Eastern Conference Playoffs - 2nd Round Discussion Thread

[King_B_Mack]

Re: Eastern Conference Playoffs - 2nd Round Discussion Thread

It was early in the morning, that's clearly NOT what I meant. I apologize. They certainly can beat teams, but they don't have the talent of a team like the 04 Pistons or last year's Spurs, or even the 2010 Mavs. They have one guy I'd consider close to elite at his position in the NBA, and that's Teague. The rest are good role players, good NBA starters. But usually, that has a very certain ceiling in the NBA. And since the East is laughably bad, they have ridden it further than most teams could.

The Hawks took advantages of circumstances this year. They most certainly are very well coached, and they bought into the team aspect. But does anyone believe that even if the make the Finals, how many here believe they could beat a team like the Warriors or Clippers?

Whatever, most considered the Bulls-Cavs the ECF. And now, because the Cavs won, people ignore that. If the Bulls had won, everyone would be crowning them now. I'm getting used to the double standard.

[The 24th Letter]

Re: Eastern Conference Playoffs - 2nd Round Discussion Thread

You could say Dirk was a superstar, but at the time people certainly weren't calling Dirk a superstar. Heard people mocking him for not getting out of the early rounds the previous years more than anything and still talking about how soft he was and how he needed another star player next to him and blah blah blah. My point was that the Mavs in 2011 didn't just fall back onto Dirk every time they needed points, sure he carried them through some games, but guys like Terry, Kidd, Marion, Chandler and even Deshawn Stevenson and Brian Cardinal were very important parts of that championship.



I just think its ridiculous to try and say that team ball can NEVER win a championship without a bonafide superstar.

I don't know who wasn't calling Dirk a superstar, lol. Despite his failures, to this day people still call Melo one....you can't call out a 'persecution complex' then bust out with a line like that, lol

Think it's kind of getting blown out of proportion at this point...and setting up the narrative for posts like "oh I thought team ball couldn't win" after every victory when that's not what everyone as a whole is saying....

[SteelersFreak]

Re: Eastern Conference Playoffs - 2nd Round Discussion Thread

I don't know who wasn't calling Dirk a superstar, lol. Despite his failures, to this day people still call Melo one....you can't call out a 'persecution complex' then bust out with a line like that, lol

Think it's kind of getting blown out of proportion at this point...and setting up the narrative for posts like "oh I thought team ball couldn't win" after every victory when that's not what everyone as a whole is saying....

lol come on 24, you were around here during that time, people didn't all hop on the Dirk being a true superstar bandwagon until after that Finals. I remember having plenty of debates on here whether or not he was truly at the superstar level that guys like Kobe, Melo, LeBron, and Wade were at and I recall PLENTY of people saying he wasn't on that level until after that Finals.

Looking back, he was absolutely a superstar, but at the time he certainly wasn't widely considered one.

Regardless, this is way off topic and I'm sorry for even bringing the Mavs into this.

[SteelersFreak]

Re: Eastern Conference Playoffs - 2nd Round Discussion Thread

I don't know who wasn't calling Dirk a superstar, lol. Despite his failures, to this day people still call Melo one....you can't call out a 'persecution complex' then bust out with a line like that, lol

Think it's kind of getting blown out of proportion at this point...and setting up the narrative for posts like "oh I thought team ball couldn't win" after every victory when that's not what everyone as a whole is saying....

That's quite seriously exactly what OSUfan said though.

[OSUFan_88]

Re: Eastern Conference Playoffs - 2nd Round Discussion Thread

That's quite seriously exactly what OSUfan said though.

It's not, actually.

I have a feel that the term is what is messing people up. I wouldn't consider the Mavs being a team ball team, and I'd barely include the Spurs, although they clearly had a power structure to that team.

In my definition, team ball is trying to exploit the other team because you don't have that single guy who could break down a team at a moment's notice. The Cavs aren't a team ball team because they have LeBron. Warriors have Curry, Clips have CP3, Spurs have Duncan, so on and so forth.

The Hawks don't have that guy. It's why, down the stretch when teams would slow the pace down and the Hawks were forced to beat teams in the half court, they struggled against the Wizards. Obviously they managed to hold on and pull it out, but there was a reason the Wiz were in a position to potentially win or tie the game, and it certainly wasn't coaching.

It's because the playoffs, everyone is more focused, they play harder, they seem to overall just play better, especially the teams with more vets. Teams aren't as likely to make that key mistake, or leave a Korver wide open. It doesn't happen that much in the playoffs and sometimes, those key role players miss.

Funny that you would say that, I probably wouldnt even consider teague a top 5 pg in the east let alone elite. But Milsap and Horford what other starting pf and c's are better than them overall in the east.

Teague is almost certainly a top 5 PG in the East.

I'd take P.Gasol over both. I'd take Drummond, Jefferson, Bosh, maybe D West over those guys, and that's really just off the top of my head.

[DaImmaculateONe]

Re: Eastern Conference Playoffs - 2nd Round Discussion Thread

Teague is almost certainly a top 5 PG in the East.

I'd take P.Gasol over both. I'd take Drummond, Jefferson, Bosh, maybe D West over those guys, and that's really just off the top of my head.

i'd take wall, rose, irving, lowry, d will if he interested in actually playin, then push a between jennings and teague depending on if u need scoring or passing point

love, gasol, bosh over millsap

lopez, push between jefferson(better offense) and horford (better defense) drummond cant make freethrows otherwise he be up there

there are probably some other guys with better numbers but play on worse teams

[King_B_Mack]

Re: Eastern Conference Playoffs - 2nd Round Discussion Thread

i'd take wall, rose, irving, lowry, d will if he interested in actually playin, then push a between jennings and teague depending on if u need scoring or passing point

love, gasol, bosh over millsap

lopez, push between jefferson(better offense) and horford (better defense) drummond cant make freethrows otherwise he be up there

there are probably some other guys with better numbers but play on worse teams

You'd take DWill over Teague? Okay then. I'd definitely take him over Jennings and Deron.

[Cyrus09]

Re: Eastern Conference Playoffs - 2nd Round Discussion Thread

I would even take him over Lowry and Kyrie tbh. But ranking guys is always weird, because it's a team and system thing too.

[DaImmaculateONe]

Re: Eastern Conference Playoffs - 2nd Round Discussion Thread

You'd take DWill over Teague? Okay then. I'd definitely take him over Jennings and Deron.

talentwise for sure, too bad he's a mental headcase

[ProfessaPackMan]

Re: Eastern Conference Playoffs - 2nd Round Discussion Thread

He's not a mental headcase.

He just flat out stinks now.

[redsrule]

Re: Eastern Conference Playoffs - 2nd Round Discussion Thread

It was early in the morning, that's clearly NOT what I meant. I apologize. They certainly can beat teams, but they don't have the talent of a team like the 04 Pistons or last year's Spurs, or even the 2010 Mavs. They have one guy I'd consider close to elite at his position in the NBA, and that's Teague. The rest are good role players, good NBA starters. But usually, that has a very certain ceiling in the NBA. And since the East is laughably bad, they have ridden it further than most teams could.

The Hawks took advantages of circumstances this year. They most certainly are very well coached, and they bought into the team aspect. But does anyone believe that even if the make the Finals, how many here believe they could beat a team like the Warriors or Clippers?

Whatever, most considered the Bulls-Cavs the ECF. And now, because the Cavs won, people ignore that. If the Bulls had won, everyone would be crowning them now. I'm getting used to the double standard.

Horford will be the second best player on the floor.

[CMH]

Re: Eastern Conference Playoffs - 2nd Round Discussion Thread

Man people are legitimately calling Al Horford some role player?

I can't. That's just crazy. This is why I just avoid these discussions. I'll continue doing so.

sent from my mobile device

[wwharton]

Re: Eastern Conference Playoffs - 2nd Round Discussion Thread

1. Great series by the wizards.
2. Wall and Beal are a great back court.
3. Pierce is a legend and was great this series.
4. Wizards are a much better team then i thought they were and they play great defense.

5. I called hawks in 5 or 6 games.
6. I didnt think the wizards could consistently score over 100 points against us before the series started.
7. I havent crunched the numbers but i thought they would average less then the 96 points they scored against us in the regular season.

I understand all the wizard fans who flexed on me throught the series, but where are the crabs who talked all series and sent gifs laughing about my series prediction now?

VNI can you locate these people for me?

You can't be serious with this. Every single one of us has been posting all up and down this thread more than you.

And even in the debate with you, every single person challenged you on the things you're now admitting you were wrong about.

1. Said the Wiz would get walked over (now, great series)
2. Said they had no offense (now Wall and Beal are great)
4. Now you admit the Wiz are better than you thought
6/7. Both teams D'd up as the series went on. Wiz averaged right around their average

Not one of us guaranteed the Wizards would win or had any complaint with anyone saying the Hawks would win. It was all about your crazy claims that you're now admitting you were wrong about. Hell, outside of the debate with you, I've probably been praising the Hawks more than anyone.

[KG]

Re: Eastern Conference Playoffs - 2nd Round Discussion Thread

When the Cavs go small with their TT-LeBron-JR-Shump-Kyrie lineup, the Hawks are going to get railroaded.

I'd feel much better with having Kyrie guard Carroll than PP.

Shroeder-Teague-Carroll-Korver-Horford

or take out Shroeder/Teague and put Milsap in on Bron. TT is amazing on the offensive glass but Horford & Milsap are no slouches on the boards.

I feel like people think of Korver as just a shooter. He's actually a pretty good on-ball defender if you ask me. We (the Wiz) ran him off screens all game which I think tired him out on O. He's not going to have to do that against Cleveland.

Carroll has to keep up his good play and make Lebron work on both sides like Butler did. He's not the player the Butler is but he's improved enough to make him work some.

I also think there's no way Kyrie lasts this series. Even if they hide him on Carroll I think they go P&R with him & Teague/Shroeder.

I think the Hawks beat them in 7.

[Kovalev]

Re: Eastern Conference Playoffs - 2nd Round Discussion Thread

Cavs have played just too well and the Hawks have just fallen off too much since Feb. Cavs in 4 or 6. Irving isn't supposed to practice until monday or tuesday to rest up, if his injuries are not that bad then he will be healthy and he wont have trouble with ATLs PGs