The Official NBA Thread: Mavs v Celtics in the NBA Finals | elpablo21 is Taking Receipts

[lawdog1]

Tbf Wolves and Grizz seemed headed that way with one series

Nuggets and Wolves have that now back 2 back years doing so (plus adding the Wolves GM used to work for the Nuggets and specifically built a team to beat the Nuggets in mind). I think that passes the smell test of a new rivalry

But most we get now if it's not historically already there is short term rivalries I guess. The added player movement kinda kills the long term development of one.

Wolves-Nuggs meet another time in the playoffs in the next couple years, rivalry label will absolutely fit.

 

[lawdog1]

The West needs it's own championship at this point. It's going to get more stacked

It stresses me out, Bro. I wake up from bad dreams like, “damn, the Grizzlies are back and the Rockets got even better. Wemby, aaaaahhhhh nooooo!!!!!”

 

[HIM]

Wolves-Nuggs meet another time in the playoffs in the next couple years, rivalry label will absolutely fit.

Jokic definitely hates Ant and the wolves after the wave

 

[rolaholic]

Jokic definitely hates Ant and the wolves after the wave

Did he not see what he did to KD and them the previous series?

He isn't on that sportsmanship wave and that's part of why so many like him

 

[osh kosh bosh]

My hot take for the night: calling Ant the best player on the Wolves is really just peoples way of saying he’s cute.

I think I could make the argument he’s the 5th most important player on the team.

1. JMc (Young Pippen, doing all the things that don’t show up in the stat box while MJ gets all the credit)
2. Kat (Big Purr, the best shooting big man of all-time)
3. Goober (has his flaws but he’s pretty much a guarantee for a top three defense)
4. Naz (best contract in the league)
5. Ant (wolves might still be rolling if you swap him out for CJ McCollum)

you're wild wrong. he's the best player.


buuuuuuut, ill say theres tiny tiny tiny bit of truth to this in that

the best offensive player on a team built on around defense tends to get overrated a bit.


Isiah Thomas, AI on the finals sixers, Chauncey on the pistons ect

 

[antidope]

I never really liked Rudy. But I always understood his importance.

Most people miss the second piece. Easily the second most important player on that team. It's very odd that Ben Wallace got a lot of praise (I liked Ben Wallace), but Rudy Gobert? Slander all day. The power of being well-liked.

 

[osh kosh bosh]

Chelsea boots in a casual context are over because skinny jeans are over.

can't wear Chelsea's with current fashionable silhouettes.

 

[651akathepaul]

Real rivalries are built through playoff match-ups and teams taking turns eliminating each other. Otherwise, it’s a just an invented talking point.

Tbf Wolves and Grizz seemed headed that way with one series

Exactly what I meant. Felt they were bound to meet again this postseason. Next season will suffice. Ja's revival, Ant the new face that was vacated by Ja (possibly). Two scrappy and deep teams.

But hold on...let the Wolves get these rings first..

 

[osh kosh bosh]

Ja Morant Grizz are a good example of why it prob makes sense to go win now when you have a great young star.

 

[QU!K]

Waiting for the western conference finals to start like:

 

[651akathepaul]

Wolves-Nuggs meet another time in the playoffs in the next couple years, rivalry label will absolutely fit.

This was the 2nd straight postseason they faced eachother...plus all the intertwining personnel, same division so they play 4 times a season...I think it already qualifies.

Memphis would be more exciting tho.

 

[rolaholic]

This is really it. Easily the second most important player on that team. It's very odd that Ben Wallace got a lot of praise (I liked Ben Wallace), but Rudy Gobert? Slander all day. The power of being well-liked.

He fits the original euro/french stereotype and mold that was in folks minds before the explosion in the last decade of elite international talent dominating at this level

He came into the league when international bigs were still automatically considered 'soft' and awkward

He's never quite shaken that off even though he's vastly surpassed each and every one of even the wildest expectations that people would've had for him and his career in the league.

Thankfully for future euro/international players, they won't be coming into the league with that stigma anymore. It'll be more based off of what they do on the court as it should be. Guys like Rudy took the lumps for them

 

[pmatic]

He fits the original euro/french stereotype and mold that was in folks minds before the explosion in the last decade of elite international talent dominating at this level

He came into the league when international bigs were still automatically considered 'soft' and awkward

He's never quite shaken that off even though he's vastly surpassed each and every one of even the wildest expectations that people would've had for him and his career in the league.

Thankfully for future players, they won't be coming into the league with that stigma anymore. It'll be based off of what they do on the court as it should be. Guys like Rudy took the lumps for them

Nah.

 

[elpablo21]

It stresses me out, Bro. I wake up from bad dreams like, “damn, the Grizzlies are back and the Rockets got even better. Wemby, aaaaahhhhh nooooo!!!!!”

Yeah like the next few #1 picks need to go to the East to kiiinda balance this out

 

[rolaholic]

Nah.

You think that stigma's still very present these days?

I think enough people have seen guys come over and ball out consistently over the years to give new guys more of a chance or leeway to show what they've got even if they haven't heard of them before turning them into memes.

 

[B Sox]

A good Jaden McDaniels is definitely just as important if not more than Rudy, who is probably 3rd on that team.

 

[pmatic]

You thing that stigma's still very present these days?

I think enough people have seen guys come over and ball out consistently over the years to give new guys more of a chance or leeway to show what they've got even if they haven't heard of them before turning them into memes.

Not sure if the stigma is still there or not, but I don't put it above people to believe in it and run with it.

 

[651akathepaul]

I think enough people have seen guys come over and ball out consistently over the years to give new guys more of a chance or leeway to show what they've got even if they haven't heard of them before turning them into memes.

This thread had me expecting Rubio to be the next J Kidd...

He's appreciated now, but definitely fell way short of the expectations y’all allowed me to believe.

 

[osh kosh bosh]

better analysis then SAS has done on any halftime show.

 

[rolaholic]

The Rubio hype after the Beijing Olympics was definitely something

I'm glad he had a decent pro career but yea he was initially billed as what we watched Luka become years later

 

[antidope]

Wemby will save it. Everyone loves him already so when he delivers it will be welcomed broadly

 

[antidope]

better analysis then SAS has done on any halftime show.

He's legit trying to mispronounce some of these, IDC. Especially since he picked right twice here. He clearly knows.

 

[Brownstone]

Looking forward to the Dallas series

• Having McDaniels guard PJ Washington would be such a waste, I hope they stick Mike on him
• I like Dallas though, and as much as I hate on PJ Washington picking him up and adding Gafford at the trade deadline were great moves from a team perspective
• OKC was the smallest team in the playoffs and now Dallas is facing the largest- just an observation
• Will Ant actually guard Kyrie? I wouldn't at least to start

 

[rolaholic]

Wemby will save it. Everyone loves him already so when he delivers it will be welcomed broadly

It's because, the term gets overused a lot these days but it's apt here, he's genuinely built different

Like if someone created him in a lab with all of the physical attributes that you'd want in an elite basketball player mixed with the mentality of someone at the top of their field and that's what you get

 

[justincredible7]

Jokic definitely hates Ant and the wolves after the wave

ANT MAN is one of my new favorite players I am good for trash talk on court but waving to the crowd and acting classless is another thing. Players now days do all of this and when they lose they dont wan't to talk to reporters or go straight to the back without shaking hands