NBA 2019-2020

Watched final quarter. It was one of the worst performances I’ve seen in the playoffs by a team, they scored 1 point in the final 4 and a half minutes, this is just unbelievable. Series all but over, no one has ever come back from 3-0 and they have been outclassed in all those games too. It was clear Heat were a bad match up for them but I didn’t expect them to lose so badly.
 
Watched final quarter. It was one of the worst performances I’ve seen in the playoffs by a team, they scored 1 point in the final 4 and a half minutes, this is just unbelievable. Series all but over, no one has ever come back from 3-0 and they have been outclassed in all those games too. It was clear Heat were a bad match up for them but I didn’t expect them to lose so badly.
Did the Freak try to defend against Butler?
 
Giannis played 35 minutes. Middleton 36. In a must win game. Giannis was benched for 2 minutes in the 4th during the heat's run. Middleton taken off in a 1 point game. Matthews, clearly their best defender on Butler, sat the last 6 minutes or so of the game in which Butler took over. Again.
 
Did the Freak try to defend against Butler?
Yes. Mixed results. Pick & Roll coverage remains a massive problem for the bucks in the series and Bud still hasn't made a serious adjustment
 
Giannis played 35 minutes. Middleton 36. In a must win game. Giannis was benched for 2 minutes in the 4th during the heat's run. Middleton taken off in a 1 point game. Matthews, clearly their best defender on Butler, sat the last 6 minutes or so of the game in which Butler took over. Again.
Mind blowing. It's the playoffs yet its like he's resting his best players for something.
 
he keeps answering questions about it like it's inconceivable that his stars should play more than 35 minutes. Like, how bad is ther conditioning then??? And why???

but then again, given what he said last season after the toronto series it seems like it's just him that for some reason doesn't believe he should play his best players more :wenger:

Mind, all this talk about Bud but ultimately it might very well be that the Heat are just better and the bucks are an historical regular season bluff. Or maybe the bucks are suffering the bubble more than the rest. Or maybe it's what's going on in america and their state right now that's affected them worse than the others...

but still. Your plan isn't working. Try something else!
 
I have a chat next week with the NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum. If any of you have a question for him, happy to put it through.
 
I have a chat next week with the NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum. If any of you have a question for him, happy to put it through.
Ask about how the NBA can justify all the politics around BLM while censoring stuff concerning china/hk
 
Giannis played 35 minutes. Middleton 36. In a must win game. Giannis was benched for 2 minutes in the 4th during the heat's run. Middleton taken off in a 1 point game. Matthews, clearly their best defender on Butler, sat the last 6 minutes or so of the game in which Butler took over. Again.
He’s stubborn as hell. I think Giannis was not feeling well but that wasn’t the reason for him not playing 40+, he’s never played more than 36-37 for Bud. He just wants his players rested.
 
Lakers good shooting days are few and far between. If KCP, Kuz or Green score 15+ points it's a big deal because it doesn't happen regularly enough, especially in the bubble.
Everyone knows LeBron needs shooters around. Not even deadeyes, just semi reliable.

AD might need to average 35 in this series. If we get past the Rockets, I can't see anything other than Clippers in 6 in the WCF.
 
Lakers good shooting days are few and far between. If KCP, Kuz or Green score 15+ points it's a big deal because it doesn't happen regularly enough, especially in the bubble.
Everyone knows LeBron needs shooters around. Not even deadeyes, just semi reliable.

AD might need to average 35 in this series. If we get past the Rockets, I can't see anything other than Clippers in 6 in the WCF.
Their best chance this series is that the Rockets can go dead cold from 3 and shoot themselves out of the game as well.

And you'll know it'll happen sooner or later because that's how the Rockets roll.
 
Their best chance this series is that the Rockets can go dead cold from 3 and shoot themselves out of the game as well.

And you'll know it'll happen sooner or later because that's how the Rockets roll.
Yeah but we need it to happen 4 times.
 
It's a bit bonkers that Lakers managed to create this sort of a terrible roster alongside the big 2, they may still go on to do big things because of how good Bron & AD are but it's a very poor collection of talent alongside. If one of the two missed a game in the playoffs Lakers would have no chance .
 
Ask about how the NBA can justify all the politics around BLM while censoring stuff concerning china/hk
Good question.

Giannis played 35 minutes. Middleton 36. In a must win game. Giannis was benched for 2 minutes in the 4th during the heat's run. Middleton taken off in a 1 point game. Matthews, clearly their best defender on Butler, sat the last 6 minutes or so of the game in which Butler took over. Again.
They're gonna get plenty of rest very soon
 
Really enjoying these playoffs. Really, really unpredictable stuff. Takes me back to the no super team days.
 
Great games tonight. If LA ties up their series with Houston tomorrow, we will have 3 great series on our hands. I actually think the Miami-Milwaukee games have been terrific as a neutral, despite MIA leading 3-0. Hard fought, tough as nails, defensively excellent basketball across the board these playoffs.
 
Really enjoying these playoffs. Really, really unpredictable stuff. Takes me back to the no super team days.

It's awesome not having the specter of the Warriors looming. You can make a legitimate case for almost every team left (except the Bucks, weirdly enough) being a contender.
 
I take it the Clippers didn’t wanna win Game 2 then?
 
Lovely win by Raptors. Nurse is the best coach in the league. Still reckon Celtics are favorites but it looked dead in game 3 and look at them now.
 
I take it the Clippers didn’t wanna win Game 2 then?

Awful first quarter as Nuggets were hitting everything, hard to come back from being 19 down early on. That was also probably the worst game Kawhi is going to have in these playoffs Still expecting this to be a rather comfortable series for them and over in 5/6 without much sweat.
 
Great games tonight. If LA ties up their series with Houston tomorrow, we will have 3 great series on our hands. I actually think the Miami-Milwaukee games have been terrific as a neutral, despite MIA leading 3-0. Hard fought, tough as nails, defensively excellent basketball across the board these playoffs.
Lakers v Houston series will be more interesting if Rockets win tonight. If it gets to 1-1 Lakers will be back to being huge favorites, if they have to claw back from 2-0 Houston’s chances will be better (though I will still have Lakers as favorites even at 2-0).
 
It's the Rockets, it'll happen.

They're a PJ Tucker injury away from getting wrecked in the paint.
PJ Tucker is like never injured though. I don’t think expecting him to get injured in this particular series will be a good strategy for Lakers.
 
Well that's PJ Tucker injured in the next game..

I really hope this playoff run doesn't lead to Giannis wimping out and going to an already established team like the Warriors or some shit. Look how competitive of a playoffs we are getting because no team has the classic of the past 10 years of 3+ superstars. I mean, I give the original Warriors a pass as it was a genuine build - but adding KD killed it. Just like adding Giannis would probably still make them untouchable again.

Don't forget you've got that Warriors team and KD/Kyrie to come back to all this.
 
Any word yet if Giannis will be able to play 34 minutes today?
 
Well that's PJ Tucker injured in the next game..

I really hope this playoff run doesn't lead to Giannis wimping out and going to an already established team like the Warriors or some shit. Look how competitive of a playoffs we are getting because no team has the classic of the past 10 years of 3+ superstars. I mean, I give the original Warriors a pass as it was a genuine build - but adding KD killed it. Just like adding Giannis would probably still make them untouchable again.

Don't forget you've got that Warriors team and KD/Kyrie to come back to all this.

Next season is going to be even more nuts with those two teams added for sure.
 
Any word yet if Giannis will be able to play 34 minutes today?
He was questionable before the game and barely gone over 35 these playoffs, no way Bud is playing him for much over 34 even if he’s fully healthy and the game is on the line. I think they may win tonight but a comeback is not happening, no one has ever come back from 3-0.
 
It's a bit bonkers that Lakers managed to create this sort of a terrible roster alongside the big 2, they may still go on to do big things because of how good Bron & AD are but it's a very poor collection of talent alongside. If one of the two missed a game in the playoffs Lakers would have no chance .
They were a bit fooled by Kawhi as they waited on his decision which he made like 7 days into free agency, everyone of note had been signed up by then. He was probably going there if it weren’t for George trade too. If he had given them indication earlier, they may have signed someone like Seth Curry who would have fit their needs much better than anyone they got. Danny Green has also been disappointing (he looked like a good fit) and having no Avery Bradley in the bubble hurts them too.

After AD trade they were left with virtually no assets - no picks that they could trade bar some weak second rounders and 2026 first which nobody cares about in 2019-20. Kuzma is the only valuable asset they can trade and it honestly doesn’t matter because he makes so little that you cannot get anyone they need back anyway (eg you couldn’t trade him for Covington). Their only way of acquiring talent is free agency and draft (when they have a pick, they have one this year).
 
Wow Giannis is stepping up today so far. Rest of the team letting him down and no doubt Bud will play him like 15 minutes in second half.
 
They need a miracle to stay in this now. Somehow they are still staying close though.
 
That‘s it, me thinks, for the Bucks. What an uninspiring team they are.
 
Middleton's doing the brunt of the Bucks' offensive work in the 3rd quarter. He's been heavily involved and has taken lots of shots.