NBA: The '23 NBA PLAYOFFS

[MultiTroll]

Poole ya WTF he had plenty of time and space to dribble in a step or two with momentum going forward.

He def tried to Curry it.

Anyway eat and die WarriorPhan. 1-0.

[Bynumite]

Cute jump shooting teams getting exposed per par. The layup fest they enjoyed against Sabonis is over.

He'll have off nights on offense but these playoffs have been an all time great defensive performance by AD so far.

[Spurs Homer]

This might be fun….

until china doll goes down in 4,3,2,…..

[MultiTroll]

This might be fun….

until china doll goes down in 4,3,2,…..

Warriors will go to one of their mainstay bread and butter moves and intentionally hurt AD.
You know it's coming.

[daslicer]

Warriors are used to having the refs in their pocket but in this series, they will have to deal with Laker refs. They were several times during the game where the refs blew the whistle, and the Warrior players were shocked. I think the refs will get to the Warriors throughout this series.

Draymond like always is a psycho and showed he's willing to play dirty at all costs which showed when he did a dirty karate chop hack at Lebron's hand late in the fourth. If the Warriors are in danger of losing the series look for him to try to injure someone. The obvious target is AD but it wouldn't surprise me if he took out Vanderbilt. Vanderbilt is underrated and is a huge x-factor with his ability to play defense on Curry.

Lakers size will give the Warriors a lot of problems throughout the series. They got too many big bodies in AD, Lebron, Hachimura, Vanderbilt that can get boards. I can't see Looney averaging 20 rebounds a game in this series. He's going to come back down to Earth eventually and when that happens the Warriors will be in some serious trouble.

[Killakobe81]

You shouldn't argue whether Jokic is deserving of being a three time consecutive MVP. You should only consider whether he deserves it this season or not. You shouldn't not give it to him because you don't want him to win three straight. It's just bad logic. He either deserves it for this season or doesn't deserve it for this season, this season only.

This season, he was clearly the MVP favorite until the last month to month and a half when his production fell off a little and Denver lost some games after they had a comfortable lead for the first seed, and Embiid started to go off. I think Embiid probably won it over the last month of the season or so. But I personally wouldn't not give it to Jokic simply because I didn't want him to win three straight. And I hope voters don't think that way, tho I think we all know some do.

What's so impressive about him is that he really does do what his team needs offensively on any particular night. If they need him to score big bc Murray is off, he'll do that like last night. Need him to be more of a playmaker and not score much, no problem. Need him to just control the offensive glass and just set screens, he's up for it. Truly a generational offensive superstar player.

And he's a better athlete than a lot of people say and suggest. He doesn't run fast and doesn't jump high. But athleticism isn't just running and jumping. He's actually very agile with great quickness and reaction time. He's a very fluid athlete. Strength and agility and balance and reaction time and anticipation are all athletic traits.

Agree with all this …
This season has changed my mind
But honestly don’t care about the award much …
But didn’t think he deserved 3 straight but I do now
His touch with either hand and his ability to spin and shoot over each shoulder is amazing

[JamStone]

Pretty exciting game, but pretty weird too. Warriors made a bunch of threes, but couldn’t score at all inside and got no free throws. They probably need to get some easy lay-ups, in transition or off putbacks or when Lakers overshade on Steph and Klay like when Looney slipped on an overplay by Davis and got an easy backdoor bunny.

Lakers can’t shoot outside of Reeves and D’lo if he gets it going. But he’s inconsistent and Reeves wasn’t too aggressive last night. Everyone seems to believe it’s all on Davis for the Lakers. I think the Lakers guards need to hit some threes to help balance their offense out and not put so much pressure on Davis. LeBron finally doesn’t look like LeBron anymore. Only flashes and glimpses. Maybe it’s because he doesn’t have the ball in his hands as much as I’m used to seeing. But he looked like a really good role player for much of the game. I think Beasley might be a guy Ham should look to for a few minutes to see if he can knock down a couple shots.

[Ice009]

Big win for the Lakers. Good game.

How long is Butler expected to be out for? Miami almost could have won that game without him. Great effort from the Heat.

[The Gemini Method]

Think the one day off between games is going to be the hardest thing to overcome for the Lakers. They've basically been in do-or-die mode since the last month of the season and the Others are youthful, but AD and LeBron are not and so it will be interesting to see how both teams adjust. Will the Warriors put Curry into more PnR actions like they did in Game 7 vs. the King? Can AD stay consistent when he hasn't shown the ability to do so in the playoffs so far. Though, if the Regular Season has any (and I mean very little amount of correlation) AD has had some success vs. the front line of the Dubs. Good games from D-Lo and Shroeder. Defense from Jered V. was decent. The energy of the series is more befitting of a Finals than a Conference Semifinal.

[Spurs Homer]

Warriors will go to one of their mainstay bread and butter moves and intentionally hurt AD.
You know it's coming.

oh yeah..and it does not help that Davis is a bonafide china doll!

[Bill_Brasky]

The foot is clearly still an issue for Lebron, but he has found ways to be effective.

[TD 21]

Like the 76ers, the Lakers knew they had to win game 1 given the rest advantage and the fact that their stars (particularly James) are banged up.

Still, given the every other day schedule, James being a s of himself and refusing to pass the crunch time torch (while Davis continues to oblige) and the math, it's difficult to envision them winning this series despite how unimpressive the Warriors are.

[Arcadian]

The obvious Finals matchup we should all hope for is Denver-Philadelphia, as it would be the last two MVPs facing off on the biggest stage, plus Murray vs. Harden.

That'd be funny if it was a 7 vs. 8 seed, though

[The Gemini Method]

[QUOTE=That'd be funny if it was a 7 vs. 8 seed, though [/QUOTE] Though it isn't a on-off like March Madness where they had a 4 vs 5... would be a trip to have a rematch of Lakers vs. Heat. But i'm hesitant with the aging top heavy team the Lakers truly are.

[gilmor2002]

The obvious Finals matchup we should all hope for is Denver-Philadelphia, as it would be the last two MVPs facing off on the biggest stage, plus Murray vs. Harden.

That'd be funny if it was a 7 vs. 8 seed, though

I am rooting for Jimmy Buckets vs Jokic

[Robz4000]

Its gonna be Dubs vs Celtics again with the same outcome tbh.

[FrostKing]

Its gonna be Dubs vs Celtics again with the same outcome tbh.

Celtics look destined for another Finals loss

[MultiTroll]

Warriors are used to having the refs in their pocket but in this series, they will have to deal with Laker refs. They were several times during the game where the refs blew the whistle, and the Warrior players were shocked. I think the refs will get to the Warriors throughout this series.

Draymond like always is a psycho and showed he's willing to play dirty at all costs which showed when he did a dirty karate chop hack at Lebron's hand late in the fourth. If the Warriors are in danger of losing the series look for him to try to injure someone. The obvious target is AD but it wouldn't surprise me if he took out Vanderbilt. Vanderbilt is underrated and is a huge x-factor with his ability to play defense on Curry.

Lakers size will give the Warriors a lot of problems throughout the series. They got too many big bodies in AD, Lebron, Hachimura, Vanderbilt that can get boards. I can't see Looney averaging 20 rebounds a game in this series. He's going to come back down to Earth eventually and when that happens the Warriors will be in some serious trouble.

Might have to join your MO and not watch Game 2.

I got a bad feeling some dirty chit about to come down.
+ Warriors are better at home. Could be a legit win.

But if Warrior is losing, the dirt is coming.
I also though Apemond and Poole were trying to do a dirty on Lebron on that late coast to coast drive. Could also be just a stopping of a layup but as Lebron crossed 1/2 court i would have said Don't Do it Lebron.

Fell and then grabbed his wrist.

[Barfunk]

Warriors are used to having the refs in their pocket but in this series, they will have to deal with Laker refs. They were several times during the game where the refs blew the whistle, and the Warrior players were shocked. I think the refs will get to the Warriors throughout this series.

Lol, yeah the refs will be going through an iden y crisis this series.

[InRareForm]

Curry the point God this game

[MultiTroll]

Better flush this game Lakers.

Laker guards got flamed on O and D.

[JamStone]

I expect Lakers to take game 3. Game 4 to me is a coin flip and likely decides the series winner.

[The Gemini Method]

To no surprise, the other AD showed up last night. Not sure what Darvin was doing. Looney sick and you had AD floating at the free throw line? Post LBJ and AD down low and force the action on the smaller Warriors. Though, the Lakers' defense vs the pick and roll was atrocious. Seeing the likes of JaMychal Green get wide open 3's portend a poor effort on the defensive end. Consecutive games making 21 3's the Lakers were fortunate to have split the opening Chase Center Games.

[Robz4000]

I expect Lakers to take game 3. Game 4 to me is a coin flip and likely decides the series winner.

Don't think the Lakers win another game in this series tbh.

[baseline bum]

Don't think the Lakers win another game in this series tbh.

I can understand picking Golden State in this series but acting like they're the 2017 Warriors?