**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

[Al Bundy]

Not a surprising loss, the coach doesn't care about losing and the players are "meh" about it. I say blow it the **** up, trade everyone from this sack of shit team you can and do a 100% rebuild from scratch. None of these guys should be safe, they played scared against 1 of the biggest pussies in the NBA (DeAndre Jordan). David Lee and Draymond Green need to hit the ****ing road.

[Al Bundy]

and yes Chris Paul fouled Curry, but who cares, if the Warriors had an ounce of heart or pride it never would have gotten to that point.

[mcaj22]

here's the problem with the NBA that say the NFL or MLB doesnt have,

the good coaching pool in the NBA is the thinnest in all of the pro sports. You fire a Frank Vogel or Scotty Brooks not only is there no one out there better that can get you just as far but then teams like the Jazz and Bucks will hire them immediatley, because finding an established NBA coach is ****in impossible. 1/2 of the league had terrible no named coaches this past season. You replace Vogel or Brooks with a "young mind" you arent garunteed to get as far where as a young coach in the NFL could turn around your franchise.

[Al Bundy]

Originally Posted by mcaj22

here's the problem with the NBA that say the NFL or MLB doesnt have,

the good coaching pool in the NBA is the thinnest in all of the pro sports. You fire a Frank Vogel or Scotty Brooks not only is there no one out there better that can get you just as far but then teams like the Jazz and Bucks will hire them immediately , because finding an established NBA coach is ****in impossible. 1/2 of the league had terrible no named coaches this past season. You replace Vogel or Brooks with a "young mind" you arent garunteed to get as far where as a young coach in the NFL could turn around your franchise.

Yep, look at what Mark Jackson is doing to the Warriors. He is a "young mind" that simply isn't a good coach.

[Anyong Bluth]

Originally Posted by mcaj22

here's the problem with the NBA that say the NFL or MLB doesnt have,

the good coaching pool in the NBA is the thinnest in all of the pro sports. You fire a Frank Vogel or Scotty Brooks not only is there no one out there better that can get you just as far but then teams like the Jazz and Bucks will hire them immediatley, because finding an established NBA coach is ****in impossible. 1/2 of the league had terrible no named coaches this past season. You replace Vogel or Brooks with a "young mind" you arent garunteed to get as far where as a young coach in the NFL could turn around your franchise.

Couldn't agree more. That's why I consider having Stotts pretty dang lucky.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by okcchief

Again.

Not Harden.

Not Westbrook.

Scotty Brooks gotsta go.

Team still wouldn't have a title with Harden.

Fire Brooks and there is still hope.

Having 3 top 10ish players in the NBA on the same team might have been able to supersede anything (including bad coaching). Nobody else would have had that. If they don't win anything with Durant, it will go down as one of the worst kind of trades a franchise can make.

Harden hasn't exacrly lit the World on fire in the playoffs period. Especially on the defensive end. He's got a cool beard though.

As a #1 with the ball constantly in his hands. He wouldn't have played that role in OKC. In fact, his already great offensive efficiency level would have probably been much better if he continued as a #2/#3.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by Al Bundy

Not a surprising loss, the coach doesn't care about losing and the players are "meh" about it. I say blow it the **** up, trade everyone from this sack of shit team you can and do a 100% rebuild from scratch. None of these guys should be safe, they played scared against 1 of the biggest pussies in the NBA (DeAndre Jordan). David Lee and Draymond Green need to hit the ****ing road.

The Warriors are just too soft overall. They become even more that way without Bogut.

[okcchief]

They could already have a title if Brooks matches up better against Miami and Harden doesn't shit the bed as the third wheel in the Finals. I put it way more on Brooks though. They have the roster righr now to win it all if they had a system. Harden would help, but he's not the biggest difference. Brooks is holding them back and unless they turn it around he should be fired. If he isn't they are just wasting more time.

[Anyong Bluth]

Originally Posted by okcchief

They could already have a title if Brooks matches up better against Miami and Harden doesn't shit the bed as the third wheel in the Finals. I put it way more on Brooks though. They have the roster righr now to win it all if they had a system. Harden would help, but he's not the biggest difference. Brooks is holding them back and unless they turn it around he should be fired. If he isn't they are just wasting more time.

Seriously why does Harden tighten up more come playoff time than a sphincter on your 1st night in prison?

[TEX]

Originally Posted by Anyong Bluth

Seriously why does Harden tighten up more come playoff time than a sphincter on your 1st night in prison?

He changes the way he plays because the refs tend to call the game differently in the playoffs. Instead of driving to the basket, which is his game, he mostly becomes a jump shooter. He's the type that needs the jump shots to come to him during the course of the game rather than them being first option. He's playing totally different now than he did / does in the regular season.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by okcchief

They could already have a title if Brooks matches up better against Miami and Harden doesn't shit the bed as the third wheel in the Finals.

They didn't lose that series because James Harden missed a few shots he usually makes. It was much more than that.

The bottomline is that if you have 3 top 10 players in the league on the same team for at least 4 years (as OKC could have had if they had chosen not to be cheap), you're going to be hard for anybody to beat no matter what.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by Anyong Bluth

Seriously why does Harden tighten up more come playoff time than a sphincter on your 1st night in prison?

Harden played very well his first 3 seasons in the playoffs for OKC (apart from a few games on the road against Miami in his final one). It is only since he's become a #1 and taken on that higher level of responsibility that he's struggled (of course, struggled being a relative term, because him struggling is still better than most).

[okcchief]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

They didn't lose that series because James Harden missed a few shots he usually makes. It was much more than that.

The bottomline is that if you have 3 top 10 players in the league on the same team for at least 4 years (as OKC could have had if they had chosen not to be cheap), you're going to be hard for anybody to beat no matter what.

You have 3 ball dominant players. OKCs problem is not talent right now. It's playing as a team. It's predictability. No one ever gets the final shot except Durant. The ball needs to go through him or Westbrook, but a wide open 16 footer for Serge Ibaka is a better shot than Durant or Westbrook chunking up shit. He's more accurate with that shot than anyone in the league. You can't become Steve Kerr, Big Shot Bob, on an on if you never get a chance to take the shot. On the other side you can't hit the shot if you have any hesitation. They need to trust their teamates and if they fail find somone who won't. The coach needs to send that message. Champions arent built on just superstars.

I also disagree on Harden being a top 10 player until he performs in the playoffs. He was one of the best 6th men ever, but OKCs problems are beyond that. Where they miss him most is his setting up Durant at the end of games. You dont need a superstar to do that however. The guys they need to fill the role are all over the league and cheap. The Thunder are just too stubborn in the way they aquire players. You have to be long, you have to be athletic. They need to aquire some specialty players that can pass and knock down corner 3s.

They can still win this series and the West if a lightbulb goes off. This team has always been a rough matchup for them. 2 OT losses when they played like garbage isnt the end of the World. Two more losses are.

My biggest fear isnt losing this series though. It's losing and not firing Brooks. It's losing and not adjusting the plan.

I do respect your viewpoints, but I think the Harden trade cost the Thunder titles is way too simplistic. If you watch this team day in and day out you would understand there is a lot more going on. Maybe the Harden trade started the snowball, but it's all assumption. There have been stretches they've played their best basketball. Stretches they've played their worst. It's on the coaching staff.

The situation is still salvagble this year and going forward, but that window is getting small.

[okcchief]

Portlands starting 5 might be the best in the league. Because the benches are shortened in the plaoyffs I don't think it's crazy to say they have a shot. I wouldn't want to play them.

[okcchief]

Originally Posted by TEX

He changes the way he plays because the refs tend to call the game differently in the playoffs. Instead of driving to the basket, which is his game, he mostly becomes a jump shooter. He's the type that needs the jump shots to come to him during the course of the game rather than them being first option. He's playing totally different now than he did / does in the regular season.

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

They didn't lose that series because James Harden missed a few shots he usually makes. It was much more than that.

The bottomline is that if you have 3 top 10 players in the league on the same team for at least 4 years (as OKC could have had if they had chosen not to be cheap), you're going to be hard for anybody to beat no matter what.

It was more than a few misses shots. He did nothing and repeatedly turned over the ball. However it wasnt Harden. It was Brooks insistance to play Perkins 30 minutes a game against the Heat. They fell behind 16 plus the first 2 games at home. They were fortunate enough to comeback and win game 1. They werent so lucky and lost a close on at the end of game 2. They go up 2-0 those teams play different from there on out. Just another example of Scotty holding back the team.