NBA: *** 2024 NBA thread ***

[HFCS]

Just caught up on the Pacers game. This series is must watch playoff basketball. Entertaining as hell with how much these two teams and fan bases hate each other.

It was awesome to see Tyrese basically control the entire game after not playing so great in game three and the crowd riding him about the stupid "overrated" poll all game.

Portis is really a villain of a character. I don't think Giannis is a dirty player and I like him, but at times he just freight trains to the rim and it is pretty impossible to officiate if he's being fouled or charging. It's basically like if LeBron was more committed to always going to the basket. The Pacers offense is soooo deep for them to be able to easily overcome the lines Giannis is putting up.

 

[joefrog]

Wouldn't have guessed Porzingas is still in his 20s.

Wait..........what? Didn't that guy play against MJ?

 

[JP4CY]

Wait..........what? Didn't that guy play against MJ?

He's 29. Wild.

 

[cycloneman003]

Watching some of the highlights back, man it really is kind of insane the way the refs let guys defend in the LA/MIN series. Luka get's abused every time down the court. That non-call on the trip with 35 seconds left was bad too. The missed call at the end of the DET/NY game was awful as well. Letting Bobby Portis do whatever the hell he wants in the IND/MIL game. Officiating as a whole has been pretty poor IMO so far this postseason.

 

[HFCS]

Watching some of the highlights back, man it really is kind of insane the way the refs let guys defend in the LA/MIN series. Luka get's abused every time down the court. That non-call on the trip with 35 seconds left was bad too. The missed call at the end of the DET/NY game was awful as well. Letting Bobby Portis do whatever the hell he wants in the IND/MIL game. Officiating as a whole has been pretty poor IMO so far this postseason.

Pistons Knicks might be most physical. It’s the whole playoffs and notably different than last year.

The only problem arises when this leads to techs and ejections. The 6 offsetting techs in the Denver Clippers game was absurd. Should’ve been two ejections and at least 3 of those techs were actually nothing.

 

[CHim]

Watching some of the highlights back, man it really is kind of insane the way the refs let guys defend in the LA/MIN series. Luka get's abused every time down the court. That non-call on the trip with 35 seconds left was bad too. The missed call at the end of the DET/NY game was awful as well. Letting Bobby Portis do whatever the hell he wants in the IND/MIL game. Officiating as a whole has been pretty poor IMO so far this postseason.

For years I have not understood how Steph Curry can get grabbed and held off the ball with no calls. It isn't even clever it is just straight out holding a lot of times. And he is still finding ways to get numbers.

 

[every_yard]

Looks like Pacers-Bucks game 5 on in NBATV again…which means it will be blacked out in central Iowa. NBA blackout rules might be worse than MLB. A playoff game should never be blacked out.

 

[SolterraCyclone]

Pistons Knicks might be most physical. It’s the whole playoffs and notably different than last year.

The only problem arises when this leads to techs and ejections. The 6 offsetting techs in the Denver Clippers game was absurd. Should’ve been two ejections and at least 3 of those techs were actually nothing.

I think MPJ is going to be suspended for leaving the bench during the scrum in game 4. Which is going to be rich considering Harden threw an open-fisted punch.

 

[HFCS]

I think MPJ is going to be suspended for leaving the bench during the scrum in game 4. Which is going to be rich considering Harden threw an open-fisted punch.

Basically the Horry effect where the punk move is barely punished and the other team is punished more for not reacting like emotionless robots.

 

[HFCS]

Lillard torn achilles confirmed.

I think the Pacers had them outgunned regardless but still sucks. It was kind of a miracle he got cleared after the blood clot issue. One of the better shooters I have ever seen and going to be hard to come back at his age and not fall off at 35.

Bombs away for AJ Green in game 5.

 

[drmwevr08]

I think MPJ is going to be suspended for leaving the bench during the scrum in game 4. Which is going to be rich considering Harden threw an open-fisted punch.

Wouldn't that be a slap?

 

[cycloneman003]

Brutal for the Bucks as it not only kills their chances this postseason, but they look like a total mess moving forward. It was already looking bad, but this is really bad. They have to pray Giannis is the most loyal player of all time, because if he wants to compete again for a title he should be demanding a trade by about 7PM tomorrow night once they are eliminated.

• Dame almost certainly out all next year eating up a ton of salary and then a $58mil player option he'd almost certainly pick up in 26-27 at age 36 coming off a serious injury
• Kuzma has been a disaster for them and he's locked in for 2yr/$42mil
• Bobby Portis needs an extension
• Lopez is ancient and free agent
• Decent hit on a vet min with Gary Trent Jr. who'll be an FA and want a payday

They really have no high end young talent, don't control any of their own 1st rounders for the next 5 drafts, no assets to trade for another star and impossible place to recruit high end FA's too. So that roster is absolutely cooked right now and, despite one title, the majority of prime Giannis is going to be ruined by injury.

They should honestly consider a trade as well. His value will never be higher at age 30 with 2 years left on his contract. Also, Giannis' game/style has never felt like something that will age all that well deep into his 30's.

 

[HFCS]

Wouldn't that be a slap?

Yeah he open handed b-slapped a couple times for no reason at all after a common foul...but a nuggets player might have put a foot over a line of paint which is the obvious real problem.

 

[HFCS]

Brutal for the Bucks as it not only kills their chances this postseason, but they look like a total mess moving forward. It was already looking bad, but this is really bad. They have to pray Giannis is the most loyal player of all time, because if he wants to compete again for a title he should be demanding a trade by about 7PM tomorrow night once they are eliminated.

• Dame almost certainly out all next year eating up a ton of salary and then a $58mil player option he'd almost certainly pick up in 26-27 at age 36 coming off a serious injury
• Kuzma has been a disaster for them and he's locked in for 2yr/$42mil
• Bobby Portis needs an extension
• Lopez is ancient and free agent
• Decent hit on a vet min with Gary Trent Jr. who'll be an FA and want a payday

They really have no high end young talent, don't control any of their own 1st rounders for the next 5 drafts, no assets to trade for another star and impossible place to recruit high end FA's too. So that roster is absolutely cooked right now and, despite one title, the majority of prime Giannis is going to be ruined by injury.

They should honestly consider a trade as well. His value will never be higher at age 30 with 2 years left on his contract. Also, Giannis' game/style has never felt like something that will age all that well deep into his 30's.

For Milwaukee and Denver, they both might just need to be thankful they got the one title with a generational star player whether the player stays or not. It's kind of crazy how Cleveland backed into barely getting that too. Even with a GOAT caliber player I would have never believed those three teams would hang a banner.

As much as Portis annoys me he would be great to add to a title contender team but not the ideal guy to build around for the next 3-4 years.

In terms of a 30 year old player, Giannis does have that big athletic tank LeBron-like build where I can't see him falling off athletically in his 30s. He's going to be way up there in the all time record books if he plays a long healthy career.

 

[cycloneman003]

For Milwaukee and Denver, they both might just need to be thankful they got the one title with a generational star player whether the player stays or not. It's kind of crazy how Cleveland backed into barely getting that too. Even with a GOAT caliber player I would have never believed those three teams would hang a banner.

As much as Portis annoys me he would be great to add to a title contender team but not the ideal guy to build around for the next 3-4 years.

In terms of a 30 year old player, Giannis does have that big athletic tank LeBron-like build where I can't see him falling off athletically in his 30s. He's going to be way up there in the all time record books if he plays a long healthy career.

Nuggets are even more brutally capped out given the contracts they have on the books but at least Murray/MPJ/Gordon are solid players. All of those are better than any 2nd piece the Bucks have with Dame out.

My concern on Giannis is that his game is almost exclusively built off of that freakish athleticism. Even marginal drop off should affect him immensly, plus he's had quite a few little injuries here and there for the last several years. Lebron's maintained performance is bonkers but he's diversified his game too. He's become a pretty great catch and shoot player off the ball the last few years in addition to everything else and completely sacrificing all effort defensively lol. Giannis just is never going to be able to develop a shot, which will limit him once his body slows down a half step.

 

[SolterraCyclone]

Wouldn't that be a slap?

As a professional street fighter, I prefer the term “palm strike”

 

[JP4CY]

Cleveland with the throttle all the way down.

 

[3TrueFans]

As a professional street fighter, I prefer the term “palm strike”

 

[HFCS]

Cleveland with the throttle all the way down.

Yeah I overestimated how hot Herro had been that he'd get them at least a win or two. I was wrong on that to whomever here told me Cleveland would surely sweep.

They played Indy pretty even this year and had not that different records post all star break and post trade deadline so I expect it to be competitive. Indy can't mess around and go 6-7 games with them sitting there resting. Indy had been so healthy but now Mathurin is day to day and they missed him entire playoffs last year.

 

[Clonehomer]

Cleveland with the throttle all the way down.

Guessing the flights to Cancun were cheaper out of Miami than Cleveland with the way Miami has mailed this one in.