Everything Playoffs

[G__Deane]

Does anyone miss the fact Lebron isn't in the playoffs ? I am pretty sure ratings will be done this year

What's a lebron?

[MixxAOR]

Does anyone miss the fact Lebron isn't in the playoffs ? I am pretty sure ratings will be done this year

I think playoffs are better without him

[Demographic Shift]

Looks like former dummy and now genius Coach Bud made a couple of tweaks to the Bucks approach between games.
Bud just went to the genius coaching book and drew up a 30 burger win strategy.
That..and the Bucks secondary scorers hit their mark from 3.

So so just like Nick Nurse..Brad Stevens goes from genius to dumbass in 48 hours.

Back to Boston they go.

Hoping it goes 7.

[guyroch]

Does anyone miss the fact Lebron isn't in the playoffs ? I am pretty sure ratings will be done this year

[KeonClark]

Morris playing big for Celtics tonight. Middleton now 7/10 from 3. Battle of the 3 pt. bombs, back and forth, both teams shooting the ball well.

Aaaand it's a blowout

[Zak24gege]

Morris playing big for Celtics tonight. Middleton now 7/10 from 3. Battle of the 3 pt. bombs, back and forth, both teams shooting the ball well.

[octothorp]

I think that if the Rockets had all this analytics on referees, the thing to do would be to use that data to build a better offense... not just double-down on the offense you've already got and then use the analytics to bitch about it when your offense runs into the problems the analytics proves. Like, apparently the Rockets analytics show that older referees don't call that landing space foul as much as the younger ones. And the NBA tends to factor seniority into choosing crews for playoff games. So it makes sense that as you get deeper into the playoffs, you're going to get a steady diet of refs who are reluctant to make those calls. So use more DHOs, more pump-fake sidesteps rather than relying so much on the Iso stepback.

[golden]

NBA assigned Scott Foster to the Warriors-Rockets game. Foster has fouled out Harden 3 times over the last 256 games he has played. In the other games, he has fouled out once. NBA giving the big middle finger to Houston.

But, wait, I thought that ranting and raving about the refs got your RESPECTI!!!! Maybe Houston didn't do enough to get respect. They should take some more technical fouls tonight.

If the Rockets don't get respect it's because D'Antoni doesn't work the refs in game, like Pop & Doc. So their uber geek GM, Darryl Morey, has to send USB drives with so-called "data-driven proof" that the NBA is biased towards the Warriors. lmao. That said, shouldn't a guy like Harden, who is making a mockery of the rulebook, just keep his mouth shut about the refs? Almost any other team would say that Harden is getting the benefit of the doubt, especially his triple step back.

But anyway, Zach Lowe just busted this "NBA revenge" myth because apparently the refs are assigned to a series before it even begins.

[slaw]

NBA assigned Scott Foster to the Warriors-Rockets game. Foster has fouled out Harden 3 times over the last 256 games he has played. In the other games, he has fouled out once. NBA giving the big middle finger to Houston.

But, wait, I thought that ranting and raving about the refs got your RESPECTI!!!! Maybe Houston didn't do enough to get respect. They should take some more technical fouls tonight.

[KeonClark]

Pop just signed a 3 year extension. I really hope they can build a contender that includes DeRozan. If anyone can, its him and Buford. Would love to see him get another shot and if Durant leaves golden state the league may be wide open for a couple years of fun

[Puffer]

Last year at this time... after the first two losses at home to the Cavs you could see that the Raps weren't going to come back. That it was over. This year... its a completely different mindset.

Yep they dropped one to the Hinkies.. but in no way shape or form is there cause for panic or disillusionment that its all over but the excuses when they lost that first one to the Cavs. Nope.. No one is reaching for the hemlock.

It was a pretty lousy night on offense.. but from time to time when you play the best teams left standing that happens. The other guys are talented and are playing to win too and they step up and make life miserable for our hometown heroes. The matchups didn't work out as well as they had in the previous 5 games that they won easily. But what really gives you that "don't worry.. be happy" feeling is that the Raps defense was still stiffling thoughout that game. That defense gave them an opptortunity even with a pretty bad night on offense to get a clean look for a 3 point shooter who you would be happy to have take that shot. It missed.
Shit.

But its nothing like that feeling after game 1 against Cleveland when they came up short after blowing that big lead.

Embiid still isn't 100%. Knee tendinitis doesn't heal.. its managed. Simmons still can't shoot. Butler isn't going to have another 30 point game. James Ennis and the Moose bless their hearts aren't going to post to many nights like they had last night at the Vault...... and the Raps can play a lot better.

Cautious optimism still reigns supreme as round 2 unfolds...

You are not wrong. The Raptors played/were coached like shit. And they were one missed 3pt shot away.

I can't see this happening again. The solutions are obvious and have been repeated by every hack sports writer and every forum member.

Play your good players more and when the other teams good players are playing. Have good shooters take open shots instead of passing up the opportunities. Box out. It's a simple game. Especially when you have the better team. It doesn't get tricky until the other team has better players. That will be next year. But by then the Raptors will have Anthony Davis. So it will never happen.

[spicy_d]

6ixers have lots of weapons ...any one of them can turn on ...gonna be tight

[Demographic Shift]

The only thing I might challenge is the bold. Butler scoring 30 again isn't that much of a stretch.

In the reg season yes..it’s a stretch that Jimmy won’t post 30 again
But it’s the playoffs....so not as much ..you gotta have a little blind faith that Butler has seen his best game in this series.

Which is a segue to:

Its tough to be an optimist in this city... The normal course of action is to tuck the tail between the legs and scream “I am just being realistic” at the first sign of adversity.

This Ebola like “realist trait” is firmly ingrained in a lot of the sports commentariat in this city......Bruce Arthur, Mike Grange, Eric Korean and Ryan Wolstat come to mind quickly. Especially Aurthur. Friends like that you don’t strive for. Arthur is the smarmy fuck’s gold standard.

The heart on the sleeve fan in me’s first inclination is to to take a sidearm and rid the gene pool of these whinny POS but that’s a little extreme.

Getting up on the soapbox but this edition of the Raptors are a good and likeable team comprised of stand up bust your ass to win type guys. They deserve our support.

Aurthur and the like can pound salt.

Rant complete..

[Nilanka]

Embiid still isn't 100%. Knee tendinitis doesn't heal.. its managed. Simmons still can't shoot. Butler isn't going to have another 30 point game. James Ennis and the Moose bless their hearts aren't going to post to many nights like they had last night at the Vault...... and the Raps can play a lot better..

The only thing I might challenge is the bold. Butler scoring 30 again isn't that much of a stretch.

[Demographic Shift]

Last year at this time... after the first two losses at home to the Cavs you could see that the Raps weren't going to come back. That it was over. This year... its a completely different mindset.

Yep they dropped one to the Hinkies.. but in no way shape or form is there cause for panic or disillusionment that its all over but the excuses when they lost that first one to the Cavs. Nope.. No one is reaching for the hemlock.

It was a pretty lousy night on offense.. but from time to time when you play the best teams left standing that happens. The other guys are talented and are playing to win too and they step up and make life miserable for our hometown heroes. The matchups didn't work out as well as they had in the previous 5 games that they won easily. But what really gives you that "don't worry.. be happy" feeling is that the Raps defense was still stiffling thoughout that game. That defense gave them an opptortunity even with a pretty bad night on offense to get a clean look for a 3 point shooter who you would be happy to have take that shot. It missed.
Shit.

But its nothing like that feeling after game 1 against Cleveland when they came up short after blowing that big lead.

Embiid still isn't 100%. Knee tendinitis doesn't heal.. its managed. Simmons still can't shoot. Butler isn't going to have another 30 point game. James Ennis and the Moose bless their hearts aren't going to post to many nights like they had last night at the Vault...... and the Raps can play a lot better.

Cautious optimism still reigns supreme as round 2 unfolds...