floor general to feed those two and Curry.


Jaylen with a 4-6, 7 point 4th.  The Nets put on a 3 minute mini-run, fueled by the corpse of Blake Griffin, scoring 9 points on 3-3 from 3 but Jaylen was right there to match them, with a two point cherry on top by Tatum.  Ramadan doesn't seem to be affecting Jaylen Brown.  Maybe that's not it, Steve?  Maybe one of your stars is just a little prima donna head case?  I probably should be kinder to Steve Nash.  He never had the support of his stars from the get-go, how can it be fair to blame their failures on him?  He's just trying to say the right things now, but what are his options?  Throw the Ks under the bus?  He'd be on that bus outta town if he did.  Well, even faster than he will be anyway.  Kyrie took a shot at Nash because he finally put Blake Griffin in?  Griffin guarded Jaylen, or at least he tried to.  It was not a good matchup for Brooklyn, so what exactly is Kyrie talking about?  Blake's offense.  The problem, Kyrie, is that you guys don't play defense.  Not good team defense, not good individual defense.  If you and KD did your jobs you wouldn't need to be be inspired by Blake's offense.  But you didn't, so you were.  No matter where you go, there you are.

Not a huge impact by The Time Lord.  A block, a dunk, that's it but who cares?  He's back, he's ahead of schedule and he is reporting no pain or discomfort.  No Lowry for Miami, no Middleton for Milwaukee and Joel Embiid has a thumb that will undergo an MRI today (he says he intends to play no matter what the MRI says.  Any surgery would wait until the offseason.  Even so, it's hard to catch passes when the thumb on your shooting hand is damaged).  The table is being set for us, and we should try and run it.

John Karalis @John_Karalis
about 12 minutes ago
Ime: "I'm a guy that will never count something being done until it's done. Ray Allen hit a shot to take away a championship ring my first year as a coach, and so that's always in my mind...one thing can happen to flip a series, and you don't want to be on the wrong end of that."

Technically it's not over.  We need to remember that.  Nevertheless, having said that, 3 down and 13 to go.  Chivalry is dead.  This is no time or place for gentlemen, or their sweeps.  Get out the brooms and sweep their vapid souls into the dustbin of NBA history.

https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameId/401430211




Bob


.

A lot of great points here Bob. However, I wouldn't be to quick to anoint Bruce Brown the next star. I mean watch him a little closer when someone is actually guarding him. He’s OK but a future star. Don't know about that one.
And Bob, please for the life of me please stop letting Steve Nash off the hook. The man should have never been given that job in the first place. He’s a terrible coach of a team with terribly naive owners and one selfish SOB of a point guard. Sure blame some of the players but Nash ain’t S**t as a coach. I could go a little deeper into how I feel about Nash getting that job but since I loved him as a player I wont. At least not right now. I will say this though, Avery Johnson, Lionel Hollins were shown the door quicker than the seven seconds or less offense that Nash used to Shepard. Nash has HOF stars and he’s still sitting so…please miss me with the Nash Gar Barge.
Ok now here’s a “my bad”. I was on here posting about JJ Reddick’s great podcast and don't get me wrong, its still a great podcast but i will never watch or listen to anything he has to say on his podcast after what he said about Cousy and some of the players from the 60’s and 70’s. He needs a history lesson post haste. I know, its a little off topic but since his name was brought up i thought id let him have it. Peace!

gyso wrote:

The wheels on the Nets bus go thump, thump, thump?

Oh Kiki, stifle yourself. Blake made 2 3’s and was completely out of breath and holding his chest like he was on his way to taking a dirt nap. I say start him in game 4 and watch him go face down by the end of the 1st quarter.

worcester wrote:Ktron, for comic relief you are the BEST!

2 shows nightly. Don't forget to tip the wait staff! :>)

Ben ruled out of game 4.   I'm so happy because I was so afraid that he could shut down Tatum or Brown and we could end up losing the series.

Fake concern

Credit for what we’re seeing to Ime.

A couple of months into the season he realized what he had was not the team most of us thought he had.

Ime discovered he already had a floor general, didn’t need to look further, and trusted Smart with a greater share in the play-making decisions. You get to see that nearly every time out. And the guy turns out to be DPOY. Smart sure proved some old sage Celtic voices wrong. And I’m sure they’re happy he did. Ime also discovered this wasn’t going to be a running team, and didn’t need to be.

Maybe Ime’s biggest lightbulb moment was a slight change to the way his defense plays. Aggressive and physical because Boston may not have  overwhelming speed, but they sure have physical bulk. This is the type of throwback defense that would make a 70’s icon like Dave Cowens proud.

I’m not much for over-analysis. I think it’s simple. It just turns out we have a coach who is proving to be a very good hire.

dbrown,

Interesting comparison to beach volleyball.

A few years back I was in Ft. Lauderdale for a meeting and there was a big beach volleyball tournament going on. Many of the teams were Olympic bound. I got to see both men's and women's matches and those are some incredible athletes. The strength and agility to move through sand and have those kinds of hops is something to see. My wife used to play, but nowhere near that level. She might be able to outjump me though, so I'm going nowhere near the driveway hoop with her.

Regards

Stephen A going off, ripping Nets right now!!!!

Ripping Kyrie and his weak lame excuses, calling him most selfish player in history

A. Sherrod Blakely @ASherrodblakely
yesterday
How good has the defense of @Grant Williams been in this series against Brooklyn? As the primary defender, KD and Kyrie are a combined 5-for-18 shooting.



Sean Grande
@SeanGrandePBP
Steve Nash Sunday was talking about fatigue, and specifically Kevin Durant's workload since coming back.

Made me wonder about the NBA leaders in minutes played over the last month (Regular Season/Play-in/Playoff).

Go figure.

(Durant's gone over 40 minutes in 9 of his last 10.)




Bob


.

Ben Simmons is singlehandidly ruining the Collective Bargaining Agreement for ALL the players. Owners are going to be coming after the players because of players like BS and Kyrie stealing money from their franchise. Franchises need protection from those type of players/situations too. Stephen A called BS the most pathetic athlete in professional sports history.