Re: 2019 Playoff Thread

by **dboss** Tue May 21, 2019 2:19 pm

5 straight trips to the finals is impressive in any era of basketball. Hats off to the GSW.

They remain the gold standard until some team proves otherwise

by **swish** Tue May 21, 2019 2:46 pm

dboss wrote:5 straight trips to the finals is impressive in any era of basketball. Hats off to the GSW.

They remain the gold standard until some team proves otherwise

Especially when having to put together a roster that is subject to salary capping.

swish

by **kdp59** Wed May 22, 2019 1:30 pm

I think we can all put away the Kawhi Leonard is soft stories after the past couple games.

he's one tough SOB to playing with such visible pain right now.

and when asked..all eh says is...I'm good.

gotta give him props for putting his body on the line on the final year of his contract like this.

I sure hope it doesn't end up like it did for IT with his hip.

by **dbrown4** Thu May 23, 2019 12:10 pm

While all this is important, it is nowhere near as important as what Rapper Drake is doing on the TOR sidelines and his tweets...Is this all ESPN and media have to report on?! This may be the end of the world as we know it. (Thank you, REM!)

db

by **cowens/oldschool** Fri May 24, 2019 10:46 am

Kawhi doing amazing job stepping up and even taking on Giannis as primary defender and Giannis has yet to have monster game on him....and Bucks on verge of getting ousted. Middleton, who kills us regularly with a disappointing 6 points in game 5.

by **dbrown4** Fri May 24, 2019 11:00 am

Couldn't happen to a nicer, more deserving team on the possible ouster! That's what you get for gentlemanly sweeping us! Payback's a bitch!

db

by **dbrown4** Fri May 24, 2019 1:23 pm

I'm guessing if it's TOR vs. GSW, KD and DC can probably sit it out and will still be over in 4. MIL vs. GSW probably a different story?

db

by **bobheckler** Fri May 24, 2019 1:27 pm

cowens/oldschool wrote:Kawhi doing amazing job stepping up and even taking on Giannis as primary defender and Giannis has yet to have monster game on him....and Bucks on verge of getting ousted. Middleton, who kills us regularly with a disappointing 6 points in game 5.

Let's also not overlook the defensive contributions of Pascal Siakam on Giannis. Length and speed on length and speed.

bob

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by **dboss** Fri May 24, 2019 1:38 pm

Teams match up differently against one team or another. Toronto has found their sea legs and are set up nicely to rip the heart out of the Bucks.

They need to get this over in 6. I am somewhat surprised that the Raptors have won 3 straight.

Whatever happens, the GSW are the seasoned team that is better than either the Raptors or the Bucks. I would be surprised if they lose to either of the Eastern teams.

I have barely watched any games. Once Boston went done I pretty much lost interest.

by **RosalieTCeltics** Sat May 25, 2019 10:50 pm

This is one heck of a game Toronto/Bucks playing. Toronto losing most of the game and came back. Giannis looks a little frazzled

by **RosalieTCeltics** Sat May 25, 2019 11:17 pm

Well, looks like Giannis is going to get some trol’s after throwing dirt on C’s for losing four straight. His turn now. Doesn’t make much difference GSW is going to win

by **swish** Sat May 25, 2019 11:33 pm

Just an opinion - but it looked to me like Giannis's ball handling in heavy traffic down low got him into a lot of trouble - as he seemed to be attempting to force his game way too much against a defense that was well prepared for his drives to the hoop.

swish

by **gyso** Sat May 25, 2019 11:36 pm

Kawhi, Raptors surge late, beat Bucks 100-94 to head to first-ever NBA Finals

Down by as many as 10 points at one point, the Toronto Raptors needed a late surge if they wanted to complete the four-game comeback and seal their first trip to the NBA Finals. Behind a monstrous third quarter from Kawhi Leonard and an all-around team effort in the fourth, the Raptors took down the Milwaukee Bucks, 100-94, to book a trip to the Finals.

Leonard finished the night with 27 points, 17 rebounds and 7 assists in the win. Kyle Lowry added 17 points, 5 rebounds and 8 assists.

For more, see . . .

https://sports.yahoo.com/kawhi-raptors-surge-late-beat-bucks-10094-to-head-to-nba-finals-031558780.html

So so happy that the Bucks lost. (LOL)

by **dboss** Sat May 25, 2019 11:48 pm

And I thought the freak was great.

Leonard is on another level. Wow looks like the best player in the NBA. A complete package at both ends.

The only player I can compare him to is MJ.

by **cowens/oldschool** Sun May 26, 2019 12:43 am

dboss wrote:And I thought the freak was great.

Leonard is on another level. Wow looks like the best player in the NBA. A complete package at both ends.

The only player I can compare him to is MJ.

His defense is better than MJ, he can dunk really good in the teeth of the defense like a Jordan with more ferocity. I actually thought Pippen was a better defender than Jordan, because he was longer, he covered Magic way better than Jordan, but was amazing how putting him on Giannis at the get go so got his teams defense going, then as soon as he got past Kawhi, Siakim and Ibaka came over to help so good. Either way was compelling entertaining basketball as exciting as Debeshere on Wilt in the 70’s when Reed was out....

by **cowens/oldschool** Sun May 26, 2019 12:57 am

Remember those games when Debushere or Silas would get 20 rebounds in a playoff game? that was Kawhi just controlling/dominating the glass.

by **RosalieTCeltics** Sun May 26, 2019 8:51 am

Funny, I said the other day to my son that, after watching Leonard in these playoffs, he probably is the best player in the league. He doesn't waste time with emotions taking him out of the game, does not bitch at the ref's, takes his medicine and beats the hell out of anyone guarding him or he is guarding. he really really was truly great last night. I just wish he would smile every now and then so you know he is enjoying what he is doing..

And Swish....Giannis looked human last night. They doubled and tripled him and he was confused. Not alot of help from supporting cast except Middleton. Bledsoe, maybe a little.
They figured out how to play him and it rattled him,

They will still get beat by GSW, they are on another planet

by **bobheckler** Sun May 26, 2019 10:36 am

The refs really let a lot go. I loved it.

Giannis was becoming very obviously affected by the Raptor's defense on him. He became much less aggressive and his lack of reliable shooting made it easier for the Raptors. They also have two great defenders to put on him, Kawhi and Siakam. Siakam isn't the defender Kawhi is (who is?) but he has the length and foot mobility to bother Giannis.

Kawhi is a cyborg. I'll bet, if the lights suddenly got turned off in the arena, we'd still know where the court was because we'd see Kawhi's glowing green eyes in the pitch darkness.

Both teams only went 8 deep, with Milwaukee giving their bench 64 minutes out of 240 and Toronto with 76. When we wonder why Danny will sell his soul for elite players like Kyrie and Davis (?), this is why. When two of your players are one of the best in the league at what they do that makes a big difference when you are only playing 6 other players and 3 of those 6 are consuming only 25-30% of the total minutes available (and if VanFleet wasn't 4-5 from 3 he wouldn't have gotten those 34 minutes. 34 out of 76 bench Toronto bench minutes).

Salary issues:

Toronto

Mark Gasol, $25.5M player option. I see him NOT opting out.

Kawhi, $21.3M player option. I see him opting out.

Ibaka, $23.2M final contract year coming up, then UFA.

Green, UFA.

VanFleet, $9.4M final contract year coming up, then UFA.

Milwaukee

Middleton, $13M player option. I see him opting out.

Hill, $18M contract but only $1M guaranteed. I could see the Bucks saving the money and cutting him loose.

Mirotic, UFA. Made $12.5M this year.

Brogdon, RFA with a $3M qualifying offer. I could see someone bidding him up even more than I can see someone bidding up Rozier.

Lopez, UFA.

Pau Gasol, UFA.

bob

.

by **cowens/oldschool** Sun May 26, 2019 11:11 am

While he wasn’t the only reason, Kawhi did an amazing job being the first line of defense on Giannis and then having Siakim, Ibaka and Gasol as the next in line really threw off his rythmn going to the basket....what a defensive cyborg Kawhi truly is and what a joke he was only 2nd team all defensive this year, he can be DPoY any year. Once Kawhi got the assignment Giannis never had a monster 35 point signature game like he normally does.....

by **jrleftfoot** Sun May 26, 2019 1:40 pm

swish wrote:Just an opinion - but it looked to me like Giannis's ball handling in heavy traffic down low got him into a lot of trouble - as he seemed to be attempting to force his game way too much against a defense that was well prepared for his drives to the hoop.

swish

agree. thought he lost focus and tried to do too much

by **dboss** Tue Jun 04, 2019 8:44 pm

Durant is out for game 3.

Klay is nursing a sore Hammy and Looney is finished for the remaining playoffs.

The Raptors are in the perfect situation to actually win this thing.

I however will keep an asterisk handy if they do win.

by **cowens/oldschool** Tue Jun 04, 2019 10:50 pm

Kawhi is hurting too, he’s not as quick he was in the Sixer series, but challenging his drive is how Looney got hurt as Kawhi is still a real bull and worthy of the nickname the Claw. Reminds me of a much better version of those great short defensive PF’s from the 70’s, those guys were really great in their time too, Gus Johnson, Dave Debusherre, Paul Silas. GS definitely battered and doing it all on guts and savvy, showing the heart of a champion.

by **NYCelt** Tue Jun 04, 2019 11:07 pm

Let's see...

Looney done. Durant out. Klay wounded.

Yes, I do believe...

The Warriors have Toronto outmanned.

Warriors to take game 3.

by **cowens/oldschool** Thu Jun 06, 2019 9:56 am

Saw the replay of the play Klay Thompson hurt his leg, why would someone with perfect form on a jumper swing/kick his leg out on a basic jumper? Seems like he was trying to kick out his leg....

by **dboss** Thu Jun 06, 2019 10:53 am

cowens/oldschool wrote:Saw the replay of the play Klay Thompson hurt his leg, why would someone with perfect form on a jumper swing/kick his leg out on a basic jumper? Seems like he was trying to kick out his leg....

Yes, he kicked his leg out on purpose to try and draw a foul. At least that's what it looked like to me.

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