Western Conference Playoffs - 2nd Round Discussion Thread

[VDusen04]

Re: Western Conference Playoffs - 2nd Round Discussion Thread

As an aside, I've really struggled with the late starts this year. Almost 10:30 tip tonight. I've been nodding in and out of consciousness for a fair portion of the second half and posting here is helping keep me awake but only in fits and starts.

[ojandpizza]

Re: Western Conference Playoffs - 2nd Round Discussion Thread

Yeesh, 9-for-38 from three for Golden State.

I've always pulled for Golden State but it just never totally felt like they had the juice of Warriors teams gone by this year. They used to be able to complement their offensive firepower with sneaky effective defense but I just haven't seen that a lot this year. You kind of end up missing guys like Andrew Bogut, Andre Iguodala, and even JaVale McGee.

Really thought there would be some degree of “flipping the switch” from them. They’ve showed a few flashes in the regular season, a couple times against SAC, even once in this series, but they just cannot sustain it for whatever reason.

Bron doesn’t even look 100% and he’s still gotten what he wanted often in this series. That can’t happen.

[ProfessaPackMan]

Re: Western Conference Playoffs - 2nd Round Discussion Thread

Silver gonna do Victory Laps with that play in mess now, I see it already lol

[dubcity]

Re: Western Conference Playoffs - 2nd Round Discussion Thread

I know some people hate it, but I love players showing opposing players love and respect after games.

[dubcity]

Re: Western Conference Playoffs - 2nd Round Discussion Thread

Silver gonna do Victory Laps with that play in mess now, I see it already lol

It's too late, man. That's there forever now.

[MrDubya]

Re: Western Conference Playoffs - 2nd Round Discussion Thread

I know some people hate it, but I love players showing opposing players love and respect after games.

I can respect both sides. I enjoy the sportsmanship, but the wrestling fan in me likes when guys hate each other, at least in front of the camera. There’s always respect, but you can still be bitter after a loss to a certain team/player.

Glad there will be a new champion this year.

[TMagic]

Re: Western Conference Playoffs - 2nd Round Discussion Thread

Y'all think it's a way to specifically practice/work at being better playing on the road?

Or it is what it is? Lol

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[BleacherBum2310]

Re: Western Conference Playoffs - 2nd Round Discussion Thread

I thought Steph played pretty well except his shot was weird in this series, although when Klay and Draymond basically no show it doesn't really matter. Lakers defense was fantastic but 8 points from Klay who maybe had one good game the entire series. Lakers are going to need to dig much deeper next series.

[inkcil]

Re: Western Conference Playoffs - 2nd Round Discussion Thread

Steph going to have a lot of missed calls on his phone this summer...

Kerr: missed call

Klay: missed call

Dray: missed call

Poole: actually blocked call

[Master Live 013]

Re: Western Conference Playoffs - 2nd Round Discussion Thread

Nah, count me out on all the "showing love" for opposing players. And let's not talk about exchanging jerseys, get the **** out of here with that.

You don't need to go all WWE. You don't need to make a spectacle out of it. Just wait in your seat 'till the clock runs out and after that walk to your locker room and that's it.

[ojandpizza]

Re: Western Conference Playoffs - 2nd Round Discussion Thread

The parity across the board for the Lakers scoring production was pretty impressive. Bron 25ppg, AD 22ppg, DLo 15ppg, Reaves 14ppg, Dennis 10ppg, Lonnie 11ppg.

[jeebs9]

Re: Western Conference Playoffs - 2nd Round Discussion Thread

The parity across the board for the Lakers scoring production was pretty impressive. Bron 25ppg, AD 22ppg, DLo 15ppg, Reaves 14ppg, Dennis 10ppg, Lonnie 11ppg.

They night need every single point and more from this group. I'm very interested in AD vs Jokic

Play in team makes the conference finals. Do we really need a mid season tournament? Lol

[cima]

Re: Western Conference Playoffs - 2nd Round Discussion Thread

They night need every single point and more from this group. I'm very interested in AD vs Jokic

Play in team makes the conference finals. Do we really need a mid season tournament? Lol

The Heat’s run is even more impressive considering it took 2 play in games and they lost Herro/Oladipo


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[Vni]

Re: Western Conference Playoffs - 2nd Round Discussion Thread

So proud and happy of what that group accomplished. Every players contributed and were decisive at one point or another. Beautiful team ball.

[TMagic]

Re: Western Conference Playoffs - 2nd Round Discussion Thread

In defense to Joker’s cast, their biggest issue has been a healthy Murray. He’s not made All-NBA teams, or All-Star teams, and they really managed his work load this year coming back from that injury. But every decent postseason run they’ve had he’s played at an All-Star level guy. Can’t have a dude out there hanging 40+ on teams and also say his help is minimal because of lack of regular season awards.

Gordon, KCP, Brown all had career years. That is largely because they are playing with Jokic, but they are the perfect “role players” to pair next to him. Idk how you split the credit, to me it’s no coincidence that they’ve played their best ball next to Jokic. But at the same time if we’re comparing this to other kinda “carry jobs” I would say their ceiling next to Joker is probably higher than cast mates that played with guys like Bron, KG, or David Robinson in the 90s. Gordon for example has great hands and is one of the best finishers in the league. He needed to learn to cut off Jokic, but having those abilities before building that chemistry made him far better than most “replacement players” they could possibly land as a 4th option level guy. I know the post didn’t mean to break off into comparisons, but in the context of this talk Bron or KG was only going to be able to get so much more out of guys like Mo Williams and say Wally Szczerbiak. Bron similarly had JJ Hickson looking solid, but he was no Aaron Gordon on his own.

On/off splits have valued him as one of (if not the most) valuable players to his teams success since we’ve had those stats. Which you could use to label him as the ultimate “carry” player we’ve seen in this era. But I would argue that stylistically they would likely not be quite as bad as those stats show if they ran more action through Murray through the regular season the way they do in the playoffs and he was actually healthy. Denver was also so good this year that some of those minutes likely include him going to the bench early with a big lead and the back-up squad blowing the lead. For example his on-off splits were even better this year than last year and last year they truly were *** outside him.

I do think Denver’s reliance on Jokic and his impact right now is tops in the league. I said that when I was saying he would have my vote for MVP again if I had a vote. But I do think that changes to an extent in the playoffs. A bigger offensive load for Murray, excellent defense in that last series from Gordon, KCP, Brown. He’s probably got a bit more “help” than it seems. Him being able to maximize those guys and seemingly always make the right plays, the smart plays, is .

By replacement level I'm speaking more in terms of you can find guys who bring what they do to the floor and Jokic will be just as good with them. And minimal COMPARED to what other top teams bring to the court.

There's no shortage of athletic "bigs". There's no shortage of 3 and d wings. There's no shortage of shooters. Theres no shortage of scoring guards. They are not "unique" in those respects.

This year, they ranked 5th in offensive efficiency. Last year MPJ and Murray didn't even play the ENTIRE season. Where did they rank? 6th. This year they had 53 wins. Last year 48. As you mentioned, this year Murray wasn't 100% to start the season. On top of that, he missed time. Yet, they continued to win. There were 10 games where Murray missed the game completely and Jokic played. They went 8-2 in those games. And that includes wins against the Warriors, Celtics, TWolves, and the Heat. Small sample obviously, but that's an 80% win rate. Lol

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying Murray isn't a baller. I like him. It's just that the majority of his value comes when Jokic ISN'T on the floor with him because Jokic raises the floor on this team SO much so that Murray's offense is essentially negligible.

Put another way, on an average to below average team, or a team in need of a bucket getter on the perimeter, Murray would shine. But playing alongside Jokic, his offense isn't so great that it takes the team to another level. So WITH JOKIC...replaceable [emoji23]

Thats not a knock on him. That's just how f****** good the Joker is

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