NBA: *** 2024 NBA thread ***

[cyclonespiker33]

Tyrese doesn't need to be amazing for 7 games. He needs to lead the team to 4 wins. That's it.

A bad game 2 won't mean anything if they win games 3 and 4 at home.

 

[simply1]

Turnovers were actually better at 15 while forcing 13.

 

[HFCS]

Turnovers were actually better at 15 while forcing 13.

The second half of both games has me feeling a split in Indy is worst case and there's a chance to get both.

It's not just Indy looking better second halves, OKC (or any team) doesn't have that kind of defensive spaz out energy for a full 48 minutes.

 

[simply1]

The second half of both games has me feeling a split in Indy is worst case and there's a chance to get both.

It's not just Indy looking better second halves, OKC (or any team) doesn't have that kind of defensive spaz out energy for a full 48 minutes.

Given turnovers were better but rebounding was worse, were there just a lot of contested shots? I can’t often catch the first half and didn’t catch the 2nd half because I had a feeling Game 2 was going to go that way and Indy would rebound in game 3.

 

[HFCS]

Given turnovers were better but rebounding was worse, were there just a lot of contested shots? I can’t often catch the first half and didn’t catch the 2nd half because I had a feeling Game 2 was going to go that way and Indy would rebound in game 3.

I think OKC might be 96-0 if they could play defense for a full game like they did the first half of both those games, I'm not sure it's possible. I can't really even complain about officiating (outside of Caruso who is kind of a mugger) because a lot of it is jumping passing lanes, clean blocks and clean strips.

 

[rosshm16]

They really drag the Finals out these days with this "72 hours between games" business.

 

[JP4CY]

Knicks are getting denied left and right by teams to interview their head coaches.

 

[Bigman38]

They really drag the Finals out these days with this "72 hours between games" business.

They really know how to kill all that momentum from games being on every night.

 

[madguy30]

They really know how to kill all that momentum from games being on every night.

Or the momentum from a series.

I keep forgetting it's even still going on.

 

[mapnerd]

Knicks are getting denied left and right by teams to interview their head coaches.

If you don't win it all, you're done. Not very appealing.

 

[HFCS]

If you don't win it all, you're done. Not very appealing.

Plus ESPN picks you to make the finals even in years the Knicks seem like one of the worst teams on paper.

 

[cyfanatic]

If you don't win it all, you're done. Not very appealing.

Agree...I get the knocks on Thibs...but one could very easily see that they had some good fortune and overachieved a bit! He just refuses to adapt his views on minutes played...but without coaching that way the Knicks might not have been in the conference finals!

 

[ElephantPie]

If you don't win it all, you're done. Not very appealing.

Well the Rockets, T-Wolves, & Mavs HQs are denying the Knicks request to interview their coaches. Is this because these teams don't want any risk that their coach will leave for NY or is it the coaches don't want to interview for Knicks job but the coach is saving face by having their team HQ be the ones to deny the request?

 

[mapnerd]

Well the Rockets, T-Wolves, & Mavs HQs are denying the Knicks request to interview their coaches. Is this because these teams don't want any risk that their coach will leave for NY or is it the coaches don't want to interview for Knicks job but the coach is saving face by having their team HQ be the ones to deny the request?

Good point. I guess I'm not really sure what to say. Maybe a little of both?

 

[HFCS]

Feeling good about Pacers tonight, the media (the intelligent guys, not the ESPN outrage nonsense) has basically buried the Pacers almost guaranteeing they go 0-2 at home and that the series is locked in 4-1 Thunder win now.

Still tall order to get both home games but we heard sooooooo much about how the Thunder were 4-0 after a loss in the playoffs, it makes me wonder if there are any other playoff teams that are 4-0 after a loss? I can't imagine what other team still playing could be 4-0 in that situation.

 

[cyclonespiker33]

Feeling good about Pacers tonight, the media (the intelligent guys, not the ESPN outrage nonsense) has basically buried the Pacers almost guaranteeing they go 0-2 at home and that the series is locked in 4-1 Thunder win now.

Still tall order to get both home games but we heard sooooooo much about how the Thunder were 4-0 after a loss in the playoffs, it makes me wonder if there are any other playoff teams that are 4-0 after a loss? I can't imagine what other team still playing could be 4-0 in that situation.

I would agree except that Vegas has OKC as 5.5 point favorites. I understand that they just want even money on both sides but that's a big number.

 

[HFCS]

I would agree except that Vegas has OKC as 5.5 point favorites. I understand that they just want even money on both sides but that's a big number.

5.5 favorite in each games isn't the stone cold lock to be up 3-1 a lot of media people are painting. It's kind of a coin flip that it'll be 2-2.

For this to be an easy 3-1 OKC lead you'd need that number to be closer to 10 point favorite in both games.

Not saying I think they're going to win the series but leaving Indy 2-2 is every bit as likely as 3-1. Pacers have fed off this kind of stuff all playoffs. They weren't even given a chance by many against Milwaukee and absolutely nobody gave them a chance vs Cavs, after watching the series those teams had no chance at all against Indy. NY was more of a real threat but even if you take away Indy's one miracle comeback, they were the better team the majority of the other five games.

 

[cyclonespiker33]

5.5 favorite in each games isn't the stone cold lock to be up 3-1 a lot of media people are painting. It's kind of a coin flip that it'll be 2-2.

For this to be an easy 3-1 OKC lead you'd need that number to be closer to 10 point favorite in both games.

Not saying I think they're going to win the series but leaving Indy 2-2 is every bit as likely as 3-1. Pacers have fed off this kind of stuff all playoffs. They weren't even given a chance by many against Milwaukee and absolutely nobody gave them a chance vs Cavs, after watching the series those teams had no chance at all against Indy. NY was more of a real threat but even if you take away Indy's one miracle comeback, they were the better team the majority of the other five games.

Oh yeah, I'd only put the likelihood of OKC winning the next two games at 10-15%. Unfortunately it seems like Indy winning both is about the same. I don't think they can win the series without these next two.

 

[cytor]

They really drag the Finals out these days with this "72 hours between games" business.

Pretty sure the NBA goal is to crown the champion by July 4th. It's a joke that they drag it out this long.

 

[FerShizzle]

They really know how to kill all that momentum from games being on every night.

Scheduling around the Stanley Cup and leaving a day for their pet project WNBA too.