Game Thread NBA Playoffs Thread - 2023 Eastern & Western Conference Finals!

[SlyPokerDog]

Denver Nuggets (1) vs. Los Angeles Lakers (7)
Series odds: Denver -155 | Los Angeles -135
ESPN BPI: Denver (51%)

Game 1: Lakers at Nuggets | Tuesday
Game 2: Lakers at Nuggets | Thursday
Game 3: Nuggets at Lakers | Saturday
Game 4: Nuggets at Lakers | Mon., May 22
Game 5*: Lakers at Nuggets | Wed., May 24
Game 6*: Nuggets at Lakers | Fri., May 26
Game 7*: Lakers at Nuggets | Sun., May 28


Boston Celtics (2) vs. Miami Heat (8)
Series odds: Boston -500 | Miami +380
ESPN BPI: Boston (97%)

Game 1: Heat at Celtics | Wednesday
Game 2: Heat at Celtics | Friday
Game 3: Celtics at Heat | Sunday
Game 4: Celtics at Heat | Tue., May 23
Game 5*: Heat at Celtics | Thu., May 25
Game 6*: Celtics at Heat | Sat., May 27
Game 7*: Heat at Celtics | Mon., May 29

 

[GrandpaBlaze]

Go Nuggets & Heat.

 

[TBpup]

Why do I get the feeling that the NBA really wants Lakers/Celtics and we will see that in some pivotal game in terms of the refereeing?

 

[GrandpaBlaze]

Why do I get the feeling that the NBA really wants Lakers/Celtics and we will see that in some pivotal game in terms of the refereeing?

That is one way to ensure I won’t watch any of the games.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Denver Nuggets (1) vs. Los Angeles Lakers (7)

Boston Celtics (2) vs. Miami Heat (8)

I believe you mean:

Lebron's Team (7) vs. Lebron's opponents (1)
&
Lebron's former team (8) vs. The team that made Lebron leave Cleveland (2)

 

[Natebishop3]

Why do I get the feeling that the NBA really wants Lakers/Celtics and we will see that in some pivotal game in terms of the refereeing?

I don’t want the Nuggets to win. Fuck them.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

I don’t want the Nuggets to win. Fuck them.

What is the order of most to least objectionable result?

 

[blazerkor]

It will be the Lakers and Celtics for the 18th title. And neither series will go to a game 7. That's from someone that doesn't believe for a second that the NBA as a league has a dog in the race. You conspiracy tinfoil hat wearing fools can take all you want from this but the best two teams are the two teams with the most titles in league history and will fight it out for the actual title in the Finals.

 

[Natebishop3]

What is the order of most to least objectionable result?

Heat
Celtics
Lakers
Nuggets.

Lakers getting another ring is a drop in the bucket. But the nuggets winning would be a huge moment for their fans and I want to deny them that. Fuck their fans.

 

[Fairly-Hard]

Only team left that has never won is who I’m pulling for.

 

[theprunetang]

Nuggets
Heat
Celtics
Lakers


In that order, for me personally.

 

[TBpup]

Nuggets
Heat
Celtics
Lakers


In that order, for me personally.

 

[HansenYang]

What is the order of most to least objectionable result?

Denver

Miami


Boston







Lakers

 

[SIeepwalker]

Denver

Miami


Boston







Lakers

Pretty accurate, but I'd swap Denver and Miami

 

[SharpesTriumph]

Heat
Celtics
Lakers
Nuggets.

Lakers getting another ring is a drop in the bucket. But the nuggets winning would be a huge moment for their fans and I want to deny them that. Fuck their fans.

Why do you dislike Nuggets fans? The two I know personally are great fans and have dealt with a normally below average team for many decades.

I don't see how any long term Blazers fan can root for the Lakers.

Also, Jokic is just great to watch with all skills and little athleticism. The closest thing we've had to Arvydas in a long time. He's a legit tough guy too, doesn't have to pretend to prove it as fools like Ja do.

 

[Natebishop3]

Why do you dislike Nuggets fans? The two I know personally are great fans and have dealt with a normally below average team for many decades.

I don't see how any long term Blazers fan can root for the Lakers.

Also, Jokic is just great to watch with all skills and little athleticism. The closest thing we've had to Arvydas in a long time. He's a legit tough guy too, doesn't have to pretend to prove it as fools like Ja do.

Nugget fans were absolute pieces of shit in our two series against them. I refuse to root for their team.

I hate the Lakers and their fans but another ring for them is about as special as another billion dollars for Bill Gates.

But if the Nuggets win, it validates their bullshit. I want to deny their fans that pleasure.

 

[Fairly-Hard]

Refs are calling a foul on Denver every time down the court here to end the game.

 

[Fairly-Hard]

How did Malone wait that long to call a TO?
Not sure what he was thinking?

 

[Pinwheel1]

Both teams went with 8 players and both looked tired at the end.....Denver even more so. I know the Lakers have a deep bench but does Denver really not have anyone else who can play?

We will see how good of a coach Malone is now after that Laker come back. Adjustments need to be made desperately by Denver. They had no answer for Hachimura guarding Jokic with AD behind him. Horrible turnovers by the Joker. And how the fuck can you keep leaving Reaves wide open down the stretch?

 

[Fairly-Hard]

Both teams went with 8 players and both looked tired at the end.....Denver even more so. I know the Lakers have a deep bench but does Denver really not have anyone else who can play?

We will see how good of a coach Malone is now after that Laker come back. Adjustments need to be made desperately by Denver. They had no answer for Hachimura guarding Jokic with AD behind him. Horrible turnovers by the Joker. And how the fuck can you keep leaving Reaves wide open down the stretch?

Yeah. Reaves could be the problem for the Nuggets. Murray can't leave him like that. Braun was better but obviously doesn't bring the offense Murray does and they punished him when they switched to get AD on him. You might see Reggie Jackson in this series? The other guy they could use stepping up a bit is Jeff Green. Green has been known to have some games at times.

 

[KingSpeed]

Why do you dislike Nuggets fans? The two I know personally are great fans and have dealt with a normally below average team for many decades.

I don't see how any long term Blazers fan can root for the Lakers.

Also, Jokic is just great to watch with all skills and little athleticism. The closest thing we've had to Arvydas in a long time. He's a legit tough guy too, doesn't have to pretend to prove it as fools like Ja do.

Closest? You say that like Arvydas was better than Jokic. Arvydas never even made an All Star team.

 

[Phatguysrule]

Closest? You say that like Arvydas was better than Jokic. Arvydas never even made an All Star team.

Sabas was handicapped by the time he got here. He was Jokic with athleticism before his injuries.

Blazers would have had a dynasty like Boston.

 

[SharpesTriumph]

Closest? You say that like Arvydas was better than Jokic. Arvydas never even made an All Star team.

I didn't mean overall effectiveness or ranking one above the other. I just meant basketball skills such as passing and shooting. Arvydas was one of the best passers in the league. I can't think of another center in the time between these two played that approached either of their skills, thus my comment closest to Arvydas in a long time.

 

[SharpesTriumph]

Sabas was handicapped by the time he got here. He was Jokic with athleticism before his injuries.

Blazers would have had a dynasty like Boston.

Yeah he schooled David Robinson and every NBA player in the Olympics basically single handidly getting the Soviet Union the gold medal. Hersey Hawkins, Dan Majerle, Danny Manning, Stacey Augmon, Mitch Richmond; that USA team had plenty of quality NBA talent.

Even later hobbled by injuries where most players would have long since retired Sabas was very effective.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Yeah he schooled David Robinson and every NBA player in the Olympics basically single handidly getting the Soviet Union the gold medal. Hersey Hawkins, Dan Majerle, Danny Manning, Stacey Augmon, Mitch Richmond; that USA team had plenty of quality NBA talent.

Even later hobbled by injuries where most players would have long since retired Sabas was very effective.

If you're talking about 1988, the Soviets didn't get the gold that year. They beat the US in the semi's, then lost to Yugoslavia.

 

[SharpesTriumph]

If you're talking about 1988, the Soviets didn't get the gold that year. They beat the US in the semi's, then lost to Yugoslavia.

9/30/1988 Gold medal game Soviet Union 76 Yugoslavia 63

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basketball_at_the_1988_Summer_Olympics_–_Men's_tournament

 

[PtldPlatypus]

9/30/1988 Gold medal game Soviet Union 76 Yugoslavia 63

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basketball_at_the_1988_Summer_Olympics_–_Men's_tournament

My bad...I obviously confused 80 and 88.

 

[illmatic99]

miami's toughness is incredible

 

[KingSpeed]

Sabas was handicapped by the time he got here. He was Jokic with athleticism before his injuries.

Blazers would have had a dynasty like Boston.

Sabas was good but he wasn’t Jokic.

 

[KingSpeed]

Yeah he schooled David Robinson and every NBA player in the Olympics basically single handidly getting the Soviet Union the gold medal. Hersey Hawkins, Dan Majerle, Danny Manning, Stacey Augmon, Mitch Richmond; that USA team had plenty of quality NBA talent.

Even later hobbled by injuries where most players would have long since retired Sabas was very effective.

Those were college players