AROUND the NBA:

[HoosierDaddyKid]

https://x.com/hoopshype/status/1920021344709750936

Home court advantage?

[HoosierDaddyKid]

https://bsky.app/profile/montepoole.bsky...kkxo7rac2w


Steph questionable for game 2 with a strained hammy

[HoosierDaddyKid]

https://bsky.app/profile/montepoole.bsky...kkxo7rac2w


First time in playoff history, all 4 lower seeded road teams won game 1 in
the semi's.

[omahen]

Cleveland is down 0-2 after a unreal 20 pt comeback by the Pacers who won on a Haliburton 3 late, 120-119 inspite of Donovan Mitchell's 48 pts... Hell of a game. Cleveland is in trouble with Mobley, Hunter, and Garland out. They don't play until Friday, they need them back. Who said Haliburton is overrated?

Celveland made a bunch of bad mistakes in last minute. Up 7 with 48 seconds to go:
- Nesmith offensive rebound and putback dunk on missed Siakam free throw. Btw -this putback was imho a clear lane violation by Nesmith - was way inside 3pt arc before Siakam launched his shot. He was basically next to Siakam on the FT line as third Indy guy. I am surprised refs didn't see that in the review Cleveland called for basket interference
- Mithcell offesive foul turnover just 2 seconds later 
- Strus bad pass turnover 28s to go and 3 points up
- allowed another offensive rebound to a guard after missed FT

Still, great win by Indy and Cleveland in a bunch of troubles.

[Chicagojk]

Celveland made a bunch of bad mistakes in last minute. Up 7 with 48 seconds to go:
- Nesmith offensive rebound and putback dunk on missed Siakam free throw. Btw -this putback was imho a clear lane violation by Nesmith - was way inside 3pt arc before Siakam launched his shot. He was basically next to Siakam on the FT line as third Indy guy. I am surprised refs didn't see that in the review Cleveland called for basket interference
- Mithcell offesive foul turnover just 2 seconds later 
- Strus bad pass turnover 28s to go and 3 points up
- allowed another offensive rebound to a guard after missed FT

Still, great win by Indy and Cleveland in a bunch of troubles.

Great games last night.  Indy has a way of doing that.  Although Cleveland definately contributed in that.  It spoiled a potentially nice short handed win that would have put Cleveland in good position moving forward.  Now they are in panic move.  They better hope their players are healthy and road teams continue their streak.

Disappointing Steph got hurt.  Hopefullly not serious.  Although a bad hamstring is not ideal for a player who likes to run around all game.  

I get Draymknd can be too much a lot of times but don’t let that hide how much of a basketball genius that guy is.  Eliminate all the other stuff and he is just a joy to watch. Buddy is on a heater too.  I would say they aren’t missing Klay at all.

[KillerLeft]

IMO no way and not even close. (At least not now.)

As I noted in a diff thread, titles matter more than almost anything, especially in the subjective NBA pantheon rankings, and Jokic only has one, and no other NBA Finals appearances. Based on that, I believe he's actually gotten more MVP wins than a player with that results record actually deserves -- the name of the game is winning. Until (unless) he wins more titles, I think his ceiling will be limited.

Of course, he likely has quite a few more years to change the numbers of Finals appearances.

PS- I don't think I'm alone in that sort of mindset, that sees titles as an indicator of relative greatness and linked to MVPs and a player's standing in the NBA pantheon.

I agree that only one title, so far, is where his case gets shaky in terms of all-time great. 

I don't agree that it should have or should be preventing him from winning MVP's in seasons during which he's clearly the best player in the sport. They gave one he deserved to Embiid, which is a complete joke because nobody is more empty stats/hype than that loser. I think SGA is worthy, but he hasn't won anything yet. If Jokic was getting MVP awards over prime Curry or LeBron, I'd agree he had already won too many, but imho it's pretty tough to find someone who compares in recent years.

[Knutsen]

https://bsky.app/profile/montepoole.bsky...kkxo7rac2w


Steph questionable for game 2 with a strained hammy

Now downgraded to being out according to Shams.
At least the Warriors have won game one and are in the business even if they lose the next two. 

Feeling worse for the Cavs, who played a fantastic season only to get derailed in the playoffs injury-wise - after it happened last year as well with Allen being out.

[F Gump]

I agree that only one title, so far, is where his case gets shaky in terms of all-time great. 

I don't agree that it should have or should be preventing him from winning MVP's in seasons during which he's clearly the best player in the sport. They gave one he deserved to Embiid, which is a complete joke because nobody is more empty stats/hype than that loser. I think SGA is worthy, but he hasn't won anything yet. If Jokic was getting MVP awards over prime Curry or LeBron, I'd agree he had already won too many, but imho it's pretty tough to find someone who compares in recent years.

 
Your points are what a lot are saying, but listen to the players themselves. Winning matters most, not stats - they get it.

Some things tend to get overlooked:
1 It's not "who is the best player" but rather "who is the most valuable" -- and value should mean what you do led your team to the best record, or very close to it, as well as titles. One example is Bill Russell, whose stats were never as good as Wilt's, yet BR was the one getting repeated MVP's.
2 "SGA hasn't won a title" is a strawman. I never said anything about a title being a limiter for a 1st MVP. You're talking about a player being given 4!! You can win 1 MVP without a title yet, maybe even 2. But I believe once you get up in the 3-or-more category, you'd better have more titles. Jokic does not, and to me he's capped out on MVP's until his stats bring AT LEAST more trips to the NBA Finals. I'm looking for someone else every year from here on out, no matter how many numbers Jokic piles up on a meh team.
3 As for who else should get MVP's, there are teams in the Finals every year. There are teams with great W/L records in some of those years. And they will have a great player driving them - that's the guy, not the stat monster on a middling-seed playoff team. In fact, when you say "there's no one else to consider," that's circular nonsense, especially when you try to say SGA is not the right MVP, you're minimizing the value of winning and prioritizing mere numbers.
4 One other MAJOR point - in order to win big, players have to sacrifice stats, in favor of team. And if that results in big wins, they may sit out lots of minutes (rather than piling up more stats). That's a fact. Players get it - the job is done when the win is secured, and the sooner the better, NOT when the stats get piled up.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

https://bsky.app/profile/montepoole.bsky...kkxo7rac2w


First time in playoff history, all 4 lower seeded road teams won game 1 in the semifinals.

[SwisherPrice]

This Knicks team is built to beat the Celtics! Bridges and OG were brought there to do exactly what they're doing to Tatum and Brown

[HoosierDaddyKid]

This Knicks team is built to beat the Celtics! Bridges and OG were brought there to do exactly what they're doing to Tatum and Brown

Boston is too reliant on those 3's and they're not falling. OG and Bridges are defending well, but Boston is missing 3's they normally make. Never thought the 2 best teams in the East would be down 0-2.

[KillerLeft]

This Knicks team is built to beat the Celtics! Bridges and OG were brought there to do exactly what they're doing to Tatum and Brown

Also, and this is painful to say, the Knicks have the best offensive player in the series, which everyone but Nico Harrison knows matters quite a bit.

[Jym]

Also, and this is painful to say, the Knicks have the best offensive player in the series, which everyone but Nico Harrison knows matters quite a bit.

shame we don't live in the timeline where we keep Brunson and move Luka for the biggest trade package in history

[F Gump]

I didn't think DEN would make it out of the 1st round, and when they did, I thought they'd get swept in round 2. Have I learned my lesson? Nope - now I'm betting OKC wins big in g 2.

Like that.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Like that.

They did. Denver got mollywhopped, 149-106.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

https://bsky.app/profile/fredkatz.bsky.s...mrkofa7c2u


2nd consecutive game, Boston only made a quarter of their
3pt attempts.

[Chicagojk]

I still feel like Boston and maybe Cleveland comes back and wins their series, but we will see.

It is crazy how unbeatable Boston looked last year. Even without KP. With him, he made them almost unstoppable. Now this year, KP has been a ghost and they seem just a bit off. Even though they have the same players. Horford is old bu his play has been fine this year. Just weird.

Sometimes it is how the ball bounces. Denver gets a pretty easy road to the finals and beats an overmatched, overachieving Heat squad. Dallas get a pretty tough draw and then winds up against one of the better teams over the past 10 years in Boston. Now OKC is looking at a potentially similar path as Denver had if they take care of business.

[FireNicoHarrison]

No teams seems too good... And the last year finalist is out of PO. Depressing.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

I still feel like Boston and maybe Cleveland comes back and wins their series, but we will see.

It is crazy how unbeatable Boston looked last year.  Even without KP.  With him, he made them almost unstoppable.  Now this year, KP has been a ghost and they seem just a bit off.  Even though they have the same players.  Horford is old bu his play has been fine this year.  Just weird.

Sometimes it is how the ball bounces.  Denver gets a pretty easy road to the finals and beats an overmatched, overachieving Heat squad.  Dallas get a pretty tough draw and then winds up against one of the better teams over the past 10 years in Boston.  Now OKC is looking at a potentially similar path as Denver had if they take care of business.

KP is suffering from some internal illness they aren't revealing. It's why he came off the bench, and his minutes are restricted. If Boston goes on a heater from 3, they can easily get back in it. I've never seen them in a slump of this magnitude, 3 games in a row. Cleveland's injuries, on the other hand, will dictate if they get back in the series. However, the way Indiana plays with pace suggests they are a tough matchup for Cleveland, even with their size. Carlisle has done a great job building this roster. Mitchell can't carry the freight by himself, as he showed in the last game.

[SwisherPrice]

Denver too much talent, too much experience. OKC is going to regret not making some moves at the deadline