(4) LA Clippers vs (5) Utah
After the first games yesterday and the early game today, the 1-0 teams are:
Cleveland
Milwaukee
San Antonio
Utah
Washington
Warriors and Blazers playing right now. Speaking of which, is it just me or does the color of Matt Barnes’ sneakers make it look like he’s playing in work boots?
Bummer about Gobert going down early and probably out for the series. I’d like to see a Utah-Milwaukee finals within a few years. Him and Giannis have such unique abilities and have both really put in the work to optimize them.
Everyone seems to think Warriors/Cavs III is a foregone conclusion, but I hope it isn’t so. (Actually, I hope my Pacers pull off the upset in the first round, but I don’t think we’ve ever knocked LeBron out of the playoffs).
If Cavs and Warriors meet again in the Finals, that would be the first time in NBA history that the same two teams met in the Finals three years in a row
Pistons and Lakers didn’t do it
1988-pistons vs lakers
1989-pistons vs lakers
1990-pistons vs blazers
Lakers and Celtics didn’t do it
1984-lakers vs celtics
1985-lakers vs celtics
1986-celtics vs rockets
Lakers and sixers didn’t do it
1982-sixers vs lakers
1983 sixers vs lakers
1984-celtics vs lakers
I’ll almost be surprised if Cleveland makes the Finals. It’s true there’s no other great team in the East who clearly poses a threat, but the Cavs just look vulnerable. LeBron having to go 42 minutes a game will catch up to him.
He was gone no matter what. The team wasn’t going to choose him over Durant or Westbrook (who they had both already given big $$$ extensions), and they couldn’t afford all three. Harden wanted a max extension, OKC couldn’t pay it, so he accepted a trade and a max extension from Houston. Earned himself another $25 million by changing teams, so, financially at least, he made the correct decision.
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Yeah, but even with Dwight Howard on the Rockets (who, admittedly, isn’t as good as he used to be in Orlando), Harden hasn’t won a championship in Houston. I don’t know, if I’d been in Harden’s position, I’d have taken less money to play on the same team as Durant and Westbrook. OKC could have contended for championships for many years in a row.
Perhaps he doesn’t care about winning as much as he cares about getting paid. He wouldn’t be the first. But I don’t think anyone can argue he’s just coasting; he’s certainly looks like he’s trying to earn it out there.
Okc losing the 3-1 lead last year was because of coaching not the players. Not sure why KD had to run off and join the Warriors instead of coming back strong the following year
I don’t see why anybody can argue against this proposal. There are what? 30 teams in the League? So, at best, only 1-in-30 are going to win every year. And whether you win or not is dependent hugely on things outside your control (teammates, coaching systems, injuries).
Of course, you want to win and play to win - by genuinely trying to win, you will maximise your salary. (Plus, winning is more fun than losing, anyway). But actual winning is a bonus.
I have never had an issue with a professional player in today’s markets trying to get the best deal he can for himself, even at the expense of lowering his chances of winning a championship. OF COURSE, earning money to set him up for the rest of his life is more important than winning a child’s game.
And, when you have players who have literally earned $100+ million in a relatively few years (work-wise), it is easy for them to take a ‘small’ paycut to maximise their chances of winning a championship.
Memphis Grizzlies coach, David Fizdale, can put his name right up there with Jim Mora, Bob Knight, Dennis Green and John Tortorella with his epic press conference rant after losing game 2 to the Spurs. I encourage you to find the video or audio, I don’t have a link, unfortunately. Fizdale will get fined for bashing refs, but it’s worth it for my entertainment. And although I didn’t watch the game, he makes a damn fine point about the free throw discrepancy.