OFFICIAL Around the NBA thread - End of season/Playoffs!!

What a bad loss for the Wizards. Can basically clinch #6 in the East tonight against the Bobs with a win at home, and instead lost to the Bobs, putting them behind Charlotte in the tiebreaker.

The difference between the 6th and 7th seed? Playing Toronto as the 6 seed compared to either Indy/MIA at the #7 spot.

 

Houston's not even pretending to play defense with Howard/Beverley out. I'm not sure I've seen this approach since Paul Westhead coached the Nuggets.

 

Fucking Denver. For the second game in a row, they're letting the Rockets snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. It's an 18-2 run and the Rockets are within 4.

 

The OKC/Clippers game is so full of whining to the refs by coaches and players, I'm not sure I've seen anything quite like it in the NBA. The refs seem to be deliberately calling obvious phantom calls at this point, and then just looking past the players.

 

They're both getting ready for the playoffs. #PopovichRefBitchingWins

 

If Howard and Beverley aren't healthy, Houston may be the worst defensive team in the NBA. It's the match-up I'd like to see at this point, even if both play, because Beverley will have irritation from the meniscus, which will cause swelling and being slow. Maybe he'll get a cortisone shot, though. Who knows?

 

Nuggets look like they have it now. How about Randy Foye with 30 points/15 assists against Lin and Canon? Randy Foye had a 30 point 15 assist game against Houston. Wow. Bring it on ... Lillard awaits.

 

If there's one thing we as a fan base know, it's the nuances of knee injuries.

 

Was that in a college arena? Is that St. John's and Seton Hall?

 

Yep. We're all damn near orthopedists.

 

Ibaka just blocked a shot back from the paint to nearly half court. Wow.

 

Reggie Jackson looks so good. I'm hoping CJ can become a similar player.

 

Clippers within 1 of OKC. Paul runs into OKC shooter. No foul. I don't want to play against the Clippers in the first round.

 

Terrence Ross reminds me a lot of Tracy McGrady.

 

Except Ross is shorter and isn't near the player that McGrady showed before he got hurt. And did I mention he's not nearly the player was McGrady was? Dan Dickau reminded me a lot of John Stockton, until I actually saw him play as an NBA PG.

 

He's not nearly the player in his second season that McGrady was in his 9th or 10th season? Well shit, I guess I'm wrong then.

It's hard to compare them because TMAC was a high school guy, so by the time he was Ross' age, he had been in the league five years and he was already an exceptional player. If you compare their second seasons, they're actually pretty comparable, but if you look at age McGrady had accomplished much much more by 22.

Either way, I'm not saying Ross is going to be on McGrady's level, just that he reminds me of him because of his length and athleticism.

 

McGrady had a PER of 17 his rookie season, when he was 18. Every season afterward, he was above a 20 PER until he hit age 28 in Houston, and the major injuries really started to hinder him.

Terrence Ross has a 12.3 PER after a 10 PER last season, and he's already 23 years-old.

Ross reminds me more of a Doug Christie, at best.