2013-14 Playoffs: Thoughts and even some Predictions - Page 4 - Dallas-Mavs.com Forums

TripleDipping · 05-08-2014, 01:59 PM

Interesting read for those who were alive back then.

Looking back at the 2002 WCF

FreshJive · 05-08-2014, 07:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EricaLubarsky

TMAC: "Me and Roy Hibbert had the same amount of points and rebounds tonight."

Roy should pay attention to the Skeeters box score this Saturday.

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/10...eters-saturday

LSMF · 05-08-2014, 10:59 PM

I'm mad that the Heat get a free ride to the finals every year...

dirt_dobber · 05-09-2014, 07:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LSMF

I'm mad that the Heat get a free ride to the finals every year...

+1

Jack.Kerr · 05-09-2014, 03:34 PM

So far, Blazers are making the Mavericks look even better. Go Spurs.

Underdog · 05-10-2014, 10:53 AM

Washington scored 63 points in a playoff game last night... So much for "act like you've been there".

DevinHarriswillstart · 05-10-2014, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Underdog

Washington scored 63 points in a playoff game last night... So much for "act like you've been there".

Hibbert showing up to play makes a big difference.

DevinHarriswillstart · 05-10-2014, 12:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jack.Kerr

So far, Blazers are making the Mavericks look even better. Go Spurs.

No kidding. I wanted Portland to give them trouble, but now I think I'm going for SA.

Mavs did go 2-1 against Portland during the reg season, but I really thought the Blazers had something going against Houston. Or maybe Houston is just a loooot worse than their record.

Jack.Kerr · 05-10-2014, 01:44 PM

Blake Griffin: 9 FTs in Q1 v. Clips. None thereafter. Despite a 34-pt performance, I'm increasingly unimpressed by him. If he doesn't have a dunk, he seems unsure of how to proceed. Gums the Clippers up by holding the ball too long and trying to bully-ball back his man down. Plays too high, a bit stiff, and doesn't seem to be able to put the ball on the floor in traffic, certainly not enough to beat a defender off the dribble. Worse, he's a hot-headed whiner who seems more interested in punking referees into a bad call than actually getting the ball in the basket.

Was all set to enjoy watching a Clippers team find its stride, but they are a hard team to enjoy. They don't play smart, often have terrible spacing in their sets, and get rattled too easily when they don't get every call. Rivers probably needs to let Barnes go in the off-season, and have a serious talk with Chris Paul and Griffin about setting the tone as a leaders by keeping their cool.

Also, I simply can't respect a player like Deandre Jordan who allows himself to be a liability by not being able to hit 65-70% FTs. I'd say at least $1 million of his annual contract ought to be contingent on hitting 70% from the line.

Thunder's experience together and maturity starting to assert itself.

Apparently others are noticing Griffin's foolishness as well:

Quote:

No. 3: Thunder: Clippers Griffin up to his old tricks: – You had to know it was coming after all of the arm wrestling and line dancing that went on in Game 2 of the Thunder-Clippers Western Conference semifinal series. Blake Griffin and Steven Adams got tangled up all night long and they weren’t the only ones. But both have a reputation for getting involved in all sorts of trivial foolishness within a particular game. The Thunder, of course, are blaming it on Griffin. Darnell Mayberry of the Oklahoman has more:

Quote:

Blake Griffin is back to his old tricks, mucking up games with annoying antics that have little to do with basketball. His exploits thus far against the Thunder have been more effective than his play.

The Los Angeles Clippers forward already has gotten into multiple mild altercations with Thunder players that have threatened to turn a series that should be an offensive shootout into a slugfest and a beloved hometown kid into a villain.

Seven technical fouls have been issued through two games, and Griffin, despite being at the center of several confrontations, has walked away each time smiling, scot-free.

As the Thunder prepares for Game 3 against the Clippers on Friday night, OKC is getting a sampling of how Griffin gets the best of opponents in a different way.

In Game 1, Griffin suckered Serge Ibaka into a technical foul when he snared Ibaka’s foot while lying on his backside. After taking exception to Griffin’s subtle but strategic ploy, Ibaka attempted to separate his foot by kicking it away from Griffin’s ankles. The nearby official, of course, didn’t catch Griffin intentionally bring his feet together to trap Ibaka. But he did see Ibaka angrily kick his foot away, an action that resulted in a technical foul.

“I was just laying on the ground, and he just kind of kicked me,” Griffin sheepishly explained when asked about the incident after the game.
Griffin tried to conceal a guilty smile. Too late. He was busted.

It’s calculated run-ins such as these that prevent Griffin from becoming a full-blown league darling. His popular Kia commercials might endear him to casual fans, but the most ardent observers see him for something else, a player who baits opponents into reactionary actions while pretending to be oblivious to why he’s a target once the referee turns his attention to the situation.
…
It’s a strategy that has tainted Griffin’s remarkable basketball ability in NBA circles and turned him into one of the most loathed players in the league.
Griffin, perhaps smartly, doesn’t seem to care.

In Game 2 on Wednesday night, Griffin got tangled up with Steven Adams, the Thunder rookie center who has a growing reputation as an agitator. It was Griffin, however, who got the benefit of the doubt from officials each time the two got tangled.

Griffin’s actions went a long way in Adams being whistled for three fouls in 17 minutes. The most laughable came as Adams transitioned down the court and Griffin intentionally slowed up and allowed Adams to run into him.

But the Thunder might just have to play through the small stuff for the rest of the series.

Griffin is simply doing what he’s supposed to do. He’s searching for any advantage he can against the Thunder. He’s using trivial tactics to get inside his defender’s head. And, to this point, it’s worked. Thunder players have been taken to task by the officials while Griffin walks away without consequence.

It’s been Griffin’s most effective strategy.

DevinHarriswillstart · 05-10-2014, 10:46 PM

Portland just sucks.

EricaLubarsky · 05-11-2014, 11:27 AM

Lawl, Blazers

dirt_dobber · 05-11-2014, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EricaLubarsky

Lawl, Blazers

that makes me wonder how high our Mavs ceiling was had we gotten past the Spurs?!

and the overall play in the eastern conf - pathetic.

EricaLubarsky · 05-11-2014, 03:09 PM

So much awesome. Proof that Ibaka is dirty and the schadenfreude of watching Griffin getting punched in the balls-- all in one pic.

spreedom · 05-11-2014, 03:49 PM

Looks to me like Perk shoves Ibaka and Blake catches an "accidental" first in the balls.

EricaLubarsky · 05-11-2014, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spreedom

Looks to me like Perk shoves Ibaka and Blake catches an "accidental" first in the balls.

Not even the first time

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7IWtAsNVGY

Ibaka loves Griffin's nuts.

sefant77 · 05-11-2014, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dirt_dobber

that makes me wonder how high our Mavs ceiling was had we gotten past the Spurs?!

and the overall play in the eastern conf - pathetic.

50:50 vs the Blazers...they suck terrible in the PnR defense, no bench...

dirt_dobber · 05-12-2014, 09:13 AM

Spurs say Dallas scare gave them motivation
by: ANNE M. PETERSON
http://news.yahoo.com/spurs-dallas-s...0550--spt.html

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The intensity and focus that has the Spurs rolling 3-0 over Portland in the Western Conference semifinals can be traced to their Game 3 loss to Dallas in the first round.

Vince Carter hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer and the Mavericks went up 2-1. But San Antonio simply was not going to concede the opening round after last season's disappointing Game 7 loss to the Miami Heat for the NBA title.

"Down 2-1, Dallas really made it a series. They played great basketball — everybody was playing very well on that team and they made it hard on us," Spurs guard Tony Parker said. "In Game 7 you have to show up because if you don't the season's over. I think we learned from it and so far, we're playing good."

Boris Diaw also pointed to the Dallas series, which San Antonio won with a 119-96 victory in the deciding Game 7.

"We had our back against the wall and we had to play good," he said. "We've been playing the same way since then — so probably a turning point for us."

On Monday night the Spurs will try to dispatch the Trail Blazers in four games — and hopefully get some rest before the conference finals against the winner of the other semifinal between Oklahoma City and the Los Angeles Clippers.

"This is as well as I've seen them play all season," Trail Blazers coach Terry Stotts said. "By Game 7 against Dallas, they came out of the gate and they haven't stopped since then."

No team has ever lost a seven-game NBA playoff series after going up 3-0.

The Blazers were the last team to take a series to seven games after dropping the first three. Portland rebounded in the first round against Dallas in 2003 but ultimately lost the first-round series' deciding game.

Parker scored 29 points in San Antonio's 118-103 Game 3 victory on Saturday night. The Spurs had routed the Blazers 116-92 in the series opener after their grueling series against the Mavericks, then built a 20-point lead and won Game 2, 114-97.

Parker has scored 29 or more points in three of his last four playoff games. He had 20 points in the first half alone in Game 3 against Portland. In the 119-96 Game 7 victory over the Mavericks, he poured in 32.

The Spurs have managed to slow down Portland All-Star LaMarcus Aldridge, who averaged 29.8 points in the first round against the Houston Rockets.

The Blazers have been hurt by the loss of backup point guard Mo Williams to a groin injury. Williams has provided both energy and points off the bench all season in relief of Damian Lillard.

His absence was noticeable in Saturday night's loss, with Portland getting just six points from its bench.

"Monday is a new game, and we are confident we are capable of winning," Lillard said. "It is also about our pride. We do not want to come out here and get swept. We still believe we can win a game — we have to come out here and play like it."

Portland advanced to the second round for the first time in 14 years by defeating the Rockets in six games, clinching the series with Lillard's amazing 3-pointer at the buzzer at home for a 99-98 victory in the deciding game.

The Spurs have a 3-2 series advantage over Portland in the playoffs, sweeping the previous meeting in the 1999 conference finals. The teams split the regular-season series 2-2.

"We'd love to close this thing out," San Antonio's Tim Duncan said. "We've had pretty decent control of it throughout and we want to finish it the right way and get some rest.

j0Shi · 05-12-2014, 10:15 AM

Portland has such a bad bench, they were bound to disappear at some point. Probably could have played for the crown in the West if we had pulled the upset in round one.

DevinHarriswillstart · 05-12-2014, 09:33 PM

Joe Johnson against Lebron is hilarious.

Jack.Kerr · 05-12-2014, 09:43 PM

LBJ leaves his 50th point on the FT line.

KG can no longer get a shot off. Time to retire.

DWill is totally ordinary (at best), candidate for All-Overrated Team at PG.

Nets need a re-build already.

j0Shi · 05-13-2014, 04:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jack.Kerr

Nets need a re-build already.

Too bad they won't get one for like a gazillion years.

EricaLubarsky · 05-13-2014, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by j0Shi

Too bad they won't get one for like a gazillion years.

With Garnett about 6-8 months from needing a walker and Pierce only a couple of years away himself, I'm sure it will happen sooner than that.

Jack.Kerr · 05-13-2014, 11:08 AM

Four strong candidates for the NBA All-Overrated Team:

SF Carmelo Anthony
PF Blake Griffin
C Dwight Howard
PG Deron Williams
SG Andre Iguodala

Nominee for shooting guard?

Edit I'm going with Iguodala.

sefant77 · 05-13-2014, 11:15 AM

Harden, who else

Jack.Kerr · 05-13-2014, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sefant77

Harden, who else

I know people don't like him, but he actually produces. I was also trying to spread the glory among different teams, so I had a self-imposed limitation of 1 per team. Or Joe Johnson would've been there too.

DirkFTW · 05-13-2014, 12:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jack.Kerr

Four strong candidates for the NBA All-Overrated Team:

SF Carmelo Anthony
PF Blake Griffin
C Dwight Howard
PG Deron Williams
SG Andre Iguodala

Nominee for shooting guard?

Edit I'm going with Iguodala.

That looks like an All-Star game lineup... which I think says plenty about the All-Star game.

EricaLubarsky · 05-13-2014, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sefant77

Harden, who else

Dude is 1st in PER and 2nd in TS%. He may not do well when under pressure (playoffs, etc.) but he's a guy who actually produces numbers.

DevinHarriswillstart · 05-13-2014, 10:46 PM

Yeeeahhh Gortat isn't going anywhere.

grndmstr_c · 05-13-2014, 11:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DevinHarriswillstart

Yeeeahhh Gortat isn't going anywhere.

Not for less than a lot, anyway.

Underdog · 05-13-2014, 11:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DevinHarriswillstart

Yeeeahhh Gortat isn't going anywhere.

On the plus side, it looks like Hibbert might be getable again...

Budapest Maverick · 05-14-2014, 03:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DevinHarriswillstart

Yeeeahhh Gortat isn't going anywhere.

He's an unrestricted free agent, he goes wherever he wants to.

DirkFTW · 05-14-2014, 10:47 AM

QQ, Chris. QQ.

spreedom · 05-14-2014, 11:11 AM

Harden is a loser... quite literally the worst defensive player in the entire league. His offensive numbers are totally hollow because he leaves his team so vulnerable on the other end.

And why in the world are people still calling Blake Griffin overrated? He's one of the 10 best players in the league without a doubt.

mac222b · 05-14-2014, 11:17 AM

Lol at epic Troll Paul meltdown. Karma bitch. Hard to know who to root for in this series, hate both teams with a passion. OKC because I never ever want those lying cheats Bennett and McClendon who(with an assist from their buddy Stern) stole the franchise from Seattle, to win a championship. Clippers hatred is pretty self explanatory.

I guess best case scenario is Spurs take either team out. Thats what Ive been reduced to these last two years, rooting for the fricking Spurs to win another championship. Unfortunately the other alternatives seem to be Heat, Thunder or Clippers.

I'll root for Spurs all day in that scenario.

Jack.Kerr · 05-14-2014, 01:09 PM

Doc Rivers lost his composure a little bit last night, and that is not going to help a shaky Clippers team retain theirs. To be fair, that was a very hard collapse to take. But blaming it on a bad call when the worse call would've benefitted the Clippers is kind of....questionable.

Rivers sounds kind of whiny about wanting to take advantage of the loophole in instant replay to benefit his team, when instant replay also clearly shows a foul. For that matter, I grudgingly agree with the officials' interpretation that the replay doesn't clearly and conclusively show Jackson's hand propelling the ball out of bounds. You believe that's what happened, but you can't SEE that that's what happened. (You can, however, clearly see Jackson being fouled.)

I know that Rivers talked in the postgame about a comparable call in the series v. GSW that went against the Clippers, but if his argument is for consistent application of the rules, that's just another way of arguing for calls to go both ways. If his argument is in fact against the use of instant replay, I'm more in agreement. The way the NBA is using instant replay is bogging the game down. If his argument is that IR should be expanded to be able to correct missed foul calls, or incorrectly called fouls, get ready for 3.5-hour telecasts. Not gonna happen. (And I HATE the way officials are calling defensive fouls when 3-point shooters kick their legs out into a defender, initiating contact. If you hate seeing defenders flop, or offensive players flail their arms, or rebounders diving headlong into the baseline to sell being pushed in the back, then how can you let shooters get away with kicking defenders?)

Quote:

Originally Posted by spreedom

Harden is a loser... quite literally the worst defensive player in the entire league. His offensive numbers are totally hollow because he leaves his team so vulnerable on the other end.

And why in the world are people still calling Blake Griffin overrated? He's one of the 10 best players in the league without a doubt.

Re Harden: As a defender, yeah, he probably floats sometimes. Other times he gets beat sulking about a missed foul call on the offensive end, or whatever. But I've actually seen him lock down and make a play when he needs to. You can quite rightly fault his effort, but I think he has the ability to defend. Elite offensive players have always been given the latitude to float defensively, presumably because they net a positive in points scored v. points surrendered. Harden is allowed to be kind of one-dimensionally selfish, but I think a better coach with a better system would address that.

Re Griffin: He's definitely one of the Top 10 athletes in the league. Maybe Top 5, or Top 3 even. And calling him overrated might be a little bit extreme. I hadn't really seen him play on a consistent basis, and when he had that triple-double (25/11/10) against the Mavericks earlier this year, I was pretty impressed.

But seeing him in a back-to-back playoff series now leaves me considerably less impressed. Great athlete, but surprisingly underdeveloped as a basketball player. Maybe it's shouldn't be a surprise that he is still relying on superior athleticism, but he seems tentative and lacking in confidence in a lot of instances when he should be able to beat a defender easily. He seems to lack fluidity as a basketball player--almost always trying to brute-force overpower defenders, rather than keeping them off-balance with efficiency or finesse. I've typed this before, but if he doesn't have a dunk, he really seems confused or unsure about what to do. He plays like one of those halftime trampoline dunkers.

His shot is kind of ugly too--ugly release, ugly trajectory, and I'm often surprised when it goes in. He shoots like a football player, not a pure shooter. He will probably develop a softer touch as his game matures, may develop into a Karl Malone-type player as his athleticism diminishes. But I think it's this same lack of confidence in his own shot that makes him look tentative. And yet, he does manage to put up numbers.

To be fair, maybe I'm unfairly comparing him to the fluidity of Dirk's jumpers? And I think that I had some analogous reactions to some apsects of Dirk's game 10 years ago, except Dirk was always a great shooter and never relied on 'pure athleticism'. But Dirk didn't always have the subtlety or finesse or 'touch' to finish plays around the basket that he developed later on.

So, Griffin overrated? Maybe not so much. Underdeveloped game? Yeah, I still think so. And we still haven't even touched on his maturity and focus.

EricaLubarsky · 05-14-2014, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Budapest Maverick

He's an unrestricted free agent, he goes wherever he wants to.

Unless Wiz are very cheap, they can offer him whatever he wants and they can also offer him a team that went to the conference finals (even though the Wiz's record would have put them at 10th in the West.)

Sportstudi · 05-14-2014, 03:27 PM

It was a mixery of choking and incompetent refs.

Not scoring in the last 3:30 minutes (excluding FT's) is a choke. Simple as that.
First TO by CP3: Choke. Stupid possession.
Ball went out of bounds by OKC. Should have been Clipper ball: Incompetent refs.
Foul call against Paul on that Westbrook 3: Choke. If you are so dumb to foul Westbrick in such a situation, you don't deserve any better. And it was a clear foul. He hit Westbrick on the elbow.
Last possession, reaching foul by Jackson: Choke/Incompetent refs. Such a reaching foul almost never gets called in the final minutes, even though it should have been. However, Paul clearly overdribbled and choked himself into this situation.

And whilst the refs were bad, Doc should just keep his mouth shut. In every game he's constantly bitching and yelling to the refs while standing at the side line, yet he basically never gets T'd up for it. Can't really say I feel sorry for him. He's likely the least likeable coach out there right now. And I don't think the refs made Paul turning the ball over twice in the last minute or forced him to foul Westbrook.

Underdog · 05-14-2014, 08:43 PM

The Nets blow more than just leads...

GermanDunk · 05-14-2014, 08:43 PM

Not really clever plays by the Nets in the last minute...

BPo001 · 05-14-2014, 08:58 PM

I do not like the Heat at all, but I did enjoy watching the Nets lose.