OKC Thunder (1) vs Dallas Mavericks (5) - 2024 WC Second Round
- Thread starter Kliq
- Start date
Also I have no clue if Dallas can win this game but all things considered Luka is impressive for playing through a bunch of leg issues. And he is legit hurt - both knees as well as an ankle.
Both could be true: he is beat up, and is a master of soccer style writhing.
Man these replay guys are not doing well for their HC in these playoffs. Burning your replay in the 1Q on a play that’s never being overturned. Everyone on OKC a little shook up right now
Must be some sort of big event in the early evening they didn't want to compete with. I don't know what that is, though.
Some interesting coaching here.
Kidd went with the obvious move of giving up as many open Giddey/Dort 3s as they want.
Daig with a nice move to just say "yeah those 2 aren't gonna play together anymore, just put in Joe"
It's an obvious move, but a lot of coaches would not just gut a starter's minutes like that (see Rick Carlisle).
Kidd went with the obvious move of giving up as many open Giddey/Dort 3s as they want.
Daig with a nice move to just say "yeah those 2 aren't gonna play together anymore, just put in Joe"
It's an obvious move, but a lot of coaches would not just gut a starter's minutes like that (see Rick Carlisle).
I feel compelled to say, while I admire Luka's obvious talent and offensive impact, I am coming to absolutely loathe him as a player. The whining and complaining about calls never stops with this guy. Many players work the refs, I realize. But in Luka's case the habit is relentless and, frequently, ridiculous.
This series offers sequences where SGA comes down and makes a shot maybe only two or three other NBA players could make and then Luka returns serve by making some insane hesi move or does something crafty to draw defenders so he has exactly who he wants open. Its not always beautiful basketball but when these guys take turn operating its like flow state hoops.
Giddey and Dort 3/11 from 3, rest of the Thunder 6/14..... Having non-shooters on the perimeter is a major weakness come playoff time
I don’t know what a foul is in this game. They have allowed so much contact I don’t know why they call them when they do.
Hubie sounds like he's not going to make it to the end of the game, never mind end of the series.
As for Luka, it's a shame that his skills are paired with so much whining. I want to like him. But the attitude makes it very, very hard.
As for Luka, it's a shame that his skills are paired with so much whining. I want to like him. But the attitude makes it very, very hard.
I get it’s a loose ball, but it’s crazy bad not to call Dort just grabbing Luka’s arms on that play. I am not talking about the act after——there was zero contact with the ball.
I don’t understand how the NBA completely changed the rules mid season. Guys are just getting mauled all over the court.
I'm sure he sees it as gamesmanship -- both because Chet can hear him bitching about it while he's trying to shoot, and because the refs will note it the next time Chet's at the line (which could get in Chet's head). Anything for an edge.
It's fucking annoying.
It's gotten really crazy.
If you restarted the season now with the current rules/interpretation I'm sure the final standings would be at least somewhat different.
Some teams are built to play like this, some aren't. Mauled is the correct term, it's insane.
I feel about him how I felt about prime Draymond. I recognize he's a very good player, but I watch more than a couple quarters of him and all I can think is.... "I hope he gets tossed and his team loses so I don't have to watch him"... one of the least enjoyable players to watch of the last decade.
It’s really the fact that they did it mid season too.. teams spent all offseason building teams to compete under one set of rules.. figured out how to play under those rules.. then made all of their free agent moves and then has the rules change entirely.
And who wanted this? Why do we want a return to 90s basketball? Why do we want basketball where every game is ref’d even more differently than it already was?
The only plausible explanation is the new media rights deal. Silver must have felt that the current product was bad (there's reporting that he was personally upset about the All-Star game) and that with the new deal looming, they couldn't' wait til the end of the season to fix it— that another postseason of foul-grifting and incessant FTs would hurt the league irreparably.
It's been rough at times, and the whole 'changing horses in midstream' is highly questionable. But: if there's no fouls being called, then players can't grift for fouls. To me, it's been worth it: anything to get away from previous style of play—where guys were constantly initiating contact with the defender, chucking the ball up and getting rewarded with a trip to the FT line— better resembles 'real basketball'. I's obviously been very choppy and sub-optimal, though— no argument there.