*** Official 2014-2015 NBA Playoff thread ***

[Vdubchaos]

Great night. Celts, NO and Bucks all did great as I predicted. But they missed their chance at the series. Now it's over.

All close games. NO and Bucks had Bulls and Warriors by the balls.......and screwed up.

 

[lupi]

Unless something really odd happens, looks like Cavs in the finals and the spurs won't be there.

 

[smackababy]

Great night. Celts, NO and Bucks all did great as I predicted. But they missed their chance at the series. Now it's over.

All close games. NO and Bucks had Bulls and Warriors by the balls.......and screwed up.

Signs of inexperience. I think in the coming years, both the Bucks and the Pelicans will be much better teams and won't throw away 20 point leads.


All I know is, I am certainly going to at least one Bulls Cavs games.

 

[darkewaffle]

I was really hoping NO could seal the deal last night. Down 2-1 with game 4 at home is way more compelling than 3-0. Still a hell of a game.

The series results aren't as tight as they were last year (though that could still turn, in theory) but there's at least been some real good games thus far anyway.

I don't think you can count out the Hawks in the east yet (or just give it to the Cavs over the Bulls), but unless the Wizards can keep playing at a high level a la game 2 v Raptors I don't think they've been consistent enough to beat the Hawks (assuming they manage to finish off the Raps). It'll be interesting to see how the Hawks fare in a series that actually tests them.

And Spurs are the only team in the West to take a road game in the opening two. If anything they're in better position than most at this point. Until someone retires you don't count them out lol.

 

[KeithTalent]

Just bought tickets to Game 5 of Raps-Wiz. Hope that game happens!

KT

 

[DesiPower]

Unless something really odd happens, looks like Cavs in the finals and the spurs won't be there.

Cavs were in the final the day LBJ decided to return, in fact I believe he returned after getting that guarantee from NBA. NBA wants to create a fairy tale, will do anything in their power to make that happen.

Spurs, I wont count them out just yet. But the next round for sure. They might survive the clippers but no way they can survive the Rockets. By the time they face the rockets they will be so worn out that they will not be able to stop rockets. Plus Parker is injured and the sad part is that Pop will keep playing him at his 50% or even less and in process drag down the rest of the team. Even ginobili the same thing to some extent. Suprs won the second game because Parker and Ginobili were out. At the crucial point of 2nd half of 4th qtr, with no Ginobili to slow then down the rest of team was able to step up and take care of business.

But whoever wins the Western will be beaten by the Cavs, this year is their year.

 

[Vdubchaos]

Cavs were in the final the day LBJ decided to return, in fact I believe he returned after getting that guarantee from NBA. NBA wants to create a fairy tale, will do anything in their power to make that happen.

Cavs will not get thru Bulls...or Wizards/Atlanta.

 

[smackababy]

Cavs will not get thru Bulls...or Wizards/Atlanta.

Eh, I don't know about that. I think Butler will match up good against James, but I don't think Rose can shut down Irving. I don't doubt Rose can score (he's been fantastic this series), but his defense is still a bit suspect. Unless whoever Love ends up spending time guarding (Noah and Gibson) I don't see the Bulls keeping up.

 

[Vdubchaos]

Eh, I don't know about that. I think Butler will match up good against James, but I don't think Rose can shut down Irving. I don't doubt Rose can score (he's been fantastic this series), but his defense is still a bit suspect. Unless whoever Love ends up spending time guarding (Noah and Gibson) I don't see the Bulls keeping up.

Butler shut down James when he was a bench player.....

I'm a Bulls fan and I believe in my team. Nothing you can say will change my mind.

: D

I don't see how Cavs will contain Gasol and Noah....

 

[KeithTalent]

I have money on the Bulls to go to the finals. Let's go Bulls!

KT

 

[smackababy]

Butler shut down James when he was a bench player.....

I'm a Bulls fan and I believe in my team. Nothing you can say will change my mind.

: D

I don't see how Cavs will contain Gasol and Noah....

I don't doubt Butler can contain James. I just don't see Rose shutting down the Irving.

I do think the Bulls can win it, especially with everyone healthy, I just don't think it will be easy wins. Noah and Gasol are going to have to play very well offensively to keep up, IMO.

 

[Vdubchaos]

I don't doubt Butler can contain James. I just don't see Rose shutting down the Irving.

Who can?

Irving will be offset with Rose/Brooks anyways....

I do think the Bulls can win it, especially with everyone healthy, I just don't think it will be easy wins. Noah and Gasol are going to have to play very well offensively to keep up, IMO.

It won't be easy.....but I still think what Barkley said is correct. Healthy Bulls are the best team in the league.....

My only concern is San Antonio to be honest. When and if they play well, their experience and chemistry will be hard to beat (even for the Bulls).

 

[maddogchen]

Crazy shot by Curry last night

 

[lupi]

Bulls will give cavs their biggest challenge, but don't see rest of the conference doing much.

 

[Vdubchaos]

Bulls will give cavs their biggest challenge, but don't see rest of the conference doing much.

For some reason I'm more concerned with the Wizards/Hawks than I am with the Cavs.....

 

[smackababy]

Crazy shot by Curry last night

You mean crazy that nobody on NO had the wherewithal to foul him before he shot? They had the opportunity to do it and didn't. But, that is what I expect from a young team with little big game experience.


As strong as GS looks when they are hitting shots, I don't see them beating some of the better teams. They are a big shooting team and will give up fast break points once they get cold. NO isn't a team really equipped to beat them, but some others certainly are. If you can get one of their shooters (IE, someone not Curry), I think they can't win. Look at how they were before their 4th quarter comeback. Once they got cold, NO took over and maintained a healthy lead. Other teams won't squander that.

For some reason I'm more concerned with the Wizards/Hawks than I am with the Cavs.....

I think the Wizards are too inconsistent to win a series against the Cavs or Bulls. The Hawks are kind of a dark horse. I want to believe since they kind of came out of nowhere, everyone is just enamored with them and they aren't that good. But, since I haven't really watched much of them, I can't say how good they really are.

 

[maddogchen]

I don't know about GS winning it all, but they are fun to watch

 

[digiram]

Crazy shot by Curry last night

Crazy clutch. Steph and Rose are so fun to watch.

 

[Vdubchaos]

You mean crazy that nobody on NO had the wherewithal to foul him before he shot? They had the opportunity to do it and didn't. But, that is what I expect from a young team with little big game experience.


As strong as GS looks when they are hitting shots, I don't see them beating some of the better teams. They are a big shooting team and will give up fast break points once they get cold. NO isn't a team really equipped to beat them, but some others certainly are. If you can get one of their shooters (IE, someone not Curry), I think they can't win. Look at how they were before their 4th quarter comeback. Once they got cold, NO took over and maintained a healthy lead. Other teams won't squander that.

Agreed

I also think they defense is WAY overrated. Great defense doesn't' allow other teams to get 20 points ahead.....or 16-0 runs 2 playoff games in a row.

I think the Wizards are too inconsistent to win a series against the Cavs or Bulls. The Hawks are kind of a dark horse. I want to believe since they kind of came out of nowhere, everyone is just enamored with them and they aren't that good. But, since I haven't really watched much of them, I can't say how good they really are.

I agree, but when Wizards are on...they are ON and are hard to beat.

 

[Vdubchaos]

I don't know about GS winning it all, but they are fun to watch

Agreed, I like them and love to watch them. But they are few years away from Championship.

 

[DesiPower]

NO was never any match for this years GS team, it was surprising how they went up 20 points, maybe it was the home court psychology. In the next round GS will meet Memphis, it will be an interesting matchup. Both teams have a very different game style. I predict Memphis winning.

 

[smackababy]

I am actually looking forward to the Lebron Butler match up. Lebron seems to have accepted that he is going to be played extremely physical and will do just that. Butler has the youth and defensive ability to not get worn down (similar to Leonard last year), so it should be great to watch.

NO was never any match for this years GS team, it was surprising how they went up 20 points, maybe it was the home court psychology. In the next round GS will meet Memphis, it will be an interesting matchup. Both teams have a very different game style. I predict Memphis winning.

I don't think it was much of a surprise. GS was cold shooting during a lot of that game. NO wasn't exploiting match ups (feeding Davis, for example) but Anderson was hot and kept them up. NO is a young team though, so I expect them to come around to real contention in a could years. Last night was a good example of how GS is easily beaten though. You get a veteran team instead of NO, and GS lose by 20+.

 

[DesiPower]

I don't think it was much of a surprise. GS was cold shooting during a lot of that game. NO wasn't exploiting match ups (feeding Davis, for example) but Anderson was hot and kept them up. NO is a young team though, so I expect them to come around to real contention in a could years. Last night was a good example of how GS is easily beaten though. You get a veteran team instead of NO, and GS lose by 20+.

That's why SA always beats them easily

 

[Atomic Playboy]

Last night was a good example of how GS is easily beaten though. You get a veteran team instead of NO, and GS lose by 20+.

The first 42 minutes were a good example of how GS is "easily" beaten. The final 6 minutes (and OT) were a good example of how they aren't. Obviously they can't afford to go down big against good opponents on the road in the playoffs; that's a recipe for disaster. But San Antonio got their asses handed to them in Game 1; is anyone honestly going to claim that the Spurs are easily beaten? People have bad games and recover. That's the nature of sports. I don't see anyone stringing four solid beatdowns against Golden State. Memphis might through sheer physical play, I suppose.

 

[smackababy]

The first 42 minutes were a good example of how GS is "easily" beaten. The final 6 minutes (and OT) were a good example of how they aren't. Obviously they can't afford to go down big against good opponents on the road in the playoffs; that's a recipe for disaster. But San Antonio got their asses handed to them in Game 1; is anyone honestly going to claim that the Spurs are easily beaten? People have bad games and recover. That's the nature of sports. I don't see anyone stringing four solid beatdowns against Golden State. Memphis might through sheer physical play, I suppose.

I think, had that been a different team in the same circumstances, GS wouldn't even have the chance to come back. The guy guarding Anthony Davis had two early fouls and fouled out in OT. How is that even possible? They should have worked Davis against him constantly. With GS being as cold as they were during 3 quarters, it shouldn't have been as close as it was.