2018 NBA Playoffs Thread

[jsindaa]

A lot of you don't even understand the narratives y'all push. KD is, at worst, even with LeBron right now. He's a better defender, shooter, ball handler and rebounder (this is marginal either way though). And he also plays within the offense so it's easy for him. Meanwhile in Cleveland, you have LeBron highjacking the offense getting INCREDIBLE stats but it's at the expense of his teammates contribution... Then you turn around and blame the teammates when if you actually watched the Cavs run offensive sets.... It's extremely easy for them to score. In the Indy series, you know the one where no teammates scored 20, LeBron took 150 shots... The next highest was Kevin... With 81. In 7 games he got almost half the attempts that Bron did. And you're blaming Kevin, who is not a shot creator, for not scoring 20 on 11 shots a night? Do you even math? For comparison, the Toronto series Kevin got 61 shots to Bron's 103. The major difference is LeBron is choosing to play super hero ball because he's good enough to do it and no one in the East is good enough to stop it. It's not that his team sucks. It's not that they aren't aggressive. Every single time the ball is moving and everyone is getting touches, they produce. Maybe if y'all weren't so wrapped up in trying to vault this man into Mike territory your eyes would be able to see these things. Bron is exceptional. I won't really argue that he's still the best player in the league because he's certainly done more than enough to support that..... But can we not ish on KD because we're still salty that it ruined Brons chance at catching Mike(rings)?

 

[lamekilla]

KD losing with the warriors this season is almost inevitable. The basketball gods are cruel but fair. You don’t upset the balance with a lame *** move like he did and not get punished for it. Lebron is still recovering from what the basketball gods did to him. Leaving to go to Miami to win only to lose, especially that first season damaged his psyche on another level. Bball gods are cooking up something special for KD though. He forced his hand and got the championship he wanted with a team that didn’t need him and it caused his credibility to take a hit. And just like @leavemeglazzies mentioned with first Westbrook winning the MVP and now James Harden winning the MVP in consecutive seasons KD’s legacy is about to take a bigger hit. The final nail in the coffin will be the warriors losing this season and the narrative that the Warriors have never repeated as champions will put him on a sinking ship that he shouldn’t have put himself on had he believed in his own legacy.

 

[checks mcgee]

KD losing with the warriors this season is almost inevitable. The basketball gods are cruel but fair. You don’t upset the balance with a lame *** move like he did and not get punished for it. Lebron is still recovering from what the basketball gods did to him. Leaving to go to Miami to win only to lose, especially that first season damaged his psyche on another level. Bball gods are cooking up something special for KD though. He forced his hand and got the championship he wanted with a team that didn’t need him and it caused his credibility to take a hit. And just like @leavemeglazzies mentioned with first Westbrook winning the MVP and now James Harden winning the MVP in consecutive seasons KD’s legacy is about to take a bigger hit. The final nail in the coffin will be the warriors losing this season and the narrative that the Warriors have never repeated as champions will put him on a sinking ship that he shouldn’t have put himself on had he believed in his own legacy.

lol Warriors in 3

 

[LebronHasMoreFinalsMVPs]

Damn this early guys? Yall atleast brush your teeth?

 

[100027]

Only thing that’s putting Cavs over Warriors in the finals is a Kings-Lakers level stretch performance from the refs.

That said I don’t get all the KD vs Bron comparisons when Steph is superior to KD and is imo the only player on Bron’s tier (when healthy).

 

[lamekilla]

lol Warriors in 3

Rockets in 6

Damn this early guys? Yall atleast brush your teeth?

Brush and Listerine combo shawty

 

[LebronHasMoreFinalsMVPs]

Lebron in the playoffs > KD in the playoffs
Not even close

 

[air jsarg]

It's not that KD going to GSW made it harder for LeBron to win, it made it harder for ANYONE to win, don't try to make this just about Bron.

Also there is simple reason why KD is in most people mind not better than Bron, he doesn't have to do as much as any other superstar in the league, even those who have a secondary star player next to them. KD could play awful and theres still a higher chance his team will/can still win a game compared to any other team, it's however you want to perceive it but at its core its all about luxury and KD has it. That's why he can walk around just flippantly saying "I just hoop man, and play video games".

 

[junglejim]

Lebron in the playoffs > KD in the playoffs
Not even close

Player A career playoff stats

28.7 PPG 8 rpg 4 apg



Player B career playoff stats

28.7 PPG 8.9 rpg 7 apg

Not even close he says

 

[jsindaa]

That would make sense if we didn't watch what he did without Russ. And Bron does not HAVE to play that way. He chooses to. Stop disrespecting his team. The same team LeBron himself was screaming was a squad. No one wants to hear that nonsense

 

[lamekilla]

That would make sense if we didn't watch what he did without Russ. And Bron does not HAVE to play that way. He chooses to. Stop disrespecting his team. The same team LeBron himself was screaming was a squad. No one wants to hear that nonsense

Fact of the matter is there is no MVP as his “second option” let alone a back to back MVP, let alone an MVP with a unanimous vote. Come to think of it......has Lebron ever played with a league MVP?........ (and no Shaq 5 years out of his prime doesn’t count)

 

[SadBoi]

LeBron made Mo Williams into an all star. Based off that alone he’s the GOAT.

 

[100027]

It's not that KD going to GSW made it harder for LeBron to win, it made it harder for ANYONE to win, don't try to make this just about Bron.

No but there’s a lot of rich irony in people bemoaning KD’s move and trying to make Lebron into this underdog while he orchestrated super teams in Miami and to a certain extent, Cleveland as well. Where he has set up situations where it’s virtually impossible for him to lose the east.

And by the way? I dont care AT ALL. I fully support Brons decisions to go to Miami, best thing he ever did. Just like I support KD’s decision.

 

[jsindaa]

Fact of the matter is there is no MVP as his “second option” let alone a back to back MVP, let alone an MVP with a unanimous vote. Come to think of it......has Lebron ever played with a league MVP?........ (and no Shaq 5 years out of his prime doesn’t count)

None of this matters. KD has been a top 3 player since 2013. You are trying to paint this picture like it's because of Steph when people would possibly take him over Bron when he was in okc. Matter of fact, I remember when Shoes said that a few seasons ago and his explanation then stands today.

 

[air jsarg]

That would make sense if we didn't watch what he did without Russ. And Bron does not HAVE to play that way. He chooses to. Stop disrespecting his team. The same team LeBron himself was screaming was a squad. No one wants to hear that nonsense

Agreed, but KD has already admitted this season that he's never been an "alpha", the supposedly second best player in the league needed Draymond texting him at 4am before a playoff game to tell him to play better and be more aggressive? So while he was amazing with Russ, everything he complained about Russ not playing an inclusive style is on him as much as it is Russ, where was KD to tell Russ how they should play and that he is the best player so what does he require to be his best self. But no, instead he jumped to a team that catered to him without any resistance.

And LeBron does have to play that way otherwise he gets killed, and also his team has statistically been horrific this post-season with guys like Love, Korver and JR starting to find their rhythm.

 

[amitt5504]

Very winnable game. Sixers just didnt have any playmaker down the stretch

Simmons and Embid don't know how to PnR?

Hard to run PnR when Simmons can't shoot. Defenses go under every time. Until he gets a jumper, its not gonna be effective

You can tell by Simmons reaction in the Post Game interview, that he knows what he needs to do and will do it.
Guarantee he is already getting his Offseason Traniers lined out and it will be with the best shooting Coach out.

He was working with the man formally known as Chris Jackson to help with his shot. His FT % was pretty good during the playoffs (for this standards), just gotta keep improving

 

[addict4sneakers]

Agreed, but KD has already admitted this season that he's never been an "alpha", the supposedly second best player in the league needed Draymond texting him at 4am before a playoff game to tell him to play better and be more aggressive?

You can equate this to Lebron “learning” how to win from Wade though

 

[ill steelo]

Point blank shot for Embiid, but the Refs call that foul almost every time. That’s a tough way to end the season

 

[xxpizzo]

Season ends on this final shot cant even be mad. Im just glad embiid tried it down low instead of a 3

They was never gonna call this foul at home in boston and its understandable

Great series celtics fan

 

[antidope]

After two rounds the leaders of the NBA bracket challenge are as follows:

@suberzat1
@B Sox
@extraordinary swag

Shout out to the last place entry as well

@doworkson

 

[keko jones]

I don't want to hear **** about Finals and stats ....


Empty stats are worth nothing ....


One of the most memorable finals highlight is KD dribbling down the court with the GOAT guarding him and KD pull up for that 3 and take the souls away .....

 

[a-friend]

None of this matters. KD has been a top 3 player since 2013. You are trying to paint this picture like it's because of Steph when people would possibly take him over Bron when he was in okc. Matter of fact, I remember when Shoes said that a few seasons ago and his explanation then stands today.

Co-signing all your posts you just made.
Per our man SHoe, though wasn't he saying the he thought KD might be the best player he has EVER seen? or something.......he had and ill explanation too, had me buying what he was selling.
Shoe, though........I think he just said last week, Lebron > MJ, too though...........so we gotta check in with SHOE, and get some clarifications, some context or soemthing.

 

[junglejim]

Point blank shot for Embiid, but the Refs call that foul almost every time. That’s a tough way to end the season

Meh, Tatum got an and 1 like the play before that they didnt call and Reddick traveled on that 3 he hit. It all evened out. You cant expect the refs to bail you out on the road

 

[a-friend]

Point blank shot for Embiid, but the Refs call that foul almost every time. That’s a tough way to end the season

My dude had the mask all Playoffs too.
Mans was a first timer playing with 4 other first timers and NonRacist Reddick, and playing at 34% health and still was more than serviceable.
Too much respect from me.
Man the best.

 

[jsindaa]

And LeBron does have to play that way otherwise he gets killed, and also his team has statistically been horrific this post-season with guys like Love, Korver and JR starting to find their rhythm.

I've been watching LeBron play longer than literally everyone in this thread... He does not HAVE to play hero ball. He chooses to. That's the main reason he was so exceptional when people first started talking about him in middle School. He'd go out and just do everything, within the flow. He gets killed because media/fans vault him to a place he hasn't reached YET. If you throw lofty expectations, people are going to react negatively when it's not reached. We just got a full manifesto because Philly's number 1 fan wouldn't shut up this season. That's how this works. I keep telling y'all if you'd just relax with the praise, you'd see less hate. Hell, if people would just be objective you'd see less hate. We can slander Russ all day for players under performing yet can't figure out how to be objective with LeBron reducing players to spot up shooters? I can't see that LeBron is fantastic, an all time great and also recognize that he can get in his own way as well? Oh.