NBA: 2014-2015 Season

[Brett]

With the Thunder out of the playoffs, I am pulling for the Spurs or Hawks. Both play such beautiful basketball on offense. Outside of that, I am looking forward to playoff basketball. It is going to be awesome.

 

[a6m5]

Slow day at work, we started doing the Playoff brackets. Mildly interesting match ups were Dallas-Houston, Washington-Toronto, I think one more, but I forget. I picked Dallas & Washington, if for favoritism. Other series were pretty obvious. One super hard one was Golden State-San Antonio. I of course picked San Antonio, but no outcome would surprise me in that series.

They could have won if everyone had wanted it as much as CJ Miles wanted it. Dude carried that team through 3.5 quarters.

I had to google CJ Miles. Not what I expected.

 

[JohnBM01]

Here are all of the playoff matches:


--- WEST ---
* #1 GS vs. #8 NO
* #4 POR vs. #5 MEM
* #3 LAC vs. #6 SA
* #2 HOU vs. #7 DAL

--- EAST ---
* #1 ATL vs. #8 BKN
* #4 TOR vs. #5 WSH
* #3 CHI vs. #6 MIL
* #2 CLE vs. #7 BOS

NBA TV had its own previews and thoughts. I saw "The Starters" earlier today with their thoughts on who'll take the 1st Round series. The ESPN shows mostly say the best 1st Round match will be the Los Angeles Clippers vs. the San Antonio Spurs. Preseason games and 82 games have all come down to 16 of the NBA's 30 teams playing for the O'Brien Trophy and a chance at becoming not (not "world") champions.


Here is one thing I thought about. Remember a plan to have teams battle for the 8th Seed in a tournament format? If that materialized, this would be your tournament for the 8th Seed. The "top" seed would be the ones in 8th in the conference, and each game would be a one-game tournament with single elimination:

--- What If... 8th Seed Tournament? - Western ---
* #8 NO vs. #15 MIN
* #11 UTA vs. #12 DEN
* #10 PHX vs. #13 SAC
* #9 OKC vs. #14 LAL

--- What If... 8th Seed Tournament? - Eastern ---
* #8 BKN vs. #15 NY
* #11 CHA vs. #12 DET
* #10 MIA vs. #13 ORL
* #9 IND vs. #14 PHI

In theory, the team with the worst record in each conference COULD win this makeshift tournament and play against the top seed in the respective division. So it is possible (for example) the New York Knicks could win the 8th Seed by virtue of winning this tournament to take on Atlanta rather than the Brooklyn Nets taking on Atlanta. Also in theory, if this worked, New York would have as equal a chance to go all the way to the NBA Finals and even win it. You could be the sorriest team and by virtue of this 8th Seed tournament, have one last chance to be great even if you stunk all regular season long!


Just some thoughts. Congratulations to all Playoff teams, and good luck to all of these teams once the Playoffs start.

 

[McLaren]

I had to google CJ Miles. Not what I expected.

I'm guessing you ran into the other CJ Miles.

 

[Stavingo]

Wow, my Pels got that 8th seed, not expecting much from it
Though but I hope AD and the boys put up a good fight.

 

[Spacegoat]

not expecting much from it

Indeed. Keeping my hopes nice and low for this one.

More than happy that they made it in though. 👍

 

[Stavingo]

Indeed. Keeping my hopes nice and low for this one.

More than happy that they made it in though. 👍

Just wanna see playoff mode AD in action

That boy gonna be going crazy

 

[McLaren]

Wow, my Pels got that 8th seed, not expecting much from it
Though but I hope AD and the boys put up a good fight.

Davis is a great matchup against the Warriors; 14 for 19 & 15 rebounds one game, 8 for 11 in the other. He didn't play in the other 2 games, so he is 1-1 against Golden State. Holiday & Evans have to step up to help him, though.

 

[Stavingo]

Davis is a great matchup against the Warriors; 14 for 19 & 15 rebounds one game, 8 for 11 in the other. He didn't play in the other 2 games, so he is 1-1 against Golden State. Holiday & Evans have to step up to help him, though.

Yeah, Evans and Holiday just need to give AD the rock

 

[McLaren]

I think they already do enough as is. Anymore & GS will double team him. Then again, if that's what it takes to get them open and make their shots....

 

[JohnBM01]

Thanks to a power outage and a lack of Internet access here in the Houston/Galveston area, I was unable to try and hype up the NBA Playoffs. Now that I'm here, let's do this!


*cue Flo Rida*

"It's goin' down for real!" Welcome to the NBA Playoffs! Sixteen teams have proven themselves to be the finest teams. However, only one can be the best. Only one team will have a chance to win the O'Brien Trophy- the ultimate symbol of greatness in the NBA. The first step in determining who is the best is in the first round.


I would love to gloat, but I know that this series could very well go downhill for my boys. The first round of the HOU/DAL series was played here in Houston, and won by... Houston. It was 118-108 for the Rockets. Bursts of offense by the Rockets was key in the Rockets pulling this one out over the Dallas Mavericks. Dwight Howard even asserted himself in this game, especially early on. DH12 was slamming down the rock and even making some wicked blocks. I even found enjoyment in seeing ex-Maverick Jason Terry (who I freaking hated against my Rockets because he'd kill us from 3-point range) help Houston's cause by killing the Mavs back with his three-point play . People predict this one will go the seven game distance.


Game 2 is this coming Tuesday night here in Houston. Congratulations to all other winners from today/tonight.

 

[McLaren]

Harden for MVP is the biggest joke I've ever heard now. Only 4 of his 24 points came from the field. Corey Brewer bailed him out in the 4th with those 12 points.

His fouls were so bad, even the commentators repeatedly said all you have to do is breath on him. In fact, if he so much as touches you, he still gets fouled; guy ran & shouldered into the back of Dirk and somehow comes up with a defensive foul? Is that how the game plays now? Ok, I'll just wait for this again when he tries that with the wrong player.

 

[Paulie]

Game 1 between the Raps and Wiz was the ugliest and worst playoff game I've ever seen, despite it going to overtime! Toronto deserved to lose the way they played, though the refs helped make sure of it. So glad I watched it first and Golden State 2nd which was a much better game. Bogut put in decent work with 12pts, 14reb, 5ast, 2stl and 2blk.
The Brow opened his playoff career with 35pts and a huge comeback that ultimately fell short.

 

[a6m5]

35 points on the debut? 👍

As long as the officiating stay as inconsistent as they are, NBA will stay the second rate professional sports league in my eyes. Certain fouls applies just to certain players, certain part of the game, benefit of doubt, "don't want to decide the game"(you just did), every time these B.S. are pulled, they are displaying a bias & damaging the integrity of the game. NBA may not be professional wrestling, but certainly can show that flavor.

If the flop beard free throw situation in Game 1 was the league awarding him for flopping, Houston could probably win the Championship at that rate. You can't give touch fouls to this highly marketed superstar from this big market team, but not for that rookie, or bench player from another team. How many times have you seen some no name player get roughed up bad, repeatedly, and maybe see one trip to the line in the whole game?

I'm really hoping it' was a fluke. Come on Adam Silver. So many of us have left because of David Stern, the marketing genius & the destroyer of competitive basketball. I still have hopes of becoming a NBA fan again, as basketball will always be my favorite sport. I've liked the tweaking of officiating I've seen from the new NBA, but I'd like to see them come down hard on flopping, except on Manu Ginobili.

P.S.

 

[Stavingo]

35 points on the debut? 👍

​

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Yup, but he had 5 TOs, something to work on I suppose.

Anyone see the article about Green being a test for Davis, man that place makes some funny articles

Shame Tyreke had to leave the game with a knee problem, sure would've helped the cause to a comeback

 

[McLaren]

35 points on the debut? 👍

As long as the officiating stay as inconsistent as they are, NBA will stay the second rate professional sports league in my eyes. Certain fouls applies just to certain players, certain part of the game, benefit of doubt, "don't want to decide the game"(you just did), every time these B.S. are pulled, they are displaying a bias & damaging the integrity of the game. NBA may not be professional wrestling, but certainly can show that flavor.

If the flop beard free throw situation in Game 1 was the league awarding him for flopping, Houston could probably win the Championship at that rate. You can't give touch fouls to this highly marketed superstar from this big market team, but not for that rookie, or bench player from another team. How many times have you seen some no name player get roughed up bad, repeatedly, and maybe see one trip to the line in the whole game?

I'm really hoping it' was a fluke. Come on Adam Silver. So many of us have left because of David Stern, the marketing genius & the destroyer of competitive basketball. I still have hopes of becoming a NBA fan again, as basketball will always be my favorite sport. I've liked the tweaking of officiating I've seen from the new NBA, but I'd like to see them come down hard on flopping, except on Manu Ginobili.​

​

Remember when Jefferson's dunk was taken away as offensive foul because he grabbed the other player's arm to stop his block? Happened again tonight.

Griffin always gets away with this call because his dunks are good for ratings. No name players aren't allowed this.

 

[Paulie]

Yep, I've never seen a poster dunk from Griffin that wasn't an offensive foul gone uncalled. Like you said, it's good for ratings, which is good for money.

 

[Stavingo]

Yep, I've never seen a poster dunk from Griffin that wasn't an offensive foul gone uncalled. Like you said, it's good for ratings, which is good for money.

That game against Pau Gasol when he was on the Lakers, fouls eerwhere

 

[Omnis]

Remember when Jefferson's dunk was taken away as offensive foul because he grabbed the other player's arm to stop his block? Happened again tonight.

Griffin always gets away with this call because his dunks are good for ratings. No name players aren't allowed this.

Yeah, it's bull. All because he jumped over a crappy Kia. His and Deandre's dunks are often not even dunks. They just throw it in the hoop like a baseball.

 

[a6m5]

Yup, but he had 5 TOs, something to work on I suppose.

Way my team played, we'd happily take 35 points with 5 T.O.s.

Remember when Jefferson's dunk was taken away as offensive foul because he grabbed the other player's arm to stop his block? Happened again tonight.

Wow. By the photo, I guess he got caught red handed..... except the officials just wink at him & slap him on the butt("good game"). Unlike my team, San Antonio can bounce back. GO SPURS!!!!

Yeah, it's bull. All because he jumped over a crappy Kia. His and Deandre's dunks are often not even dunks. They just throw it in the hoop like a baseball.

Let's be fair, Griffin is white-ish.

All my friends are white, was that still racist?

 

[Brett]

Let's be fair, Griffin is white-ish.

All my friends are white, was that still racist?

Griffin is half white. His dad is a pretty big black guy and his mom is on the paler side of white.

Source: His mom and dad made it to pretty much every Oklahoma home game and I attended all of them.

 

[a6m5]

Griffin is half white. His dad is a pretty big black guy and his mom is on the paler side of white.

Source: His mom and dad made it to pretty much every Oklahoma home game and I attended all of them.

I thought he was maybe Puerto Rican or something like that, I wish I was kidding.

 

[JohnBM01]

Did any of you see the insanity from the Bucks at Bulls game last night? Crazy. sumbrownkid's Bulls still won last night's game 91-82 in Chicago. CHI is up 2-0 in their series against the MIL Bucks.

Only two things can be assured with the Game 2's coming up... one leading team will be 2-0 on the series, or the series could be tied 1-1. In fact, some people say that Game 2 of series can really make a huge impact on series, because you don't want your team down 2-0 heading into Game 3.


Enjoy some NBA basketball, and good luck to all of your teams.

 

[JohnBM01]

Game 2 of the HOU/DAL series goes to Houston with a 111-99 victory. This game, as it is sure to be, was hellishly physical. The series is now 2-0 for Houston. This is the first 2-0 series lead for the Houston Rockets in any 1st Round series since the 2007 series against the Utah Jazz. J.J. Watt of the Houston Texans was at Toyota Center and got in on the fun as the Rockets celebrated their victory. Well... Houston had its say over Dallas. This Friday and this Sunday, Dallas will have theirs. We were loud with Dallas in town, and I'm sure Mavericks fans up in Dallas will want to bury us in Mavericks blue. Game 3 of this series is this Friday in Dallas!


Congratulations to the other playoff game winners from Tuesday.

 

[a6m5]

Damn it. Go Mavs.

 

[Paulie]

None of you guys are allowed to moan about your teams when mine lost both their games at home, getting embarassed on both ends of the court. I think it might be time for a new head coach, one who can devise a solid defensive system which Valanciunas can also operate in.

 

[JohnBM01]

THIS JUST IN...

I read on ESPN's Bottom Line that Scott Brooks just got fired. Yep. Oklahoma City coach Scott Brooks got canned. I been hearing on "Around the Horn" and "Pardon the Interruption" about University of Connecticut men's basketball coach Kevin Ollie to be his replacement. Coach Brooks spent seven seasons as Thunder coach. Hope for the best moving forward for both Scott Brooks and the Oklahoma City Thunder.

 

[McLaren]

Damn it. Go Mavs.

Rondo's been benched & will be let go at the end of the season. We'll see how Barea, Harris, & Felton carry the team.

The 0-2 series underdogs have actually outscored Houston in their playoff minutes without Rondo, as tends to happen when operating without a player whose performance sometimes seems to border on active sabotage. It's one thing to overstep and make mistakes. It's another for a cerebral player to commit so many senseless blunders and fold on so many half-possessions that he all but demanded to be benched. Rondo seemed as done with the Mavericks in Game 2 as they were with him, and through the guise of a back injury all parties involved have now opted out.

 

[Omnis]

Dirk is too old to play defense and the Mavs can't outscore Houston. Series over. I can't believe what a mental midget Rajon Rondo is. That guy is pathetic. I wouldn't be surprised if the Mavs actually went after Goran Dragic. They need a smart, mature point guard in the worst possible way. While I'm not sure that Goran can effectively orchestrate a half-court offense, I'm at a loss for who else might be available that can.

Rondo, however, is done. He's proven himself a team cancer and his career is going to be over faster than Allen Iverson's.

That said, I can't believe they canned Scott Brooks. They missed the playoffs by one game despite playing half the season with a YMCA-sized roster. And the team looked great once they got rid of Kendrick Perkins.

 

[sumbrownkid]

None of you guys are allowed to moan about your teams when mine lost both their games at home, getting embarassed on both ends of the court. I think it might be time for a new head coach, one who can devise a solid defensive system which Valanciunas can also operate in.

Your team sucks at offensive rebounding. No amount of coaching can fix what the roster lacks in: size in the paint. They just need to tweak it. Right now their only solution is to either clog as many people in the paint (but that prevents potential fast-breaks) or speed up the game and not let Washington's interior defense get set.

But there is one thing coaching can fix: The "It" factor Pierce talked about. Thibs, for all his criticism of minutes management (which I think is overblown), definitely makes his players fight for it.

And this D-Rose guy starting to look a lil' scary guys. Jimmy Butler also showing he is the real deal, not just a regular season warrior.