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marshdaddy · 09-15-2020, 09:14 AM

Questions and answers after the first round of the playoffs

Ryen Simons
April 28, 2024

A relatively chalk first round of the NBA Playoffs doesn’t mean we aren’t left without questions. Some smooth runs are also giving us answers.

Utah Jazz 3, Dallas Mavericks 2
It wasn’t without dramatics as the Mavericks rallied from a 2-0 deficit to force a Game 5. Donovan Mitchell was incredible at the end, scoring 31 points to go with seven boards and 10 assists in the series clincher. He’s looked like an MVP and the Jazz still have a chance.

Question: How much longer can Luka stay in Dallas
Luka was, again, dynamic. The 25-year-old averaged 34.8 points, 9.6 rebounds and 8.6 assists and scored 43 points in Game 3 and then a 31-point, 10-rebound, 11-assist Game 4 to force Game 5. He didn’t even get out dueled by the presumptive MVP, scoring 31 points of his own with 12 boards and 10 dimes. The kid can ball. The problem, can anyone else in Dallas?

Kristaps Porzingis (14 points in Game 5) averaged just 20.8 points in the playoffs and shot 41.6% from the floor. Malik Beasley is their third best player, which, probably not a good thing, and averaged 15.6 points. Only Seth Curry averaged more than 10 with 12.2 points. The surrounding cast around Luka is less than extraordinary. He’s already quelled rumors he's leaving by saying he’ll be back in Dallas next year, but for his sake and ours, maybe it’s his last?

Golden State Warriors3, San Antonio Spurs 0
Remember when we were afraid the Warriors couldn’t keep it up? Laughable now. Sure the last two games were close, but Golden State still looks and plays like a champion. And, to make matters worse for the league, Anthony Edwards is starting to look good. Like, really good.

Answered: Golden State should still be the team to beat
I don’t care that they don’t have homecourt in the West, they’ve proven they don’t need it. If anyone is saying the NBA title is going through anywhere other than Golden State, they don’t know what they’re talking about.

Oklahoma City Thunder 3, New Orleans Pelicans 1
Earth to Zion, you’re supposed to win when you’re the higher seed. New Orleans and Zion have now lost in the first round in three consecutive seasons despite being the higher seed every single time. I’m not saying Zion is the issue, of course, he scored at least 30 points in three games and had a lowly 28 in the fourth. But at some point, these types of losses can’t happen.

And I get it, Oklahoma City is good. Cade Cunningham and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander are REALLY good. But Zion, my guy, we can’t say you’re among the game’s best when you aren’t playing in May and June.

Question: Should we panic?
No, not yet. These are troubling times for Zion-atics (it’ll catch on maybe), but the sky isn’t falling. It’s starting to, but not all the way. He’s still a top six player in the NBA, but maybe all this is proving, along with Giannis’ struggles, is that these types of players are awesome in the regular season but need help to win games in the postseason.

Memphis Grizzlies 3, Los Angeles Clippers 1
Someone come get Ja Morant. Morant had three 30-point double-doubles and a 29-point double-double in dispatching the Clippers, showing that this is how you win games in the playoffs. The Grizzlies needed to make a run after a great 51-win season, this could be the start of it.

Question: Is Ja better than Zion?
Statistically? No. Zion is still the better player. Team production? I mean, Ja is still playing and Zion isn’t. So…

Miami Heat 3, Philadelphia 76ers 1
This is barely worth a write up. It’s done in Philly. Whatever they thought they had, they don’t. This team isn’t good.

Question: Who is dealt: Ben Simmons or Joel Embiid?
Can I say both? Of course I can, I just asked myself the question. The consistent failures in Philadelphia are a result of a team that doesn’t work together, it’s painfully obvious now for the organization and was painfully obvious two years ago for everyone else. Why not just scrap it all and get a king’s ransom for these two? The Sixers could easily get picks and very, very good prospects for either of these dudes, so why not do it? The Process Part I is over, time to start Part II.

Atlanta Hawks 3, Brooklyn Nets 1
Kyrie Irving wants no part of your emotional, reunion series. The Nets were a fun story but this was never going to be competitive.

Question: How long can you run on revenge?
At some point, this whole ‘I will get my revenge’ tour has to start wearing on Kyrie and he’ll stop being unbelievable. Right?

Toronto Raptors 3, Chicago Bulls 1
Toronto is still such a good team, this was a cakewalk and we shouldn’t be surprised. The East is not a Miami/Atlanta armsrace. The Raptors are still here and out to prove it.

Answered: Toronto is the best team in the East
Ok, best is an overstatement, I understand. But if I didn’t say it like that you wouldn’t listen. When will we realize that Toronto is a legitimate threat and that their plethora of swtichy, rangy wings are a terrible matchup for a lot of teams.

Boston Celtics 3, New York Knicks 2
Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown should be in more conversations about being the best tandem in basketball, and they are in a lot of those conversations. Brown had 45 points in Game 5, Tatum scored 43, 37, 41, 39 and 25. I understand the Heat have homecourt, but if Boston goes to the Conference Finals, I won’t be surprised at all.

Question: Is Miami and Boston rivalry alive again?
I’m one person who always thought the Miami-Boston rivalry was overstated during the Heatle era. I understood they didn’t like one another, but Boston with their aging stars never beat them. How can it be a rivalry? Well, here we go again. The Heat and Celtics met two years ago in the Eastern Conference Finals and the Heat swept them. Boston, if you want this to be a rivalry, how about you win?

09-15-2020, 09:14 AM	#96
marshdaddy MVP OVR: 0 Join Date: Mar 2017	Re: The Golden Era \| A Golden State Warriors Dynasty (NBA 2K20) The Athletic.png Questions and answers after the first round of the playoffs Ryen Simons April 28, 2024 A relatively chalk first round of the NBA Playoffs doesn’t mean we aren’t left without questions. Some smooth runs are also giving us answers. Utah Jazz 3, Dallas Mavericks 2 It wasn’t without dramatics as the Mavericks rallied from a 2-0 deficit to force a Game 5. Donovan Mitchell was incredible at the end, scoring 31 points to go with seven boards and 10 assists in the series clincher. He’s looked like an MVP and the Jazz still have a chance. Question: How much longer can Luka stay in Dallas Luka was, again, dynamic. The 25-year-old averaged 34.8 points, 9.6 rebounds and 8.6 assists and scored 43 points in Game 3 and then a 31-point, 10-rebound, 11-assist Game 4 to force Game 5. He didn’t even get out dueled by the presumptive MVP, scoring 31 points of his own with 12 boards and 10 dimes. The kid can ball. The problem, can anyone else in Dallas? Kristaps Porzingis (14 points in Game 5) averaged just 20.8 points in the playoffs and shot 41.6% from the floor. Malik Beasley is their third best player, which, probably not a good thing, and averaged 15.6 points. Only Seth Curry averaged more than 10 with 12.2 points. The surrounding cast around Luka is less than extraordinary. He’s already quelled rumors he's leaving by saying he’ll be back in Dallas next year, but for his sake and ours, maybe it’s his last? Golden State Warriors3, San Antonio Spurs 0 Remember when we were afraid the Warriors couldn’t keep it up? Laughable now. Sure the last two games were close, but Golden State still looks and plays like a champion. And, to make matters worse for the league, Anthony Edwards is starting to look good. Like, really good. Answered: Golden State should still be the team to beat I don’t care that they don’t have homecourt in the West, they’ve proven they don’t need it. If anyone is saying the NBA title is going through anywhere other than Golden State, they don’t know what they’re talking about. Oklahoma City Thunder 3, New Orleans Pelicans 1 Earth to Zion, you’re supposed to win when you’re the higher seed. New Orleans and Zion have now lost in the first round in three consecutive seasons despite being the higher seed every single time. I’m not saying Zion is the issue, of course, he scored at least 30 points in three games and had a lowly 28 in the fourth. But at some point, these types of losses can’t happen. And I get it, Oklahoma City is good. Cade Cunningham and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander are REALLY good. But Zion, my guy, we can’t say you’re among the game’s best when you aren’t playing in May and June. Question: Should we panic? No, not yet. These are troubling times for Zion-atics (it’ll catch on maybe), but the sky isn’t falling. It’s starting to, but not all the way. He’s still a top six player in the NBA, but maybe all this is proving, along with Giannis’ struggles, is that these types of players are awesome in the regular season but need help to win games in the postseason. Memphis Grizzlies 3, Los Angeles Clippers 1 Someone come get Ja Morant. Morant had three 30-point double-doubles and a 29-point double-double in dispatching the Clippers, showing that this is how you win games in the playoffs. The Grizzlies needed to make a run after a great 51-win season, this could be the start of it. Question: Is Ja better than Zion? Statistically? No. Zion is still the better player. Team production? I mean, Ja is still playing and Zion isn’t. So… Miami Heat 3, Philadelphia 76ers 1 This is barely worth a write up. It’s done in Philly. Whatever they thought they had, they don’t. This team isn’t good. Question: Who is dealt: Ben Simmons or Joel Embiid? Can I say both? Of course I can, I just asked myself the question. The consistent failures in Philadelphia are a result of a team that doesn’t work together, it’s painfully obvious now for the organization and was painfully obvious two years ago for everyone else. Why not just scrap it all and get a king’s ransom for these two? The Sixers could easily get picks and very, very good prospects for either of these dudes, so why not do it? The Process Part I is over, time to start Part II. Atlanta Hawks 3, Brooklyn Nets 1 Kyrie Irving wants no part of your emotional, reunion series. The Nets were a fun story but this was never going to be competitive. Question: How long can you run on revenge? At some point, this whole ‘I will get my revenge’ tour has to start wearing on Kyrie and he’ll stop being unbelievable. Right? Toronto Raptors 3, Chicago Bulls 1 Toronto is still such a good team, this was a cakewalk and we shouldn’t be surprised. The East is not a Miami/Atlanta armsrace. The Raptors are still here and out to prove it. Answered: Toronto is the best team in the East Ok, best is an overstatement, I understand. But if I didn’t say it like that you wouldn’t listen. When will we realize that Toronto is a legitimate threat and that their plethora of swtichy, rangy wings are a terrible matchup for a lot of teams. Boston Celtics 3, New York Knicks 2 Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown should be in more conversations about being the best tandem in basketball, and they are in a lot of those conversations. Brown had 45 points in Game 5, Tatum scored 43, 37, 41, 39 and 25. I understand the Heat have homecourt, but if Boston goes to the Conference Finals, I won’t be surprised at all. Question: Is Miami and Boston rivalry alive again? I’m one person who always thought the Miami-Boston rivalry was overstated during the Heatle era. I understood they didn’t like one another, but Boston with their aging stars never beat them. How can it be a rivalry? Well, here we go again. The Heat and Celtics met two years ago in the Eastern Conference Finals and the Heat swept them. Boston, if you want this to be a rivalry, how about you win?