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RE: NBA Playoffs - BostonCard - 06-05-2022

They only need one out of three in Boston, but if Boston wins the next two, the Warriors will come back home with their backs against the wall, having to win at home, facing elimination on the road, and then a deciding game 7.

Would be much better for all involved if they could just replicate their game 2 in Boston (ideally in both games).

BC

RE: NBA Playoffs - Mick - 06-06-2022

Takeaways from game 2:

1. Tight defense has the same effect on the Celtics offense as it does on the Warriors' offense. Celtics were held to 12 fewer 3 point attempts than in game 1 and scored 32 fewer points.
2. Can't believe how poorly the Celtics shoot in the paint.  Fun fact of the day...NBA league wide shooting percentage from 3 feet and in is just 58%. It was 60.8% in 2014.
3. Curry's been leading scorer for both games, and the 6'2" PG has 11 rebounds in those two games.
4. In 10 minutes, Bjelica had 5 rebounds and went 3 for 4 shooting and was a maniac on defense.
5. Klay was 4/19 with three rebounds in 3, and was 6/14 the prior game.  He needs to find another gear, pronto.

RE: NBA Playoffs - OutsiderFan - 06-06-2022

(06-06-2022, 05:04 AM)Mick Wrote:  Takeaways from game 2:

1. Tight defense has the same effect on the Celtics offense as it does on the Warriors' offense. Celtics were held to 12 fewer 3 point attempts than in game 1 and scored 32 fewer points.
2. Can't believe how poorly the Celtics shoot in the paint.  Fun fact of the day...NBA league wide shooting percentage from 3 feet and in is just 58%. It was 60.8% in 2014.
3. Curry's been leading scorer for both games, and the 6'2" PG has 11 rebounds in those two games.
4. In 10 minutes, Bjelica had 5 rebounds and went 3 for 4 shooting and was a maniac on defense.
5. Klay was 4/19 with three rebounds in 3, and was 6/14 the prior game.  He needs to find another gear, pronto.

GP2 was +15.  If he was able to play Game 1, the W's well could have won. It was palpable how much pressure he put on perimeter and how quick he was to close space. 

But the head of the snake is Draymond. He was putrid in Game 1 with his 2-12 FG 0-3 FT, but the real problem was he didn't set the tone on defense in that game. The first Celtics possession when he grabbed the ball from Horford set the tone for the whole game, IMO. Even though the C's got out to a 13-5 lead, Draymond's intensity was established. He also got under the skin of Grant Williams, Jason Tatum, and Jaylen Brown.

I actually liked seeing Bjelica on Tatum for a few minutes.  He doesn't have great quickness, but is a big body who knows how to stay in front of guys and use his length. He clearly was not an easy mark for Tatum. I have been hoping to see Kuminga get some minutes on him, but Kerr clearly doesn't trust JK.

Don't think Klay is shooting 4-19 again. For the W's to easily win a game he shoots under 25% FG is not something too many would have predicted.

Seems a split is likely in Beantown. Then the usually series deciding Game 5 tied 2-2 at Chase.

RE: NBA Playoffs - French Rage - 06-06-2022

The announcers didn't like them leaving Klay in that late in a blowout, but I have to think Kerr is giving him more time to let him find his rhythm.

RE: NBA Playoffs - TrumpCard - 06-06-2022

Is the Warriors' success this season wholly predictable, a stunning/improbable achievement, or some of each? 
--The team has the highest payroll in the NBA, the core of a prior NBA championship team, a two-time MVP and three additional all-stars and a candidate for most-improved player/best sixth man.  
--The team also missed the playoffs the last two years and doesn't have any of its lottery picks playing sigificant roles in the post season.  

Is the team's success this year indicative of the team's promise for next season, or one last hurrah for an aging core?
--The team isn't even getting much contribution from three recent lottery picks who might improve substantially by next year.
--The team had to overcome significant injuries to the entire core and some injuries to important bench players during the playoff run, so a healthier team next year could be even better.  
--The team also is getting even older and more injury prone, and appears ready to explode from the enormous luxury tax bill it's going to pay.

The Warriors really are a tough nut to crack.

RE: NBA Playoffs - Mick - 06-06-2022

I think the Warriors have two more excellent years in them with their core three players.  I'd say starting in the 25/26 season, the 19 year olds sitting the bench will need to accelerate their development to the point that they are the starters, headed for the playoffs....along with players like Poole, who are developing now, and will be older then (Looney).

BTW, I am really liking Looney's progress.

RE: NBA Playoffs - TrumpCard - 06-06-2022

I would not be surprised to see Looney and Payton continue to progress (with nice contracts from other teams). I don’t see how GSW can pay everyone.

RE: NBA Playoffs - OutsiderFan - 06-07-2022

(06-06-2022, 08:01 PM)TrumpCard Wrote:  I would not be surprised to see Looney and Payton continue to progress (with nice contracts from other teams). I don’t see how GSW can pay everyone.

Over two games, the team that scores most Points In The Paint wins. So you would think the best playoff teams would be tops in PITP. Yet, the Top 5 teams in PITP avg. are all out of the playoffs, while the W's are #6 and C's are #12. But the W's (46) are averaging 8 PPG more than the C's (37.8) in the paint during the playoffs.

People thought the Bucks and Heat were better than the W's defending the paint, but this doesn't appear to be the case. It looks to me like the C's just don't shoot very well in the paint no matter who they are playing, maybe because they don't take enough shots inside, but they also take a lot of fading away from the basket shots when in the paint, rather than bulldozing their way to the rim to create contact, and they barely try shooting in the midrange.

Looking at all the stats, it appears to me like the C's best strategy is to go inside more and get to the foul line. They shoot better from the line than the W's and they may be able to get the W's to leave more open 3pt shooters if they do this. Of course, the Bucks left 3pt shooters alone and the C's didn't hit that great of a percentage until their Game 7.

I'm pretty convinced the C's are gonna have a terrible 3-pt shooting game soon, like 10-44 or something like this if they don't go inside more.

RE: NBA Playoffs - CompSci87 - 06-08-2022

Nice win by the Patriots in today's football game.

RE: NBA Playoffs - OutsiderFan - 06-09-2022

The Celtics did what I thought they needed to do - go inside more - and they ended up dominating on the glass and in paint scoring. It's a little baffling to me why Looney only got 17 minutes when even I could predict what the C's would be doing in Game 3. 

The Warriors have started games slow all season long, including the playoffs.  If they are to win any more games in the series, they have to start the first quarter like they play 3rd quarters. Don't want to hear about "halftime adjustments." It's time to start games with intensity and be the aggressor from the jump.  If they can't do that, not only will they not win, they won't deserve to win.

It looked for about 5 minutes like Game 3 we would FINALLY give us down to the wire suspense, and a last two minutes that takes 10 to play, but the W's decided to go soft once again after they got the lead, and we once again have a double digit margin for the winner. So much for the old NBA axiom about just needing to watch the last 5 minutes of a game.  These days, if you miss the first 43 minutes, it's already been decided.  

The only bright side for W's is Klay Thompson getting his mojo back a bit. I'm not fretting over Curry's foot like many W's fan will, and think he'll be fine. It's the other guys on the team not named Curry that are my concern.

RE: NBA Playoffs - BostonCard - 06-09-2022

(06-09-2022, 05:42 AM)OutsiderFan Wrote:  the W's decided to go soft once again after they got the lead.

Did they take a vote?

BC

RE: NBA Playoffs - lex24 - 06-09-2022

(06-09-2022, 09:14 PM)BostonCard Wrote:  
(06-09-2022, 05:42 AM)OutsiderFan Wrote:  the W's decided to go soft once again after they got the lead.

Did they take a vote?

BC

No, but it’s obvious Kerr needs help.  Baffling….

RE: NBA Playoffs - OutsiderFan - 06-12-2022

(06-09-2022, 09:26 PM)lex24 Wrote:  
(06-09-2022, 09:14 PM)BostonCard Wrote:  
(06-09-2022, 05:42 AM)OutsiderFan Wrote:  the W's decided to go soft once again after they got the lead.

Did they take a vote?

BC

No, but it’s obvious Kerr needs help.  Baffling….

Why was it obvious Kerr needs help? 

And if you are taking exception to me saying only playing Looney for 17 minutes in Game 3 was baffling (which is questioning a decision, not suggesting the one making it isn't fit to make it), I'm curious what you would say to the fact that after Game 4 Kerr said he made a mistake not playing Looney more in Game 3? What else is someone suppose to think when they really don't understand a decision?

Anyway... In some ways, the end of Game 4 was similar to the end of Game 1. In both cases, the visiting team started making shots, the home team got tight, and the visiting team pulled away as the desperation of the home team led to more misses.  It lasted longer and the point spread was larger in Game 1, but the end results meant the same thing; the home team lost.

The Warriors didn't win by shooting an insane percentage in the 4th as much as they - and Klay Thompson in particular, which was awesome to see - ratcheted up the defensive intensity.

Through Game 4 points scored:
Warriors: 422
Celtics: 421

My W's in 6 prediction is still alive, but it seems kind of destined to go to Game 7, does it not?

lex24 - lex24 - 06-12-2022

(06-12-2022, 07:02 AM)OutsiderFan Wrote:  
(06-09-2022, 09:26 PM)lex24 Wrote:  
(06-09-2022, 09:14 PM)BostonCard Wrote:  
(06-09-2022, 05:42 AM)OutsiderFan Wrote:  the W's decided to go soft once again after they got the lead.

Did they take a vote?

BC

No, but it’s obvious Kerr needs help.  Baffling….

Why was it obvious Kerr needs help? 

And if you are taking exception to me saying only playing Looney for 17 minutes in Game 3 was baffling (which is questioning a decision, not suggesting the one making it isn't fit to make it), I'm curious what you would say to the fact that after Game 4 Kerr said he made a mistake not playing Looney more in Game 3? What else is someone suppose to think when they really don't understand a decision?

Anyway... In some ways, the end of Game 4 was similar to the end of Game 1. In both cases, the visiting team started making shots, the home team got tight, and the visiting team pulled away as the desperation of the home team led to more misses.  It lasted longer and the point spread was larger in Game 1, but the end results meant the same thing; the home team lost.

The Warriors didn't win by shooting an insane percentage in the 4th as much as they - and Klay Thompson in particular, which was awesome to see - ratcheted up the defensive intensity.

Through Game 4 points scored:
Warriors: 422
Celtics: 421

My W's in 6 prediction is still alive, but it seems kind of destined to go to Game 7, does it not?

I was being sarcastic.Never plays well….

Kerr coaches by feel.  Each game is different. He has no set rotation.  Warriors played better in Game 4. Pure and simple. To me, Wiggins and Poole key going forward. Can only expect so much from Klay.  It’s remarkable he’s played as well as he has coming off two major injuries back to back. 

Curry has been brilliant. Which is my duh comment.  He will have to be 2 more times. Kerr will mix and match going forward game by game as he has all playoffs.

Good series.

RE: NBA Playoffs - BostonCard - 06-12-2022

I guess that the Warriors “decided” to play D the other day.  The Celtics are a very good team who are trying to win too.  Sometimes they will make the plays, and twice, they have made enough to beat the Warriors.  Pretending like losing is only because the Warriors have played sub-par is silly.

BC

RE: NBA Playoffs - OutsiderFan - 06-12-2022

(06-12-2022, 11:43 AM)BostonCard Wrote:  Pretending like losing is only because the Warriors have played sub-par is silly.

BC

Literally, the way you lose is by playing poorly, or at least not as well as the other team.  

The Celtics bring a consistent defensive effort and can go cold or stagnant on offense. The Warriors go up and down with their defensive effort, and they only score enough to win when they play with it.

The Warriors are the only team in the series to hold an opponent under 98 and they have done it twice. They also are the only team to have given up over 115 and they have done it twice. Suggests the games in these Finals are decided based on how much intensity the Warriors play with on defense.

RE: NBA Playoffs - BostonCard - 06-12-2022

Sigh.  The Celtics are trying to win too.  Sometimes they make touch shots. Sometimes they go cold. But it is not because, in an NBA finals, the Warriors decided to slack off and back off the intensity.

BC

RE: NBA Playoffs - OutsiderFan - 06-13-2022

(06-12-2022, 02:14 PM)BostonCard Wrote:  Sigh.  The Celtics are trying to win too.  Sometimes they make touch shots. Sometimes they go cold. But it is not because, in an NBA finals, the Warriors decided to slack off and back off the intensity.

BC

I agree with your point, however in this particular case three things are true that make my point valid.

1. When the Warriors have played with what they call "force," they hold the Celtics under 98 pts and win.
2. When they don't, they allow 115+ points and lose.
3. The Warriors themselves admit they have given inconsistent effort on D, but it's shown in the stats too.

This of course begs the question, "why would a team not play with the same force every game in the Finals?" One reason might be that it is really hard to do and that effort can't always be summoned unless your back is against a wall.  Ergo, the same dynamic may apply to the Celtics.

As for Game 5, I believe the W's will bring force in consecutive games for the first time in the series. The big question is will the Celtics continue allowing Curry to operate without pressure or will they "blitz" him and force the ball out of his hands? Before answering, consider this...

The W's led NBA playoffs with 28+ assists PG before the Finals. It seems the Celtics' strategy was to take this away. The W's are only averaging 23.8 APG in the Finals because the C's aren't doubling Curry and opening up the passing game the W's like to play. They are forcing the W's into more pick n rolls and switching everything, trying to wear down Curry with minutes and making him carry the load. The result is guys like Thompson and Poole don't get as many shots, and certainly not as many open looks as they might otherwise, so they don't really get a great rhythm, and Klay in particular takes a lot of contested shots because he's itching to score, so the W's have seen their FG% drop from 48% to 44% in the Finals as a result. The W's only had 20 assists in Game 4. The C's are betting Curry will have a couple clunker games with this approach, so the odds seem low the C's will change their defensive tactics. It's all on Curry and to a degree Poole to beat it and if they do the C's tip their cap.

One adjustment I want to see is when a W's player drives to the rim with Robert Williams in the game, have someone cut to the rim so when RW leaps to block, a pass can be dumped off for an uncontested finish. This is like having a draw or screen to make a defense pay for blitzing in football. You must make the shot blocker pay for feeling there is no consequence to trying to block every shot attempt in the paint, like you must make a defense pay for blitzing all the time.

RE: NBA Playoffs - BostonCard - 06-13-2022

Good to see the warriors won.

But man, Curry 0-fer-9 from three.  Raise your hand if you expected that, or that the Warriors would win with Curry not hitting any threes.  That’s gotta be a bunch of streaks snapped for him.

BC

RE: NBA Playoffs - Mick - 06-14-2022

(06-13-2022, 10:44 PM)BostonCard Wrote:  Good to see the warriors won.

But man, Curry 0-fer-9 from three.  Raise your hand if you expected that, or that the Warriors would win with Curry not hitting any threes.  That’s gotta be a bunch of streaks snapped for him.

BC

Looked to me like he had a finger issue...he was pointing it out to one of the assistant coaches. Otherwise, he was 7 for 13 from 2 pt range and 2/3 from F/T line. Celtics had more than twice as many F/T attempts, 31-15.

Klay had a nice comeback night.  7/14 from the field, 5/11 from three point range, just one turnover.  Warriors only had 6 turnovers, Celtics had 18.