The NBA Thread.

It ain’t happen this year. Two games in a row that they wilted in the second half.

 

Miami got 16 more possessions with 9 more rebounds and 7 more steals. Can’t give the other team the ball that many more times and get a W very often.

 

Couldn’t have been Jimmy Butler hitting mid range jumpers down the stretch while Jayson Tatum went a second straight 4th quarter without a bucket.

 

Yeah 16 more possessions and doubling Tatum had little to do with it.

 

When did grant Williams become an idiot?

Related - the Celtics know double teaming is allowed, right?

 

that was a bad move. He had done well all night and a part of a couple big runs doing GWill things. Not sending a double was dumb. Shit try a zone. Heat played zone a lot of the time and had 2 shadowing Tatum

 

Coaches always say this. Every time. I’m sure there were a lot of similar quotes about Dwane Casey being fired and then it worked out just fine for Toronto

 

Who is it that might make the decision to send a double? Or to play zone? Is there someone on the team who is directly responsible for making those sorts of decisions about how the team should play?

But I don’t think doubling is the answer for Jimmy. He’s too smart and too good at passing out of it to open shooters.

 

You have to send help when somebody is in a zone and taking over the game. Coach can surely call it or you have a player as smart as Santi who doesn’t need Barnes to yell at him to double or at least show double, which he is great at, and disrupts the play either way with a shrinking shot clock.

 

Can’t blame the team for not being prepared to react if/when Jimmy got in a zone and started taking over the game. If only they had 2 days to prepare and a heap of game film to watch, maybe they would have known Jimmy might do that and prepare for it in advance.

 

Indy. They aren’t 9 year olds. And there’s little to do to stop his baseline fadeaway. It’s a horrible shot for 99% of the nba. His 2nd one on Grant was great defense. He’s just a baller. Him taking and making that shot has nothing to do with Speoeltra calling a play for him.

 

Crazy how the Celtics managed to beat the Heat last year, but now there’s nothing that can be done. Almost as if there was a significant change from last year to this year. I wonder what that could be?

It’s like your stance is the coaches have nothing to do with the game whatsoever. And if that’s your stance, I have no idea why you’d be upset when they get fired. They’re being paid millions to do nothing, apparently. Enjoy it while it lasts.

Spo is not directing Jimmy’s every move. But he’s up 2-0 in the ECF while starting 34 year old Kevin Love and two players (Vincent & Strus) with a combined 117 starts in 8 combined NBA seasons. The Celtics roster is light years ahead of what the Heat are putting on the floor each night. I’ve said for years now that Jimmy is better than Tatum. But let’s not pretend the gap is so substantial as to lead to a 2-0 lead going home. Spoelstra is coaching circles around Mazzulla. It’s probably 50% of why they’re in this situation.

 

I'll be shocked if the Lakers don't crush Denver tonight.

 

Yeah, if I’m Denver, I go easy tonight and go all out in game 4. Wouldn’t be surprised if it heads back to Denver 3-1. Just can’t see LeBron having enough in the tank to guard Jokic and still give them what they need offensively.

 

I wonder if Mo Bamba is actually injured, and, if not, would he be playing some minutes in this series. He could certainly protect the rim and work on the glass while AD guards Jokic. And he also wouldn’t clog the floor on offense.

He hasn’t really played, so it’s not a real thought. But I wonder if he’s the reason they didn’t get a true big.

 

Jamal Murray still on fire. Trouble.

 

Jokic hasn’t scored, and the Nuggets were still up 12. Jamal Murray has just been otherworldly.

 

11-13, 4-5 from 3, 26 points with 5:30 left in the first.

Lakers are toast if he keeps this up.

 

How was that shot by Schroder a 2?

 

DLo playing himself out of a contract.

Jokic a non factor and it basically doesn’t matter. Lakers can’t stop falling all over themselves.