NBA 2020 NBA Playoffs Thread

[Avs_19]

nunn started every regular season game for them and was right up there with morant as one of the top performing rookies

he's struggled really bad in the playoffs, but if last night was a sign that he's broken out of his slump then they really won't miss dragic that much

Dragic still usually closed games for them even when he was coming off the bench. Nunn is a gunner, which is valuable, but Dragic is a much better player. I watched the majority of their games and I can tell you it really isn't close between them. After Butler and Bam, Dragic was the guy they could least afford to lose.

 

[Stylizer1]

People just don't want to give the Lakers credit

Keep hating Lakers up 1-0

Credit for what, buying a championship? It's pointless to be a fan of a team anymore when out of no where a team that misses the playoffs 1 year can dominate in the finals the next.

 

[John Price]

Credit for what, buying a championship? It's pointless to be a fan of a team anymore when out of no where a team that misses the playoffs 1 year can dominate in the finals the next.

Warriors / Heat / Celtics etc buy titles too

The way to win a NBA title is to buy one

Also you're not giving the Lakers enough credit. About a year ago they were a DISASTER. They had fired Luke Walton. Nobody wanted to coach them. Lue was interviewed and suggested as a candidate and didn't get hired, even though there were rumors that LeBron "wanted" Lue to be the coach. Then they hired Frank Vogel who had never done anything relevant in Indiana or Orlando. Well, he didn't do well with Orlando, but in Indiana he was criticized for taking his teams to the playoffs but not going far.
Not to mention, in addition to Vogel they hired Jason Kidd who was always looking over his shoulder. The Lakers were still a laughingstock, even after firing Magic.

All you have to do is look at all the haters and the posts in the LA Lakers thread. I recently revisited many of them from last year and beyond. It's good for comedy and what the haters said repeatedly about what the Lakers would do.

 

[Filthy Dangles]

Paul pierce is probably going to bring up Lebron James in his HOF speech when he gets in in 2021
Guy lives rent free in Paul Pierce's head.

Not much of a Lebron-stan (I understand and appreciated his greatness) but I still watch this clip every now and then for the dumbass look on Pierce, Garnett and the C's faces.

 

[YYCLetangStan]

Warriors / Heat / Celtics etc buy titles too

The way to win a NBA title is to buy one

Also you're not giving the Lakers enough credit. About a year ago they were a DISASTER. They had fired Luke Walton. Nobody wanted to coach them. Lue was interviewed and suggested as a candidate and didn't get hired, even though there were rumors that LeBron "wanted" Lue to be the coach. Then they hired Frank Vogel who had never done anything relevant in Indiana or Orlando. Well, he didn't do well with Orlando, but in Indiana he was criticized for taking his teams to the playoffs but not going far.
Not to mention, in addition to Vogel they hired Jason Kidd who was always looking over his shoulder. The Lakers were still a laughingstock, even after firing Magic.

As someone who jumped on the Warriors bandwagon in the 2013-14 season (because of Klay), this couldn’t be further from the truth. Andre Iguodala signed that offseason because we had beaten his 3rd seed Nuggets as an underdog when Steph, Klay and Draymond were still young and on their rookie deals.

We had already become the cream of the NBA crop by the time KD jumped on board in 2016. It had nothing to do with “buying”. The Warriors drafted their core and built around them. KD just made us unstoppable.

The Celtics too didn’t buy their way. Danny Ainge had to make strategic trades to get KG and Ray Allen in 2007 and form the first Big 3 of the 21st century.

The Heat and Lakers absolutely did. Players want to live in glamorous places. Not much you can do.

 

[John Price]

As someone who jumped on the Warriors bandwagon in the 2013-14 season (because of Klay), this couldn’t be further from the truth. Andre Iguodala signed that offseason because we had beaten his 3rd seed Nuggets as an underdog when Steph, Klay and Draymond were still young and on their rookie deals.

We had already become the cream of the NBA crop by the time KD jumped on board in 2016. It had nothing to do with “buying”. The Warriors drafted their core and built around them. KD just made us unstoppable.

The Celtics too didn’t buy their way. Danny Ainge had to make strategic trades to get KG and Ray Allen in 2007 and form the first Big 3 of the 21st century.

The Heat and Lakers absolutely did. Players want to live in glamorous places. Not much you can do.

The Warriors, an ALREADY good team, signed one of the best players in the league KD to win a championship.

That's the very definition of buying a championship.

The Warriors were already frustrating to watch for many because of all the threes they took while ignoring the post game, but signing KD just made it much worse. It is sad that nobody can win a title anymore without buying starters. Warriors brought their starter packs, Celtics traded for KG to get over the hump, Heat spent millions buying D Wade, LeBron and Bosh as the "big three"

Pray tell how the Lakers would be considered as buying a championship when the Warriors gave up pretty much nothing talent wise to spend millions on getting KD his rings, and the Lakers gave up Ball, Ingram, Hart and draft picks to NO to get AD.

 

[bambamcam4ever]

As someone who jumped on the Warriors bandwagon in the 2013-14 season (because of Klay), this couldn’t be further from the truth. Andre Iguodala signed that offseason because we had beaten his 3rd seed Nuggets as an underdog when Steph, Klay and Draymond were still young and on their rookie deals.

We had already become the cream of the NBA crop by the time KD jumped on board in 2016. It had nothing to do with “buying”. The Warriors drafted their core and built around them. KD just made us unstoppable.

The Celtics too didn’t buy their way. Danny Ainge had to make strategic trades to get KG and Ray Allen in 2007 and form the first Big 3 of the 21st century.

The Heat and Lakers absolutely did. Players want to live in glamorous places. Not much you can do.

Igoudala had already decided to join GS by that series, hence why he was feeding Karl's gameplan to the Warriors players.

 

[Avs_19]

This sucks. The Lakers were always the favourite but I think the Heat would've made it a series despite what happened last night. No chance now if both Bam and Dragic are out.

 

[Blitzkrug]

So that's Bam out, Dragic out and at minimum Butler is probably playing hurt.

Tough sledding

 

[Blitzkrug]

The Warriors, an ALREADY good team, signed one of the best players in the league KD to win a championship.

That's the very definition of buying a championship.

The Warriors were already frustrating to watch for many because of all the threes they took while ignoring the post game, but signing KD just made it much worse. It is sad that nobody can win a title anymore without buying starters. Warriors brought their starter packs, Celtics traded for KG to get over the hump, Heat spent millions buying D Wade, LeBron and Bosh as the "big three"

Pray tell how the Lakers would be considered as buying a championship when the Warriors gave up pretty much nothing talent wise to spend millions on getting KD his rings, and the Lakers gave up Ball, Ingram, Hart and draft picks to NO to get AD.

Imagine acting like those players are worth a ****. Ingram is the only one of that bunch worth a damn.

You're just such a garbage take generator its hilarious

 

[FiveTacos]

If it's so easy to buy a championship, why has NY not managed to buy one in the past 47 years?

It's so stupid. Free agency's part of the game, it's every bit as legit as drafting or trading, and entails just as much risk. Plenty of teams spend big money and end up with nothing to show for it except expensive cap headaches.

Hell, I remember when Lebron signed with LA, there were lots of people who thought he was near the end, and by the time the Lakers built a team good enough to contend he'd be done. That he shouldn't have come to the tougher West, maybe he didn't care about winning anymore. That the Lakers shouldn't have spent big money on a guy who was going to be turning 34. Then when they got AD, it was, "well they don't have enough left for a supporting cast, especially when Kawhi didn't come too. Gutted their team. Not enough shooters for today's NBA. Lebron and AD won't be enough."

Now all of a sudden it's "they bought a championship?" That doesn't really jive with the narrative that was being spun the previous two offseasons.

 

[John Price]

I agree with you on the Lakers but other teams building super teams through FA is ridiculous and should be sanctioned by the league. The GS super teams as well as Miami and Boston were highly unwatchable and difficult to root for.

Also it's easier to buy a title in basketball since there's only 5 people on the court.

 

[Stylizer1]

Warriors / Heat / Celtics etc buy titles too

The way to win a NBA title is to buy one

Also you're not giving the Lakers enough credit. About a year ago they were a DISASTER. They had fired Luke Walton. Nobody wanted to coach them. Lue was interviewed and suggested as a candidate and didn't get hired, even though there were rumors that LeBron "wanted" Lue to be the coach. Then they hired Frank Vogel who had never done anything relevant in Indiana or Orlando. Well, he didn't do well with Orlando, but in Indiana he was criticized for taking his teams to the playoffs but not going far.
Not to mention, in addition to Vogel they hired Jason Kidd who was always looking over his shoulder. The Lakers were still a laughingstock, even after firing Magic.

All you have to do is look at all the haters and the posts in the LA Lakers thread. I recently revisited many of them from last year and beyond. It's good for comedy and what the haters said repeatedly about what the Lakers would do.

Celtics added Allen and Garnett after they had played 12 seasons and their teams were going into rebuilds. Danny Ainge pulled off the trades and it wasn't players demanding trades to a certain team. Boston, Minny, and Seattle were at the bottom of the standings. Did they buy a championship, yes, was it like what Lebron did in Miami, no. Cleveland was a Playoff team, Miami was a playoff team and Toronto missed the playoffs by 1 win on the last day. Lebron, Wade, and Bosh all were in the beginning of their primes. What Boston did was like what the Houston rockets did when they added Pippen and Barkley or when the Lakers added Malone and Payton. Bring older vets(still good) in to win.

Lue wasn't hired as a coach because he is not a good coach. LA didn't want him. There were not many coaches to chose from especially proven ones. Last season the Lakers knew it was a wasted year. They wanted to just make the playoffs.

The heat had a solid team without Lebron and Bosh. Riley wanted championships. Bosh, wade and Lebron had it planned for years that they were going to play together.

The Warriors are every bit how you build a championship roster. Green, Thompson, and Curry where all drafted by GS. The Warriors aren’t an accident or an evil conglomerate that was built unfairly. They were the smartest with their patient use of the draft. When Lebron started saying in the media we need to add another player to compete he was refering too Carmelo Anthony. All the media outlets where saying it. It was like Lebron was trying to use public pressure to get Gilbert to do it. GS turned around and added KD. That move was in response to Lebron + because of Golden States management of the salary cap, they had more than enough room to fit KD in. Cleveland were trying to buy itself to victory.

 

[c9777666]

I agree with you on the Lakers but other teams building super teams through FA is ridiculous and should be sanctioned by the league. The GS super teams as well as Miami and Boston were highly unwatchable and difficult to root for.

Also it's easier to buy a title in basketball since there's only 5 people on the court.

In baseball, we see teams spend in an attempt to buy a title but there is so much variance (cold bats, bad bullpen, shaky starting rotation, fielding, more players)

 

[c9777666]

Miami was toast even before the injuries and now they're burnt toast. LeBron still has another gear and they have no answer for Davis. The Lakers are the class of the NBA right now and as long as LeBron and Davis stay healthy it's hard to see that changing next year.
Miami and Boston have good futures but the fact that this banged up Miami team beat Boston makes me wonder if Boston is as good as some people think.

so I guess we’re still stuck in the super team era.

thanks Pelicans for practically ruining the NBA. You couldn’t have send A.D. anywhere else and maybe NOT giftwrap LeBron an easy title?

 

[Breakers]

this might actually benefit them

nunn played great tonight. if he can return to his regular season form, the dragic injury won't really matter

Dragic was the leading scorer for the heat entering the finals
losing him most definitely matters.

 

[Suiteness]

so I guess we’re still stuck in the super team era.

thanks Pelicans for practically ruining the NBA. You couldn’t have send A.D. anywhere else and maybe NOT giftwrap LeBron an easy title?

The Lakers really benefitted from the pandemic, 35 year old Lebron getting those 5 weeks off at the end of the season was a God send.

Combined with the Clippers choking and now the Heat falling apart with injuries, sometimes it's just meant to be ( see the Raptors last year)

 

[jcs0218]

Miami was toast even before the injuries and now they're burnt toast. LeBron still has another gear and they have no answer for Davis. The Lakers are the class of the NBA right now and as long as LeBron and Davis stay healthy it's hard to see that changing next year.
Miami and Boston have good futures but the fact that this banged up Miami team beat Boston makes me wonder if Boston is as good as some people think.

Boston is overrated.

I saw many pundits on ESPN and Fox Sports calling Tatum a top 5 player in the NBA.

Most of what I saw out of him in the playoffs was missing key shots and lots of bad turnovers.

 

[bambamcam4ever]

Boston is overrated.

I saw many pundits on ESPN and Fox Sports calling Tatum a top 5 player in the NBA.

Most of what I saw out of him in the playoffs was missing key shots and lots of bad turnovers.

He's the most overrated player in the league. He's a good SF under a good coach who gets treated like a superstar so is allowed to stiff arm guys on the way to the basket.

 

[jcs0218]

The problem isn't teams buying championships.

The problem is that players run the league and have far too much control.

They are allowed to pout and say "trade me and I am only willing to go to 1 team", and teams have no choice but the fulfill these wishes.

The alternative is to force a player to stay, and then be stuck with a $30-$40 million player who is dogging it and not even trying.

You are going to have Superteams as long as players are allowed to stick a gun to team's heads and have 100% complete control over player movement.

 

[Terry Yake]

how exactly did the lakers "buy" anything?

lebron signed with the lakers after years of them striking out on one big name FA after another. and they traded for AD. a trade which looks like it'll work out quite nicely for new orleans. unlike the KG to boston trade which was 100% mchale just doing a solid for his buddy ainge and the wolves getting a bunch of scrubs in return

 

[YYCLetangStan]

how exactly did the lakers "buy" anything?

lebron signed with the lakers after years of them striking out on one big name FA after another. and they traded for AD. a trade which looks like it'll work out quite nicely for new orleans. unlike the KG to boston trade which was 100% mchale just doing a solid for his buddy ainge and the wolves getting a bunch of scrubs in return

The only other teams that put a package for KG were the Suns and Lakers. McHale also didn’t want to trade him within the conference.

Same reason the Spurs took an inferior package for Kawhi in 2018, to trade him out East rather than send him to the Lakers/Clippers.

 

[YYCLetangStan]

Celtics added Allen and Garnett after they had played 12 seasons and their teams were going into rebuilds. Danny Ainge pulled off the trades and it wasn't players demanding trades to a certain team. Boston, Minny, and Seattle were at the bottom of the standings. Did they buy a championship, yes, was it like what Lebron did in Miami, no. Cleveland was a Playoff team, Miami was a playoff team and Toronto missed the playoffs by 1 win on the last day. Lebron, Wade, and Bosh all were in the beginning of their primes. What Boston did was like what the Houston rockets did when they added Pippen and Barkley or when the Lakers added Malone and Payton. Bring older vets(still good) in to win.

Lue wasn't hired as a coach because he is not a good coach. LA didn't want him. There were not many coaches to chose from especially proven ones. Last season the Lakers knew it was a wasted year. They wanted to just make the playoffs.

The heat had a solid team without Lebron and Bosh. Riley wanted championships. Bosh, wade and Lebron had it planned for years that they were going to play together.

The Warriors are every bit how you build a championship roster. Green, Thompson, and Curry where all drafted by GS. The Warriors aren’t an accident or an evil conglomerate that was built unfairly. They were the smartest with their patient use of the draft. When Lebron started saying in the media we need to add another player to compete he was refering too Carmelo Anthony. All the media outlets where saying it. It was like Lebron was trying to use public pressure to get Gilbert to do it. GS turned around and added KD. That move was in response to Lebron + because of Golden States management of the salary cap, they had more than enough room to fit KD in. Cleveland were trying to buy itself to victory.

The only reason the Warriors could even add KD was because of the cap spike that the players (NBAPA) pushed for, as well because Steph was on a paltry 12 million dollar contract he signed after his rookie contract because of all of his injuries. NO ONE predicted that Steph Curry would become a superstar back in 2012.

It’s a once in a lifetime scenario that will likely never be recreated.

 

[Stylizer1]

The only reason the Warriors could even add KD was because of the cap spike that the players (NBAPA) pushed for, as well because Steph was on a paltry 12 million dollar contract he signed after his rookie contract because of all of his injuries. NO ONE predicted that Steph Curry would become a superstar back in 2012.

It’s a once in a lifetime scenario that will likely never be recreated.

Stepth, Clay, and Green all had very manageable contracts. That management group deserves all the credit.

 

[YYCLetangStan]

Stepth, Clay, and Green all had very manageable contracts. That management group deserves all the credit.

No, only Steph. Klay and Draymond were both on max contracts.