2013-14 NBA Season Thread

[Vince, Pt. II]

Didn't get a chance to watch the game today (Clippers/Warriors), but it seems like the refs dictated the way it was played. Probably wouldn't be surprising if they overcompensated in the other direction for game two.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by Vince, Pt. II

Didn't get a chance to watch the game today (Clippers/Warriors), but it seems like the refs dictated the way it was played. Probably wouldn't be surprising if they overcompensated in the other direction for game two.

I watched the whole game and thought they did. 2 foul calls in the first 2 possessions and a few questionable one on Blake, especially his 5th. Van Gundy put it perfectly, no one wants to come to a game where Griffen plays 19 minutes, the refs need to let them play and call the game accordingly, not call the game the way they want it played.

[miami_fan]

Given that the conversation going into Game 1 was one of "war", there was no way that the game was not going to be called the way it was. I am all for "letting them play" but I also am comfortable where that may have led given the history between the two teams. I don't think the league has that same comfort.

[nol]

I was busy with Easter yesterday and didn't catch anything except for OT of the Houston-Portland game.

Today's been a mini Black Monday in the league so far with Woodson and his entire staff being fired from the Knicks and Rick Adelman retiring. Tyrone Corbin too.

[whomario]

The Pacers are definitely in deep trouble. Have seen too much crazy to say they are done, but they definitely are close.



this sums up their performance rather well.


Mavs gave away that game. Suddenly stopped executing and the Spurs did a good job forcing them to do things they arenn´t comfortable with (including baiting Carter into driving to the basket and have him lost there multiple times)


The Blazers-Rockets game was fun. Lamarcus Aldridge was stunning, when he hit that 3 to beat the shotclock after nearly stumbling to the ground any Rockets fan must have realized whose night it was.

Harden with a dismal performance.

[Lathum]

I love the nba. 57 seconds left when I get in the shower. 18 seconds left when I get out. Durant just hit a crazy shot.

[Vince, Pt. II]

Originally Posted by Lathum

I love the nba. 57 seconds left when I get in the shower. 18 seconds left when I get out. Durant just hit a crazy shot.

Was it a three? Yahoo's boxscore is saying that the final is 99-99. Which is pretty awesome.

[Lathum]

4 point play when they were down 5.

[nol]

Clippers rained down some holy hell tonight. Made me feel really good about their chances as long as Blake Griffin doesn't get in major foul trouble for 3 more games; he couldn't miss tonight. Somehow Danny Granger and Hedo Turkoglu both figured prominently in this one as they led to Clippers bench to push a 10 point lead to 20 early the 2nd quarter.

[Vince, Pt. II]

Yeah, the Warriors really deflated any momentum they may have had. They just need to remember that they accomplished their mission of taking one from the Clips at Staples and defend their own floor now.

[stevew]

I don't really believe in momentum at this point in a series. The W's have to be thrilled at going home with a 1-1 tie. I think it's different if you get blown out by 40 in the regular season after a longer road trip and then have to go play a b2b while everyone is all stressed out.

Now if you are up 3-2 in a series and either get a soul crushing loss or get blown out, then I believe you're going to lose game 7 because momentum kicks in.

[nol]

It's less about momentum than the fact that without Bogut, there's nothing keeping them from being destroyed on the interior. Griffin has scored 51 points in 48 minutes so far, and I think it's impossible to go 3-2 the rest of the series at that rate unless you get a couple more games where he plays fewer than 20 minutes due to officiating or being baited into a tech.

[stevew]

Wow...5 series tied 1-1, 2 road teams up 2-0 and only Miami is taking care of business. Good start to the playoffs. Whomever wins this, and let's be honest Miami will, is going to play at least 3 really good teams to get ahead.

[Groundhog]

Warriors were real lucky that Griffin was in foul trouble in game 1, too. The first 3 minutes he looked like he was about to drop 50 points on them.

That Aldridge/Harden duo are really killing the Rockets, too.

[Vince, Pt. II]

Originally Posted by Groundhog

Warriors were real lucky that Griffin was in foul trouble in game 1, too. The first 3 minutes he looked like he was about to drop 50 points on them.

That Aldridge/Harden duo are really killing the Rockets, too.

I don't know if either of the first two games are very representative of how the series between the Warriors and Clippers will play moving forward. In the regular season, the games were much more competitive than game 2, and in game 1 Griffin played 19 minutes. Tonight's game is pretty big for both teams; the Warriors will probably feel a little pressure in that they HAVE to win both of these games at home, while the Clippers just need to take one of them.

[whomario]

Tony freakin Allen turned into trick or treat Tony last night and actually made a few big offensive plays. His defense on Durant is mind blowing, those two battling is really something. Fun game between the Grizz and Thunder. Well, unless you are a fan of the Thunder or fast paced basketball Grizzlies are the most unique team in the league and i actually would not be shocked to see them go far. If they beat the Thunder, i would not be shocked to see them in the finals. And you think Miami would like to match up with Gasol/Randolph ?
Of course, i would not be surprised if the Thunder come back here, either.


Also, Pacers imploded again and everybody was to blame.

Jeff Teague with an amazing dagger:



(a few possessions later, Korver had a 4 point play. So many ridicolous shots last night. Curry had one as well, Westbrook a 4 point play late as well)

[Julio Riddols]

Wow, that Pacers GIF where everyone is literally standing still is disgusting to watch. How does one not fire the coach immediately when they see this? They have clearly lost something significant in the past couple months.

[Young Drachma]

Pacers inexcusable. Gotta gut Vogel if they don't escape. Maybe Mark Jackson when the W's drop him? Didn't he play for them once?

[whomario]

So the Rockets saved (for now) by ... Troy Daniels ?

[whomario]

What a game and what a finish in the Spurs-Mavs game. Ton of great clutch plays and shots on both sides. Ellis with 2 great scores late, Spurs with some great play designs (including a wonderfull high-low with Duncan passing to Ginobili) and Manu hitting a layup with 1.7 left. In the end, Vince Carter hits a very tough lean-away 3 from the corner with no time left.

[mauchow]

Originally Posted by whomario

What a game and what a finish in the Spurs-Mavs game. Ton of great clutch plays and shots on both sides. Ellis with 2 great scores late, Spurs with some great play designs (including a wonderfull high-low with Duncan passing to Ginobili) and Manu hitting a layup with 1.7 left. In the end, Vince Carter hits a very tough lean-away 3 from the corner with no time left.

I am SHOCKED there was a travel. Shocked I say.

[stevew]

The traveling rules are enforced differently in the pros.
It would be like if you tried to strictly enforce holding in the NFL. Game would be a disaster to watch.

[Danny]

Reggie Jackson saved OKC's season

[mauchow]

Originally Posted by stevew

The traveling rules are enforced differently in the pros.
It would be like if you tried to strictly enforce holding in the NFL. Game would be a disaster to watch.

I dunno if it's comparable. It can be hard for refs to see holding as usually there is just two referees looking at the trenches of 5-7 blockers. It's tough to see EVERYTHING. Whereas in the NBA and all basketball sports the man with the ball is being watched 100% of the time by at least one ref. Giving yourself a full advantage by taking an extra step (or change your pivot foot) when it's written in the rules that you cannot. It's a rule that should be easily enforced.

I would have been scared for the ref if he called the travel on Carter and sent that game to OT. He would have been chased from the building.

[whomario]

These playoffs are insane and the Blazers-Rockets series is the tip of the iceberg. Holy hell, what a game by those 2 once more So many great moments, so many stories, so many clutch plays on both ends. Tonight Daniels again with a huge game (17 points in 20 minutes, 4-5 from deep), Parsons with a big start, then Batum with a big effort and Aldridge came alive in the 3rd quarter.

[Neon_Chaos]

Fully behind the Blazers in that series. I do hope DHoward never wins another playoff series his entire career.

[Matthean]

Originally Posted by Lathum

Then other people suffer, the vendors, etc...because of his actions.

The problem in this situation is Sterling is basically untouchable. There is no fine that can hurt him financially and Silver can't do much more than suspend him, big deal, so he watches the games from his mansion.

I believe I heard something this morning that the other owners can force him to sell, but don't know how all that works.

Loss of draft picks might be something to get added.

Also, this shot still looks like a painfully obvious call that wasn't.

[nol]

Like I said in a post now in the other thread, that's a travel but you can see how a ref would miss it as the ball going to Carter rather than Dirk or Ellis for a last-second shot would have the crew scrambling, and watching to make sure the shot was released on time without any foul likely took priority in that last second.

[Vince, Pt. II]

Lillard and Harden have played insane minutes in that series already. Whoever wins might not have enough gas to continue after.

[nol]

Meanwhile, amid all the upsets, overtime games, and off-court drama the first round has brought, the defending champs look to complete the sweep against a Charlotte team that will have Al Jefferson sitting out tonight.

[stevew]

Long live the Bobcats.

[Matthean]

Originally Posted by nol

Meanwhile, amid all the upsets, overtime games, and off-court drama the first round has brought, the defending champs look to complete the sweep against a Charlotte team that will have Al Jefferson sitting out tonight.

If current trends hold, it might be a cakewalk to another title as well.

[Lathum]

LeBron just screamed, went down in a heap, and is holding his knee in visible pain.

[Lathum]

anyone else find that KD framily commercial with the kid in the tree house weird and a little uncomfortable?

[Groundhog]

Pacers down 18 in the 2nd Q, Mike Scott 5/5 from 3pt for the Hawks.

[Matthean]

I'm not even sure the Pacers care anymore.

[chadritt]

Originally Posted by Lathum

LeBron just screamed, went down in a heap, and is holding his knee in visible pain.

Cant see the games, at work on the west coast, so is it a serious injury??

[nol]

Haha nope, just took a knee to the thigh from Bismack Biyombo. Probably not the best feeling in the world, but he shook it off and has 29 now.

[chadritt]

sigh...hockey players have spoiled me in that regard. If they scream in pain its because they might never come back.

[ColtCrazy]

Somehow this Pacers team went from my second favorite team to watch ever (after the 94/95 team) to a historical collapse in the span of 8 weeks. Wow.

[Groundhog]

Originally Posted by ColtCrazy

Somehow this Pacers team went from my second favorite team to watch ever (after the 94/95 team) to a historical collapse in the span of 8 weeks. Wow.

Yeah, I don't think I've seen anything quite like it - especially considering nothing obvious seems to have gone down to cause it. They just, seemingly overnight, went from the most dominant team in the league to one of the most unwatchable.

[nol]

I could talk for longer about this, but the whole "basketball players have no pain tolerance" meme has gotten out of hand. The repetitive pounding and quick changes of direction your lower body's subjected means the "worst" injuries are going to be vastly different than what they'd be in football or hockey or anyhing else.

For a single game of basketball, there are quite a few injuries (broken ribs, any broken bones in either hand, separated shoulder) I'd rather deal with than a stubbed big toe or a deep thigh bruise.

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by Groundhog

Yeah, I don't think I've seen anything quite like it - especially considering nothing obvious seems to have gone down to cause it. They just, seemingly overnight, went from the most dominant team in the league to one of the most unwatchable.

Andrew Bynum.

[Groundhog]

I actually forgot he was even on the team. From memory the slip did start pretty much right around that time. Yikes.

[Matthean]

Spurs/Mavs continues to be a hell of a series.

[Alf]

There was also an obvious call on Montae Ellis final missed layup that could have tied the game. (Duncan touching the hand after Ellis released the ball).

Am I correct ? (I'm not sure about NBA rules about such contacts, but FIBA refs would have called foul just like they would have called travel on Vince Carter).

Anyway, that's a hell of a series as you say !

PS : rooting for the team with the french guys here, I am happy with Boris Diaw big performance and clutch 3 pointer yesterday

[Qwikshot]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

Andrew Bynum.

Evan Turner

[Zinto]

Another good game between OKC and Memphis. The first round has been fantastic.

[Zinto]

OT!

[Desnudo]

wtf Joey Crawford