Eastern Conference Playoffs - 2nd Round Discussion Thread

[Jrocc23]

Re: Eastern Conference Playoffs - 2nd Round Discussion Thread

Still can't believe this team rolled over like that. A Tom Thibodeau team went down because of a complete failure on defense and then quit. Unbelievable.

Who would you want coaching for the Bulls next year since it seems Thibs is definitely gone next year. And where do you think a good spot would be for him? I think OKC should have at least waited and looked into him. I don't think Donovan will be a good fit.

[King_B_Mack]

Re: Eastern Conference Playoffs - 2nd Round Discussion Thread

It really isn't up for interpretation. If you dominate the entire regular season in your conference, grab the number one seed, make the conference finals and especially make it to the NBA Finals, even if you get swept out of the Finals, you're a title contender. If somebody thinks a team that's in the NBA Finals isn't a title contender, it's your duty to as a sane, rational basketball fan....matter fact human being to slap the hell out of them and flush whatever drugs they're clearly on down the toilet. There's only one of two ways an NBA Finals can end. By that fact alone you're a title contender lol.

[wwharton]

Re: Eastern Conference Playoffs - 2nd Round Discussion Thread

****, if you got Nats Tickets you don't want as well...send em in THIS guy's direction.

He's an O's fan, Pack.

So yeah, meet you at Pickles?

I personally like the Hawks a lot, and give them all the credit in the world for what they've done, but despite all their regular season success they haven't looked all that good in the playoffs...

They've had pretty significant injury issues throughout the playoffs. I think they've figured out how to work with what they have the last couple of games (which sucks for the Wizards). No idea what happened to Korver either.

I think "contender" has much of a varied meaning across the NBA fanbase as "superstar" does. You can have endless debates over this stuff.

Do I think Atlanta CAN win the NBA title this year? No, I don't, mostly because they lack the traits of what history tells us are required to win a championship. Does that mean if they make it to the Finals and lose in five that they weren't contenders? No idea, I guess it's up to interpretation.

Screw that interpretation crap, if a team is in the finals and someone is still arguing that they aren't "contenders" they're just reaching for straws to defend their argument. Either that or they actually believe "Deflator" can refer to someone trying to lose weight.

[Jrocc23]

Re: Eastern Conference Playoffs - 2nd Round Discussion Thread

I guess I just don't agree with your assessment of the Clippers. In a league dominated by swingmen and PGs they're weak & injured in those 2 areas. I also don't trust Doc despite his runs with the Celtics. I do love what BG has transformed into. He looks hungry out there.

I'll bow out now because it's worthless debating "Ifs" that will never happen. All we have to go on is how the Hawks fared vs the West this year in the regular season. I'll give you the "it's the regular season" aspect but it's the only barometer we have since they can only match up with 1 team from the West in the Playoffs.

The "Ifs" and etc is the root of sports talk. You can go off that, but you and I both know that outcome wouldn't be the same. We all know the East is a weak conference and my point from the beginning was me basically hoping something changed because it'll just be LeBron in the ECFs and Finals every year like it has been. We'll see what the Hawks do for the remainder of the Playoffs. I hope they beat the Cavs, but I just don't think the Hawks are that good of a team and would be put out by any elite team or player in a series. Which I see happening if they face Cleveland.

[wwharton]

Re: Eastern Conference Playoffs - 2nd Round Discussion Thread

I guess I just don't agree with your assessment of the Clippers. In a league dominated by swingmen and PGs they're weak & injured in those 2 areas. I also don't trust Doc despite his runs with the Celtics. I do love what BG has transformed into. He looks hungry out there.

I'll bow out now because it's worthless debating "Ifs" that will never happen. All we have to go on is how the Hawks fared vs the West this year in the regular season. I'll give you the "it's the regular season" aspect but it's the only barometer we have since they can only match up with 1 team from the West in the Playoffs.

Even if you want to throw out the "it's regular season" defense, you're saying there's no way of knowing how teams will play in the playoffs unless we look at past years when teams were built differently, playing against other teams that were built differently.

That's why it's pretty dumb to talk about the travesty that this year's Spurs team got knocked out early bc of what they've done in years past.

[King_B_Mack]

Re: Eastern Conference Playoffs - 2nd Round Discussion Thread

Who would you want coaching for the Bulls next year since it seems Thibs is definitely gone next year. And where do you think a good spot would be for him? I think OKC should have at least waited and looked into him. I don't think Donovan will be a good fit.

I honestly don't even know. I need to see what they do with this roster before anything.

If they're going to get rid of Thibs though, just send his *** to Orlando and be done with it. He's under contract for another 2 years so he goes wherever management decides unless they decide to be stupid and just let him go freely.

[Jrocc23]

Re: Eastern Conference Playoffs - 2nd Round Discussion Thread

It really isn't up for interpretation. If you dominate the entire regular season in your conference, grab the number one seed, make the conference finals and especially make it to the NBA Finals, even if you get swept out of the Finals, you're a title contender. If somebody thinks a team that's in the NBA Finals isn't a title contender, it's your duty to as a sane, rational basketball fan....matter fact human being to slap the hell out of them and flush whatever drugs they're clearly on down the toilet. There's only one of two ways an NBA Finals can end. By that fact alone you're a title contender lol.

If you're taking the meaning of contender at face value. Yes, if they are in the NBA Finals they are contenders. What I am saying about the Hawks is they are not an ELITE team and cannot beat any elite team in the Playoffs. Yes, they could make it to the ECFs and have the best record in their conference, why, back to my point, because the East is a terrible conference.

I am telling you that I don't see them beating ANY elite team. That's Cleveland and any team they could possibly face in the West. They aren't an elite team. Let's stop using the "Title Contender" word. I just believe they are not that great of a team. They are good, but not a team that could win a title against a great team and it's showing in the Playoffs against these inferior teams and how bad they are playing. Now, lets see when they meet up against an elite team in the Playoffs and lets see what happens IF they could get past the Wizards lol.

[King_B_Mack]

Re: Eastern Conference Playoffs - 2nd Round Discussion Thread

Y'all dudes killing me with this Atlanta thing man. Dudes will be in here after the Hawks win the championship like "They won in five over GS, but I didn't think the Warriors were ready. Atlanta still wasn't a championship contender."

[Jrocc23]

Re: Eastern Conference Playoffs - 2nd Round Discussion Thread

I honestly don't even know. I need to see what they do with this roster before anything.

If they're going to get rid of Thibs though, just send his *** to Orlando and be done with it. He's under contract for another 2 years so he goes wherever management decides unless they decide to be stupid and just let him go freely.

Yeah, you're right. I am not even sure Butler will stick around with the money that will be thrown at him. I am not even sure who is all under contract with y'all. I will check that out.

Might as well and get those picks. Man, I thought this was definitely the Bulls year. All they had to worry about was Cleveland and CLE lost Love, Bron shot terrible, JR out for 2 games, Kyrie was hurt. I mean, damn. But the series was that close to being 3-1 in Bulls favor. Crazy how it works.

Y'all dudes killing me with this Atlanta thing man. Dudes will be in here after the Hawks win the championship like "They won in five over GS, but I didn't think the Warriors were ready. Atlanta still wasn't a championship contender."

Nobody would say that. I would say I was wrong about Atlanta and they were serious if they beat the Cavs and then the Warriors. Very wrong. But I definitely don't see either of those happening. They are not that good of a team. I would love if they proved me wrong though.

[ehh]

Re: Eastern Conference Playoffs - 2nd Round Discussion Thread

Screw that interpretation crap, if a team is in the finals and someone is still arguing that they aren't "contenders" they're just reaching for straws to defend their argument.

Yeah, I guess I differ slightly since I view a "contender" as a team who can win the NBA championship. For example, I never thought there was any chance that the 2007 Cavs or 2009 Magic could win a title even though they reached the Finals. Same goes for the 1999 Knicks. Despite how far they advanced in the playoffs I never thought they had a realistic chance to win it all. I understand if others think that's crazy but those teams were clearly lacking what it took to win it all even though they made it to the Finals.

There isn't the parity in the NBA that the NFL has, I don't believe that just because you make it to the Finals it means you can win the title. That last step is always the biggest and most difficult...

If others feel that any team who reaches the Finals is a contender then that's fine by me. I also will have no problem eating crow if Atlanta wins it all this year.

[roadman]

Re: Eastern Conference Playoffs - 2nd Round Discussion Thread

I honestly don't even know. I need to see what they do with this roster before anything.

If they're going to get rid of Thibs though, just send his *** to Orlando and be done with it. He's under contract for another 2 years so he goes wherever management decides unless they decide to be stupid and just let him go freely.

Skiles is available. lol

[aholbert32]

Re: Eastern Conference Playoffs - 2nd Round Discussion Thread

You going to the game tonight? I want to since I literally work a block up from the VC but I am BAD luck when it comes to closeout games for the Wiz. My superstitious *** is more than likely staying away.

I'll be there. I probably should stay away too because I was there last year when the Pacers beat them in 6.

[Jrocc23]

Re: Eastern Conference Playoffs - 2nd Round Discussion Thread

Yeah, I guess I differ slightly since I view a "contender" as a team who can win the NBA championship. For example, I never thought there was any chance that the 2007 Cavs or 2009 Magic could win a title even though they reached the Finals. Same goes for the 1999 Knicks. Despite how far they advanced in the playoffs I never thought they had a realistic chance to win it all. I understand if others think that's crazy but those teams were clearly lacking what it took to win it all even though they made it to the Finals.

There isn't the parity in the NBA that the NFL has, I don't believe that just because you make it to the Finals it means you can win the title. That last step is always the biggest and most difficult...

If others feel that any team who reaches the Finals is a contender then that's fine by me. I also will have no problem eating crow if Atlanta wins it all this year.

Couldn't have said it any better. Like you said, some people look at "contender" different, they are just taking it for exactly what it means. And they are right. But we are looking at it differently the same way others do.

Skiles is available. lol

Also Scott Brooks

[aholbert32]

Re: Eastern Conference Playoffs - 2nd Round Discussion Thread

You can still find some decent lower level tickets for a good price.

Scooped up some seats behind the basket on the Wizards' side for $90 each. Just hate that it's a 7:00pm start though meaning I won't get there til about 7:30 because of that DC Traffic, which goes up on another level on Fridays.

People selling tickets are taking a loss on this series. The Wiz dont have a big enough fan base to guarantee sell outs and the Hawks dont have one that travels so there are plenty of good seats.

Thats why alot of us are praying that the Wiz make it to the ECF. I will be able to make a good amount because of the Cavs. Selling my Lebron tickets pays for two months of season tickets alone.

[aholbert32]

Re: Eastern Conference Playoffs - 2nd Round Discussion Thread

He's an O's fan, Pack.

So yeah, meet you at Pickles?

LOL. Whats' funny is I had O's tix tonight but Game 6 messed that up so I gave them to my kid's nanny. Good seats too.