NBA Playoffs
- Thread starter Fijimn
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Was wondering when one of these would crop up over in the LR. The thread in the pro board has been doing well, but we could certainly use an OFFICIAL NBA PLAYOFFS OF THE LR thread for the 5 people that watch NBA in the LR.
I missed the last 10 minutes of the game. Went to bed thinking the Clippers had that game on ice. Talk about a monumental collapse. Saw the highlights this morning and couldn't believe it.
With a fairly easy path infront of them, I still feel the Cavs have all the momentum right now.
I'm not sold on Golden State, but I wouldn't mind them running the table. I like them in the finals better than the Clippers, who I like better than the Rockets.
I missed the last 10 minutes of the game. Went to bed thinking the Clippers had that game on ice. Talk about a monumental collapse. Saw the highlights this morning and couldn't believe it.
With a fairly easy path infront of them, I still feel the Cavs have all the momentum right now.
I'm not sold on Golden State, but I wouldn't mind them running the table. I like them in the finals better than the Clippers, who I like better than the Rockets.
Chris Paul and Griffin were exhausted at the end. The Clippers bench is terrible and it causes Doc to basically play a 6 man rotation; thus, why the starters get exhausted.
It looks like the book on Harden is turning out to be right, great regular season player that folds when the pressure is on. Let's see if he can change it in Game 7.
It looks like the book on Harden is turning out to be right, great regular season player that folds when the pressure is on. Let's see if he can change it in Game 7.
True the bench for the Clippers is lackluster, but so is Houston's. That comeback was in large part due to Josh Smith catching fire. Harden was on the bench the whole time. MVP my butt.
Rivers relies too much on his starters for sure, they're playing WAY too many minutes this playoffs. There's no way he can continue that beyond this round and have success. He's actually got some capable bench players, when you look at the roster. It's Doc's fault that he can't ways to use them to spell his starters. Clippers live and die with guys stepping up. Last night, no one stepped up when it mattered most and that's how things crumbled. The playoffs are all about guys accepting their role and finding ways to contribute.
Looking at the Clipper's bench, I'd rather have them than what Houston has. LA just had a rough night.
Clippers roster
Starting 5:
Paul
Reddick
Griffin
Barnes
Jordan
Bench:
Jamal Crawford (streaky and capable scorer)
Austin Rivers (has had a break-out playoffs)
Glenn Davis (hate his game, but he can score)
Spencer Hawes (what happened to this guy, he used to be good)
Rockets roster
Starting 5:
Josh Smith
Trevor Ariza
Dwight Howard
Jason Terry
James Harden
Bench:
Terrance Jones (Who?)
Corey Brewer (Who?)
Pablo Prigioni (Who?)
Clint Capela (Who?)
I won't even list the other guys because they're even more obscure
Which ever team makes it out of the Clippers/Rockets will be fried in the WCF but the Warriors are in a battle w/ the Griz so they can come limping in to that game as well.
Kind of bummed the Spurs are out of it b/c I really wanted to see the Warriors vs the Spurs in the western conference finals.
Kind of bummed the Spurs are out of it b/c I really wanted to see the Warriors vs the Spurs in the western conference finals.
You and me both. Fans got kinda screwed out of a good potential match-up, but that's sports. Spurs didn't do their part, would have been able to handle the Rockets better than the Clippers, IMO. Still, it does make for an interesting playoffs considering of all the teams left, only the Rockets have won an NBA title. The rest of the teams have suffered terrible histories throughout the playoffs.
I'm not a fan of the whole "splash bros" thing, but I feel like they would have torched the Spurs. Then again, Memphis is doing their best to put up a fight. I'd love to see Memphis advance, although their style of basketball is not as fun to watch.
BTW @Rhino_nole could use you over at the Pro sports board. You always bring a colorful perspective to the NBA Playoffs threads.
http://floridastate.forums.rivals.com/threads/nba-playoffs-thread.11572/page-3#post-291438
http://floridastate.forums.rivals.com/threads/nba-playoffs-thread.11572/page-3#post-291438
I think Duncan, Boris, Leonard and even Splitter would have lived down in the low post similar to what the Griz are doing right now. Would have been a really good match up. I think teams during the regular season couldn't properly prep for the "splash bros." but when it's the playoffs, it's an entirely different beast. I just think the Spurs have a better offense, better ball movement and better 3 point shooters than the Griz and we could have been seeing the Spurs in back-to-back-to-back title appearances.
True, although Splitter was pretty terrible this playoffs (somewhat due to injury, somewhat due to being Splitter). Add to that, I'm still not sure where Danny
Green's shooting disappeared to. One or two open 3's fall and they're still in the playoffs, but instead his offense disappeared.
I'd like to think the Spurs could have found an answer for Goldenstate, but they didn't earn it when they lost to the Clippers. all that started really when they couldn't beat the Pelicans in the final game to secure the 2 seed. Most of their issues would have gone away at that point, but alas ... I can daydream about what could have been, but it wasn't their time this year.
I knew that the east is pretty bad, but these playoffs have really proven how bad the east is. Cleveland, with no Love and Irving hurt and Smith was suspended for the first two Chicago games, yet the Cavaliers advance and they should certainly beat the winner of the Hawks/Bullet series, unless Pierce can set a fire to the Lebron/Pierce playoff rivalry and Washington as a team can get hot, especially if Wall's hand gets better.
I hated Mark Jackson, so this year I can root for Golden State. I love their fans and the loud arena, but if GS can't hit the jumper, they could be done.
I hated Mark Jackson, so this year I can root for Golden State. I love their fans and the loud arena, but if GS can't hit the jumper, they could be done.
The end of the clippers/rockets game wasn't amazing, it was sad. Clippers couldn't buy a basket in the last 8 minutes, even layups were rolling back out.
Harden hasn't impressed all series. Once they put him back in next game the Clippers should be able to win out.
Harden hasn't impressed all series. Once they put him back in next game the Clippers should be able to win out.
Other than the triple-double in Game 5, Harden has been bad. He played a very good first half in this game, then went super cold.
I disagree with the Clippers bench assessment. Austin Rivers played out of his head game three, but has avg 8 points and 1 assist. Big baby Davis has been terrible. JJ Redick can hit a streak, but has not been good overall. However, he is James Harden's Vernon Maxwell---Mad Max used to own Michael Jordan.
How do you hate Mark Jackson? I would love for him to come coach AD in New Orleans.
Looking at their two benches (Clippers and Rockets), you would rather have the Rockets bench over the Clippers bench? I couldn't pick any of Houston's bench players out of a lineup if you put me on the spot. Well, maybe brewer because he looks weird but I wouldn't know him unless he wore that headband.
JJ Reddick has has a great year this year and I don't like the guy at all. Never thought for a minute he'd make it this long in the NBA, let alone be a starter and average over 16 ppg (for regular season). No way, especially not out west. I would have lost that bet any day of the week.
You could make an argument that the Clippers need Reddick to shoot well to win their games. Case in point, look at the outcome of the games from this playoffs. During this playoffs: when JJ Reddick shoots over 35%, the Clippers are 6-1. When he shoots under 35%, the Clippers are 2-5. What is his career average shooting percentage, you may ask? 44%. JJ Reddick is the Clippers version of Danny Green. When he's hitting his shots, he spreads the floor and opens things up for the offense. When he's missing shots, the offense stagnates because the defense can leave him to double Paul or Griffin.
Very few teams go 6-7 deep, particularly those teams still in the playoffs. The fact that Jason Terry is starting for Houston ... I mean ... you knock Austin Rivers for being an 8ppg 1apg guy, but Jason Terry is pretty much the same ... and is starting.
Grew up a Celtics fan up here, so anything New York or Detroit, I pretty much do not like.
With that said, I think he did a great job coaching at Golden State.
Yeah, I hear you about the PG. Terry is starting after Pat Beverly got hurt. Plus the Rockets lost Dmo--requiring them to bring up Capela, who I think is going to be a real nice player. Brewer is a 3 point specialists and fits the Rockets analytics/philosophy. Clippers have a real good team and it can be argued that Griffin has been the best player in the playoffs. Tough match up problems
That last part sounds crazy but us certainly true. Griffin has been so good it's amazing. His shooting has been his biggest surprise.
Doc might have lost that game for the Clippers last night. He called a TO when the clippers were just rolling the Rockets. Griffin had just made a circus shot and the place was falling apart. He called a TO because he thought his starters were gassed, but if it went on a few more minutes I think the Rockets might have just quit for good. It was out of control how bad that run was.
Honestly shocked Doc didn't go with Hack a Smith. Could have gotten in Smith's head, being a 50% ft shooter, and slowed down the game to rest his guys.
Doc Rivers lost them that game, poor game management.
Doc Rivers lost them that game, poor game management.
I almost gave up and went to sleep when it was 86-68 Clippers, man I am glad I stayed up and didn't! Just found out I'm going to game 7 on Sunday so I'm pretty excited for that.
Well, in the end the Clippers went back to being the Clippers.
Only reason I liked the idea of Clippers in Western Conference finals was that'd mean every team left had never won a championship. Also would have been the 4 worst teams, winning percentage wise, in NBA history (franchise wise).
All that is a moot point now, props to Houston for making it happen. They're not a very likable team with Harden and Howard, so the Warriors will probably be very popular for bandwagon fans this week.
Only reason I liked the idea of Clippers in Western Conference finals was that'd mean every team left had never won a championship. Also would have been the 4 worst teams, winning percentage wise, in NBA history (franchise wise).
All that is a moot point now, props to Houston for making it happen. They're not a very likable team with Harden and Howard, so the Warriors will probably be very popular for bandwagon fans this week.
[QUOTE="dmm5157, post: 301041, member: 9322"
Only reason I liked the idea of Clippers in Western Conference finals was that'd mean every team left had never won a championship. Also would have been the 4 worst teams, winning percentage wise, in NBA history (franchise wise).
[/QUOTE]
Golden State won a title in the 70s
Only reason I liked the idea of Clippers in Western Conference finals was that'd mean every team left had never won a championship. Also would have been the 4 worst teams, winning percentage wise, in NBA history (franchise wise).
[/QUOTE]
Golden State won a title in the 70s
Golden State won a title in the 70s[/QUOTE]
True, but that was pre ABA merger and definitely before I was born. Guess could have prefaced by Modern Era.
Have you seen Harden's defense? The one a game with him on the bench b/c he only cared about padding his stats.
I can't think of another "star" that was benched and his team got better in a playoff game situation.
