Jason Kidd has done a lot with Luka. Luka is still one of the biggest crybabies in the NBA, but I think Kidd’s comments earlier in the season about Luka bitching to the refs made the kid grow up a little bit. I still don’t think they have a chance against the Warriors, though.

He’s gotten better about it but he’s still a young player. If he’s on your team you learn to tolerate it because he’s so clutch and carries the team when the role players are struggling.

Warriors are not what they were. Klay went from a stopper to a liability defensively. Also Dremond Green who is still amazing defensive player, but he's turning down wide open 15 footers. They're dumping a bunch of turnovers, but they always did. I think the big difference is the defense though.

They're not what they were.

Steph, Klay, and Poole get hot though, watch the **** out. But it's 7 games.

All that being said, Dallas isn't very good sans Luka. It ought to be interesting.

Totally agree, this won' be a cake walk for GS and I could see the Mavs winning this series. The biggest issue for GS will be turnovers, if they can limit their turnovers like they did late in Game 6 they will be fine, if they don't they are toast IMO.

Saw this on r/nba today and this just describes how dominant Luka was

Russillo went through it and they've always had turnovers. IMO, if they're going to turn the ball over, they need to have the offensive efficiency, which at this stage is probably going to come from movement.

And defense is the killer for them. Turnovers is fine if you can get some back. If you turn the ball over and they score, it blows.

JFC LMAO

What a ****ing weirdo

True they have always turned it over but I was thinking more of the 20+ they had in Game 6 through 3 quarters. They can't do that against Luka lol.

It's just his troll shtick... if there's a majority opinion out there, he's arguing the opposite.... and the weirder or dumber it makes him look, the better.

Hell, he said something in a craft beer thread a while back about how craft beer sucks, then must have forgotten he planted that bait because several hours later made the opposite remark.

I like Caruso who is a joy to watch. Birdman was fun to watch even though that was years ago.

I don't like the european style of basketball. Jokic and Doncic play it to a tee. Like how Embiid and Giannis play, so its not solely euro and rest of the world hate.

All of those guys are ****ing hacks. They are effective and good, don't get me wrong but I hate to watch them play. I feel like Schrempf played a little different but its been so long I dont know.

Dirk Nowitzki is offensive to basketball. Big, tall, slow mother ****er who just used angles and a high release point to score effectively.

I don't mind Rudy Gobert. Steven Adams, Clint Capela. Kristaps is kind of a let down but hes kind of fun to watch.

Wasn’t that in the Game 1 that the Grizzlies lost?

I could be wrong. There were so many Wolves meltdowns I thought would get put away that it’s all one big blur of disappointment to me.

Now THIS is basketball. Lol at the guy who tried to take a charge. Standing motionless with your arms to your side, you know, the universal I suck at defense so I just want to take a charge pose is never a natural basketball move. It should never be rewarded with a charge. You shouldn't HAVE to stand like that to get a charge call if refs were worth a shit.

This was the huge dunk in game 5 that turned the momentum of the game before Ja just completely took over in the 4th. I was at this game and could definitely feel the momentum shift with that dunk. That dunk pretty much won the Grizzlies the series.

Draft Lottery tonight. LET'S GO THUNDURRRR!!!!1

Jaden Ivey would be nice but I bet the Thunder think they are set in the back court with SGA and Giddey.

Dallas Mavericks were 16-18 on December 29th and then had .750 winning percentage the rest of the season to finish 52-30 and seem better prepared for playoffs after trades at deadline.

Boston Celtics were also 16-18 and finished 51-31, but finished the season on a 26-6 run.

Miami Heat and Golden State Warriors were solid all year and finished 53-29.

Any of these four teams could win it all.

He’s got that MJ mentality where if you piss him off he will go off. They were down 0-2 and Lukas walking into the locker room and you can here him saying “everybody’s a tough guy when they’re up”. Devin Booker and Chris Paul did their damndest to intimidate and he destroyed them in game seven. He was laughing after every three pointer and talking shit to the crowd. I love it.

I don’t watch or follow college b-ball so don’t know any of these prospects but that Chet dude looks like a more skinny Shawn Bradley.

I mean he’s tall and **** and can shoot but I would be terrified to draft that fool.

An American white guy who’s listed at 7’ 195lbs? What’s the concern?

I'm really hoping Bari falls to #2 and Presti doesn't **** it up.

Celtics need Smart and Horford back.

I don't know if he is a fool but his body type concerns me a little. But like I said I haven't seen him play

They played a great first half but I think they ran out of gas and well the Heat playing with alot of effort in the 2nd half.

I’m done trying to project these prospects unless I watch a ton of them. I thought Barnes was a terrible pick over Suggs last year and that couldn’t have been further off.

Smart always brings the energy, they need that.

and the well timed flop :evil:

Jaden Ivey will be the best pro to come out of this class. He has superstar written all over him. I honestly would consider drafting him #1 like him so much. He has the highest upside, I don't care what any talking head says.

I like Chet and I think his body frame is a little overblown. The NBA is no longer a super physical league and you sometimes are better off if when you take a hit it physically moves you off your spot more...because thats what refs call. Flailing bodies, not actual contact. He's not quite aggressive enough but he does move fluidly for his size. He may be a guy that has all the size in the world and skills but just never gets there. See Porzingis.

Banchero has got to be the safest pick. I don't think he has the potential to be a Top 5 player in the NBA though like the other three. Hes a pretty efficient scorer and gets to the line the most (out of those mentioned). He should be able to build upon his 3pot shot and defense.

Jabari Smith is a wildcard to me. He will always be useful because he can shoot and shoot it quickly but I don't trust him at the end of a shot clock like I would with Ivey. He's not efficient at all inside the arc. Does have a high ceiling but I dont expect him to get to Top 5 territory as an NBA player.

Id go

1a. Chet
1b. Ivey
(Based on team beed for 1a and 1b)
3. Banchero
4. Smith

No clue who should be five. Never seen Sharpe play. Couldn't tell you.

I quit after Julian Wright.

Hates Luka but likes Chet. LMAO

My guy Lil Wayne knows whats up

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="cs" dir="ltr">Luka a ho</p>&mdash; Lil Wayne WEEZY F (@LilTunechi) <a href="https://twitter.com/LilTunechi/status/1523404697289199616?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 8, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

I love playoff Jimmy Butler. Playing against others superstars brings that dog out in him.

It remains hard to believe the 76ers let him go. Their 2019 team that lost to the Raptors was absolutely stacked (Embiid, Butler, Simmons, Harris).

That was an odd one. He had everything to make you think he could play at the next level.

I personally was not impressed by Chet Holmgren in the few games I saw but he does have a few skills that could translate well to the NBA.

Dallas getting outclassed all over the floor. Hope it’s a product of fatigue after a 7 game series, but this is not looking good.

5 turnovers for Luka.

Edit: Sorry it was lucky number 7. 7 turnovers.

The Warriors also aren’t going to let Doncic off the hook defensively as Phoenix did. Attacking him off screens every chance they get and they are torching them as a result.

The bigger problem is GS is scoring at will.

I don’t know why I’m even watching these 2 series.

Nobody is beating GS barring injuries.

Boston could. They’re deeper than them and Tatum is a top 10 guy now.

Unless Smart and Horford come back soon, I don’t see it.

And I still don’t think they actually beat GS, even if they “could”.

I think Boston would beat them myself. They’ve been playing better basketball for most of the year and this is the weakest Curry/Klay Warriors team since 2014.

Have to beat Miami first though and that will prove to be an issue if Smart and Horford are out long.

And having just checked, they’re saying Smart is probable for tomorrow. Horford has COVID so who knows there.

Good game 1 win and never really felt game was in jeopardy.

Luka with a minus 30 in +- tonight rofl rofl

Andrew "Euro trash compactor" Wiggins

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">“How you get locked up by Andrew Wiggins?”<br><br>Luka: <a href="https://t.co/PGzRPCsIJe">pic.twitter.com/PGzRPCsIJe</a></p>&mdash; Josiah Johnson (@KingJosiah54) <a href="https://twitter.com/KingJosiah54/status/1527127009117122565?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Celtics just a completely different team with Smart. They should win this series.

Yup he is the man. If Tucker is out that will be a big blow for the Heat

Dallas can’t miss in the first half and if it continues this series will be tied

non of these games have been close lol

I mean, how are you defining "close?"

Would be great if Dallas could get Doncic some help at some point in his career.

Why does Steve Kerr wear a mask on his chin all game?? What’s the point?

Please take Bertans off the floor, it’s embarrassing watching him try to defend at this level.

What, second-round slapdicks aren't doing it for you?

I have no idea why Dallas does the work to get a superstar and then actively REFUSES to get him any legitimate help.

Brunson and Dinwiddie being a team’s 2nd and 3rd best players is embarrassing.

Dallas getting torched now repeatedly and they aren’t scoring enough to make up for it (although it’s to no lack of effort of Doncic who is having a great game).

I stand corrected it was 15 point lead earlier. NBA runs are common. J

GOOD NIGHT

Steph is gonna do whatever he wants and you have to live with it. He's the Mahomes of the NBA

I know it is only Game 2 but Dallas squandered a huge opportunity. Don't want to say the series is over but this is a tough loss

I felt like I had just read this conversation not very long ago. I was right, but different team.

The difference is that Denver HAS the better players; they're simply hurt right now. The Mavs don't.

Correct, Denver’s secondary players are even worse than Dallas’s secondary players. Will remain the case as long as Jamal Murray and Porter are out with injury. Denver wouldn’t even win 30 games without Jokic. Dallas wins more than that without Doncic but not much more.

Series was over before it started, look at the difference in rosters. It’s laughable to watch the Mavs try to guard this team.

As the TNT guys keep saying, it is live by the 3 or die by the 3 for Dallas. I do want to take issue with what you said about Brunson, he had 31 and was +2. He is a very good player\scorer and can go get his shots.
Dallas needs some interior players and then watch out.

Very LeBron-like 42-5-8 in a loss for Doncic. Reminds me of some of those 2017-2018 Finals efforts. He was still targeted on just about every possession down the stretch of the game defensively, though. That is something that never happened in LeBron’s career (obviously when he was an elite defender earlier in his career but even now at his age). To win a title, Luka either has to improve that aspect significantly or have a team built up around him that covers up that weakness (for example Curry during the Warriors dynasty). Smart teams will attack though and that’s what GSW will do every chance they get.

Brunson is a good player but if you’re asking him to be the #2 option on a championship contender, you’re not going to be winning too many championships.

Fair enough.

Actual footage of Nico Harrison building a team around Luka:

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/x5M19GUCqMg" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Well the Dubs make it look easy. All these new developed players are playing like an all star team.

Crazy how this series might go 7 games with every game being a blowout. I guess that's just the way it is in this era of the NBA (launching 35 three pointers every game). One night team A is knocking them down and the next team B is hitting them.

Smart is one tough mother ****er

I thought he was done for the series

Just started watching, what happened to Butler

He has knee inflammation and was ruled out for the rest of the game after halftime.

Well that sucks. Surprising Boston is losing this game then.

Heat got up big early.

Yeah plus Tatum has been pretty much a no show.

Tatum looks hurt