# The 2015 NBA Playoffs! **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [April 16, 2015, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2015-nba-playoffs/717863 "2015-04-16T20:47:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2015, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2015-nba-playoffs/717863/141 "2015-05-15T18:40:10Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > If he’s really Gusty, he’ll leave Harden off the starting lineup and let the 5 on the floor at the end of Game 6 start Game 7. So that’s what they mean by intestinal fortitude? I too quit the game early, well, late actually, way too late a start to finish it and still be up at 5 am. Quite a shock to see there’ll be a 7 but hey, bonus round. Go Rockets. ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2015, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2015-nba-playoffs/717863/142 "2015-05-18T01:04:28Z")
Well done, Rockets! I was impressed with their perimeter defensive effort; Reddick looked flustered all day, and didn’t make many shots even when uncontested. They kept Griffith to a dull roar, and Howard picking up fouls early didn’t hammer them like I thought it would. I toy with the idea that the Warriors have a lot of difficulty with powerful low post presences like Dwight Howarx, but I still think it’ll be Warriors in either 5 or 6, I haven’t decided. Jeez, if the Rockets could just play smart, and hard like they did in Q4 Game 6, they’d be unstoppable. But I don’t think they will. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2015, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2015-nba-playoffs/717863/143 "2015-05-18T01:16:13Z")
I was happy to see that the refs weren’t buying Harden’s flop routine as much. I hope GS crushes them. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2015, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2015-nba-playoffs/717863/144 "2015-05-18T17:15:46Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > I was happy to see that the refs weren’t buying Harden’s flop routine as much. I hope GS crushes them. Well, I hoped the Clippers would have crushed them. See how well that worked out. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2015, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2015-nba-playoffs/717863/145 "2015-05-19T16:22:02Z")
Well, so much for that. Clippers lose in a bad, bad way, and the narrative will again be the “cursed” franchise, or how Blake isn’t a franchise guy (he is) and Chris Paul isn’t as good as everyone thinks he is (he is). I’m down on them now, but that doesn’t take away what they accomplished. They beat the defending champs in a gutsy series in which Blake was the best player in the playoffs and Paul hit clutch shot after clutch shot on one leg. This is a bad loss, but it doesn’t take away from what they’ve done. I’m not such a fan of the instant reactions and hyperbole so I want to take the bigger picture into account. The Clippers are a good team with some bad flaws, such as their bench, and while they overachieved through a series and a half, they eventually fell back to their averages. I don’t know about DJ getting the max. He’s terrific on defense but can’t score a lick on offense except when being lobbed to by Paul or Griffin. On the Clippers, he’s got an absurdly good situation. He doesn’t need to score and can take passes all day for dunks. Its not worth the max though and I don’t know if Ballmer will be smart enough to let him walk. Whatever team gets DJ if they offer him the max will live to regret it later. Then again, if we’re talking about the cap being close to $100 million by the time his 4th and 5th year rolls around, maybe its worth it. We know Ballmer can afford it. I think the Grizzlies’ defense was the Warrior’s biggest test in these playoffs without having to face the Spurs or Clippers. I think they roll through Houston easily in 5. Houston’s going to try to outshoot the Warriors and we know they can’t do that, and the Warriors have defense in places Houston doesn’t even know exist. Without DJ to guard him, Dwight Howard may have a big series, but there’s nobody on the Warriors they can hack and you still have 3 guys on the Rockets making less than 50% of their free throws. Harden’s going to have to play big for them to have a chance, but I see the Warriors allowing him to get his points while stopping everyone else. I don’t really know what to make of Hawks vs. Cavs. Even now I haven’t really watched that many Hawks games, they’re usually half over by the time I get home. They didn’t look at all impressive in their previous 2 series wins and the Cavs are not a team that just hopes to make it to the playoffs and do some damage, they are a serious contending team. But injured though. I’m not really sure how they match up against each other. Do the Hawks have a decent defender they can put on Lebron? How’s Teague’s defense against speedy point guards? I’ll go with the Cavs, they’re the safe choice. In let’s say…6 games. ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2015, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2015-nba-playoffs/717863/146 "2015-05-19T16:48:08Z")
Apparently the Bulls lost game 6 because Rose and Butler can’t coexist. > **[Bernstein: Derrick Rose/Jimmy Butler Tension Marred Game 6](https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/bernstein-derrick-rosejimmy-butler-tension-marred-game-6/)** > > There's a reason why Rose lost his aggressiveness as the Bulls' season ended meekly last week. Hard to say how much truth there is to this story. It might be sour grapes BS from this guy’s “sources.” Sucks for the Bulls if it is true, though. ---
**Author:** ![MOIDALIZE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2015, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2015-nba-playoffs/717863/147 "2015-05-19T17:19:23Z")
Rose is gonna have to work on his jumpshot and his 3 point shooting this offseason if he wants to be the alpha dog on that team again. 40% from the field just won’t cut it. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2015, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2015-nba-playoffs/717863/148 "2015-05-19T17:31:20Z")
So, is Tom Thibodeau gone for sure? If so, where do you see him coaching next year? ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2015, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2015-nba-playoffs/717863/149 "2015-05-19T18:05:38Z")
Supposedly the Magic want Thibs pretty bad. ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2015, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2015-nba-playoffs/717863/150 "2015-05-20T04:09:50Z")
\*I \*wanted Thibodeaux on the Rockets pretty bad. But I don’t get a vote, and Games 5-7 are going to ensure McHale’s presence for awhile. Game 1 was a whole lot closer than it should’ve been, given Dwight’s got a pretty badly bruised knee. He still played 28 on it though. This may actually be an entertaining series. Who’d a thunk it? ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2015, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2015-nba-playoffs/717863/151 "2015-05-20T16:28:59Z")
Between the western finalists, who matches up better against the Cavs? Who should I be rooting against? ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2015, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2015-nba-playoffs/717863/152 "2015-05-23T06:15:13Z")
Man that’s gotta be rough. Have the #1 seed, lock up home field advantage in the playoffs, make it to he conference finals, be up against a team that’s missing 2 of their top 3 players, at home, and just get completely dominated. ---
**Author:** ![MOIDALIZE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2015, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2015-nba-playoffs/717863/153 "2015-05-23T14:48:13Z")
Tristan Thompson and Mozgov are absolutely bullying the Hawks on the boards. The Cavs D has forced Atlanta into slow, half-court offense. They’ve decided they’re not going to overreact to Jeff Teague, they’re not switching on PnRs, they can live with Teague getting occasional drives to the basket because it’s better than leaving an open shooter at the 3 point line. The Cavs are utterly abusing Paul Millsap on both ends of the floor. David Blatt deserves more credit for the playoff defense they’ve been playing, and Tristan Thompson should be getting the same props guys like Draymond Green get for all the non-offense related things he’s doing. ---
**Author:** ![marshmallow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@marshmallow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marshmallow)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2015, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2015-nba-playoffs/717863/154 "2015-05-23T21:01:12Z")
So LeBron is going to the finals with no Love, a hobbled Irving, and a bunch of Knicks castoffs. I knew Atlanta was a paper tiger with their four trumped up all stars, but sheesh. Then again, TT might be better than Love. He’s got that hunger. [Mic’d up LeBron.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppMC0aRFWiM) Just clowning these fools. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2015, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2015-nba-playoffs/717863/155 "2015-05-24T02:47:05Z")
Houston getting embarrassed on their own court. Warriors-Cavs Finals could be epic. ---
**Author:** ![markdash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@markdash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markdash)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2015, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2015-nba-playoffs/717863/156 "2015-05-24T04:07:29Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > Houston getting embarrassed on their own court. > > Warriors-Cavs Finals could be epic. Coulda been epic with two full-strength squads, but I suspect the Cavs won’t have enough to overcome the Warriors without Love and with a gimpy Irving. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2015, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2015-nba-playoffs/717863/157 "2015-05-25T03:38:52Z")
Bron had an off game and turned it into 37-18-13. Oh, and whichever retarded announcer that is keeps saying “but he missed!” as a justification for why it shouldn’t have been a flagrant 2. He tried to take out his windpipe but he just hit the side of the neck! No foul! ---
**Author:** ![Mince](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@Mince](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mince)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2015, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2015-nba-playoffs/717863/158 "2015-05-25T07:46:52Z")
I’m from Chicago. Of course, I like the Bulls. I’ve never been a bigger fan for a foreign team than I am right now for Golden State. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2015, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2015-nba-playoffs/717863/159 "2015-05-25T15:35:06Z")
So on the Delly fragrant thing, they apparently showed every angle 200 times except [this totally clear one](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGAcFqJZs18&feature=youtu.be) that apparently was only ever shown once and then ignored. It seems like the commentator world was trying to drum up the idea that Delly is dirty and was at fault for what happened to him. ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2015, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2015-nba-playoffs/717863/160 "2015-05-25T16:53:20Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > Houston getting embarrassed on their own court. > > Warriors-Cavs Finals could be epic. Houston really opened up a giant can of ‘Quit’, didn’t they? Just embarrassing, Dwight on a bum leg or not. I’m getting pissed they overtook the Clips; at least the Clippers would make a better series than this, I think. I’m really surprised by how much Atlanta’s struggled in the playoffs this year, with how well they did in the regular season. I don’t see them beating the Cavs and I thought this before they lost Game 3 in OT, a total killer for them. Anything’s possible with the right officiating, but I can’t see a Cavaliers team without Love, and with Irving not at his best, taking Golden State to more than five games. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2015-nba-playoffs/717863.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2015-nba-playoffs/717863.md?page=9)