Official 2013-2014 NBA Playoffs Thread

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HendrixFan

Diamond Member
Oct 18, 2001
4,648
0
71
I spoke too soon about westbrook...so much me-ball in the 2nd part of the 4th quarter today. Some good, some bad, but too much live-by-westbrook/die-by-westbrook.

I like Westbrook but I really like Durant. And the Westbrook being Westbrook makes OKC worse I think. The whole "Durant carried the team while his number two guy was out" ignored the actual games in which Reggie Jackson provided a better compliment to what Durant does.

At the end of the day I have no doubt that with Scottie Brooks around the Thunder will never win it all and that Westbrook will never be challenged to stop doing the bad things while keeping the good things about his game.
 

Miramonti

Lifer
Aug 26, 2000
28,651
100
91
I like Westbrook but I really like Durant. And the Westbrook being Westbrook makes OKC worse I think. The whole "Durant carried the team while his number two guy was out" ignored the actual games in which Reggie Jackson provided a better compliment to what Durant does.

At the end of the day I have no doubt that with Scottie Brooks around the Thunder will never win it all and that Westbrook will never be challenged to stop doing the bad things while keeping the good things about his game.

I really thought westbrook had been doing really well in games 2 and 3, taking the #2 spot, boosting durant, while picking his spots to be 'himself'. Not so much at the end here again tho - he decided he'd rather drive himself instead of the team.
 

HendrixFan

Diamond Member
Oct 18, 2001
4,648
0
71
Westbrook has been shooting more efficiently in this series than he does normally, by a pretty big margin. Of course everyone the Clips can use against him are completely unable to guard him so that shouldn't be too much of a shocker. Prior to the series the talking heads were pointing out how much Westbrook had abused the Clips and CP3 all regular season long.

If I was in Doc's shoes I'd keep dropping under screens and make him continue prove he is a 50% 3pt shooter. Packing the paint is just too dangerous with Durant on the floor and despite the hops on Griffin and Jordan they don't have the footspeed to rotate and challenge shots effectively.

The thing that is holding the Clips back the most is themselves. They are shooting terribly. They are a high volume 3 pt shooting team, like most good teams in the NBA. Aside from game one where they destroyed the Thunder they have shot very much below average. They are keeping the games close and even stealing a win today despite shooting under 25% on threes the last three games. At high volume. That coupled with Westbrook's suddenly efficient shooting is odd.

Westbrook is a career 43% shooter, barely staying above 30% on threes. His career playoff numbers are worse, slightly, but down. Against the Clips? 54% shooting and 44% on threes (AFTER shooting 25% today).

I'd expect those numbers from both sides to regress back closer to normal over what will likely be a seven game series. The Thunder should win. They are a better team. They are poorly coached and completely unreliable though so I wouldn't ever bet on them.
 

HendrixFan

Diamond Member
Oct 18, 2001
4,648
0
71
Also 8 seconds and you take a running 30 footer? You can get all the way to the rim in 5 seconds easily.

John Wall just went coast to coast to end the first half in 3.5 seconds, finishing at the rim. Westbrook is at least as fast as Wall if not faster. I still can't get past a crappy shooter deciding to take a crappy shot instead of getting the rim and leaving time for a tip in from a teammate (which did happen 1 second late).
 

DesiPower

Lifer
Nov 22, 2008
15,366
740
126
Westbrook, playing with his heart, giving 110% and yet loosing the game due to his own fault... victory cannot be any sweeter!!!!
 

darkewaffle

Diamond Member
Oct 7, 2005
8,152
1
81
Man, I can't believe OKC and WAS both blew such massive leads yesterday. Losing both your home games is likely the death knell for the Wizards sadly
 

darkewaffle

Diamond Member
Oct 7, 2005
8,152
1
81
Oh and there was some old guy behind the Pacers bench with a white board and he would wave it at the Pacers to try to get them to read it, it would say things like "ROY YOU LOOK TIRED" and

HIBBERT \
HILL \
GEORGE > ALL TIRED
LANCE /
WEST /

I found that pretty amusing. Also during commercial breaks TNT overtime doesn't play ads so you just watch the cameraman pan over the crowd and zoom in on attractive women or sleeping or funny looking people lol.
 

lupi

Lifer
Apr 8, 2001
32,539
260
126
Wizards showing a good bitt of suckage thise series. They may win another game but the discussion of a trip to the conferece finals seems to have given them the voodoo doll treatment.
 

smackababy

Lifer
Oct 30, 2008
27,024
79
86
I have to say, I am just interested in the Pacers / Wizards. I feel like it doesn't matter who wins the series, as they won't get past the next round.

I am pretty surprised Brooklyn won though. That was nice. I still think Miami will take the next 2 games (I had expected them to sweep, honestly).

The Spurs are looking really good as well. Much better than they were against the Mavs. I don't know if the Mavs just played defense better or the Spurs decided to show up.
 

DesiPower

Lifer
Nov 22, 2008
15,366
740
126
**snip**
The Spurs are looking really good as well. Much better than they were against the Mavs. I don't know if the Mavs just played defense better or the Spurs decided to show up.

It's a combination of both, spurs showed up for the first time during the 4th game with Dallas, and Portland's defence sucks big time.

But spurs still reserves its patent in choking... out can pull out that card any time.
 
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DesiPower

Lifer
Nov 22, 2008
15,366
740
126
NBA's strategy of giving 2 or 3 early fouls to the top player to stop a team is getting so old transparent and obvious.
 

DesiPower

Lifer
Nov 22, 2008
15,366
740
126
OK, the exit of Pierce was not slowing them down now turn their attention to Williams... awesome... FVCK NBA
 

toughtrasher

Senior member
Mar 17, 2013
595
1
0
mysteryblock.com
I have the Spurs just because I want Tim Duncan to get a ring after what happened last years Finals.

The Thunder look really strong too, against this Clippers team that's loaded with talent (only lost last game due to Collison's major come back).
 

HendrixFan

Diamond Member
Oct 18, 2001
4,648
0
71
I am pretty surprised Brooklyn won though. That was nice. I still think Miami will take the next 2 games (I had expected them to sweep, honestly).

The Nets hit 15 threes in game 3. That kind of shooting can beat any team. The three point line is the great equalizer in basketball and the reason anybody can win on a given night in the NCAA tournament.

The Spurs are looking really good as well. Much better than they were against the Mavs. I don't know if the Mavs just played defense better or the Spurs decided to show up.

Portland had a terrible defense all year long which is why, despite their hot start, alot of people were saying they weren't championship caliber. You have to be able to get stops in the playoffs.

Dallas' defense wasn't any good either but Carlisle was able to MacGuyver something together to put up a decent fight. Carlisle is probably the best tactitioner of any of the coaches in the NBA. Put just about any other coach in his seat and the Spurs would have swept the Mavs.
 

vi edit

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Oct 28, 1999
62,403
8,199
126
Joe Johnson killed it for Brooklyn. Two very bad possessions by him.
 

bunnyfubbles

Lifer
Sep 3, 2001
12,248
3
0
Watching LeBron carry this hard tonight is both for and against why I think the Heat will win again.

1. I don't think any other player can do that

2. I don't think he'll be able to do this night after night, he needs some more help throughout each of these potential remaining games. But maybe I'm wrong; watching games like this just make me think that James basically cruise-controlled this season, giving up the MVP chase so that he'd have plenty in the tank for the playoffs.
 

HendrixFan

Diamond Member
Oct 18, 2001
4,648
0
71
During these Finals runs the Heat keep doing, Bosh keeps making huge plays at key moments. Blocked shots, threes, whatever. Aside from being the fulcrum that balances out Wade and Bosh offensively he has been acting as a poor man's Robert Horry.

You know, Big Shot Rob. The guy with more rings than Jordan.
 

darkewaffle

Diamond Member
Oct 7, 2005
8,152
1
81
...Big Shot Bosh perhaps?

I was really hoping Brooklyn would pull out that win and even it at 2-2, it would have made the series much more interesting.

Spurs had to come back to earth at some point, impressive four game streak though.
 

dougp

Diamond Member
May 3, 2002
7,950
4
0
I'm actually glad that the Spurs lost - I was worried a sweep would give them too much rest. They should wrap it up this Thursday, though. Their defense in the first half was abysmal - but I knocked out and didn't get to see the second half, kind of figured the Spurs were going to lose.
 
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