Western Conference Playoffs - First Round Discussion Thread

[King_B_Mack]

Re: Western Conference Playoffs - First Round Discussion Thread

Just so we're clear, it's an offensive foul cause Barea is to small to handle a guy posting him up?

[ernie69]

Re: Western Conference Playoffs - First Round Discussion Thread

dallas had no turnovers in the last 27 minutes of the game.

[Tydis]

Re: Western Conference Playoffs - First Round Discussion Thread

Just so we're clear, it's an offensive foul cause Barea is to small to handle a guy posting him up?

Barea is king of the flop.
It's the opposite of Dwight. Dwight is so big and strong he gets called for lots of fouls for just being bigger than the other guy. J.J. is so little the refs just assume the other guy hit him.

[FlyRice]

Re: Western Conference Playoffs - First Round Discussion Thread

Blazers can only blame themselves for terrible free throw shooting and non-existent perimeter defense.

[SuperBowlNachos]

Re: Western Conference Playoffs - First Round Discussion Thread

Barea is king of the flop.
It's the opposite of Dwight. Dwight is so big and strong he gets called for lots of fouls for just being bigger than the other guy. J.J. is so little the refs just assume the other guy hit him.

That still goes to Manu. Barea is just to small to hold is ground when pushed and he is small enough to get up under guys which they aren't used to.



Dirk goes 6/12 for 19 points in the 2nd half and I think it was 12 of those in the 4th. Now I'm hoping we get a 55% total shooting night.

[The 24th Letter]

Re: Western Conference Playoffs - First Round Discussion Thread

Good article, and what ive been saying for a while....

OKLAHOMA CITY – Kevin Durant had 41 points in Game 1 and is the league’s two-time scoring champ, but when it came time for the big shot in Sunday's Game 1 win by the Thunder, it was Russell Westbrook who took it. In fact, Westbrook used the last five possessions for the Thunder, with four shot attempts and a turnover, even though a torrid Durant was 13-of-22 from the floor.

That seems terribly puzzling at first, unless you watched what took place off the ball. Oklahoma City had plays designed for Durant to get the ball from Westbrook, but he never get anywhere near it thanks to opponents’ strategy of walling him off the ball in situations, using superior strength to prevent Durant from breaking free.

“At the end of the game they like to hug Kevin,” said Westbrook, “and grab and hold him, so sometimes I have to be able to create a shot for myself if Kevin can’t get the ball. I definitely try to get it to him but when I can’t I have to get a shot myself.”

Durant, for all his offensive skills, is one of the weaker players at his position physically, and that’s something opponents try to take advantage of by muscling him away from the play.

The Lakers did the same thing to Durant when I was here just after the All-Star break, and while Ron Artest’s superhuman strength makes him an elite practitioner of this art, it appears the Nuggets were taking notes. Kenyon Martin had a similar vice grip on Durant as he tried to flail himself free on Sunday, and it had a similar negative effect on Durant’s touches. I should note as well that this strategy is perfectly legal if the defender can establish a position in front of Durant and doesn’t use his arms to wrap him up.

“They do a good job,” said Thunder coach Scott Brooks, “of holding and pushing Kevin off the spot. Kevin has to play with a little more force so we can get a better position. [But] that’s a play that’s designed for Russell or Kevin, and Russell has to make the good decisions. They chose to go under Russell’s screen-and-rolls, and Russell can make that shot.”

And at the end of the day, the Thunder got the result they wanted on Sunday night.

“I still try to get the ball, play as physical as I can,” said Durant. “But it’s for either one of us. They went under a screen on Russell, and that’s his shot.”

Nonetheless, defenders around the league are taking notes. The Thunder had a good record in close games this season, but the season-long trend has been that in clutch situations they either struggle to get Durant the ball or wind up with him taking an off balance 27-footer after catching the ball somewhere near the Kansas border.

Having Westbrook shoot isn’t a bad second option, but as Brooks noted, the Thunder have to improve at getting the league’s top scorer the ball in these situations. It’s another hurdle in the team’s development from bottom-feeder to title contender.

“He has to do a better job, and I have to do a better job of setting up the screen so he can come off it with a little more freedom,” said Brooks. “He’s improved in the lot in the four years we’ve had him, his strength is much better, but it’s important that we get some separation so he can get the shot himself.”

[ex carrabba fan]

Re: Western Conference Playoffs - First Round Discussion Thread

I highly doubt that will be that big of an issue in the big picture of the playoffs.

If OKC doesn't make a deep run, it won't be because KD is being outphysicalled at the end of close games [/Magic Johnson]

He will find a way to get the ball in a close game at the end of a game. He's been clutch plenty of times and has found ways to free himself.

Non issue IMO.

[ZB9]

Re: Western Conference Playoffs - First Round Discussion Thread

like I said, Portland (otherwise known as the modern day 86 Celtics) is a good matchup for Dallas

[The 24th Letter]

Re: Western Conference Playoffs - First Round Discussion Thread

I highly doubt that will be that big of an issue in the big picture of the playoffs.

If OKC doesn't make a deep run, it won't be because KD is being outphysicalled at the end of close games [/Magic Johnson]

He will find a way to get the ball in a close game at the end of a game. He's been clutch plenty of times and has found ways to free himself.

Non issue IMO.

Ron constantly bullied him off the ball constantly last postseason...I saw it happen vs the Nuggets in Game 1...

Sure this flaw in KDs game wont be the only reason OKC doesnt advance, but its a chink in the armor

[TheMatrix31]

Re: Western Conference Playoffs - First Round Discussion Thread

Along with transition D, the Lakers concentrated on what they could do to stop Paul in the Hornets' half-court offense.
"We're going to try to trap this kid, this Paul kid, as much as possible," Lamar Odom said.

Who are you callin' a kid, candy man?

Read more

[jeebs9]

Re: Western Conference Playoffs - First Round Discussion Thread

In my opinion, I think Paul is going to get his numbers. The thing is if the Hornets get the same production from their bench again. They will be hard to beat again.

[ex carrabba fan]

Re: Western Conference Playoffs - First Round Discussion Thread

Ron constantly bullied him off the ball constantly last postseason...I saw it happen vs the Nuggets in Game 1...

Sure this flaw in KDs game wont be the only reason OKC doesnt advance, but its a chink in the armor

Last year KD got a zillion open looks throughout the series, shots just weren't falling.

In game's one and two he was definitely suffering from first time playoff jitters, but he got so many clean looks regardless.

Ron did a phenomenal job on him but KD was still able to free himself just fine.

They will make adjustments and Perkins will be more involved with that.

As far as it being a weak spot in his game, well I think that's a minor thing compared to his other weaknesses-- like elevating his teammates/being in total control of the halfcourt offense/court vision.

[JBH3]

Re: Western Conference Playoffs - First Round Discussion Thread

Rooting for Dallas all the way...

A 2-0 series lead though means nothing to me.

I wouldn't feel good about Dallas advancing until they were up by 10 w/ 45 seconds remaining in a deciding game.

[BlueNGold]

Re: Western Conference Playoffs - First Round Discussion Thread

http://sports.espn.go.com/dallas/nba...ory?id=6395325

DALLAS -- Brandon Roy, considered the face of the Portland Trail Blazers' franchise entering the season, fought back tears while sitting on the bench Tuesday night.

The source of the three-time All-Star's frustration wasn't the Blazers losing Game 2 to trail the Dallas Mavericks 2-0 as the series heads to Portland. Roy was upset about playing time in the first half, during which the Blazers led for all but 36 seconds.

Roy, who is adjusting to a reserve role after returning from midseason surgeries on both knees that caused him to miss two months, told The Oregonian that he "always thought I would be treated a little better" after playing only eight minutes in Portland's Game 2 loss.

He was upset that Nicolas Batum, Rudy Fernandez and even little-used point guard Patty Mills got off the bench before him.

"There was a point in the first half, and I was thinking, 'You better not cry,' " Roy, one of the first players to leave the locker room, told the newspaper in the American Airlines Center hallway. "I mean, serious. I mean, there was a moment where I felt really sorry for myself. Then I was like, nah, you can't be sorry for yourself. I'm a grown man, but there was a moment there that I felt sorry for myself. Especially when I think I can still help."

In Portland's Game 1 loss, Roy played 26 ineffective minutes, scoring two points on 1-of-7 shooting. He had three assists and two rebounds in that game.

Roy went scoreless in Game 2, when the Blazers' bench failed to score a point in the second half, during which Roy played only 2 minutes, 17 seconds. The only statistics recorded by Roy, who insists that his knees feel fine, were one missed field goal, two missed free throws and a turnover.

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little hurt, or disappointed," Roy told The Oregonian. "But the biggest thing is to keep moving, to try and keep my spirits up. But it's tough, man. I just ... I just always thought I would be treated better. That was a little disappointing for me."

Portland entered the series planning to utilize Roy as a post-up weapon against Dallas sixth man Jason Terry, who gives up about four inches and 35 pounds to the 6-foot-6, 211-pound Roy. That had been effective for Portland during their two regular-season wins over the Mavericks.

Roy had a post-operations-best 21 points in the Blazers' March 15 win over Dallas. Portland had great success running its offense through Roy during its April 3 win over the Mavericks, when he didn't post impressive statistics but played a major role in the Blazers' 38-point second quarter.

"You take advantage of the defense," Portland coach Nate McMillan said before Game 2. "If we have a matchup, we want to go to that matchup. Then that matchup has to produce."

Terry, who is friends with fellow Seattle native Roy, downplayed the defensive success he has had against Roy. Terry pointed out that Roy's minutes were greatly reduced and said he remains a major concern for the Mavs.

"He's so dangerous," Terry said. "We definitely don't want to get him going."

Roy just hopes he gets more of a chance to affect the series, although he said he had no plans to approach McMillan about the issue.

"I think my nature I've never been one to confront. Never been the one to create controversy," Roy told The Oregonian. "I think Coach is comfortable with his guys and it's hard for him to get me back in there. If that's what he is comfortable with, then I'm going to try and support the team. And if he can get us past [the first round], then he can. I just always thought I would be treated a little better, but ... it is what it is. I'll be all right. I'll go home, see my kids, and be happy."

I feel bad for the guy, but he should keep this behind closed doors IMO.

[King_B_Mack]

Re: Western Conference Playoffs - First Round Discussion Thread

http://sports.espn.go.com/dallas/nba...ory?id=6395325

I feel bad for the guy, but he should keep this behind closed doors IMO.

No this dude was not about to literally cry over playing time??? Not a good look B, not a good look. SMH.