**2014 Official NBA Playoffs Thread**

[-King-]

Round 1:

EAST:

#8 Hawks @ #1 Pacers
#7 Bobcats @ #2 Heat
#6 Nets @ #3 Raptors
#5 Wizards @ #4 Bulls

WEST:
#8 Mavericks @ #1 Spurs
#7 Grizzlies @ #2 Thunder
#6 Warriors @ #3 Clippers
#5 Blazers @ #4 Rockets

[KC native]

Originally Posted by PunkinDrublic

He blatantly threw Blair to the ground and didn't get a flagrant. The refs were in the tank for the spurs.

[KC_Connection]

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/10...-conversations

When Golden State Warriors assistant coach Darren Erman was fired earlier this month, the reason given was a "violation of company policy."

It turns out that Erman's violation was secretly recording conversations between the team's coaches and players, according to sources with knowledge of the situation.

Sources said Erman, who was coach Mark Jackson's second assistant, would record coaches' meetings, meetings between the coaches and players, and informal discussions among coaches that took place in the team's coaches room -- all without the participants' knowledge.

Erman's dismissal was the second bizarre event involving Jackson's staff in less than two weeks. On March 25, management demoted first-year assistant Brian Scalabrine to the club's D-League affiliate in Santa Cruz.

Sources say the team made the move because Scalabrine exhibited a consistent pattern of disrespect toward Jackson and the other coaches. Mainly, he ignored and refused to speak with the other basketball coaches. At one point, Scalabrine went five weeks without speaking to Jackson, one source said.

Scalabrine even avoided the coaches on the team plane, sitting in a separate section, according to one source.

So it looks like the Warriors' coaching staff is pretty messed up.

[okcchief]

Originally Posted by -King-

It is. Durant does it all the time. Surprised more players don't do it.

They stopped calling it mid year for some reason. The last 10 times I saw him go for it they didn't call it. I think it's a bullshit move, but found it weird they seemed to change mid-year. I don"t blame KD for milking it either because they used to always call it. The recent thing Thunder players picked up is the scissor kick on 3s. I hate all of this shit. I believe you cost yourself way more possessions focusing on non-sense like that. Just try to make the ****ing shot. Bush league stuff.

[okcchief]

Miami looks to have a really easy road to the Finals. I think it may hurt more than help. I think Brooklyn or Washington might be able to push them a tad, but don't see anyone beating them. They definately seem more beatable than last year, but the with the decline of the Pacers the East is junk.

[-King-]

Originally Posted by okcchief

Miami looks to have a really easy road to the Finals. I think it may hurt more than help. I think Brooklyn or Washington might be able to push them a tad, but don't see anyone beating them. They definately seem more beatable than last year, but the with the decline of the Pacers the East is junk.

The contrast between the East and West is kind of mind blowing. Pretty much every single series in the West is intense and close. The East is just an unmitigated disaster. Just a cake walk for the Heat right now it seems.

[Hammock Parties]

Sterling banned for life. Can't go to any NBA games. Fined 2.5 mil.

HARD CORE

[okcchief]

Originally Posted by -King-

The contrast between the East and West is kind of mind blowing. Pretty much every single series in the West is intense and close. The East is just an unmitigated disaster. Just a cake walk for the Heat right now it seems.

I keep thinking it will even back out, but it keeps getting worse. IMO it's time to get rid of conferences, adjust the schedules evenly and put the top 16 teams in.

[Simplicity]

Originally Posted by okcchief

Miami looks to have a really easy road to the Finals. I think it may hurt more than help. I think Brooklyn or Washington might be able to push them a tad, but don't see anyone beating them. They definately seem more beatable than last year, but the with the decline of the Pacers the East is junk.

and I was really looking forward to seeing the Pacers tip them off this year but I'm not seeing that happen anymore... Ever since that Evan Turner trade, it's been fairly ugly for Indy.

[Anyong Bluth]

Originally Posted by okcchief

I keep thinking it will even back out, but it keeps getting worse. IMO it's time to get rid of conferences, adjust the schedules evenly and put the top 16 teams in.

Agreed, no longer does the argument about extensive travel consideration hold weight. The scheduling for TV now spreads it out plenty and just look in contrast between the 4-5 match up in each conference as a clear illustration of the difference in quality.

[-King-]

Originally Posted by okcchief

I keep thinking it will even back out, but it keeps getting worse. IMO it's time to get rid of conferences, adjust the schedules evenly and put the top 16 teams in.

Or at lease set up the conferences so that they're not determined purely by geography.

[-King-]

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by okcchief

Miami looks to have a really easy road to the Finals. I think it may hurt more than help. I think Brooklyn or Washington might be able to push them a tad, but don't see anyone beating them. They definately seem more beatable than last year, but the with the decline of the Pacers the East is junk.

Brooklyn can't even play a full game against the Raptors at this point without tiring, they won't be pushing the Heat. And that's if they even get there.

[KC native]

Originally Posted by -King-

ouch

[mcaj22]

Nene's revenge looking good.

[O.city]

I'm becoming a TrailBlazers fan with this Rockets series.