The OFFICIAL 2013 NBA Playoffs Thread

Maybe. But Harden in there at the SG spot in the 4th instead of Fisher......makes a huge difference.

 

First ever Western Conference Finals!!! I'm going through boxes of old shit right now to see what I can pawn or sell for tickets.

I don't like how we can't put teams away though. Lionel really doesn't do a good job of controlling the momentum. I also don't know who gave Tayshaun such a green light (2-12 on jumpers). We were -21 when he was on the floor tonight. Now that we're not going to need him to help with Durant on defense, I wouldn't be opposed to moving Q-Pon in the starting lineup, or at least giving him the lion's share of minutes.

 

I wonder what OKC is going to do in the off season to try and improve. They are over the cap and Martin is a free agent. Also I think Thabo is due for an extension.

 

You need to give Charles a call. I think he just said Prince was fabulous tonight.....

 

OKC played Fisher over Martin at SG down the stretch of most games. My guess is OKC will not offer Martin a huge deal. It will be interesting to follow.

 

They've got that late lottery pick, but other than that, you'd think this would be a team that a good veteran free agent that wants to win a ring would sign on for a cheap exception. Just glancing at the FA list, you've got guys out there like Ben Gordon, Elton Brand, Chris Kaman, Chauncey Billups, Antawn Jamison, Kenyon Martin, Jermaine O'Neal, and Metta World Peace.

 

Using their amnesty on Perkins would be a good start. That awful move cost them Harden down the line.

 

Good point. An MLE (if they have it) with some key vet minimum salary signings and a healthy Westbrook back should reload them for another run. But being so limited, do they try to keep Martin because the have his bird rights and they can't get any other free agent who is worth more than the MLE without making a trade. Think PW1 nailed it, with a cheap owner, they don't offer him a huge deal even at the risk he may leave..

Sidenote: I have watched that commercial with Durant having a nightmare of being blocked at least 20 times by now. Ironically I could see Durant having actual nightmares about that last shot he took.

 

The Thunder have a bad GM, it is ok to admit. Not having Harden was a bad plan from day 1, not to mention the slew of other moves he could have made.

 

Forget about Harden. I can't believe they gave up Jeff Green! I do not see a title in the Thunder's future.

 

It was selfish of the Thunder to beat the Rockets. The Rockets could've given the Geizzlies a better series.

 

I doubt that. Outside of Asik, who was going to stop the Grizz in the paint?

 

Better yet, how does anyone outside of Houston or Taiwan view a Conley vs. Lin match-up?

 

That poll ABM put up about MVP of the playoffs? Turned out it was Russell Westbrook.

 

Is Sam Presti still a genius, albeit hampered by a stingy (evil) owner, or has he got feet of clay? I don't think you can blame him for the Harden trade. And the Perkins trade was great at the time (especially because Green immediately missed a year with heart trouble) but Perkins sure went downhill fast.

 

The Harden trade (instead of a Perkins amnesty) was a dumbass decision. And the Westbrook injury hurt, but I think their biggest problem is Scott Brooks. Dude is so adamant and averse to change. He couldn't adjust at all to Memphis.

 

To emphasize how good Westbrook really is......Reggie Jackson came in and played very well and they still went out in 5 games.

Of course with Jackson starting, the bench was weakened. But I now understand how Maynor was beaten out by Jackson. He is pretty good.

 

I hope this early exit silences the anti-Westbrook crowd. Having Harden back in Westbrook's absence might have kept them afloat, but they were still just as good after giving up Harden, which tells you how damn good the rest of the team is. Like you said, nearly getting swept with a very capable fill-in PG speaks volumes as to how big of a hole Westbrook left. Most telling of all, not only did Durant fail to step up his game without Westbrook "stealing all the shots" from him, he regressed under the added defensive pressure. Westbrook makes Durant's life easier, not the other way around.

 

To be fair:
1. Reggie Jackson was not really a capable fill-in. He did okay, but he's even less of a PG than Westbrook.
2. Durant DID step up his game. His numbers were phenomenal and HE was playing PG as much as Jackson.
3. They had training camp to prepare for life without Harden. They had NEVER been without Westbrook.
4. Does anyone not believe that if you swap Westbrook for a healthy Chris Paul, the Thunder win the title?
5. We have never seen Westbrook without Durant, so we don't know what he'd be like without him.