OFFICIAL 2020 NBA PLAYOFF THREAD - DISNEY COVID INVITATIONAL EDITION - MAMBA FOREVER - LAKERS WIN THE RONA RAND - ALA FOREVER

[Vincent Van Goat]

Crazy that Russ played with Harden(twice) Paul George, and Durant, all young and in their primes, and dude most likely ends his career with 1 finals appearance.

Then you think about CP never even made 1. Unforgiving league

 

[reformeDWS]

Vogel finally woke up and ditched the big men. Lakers gonna continue to double Harden. Russ has to remember how to dribble if the rockets have any chance.

 

[Cashflow]

Don’t think harden was passive at all

he has to play the Point and make every play because Russell hooping like a dog in heat, then he’s getting doubled like every time

This would've been the perfect series for Cliff Paul

Bron is in Russ’ head. He’s not challenging him at the rim. You gotta try to dunk on Bron. He sees you it’s different than those chase downs.

the rim is in Russ head too

Russ doesn't seem to have that same lift at the moment. He's not elevating but he still thinks he has the same elevation.

 

[reconic supreme]

Harden making good reads and the team being able to generate open 3's.

I know the rockets shot well but AD was automatic from the mid post on jumpshots

Those elbow jumpers are nasty, glad it's still wet from the POR series.

 

[Based Jesus]

When it's crunch time and no one else is getting it done you gotta cut all that floor general **** out and be the "greatest scorer since Mike" or kobe or whoever they're saying now. For the first 3 quarters it was great. Just take em home in the 4th.

 

[wavycrocket]

That was honestly one of the worst games I’ve seen Russ play. And he has a couple f’ ups. But this **** was ugly. Felt like MVP was controlling Russ, trying to throw the game in 2K

 

[amitt5504]

When has he ever showed a consistent POUNDING style of post game that didn't include "quick drives" and/or Post Fades?

Never Point is for someone as skilled as he is, he should have that in his toolkit

 

[Vincent Van Goat]

Houston literally has 1 (one) reliable ballhandler

But this is what Harden wanted.

Can't be stated enough tbh

 

[DCAllAfrican]

Never Point is for someone as skilled as he is, he should have that in his toolkit

But THAT ain't HIS skill.

Why "should" he have it in his toolkit? You see his body-type right?

 

[703 hwy]

Harden gotta know when to step up and try to takeover. Enough with the passing and mr nice guy. Rockets need your offense

 

[B Sox]

“Beard” has too many of these meaningful games where he opts to coast and doesn’t assert himself to impact the outcome of the game until it’s too late.

Oh well, series tied up. Time for Osaka to go sicko mode on Ashe.

Not really sure how you could watch the game and say he coasted and didn’t assert himself. You want him to just jack up senseless shots over double teams? He got doubles basically every time he touched the ball. He found the open man, and garbage Russ wasn’t capable of leading the 4v3.

Lot of Laker fans seemed to be complaining about the doubles, but with Russ playing like he was, it was absolutely the right thing to do.

 

[moe200069]

That was honestly one of the worst games I’ve seen Russ play. And he has a couple f’ ups. But this **** was ugly. Felt like MVP was controlling Russ, trying to throw the game in 2K

Russ playing like he was built for 24 Hour Fitness courts

aint seen him struggle like that in a minute

 

[Vincent Van Goat]

SOlid from mid-range. That IS a strength of his.

AD was 40% on shots from 10-16 feet and 37% on shots from 16 to below the 3 point line this season, 41% and 34% the previous season

A strength is a stretch

 

[DCAllAfrican]

Harden gotta know when to step up and try to takeover. Enough with the passing and mr nice guy. Rockets need your offense

What should he have done?

 

[amitt5504]

But THAT ain't HIS skill.

Why "should" he have it in his toolkit? You see his body-type right?

If John Collins can have some semblance of a post game, AD should as well. Will he have to always play down there, of course not but it’s useful. He’s not gonna be matched up with Tucker at all times, can’t always use that as an excuse

 

[MVP]

That was honestly one of the worst games I’ve seen Russ play. And he has a couple f’ ups. But this **** was ugly. Felt like MVP was controlling Russ, trying to throw the game in 2K

Hate it gotta be my dawg

 

[champcruthik]

Like Nurse using Ibaka over Gasol or Bud playing Giannis/Middleton more second-half minutes, many of us are seeing and stating the obvious. Another one is MDA going with Harden and four shooters. That’s your best lineup RN and the path to winning the series. You’ll likely win a shooting contest with LAL. “Beard”/Gordon/Tucker/RoCo/House. Green acceptable in moments too.

MDA probably hesitant or afraid to bench Russy, but he’s clearly not 100% and doesn’t impact the game offensively if not attacking the basket successfully. There was one possession Harden made right dish to Westbrook. Russy catches ball wide-open on right wing and misses three. He’s not a shooter. When unguarded, he should always drive with the open lane. But I feel like his mind is going faster than his body is willing to keep up with RN, hence the numerous costly, wild TOs.

 

[DCAllAfrican]

AD was 40% on shots from 10-16 feet and 37% on shots from 16 to below the 3 point line this season, 41% and 34% the previous season

A strength is a stretch

Have you seen his PLAYOFF numbers ?

 

[akajae]

When it's crunch time and no one else is getting it done you gotta cut all that floor general **** out and be the "greatest scorer since Mike" or kobe or whoever they're saying now. For the first 3 quarters it was great. Just take em home in the 4th.

This is what I’m worried about lol

if the game is within a couple possessions Harden can takeover with his step back and or “craftiness” drawing fouls.

im just glad Lebron asserted himself in the fourth and lakers got up 6 early

 

[dman14]

russ is always good for these gms in the playoffs. he had a couple really bad gms vs portland last yr. lets not forget rubio bustin his *** and he promised to shut that **** down and proceeded to get embarrassed again

 

[703 hwy]

Y’all just now realizing Westbrook sucks? He’s been this way, he was doing it in a smaller market. Without his stat padding he’d just be another semi decent NBA player.

 

[reformeDWS]

 

[MVP]

AD was 40% on shots from 10-16 feet and 37% on shots from 16 to below the 3 point line this season, 41% and 34% the previous season

A strength is a stretch

He's been shooting near 60% in the bubble though.

 

[BIG LEEMELONE]

You can get away with doubling harden because he takes himself out the play after the pass. That's not excusable

 

[Vincent Van Goat]

Have you seen his PLAYOFF numbers ?

So is it a strength or is he getting hot? The data of a much larger sample size says it's the latter

Especially when you consider the type of shots these are: contested, fadeaway, a lot of times not even in rhythm