NBA Playoffs Thread

[WilyWestbrook0]

Jokic is easily the most underrated player in the NBA

Yeah I think he and Jimmy Butler are probably #1 and #2 right now. They've really shown their worth this playoffs, taking down the likes of Kawhi and Giannis.

Jokic reminds me of Arvydas Sabonis. I always heard Sabonis was one of the greatest players of all-time in his prime in the 1980s when he played in Lithuania. He was still very good even well past his prime when he joined the NBA and played for Portland in the 1990s. Gifted big men with extraordinary passing skills and court vision. I think more and more centers will (or should) pattern their game after Jokic. In these days of pace and space, having good passing skills as a center is more important than ever.

[pwaldo]

Jokic reminds me of Arvydas Sabonis. I always heard Sabonis was one of the greatest players of all-time in his prime in the 1980s when he played in Lithuania. He was still very good even well past his prime when he joined the NBA and played for Portland in the 1990s. Gifted big men with extraordinary passing skills and court vision. I think more and more centers will (or should) pattern their game after Jokic. In these days of pace and space, having good passing skills as a center is more important than ever.

He's probably one of the most interesting what ifs in basketball history.

He really wasn't allowed to come over to play in the NBA until his legs were shot and he was like a 30 year old rookie in the 90s. Yet he was still one of the better big men in the game and held his own even though he was basically out of place. Plus if he would have came over in his prime he would have been on that Blazers team that went to the Finals and they would have likely beaten Jordan and the Bulls and who knows what would happen after that. They could have been a dynasty and severely hurt Jordan's legacy like MJ did to some many other HOFs of the time.

If you listen to what the scouts and players of the time said of him before he came to the NBA they all praise him and basically say he would have been a All Star force if he came over in the late 80s when he was college aged. There were a lot of great foreign big men in that era (Olajuwon probably the best) but he could have been right behind Hakeem or better than him from what I've seen. But we will never know.

[WilyWestbrook0]

Celtics-Heat game 6 has been very back and forth.

[R1zzo23]

Celtics make me sick.


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[WilyWestbrook0]

Celtics make me sick.


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They had no answer for Bam, and frankly no leadership -- Tatum isn't ready yet, and Kemba never took over. At least they don't have the behavioral headaches of Kyrie anymore, but they still don't really have That Guy, IMO.

I'm also very impressed with Miami. I thought they were a little too young (other than Butler and Dragic) to make noise in the East. But here they took out both Milwaukee AND Boston, teams who are more talented looking on paper. Bam and Herro looked like vets out there. I know they are a very disciplined team and still have that Heat Culture that Riley cultivated years ago. You can see it in the execution they have out there on the floor -- it's like their guys all have ESP with one another.

Still don't think they have what it takes to deal with LeBron and AD, but regardless of what happens in the Finals, they've earned my respect as a team I clearly need to watch more often.

[pwaldo]

They had no answer for Bam, and frankly no leadership -- Tatum isn't ready yet, and Kemba never took over. At least they don't have the behavioral headaches of Kyrie anymore, but they still don't really have That Guy, IMO.

I'm also very impressed with Miami. I thought they were a little too young (other than Butler and Dragic) to make noise in the East. But here they took out both Milwaukee AND Boston, teams who are more talented looking on paper. Bam and Herro looked like vets out there. I know they are a very disciplined team and still have that Heat Culture that Riley cultivated years ago. You can see it in the execution they have out there on the floor -- it's like their guys all have ESP with one another.

Still don't think they have what it takes to deal with LeBron and AD, but regardless of what happens in the Finals, they've earned my respect as a team I clearly need to watch more often.

Never really understood the hype for the Celtics. I always thought it was too much people who had invested in Tatum were hoping he would put them in the Finals and go crazy so they could cash in. Heyward got hurt and never really fit in with the Celtics and besides Tatum who at this point I think is a little overrated they don't have much. Certainly not enough that you can just have 1 or 2 guys to just carry a team. You are correct on the Heat thing. They just look like a well established team whereas the Celtics look like a mess (and they shouldn't because they do have talent).

[R1zzo23]

Based on talent alone the Celtics were better then the Heat. I think even a Miami fan would agree with that. But unfortunately the Celtics didn’t play well together, aren’t mentally tough and Stevens is too loose with good system and let’s them free run their own stuff to the point the team has no direction at Times.


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[pwaldo]

I'm not a fan of either team but I think the talent on the Celtics is overrated while it is underrated for the Heat. Don't know which one is better but I think it is a lot closer than a lot of modern basketball fans think

[WilyWestbrook0]

Heat were up double digits early in game 1 tonight, but then Anthony Davis started dominating the little guys, and the Lakers' supporting cast also caught fire from 3 point land. Lakers now up double digits at the half. If the Lakers' supporting cast (beyond LeBron and AD) consistently plays well, then the Heat have absolutely no chance whatsoever.

[WilyWestbrook0]

Halfway through the 4th...I stopped watching awhile ago, but checked the box score, and there's this:

Tyler Herro 3-12 fg with a plus/minus ratio of -39

Welcome to the NBA Finals, kid...ouch!