Around the NBA - 2018 PLAYOFFS - Round 1

Love Mitchell. Different players, but I think there's a couple big reasons why Mitchell > Dame isn't crazy to say.

Better defense, and the way Mitchell can combine his handle and athleticism to separate 1v1 makes me think he has more ability as an individual scorer, especially in the playoffs vs elite defenders.

 

Yes they are. Bookies think so too. They’ve been the much better team in the series and are at home for the next game and even if they lose it they still have another one. Of course they are big favourites.

Do you honestly think OKC are now favourites?

 

Yes. All the pressure is on Utah now. Game 6 is an elimination game for both sides. If OKC wins, they will not lose game 7 at home. Experience matters in these games.

 

If OKC can play with consistent energy and commit to a more switchy defensive strategy, they have shot to turn it around. Besides Westbrook going crazy, it was why the game turned. You have make Utah beat you with 1v1 shot making as much as you can.

OKC doesn't have enough IQ, or quality help/team defenders to play the pnr as aggressively as they have in this series. Utah also has the combination of shooting, decision making and finishing talent to take advantage of that type of scheme.

 

Let’s not pretend like Westbrook has been some sort of a clutch player in the playoffs of his career. He has bottled many playoffs games so far and is the main reason why they are down in this series so far. I know everyone loves him after heroics like last nights third and fourth quarter but he was also basically main reason why they needed it too.

I trust a team that has been solid and has played great team basketball for the last three month (32-7 to close the season) over a team with two ‘amazing stars’ when one of them cares most about making the headlines and the other has been incredibly inconsistent.

And I don’t agree that Utah will be under immense pressure in the next game. I also don’t agree that they have absolutely zero chance whatsoever if it goes to game 7. Both games they lost in Oklahoma were very close (the ones OKC lost in Utah really weren’t) and they have great coach who can figure it out.

 

I hate Westbrook but he’s one of only a handful of players that can put a team on his back and will them to victory. I will never doubt his competitiveness. He pretty much decided he wasn’t going to lose tonight and there was nothing Utah could do about it. George has that same ability. Utah has a bunch of guys who’ve never been in these waters. What Utah did the last three games doesn’t matter. This is a different type of pressure.

 

So you think OKC have so far won the games that they wanted to win and the ones Utah have won are completely meaningless.

Utah’s defense wont fall apart again to allow for a comeback like that. If Gobert stays on the floor they close out a game like this most times and don’t let the other team go on a 32-7 run.

I really don’t get the OKC love sometimes. They’ve had a very average regular season, have been totally outplayed for most of the series by Utah yet they are still wonderful. It was the same after game 1. Somehow every game OKC win has double the value the games Utah win have.

BTW most of the time Westbrook and George have been in those ‘waters’ in recent years they failed. It doesn’t make them more likely to succeed this time, it makes them less likely.

Utah will win this series. They are just miles better as a team.

 

Oh and Gobert’s fourth foul, which wasn’t even a foul, had a lot more to do with the comeback than OKC deciding they want to win the game after all.

 

Funny. That's the run OKC made on Utah. 32-7.

 

Yeah it is. It will go down as the game that made the series go slightly further that’s all.

I am actually happy that I will now be able to watch full game on Friday night (it’s 4.30 am local times) and Utah will be the home team so the great crowd will bring it again.

I think Utah by 8-10 on Friday.

 

wtf Utah come on

 

No worries guys, those of us who have already jumped on it can all stay on the Utah bandwagon because Jazz will take care of the business tomorrow. If Gobert doesnt' get into foul trouble again, Utah will win. They've been the best team of the series so far by a large margin, bad luck last night but 98 times ut of 100 they don't drop a lead like that.

They were written off after first game, they came back to win the next 3. They are being written off now by some because OKC are amazingly wonderful but they'll prove their worth tomorrow. They are an actual team.

 

What secret power do you think Silver has.

 

But we've got to factor in the fact that he has experienced a 50% increase in butt-ugliness.

 

Oh dear God, someone be my best friend forever and make Harden shave.

 

Gobert has missed a couple of chippies, and it's hurting the Jazz.

 

Rubio out for the game with a hamstring. Let’s see if Snyder lets Mitchell run the point instead of bringing in god awful Neto or Exum.

 

I reckon Jingles will be given most of the playmaking responsibilities.

 

John Wall: "It's up to our front office to add the pieces they think we need to make our team better and more complete." Imagine Dame would have said this