2025 NBA Post-Season thread!!!

[rhigh2390]

Happy that Denver won, but crazy to think that in 2 days they gotta start a new series with OKC. If they make it 6 games, I'd be impressed.

Also, if there's one thing you can count on, it's Harden not showing up when you need him most lol

[blackvodka]

Originally Posted by rhigh2390

Happy that Denver won, but crazy to think that in 2 days they gotta start a new series with OKC. If they make it 6 games, I'd be impressed.

Also, if there's one thing you can count on, it's Harden not showing up when you need him most lol

It was another game 7 blunder from him. He was a complete no-show in the second half.

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[tjforce]

The Clippers amazing me. They are one of the elite talent teams in the league player by player, so this first round exit is an embarrassment.

I have no other explanation than "It's the Clippers".

[6celtics33]

That was a good series until they fell apart in the 3rd. Of course Harden gonna Harden. Been saying that for forever v

[rustywest]

Originally Posted by tjforce

The Clippers amazing me. They are one of the elite talent teams in the league player by player, so this first round exit is an embarrassment.

I have no other explanation than "It's the Clippers".

How about they lost to a better team?

It's not really an embarrassment, they went 7 games in the 4 v 5 matchup and lost a Game 7 on the road. Very physical, tight series between two 50 win teams. They just ran out of steam, not that surprising with two older stars.

[rhigh2390]

Originally Posted by rustywest

How about they lost to a better team?

It's not really an embarrassment, they went 7 games in the 4 v 5 matchup and lost a Game 7 on the road. Very physical, tight series between two 50 win teams. They just ran out of steam, not that surprising with two older stars.

Agreed. Especially when their 2 older stars are James Harden and Kawhi Leonard. Harden is a shell of what he used to be, and Kawhi is good, but not able to carry the load he once did either. I never looked at the Clippers as being any real threat to anybody.

[rhigh2390]

Originally Posted by tjforce

The Clippers amazing me. They are one of the elite talent teams in the league player by player, so this first round exit is an embarrassment.

I have no other explanation than "It's the Clippers".

Just asking, but what about the Clippers made you think they are more than a 1st round exit? Like I said in the previous post, Harden and Kawhi are your 2 "stars" and neither are close to being able to be the #1 on a contender anymore, so just wondering who you are thinking about when you say most talented player by player?

[Nomad]

Interesting to see consensus forming around Aaron Nesmith having been MVP of the Bucks series. Then, as usual they throw shade on it.

"Time for Pascal and Ty to step up. You cannot go against a more talented team like the Cavs and have Nesmith be your MVP."

Even the achievements come with an asterix. Being a Nesmith fan is like following the most talented McDonalds manager ever. Could run a country, but will always be relegated to a role of crafting McFlurries for the masses.

[blackvodka]

The Clippers finished the regular season 18-3( 2 of those losses against the Thunder & Cavs). They won 8 games in a row to close the season that had playoff implications and were important fighting for playoff seeding. Ivica took a real step forward making it feel like they had a legitimate #3. Kawai looked healthy. They appeared to be a team rolling at the right time. But of course they weren't to be trusted when it was all said and done.

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[rhigh2390]

Originally Posted by blackvodka

The Clippers finished the regular season 18-3( 2 of those losses against the Thunder & Cavs). They won 8 games in a row to close the season that had playoff implications and were important fighting for playoff seeding. Ivica took a real step forward making it feel like they had a legitimate #3. Kawai looked healthy. They appeared to be a team rolling at the right time. But of course they weren't to be trusted when it was all said and done.

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Every year Kawhi has been there was going to be their year lol. I trusted them even less this year because of Harden.

[blackvodka]

Originally Posted by rhigh2390

Every year Kawhi has been there was going to be their year lol. I trusted them even less this year because of Harden.

Not trusting them was the smart bet.

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[auctionjmm]

Originally Posted by Nomad

Interesting to see consensus forming around Aaron Nesmith having been MVP of the Bucks series. Then, as usual they throw shade on it.

"Time for Pascal and Ty to step up. You cannot go against a more talented team like the Cavs and have Nesmith be your MVP."

Even the achievements come with an asterix. Being a Nesmith fan is like following the most talented McDonalds manager ever. Could run a country, but will always be relegated to a role of crafting McFlurries for the masses.

They aren't wrong. You can't go far in the playoffs when your 5th best scorer is the "MVP" of any series. I would say the same thing about the Cavs if Ty Jerome was outplaying the big 4. The Cavs aren't winning a championship if Ty Jerome is their best player on the court in a given series. On the flip side, if Mitchell, Garland, and Mobley are playing phenomenal and THEN Jerome comes off the bench and pitches in 20, that's a reason to get excited. If you are a true Pacers fan, then you should want no part of NeSmith being in any MVP conversation.

[Cavs16]

Taking my son to Game 7 tonight....Toyota Center is going to be electric!! Hoping the Rockets can take this one!

[Above the Rim]

Have a great time at the game!

[Nomad]

Originally Posted by auctionjmm

They aren't wrong. You can't go far in the playoffs when your 5th best scorer is the "MVP" of any series. I would say the same thing about the Cavs if Ty Jerome was outplaying the big 4. The Cavs aren't winning a championship if Ty Jerome is their best player on the court in a given series. On the flip side, if Mitchell, Garland, and Mobley are playing phenomenal and THEN Jerome comes off the bench and pitches in 20, that's a reason to get excited. If you are a true Pacers fan, then you should want no part of NeSmith being in any MVP conversation.

Yeah, but Nesmith is like the bass player and the Pacers are like the Charles Mingus Quartet.

Let me explain that. My mom had the lp from the 60s growing up and I always listened to it and wondered, why is Charles Mingus the name on the album, much less a genius of jazz, when I can't even hear his bass on the record. Much later, I realized he was orchestrating all kinds of stuff that doesn't show up in the box score.

For one thing, Double A has helped ensure Ty's continued health. You saw how he went down at the end of game five, in the fetal position, after what looked like a minor tap from Giannis. Protecting key assets requires a system and strength.

And we definitely need genius assistman, rainbow arcer, and fakeout dribbler Ty 100 percent to make a run.

Such an interesting matchup. I am sure oddsmakers in Las Vegas love this one, no previous games this season to reference.

[asujbl]

Originally Posted by Nomad

Yeah, but Nesmith is like the bass player and the Pacers are like the Charles Mingus Quartet.

Let me explain that. My mom had the lp from the 60s growing up and I always listened to it and wondered, why is Charles Mingus the name on the album, much less a genius of jazz, when I can't even hear his bass on the record. Much later, I realized he was orchestrating all kinds of stuff that doesn't show up in the box score.

For one thing, Double A has helped ensure Ty's continued health. You saw how he went down at the end of game five, in the fetal position, after what looked like a minor tap from Giannis. Protecting key assets requires a system and strength.

And we definitely need genius assistman, rainbow arcer, and fakeout dribbler Ty 100 percent to make a run.

Such an interesting matchup. I am sure oddsmakers in Las Vegas love this one, no previous games this season to reference.

What in the world?

Cavs in 5

[Nomad]

What are you basing that on? Can't compare series, Bucks for all their deficiencies have Giannis, so we have to give the Pacers their one loss.

Key pieces of Cavs were not in place and Nesmith was out with injury when they had their last meaningful game. And their records are nearly identical since.

I think the series goes at least 6, regardless of outcome.

[asujbl]

Originally Posted by Nomad

What are you basing that on? Can't compare series, Bucks for all their deficiencies have Giannis, so we have to give the Pacers their one loss.

Key pieces of Cavs were not in place and Nesmith was out with injury when they had their last meaningful game. And their records are nearly identical since.

I think the series goes at least 6, regardless of outcome.

Cavs in 5? You’re a crazy person

That’s all I’m basing it on

You’re a few tweaks away from being Stifle

[Nomad]

did the teams Stifle picked dominate, starting with the Celtics and (so far) Indy? Last teams anyone would have picked at the time.

And did Stifle pick both based solely on a player investment that has still not paid off as an investment, but which has blossomed as a player?

This for me is as good as it gets. Peak basketball viewing, with skin in the game, at my age. Without the existential agony of game betting. Who'd a thunk.

And you want me to win. I am the kind of collector who will put half his profits back into the hobby.

[oldgoldy97]

Originally Posted by Nomad

did the teams Stifle picked dominate, starting with the Celtics and (so far) Indy? Last teams anyone would have picked at the time.

And did Stifle pick both based solely on a player investment that has still not paid off as an investment, but which has blossomed as a player?

This for me is as good as it gets. Peak basketball viewing, with skin in the game, at my age. Without the existential agony of game betting. Who'd a thunk.

And you want me to win. I am the kind of collector who will put half his profits back into the hobby.

Anxiously awaiting the influx of $50.

[Nomad]

Thank you for the motivation. I'm gonna save it on my device and use it every time I step in the gym or buy a $50 gold rated rookie or what have you.

[auctionjmm]

Originally Posted by Nomad

Yeah, but Nesmith is like the bass player and the Pacers are like the Charles Mingus Quartet.

Let me explain that. My mom had the lp from the 60s growing up and I always listened to it and wondered, why is Charles Mingus the name on the album, much less a genius of jazz, when I can't even hear his bass on the record. Much later, I realized he was orchestrating all kinds of stuff that doesn't show up in the box score.

For one thing, Double A has helped ensure Ty's continued health. You saw how he went down at the end of game five, in the fetal position, after what looked like a minor tap from Giannis. Protecting key assets requires a system and strength.

And we definitely need genius assistman, rainbow arcer, and fakeout dribbler Ty 100 percent to make a run.

Such an interesting matchup. I am sure oddsmakers in Las Vegas love this one, no previous games this season to reference.

I get it, but that's life. The Rolling Stones in their prime would have sounded like butt in an open-air stadium without a really good sound engineer. But that engineer is never going to get credit for it, and nobody is going to refer to him as the MVP of the tour.

[Nomad]

The sound engineer is like Jenny Busik or actually the entire Pacers' coaching staff. On the Stones, I think Nesmith would be that really good guitarist (Mick Taylor) who helped create their classic records for like three years and then left because he wasn't recognized and had a nice simple life playing clubs in London for blues aficionados.

Except that's not exactly right. Setting the Pace is actively throwing out that Nesmith was series MVP. That's actually front man recognition. (They also know calling him third or fourth option in the same breath is exactly what will motivate him).

Oh I know it's hard to understand as a casual. Exactly same issue occurred when I asked who were the Clippers' good young players. I'm sure they have a couple, but no one could give an answer.

[oldgoldy97]

I thought your devotion inspired him?

[Nomad]

That is a really loaded word. It is one thing to be devoted to good habits. But devotion to an athlete. That reeks of Kobe votive shirts and the like (wish ninja was still here to ride with that). More like, in all my years of buying his cards at reasonable prices, he never once disappointed me. Meaning, worked out issues that occurred in games, lack of playing time, and steadily improved.

And I am a writer. I like depth pieces. I like biographies. I mean the Bloomberg ticker tape exists as well. Different forms of communication are not mutually exclusive. And yes, historians are a dying breed, because it requires high literacy to go in-depth, and no AI program will solve that.