NBA Playoffs 2024

[pete6032]

Chuck is great for entertainment value, but half the things he says are obvious. At least he isn't comatose and dumb like Shaq. When Chuck does March Madness, his go-to line is University of So-and-so "will win because they're the better team." It'd be interesting to know what Chuck said going into the series? When the playoffs began, I didn't trust the Wolves at all but they're playing elite ball right now.

Hockey is way different, with a lot more chance and bouncing puck involved. Those type of comebacks are more rare in the NBA. Also as noted above, the Wolves are playing championship level defense right now. I'm not saying they'll go all the way, but Nuggets will have to solve that D 4 games out of 5. I don't know what the betting markets say, but that's maybe 15% at best.

Nearly every talking head picked the Suns.

Also nearly everyone picked the Nuggets. I can't blame them. I picked them too before the last two games.

NBA Playoffs: Predicting which 4 teams will reach conference finals | NBA.com

Which teams will advance past the conference semifinals? Our NBA experts make their picks.

www.nba.com

NBA playoffs: Predictions for Celtics-Cavaliers and every second-round series

Our NBA staff makes its picks for Knicks-Pacers and every second-round series.

sports.yahoo.com

 

[purbeast0]

Jamal Murray should have been ejected last night from the game. He should have gotten at least one tech for being a bitch and crying for like 20 minutes straight to the ref, but then to throw a heating pad onto the court mid play should have been auto ejection. That is super dangerous and could have seriously injured anyone out there if they stepped on it and slipped.

Not that it matters but I've lost a lot of respect for that dude the past 2 games. When shit hits the fan, that's when you see true character and he's just been a big baby the whole time.

 

[manly]

Nearly every talking head picked the Suns.

Also nearly everyone picked the Nuggets. I can't blame them. I picked them too before the last two games.

NBA Playoffs: Predicting which 4 teams will reach conference finals | NBA.com

Which teams will advance past the conference semifinals? Our NBA experts make their picks.

www.nba.com

NBA playoffs: Predictions for Celtics-Cavaliers and every second-round series

Our NBA staff makes its picks for Knicks-Pacers and every second-round series.

sports.yahoo.com

The Suns/Wolves was a coin flip (Suns were slight favorites), so the sweep was not in the forecast. Chuck is a Suns homer, so I don't begrudge him much picking them anyway.

My point is half of Chuck's analysis is obvious shit, so what is more telling if he thought the Wolves were good enough to make this a series (or even better, if he outright picked them to upset the defending champs). It's super obvious right now to say the Nuggets are done after they got destroyed twice at home. And it was fairly obvious to pick the Nuggets before game 1, because they've been very good over the past 2 months. (Which is why despite the WC being super loaded this year, the betting markets had Nuggets as strong favorites to get back to the Finals, to face the Celtics).

Jamal Murray should have been ejected last night from the game. He should have gotten at least one tech for being a bitch and crying for like 20 minutes straight to the ref, but then to throw a heating pad onto the court mid play should have been auto ejection. That is super dangerous and could have seriously injured anyone out there if they stepped on it and slipped.

Not that it matters but I've lost a lot of respect for that dude the past 2 games. When shit hits the fan, that's when you see true character and he's just been a big baby the whole time.

Ref Marc Davis had incredible restraint last night, not even T'ing up Michael Malone who was right up in his face in the 1st quarter and seething anger. The NBA league office can still fine Murray, although I doubt they'd suspend him for game 3.

 

[purbeast0]

Ref Marc Davis had incredible restraint last night, not even T'ing up Michael Malone who was right up in his face in the 1st quarter and seething anger. The NBA league office can still fine Murray, although I doubt they'd suspend him for game 3.

Yeah man that was ridiculous that he didn't get a tech when he ran onto the court and got into his face. That shit should have no place in the game and just encourages all of the crying they already have. I was yelling at my screen like HOW THE HELL IS THAT NOT A TECH?

 

[SteveGrabowski]

Chuckster said on the post game that the Nuggets are done...

My Dallas Stars came back against the Knights after losing the first two games so not sure how much stock I would put in his prediction. But coming back after 0-2 start is a pretty rare feat.

Coming back from 0-2 happens all the time in the NBA, but not too often when a team drops those first two games at home.

 

[manly]

Coming back from 0-2 happens all the time in the NBA, but not too often when a team drops those first two games at home.

IIRC that bolded scenario before coming back to win the series has happened just 4 times in the history of the NBA. More pertinent here is how badly the Nuggets got dominated. I'm not gonna be obvious like Barkley and say it's over, but the Nuggets have a mountain to climb if they want to advance. But first things first, they just have to start by stealing game 3.

Crazy stuff does happen all the time in sports, so having a 15ish% chance isn't that terrible. But as you pointed out, the Wolves perimeter D has been stifling with or without Gobert patrolling the paint.

I'm looking forward to tonight's game in OKC, since you like the Mavs vs the kids in diapers.

 

[SteveGrabowski]

I'm looking forward to tonight's game in OKC, since you like the Mavs vs the kids in diapers.

Guess we gotta see how Luka's knee looks. He put up numbers last round but was moving like crap in the late games. Losing Maxi Kleber for the series hurts a lot too.

 

[pete6032]

Classy Knicks fans lol.

Josh Hart ensures Reggie Miller hears Knicks fans' 'f--- you' chants at MSG as Pacers legend calls Game 2

Miller, a well-known Knicks rival in the 1990's, was on hand to call Game 2 of Knicks-Pacers

www.cbssports.com

 

[spacejamz]

Chuck is great for entertainment value, but half the things he says are obvious. At least he isn't comatose and dumb like Shaq. When Chuck does March Madness, his go-to line is University of So-and-so "will win because they're the better team." It'd be interesting to know what Chuck said going into the series? When the playoffs began, I didn't trust the Wolves at all but they're playing elite ball right now.

Hockey is way different, with a lot more chance and bouncing puck involved. Those type of comebacks are more rare in the NBA. Also as noted above, the Wolves are playing championship level defense right now. I'm not saying they'll go all the way, but Nuggets will have to solve that D 4 games out of 5. I don't know what the betting markets say, but that's maybe 15% at best.

damn...nuggets won both away games in MIN....didn't see that coming...neither did Chuck LOL

 

[manly]

damn...nuggets won both away games in MIN....didn't see that coming...neither did Chuck LOL

The Nuggets looked phenomenal those two games. The series can still go either way, but Minny demonstrated why I can't trust them. Edwards single-handedly kept them close-ish but they made so many dumb mistakes throughout the game (fouling Joker 50 feet from the basket; yielding 5 points in 6 seconds right before halftime, etc.). KAT is guaranteed to give you 2 dumb fouls every single game, and he's what I'd call a fake All-Star. And as great as AE is playing, he's impossible to root for after he talked trash walking off the court after the loss.

There was no value to Chuck's obvious prediction. If he's right that the Wolves advance, that was the obvious outcome. If the Nuggets complete the series comeback, he'll just look foolish.

Perhaps the Wolves will prove me wrong, but these dudes are just not serious:

Edwards on exchange with Murray: 'Keep talking'

Nuggets point guard Jamal Murray didn't address his late-game exchange with Anthony Edwards, but the Timberwolves star said he "loved it."

www.espn.com

 

[Captante]

Well it was fun while it lasted .... not counting the Knicks 100% out as of yet but with all the injuries beating Indiana is now going to be a tall order.

 

[Muse]

I just started watching the playoffs over the weekend on ABC. I cancelled my MAX Ultimate, didn't even try watching the playoffs on my Roku TV. I suffered through the Final Four (no thumbnails in FF/Pause/REW), don't need that for the Playoffs.

I watched the Knicks/Pacers game yesterday because of what the commentators said about how terrific the first 3 games were. Sunday's game was a horror show. The Pacers just crushed the Knicks. I have to think Indiana will move on. I'm rooting for the Knicks, but don't expect them to win 2 more games this season.

Well it was fun while it lasted .... not counting the Knicks 100% out as of yet but with all the injuries beating Indiana is now going to be a tall order.

Yep, like I said.

 

[manly]

damn...nuggets won both away games in MIN....didn't see that coming...neither did Chuck LOL

Chuck vehemently says he wasn't wrong when he said that the Wolves would sweep.

Edit:
Not yet halftime, but the Knicks offense is humming. DiVincenzo hasn't even shown up yet.

 

[MrSquished]

aaaaand the Knicks apparently shit on Indiana. Only saw the score. Spike Lee just had a baby at MSG.

 

[manly]

So anyone want to still argue Gobert is the DPOY while his teammates have completely shut down the Nuggets offense? God I can't imagine the Spurs defense if Wemby had Ant, Jaden McDaniels, Kyle Anderson, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and Naz Reid next to him instead of defensive turnstiles like Devin Vassell, Jeremy Sochan, Keldon Johnson, and Malaki Branham.

LOL Joker accepted the MVP trophy, and proceeded to murder Gobert. The best moment was when Rudy told Kyle Anderson to go guard the Joker. I'm glad I'm not a Wolves fan, cause those talented dudes are just unserious clowns.

 

[purbeast0]

The Wolves are young and have never been where they are now. Even if they lose the series this is great experience for them.

 

[SteveGrabowski]

LOL Joker accepted the MVP trophy, and proceeded to murder Gobert. The best moment was when Rudy told Kyle Anderson to go guard the Joker. I'm glad I'm not a Wolves fan, cause those talented dudes are just unserious clowns.

That was their defensive strategy in Game 1, to basically have Gobert roam instead of guarding Jokic. Worked great until Aaron Gordon started hitting shots. If Gordon can continue playing like this the Nuggets are unbeatable.

 

[manly]

The Wolves are young and have never been where they are now. Even if they lose the series this is great experience for them.

AE and McDaniels are young, but the other guys aren't. Youth aside, it's more about their mental game. When Jokic was interviewed after game 5, he said they still have one more win to advance. It's all business, and there's nothing to celebrate about being up 3-2 in the second round for the champs. I like Ant, but after a rough game, he's laughing and giggling like a high schooler on prom night.

It goes well beyond Ant though. KAT said a while back he's changing the game. The DPOY can't check the Joker, but he can get fined for mocking the refs. It goes on and on and I personally feel Finch can't get these guys serious about the work.

I agree with you that this is a great stepping-stone for them.

That was their defensive strategy in Game 1, to basically have Gobert roam instead of guarding Jokic. Worked great until Aaron Gordon started hitting shots. If Gordon can continue playing like this the Nuggets are unbeatable.

Gordon might be my favorite role player in the NBA. I'm having trouble thinking of another guy who does his job so well in support of the stars.

 

[purbeast0]

Gordon is stepping up this series and MPJ has fallen off. Gordon is so hit/miss during the regular season though. Like he just has random duds every few games and is pretty consistent with that. It's just odd there will be games he just takes like 3-5 shots then games he takes 15. Obviously you gotta take what the D is giving to you though.

The thing shocking me about Gordon though is his 3pt shooting. Where the hell did that come from? I remember towards the end of regular season I'd shake my head every time he took one because it was an automatic brick. And the defense would let him do it too. But I gotta give him props because he did something to become more accurate and it's showing. He's a legit threat now you can't just let him sit out there anymore and let him take them like you could in regular season.

I have no clue what is up with MPJ though. He basically has the yips right now.

 

[manly]

Aaron Gordon is banned from the team dinner!

The Athletic - Inside the Nuggets team dinner — minus one uninvited player — that might save their season

Edit:
well these cats don't lack for bravado:

'See you Game 7': Wolves still confident down 3-2

Despite dropping their past three games and seeing their impenetrable defense from the regular season be picked apart by Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets, the Wolves say they still have life in them.

www.espn.com

 

[Muse]

Saw the start of the Knicks/Pacers game at the gym yesterday. Just watched the highlights. What a rebound! Brunson is tough.

 

[pete6032]

Timberwolves 115 Nuggets 70. Who saw that coming?

 

[thestrangebrew1]

Timberwolves 115 Nuggets 70. Who saw that coming?

Yea I didn't watch the game but couldn't believe the score later last night when I was checking in. I thought it was still 3rd quarter when I read it. Playoff low score record maybe?

Edit: Stand corrected - 2002 Boston vs Detroit: 66-64 Boston won.

Edit 2: St Louis Bombers scored 46 in 47-48 season. I guess that counts?

 

[purbeast0]

Jamal Murray is having a horrible series. He is like the main reason they lost last night IMO. They had so many empty possessions because he was bricking everything.

 

[manly]

Jamal Murray is having a horrible series. He is like the main reason they lost last night IMO. They had so many empty possessions because he was bricking everything.

https://www.reddit.com/r/nba/comments/1ctv3ht/jamal_murray_forces_game_7_against_the