Official ‘18 Playoffs Thread

[big_j_NY]

[youtube]21OBrDQHhMU[/youtube]

[thewatcher]

Glad that fiasco is over, a sweep in the finals? On another note, jeez, CPS is a greedy mofo!! those state-farm insurance commercials must net a bloody fortune !! but I see CP3 coming to his senses if it means Bron joining him. they need Cappella too; how much money can a person spend??
Bring on the draft!!!

[taowave]

Brons supporting cast is worse than the Knicks and it's not getting better. Cleveland would have to take Trae or Sexton..

The Kryie trade turned out to be an abomination..8th pick,and guys who don't play..

Gilbert is an idiot who should have never fired Griffin..

Glad that fiasco is over, a sweep in the finals? On another note, jeez, CPS is a greedy mofo!! those state-farm insurance commercials must net a bloody fortune !! but I see CP3 coming to his senses if it means Bron joining him. they need Cappella too; how much money can a person spend??
Bring on the draft!!!

[spree#8]

I got the sweep I wished for. Congrats to the Warriors!

[Mike1989]

Glad that fiasco is over, a sweep in the finals? On another note, jeez, CPS is a greedy mofo!! those state-farm insurance commercials must net a bloody fortune !! but I see CP3 coming to his senses if it means Bron joining him. they need Cappella too; how much money can a person spend??
Bring on the draft!!!

Think of it this way. If Chris Paul hadn't pulled his hamstring he would have been available for the last two games in the series. Do the Warriors win both games if CP3 is healthy? I don't think so. So perhaps CP3 thinks they can topple the Warriors if they bring everyone back and make the odd addition here and there with cheap veterans?

Also, the guy is likely on his last extension. He will see himself as a max level guy and he might value a big pay day over a cut in earnings to get LeBron. Now If guaranteed a ring maybe he'd do it if he could boost his earnings off court, however if they don't win he's took a cut for nothing. So perhaps his attitude is let someone else take a pay, or let their GM get creative to fit him, Harden and LeBron on the same team?

I don't blame CP3 for wanting to maximize his earnings because at least that's a guarantee whereas taking a cut for someone else offers no guarantee of that elusive ring.

[shakespeare]

After all Houston did to acquire Chris Paul, I’d imagaine they’re gonna end up paying him a King’s Ransom or risk losing him for nothing https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.sbnati ... ree-agency

[shakespeare]

Report: Gregg Popovich wants to sit down with LeBron James, pitch Spurs https://nba.nbcsports.com/2018/06/10/re ... tch-spurs/

Due to the salary cap, LeBron to San Antonio is probably the longest of the long shots. But he’d finally play for a HOF coach, not to mention play alongside the two-way Kawhi Leonard or MVP caliber player in his prime.

[Mike1989]

Report: Gregg Popovich wants to sit down with LeBron James, pitch Spurs https://nba.nbcsports.com/2018/06/10/re ... tch-spurs/

Due to the salary cap, LeBron to San Antonio is probably the longest of the long shots. But he’d finally play for a HOF coach, not to mention play alongside the two-way Kawhi Leonard or MVP caliber player in his prime.

Kawhi-LeBron-Aldridge would be a formidable trio of star talent to build their team around.

In order to make it happen they'd need to renounce Parker's rights to clear his cap, not extend Kyle Anderson a qualifying offer, hope Green and Gay opt out, and find a taker for Gasol's contract. They could trade Patty Mills if Green and Gay opt in, or they really want to keep Anderson.

It's going to be tough for them but if LeBron is heading west they'd be the team I'd want to go to.

[dcapodic]

Just curious....Lebron has a great first game and almost gets them off to a good start then things fall apart. He punches a blackboard, breaks his hand and plays well (would be very good by most standards but by his own I put it as "well") and there is virtually no mention of it? I don't see any on these boards and very little in the press. When it is mentioned, it is like a small afterthought or, Wow look how well he played even with a broken hand?

If you want to know the power of Lebron and his marketing team just think about this all for a moment. I get it that many think that GSW is this unbeatable team. Why, I am not sure. If not for a pulled hammy to CP3 maybe the Cavs are playing Houston. Add to it, that Lebron cut through them like a hot knife through butter the first game then things changed and GSW rolled.

For all of you that think that somehow Lebron gets bad or negative press....what other player could do this and kill the one potential chance that his team had to win and come out with it barely being mentioned.

Just curious.

[big_j_NY]

The only reason no one in this thread mentioned the "broken hand" is because it is a media-driven argument to blame for the Cavs' loss to the Warriors.

Kobe Bryant won 2 NBA Titles with 2 broken fingers, yet ESPN wants to blame the Cavs' loss to the Warriors on Lebron's broken hand?

Of course no rational basketball fan will mention that in this thread because ESPN's coverage over "the LeHand" is EXCUSES.........it is just ESPN trying to give Lebron a pass for how terrible the Cavaliers team was in the entire series.

No excuses, and I respect Lebron for not even "explicitly" mentioning the broken hand throughout his entire run in these NBA Finals.

It wasn't until Brian Windhorst's "Lebron homerism" couldn't wait to spit out those news once he found out because Windhorst refuses to believe that Lebron is a mortal human being like everyone else.

It is exactly the argument you are making Dcap, pure "media sensational driven" at it finest

[shakespeare]

Mike. Aldridge would need to be traded in order for LeBron to come aboard. So it’ll be more like Kawhi, LeBron and the defensive stud point guard Murray and of course Popovich. It’s a long shot, the longest of long shots, but like yourself, I agree it’s the destination that makes the most sense.

[shakespeare]

Murray, 21 years old and recently named Second Team All-NBA Defense, is what every Knick fan either hopes or believes Ntilikina to be https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.poundi ... -westbrook

[StevoStarks]

Murray, 21 years old and recently named Second Team All-NBA Defense, is what every Knick fan either hopes or believes Ntilikina to be https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.poundi ... -westbrook

And one could argue Frank is already a better defender than Murray.

[shakespeare]

All praises due to the Chief Big Triangle for drafting Ntili, if he pans out. I can’t really judge his defense cause most of his minutes were against bench players. I’ll give him 2 more years and then see where he stands, offensively and defensively.


I’m rooting his defense and hoping New York signs/drafts more defenders. Based on the numbers in this linked article, Lord knows we need it.

The Knicks have been bad in diverse and exotic ways, but one of the most reliable throughlines has been their team defense. They have steadily thrown money at soft-brained, soft-bodied, offensively oriented, pre-washed quasi-stars who forgot that there was an entire other side of the game to be played. As a result, over the past decade, they have consistently trotted out defenses that looked rotted through and ransacked by carpenter bees. Here’s a rundown of where New York has ranked among all NBA teams at the conclusion of each season, as measured by defensive rating:

2018: 22
2017:26
2016: 18
2015: 28
2014: 24
2013: 17
2012: 5 (sure helps to have Tyson Chandler around)
2011: 21
2010: 26
2009: 23
2008: 29


https://www.google.com/amp/s/deadspin.c ... 085845/amp

[H20Knick]

Just curious....Lebron has a great first game and almost gets them off to a good start then things fall apart. He punches a blackboard, breaks his hand and plays well (would be very good by most standards but by his own I put it as "well") and there is virtually no mention of it? I don't see any on these boards and very little in the press. When it is mentioned, it is like a small afterthought or, Wow look how well he played even with a broken hand?

If you want to know the power of Lebron and his marketing team just think about this all for a moment. I get it that many think that GSW is this unbeatable team. Why, I am not sure. If not for a pulled hammy to CP3 maybe the Cavs are playing Houston. Add to it, that Lebron cut through them like a hot knife through butter the first game then things changed and GSW rolled.

For all of you that think that somehow Lebron gets bad or negative press....what other player could do this and kill the one potential chance that his team had to win and come out with it barely being mentioned.

Just curious.

i dont think anyone really believes his hand is broken. bruised maybe, sprained maybe, but when he said "my hand is pretty much broken" and then walks out in that little cast after playing in 3 straight games, it's kind of like "okay, sure man. moving on"

his offense was fine. he just looked tired for the rest of the series and he didn't want to guard anyone (he actually called for a switch off of durant at one point). if they lost because he was missing shots left and right, then it might've been more of a big deal, but his hand didn't cost them the title.

[shakespeare]

Lonzo Ball drops unnecessary dis track aimed at teammate Kyle Kuzma https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/lonz ... kuzma/amp/

Smh, this new generation is different.

[Koopa Troopa]

Lonzo Ball drops unnecessary dis track aimed at teammate Kyle Kuzma https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/lonz ... kuzma/amp/

Smh, this new generation is different.

Next time he hooks you up with an open jumper and you miss, you better check his soundcloud after the game.

[shakespeare]

I been thinking about LeBron saying he wanted to play “off the ball” next season. To me, it sounds like he’s gonna retire. Some say the Lakers cause “ball” means Lonzo Ball, yet I can’t see him wanting to play with some players who are years away from their prime.

Fooled me.