2016 NBA Playoffs Thread: Post-Joey Crawford Edition

[Mexi]

RIP SI!

 

[elcheato]

 
Yeah dude the Thunder are complete bums. Don't know how they won 55 games

 
Definitely way easier than the Spurs. It's a pretty significant drop off. A two man team isn't going to challenge them. 
 

west is down this year so no one should be surprised
At least they'll have an opponent in the wcf unlike cleveland

Last year everyone talked about how they got lucky to face everyone with injuries so idk what youre talking about there

Maybe 6 people on this forum did, but that isn't representative of the country.  

 

[CameronCrazy06]

 
Definitely way easier than the Spurs. It's a pretty significant drop off. A two man team isn't going to challenge them. 
 
Maybe 6 people on this forum did, but that isn't representative of the country.  

WE THE PEOPLE

 

[cavsfan817]

How are the Thunder not a challenge to GS, if they should beat the Spurs? Is that a joke?

 

[Foreman]

How are the Thunder not a challenge to GS, if they should beat the Spurs? Is that a joke?

Yeah the Thunder seem to be playing more focused and have better decision making than when Brooks was the coach. Should be a great series no matter what

 

[CameronCrazy06]

That's Dan, the board idiot

 

[cavsfan817]

They're also set up to be a better challenge to the Warriors. Two bonafide top 5 players in the entire league who seem to be figuring it out with the give-and-take with regards to who is going to takeover and when. The team has been the best 4th quarter team in the playoffs after being the worst one in the regular season. And they're getting insane production out of Randy Foye and Enes Kanter. Unlike Cleveland last year, their length is young and able to move around, which could be a huge issue for Golden State when they go small. The Thunder are the best equipped team to beat the Warriors out of the West.

 

[cavsfan817]

That's Dan, the board idiot

 
Good to know hahaha

 

[Hurricane Season]

If we get 6 or 7 games similar to the Steph 12 three OT game from earlier this season, I'd be okay with that.

 

[elcheato]

How are the Thunder not a challenge to GS, if they should beat the Spurs? Is that a joke?

You're not going to challenge the Warriors by playing a two man isolation game, and hoping Dion Waiters gets hot all series to supplement it. I'd be surprised if the Thunder took a game from them.

Kanter will be almost unplayable given how he can't guard anything that is moving, and they'll force him to cover Draymond or Barnes. It won't be pretty.

 

[cavsfan817]

You're not going to challenge the Warriors by playing a two man isolation game, and hoping Dion Waiters gets hot all series to supplement it. I'd be surprised if the Thunder took a game from them.

Kanter will be almost unplayable given how he can't guard anything that is moving, and they'll force him to cover Draymond or Barnes. It won't be pretty.

 
Right, because the Warriors did so well against a one man isolation last year in the Finals... Kanter has been playing out of his mind, and if OKC is able to have a third guy step up for them offensively, they're incredibly dangerous.

 

[elcheato]

Draymond was playing some of the worst basketball of his career heading into the finals last year, and Steph uncharacteristicly struggled through the first three games. Unless you're counting on that again, I'm not sure how that is relevant to this year.

Again, Kanter is being matched up against Aldridge and Duncan right now with the Spurs trying to attack him there, it's a lot easier for Kanter to straight up guard people in the post. He can actually somewhat do that without embarrassing himself. Against the Warriors? They'll make him move his feet, and that's where he becomes one of the worst defenders in the league, and nearly unplayable unless he's dominating on the other side, which I would not anticipate.

 

[cavsfan817]

Draymond was playing some of the worst basketball of his career heading into the finals last year, and Steph uncharacteristicly struggled through the first three games. Unless you're counting on that again, I'm not sure how that is relevant to this year.

Again, Kanter is being matched up against Aldridge and Duncan right now with the Spurs trying to attack him there, it's a lot easier for Kanter to straight up guard people in the post. He can actually somewhat do that without embarrassing himself. Against the Warriors? They'll make him move his feet, and that's where he becomes one of the worst defenders in the league, and nearly unplayable unless he's dominating on the other side, which I would not anticipate.

 
Aldridge is a player that relies heavily on his midrange shooting. Duncan has been a total nonfactor in this series. I don't see how you can say Kanter just "plants himself in the paint" especially when Donovan has played him on Aldridge down the stretch in recent games.

 

[bosoxlover12]

I'm with Dan here. OKC's 3rd best player is almost not usable due to how poor of a defender he is. Sure, he can guard Duncan/West, and occasionally Aldridge, but he's fucked when the Death Lineup comes out. He's either guarding Draymond and I call for a Steph/Dray P&P, or he's guarding Barnes and you drive and kick for 3.

Ibaka is no longer anything special, and Adams is decent but he'll also die against Dray at C. OKC basically has to run Durant and Ibaka at the bigs, which completely changed their entire gameplan


The big lineups they put out against SA work because they force shots from 3 and get the boards, since they want to avoid Aldridge going off. But against the Warriors, that just will not work. GS is more efficient at hitting 3s than Kanter would offensively v Dray

 

[cavsfan817]

Adams has been the second best defender out of both teams in the entire SA/OKC series, after Kawhi, what are you guys talking about lmao? He matches up very well with draymond defensively.

 

[bosoxlover12]

Draymond is so much quicker and more athletic than any big on SanAn

Adams is a good low post defender, but good luck when Dray gets the ball at the top of the key

 

[cavsfan817]

Draymond is so much quicker and more athletic than any big on SanAn

Adams is a good low post defender, but good luck when Dray gets the ball at the top of the key

 
Were we not watching the same play at the end of game 2 where Adams successfully defended a 3-on-1 COMPLETELY BY HIMSELF; first taking the driver, shutting him down, going out to the corner to block Patty Mills directly after, and tying up the ball on the floor all within seconds of each other? He's extremely versatile. This isn't to say that he could be able to shut down Draymond, but he's a very capable defender that can guard multiple spots.

 

[elcheato]

 
Aldridge is a player that relies heavily on his midrange shooting. Duncan has been a total nonfactor in this series. I don't see how you can say Kanter just "plants himself in the paint" especially when Donovan has played him on Aldridge down the stretch in recent games.

Stepping out to cover a guy at mid range is not at all what I'm talking about. A lot different stepping out a little bit to contest an Aldridge mid-range, which is actually a shot I'm sure the Thunder don't even have much of an issue with. 
 
Put him in space, make him guard the pick and roll, and he can cause huge issues for the entire defense. 

 

[cavsfan817]

Stepping out to cover a guy at mid range is not at all what I'm talking about. A lot different stepping out a little bit to contest an Aldridge mid-range, which is actually a shot I'm sure the Thunder don't even have much of an issue with. 
 
Put him in space, make him guard the pick and roll, and he can cause huge issues for the entire defense. 

 
I agree, he is a liability against the pick and roll. Which makes it even more curious as to why SA doesn't attack it. But Aldridge was shooting 75% from the field in games 1-2, averaging nearly 40 a game, and then Kanter began to take on a heavier assignment in games 3, 4, and 5... Coincidentally he has dropped below 50% and isn't nearly as effective.

 

[elcheato]

 
I agree, he is a liability against the pick and roll. Which makes it even more curious as to why SA doesn't attack it. But Aldridge was shooting 75% from the field in games 1-2, averaging nearly 40 a game, and then Kanter began to take on a heavier assignment in games 3, 4, and 5... Coincidentally he has dropped below 50% and isn't nearly as effective.

Not going to put much stock in a 2 game sample size compared to a lifetime of shitty defense.