Hyperactivity
Banned
In many ways, it would be good. The main problem would be the flights. Imagine a playoffs filled with matchups like Lakers/Raptors, Suns/Celtics, etc.
-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
2015 NBA PLAYOFFS |OT| One man's Smith.. Is another man's treasure.
- Thread starter UnObtainium17
- Start date
In many ways, it would be good. The main problem would be the flights. Imagine a playoffs filled with matchups like Lakers/Raptors, Suns/Celtics, etc.
ZeroMaverick
Member
Cry baby? I don't even know what to do about that. It seems that the national media's narrative spinning has worked on you. Are you from Orlando? Or maybe LA? I don't understand it.
Harden isn't over dramatic. Dude drops 20+ points in nearly every game this and last series, nets a triple-double, spent the regular season at the top of the scoring column, put up multiple 50+ point games, and carried an injury ridden team to the 2nd seed. What? Because he drives the lane looking for contact he's a bad player? If you don't foul him, he doesn't get the call (which is what the Clippers were doing in those first few games--arms down, no reaching).
XiaNaphryz
LATIN, MATRIPEDICABUS, DO YOU SPEAK IT
Obligatory:
Granted many times he is getting fouled, but let's not pretend Harden doesn't try to get calls either.
Clockwork5
Member
Hey zero, you're comments were always cautiously optimistic throughout these last 3 games. You helped me keep a level head. This feels sooo good bro!
ZeroMaverick
Member
Obligatory:
Granted many times he is getting fouled, but let's not pretend Harden doesn't try to get calls either.
Lol both of them were in the wrong there. Lebron scurries back to remain locked up
Starphoenix
Member
You have a team with Dwight Howard on it. That's all that really needs to be said. And really that is the crux of my disdain for the Rockets: my disdain for cowardly Howard. Mister "I want to be like Shaq but never will be." His crowning achievements will be ticking off Kobe and getting trolled by Tim Duncan in the first round of the playoffs.
Really? I'm not saying he isn't a good player, but watching him flop his way to fouls isn't my idea of fun.
Clockwork5
Member
Obligatory:
Granted many times he is getting fouled, but let's not pretend Harden doesn't try to get calls either.
Of course he does. He is really good at drawing contact, he is good at selling the foul and he is good at making free throws.
Again, don't foul him and none of that matters.
Clockwork5
Member
Thanks for pointing out your level of pettiness. Howard is a beast bro. Deal with it.
Dreams-Visions
Member
I'm not sure how you even write the bolded after the original point was made that often times he sells foul calls that were never fouls. If you don't foul him he still gets to the line. That does matter.
ZeroMaverick
Member
You make it sound like he personally wronged you or something. Dwight, since returning from the knee injury, has been nothing but a phenomenal center. He's netted double-doubles nearly every game, out-rebounded DeAndre Jordan and Tyson Chandler, scored 20+ almost every game, and is half of the reason Josh Smith is playing as well as he is. Just because the dude isn't a "thug" or "hard" doesn't mean he's not a fantastic player. He's probably the best center in the game right now outside of Duncan and MAYBE Cousins or Gasol. He's definitely the best center in the playoffs. Call him soft if you want or cowardly, but the man does a lot of great stuff for our city.
Idk, like, you're entitled to your opinion and I respect you and your opinion. I just don't see how people can ignore how dominant he's been playing.
Chezzymann
Member
I feel like this comeback was more of the rockets finding their groove after having their backs against the wall and really finally clicking as a team than the clippers choking. Of course that was a part of this though.
I feel in the warriors series we will get the rockets team that blew out the clippers and had an insane 36 point turnaround comeback, not the rockets team that took advantage of the clippers choking. Most people think only the latter happened and the former didn't exist. That's why I expect this to be a competitive series despite nearly everyone predicting a sweep. This current rockets team is better than the current clippers team.
I feel in the warriors series we will get the rockets team that blew out the clippers and had an insane 36 point turnaround comeback, not the rockets team that took advantage of the clippers choking. Most people think only the latter happened and the former didn't exist. That's why I expect this to be a competitive series despite nearly everyone predicting a sweep. This current rockets team is better than the current clippers team.
Clockwork5
Member
He is getting fouled. It's not like the Rockets or even Harden are the Cinderella's of the NBA. He is good at creating contact and forcing the officials to make a call.
This last series for example. Clips / Wars is a much better story for the WCF. The refs were not going to hand the Rockets the series with a bunch of no-foul calls. I doubt the league wants the Rockets in this series those guys had to earn it and they did, including all of Hardens free throws.
Also, I watch a lot of basketball. Harden gets fouled.
Starphoenix
Member
Look, I don't respect Howard as a player. I'm not saying he isn't talented or good, but his antics have forever soured me towards him as a player.
ZeroMaverick
Member
Clockwork5
Member
As great as Howard is for the Houston community and the Rockets, I am starting to wonder just how toxic the Lakers and Orlando franchises must be.
ZeroMaverick
Member
Very well. I agree to disagree. I feel bad for hijacking the thread and causing it to spiral in this direction.
Starphoenix
Member
We've always known the Lakers were toxic. I don't think anybody really cares about Orlando considering the mire of mediocrity they've been.
Same here. I got a bit carried away and didn't need to. I'll give my olive branch by saying I'm happy at least one Texas team is in the conference finals.
Harden and CP3 are, by far, the worst floppers and babies in the league. You go near them and they are going to exaggerate the contact (or non-contact) as if they were shot. It's disgusting and is the #1 reason I was glad to see CP3 bounced. I just hate that about him. Harden isn't much better. I just don't see other superstars doing it to their level (except LBJ who is also a baby).
Clockwork5
Member
Fair enough. Just don't get the hate for Howard. He has played hard for Houston. Does he complain to the Refs? Sure. Does he lose his cool and throw people to the floor? On occasion. But he is far from alone in either of those categories and not even the most egregious offender.
Dreams-Visions
Member
I tend to agree.
Sometimes I wonder if LBJ flops sometimes now because when he doesn't flop, the refs ignore the contact entirely? He gets fouled quite a bit but his strength seems to allow him to shrug it off almost without any real reaction. Harden just gets tiring to watch. He certainly gets fouled, but a lot of those calls he's getting are...zzzz.
sooperkool
Member
Yup, stuck at work... no matter. But don't forget about games like yesterday with that convenient watchespn login.
Harden can cover Klay just fine. Not sure what they'll do with Steph.
Dreams-Visions
Member
they'll do what every other team does: pray.
MetalFearSolid
Banned
. Interesting development, if you need to move on from DeAndre Jordan in order build a bench so be it. Don't try to build a productive bench play through minimum salary guys.
Ninja Scooter
Member
Lakers will probably offer him a max if he wants to stay in LA.
Dreams-Visions
Member
it would be good for them to move to a big that can defend adequately without being a liability on offense outside of dunking.
Chezzymann
Member
The Rockets won over the clippers after finding their rhythm and rallying back through a historic comeback. That's the word you use. "Win". They are the better team. And they fully deserve to be in the conference finals. Part of it may have been the clippers choking, but the majority of it was the Rockets playing all around better basketball when it counted. There was no "robbing" involved because the clippers had no previous right to be in the conference finals in the first place.
greatestjediever
Member
DJ is a great one-on-one and help defender, but the Clips would probably be better served getting someone less talented (but hopefully still mildly athletic or at least a big body) in the middle and improve elsewhere.
So many alley-oops were given to Howard because the everyone in the backcourt was getting beaten off the dribble, causing DJ to slide over for help and leave Howard open or against a smaller guy. Clippers tried to play help defense waaay too much (I can't count how many times Barnes/Crawford were caught cheating inside on the help). They probably would've faired better had they just played man the entire time. At least that way you could've kept the rest of the team out of it.
That said, given that the Clips are pretty much at the cap even without DJ, I doubt we can do anything besides hoping to draft well, which I don't see happening with Doc at the helm making those decisions.
LyleLanley
Banned
"Sources: DeAndre Jordan and Chris Paul have had falling out throughout season, a fact that could push Jordan to another team in free agency." - @Sportsreiter
Hmm...
Hmm...
This is why a Spurs x Dubs matchup would have been the GOAT WCF.
Didn't the Clips get rid of all their draft picks?
Hmm, I dunno. Harden trying to chase Klay around game after game sounds like a lot of open shots for Klay.
I wonder if McHale would go Harden, Brewer, and Ariza starting, with Brewer and Ariza on Klay and Steph and Harden on Draymond. Could also try him on Barnes, though I think Barnes would abuse him in the post.
Ninja Scooter
Member
Aren't the Clips pretty cap strapped next season even if Jordan walks? It's not like they can pass on giving him $20 million a year and then get $20 million worth of role players with that money. The time to upgrade their bench was last year and Doc fucked that up. deandre is a flawed player no doubt but he's also very valuable and impactful and I don't see any scenario where they can let him walk and somehow become a better team in 2015-16. I think they are stuck in a spot where they have to bring him back and hope they can hit on a couple of lottery ticket vet signings to round out the bench. It's a crap shoot. Look at what the Rockets got from Prigs, Terry and Brewer. Those kinds of guys are always available you just have to luck out a little and get them at the right time.
MetalFearSolid
Banned
They need to load up at the 2 and 3 spots, get deep at that spot.
Starphoenix
Member
If the Spurs were healthy and in rhythm like last year, absolutely. However they came into these playoffs gimped and playing inconsistently. Never would have even come to a miracle Paul play had they been in sync. Alas, it is what it is.
LyleLanley
Banned
Letting DeAndre walk would be incredibly stupid of the Clippers. Sign him to a long term deal and then trade him eventually if you need to but don't just let him go for nothing.
There is 0% chance they let him walk. Why would they? He could choose to go somewhere else, though. I personally think there's a 50/50 chance he ends up somewhere else.
Starphoenix
Member
The Clips should have never let Collison walk and should have recruited Pierce when they had the chance. Pierce would have closed out Game 6 for them.
LyleLanley
Banned
If they offered him a max contract I'd be surprised if he actually left. With the cap going up they Clippers may as well offer him a huge deal now and work out the problems later.
MetalFearSolid
Banned
NBA all-rookie first team:
Andrew Wiggins (unanimous choice), Nikola Mirotic, Nerlens Noel, Elfrid Payton, Jordan Clarkson
Andrew Wiggins (unanimous choice), Nikola Mirotic, Nerlens Noel, Elfrid Payton, Jordan Clarkson
Andrew Korenchkin
Member
Not a bad list. Glad Clarkson is on there first and firemost, I hope he becomes a valuable asset to The Lakers. Not to mention he's fun as hell to watch. Definitely my new favorite player in the NBA.
In general, Andrew Wiggins is great too, I like the T-Wolves.
TheSadRanger
Banned
I keep telling you guys that Pops threw that series cause he knew they couldn't go the stretch this time with health and injuries. Better to fight another day.
And that's with no RBK. Frightening :lol
TheSadRanger
Banned
I thought RBK was a rockets homer tho
Liquidsnake
Banned
I haven't seen a collapse like that in maybe 15 years.
TheSadRanger
Banned
Eh, I'm jelly of anyone in the conference finals tbh, it sucks looking at mavsmoneyball and having reviews of Taylor Swift music videos on the front page :/