2024 Playoffs Discussion Thread 2

[ForeverTFC]

30-16 FT attempt disparity favoring the road team? I'm indifferent to these teams but looks like a classic NBA fix job.

Nah, Denver had the favorable whistle; at least 2 phantom fouls on KAT yesterday and multiple non-calls when Ant was fouled. Disparity should have been even higher.

Denver did it to themselves. Minny/Ant was passing it to Gobert way too much and for some reason Denver would bail them out by fouling Gobert. The guy has a worse touch than me and could barely back down Murray, just body him up and let him shoot.

[720]

Boston has a much easier path to the championship with Denver out of the picture.

[Fairview4Life]

30-16 FT attempt disparity favoring the road team? I'm indifferent to these teams but looks like a classic NBA fix job.

Nah, Denver had the favorable whistle; at least 2 phantom fouls on KAT yesterday and multiple non-calls when Ant was fouled. Disparity should have been even higher.

Denver did it to themselves. Minny/Ant was passing it to Gobert way too much and for some reason Denver would bail them out by fouling Gobert. The guy has a worse touch than me and could barely back down Murray, just body him up and let him shoot.

KAT, as always, earned all of his fouls.

[HumbleRen]

This is the best case scenario for the Celtics, their fanbase gotta be happy as hell lol

A depleted Knicks team would’ve been easier. Pacers won 4 of the last 5 games in this Knicks series.

I’m just talking about their path to the finals.

Basically 0 resistance.

[mihaic]

Dallas and Minnesota both don't start centres that shoot 3s.

I was told in the past Rudy Gobert is unplayable in the modern NBA. Now Minnesota has the best defense?

[Scase]

30-16 FT attempt disparity favoring the road team? I'm indifferent to these teams but looks like a classic NBA fix job.

Not if you watched the game. Minny was hyper aggressive at getting to the rim.

Only player on Denver that was willing to get to the rim was Jokic, everyone else was scared of Rudy in the middle.

If anything, refs were letting a ton of stuff slide for Denver.

Nothing screams fix job like the NBA favouring the Timberwolves

[WaltFrazier]

If Pacers lose a close game in Boston tomorrow and the Celtics get a couple of calls down the stretch, I wonder if Carlisle will play the postgame rant/small market/sending clips to the league card again?

[JB7]

With both Jokic and Embiid out of the playoffs before the conference finals, does it show that building a contender around a C as the best player on the team, is still difficult to do in the modern NBA?

[C_Money]

With both Jokic and Embiid out of the playoffs before the conference finals, does it show that building a contender around a C as the best player on the team, still difficult to do in the modern NBA?

It can be done but you definitely need a star guard to pair with him.

[HumbleRen]

With both Jokic and Embiid out of the playoffs before the conference finals, does it show that building a contender around a C as the best player on the team, is still difficult to do in the modern NBA?

No, I think it just shows that parity is stronger than ever and we’re not going to see another team like the Warriors or Lebron Cavs for a very long time.

And the way the cap and second apron stuff is set up, it’s going to be virtually impossible to create a dynasty.

[GoRapstheoriginal]

So f*cking weird with no hoops on Monday night ugh.

[SirKen]

Dallas and Minnesota both don't start centres that shoot 3s.

I was told in the past Rudy Gobert is unplayable in the modern NBA. Now Minnesota has the best defense?

Didn't you know? Traditional defensive center position is dead and we should trade Poeltl asap!!

[SirKen]

With both Jokic and Embiid out of the playoffs before the conference finals, does it show that building a contender around a C as the best player on the team, is still difficult to do in the modern NBA?

First of all, **** Embiid!

With that out of the way, the problem with Jokic's team was not Jokic. It was everyone else. That team was poorly built with no support.

The excuse that they have played too many games last year was also rich. It is as **** of an excuse as the "if Warriors weren't injured in the finals.." Don't build the team that top heavy or try to fill the bench then!

[ATLTimekeeper]

With both Jokic and Embiid out of the playoffs before the conference finals, does it show that building a contender around a C as the best player on the team, is still difficult to do in the modern NBA?

Wolves are right there. Jokic just won a chip, so... hard no.

[WuTang_OG]

With both Jokic and Embiid out of the playoffs before the conference finals, does it show that building a contender around a C as the best player on the team, is still difficult to do in the modern NBA?

more equally matched teams in general. denver could have won it again , the wolves were just a real tough matchup for them cuz of their defense

[Scase]

With both Jokic and Embiid out of the playoffs before the conference finals, does it show that building a contender around a C as the best player on the team, is still difficult to do in the modern NBA?

Not at all, just always going to need that win/guard scorer. Murray just didn't play well/was injured.

Dallas and Minnesota both don't start centres that shoot 3s.

I was told in the past Rudy Gobert is unplayable in the modern NBA. Now Minnesota has the best defense?

Didn't you know? Traditional defensive center position is dead and we should trade Poeltl asap!!

Yeah as soon as Jak wins multiple DPOTY awards, then we can give him a pass on his nonexistent shooting.

[JB7]

With both Jokic and Embiid out of the playoffs before the conference finals, does it show that building a contender around a C as the best player on the team, still difficult to do in the modern NBA?

It can be done but you definitely need a star guard to pair with him.

What's more important though, the guard who can dictate play by themselves, or the C, who has to rely on a guard to get them the ball?

[JB7]

With both Jokic and Embiid out of the playoffs before the conference finals, does it show that building a contender around a C as the best player on the team, is still difficult to do in the modern NBA?

No, I think it just shows that parity is stronger than ever and we’re not going to see another team like the Warriors or Lebron Cavs for a very long time.

And the way the cap and second apron stuff is set up, it’s going to be virtually impossible to create a dynasty.

Yes, the parity created by the cap and financial situation definitely levels the playing field, making it extremely difficult to build a dynasty team. But will that mean that having that one star that can carry a game on their own will matter even more, and does that further limit the ability of a C to be that star, since they have to rely on a wing or guard to get them the ball?

[JB7]

With both Jokic and Embiid out of the playoffs before the conference finals, does it show that building a contender around a C as the best player on the team, is still difficult to do in the modern NBA?

First of all, **** Embiid!

With that out of the way, the problem with Jokic's team was not Jokic. It was everyone else. That team was poorly built with no support.

The excuse that they have played too many games last year was also rich. It is as **** of an excuse as the "if Warriors weren't injured in the finals.." Don't build the team that top heavy or try to fill the bench then!

Agree completely with you on the F Embiid.

I don't know that Denver was poorly built. I think their starting lineup fit perfectly with Jokic, they just all didn't get it done in the playoffs and the bench was super thin, which is just going to be the case for most teams with all the new financial restrictions in place.

What it came down to was Jokic was limited in his ability to just carry the team at the end.

[OakleyDokely]

I was reading that only 1 player in the top 15 in salaries this year has made it to the conference finals (Gobert).

It's just getting more difficult building a team when a few guys are making all the money. It's going to be almost untenable to have 2 supermax guys on the same team. Even having 3 regular max level guys will be a struggle unless you're willing to pay loads of tax and even if you can somehow manage it, your depth will suffer.