2017 NBA Playoffs Thread - CLE @ BOS Game 5 on TNT

[tyevvyotcu]

Also either Mamba is trolling or just doesn't know basketball.

the latter

 

[wavycrocket]

Westbrook numbers and value to wins are the PERFECT picture of then NBA.

82 Games.
41 wins guaranteed for a decent team with a decent Roster and a star quality player (Average All star can lead a team to 41 wins)
Few wins against good teams....and that little extra from a "superstar"
GREAT numbers against the bottom 16 teams (effiecny, wins, counting stats)
Bad numbers and losses against the top 16 teams (but good counting stats due to usage )

You can get 45-46 wins. Good counting stars, below average efficiency, media coverage.

It's obvious

 

[MVP]

This is who Russ is, he reckless. Sometimes it's great, sometimes it's a mess. He's a train with no breaks.

The gift and the curse.

Also Russ's playoff stats mirror his regular season career averages as well so I must be missing something.

 

[$tacy]

Playoff brodie

 

[whiplashtw03]

Westbrook and Boogie gonna be teammates one day

 

[the collector]

I'm not going to start the PG comparisons but my PG plays winning TEAM basketball. Read into that what y'all want.

 

[ballinsam23]

You're stanning for Westbrook is clouding your judgment. Cant even have a regular debate. What credibility do I need LMAO this is a forum.

If you reduce what's he's done this season to being a stat padding nut, there's no need to debate you. Your hate of the dude is documented, even down to the playoff bracket. Don't try and act like you're objective either.

The evidence is in the videos. It's clear as day the Thunder purposely help him pad his stats. Your 7 foot center grabs less rebounds than you. With all the assists Westbrook hands out and the attention he gets you would think a couple of the players are having a career year, yet NO ONE is having a much better year than previous years. I'd never take away from how great of a player Westbrook is, but I cant support what he's doing. His stats are terrible come playoff time, he makes no one better, i highly highly doubt any all star wants to play with him, the list goes on. He's more of a curse than a blessing, just completely reckless.

Kobe is my favorite player and he was one of biggest nuts ever. But for some reason Westbrook's stat padding and attempting 35 shots a game just rubs me the wrong way. You can't win with him.

 

[wavycrocket]

Steph Curry is "exposed" defensively when elite offensive guard score against him and his team....

But nobody mentions Russell Westbrook letting his offensively challenged matchup set career highs and lock him down in the playoffs

 

[whiplashtw03]

This year was Westbrook's mission to try and upstage Kevin Durant on an individual level. Hence all those triple-doubles. That's all it is.

Next year, Westbrook averages 25-7-8 and will come back down to earth. Bank on it.

 

[jab step]

 

 

You're stanning for Westbrook is clouding your judgment. Cant even have a regular debate. What credibility do I need LMAO this is a forum.

If you reduce what's he's done this season to being a stat padding nut, there's no need to debate you. Your hate of the dude is documented, even down to the playoff bracket. Don't try and act like you're objective either.

The evidence is in the videos. It's clear as day the Thunder pruposely help him pad his stats. Your 7 foot center grabs less rebounds than you. With all the assists Westbrook hands out and the attention he gets you would think a couple of the players are having a career year, yet NO ONE is having a much better year than previous years. I'd never take away from how great of a player Westbrook is, but I cant support what he's doing. His stats are terrible come playoff time, he makes no one better, i highly highly doubt any all star wants to play with him, the list goes on. He's more of a curse than a blessing, just completely reckless.

Kobe is my favorite player ever and he was one of biggest nuts ever. But for some reason Westbrook's stat padding and attempting 35 shots a game is not the same.

I agree to an extent, but 1) even if he's stat hunting (which he obviously is doing), that isn't easy. To average a triple double for an entire season even if a player tried is extremely unlikely. The amount of energy he has to exert is insane and 2) His rebounding is a gift and curse. Yes it has led to him leaving dudes wide open, but it also allows for OKC to push the tempo and get into early offense. Houston does this with Harden as well. He averaged 8 rebounds. They want these dudes to have the ball in their hands so they can get easy shots. 

 

[wavycrocket]

I agree to an extent, but 1) even if he's stat hunting (which he obviously is doing), that isn't easy. To average a triple double for an entire season even if a player tried is extremely unlikely. The amount of energy he has to exert is insane and 2) His rebounding is a gift and curse. Yes it has led to him leaving dudes wide open, but it also allows for OKC to push the tempo and get into early offense. Houston does this with Harden as well. He averaged 8 rebounds. They want these dudes to have the ball in their hands so they can get easy shots. 

Very true tho....

 

[Peep Game]

Is there a reason that commercial was aired? That felt like an MVP coronation commercial, yet aired at the worst possible time after a bludgeoning

 

[BIG LEEMELONE]

I knew Beverly would go off this series . Any idiot would know to attack Russ while he's camping out for rebounds. We'll see if there's any adjustments for game dos

 

[jab step]

Steph Curry is "exposed" defensively when elite offensive guard score against him and his team....

But nobody mentions Russell Westbrook letting his offensively challenged matchup set career highs and lock him down in the playoffs

Yea it's because one dude is seen as an unathletic jump shooter, while another is an athletic freak. The athletic freak gets seen as the good defender. 

Similar to how D'angelo Russell is a decent defender (around league average), but he has this perception of being terrible on defense. But we'll talk about that later since this is a playoff thread 

 

 

[ballinsam23]

It also allows for OKC to push the tempo and get into early offense. Houston does this with Harden as well. He averaged 8 rebounds. They want these dudes to have the ball in their hands so they can get easy shots. They want these dudes to have the ball in their hands so they can get easy shots.

Thats a great point and is most likely the case. But at the same time if that's the case why doesn't every team allow their PG or playmaker to grab the rebound and go. Giannis, Lebron, Cp3, Wall, Rubio, etc should all be doing this too then. Grabbing a board and outlet to your PG is not that much of a difference then allowing your PG to grab the rebound and go.

 

[the collector]

I think Russ teammates being garbage is huge misconception. Russ style of play and being the PG doesn't allow them to eat in the flow of the game. If OKC got a pass first PG and moved Russ to the 2 I believe the TEAM would be better off.

 

[dman14]

wonder how much easier the gm would be for russ if he played in a system where he isn't ball dominant.
even when he was paired with kd, both guys would stand on the other side while the other just Isos

 

[ballinsam23]

wonder how much easier the gm would be for russ if he played in a system where he isn't ball dominant.

Much easier. He makes the game 10x harder for himself and his teammates going at 100 mph for 48 minutes.

 

[Maximus Meridius]

Steph Curry is "exposed" defensively when elite offensive guard score against him and his team....

But nobody mentions Russell Westbrook letting his offensively challenged matchup set career highs and lock him down in the playoffs

I mean Russ is a lazy/bad defender. Problem is some ya'll still think Steph is a good defender and deny that his team hides him.

 

[MVP]

The evidence is in the videos. It's clear as day the Thunder purposely help him pad his stats. Your 7 foot center grabs less rebounds than you. With all the assists Westbrook hands out and the attention he gets you would think a couple of the players are having a career year, yet NO ONE is having a much better year than previous years. I'd never take away from how great of a player Westbrook is, but I cant support what he's doing. His stats are terrible come playoff time, he makes no one better, i highly highly doubt any all star wants to play with him, the list goes on. He's more of a curse than a blessing, just completely reckless.

Kobe is my favorite player and he was one of biggest nuts ever. But for some reason Westbrook's stat padding and attempting 35 shots a game just rubs me the wrong way. You can't win with him.

What are your feelings on James Harden? Cause nobody is having a career year (if you're going by the numbers) outside of Capella and he replaced Dwight. Yet he's making his teammates better.

His stats aren't terrible.

His regular season career average is 23/6/8 on 43/31/82.

His career playoff averages are 25/6/8 on 42/30/85.

Damn near identical. When it boils down to it your assessment that he's ultimately doing more harm than good is just something I can't agree with at all.

 

[Bert.]

This is who Russ is, he reckless. Sometimes it's great, sometimes it's a mess. He's a train with no breaks.

Well yea but why are people talking about it like this is the first time he's played like that? Basically since he came to the league

 

[JD617]

Was not that confident in Boston come playoff time. Rebounding + IT size was a major red flag for me.

I guess I'm the only one not concerned with Zeke being short and more so with a team being led by one playmaker.

Nah, I'm with you. I don't think his size had anything to do with it.

I guess I'm the only one not concerned with Zeke being short and more so with a team being led by one playmaker.

He had 33 on 18 shots. He was great. That's star production.

They also almost doubled up Chicago in 3s made.

But they gave up TWENTY offensive rebounds For reference, OKC led the league with 12 a game. You better knock down 3x as many threes as the other team if you're gonna kee giving them multiple possessions on each trip down the floor.

IT played like a #1 option. They shot the 3 ball solid. But They will lose this series if they keep getting hammered on the glass like that.

That was my issue with Al Horford when he was here & why I wasn't sad to see him go. You need historically elite 3 point shooting if you're going to win with him because you're not gonna have any presence in the paint.

All of this.

 

[tekthemaestro]

I think Russ teammates being garbage is huge misconception. Russ style of play and being the PG doesn't allow them to eat in the flow of the game. If OKC got a pass first PG and moved Russ to the 2 I believe the TEAM would be better off.

ive been saying this for a long time. russ looks to get his first. everyone else will get theirs when he says so, but other than that, nobody else will ever go off more than him.

btw,  as ive said for the past month and change.... russ is not ur mvp. tonight showed that. dont wanna hear this again.

 

[the collector]

This is who Russ is, he reckless. Sometimes it's great, sometimes it's a mess. He's a train with no breaks.

So he's basically rookie John Wall.

 

[friscostylez]

Steph Curry is "exposed" defensively when elite offensive guard score against him and his team....

But nobody mentions Russell Westbrook letting his offensively challenged matchup set career highs and lock him down in the playoffs

I mean Russ is a lazy/bad defender. Problem is some ya'll still think Steph is a good defender and deny that his team hides him.

what's your definition of hide? who denies that kerr put his teammates with superior defense on PGs?