NBA Playoffs: Bucks out; Lakers play Rockets’ game
Where does Giannis go next year? I feel bad for the Bucks, but it’s unfortunate they got matched up w the one team that can completely shut em down.
The Lakers refusing to just bully-ball the Rockets into submission is unbelievable to me given the size discrepancy. Safe to say AD is S-O-F-T?
Thirdly, kudos to the Rockets’ role players and Dantoni showing out on defense and offense.
Crazy playoffs so far.
September 8th, 2020 at 10:26 PM ^
AD played up to his potential in Game 2, especially in the 1Q. So far tonight he has not been as effective.
Don't like to see the Bucks out so early. Celts/Bucks would have been great. Miami deserved to advance but they don't have as high a ceiling as the Bucks.
September 8th, 2020 at 11:52 PM ^
AD Finishes with 26pts, 15rebs and 6asst on ridiculous efficiency.
Davis is making a real push to enter the conversation for best player in the world IMO. He’s been nothing short of dominant in the playoffs.
Long way to go in these playoffs, and he’s likely a tier below Lebron/Kawhi, but has likely surpassed Giannis and probably slightly ahead of Luka/Harden.
September 9th, 2020 at 12:03 AM ^
His efficiency is from playing the smallest lineup in the NBA and from defenses having to focus first on Lebron. Let’s first see his stats against a team with some length.
September 9th, 2020 at 12:15 AM ^
Well, which team would that be? The Clippers roll out Morris/Harrell/Green at the center spot for the great majority of the game.
Miami rolls out Bam/Olynyk for 48 minutes.
Boston plays Theis at the 5.
The NBA has downsized to the extent that all teams essentially play bigs 6’9 and under.
Anthony Davis is the exclusive big above 6’10 with elite agility, outstanding perimeter shotmaking ability, guard like handles......all while being able to defend all 5 positions, protect the rim and provide double digit rebounds every night.
AD is in the conversation for best in the world because he’s simply that good IMO. Really nothing to do with the opposition, because frankly, there is no player in the world capable of matching up with him sans Giannis.
September 9th, 2020 at 5:42 AM ^
You did say best in the world and not just best in the playoffs (your examples). My original comment was just your using a game against Houston to tout his efficiency and say he’s up there for top 3 overall WW. Plenty of teams have a big that can match up better on D than Houston. As far as best in the world at that size based on your definition he’s at least 3 behind GA and KD. I do hope KD comes back healthy. It would be fun to see Brooklyn compete next year.
September 9th, 2020 at 6:13 AM ^
"You did say best in the world and not just best in the playoffs"
Huh? If you're one of the best in the NBA playoffs, you're one of the best in the world.
September 9th, 2020 at 7:48 AM ^
I am absolutely saying best in the world, for which the playoffs should be weighted heavily since teams are playing better competition (Not as much in the East), to which your response was essentially restricted to efficiency/size of opponent.
The Blazers rolled out two legit 7 footers in Whiteside/Nurkic for 48 minutes............AD averaged 30pts, 9.5reb, 4asst, 1.5blk on 59% from the floor in under 33 minutes a night. There simply is nobody in the world that can adequately defend him sans Giannis.
In terms of efficiency in the playoffs, he IS the best player in the world from a statistical profile and there's really no debate.
https://twitter.com/SynergySST/status/1303327218039480324
Obviously, best in the world is a very subjective debate. But I think it's pretty clear that Davis is superior to Giannis in terms of skill and impact. I gave Giannis the benefit of the doubt last year during the playoffs, as it was his first time on the big stage. But after two straight years of being exploited, its obvious that his skillset is very limited and he struggles vs a set defense in the half court. Defensively, he's an all-world/elite defender, but Anthony Davis is simply a better offensive player than Giannis with a better overall skillset.
If KD were healthy, I think you'd have a pretty strong argument. But that injury + wrong side of 30 has historically translated to considerable/significant dropoff. AD was already a far superior player on the defensive end, so for me I'm going with Davis until KD can prove he's healthy.
September 9th, 2020 at 9:57 AM ^
Davis does have some notable weaknesses: he's not an iron man, is only okay at passing out of double teams, and sometimes tends to settle for contested midrangers. However he is still in the elite tier where those weaknesses are merely areas where he is only slightly above average. The contested midrange is still an okay shot for AD because he makes those more often then not.
September 9th, 2020 at 9:24 AM ^
The fact that the year two version of Luka is in that stratosphere (and I agree with you, based on the step he made in the playoffs, which absolutely counts extra) is really something.
September 8th, 2020 at 10:38 PM ^
LBJ has 29 pts at halftime. Rockets up by 3. Biggest half of b-ball in the NBA thus far about to start... The playoffs are great, because the biggest half will continue to occur again and again for the next few weeks.
September 8th, 2020 at 10:49 PM ^
Wow those starting 5 are crazy line-ups. Small ball vs Bigs+. 2020 vs 2010.
September 8th, 2020 at 11:03 PM ^
Mork Dantoni is coaching the Rockets?
September 8th, 2020 at 11:10 PM ^
I didn't see the game but it looked like Duncan Robinson didn't play much in this game. Was it an injury or was Herro just playing better?
September 8th, 2020 at 11:12 PM ^
Might have been foul trouble (finished with 4 fouls).
September 9th, 2020 at 8:01 AM ^
Duncan was really really bad last night. Bad defense, bad fouls, didn't make shots. Spo was right to bench him
September 9th, 2020 at 10:00 AM ^
Although I mostly had no horse in MIL- MIA it was nice to see Duncan get some belated revenge of sorts vs Donte DiVincenzo. I'm sure he's an okay dude, but seriously fuck that guy for going apeshit in the title game.
September 9th, 2020 at 12:27 PM ^
I say the same thing every time I see Donte D take the floor! Visceral reaction.
September 8th, 2020 at 11:19 PM ^
Rondo raining 3s on the Rockets. Who saw that coming?
September 9th, 2020 at 6:30 AM ^
It's sometimes embarrassing what a homer I am for Michigan. Barely following the NBA this year, I'm pleased when a team with a former Michgan player—Heat/Duncan Robinson—does well.
September 9th, 2020 at 7:46 AM ^
Uh, Giannis is under contract with the bucks for another year so probably the bucks.
The Bucks need to find a way to get Chris Paul for next season. His contract is ridiculous ($40+ mil) but they can't keep running Bledsoe out there in the playoffs. They need a true facilitator which at this point I think it's pretty clear that Giannis can't do that against great playoff defenses.
September 9th, 2020 at 8:11 AM ^
The Bucks/Coach Bud need to accept the fact that Giannis is a roll-man/lob threat/post-up big in a half-court setting rather than pretending he's a guard. That would alleviate a lot of the pack-the-paint issues Milwaukee faces and allow Giannis to get easier points rather than taking multiple dribbles every possession.
Houston would be the perfect fit for Giannis in my opinion. That would give them legit size, rim protection and allow them to play even faster. It would make the Rockets instant title favorites IMO if they can retain most of the core in a trade.
September 9th, 2020 at 8:36 AM ^
I agree with you about the Rockets. That means they get rid of Westbrook which is what they need. And to be fair, Giannis going to a lot of teams is going to make them title favorites.
September 9th, 2020 at 9:08 AM ^
What do you mean by most of the core? How could they get Giannis without giving up an arm and a leg?
Maybe they've stockpiled draft assets from other (lottery-bound) teams ... admittedly I haven't followed the Rockets' organizational asset stockpile at all.
September 9th, 2020 at 9:20 AM ^
Trades are all about matching the contracts. Westbrook makes 41 mill next year while Giannis makes 27.
That makes it easy for Milwaukee to rid themselves of a bad contract (or 2), and possibly get a draft pick from Houston in addition to Westbrook.
It makes Houston better and gives MKE a legit top 15-20 player and potentially a few assets for the future.
September 9th, 2020 at 10:04 AM ^
I'm not super plugged in to the Rockets but from what I heard, the feeling is that they're blowing shit up if this team doesn't win it all - there's a schism between the owner and Morey and Morey+Dantoni may not be around next season
September 9th, 2020 at 10:54 AM ^
Where wouldn't Giannis be the perfect fit lol? I really can't see any team passing on a 25 year old Hall of Famer in his prime. Probably a lock for top 50 all-time.
I agree if we were playing NBA 2k it would be perfect in Houston, that's a scary combo, but in real life Harden and Giannis don't respect each other. Giannis didn't even want to play with Harden in the All-Star game, let alone for 82+ games.
September 9th, 2020 at 11:56 AM ^
Been watching the Bucks because they are the local team to me and I like them too. They need shot creators and distributers and they have half of one in Giannis who can get shots at the rim but not elsewhere.
Middleton is just a shooter. Not sure what else they have outside of good role players. Letting Brogdon go was a bad idea in hindsight. Bledsoe is an nba version of Simpson with a bit better shot. Good on D but the offense holds the team back.
September 9th, 2020 at 8:00 AM ^
I just absolutely LOATHE watching the Rockets and James Harden play basketball...just constant flopping, hunting for contact, trying to get to the FT line. It is such a drag. Go Lakers!
September 9th, 2020 at 9:10 AM ^
I'm 100% with you. It's just miserable to watch, no matter how effective it may be in piling up massive piles of statistics.
I'll admit my bias as a lifelong Pistons fan and child of the 80s ... but what I wouldn't give to see him try to come at the rim against Ricky Mahorn, Buddha and Laimbeer.
September 9th, 2020 at 10:40 AM ^
That nice man from those commercials?
September 9th, 2020 at 10:41 AM ^
Watching the rockets in the playoffs has been significantly better than the regular season. The average team doesn’t know how to defend Harden or simply can’t. He’s not getting to the line or baiting fouls nearly as much because it’s not working and the refs tend to let more things go in the playoffs. Now that doesn’t mean the rockets aren’t still launching 50 3s a game so if that isn’t your thing they still suck to watch. But their defense has been pretty incredible playing a 6’6” center and their tallest player being Jeff Green. I just don’t think they can win 4 out of 7 against the Lakers. They just hit like 22 3s on good FG% in game 2 and still lost.
September 9th, 2020 at 10:47 AM ^
The bottom line is that to beat the Lakers three things likely have to occur since they dominate the paint on defense so much:
1) Lakers have to be below 30% from 3
2) Rockets/any other team have to be 40% + from 3
3) Lakers have to miss layups and/or turn the ball over
Just a tall task for all three of those things to occur in any given game, let alone 4 out of 7. I thought the Bucks were the best matchup for the Lakers because MKE is the only team in the league that matches their size/length other than Portland, so it would've become a jumpshooting contest IMO. The Lakers are shaky there, but their paint advantage is so decided against the rest of the league.
September 9th, 2020 at 2:20 PM ^
Fun fact...Game 2 was the first time the Rockets shot 40% from 3 and lost all season. They were 16-0 prior to that.
Then it happened again in Game 3.
If they only shot 40% 18 times all year, you have to assume they just took their best shots against LA and lost, and that a clunker or two is coming.
September 9th, 2020 at 9:16 AM ^
AD is a guy I want to see have his shot at the championship level to see what it looks like.
Much like Doc Rivers publicly stating that Jokic is a total pain to play against (he was making a huge compliment -- drew analogies to Hakeem and McHale), I think maybe AD is in that same boat. He tends to play further away on O (in non-3 attempts), but it seems to me that it's because he understands his ability to use space and his very developed midrange game to his advantage. AD seems to be all about exploiting his advantages. So he doesn't look dominant with backboard-shaking power a la Embiid or Giannis ... but he just keeps kicking his opponent's ass.
On D, he was first team all-NBA D and he very much looks the part. Totally passes the eye test there.
Can he do all of this against the Clips? Can he do it with the title on the line? I'm hoping we get to see that.
September 9th, 2020 at 9:45 AM ^
Oh man, I would love to see the Heat win it all and give Duncan a ring. Would that be Beilein's first Wolverine player to have won a championship?
September 9th, 2020 at 10:01 AM ^
I think the name of the Rocket’s coach is Mark Dantonio, not whatever you typed.
September 9th, 2020 at 10:11 AM ^
I keep on seeing Mark Dantonio conflated with Mike D'Antoni here and while it's funny the two couldn't be further apart.
D'Antoni is infamous for his neglect of defense and inability to rotate more than seven players
Dantonio is infamous for his neglect of offense and inability to discipline more then seven players
September 9th, 2020 at 12:32 PM ^
Upvoted for the good joke. But name the seven he disciplined. You can’t!
September 9th, 2020 at 10:08 AM ^
I thought after the season restarted I might at least give the NBA a shot and try watching some of it.
Yeah, I was wrong. I still don't care about the NBA. I can see why others do, but its just not for me. I would be happy if the Heat won just so Duncan could get himself a ring, but otherwise, meh....