2016-2017 NBA Thread

[Pendulous]

Raptors up 16 at halftime, and they haven't shot a single free throw. That sounds like some kind of record.

[Rennadrel]

Well, anyone thinking that Cleveland had this series in the bag, is fooling themselves. Toronto isn't going to take it laying down, and they are looking really good right now. If this series goes 7, which is looking likely, you really have to think Toronto has a good chance at winning the series.

[Pendulous]

I love the announcers. "Toronto playing great defense". Did you just look at the points? Because I'm barely paying attention and I know better.

[Blueobelisk]

I don't know guys, as much as I hate conspiracy theories the NBA has a loooot of money and makes a loooot of money. Sometimes I wonder if they do pay off players and rig games in their favor.

Okay okay, so no I don't actually believe that, especially not against the Cavs who the NBA definitely wants in the Finals, but you get those kind of thoughts when you see performances like these. ~14% 3 point shooting and you keep throwing up more? Not playing any real defense?

No way. I don't believe that either. No way the NBA could pay players and word wouldn't get out. Word spreads quickly in the locker room. Kenny from TNT Crew even said players talk about coaching style and word travels and that's what makes players pick teams. That's prob why Dwight is in Houston and not LA. (Kenny said it about Phil Jackson being a GM GM whereas Pat Riley is a hands on GM who you can see in practice, and the players know that so they like Miami better.)

I think Cavs coach is dumb, but you can't tell them not to shoot. They have to get into a groove.

Raptors up 16 at halftime, and they haven't shot a single free throw. That sounds like some kind of record.

Yup I was gonna post the score and say it looks bad for Cleveland, but I actually think Cleveland can come back.

Lebron's in the locker room right now saying "listen mother fuckers. We're winning in 5. Not 6. I'm not getting crowned Eastern Conference winners while singing Oh Canada or any of that bullshit. Let's go."

I actually think it would be horrible to have to get crowned the conference winners in Toronto if you're another NBA team. They seem mad disrespectful and they like. Crowd around in the cold for a game they could watch on TV. I mean, cmon, it's not fucking Wimbledon.

This is Toronto's first Conference Finals so no one ever experienced it before lol.

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Well, anyone thinking that Cleveland had this series in the bag, is fooling themselves.

Ayyy I'm with you.

I like the way you guys are already talking like the Raptor's season is over lol. Cleveland still has to win 3 more.

If Cavs play seriously (and they probably will when they get back home) then Toronto will lose in 6. They're just dicking around right now.

[Rennadrel]

No way. I don't believe that either. No way the NBA could pay players and word wouldn't get out. Word spreads quickly in the locker room. Kenny from TNT Crew even said players talk about coaching style and word travels and that's what makes players pick teams. That's prob why Dwight is in Houston and not LA. (Kenny said it about Phil Jackson being a GM GM whereas Pat Riley is a hands on GM who you can see in practice, and the players know that so they like Miami better.)

I think Cavs coach is dumb, but you can't tell them not to shoot. They have to get into a groove.



Yup I was gonna post the score and say it looks bad for Cleveland, but I actually think Cleveland can come back.

Lebron's in the locker room right now saying "listen mother fuckers. We're winning in 5. Not 6. I'm not getting crowned Eastern Conference winners while singing Oh Canada or any of that bullshit. Let's go."

I actually think it would be horrible to have to get crowned the conference winners in Toronto if you're another NBA team. They seem mad disrespectful and they like. Crowd around in the cold for a game they could watch on TV. I mean, cmon, it's not fucking Wimbledon.

This is Toronto's first Conference Finals so no one ever experienced it before lol.

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Ayyy I'm with you.



If Cavs play seriously (and they probably will when they get back home) then Toronto will lose in 6. They're just dicking around right now.

If this series goes back to Cleveland tied, I think it is going to wind up coming down to home court in this series. The Cavs look uncomfortable playing in Toronto, but they are playing against Toronto the same way they did earlier in the season. I'd say the Raptors are playing their game right, which will keep them in this series. Lowry and DeRozan are really getting into their groove as well and Biz is being a beast again tonight.

[Blueobelisk]

73-65. They're only down 8. Cleveland can come back lol.

I always wonder how teams could ever come back after being down but it's like...well the other team was able to go up, so why can't the losing team also make a run to catch back up?

[-aiko-]

Go Raptors! Don't even care about my prediction score anymore haha. I wanna see them win.

[Rennadrel]

This is certainly entertaining

[Blueobelisk]

Hmmmm Cleveland made the errors at the end. This will be a heartfelt loss.

[Buckeyenut88]

It's hard to take the NBA seriously sometimes with these refs.

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And now after playing great they decide to stop trapping the pick and roll, mind boggling.

Both great points !

[-aiko-]

GG no re

[Blueobelisk]

Tied series. Wow.

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Cavs can no longer win in 5.
Sorry Arqentum, Faltemer, Packers01, Ractoh, Demoncrash, -aiko-, Blueobelisk, The Bigzoman. (8/16).

@Knyx and @shahharsh2010 are the only ones who can still guess the record. They both picked 6. (No one picked 7. No one picked Toronto.)

[Rennadrel]

Well that was fun. Good job by the Raptors tonight. With that, I fucking need sleep!

[Denkou]

Can't believe this series is tied now, wow.

RE: Draymond Green's groin kick. I've watched the clip about a hundred times now (Vine is super useful for this) and I don't think it was intentional. Unpopular opinion, I know. I DO think he was trying to flop and exaggerate and make it look like there was a lot of contact on him, yes. I don't think he intentionally meant to kick Adams in the nuts.

Someone actually made a video compilation of him and apparently he does this a lot, kick/flail his leg into the air on plays with a lot of contact to try to draw a foul.

http://www.foxsports.com/nba/story/v...lailing-052316

Anyway whether it was intentional or not, we may never know. Of course Green would never admit to it if it was, but to me I just don't think he meant to do it. He is cocky, arrogant, gets chippy with other players, runs his mouth a lot, and was trying to flop on that play, yes, but I don't think he purposely meant to kick Adams in the nether region.

I'm actually glad with the decision not to suspend him because I hate "what ifs". As an unbiased fan of the sport (or as unbiased as I can be), I want to see both teams play the series out without anyone getting hurt or suspended or ejected because I don't want to be left with that thought of, "what if Green wasn't suspended?". I felt the same way about the Finals last year, I wonder if the Cavs would've won if they had Kyrie and Love. I'm not saying that players should never be suspended in the playoffs, but I don't think you can say that this was intentional; if he had walked right up to Adams and punched him then that would be something different.

P.S. The thought of a Raptors/Thunder finals actually sounds pretty nice. Everyone expected Warriors/Cavs all year long, it'd be cool to see the underdogs make it to the top.

[jregz]

Intent is irrelevant. Al Horford didn't mean to smack TJ Ford in the face but he still got the flagrant (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_z1fySRESrE). Kelly Olynyk didn't mean to destroy Kevin Love's shoulder but he still got suspended.

If the historical question is, "well, what if Draymond was available for game 4?", my response is, "he shouldn't have hit Steven Adams in the nuts twice".

[Denkou]

Right, and they upgraded Green's foul from a flagrant 1 to a flagrant 2 and gave him a fine, which I agree with. Although I don't think it was intentional, I can certainly see how others would think that it is. The first hit to the nuts in game 2, however, was almost certainly incidental. He hit him with his knee as he was driving towards the hoop and jumping into the air for what was practically a lay-up.

Serge Ibaka punched Blake Griffin pretty square in the nuts, no suspension for that either. And the league took the exact same action: called on the floor as a flagrant 1, after they reviewed it a day later it was upgraded to flagrant 2 and a $25,000 fine (same as Green's fine). So at least in that regard, they are fairly consistent when it comes to these punishments.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHTQsHsPeLc

[ItachiZaku]

Green's looked more intentional than Jones, so if Jones gets 1, Green should get at least 2. And at the least, he should be penalized for not being in control of himself. This is making my want to boycott this stupid fucking league as well.

Live by the 3, die by the 3. Dumb shit when you have Bron and Uncle Drew.

[Racthoh]

you could see jones ball his fist and rear back a little for the blow. it doesn't look any less intentional than green's kick imo.

[jregz]

Serge Ibaka punched Blake Griffin pretty square in the nuts, no suspension for that either. And the league took the exact same action: called on the floor as a flagrant 1, after they reviewed it a day later it was upgraded to flagrant 2 and a $25,000 fine (same as Green's fine). So at least in that regard, they are fairly consistent when it comes to these punishments.

Except we're seeing now that it's not applied consistently. Furthermore, just because the NBA fucked up here doesn't mean they should continue to fuck up moving forward.

[Stommped]

Love said he hurt himself by stepping on the refs foot, that's why he didn't play the 4th