2023 NBA Playoffs - Other Teams

Russ Smith

The Original Whizzinator
Supporting Member
Joined
May 14, 2002
Posts
84,223
Reaction score
32,836
Joker is the most skilled big man I’ve ever seen. That one legged Dirk fade away 3 was as crazy as it gets.

It’s going to be a really interesting offseason for the Suns, Celtics, 76ers and Lakers

Yeah people compare him to Walton or Sabonis, I suspect largely because they're both big white guys, but way more skilled. Sabonis and Walton were better defenders and they were both great passers but they couldn't handle the ball like Joker does, and neither one of them had anywhere near the range Joker does on his shot.
 

Absolute Zero

ASFN Icon
Joined
Aug 9, 2005
Posts
17,340
Reaction score
8,510
Just watched replay of the final play when Lebron got his shot blocked by Gordon. He took 3 or 4 steps before that. Wow. Looked like a fullback trying to run into the endzone.

That may have been Lebron's last play it sounds like.
 

Dback Jon

Killer Snail
Moderator
Supporting Member
Joined
May 14, 2002
Posts
75,847
Reaction score
32,614
Location
Scottsdale
Just watched replay of the final play when Lebron got his shot blocked by Gordon. He took 3 or 4 steps before that. Wow. Looked like a fullback trying to run into the endzone.

That may have been Lebron's last play it sounds like.
Yes, he did travel

But I don’t see him retiring until we can play a year with Bronnie
 

Russ Smith

The Original Whizzinator
Supporting Member
Joined
May 14, 2002
Posts
84,223
Reaction score
32,836
Just watched replay of the final play when Lebron got his shot blocked by Gordon. He took 3 or 4 steps before that. Wow. Looked like a fullback trying to run into the endzone.

That may have been Lebron's last play it sounds like.

Yeah he clearly walked and he was not fouled. I was expecting them to call it anyways but glad they didn't.

Give it up for Gordon, he's frustrating at times with what he doesn't do, but he had a great series.
 

Russ Smith

The Original Whizzinator
Supporting Member
Joined
May 14, 2002
Posts
84,223
Reaction score
32,836
Yes, he did travel

But I don’t see him retiring until we can play a year with Bronnie

One thing to remember with him is he's been playing with a foot and ankle injury for months now. He may just be feeling old now. A few months off and then his son enrolling at USC will probably revitalize him. Ironically for him it would have been "better" if Lakers didn't make the play in, the extra time off to heal would have made next year much easier for him IMO. But the competitor in him made him play hurt.
 

Finito

ASFN Icon
Joined
Oct 23, 2005
Posts
20,906
Reaction score
13,586
Gordon vs Butler is going to be great. Gordon has really found his stride in Denver.

I don’t think Miami has any answers for Joker. If you listen to Miami radio they seem to have the same problem with BAM we do with Ayton they don’t know who’s gonna show up day to day plus Bam is way smaller
 

ajcardfan

I see you.
Moderator
Supporting Member
Joined
May 13, 2002
Posts
36,650
Reaction score
20,906
One thing to remember with him is he's been playing with a foot and ankle injury for months now. He may just be feeling old now. A few months off and then his son enrolling at USC will probably revitalize him. Ironically for him it would have been "better" if Lakers didn't make the play in, the extra time off to heal would have made next year much easier for him IMO. But the competitor in him made him play hurt.
Bah.... he's just going to be older and even less explosive. Then he will get hurt again. That's what happens to older people that overdo it. It would be the year AFTER that he can play with his son, I look forward to the embarrassment of it all. The Lakers are effed as long as LeBron continues to play.
 

95pro

ASFN Icon
Joined
May 10, 2007
Posts
11,934
Reaction score
3,569
One thing to remember with him is he's been playing with a foot and ankle injury for months now. He may just be feeling old now. A few months off and then his son enrolling at USC will probably revitalize him. Ironically for him it would have been "better" if Lakers didn't make the play in, the extra time off to heal would have made next year much easier for him IMO. But the competitor in him made him play hurt.

He tried so hard to make this his narrative, look at me i'm limping, i'm still playing hard and trying the hardest, limp limp, let me make a play, i'm injured but pushing through.
 

Dr. Jones

Has No Time For Love
Joined
Nov 2, 2004
Posts
24,797
Reaction score
13,532
Swept out of the WCF. I guess we were the second best team. Just ran up against a better "team".

Lebron has always been a weasel when he loses. I'll be rooting for the Nuggets in the finals I think.
 

Hoop Head

ASFN Icon
Supporting Member
Joined
Feb 4, 2005
Posts
15,976
Reaction score
10,863
Location
Tempe, AZ
Tatum helped Boston avoid the sweep. Put up 34pts, 11reb, and 7asts in a 116-99 win for Boston.

Miami only shot 25% from 3, which is what cost them the game. Boston came to play and Miami seemed a little complacent.
 

Russ Smith

The Original Whizzinator
Supporting Member
Joined
May 14, 2002
Posts
84,223
Reaction score
32,836
That didn't end well for Miami. Vincent will not be 100% for the next game after rolling that ankle, and Butler took a hard fall late himself and got up clearly shook up. They're so thin already without Herro etc. Even Lowry reinjured the left knee there in the game.
 

Lorenzo

Registered User
Joined
Feb 3, 2007
Posts
8,022
Reaction score
2,339
Location
Vegas
I'm a little late to the lakers getting swept party, but I'm here. hate to see it.

so let me pile more on LeBron. Opinion: Great guy off the court, I think. Great ambassador for sure. not the GOAT, but definitely top 5, probably top 3. I give him credit to living up to the hype and then some (coming out of high school). That is a lot of pressure and he's one of the few, maybe the only superstar, I've seen handle it as well as he has. He's been to several NBA finals with different teams. With that said he's always played around other superstar players, now they've just hit the age limit perhaps if you consider AD is one of the oldest young guys in the league. I thought what Lebron did in Miami was childish and while he has matured I still see a guy who is an ego maniac who seeks out attention constantly and is hard to root for in any way.
 

Lorenzo

Registered User
Joined
Feb 3, 2007
Posts
8,022
Reaction score
2,339
Location
Vegas
Celtics take another.
this has been a crazy series. only saw a little bit of the first game. if Miami lose the next game...yikes. I remember dallas going from 3-0 to 3-3 with Portland in 2003. there was a little bit of panic in those days. that was one of dirk's best playoff series ever going head to head with Scottie Pippen and Rasheed Wallace.
 

Absolute Zero

ASFN Icon
Joined
Aug 9, 2005
Posts
17,340
Reaction score
8,510
this has been a crazy series. only saw a little bit of the first game. if Miami lose the next game...yikes. I remember dallas going from 3-0 to 3-3 with Portland in 2003. there was a little bit of panic in those days. that was one of dirk's best playoff series ever going head to head with Scottie Pippen and Rasheed Wallace.


Celtics somehow captured some major momentum that they are still riding.

The question going back to Miami is, is it Jimmy time?
 

Russ Smith

The Original Whizzinator
Supporting Member
Joined
May 14, 2002
Posts
84,223
Reaction score
32,836
Celtics somehow captured some major momentum that they are still riding.

The question going back to Miami is, is it Jimmy time?

I only watched part of the game but IMO it's really about Gabe Vincent not Butler. Vincent didn't play last night so Miami had to play 30 plus minutes with 37 year old Kyle Lowry, playing on one leg with a knee injury. Lowry was terrible, 5 points 2 assists, struggled the whole time he's clearly not 100%. That impacted them on both ends, Vincent is really a shooter more than a PG but he's a solid defender, puts ball pressure on the ball handler, Lowry younger was a terrific on ball defender but he's playing on one leg so he's not nearly the defender he used to be.

It just seemed like Boston got everything they wanted and Miami struggled to get into their offense without Vincent to space the floor with his shooting and ball handling. He rolled his ankle in the last game and didn't play at all. If he is healthy enough to play they probably close out the series but that's not a given.

Boston is playing better absolutely, oddly it seems putting Grant Williams back in the rotation has really helped them with energy off the bench. And last night they just blew open the game in the first quarter and Miami never really got close
 

ajcardfan

I see you.
Moderator
Supporting Member
Joined
May 13, 2002
Posts
36,650
Reaction score
20,906
Somebody coming back from being down 3-0 has never been done. But it is bound to happen sometime. If Boston gets game 6, it becomes likely.
 

AzStevenCal

ASFN IDOL
Supporting Member
Joined
Apr 2, 2004
Posts
35,866
Reaction score
14,554
Somebody coming back from being down 3-0 has never been done. But it is bound to happen sometime. If Boston gets game 6, it becomes likely.
Coming back from 3 down is such a long shot but now it's just a case of winning the next two. Maybe it doesn't happen for Boston but I'd be very surprised if game six doesn't decide the winner.
 

Hoop Head

ASFN Icon
Supporting Member
Joined
Feb 4, 2005
Posts
15,976
Reaction score
10,863
Location
Tempe, AZ
Somebody coming back from being down 3-0 has never been done. But it is bound to happen sometime. If Boston gets game 6, it becomes likely.

Weren't the Red Sox the first team to come back 3-0 against the Yankees in 04? Baseball, sure, but that was the first time in major US sports I think.

I still say Miami does it. They'll be at home for game 6 and Playoff Jimmy is due for an appearance. As an 8 seed, there is very little pressure for them. They're playing with house money now. Riley is also there in the front office, he doesn't want his name attached to a collapse like that. I don't see it happening.
 

Mainstreet

Cruisin' Mainstreet
Supporting Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2003
Posts
112,537
Reaction score
51,772
Coming back from 3 down is such a long shot but now it's just a case of winning the next two. Maybe it doesn't happen for Boston but I'd be very surprised if game six doesn't decide the winner.

It was once a long shot for the Celtics to come back in the series but momentum can be a powerful thing especially since the Celtics have more than enough talent to do it.
 

ajcardfan

I see you.
Moderator
Supporting Member
Joined
May 13, 2002
Posts
36,650
Reaction score
20,906
Weren't the Red Sox the first team to come back 3-0 against the Yankees in 04? Baseball, sure, but that was the first time in major US sports I think.

I still say Miami does it. They'll be at home for game 6 and Playoff Jimmy is due for an appearance. As an 8 seed, there is very little pressure for them. They're playing with house money now. Riley is also there in the front office, he doesn't want his name attached to a collapse like that. I don't see it happening.
It's been done in hockey like 3 or 4 times. You may be right about the Sox being the first.
 

Dback Jon

Killer Snail
Moderator
Supporting Member
Joined
May 14, 2002
Posts
75,847
Reaction score
32,614
Location
Scottsdale
It's been done in hockey like 3 or 4 times. You may be right about the Sox being the first.
NHL:

1942 Stanley Cup Final ~Toronto Maple Leafs^*Detroit Red WingsOnly time in the Stanley Cup Final and the comeback was completed at home.
1975 Stanley Cup QuarterfinalsNew York IslandersPittsburgh PenguinsWon 8 games while facing elimination this playoff year.
2010 Eastern Conference SemifinalsPhiladelphia FlyersBoston BruinsOvercame 0–3 deficit in the 7th game.
2014 Western Conference First RoundLos Angeles Kings*San Jose SharksLos Angeles won three game sevens in this playoff year, and hold the record for most elimination games won in a single playoff year for a Stanley Cup champion, with seven.
 

Staff online

Forum statistics

Threads
534,818
Posts
5,246,625
Members
6,273
Latest member
sarahmoose
Top