AROUND the NBA:

[Mavs2021]

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

Decent chance Mavs would have won the title, if they did nothing at the trade deadline. Only team that they match up horribly with is Boston, who might lose and then fall apart. Nico basically did a Cuban, just before the Mavs won the title.  

Ah plenty of proper teams to root for. Hope Brunson, Westbrook or Randle win a ring. Not looking bad at the moment.

[F Gump]

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

DEN has played well in 2 games, but "too much"? Nah. Yes they have squeaked out a couple wins, which means they can perhaps win a couple more, but maybe not. (That's why they play the games.)

The playoffs are a weird thing. Every game is a world unto itself, and "the next game" can change everything (or at least, our perceptions). Also, there is no such thing as momentum in a series, because a different result in the next game can change the whole landscape.

If OKC only wins 1 game in DEN - and they came razor close in g 3 - they have HC advantage again (which changes the whole narrative). But on the other hand, if DEN wins g3, now OKC has the (nearly) historically impossible task of overcoming a 3-1 hole.

The most important game? The next one.

All this holds true for BOS and CLE as well - win the next one, and everything changes. When the last loss (or losses) have been incredibly close, it doesn't take much change to flip the series the other way.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

I tend to think OKC is more like the team that beat Denver by 43 pts, than the one that lost the other night. I just think they're youth, depth and defensive moxie will win out in the end, and they forced the Joker to play two of the worst games of his career. That was a unforeseen development in my opinion.

[Chicagojk]

I would still pick OkC to outlast Denver. Although just like the Dallas series, Dallas was better late. Denver probably likes their chances if they can get it to a five minute game late.

I wish i was good with photoshop. If so, I would do that glasses thing of PJ and Gordon being the same person for OKC fans.

[Knutsen]

I tend to think OKC is more like the team that beat Denver by 43 pts, than the one that lost the other night. I just think they're youth, depth and defensive moxie will win out in the end, and they forced the Joker to play two of the worst games of his career. That was a unforeseen development in my opinion.

That’s the fascinating thing about game 4 - Jokic is a gamer and an all-time-great, it could very well be that he plays a fantastic game 4 and beats OKC by himself to almost decide the matchup.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

That’s the fascinating thing about game 4 - Jokic is a gamer and an all-time-great, it could very well be that he plays a fantastic game 4 and beats OKC by himself to almost decide the matchup.

He won't beat them by himself, although he'll try. He's going to need help from, Gordon, Murray, MPJ or someone else. When Joker puts up huge scoring numbers, they usually lose. Let him get his, and shut everyone else's water off.

[khaled1987]

Randle for KAT trade might be one of those that worked well for both sides.

[Chicagojk]

Gutty win by Minny. Golden state just doesn’t have enough. I may have said the same with Steph but certainly without him. Golden state will go down fighting. Kuminga finally was productive but it really seems like missing on the Wiseman and a little on Kuminga and Moody picks stick out in a game like this. In a perfect world, those are real solid younger players filling in the gaps between the stars.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Randle for KAT trade might be one of those that worked well for both sides.

Agreed. Randle fits better than I expected. He's also an underrated playmaker and passer. KAT is a little too inconsistent for me. He'll have a great game only to dissappear the next one. His rebounding has greatly improved however.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Gutty win by Minny.  Golden state just doesn’t have enough.  I may have said the same with Steph but certainly without him.  Golden state will go down fighting.  Kuminga finally was productive but it really seems like missing on the Wiseman and a little on Kuminga and Moody picks stick out in a game like this.  In a perfect world, those are real solid younger players filling in the gaps between the stars.

Minnesota may become a problem if they reach the West Finals. They've gotten better since the end of the reg season. I know Denver doesn't want to see them.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

OKC looks rattled from the zone the Nuggets are playing. Denver has fought their way back in the game.

[Chicagojk]

Jokic hasn't been the best player in the NBA so far in this series. Credit OKC for some of that. Although he will need to be the best player in the NBA to win this series.

Ole Nico would be itching to trade Jokic if this continues. It is funny though, Jokic has the ring already. if he didn't it would probably be leading every telecast with his up and down play so far this series.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Cleveland getting blown out by the Pacers, 80-39 at halftime. Fun fact, Pacers are 41-6 since Jan 1st.

[Jym]

Rick doing Rick things

[SwisherPrice]

Yeah the Cavs are done...biggest shocker so far because they didn't have any signs of weakness before this series.

OKC finally showed some greatness. They are now in the same situation as last year tied 2-2. Let's see if they have learned anything. Denver looks like the fatigue of getting through a 7-game 1st round series is finally catching up to them

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Yeah the Cavs are done...biggest shocker so far because they didn't have any signs of weakness before this series.

OKC finally showed some greatness. They are now in the same situation as last year tied 2-2. Let's see if they have learned anything. Denver looks like the fatigue of getting through a 7-game 1st round series is finally catching up to them

Agreed, especially since Mitchell has an ankle or calf injury. MRI today. It was the same scenario for him last year against Boston. He sat, and the Cavs lost in 5 to Boston in the semis.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

Fun fact, Pacers are 41-6 since Jan 1st.

Wow, that’s nuts.

Always rooting for Carlisle.

[Chicagojk]

I was really surprised by that result last night. I did not know Mitchell may be hurt though. Still though, no excuse for getting that beatdown. Game 2 is going to haunt Clev. If they had won, that terrible lose hurts but they are still in decent position. That loss eliminated any bad breaks or in this case a no show.

Nico made a point to highlight the Clev bigs after the trade. It seems like they have not been playing much together in this series.

[Knutsen]

I was really surprised by that result last night.  I did not know Mitchell may be hurt though. Still though, no excuse for getting that beatdown.  Game 2 is going to haunt Clev.    If they had won, that terrible lose hurts but they are still in decent position.    That loss eliminated any bad breaks or in this case a no show.   

Nico made a point to highlight the Clev bigs after the trade.  It seems like they have not been playing much together in this series.

The Cavs lose the second season in a row mainly because of injuries at the worst possible time. They were missing three of their starters or top 6 players to start the series and now Mitchell is also injured, that’s just a lot of bad luck.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

^^ Yup, buzzard's luck. Best team in the East all year, and they're on the brink of getting eliminated. Maybe we overlooked just how good the Pacers are? They kinda hid in the weeds most of the season.