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Thursday, April 13, 2023

2023 NBA Playoffs Thread

I estimate the NBA thread only had 10-12 teams in the play-in round.

Hombre Brotani Posted: April 13, 2023 at 04:37 PM | 2710 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
  Tags: basketball, nba, off-topic

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   2201. tell me when i'm telling 57i66135 Posted: May 25, 2023 at 03:08 PM (#6130094)
Attorney Adam Moskowitz told multiple media outlets on Wednesday that a process server purchased a ticket to Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals, located O'Neal on "a platform in the arena," and personally handed him the documents while filming the exchange. O'Neal subsequently "had the process server thrown out of the arena," but the mission had already been accomplished
link
   2202. tshipman (The Viscount of Variance) Posted: May 25, 2023 at 04:32 PM (#6130106)
Apparently NBA Ref Eric Lewis has a burner account.

It is pretty boring honestly.

Still, weird coincidence that the NBA has had so many burner account scandals.
   2203. Fourth True Outcome Posted: May 25, 2023 at 06:20 PM (#6130116)
Gabe Vincent is out for game five because of the ankle he turned in game four; Malcom Brogdon has been shooting terribly this series because he has a partially torn elbow tendon.
   2204. If on a winter's night a father of a newborn baby Posted: May 25, 2023 at 06:35 PM (#6130119)
First Dejounte Murray, then Joel Embiid, now Gabe Vincent: the Celtics are having abysmal injury luck this postseason.
   2205. smileyy Posted: May 25, 2023 at 07:09 PM (#6130122)
What if flops were treated like technicals with the whole "being suspended after too many" thing.
   2206. Rally Posted: May 25, 2023 at 08:44 PM (#6130139)
Miami forgot how to pass the ball. Or shoot a 3. Or avoid having the other team’s shooters find a wide open spot. Not a recipe for success.

Looks like there will finally be a team that wins after going down 0-3.
   2207. tell me when i'm telling 57i66135 Posted: May 25, 2023 at 08:44 PM (#6130140)
Apparently NBA Ref Eric Lewis has a burner account.

It is pretty boring honestly.

Still, weird coincidence that the NBA has had so many burner account scandals.
fun fact:

the average age for NBA players (26.3) is 2 full calendar years younger than the average age for NHL players (28.4).
   2208. Crosseyed and Painless Posted: May 25, 2023 at 08:51 PM (#6130143)
How cool that the Celtics are going to win this thing.
   2209. asinwreck Posted: May 25, 2023 at 08:52 PM (#6130144)
Clearly, Vincent is the key to Miami's success.
   2210. Rally Posted: May 25, 2023 at 09:01 PM (#6130145)
This is the Heat team that played the Hawks
   2211. Fourth True Outcome Posted: May 25, 2023 at 09:31 PM (#6130149)
I know we've already mentioned this a couple of times, but I cannot get myself to believe that Haywood Highsmith is a real person even though the real Gerudo Hambone had never played for the Heat
   2212. Fancy Pants Handle struck out swinging Posted: May 25, 2023 at 10:16 PM (#6130154)
Looks like there will finally be a team that wins after going down 0-3.

How cool that the Celtics are going to win this thing.

Your attempts at reverse jinxes are transparent and lame.
   2213. Athletic Supporter's aunt's sorry like Aziz Posted: May 25, 2023 at 10:46 PM (#6130157)
Plenty of teams have come back down 3-2. The Celtics have done it once already this postseason against a better team! They're the 2 seed facing the 8 seed! Regardless of how we got here, there's a really good chance Boston wins this series.
   2214. tell me when i'm telling 57i66135 Posted: May 25, 2023 at 10:46 PM (#6130158)
   2068. /muteself 57i66135 Posted: May 22, 2023 at 11:44 PM (#6129668)
i think the best case scenario at this point is MIA dropping games 4, 5 and 6, only to win game 7 on a 73 point jimmy butler tubthumping, followed by a four game sweep in the finals by an average margin of victory around 30 PPG.

then, butler would of course demand a trade to philly in the offseason, with harden going to PHX and chris paul winding up in MIA.


this is my design.
   2215. rr: over-entitled starf@ck3r Posted: May 26, 2023 at 12:05 AM (#6130167)
Miami/Boston: It was obvious, but I said to Hombre via text a couple of days ago that if there was ever a series set up for an 0-3 comeback, it's this one, for any number of readily visible reasons (as much as I don't like it as a fan) and I said here not to count out Boston. Also, the last two games show why I am always a little skeptical about intense focus on coaches and also ofc about "guts and heart" stuff. Butler and Adebayo have plenty of guts and heart, and Spoelstra is a good coach, but I think that Miami will probably lose the series.

If Boston makes the Finals, and you want to point the finger, then I would point it at Harden and Embiid, and maybe at the Bucks more than at Miami's guys.

James/retirement/Irving: The spec in LakerLand ofc is that James's reference to retiring was one of his passive-aggressive moves to pressure Pelinka into trying to get Irving. I like Irving's game more than many do, and although the Lakers were swept by a better team, the total point differential was only 24, so if this scenario is the case, then James may think that they could have beaten Denver with another great scorer. If Irving could replace Russell and all the other guys stayed, then maybe, but that is not realistic. Irving will be 32 next year, misses games, does not play much defense, and seems to be a real weirdo. I am Captain Starfucker, but the Lakers' FO needs to overspend in-house more than to overthink or star-chase. As has been said by many: keep most of the guys they have, even though it will be expensive, run it back with James and Davis one more time, and have salary ballast in case they have a chance to make a move at the deadline.
   2216. Athletic Supporter's aunt's sorry like Aziz Posted: May 26, 2023 at 12:22 AM (#6130169)
I don't know if this has sunk in for anyone else, but I'm still processing that Haywood Highsmith led a team in minutes in a conference finals game.
   2217. The Honorable Ardo Posted: May 26, 2023 at 01:05 AM (#6130176)
If Vincent can return on Saturday, I think Miami wraps this up at home.

Regarding Kyrie, playing with LeBron seems to tamp down the crazy and even causes him to give a (deleted) defensively. It would also give AD more pick-and-pop opportunities.
   2218. jmurph Posted: May 26, 2023 at 07:24 AM (#6130184)
Jesus christ guys they're not going to win 4 straight elimination games, have some self control here people.
   2219. Crosseyed and Painless Posted: May 26, 2023 at 08:26 AM (#6130188)
Your attempts at reverse jinxes are transparent and lame.


I'll only speak for myself but will say that yes I am transparent and lame.

Not that it's an excuse, but I was pretty annoyed that the NBA Takes Industrial Complex was pumping out so much content after game 3 that acted as if the series was entirely over. Also, too, if that game was competitive for any of the 48 minutes then maybe I'd have just watched it instead of finding transparent and lame things to post online.

FWIW (which is a lot more than my lame posts) Pinnacle has the series at -145 Heat / +126 Celtics now at this typing so it's up in the air at this point. (EDIT - And I don't believe enough in my power of reverse jinxing or the might of the Celtics to put any actual money on this at those odds.)
   2220. Paul d mobile Posted: May 26, 2023 at 09:27 AM (#6130192)
I mean... every NBA series in history has basically been over after it was 3-0, and Boston looked defeated physically and emotionally. I don't think it's out of line that the NBATIC was acting like the series was over.
   2221. Tony S Posted: May 26, 2023 at 09:47 AM (#6130199)
The sports media has latched onto the Boston-comeback narrative. I still think that's highly unlikely, and I think Miami wraps it up tomorrow.

The Celtics are objectively a better team, but the talent gap isn't THAT large. It's
certainly not wide enough to expect one team to beat the other four games in a row.

Boston has played two max-effort, high-intensity games to stay alive. That's very draining physically and mentally, and tough to sustain.

The Heat are coming back home.

One thing for sure... Denver is loving this.

   2222. Crosseyed and Painless Posted: May 26, 2023 at 10:01 AM (#6130206)
I mean... every NBA series in history has basically been over after it was 3-0, and Boston looked defeated physically and emotionally. I don't think it's out of line that the NBATIC was acting like the series was over.


But I do think that's out of line. This isn't the typical team being down 3-0.
   2223. Athletic Supporter's aunt's sorry like Aziz Posted: May 26, 2023 at 10:02 AM (#6130207)
Most 3-0 series are over partly because it's much more likely that the better team goes up 3-0. Now it's 3-2. Vegas probably has it right: Heat are modest favorites. [Coke to Crosseyed]

Gabe Vincent is just a guy, maybe not even that. How did we get to the point where he's being seen as a key part of the formula? Narrative is weird.
   2224. Crosseyed and Painless Posted: May 26, 2023 at 10:36 AM (#6130212)
If I'm doing the algebra right seems like the outcomes just by using the odds are roughly

43% - Heat in 6
43% - Celtics in 7
14% - Heat in 7

The Stiggles Scenario from 2068/2214 does remain the most entertaining one. The Tuesday Podcasts will be welcome after a long weekend.
   2225. Booey Posted: May 26, 2023 at 11:09 AM (#6130215)
Jesus christ guys they're not going to win 4 straight elimination games, have some self control here people.


They already have, dating back to the Philly series. What's 2 more? ;-)

Snark aside, obviously picking any team down 0-3 is a bad bet. But as others have pointed out, the C's are in the rare position of being the clearly better team that was down 0-3. That hardly ever happens, and it's part of why we've never seen a 0-3 comeback before (in basketball). If we spotted clear underdogs a 3 game lead more often, I suspect we'd have seen the favorites complete the comeback a few times by now.
   2226. My name is Votto, and I love to get Moppo Posted: May 26, 2023 at 11:30 AM (#6130218)
They already have, dating back to the Philly series. What's 2 more? ;-)


Joe Mazzulla, the Bill Russell of coaches?

   2227. Athletic Supporter's aunt's sorry like Aziz Posted: May 26, 2023 at 12:02 PM (#6130223)
I'm pretty sure Bill Russell is the Bill Russell of coaches.
   2228. tell me when i'm telling 57i66135 Posted: May 26, 2023 at 12:36 PM (#6130231)
I'm pretty sure Bill Russell is the Bill Russell of coaches.
"baker mayfield is the next johnny manziel"
   2229. Fourth True Outcome Posted: May 26, 2023 at 01:09 PM (#6130232)
Gabe Vincent is just a guy, maybe not even that. How did we get to the point where he's being seen as a key part of the formula? Narrative is weird.

He's very much just a guy, but a guy who has been on a torrid shooting streak (50% from 3 for the series), and also one whose absence necessitates heavy minutes from a very toasty Kyle Lowry. Narrative is weird, but so is having a team in the ECF with this thin a roster.
   2230. Athletic Supporter's aunt's sorry like Aziz Posted: May 26, 2023 at 02:26 PM (#6130238)
I challenge you to find a statistic where Gabe Vincent was meaningfully better than Kyle Lowry this year. Maybe it can be done but a toasty version of someone who used to be very good does not appear to be worse than replacement level.

Sure, anyone can shoot well over a small sample, but I'm not convinced that his absence is meaningful.
   2231. rr: over-entitled starf@ck3r Posted: May 26, 2023 at 02:42 PM (#6130240)
Jesus christ guys they're not going to win 4 straight elimination games, have some self control here people.


Can't 100% tell if this is self-parody, but I'm guessing yes.

And ofc Booey is right and so are others, and that is what I meant by "obvious." Boston is better than Miami. I think G6 is a coin flip and Boston would be about 80/20 for G7.

Boston looked defeated physically and emotionally
.

Someone--probably shipman, the Viscount of Variance--said a few years ago that when the opponent is raining 3s down on your a$$ and you are bricking your 3s, you look hangdog. This is exacerbated in a postseason situation, where the crowd is going apeshit and you have Charles Barkley and Shaquille O'Neal coming on at halftime saying you are laying down. And ofc in this series we have a rookie coach up against a veteran top-tier coach in a conference finals between two franchises with some history--and one of those franchises is Boston. So, it is sort of a perfect storm for the NBATIC.

   2232. jmurph Posted: May 26, 2023 at 02:50 PM (#6130243)
Can't 100% tell if this is self-parody, but I'm guessing yes.

I don't know what this means but I don't think it's a particularly hot take to predict that a team will not be coming back from 0-3 since it's never happened before.
   2233. Booey Posted: May 26, 2023 at 03:10 PM (#6130246)
#2232 - No one said the Celtics still had a chance when they were actually down 0-3. But they're not anymore. Regardless of how they got there, they're only down 2-3, which lots of teams have come back from, including these same C's just last round. Those 2 wins are already in the books.
   2234. rr: over-entitled starf@ck3r Posted: May 26, 2023 at 03:12 PM (#6130247)
Everybody is under control; no one is freaking out. We are just pointing out that this situation is different since the better team being down 3-0 was pretty much unprecedented. It is now 3-2, and Boston's two wins were comfortable double-digit Ws. Boston needs to win in Miami, which they can obviously do. They took G6 in Philly when down 3-2, as noted. If they do that, then they are at home for G7 and in that situation against Philly, they blew out a team that is better then Miami. Jimmy Butler is an excellent player, and my emo opinion is that he is in fact mentally tougher than James Harden, but he is not Michael Jordan and he is 33 with a lot of mileage. I think that Erik Spoelstra is a better coach than Doc Rivers, but any coach can lose in postseason if the other guy has the horses and HCA. Philadelphia also has the MVP, and Boston came back from 3-2 on them. So yeah, saying that Boston will not win is at this point is kind of a hot take.
   2235. rr: over-entitled starf@ck3r Posted: May 26, 2023 at 03:19 PM (#6130248)
No one said the Celtics still had a chance


I kind of did, actually--but I did hedge it--said they could "still make some noise." The key was winning G4. The series went to "at risk" for Miami when Boston took it to them in that game. I think Boston now has the edge, and if I had to bet 1K at gunpoint, I would bet it on Boston. But TBH I was mostly just rejecting the NBATIC narrative that Boston was laying down and that Mazzulla is the coaching equivalent of Peter Griffin rather than making a prediction.
   2236. jmurph Posted: May 26, 2023 at 03:25 PM (#6130251)
But TBH I was mostly just rejecting the NBATIC narrative that Boston was laying down and that Mazzulla is the coaching equivalent of Peter Griffin rather than making a prediction.

I support this. I feel like the "quitting" stuff was a bit much, especially. I'm sure I've used that term before, too, but it's probably not right very often.

   2237. rr: over-entitled starf@ck3r Posted: May 26, 2023 at 03:27 PM (#6130253)
I feel like the "quitting" stuff was a bit much, especially
.

See, even BOS and LAL fans can find some common ground.
   2238. tshipman (The Viscount of Variance) Posted: May 26, 2023 at 04:33 PM (#6130262)
I don't think 3-2 is that much different from 3-0.

Here's what changed in the series:
Boston started shooting better. Boston got a friendlier whistle in game 5.
Miami started shooting worse.

I think the most likely single outcome is Miami in 6, and thought so when they were up 3-0.
   2239. Fourth True Outcome Posted: May 26, 2023 at 05:32 PM (#6130269)
I appreciate your commitment to the explanatory power of variance, tship. I think the shooting changes are true in that Miami's hot start to the series was unsustainable and Boston's was below their true talent. (I'm less convinced about the whistle, though I'm also not sure how to evaluate that. The refs mostly to my eye let them play, and the Cs have done a more better job of not biting on pump fakes over the last few games.)

But it's also true that Miami didn't even shoot appreciably worse than Boston in game 5, they just took 16 fewer 3PA. The story to me is more that Boston has rediscovered the stifling defense they relied on last year and much of this season. Their rotations and doubles were precise and befuddled the Heat, limiting looks from beyond the arc without letting Butler and Bam work in the interior unbothered. The turnovers Boston forced mattered a lot, especially coupled with them not turning it over on the other end as much as they did earlier in the series.

So if the Celtics can keep playing this way, I think they are more likely to win the series than not. But, of course, this Celtics team has shown repeatedly that they can lose the plot and play like idiots for a crucial 5-6 minutes of a game, so we'll see.
   2240. tshipman (The Viscount of Variance) Posted: May 26, 2023 at 06:04 PM (#6130273)
I'm less convinced about the whistle, though I'm also not sure how to evaluate that. The refs mostly to my eye let them play.


The story to me is more that Boston has rediscovered the stifling defense ...


These things are connected.
   2241. rr: over-entitled starf@ck3r Posted: May 26, 2023 at 06:13 PM (#6130274)
Hey nice add to the screenname tship. That is one of the 10-12 best screennames on this thread.
   2242. Fourth True Outcome Posted: May 26, 2023 at 07:53 PM (#6130280)
These things are connected.

Is the idea that the Celtics just beat up the Heat? My point is that they have had a great defense the past two seasons because they have been aggressive and disciplined in how and when they switched and doubled, and have gotten back to doing those things after not executing well earlier in the series. I'm sure the whistle matters, but to suggest it is the only difference is pretty reductive.
   2243. If on a winter's night a father of a newborn baby Posted: May 26, 2023 at 08:12 PM (#6130285)
I truly did not see any structural changes to how the refs called the games. I did see some changes to how the Celtics played on both ends. If you look past the slightly clickbaity framing, the excellent Couper Moorhead just posted a good read on those defensive changes on nba.com.
   2244. Commissioner Bud Black Beltre Hillman Fred Posted: May 27, 2023 at 09:44 AM (#6130329)
Cs have done a more better job of not biting on pump fakes over the last few games.)

Plenty of variance, and maybe a better job of not giving up uncontested 3s, but definitely also this. Don't bite, and Butler basically just has that turnaround jumper. Which he usually hits, but still.
   2245. PJ Martinez Posted: May 27, 2023 at 09:55 AM (#6130333)
Yeah, I don't know what the numbers say, but my sense is that Rob Williams, in particular, has gotten much more comfortable switching onto Butler as the series has gone on. Butler was targeting both him and White on switches; he's still targeting White, who gives up a lot of size, but my sense is that his defense on Butler, too, has improved a bit with all the practice they're getting. That's made it less painful for Boston to switch, which is what they generally prefer to do. Maybe that helped them run Miami off the three-point line? By the end of the game, the Celtics and Heat had shot basically the same percentage from three, but Boston had 39 attempts to Miami's 23. They also seemed to make a concerted effort to get into Bam's dribble (the way that, as the piece linked in 2243 notes, Miami has been getting into Tatum and Brown's dribble for a few years now). That contributed to Miami's live-ball turnovers, which were another factor.
   2246. Der-K's enjoying the new boygenius album. Posted: May 27, 2023 at 01:59 PM (#6130380)
In other news, the Bucks hired Adrian Griffin to be their next coach; I had been expecting that they’d go with a “proven name”. Also, slightly surprised that they’d hire a guy accused of domestic abuse, though I shouldn’t be.
   2247. spivey 2 Posted: May 27, 2023 at 02:02 PM (#6130381)
I haven’t been able to watch the games because unfortunately I’m on vacation in Europe but Gabe Vincent was a pretty big miss. Not a huge Herro fan but Miami doesn’t have whole lot of healthy guys who can dribble. They are so reliant on Jimmy to play at a Jokic level and that’s just so so much to ask.
   2248. rr: over-entitled starf@ck3r Posted: May 27, 2023 at 03:17 PM (#6130391)
unfortunately I’m on vacation in Europe


Words that do not often appear consecutively in a sentence.

2246: Don't know much about Griffin, but his resume is pretty similar in some ways to Ham's, and they are one year apart in age. I think that if the Lakers had not hired Ham last year, then Ham might well have gotten the Milwaukee job this year. Ham had a rep as a good communicator coming in, and navigating the weird year that the Lakers had with the personalities they had suggests that he has those skills. Milwaukee would seem to need a tactics guy, so maybe that is more Griffin's rep--don't know. Presumably Antetokounmpo supported this; James and Davis supported the Ham hire pretty vocally at the time.
   2249. Athletic Supporter's aunt's sorry like Aziz Posted: May 27, 2023 at 03:38 PM (#6130392)
Other than the off the field stuff, which obviously is a big "other than," I like this hire a lot and it makes sense to me. I never understood why the Bucks would hire Rivers or Monty, two guys who have faced the same criticism as what Bud was fired for. My understanding is that Nurse was fired for losing the locker room, that's a pretty big black mark.

Hard to argue with the Raptors' results given talent, and the Bucks got the guy who probably contributed a lot to that while from all accounts being a locker room positive. Seems like a smart hire.
   2250. spivey 2 Posted: May 27, 2023 at 03:40 PM (#6130393)
This Eric Lewis #### is interesting. That is not a normal collar.

Giannis apparently met individually with all the finalists.
   2251. Athletic Supporter's aunt's sorry like Aziz Posted: May 27, 2023 at 03:42 PM (#6130394)
Also, I just learned that Aubrey Griffin (UConn athletic but injury prone wing) is Adrian Griffin's daughter.
   2252. asinwreck Posted: May 27, 2023 at 04:15 PM (#6130397)
Griffin was closely linked to the Bulls job when his ex-wife's allegations went public three years ago. No idea if that was just speculation from media who remember him as a player and assistant coach in Chicago. The Bulls abandoned their process once Billy Donovan became available.
   2253. DCA Posted: May 27, 2023 at 05:06 PM (#6130399)
Random Laker thought:

S&T Russell + Beasley to the Nets for Simmons + O'Neale.

Why it makes sense for the Nets. They need to add a true lead guard, Russell has had success there. He's cheaper than Simmons, and I don't have much hope for a Simmons revival in a place he's already repeatedly failed. O'Neale for Beasley also makes sense to turn some of that defensive wing depth into bench shooting.

Why it makes sense for the Lakers. Simmons higher per year but shorter contract is a great exchange. He is due less total money than Russell will likely get, so it's a cost savings if they just keep the player. But as a tradeable asset, Simmons can be used to match more salary bring back more pieces (or bigger pieces). Beasley for O'Neale balances the money and I think fits the roster better.

Why it makes sense for Russell (he needs to agree). There are very few teams who are able and potentially willing to pay Russell big money to play a lead guard role. Brooklyn is one of them, and he's been there before and succeeded.

Why it makes sense for Simmons (he doesn't need to agree). Simmons has long wanted to go LA, and needs to get his head right. I would imagine that the probability of salvaging his career - while pretty low regardless - would be maximized in a place that he wants to be, on a team that appears high functional with a clear hierarchy so he doesn't have to navigate his place. That's good for Simmons, and a free lottery ticket for the Lakers.
   2254. The Honorable Ardo Posted: May 27, 2023 at 06:26 PM (#6130403)
If Griffin does as well as Ham, the Bucks are back in the Finals next year. I know Ham just got swept, but he beat two higher seeds to get there and - given the talent disparity - he coached well in the Nuggets series, putting his team in position to win each game. As a non-Laker fan, I was impressed.
   2255. tell me when i'm telling 57i66135 Posted: May 27, 2023 at 09:36 PM (#6130414)
Random Laker thought:

S&T Russell + Beasley to the Nets for Simmons + O'Neale.

now this is depressing...
   2256. tell me when i'm telling 57i66135 Posted: May 27, 2023 at 10:34 PM (#6130421)
this game should not be a game.
   2257. tell me when i'm telling 57i66135 Posted: May 27, 2023 at 10:38 PM (#6130422)
that's not an offensive ####### foul.
   2258. tell me when i'm telling 57i66135 Posted: May 27, 2023 at 10:39 PM (#6130423)
protect yourself at all times.

jesus ####### christ. this isn't that hard.
   2259. tell me when i'm telling 57i66135 Posted: May 27, 2023 at 10:39 PM (#6130424)
that's a dogshit call
   2260. tell me when i'm telling 57i66135 Posted: May 27, 2023 at 10:42 PM (#6130425)
now that was an offensive foul.


these refs are on the ####### take.
   2261. Tony S Posted: May 27, 2023 at 10:44 PM (#6130426)
Boston has shot so many bricks they need a building permit.
   2262. SteveF Posted: May 27, 2023 at 10:58 PM (#6130427)
This is such a weird statistical game.
   2263. tell me when i'm telling 57i66135 Posted: May 27, 2023 at 11:04 PM (#6130428)
what the #### is this game.
   2264. tell me when i'm telling 57i66135 Posted: May 27, 2023 at 11:06 PM (#6130429)
duncan robinson might wind up being the next andres escobar after that ####### sequence.


oof. and another one.
   2265. SteveF Posted: May 27, 2023 at 11:10 PM (#6130431)
I think the Celtics are just too stupid to win a title.
   2266. tell me when i'm telling 57i66135 Posted: May 27, 2023 at 11:10 PM (#6130432)
hahahahhahahhahah
   2267. tell me when i'm telling 57i66135 Posted: May 27, 2023 at 11:11 PM (#6130433)
#### you, little big man.

eat ####.
   2268. Tony S Posted: May 27, 2023 at 11:12 PM (#6130434)
The Celtics have no one to blame but themselves.
   2269. tell me when i'm telling 57i66135 Posted: May 27, 2023 at 11:13 PM (#6130435)
The Celtics have no one to blame but themselves.
uhh....brett brown has some words for you.
   2270. tell me when i'm telling 57i66135 Posted: May 27, 2023 at 11:14 PM (#6130436)
you've gotta be ####### kidding me.
   2271. SteveF Posted: May 27, 2023 at 11:14 PM (#6130437)
Game 7 it is.
   2272. tell me when i'm telling 57i66135 Posted: May 27, 2023 at 11:15 PM (#6130438)
   2068. /muteself 57i66135 Posted: May 22, 2023 at 11:44 PM (#6129668)
i think the best case scenario at this point is MIA dropping games 4, 5 and 6, only to win game 7 on a 73 point jimmy butler tubthumping, followed by a four game sweep in the finals by an average margin of victory around 30 PPG.

then, butler would of course demand a trade to philly in the offseason, with harden going to PHX and chris paul winding up in MIA.


this is my design.
still alive
   2273. SteveF Posted: May 27, 2023 at 11:15 PM (#6130439)
Derrick White just saved Joe Mazzulla's job.
   2274. PJ Martinez Posted: May 27, 2023 at 11:16 PM (#6130440)
Derrick White just saved Joe Mazzulla's job.
Came here to type something very similar. I think his job might have been safe, but that was literally the worst challenge of all time — as soon as he made it, I thought, Wait a second, what if they rule it a three?
   2275. SteveF Posted: May 27, 2023 at 11:19 PM (#6130441)
I still maintain the Celtics are the absolute dumbest good basketball team I can remember in a long time. I don't even know if there's another comp.
   2276. tell me when i'm telling 57i66135 Posted: May 27, 2023 at 11:20 PM (#6130443)
i ####### hate sports.
   2277. Tony S Posted: May 27, 2023 at 11:21 PM (#6130444)
The Celtics brick yet another three and turn it into a win. Wow.
   2278. Athletic Supporter's aunt's sorry like Aziz Posted: May 27, 2023 at 11:21 PM (#6130445)
lololol
   2279. SteveF Posted: May 27, 2023 at 11:21 PM (#6130447)
Miami had 25 more true shot attempts, made 7 more threes, and shot 26.7% better from 3. How the #### did they lose? They shot 30% from 2. It seems statistically impossible for them to have lost that game.
   2280. tell me when i'm telling 57i66135 Posted: May 27, 2023 at 11:23 PM (#6130448)
I still maintain the Celtics are the absolute dumbest good basketball team I can remember in a long time. I don't even know if there's another comp.
2004 indiana pacers.
the early 2000s jailblazers.
the 2009-2011 zardos are the absolute floor for intelligence in an NBA team (blatche, nick young, javale mcgee, agent 0), but they weren't good.
   2281. SteveF Posted: May 27, 2023 at 11:24 PM (#6130449)
2004 indiana pacers.
the early 2000s jailblazers.

Yeah. These are pretty good.
   2282. Tony S Posted: May 27, 2023 at 11:24 PM (#6130450)
Barkley: "the Celtics did everything possible to choke away that game"
   2283. Athletic Supporter's aunt's sorry like Aziz Posted: May 27, 2023 at 11:26 PM (#6130451)
this season's script is pretty good
   2284. PJ Martinez Posted: May 27, 2023 at 11:27 PM (#6130452)
That ending was excruciating, and it fits a pattern that's been around for at least three years, under three different coaches. Insanely dumb challenge aside, that's on the players.

That said, the Celtics won a game when they shot 7-35 from three and the Heat shot 14-30. That's kind of remarkable.*

* Apparently it was Boston's worst three-point percentage of the entire season? Per Kevin O'Connor, anyway. Coulda sworn they had a worse one or two.
   2285. SteveF Posted: May 27, 2023 at 11:39 PM (#6130454)
Worst in a win, I believe.
   2286. PJ Martinez Posted: May 27, 2023 at 11:48 PM (#6130457)
Here's the O'Connor tweet. I haven't checked these numbers:
The Celtics just won Game 6 despite shooting their worst 3-point percentage of the entire year.

20% — W vs. MIA (Game 6)
21.4% — L vs. NYK
23.1% — L vs. LAC
23.9% — L vs. ORL
25% — L vs. WAS
25.5% — L vs. ORL
26.2% — L vs. MIA (Game 3)
26.3% — L vs. PHX

Saved by Derrick White.
By the way, the Celtics beat writer for the Athletic says that the league would have reviewed the 2-vs.-3 question on the Butler foul regardless of the challenge. Is that right? If so, the challenge makes more sense.
   2287. tell me when i'm telling 57i66135 Posted: May 27, 2023 at 11:50 PM (#6130458)
By the way, the Celtics beat writer for the Athletic says that the league would have reviewed the 2-vs.-3 question on the Butler foul regardless of the challenge. Is that right? If so, the challenge makes more sense.
that should have been what happened, yes, but those refs were ####### crooked, so whether they would have done it without BOS challenging is anyone's guess.
   2288. SteveF Posted: May 27, 2023 at 11:52 PM (#6130459)
By the way, the Celtics beat writer for the Athletic says that the league would have reviewed the 2-vs.-3 question on the Butler foul regardless of the challenge. Is that right? If so, the challenge makes more sense.

Yes. Not sure about whether they'd also correct the timing, as they added .9 seconds to the game clock and that turned out to be relevant.

If they would have corrected the time, it was just a wasted challenge.
   2289. rr: over-entitled starf@ck3r Posted: May 27, 2023 at 11:52 PM (#6130460)
I think this "the Celtics are dumb" thing is way overbaked, but ofc I am biased. I think it is more that this team is just not as good as their fans want them to be (at least not yet) although they are very good and good enough. A lot of Lakers fans from 2008-11 were big on this kind of ####--every loss was Kobe being selfish or Pau being a Europussy. The other teams didn't exist.

But yeah, Miami won the arc, only turned the ball over 5 times, they were at home, and they still could not get it done. I think that they will probably put up more of a fight in G7 than Philadelphia did but like I said, I thought G6 was a toss-up and G7 would be about 80/20 Boston and I actually feel it is more like 90/10.

This series is a good object lesson in the NBATIC thing; if this series were back-and-forth 3-3 and Miami had won 103-102 tonight to force G7,then the Heat would be feted for the guts and their great run and G7 would be gravy. As it is, ofc, that is not how it will be remembered, and I would imagine that it is a very rough thing to deal with for hardcore Heat fans (and yes, there are some). From an emotional standpoint, I would not want to see the Lakers in this situation, even as an underdog 8 seed.
   2290. tell me when i'm telling 57i66135 Posted: May 28, 2023 at 12:01 AM (#6130461)
I think that they will probably put up more of a fight in G7 than Philadelphia did but like I said, I thought G6 was a toss-up and G7 would be about 80/20 Boston and I actually feel it is more like 90/10.
73 points.
   2291. Fancy Pants Handle struck out swinging Posted: May 28, 2023 at 12:22 AM (#6130462)
Doesn't really matter who wins game 7. Denver going to sweep either of these clowns.
   2292. spivey 2 Posted: May 28, 2023 at 03:26 AM (#6130469)
Everything everyone says about Boston people said about Milwaukee their title run. I think people too often mistake skills or a lack of them for intelligence. Jaylen Brown driving into traffic and flinging the ball somewhere isn’t because he’s stupid, he’s not. It’s because he has a really shaky dribble for an all star wing, and his passing is bad too.
   2293. Rally Posted: May 28, 2023 at 07:01 AM (#6130471)
Minutes 1-44: Playoff Jimmy, why hast thou forsaken us?

Minutes 45-47.59.9: Lo and behold! I have returned when you needed me most

Last 0.1 second: WTF?
   2294. asinwreck Posted: May 28, 2023 at 08:08 AM (#6130473)
If one was to write a novel about both teams trying to throw a game, the imagined game stats might look a lot like Game 6 of the ECF.
   2295. Tony S Posted: May 28, 2023 at 08:21 AM (#6130475)
I'm picking Miami for Game 7.

This series is reminding me of the 1982 Celtics-Sixers Eastern final.

For some reason, I remember the broadcaster's comments at the end of that Game 7. "A game no one thought the Sixers could win. Except for the Sixers themselves."
   2296. Crosseyed and Painless Posted: May 28, 2023 at 09:25 AM (#6130476)
Odds seem to imply that Celtics would be favored over the Nuggets, which feels like would go against the takes consensus.
   2297. tell me when i'm telling 57i66135 Posted: May 28, 2023 at 09:38 AM (#6130478)
don't worry, everyone. the first rule of headline writing is that if your headline asks a question, the answer is always 'no'.

2023 NBA PLAYOFFS
Are the Celtics Really About to Do This?
By Seerat Sohi



we're safe.
   2298. MHS Posted: May 28, 2023 at 11:20 AM (#6130481)
What a ridiculous series. I really don’t understand this Celtics team. I just don’t.

Lots of teams would roll over after giving up a 3-0 lead. This Heat team will not. Monday will be another dog fight.
   2299. Dolf Lucky Posted: May 28, 2023 at 01:23 PM (#6130503)
How many wins do the Wolves need to qualify as a good team? Because their inclusion on the dumb team list is evergreen in every year that Garnett’s not on it.
   2300. thok Posted: May 28, 2023 at 03:31 PM (#6130512)
How many wins do the Wolves need to qualify as a good team?


At least four in the playoffs, preferably eight.
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