NBA Playoffs 2024

[manly]

Yea I didn't watch the game but couldn't believe the score later last night when I was checking in. I thought it was still 3rd quarter when I read it. Playoff low score record maybe?

Edit: Stand corrected - 2002 Boston vs Detroit: 66-64 Boston won.

Edit 2: St Louis Bombers scored 46 in 47-48 season. I guess that counts?

Did they have a shot clock in 1948? If not, that doesn't compare. I still don't get all the Boomer NBA fans who hate today's splashy basketball and yearn for the bad offense of the late 1990s. But with the officiating adjustments made over the past two months, some of these playoff games have resembled the 90s thug-fests.

Fantastic 4Q last night as the Mavs closed out OKC, with both teams hitting big shots until the end. SGA is silky smooth, but OKC desperately needs a point guard like the Pacers TJ McConnell or maybe 2020 CP3. They just don't have a floor general in crunch time.

Was fun while it lasted for the Nova Knicks. They just couldn't overcome the loss of OG Anunoby, on top of all the other injuries.

I'm nervous about Nuggets vs Wolves; you always go with the home team in a game 7 but this one feels like a coin flip.

 

[spacejamz]

What a complete 2nd half meltdown by the Nuggets...

Mavs vs Wolves should be entertaining....is anyone giving the East a chance in the NBA finals?

 

[pete6032]

What a complete 2nd half meltdown by the Nuggets...

Mavs vs Wolves should be entertaining....is anyone giving the East a chance in the NBA finals?

I haven't seen anything comparing the matchups yet but I have to wonder if the Wolves have any gas left after such a frantic series.

 

[manly]

What a complete 2nd half meltdown by the Nuggets...

Mavs vs Wolves should be entertaining....is anyone giving the East a chance in the NBA finals?

That meltdown was utterly perplexing, and in a game where Anthony Edwards did not play well.

On paper, the Celtics have been the best team all season. They'll waltz into the NBA Finals and at this rate, the WC champ will lose its best player in Finals game 1 and the Celtics will breeze to the championship. (If they don't choke again.)

I haven't seen anything comparing the matchups yet but I have to wonder if the Wolves have any gas left after such a frantic series.

The Wolves are the favorites over the Mavs, but I didn't check what the actual odds are. Elite defenses generally don't "break down" under playoff stress, although they can have a bad game or two. It's kinda wild to think either the Wolves or the Mavs will be in the NBA Finals. Wolves aren't even in this thread's poll because they had about the 9th best champ odds entering the playoffs. "But that's why they play the games."

 

[purbeast0]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1792531167238844876

 

[pete6032]

That meltdown was utterly perplexing, and in a game where Anthony Edwards did not play well.

On paper, the Celtics have been the best team all season. They'll waltz into the NBA Finals and at this rate, the WC champ will lose its best player in Finals game 1 and the Celtics will breeze to the championship. (If they don't choke again.)



The Wolves are the favorites over the Mavs, but I didn't check what the actual odds are. Elite defenses generally don't "break down" under playoff stress, although they can have a bad game or two. It's kinda wild to think either the Wolves or the Mavs will be in the NBA Finals. Wolves aren't even in this thread's poll because they had about the 9th best champ odds entering the playoffs. "But that's why they play the games."

According to FanuDuel.

Boston Celtics: -165
Minnesota Timberwolves: +290
Dallas Mavericks: +500
Indiana Pacers: +2500

 

[SteveGrabowski]

Amazing Game 1 of the WCF. This is going to be such a great series. Wish I would have put some money on Dallas at +1700, those were ridiculous odds coming into the playoffs.

 

[iCyborg]

I've only watched a couple playoff games this year, but yeah, this one was entertaining, I don't really have a vested interest in any of the teams left. Maybe Dallas a bit because of Doncic.
I didn't watch yesterday's game, but BOS needed OT, so pretty close too.
With DEN/OKC/MIL out, of course BOS is a favourite, I hope DAL/MIN can give them a challenge

 

[SteveGrabowski]

I've only watched a couple playoff games this year, but yeah, this one was entertaining, I don't really have a vested interest in any of the teams left. Maybe Dallas a bit because of Doncic.
I didn't watch yesterday's game, but BOS needed OT, so pretty close too.
With DEN/OKC/MIL out, of course BOS is a favourite, I hope DAL/MIN can give them a challenge

Boston probably needs a healthy Porzingis to have a good shot of taking out either Dallas or Minnesota. They have really lucked out getting such an easy bracket in the East with the injuries to Giannis, Embiid, and the Knicks, though blame for the Knicks injuries probably resides with their coach who runs his guys into the ground ever year.

 

[manly]

I've only watched a couple playoff games this year, but yeah, this one was entertaining, I don't really have a vested interest in any of the teams left. Maybe Dallas a bit because of Doncic.
I didn't watch yesterday's game, but BOS needed OT, so pretty close too.
With DEN/OKC/MIL out, of course BOS is a favourite, I hope DAL/MIN can give them a challenge

Same here, I'm rooting for the Mavs by default at this point. No other choice and I hate rooting for Texas LOL.

As posted just above, the Celtics are -165 to win the chip. Even without Porzingis (who's making progress), they have enough talent to win the title. Steve has been right all along ITT, and I'm not sleeping on the WC champs or making any predictions. Mavs have really good roster chemistry right now, and I can't hate on the way they're playing.

 

[spacejamz]

Who had the Mavs winning the first 2 in MIN on their bingo card??

LUKA MAGIC IS REAL!!!!!

 

[iCyborg]

I only watched the last quarter, what a crazy game.
Wolves got burned by that last over-rule - the commentators were right, that rule is bad, refs were in a bad spot really. Edwards & Towns not delivering, if it wasn't for Reid, the game wouldn't be even close.

With all the challenges and timeouts, these last quarters in close playoff games are getting NFL-like ridiculous, so much non-playing time. It doesn't help that the fill-in entertainment ain't my thing.

 

[manly]

OK I trust the Mavs now. I bow to @SteveGrabowski . Luka had some choice words for the DPOY after the shake-and-bake game winner haha. Leaving Gobert on an island to guard a dangerous wing player is just stooopid.

The end of close NBA playoff games is always a grind; this one wasn't too bad. Very entertaining down the stretch.

NBC is poised to wrest the broadcast rights away, so these are likely the last days of TNT's NBA coverage and studio show.

 

[spacejamz]

OK I trust the Mavs now. I bow to @SteveGrabowski . Luka had some choice words for the DPOY after the shake-and-bake game winner haha. Leaving Gobert on an island to guard a dangerous wing player is just stooopid.

The end of close NBA playoff games is always a grind; this one wasn't too bad. Very entertaining down the stretch.

NBC is poised to wrest the broadcast rights away, so these are likely the last days of TNT's NBA coverage and studio show.

I think TNT has one more year with the NBA...

 

[SteveGrabowski]

Doncic unguardable at the end of the game, even if the refs let Jaden McDaniels commit his sixth foul on him three straight possessions. And this might be the best version of Kyrie we have ever seen.

 

[spacejamz]

Doncic unguardable at the end of the game, even if the refs let Jaden McDaniels commit his sixth foul on him three straight possessions. And this might be the best version of Kyrie we have ever seen.

I was at the game tonight and the refing was completely atrocious....I would say there were easily 10 no calls or calls that went the Timberwolves way....I can understand 2 or 3 tops but that was complete bullshit..

also, my best picture I got from the game LOL




pic of the TNT crew:

 

[SteveGrabowski]

I was at the game tonight and the refing was completely atrocious....I would say there were easily 10 no calls or calls that went the Timberwolves way....I can understand 2 or 3 tops but that was complete bullshit..

also, my best picture I got from the game LOL


View attachment 99784

pic of the TNT crew:
View attachment 99785

Nice, I imagine being in Dallas must be insane right now. Been ten years since I have been able to go to a WCF game lol (could have gone in 2017 but no point since Spurs were clearly getting the broom the second Kawhi got hurt). Playoff game like that though, damn how you gonna sleep tonight? haha

 

[spacejamz]

Nice, I imagine being in Dallas must be insane right now. Been ten years since I have been able to go to a WCF game lol (could have gone in 2017 but no point since Spurs were clearly getting the broom the second Kawhi got hurt). Playoff game like that though, damn how you gonna sleep tonight? haha

American Airlines Center was going nuts when I got a final shot of the video board....

 

[SteveGrabowski]

Damn, Luka is terrifying in close-out games, and Irving wants this one bad too. Can't wait for Mavs-Celtics.

 

[spacejamz]

Damn, Luka is terrifying in close-out games, and Irving wants this one bad too. Can't wait for Mavs-Celtics.

Luka must have been pissed after game 4...he came out guns blazing. Minnesota never had a chance tonite...But they played with no fire at all...mavs outhustled them in pretty much every facet it seemed....but in the only stat that counted, they were never close...

 

[Muse]

2024 NBA Finals schedule

The 2024 NBA Finals Presented by YouTube TV will begin June 6, with ABC as the exclusive broadcaster.

• Game 1: Mavericks vs. Celtics, Thursday, June 6 (8:30 ET)
• Game 2: Mavericks vs. Celtics, Sunday, June 9 (8 ET)
• Game 3: Celtics vs. Mavericks, Wednesday, June 12 (8:30 ET)
• Game 4: Celtics vs. Mavericks, Friday, June 14 (8:30 ET)
• Game 5: Mavericks vs. Celtics, Monday, June 17 (8:30 ET)*
• Game 6: Celtics vs. Mavericks, Thursday, June 20 (8:30 ET)*
• Game 7: Mavericks vs. Celtics, Sunday, June 23 (8 ET)*

 

[manly]

Get your 🍿 ready! Go Mavs! Outside of the Porzingis injury, the Celtics have been lucky ever since the Bucks gifted them Jrue Holiday. So with their luck, a Mavs starter is getting injured tonight. 😭

ESPN is now in on the Mavs hype train, it's a virtual 50-50 with their "experts."

NBA Finals experts' picks: Celtics-Mavericks winner and series MVP

Which team will raise the Larry O'Brien Trophy? Our NBA experts make their picks for the 2024 NBA Finals and the series MVP.

www.espn.com

 

[pete6032]

Dallas at +1700 is really tempting. Third best record in the league since the new year, Doncic is coming off one of the greatest years in NBA history, Irving finally gives a crap again for the first time since 2016, and Lively and Gafford is an awesome center rotation. They easily look like the scariest darkhorse since the 2011 Mavs and if Jamal Murray's nagging injuries become any problem whatsoever I could see them taking Denver out in the WCF. If Murray can stay healthy Denver probably repeats though.

So did you make a bet on the Mavs?

 

[SteveGrabowski]

So did you make a bet on the Mavs?

I wish, I think they're going to win this series.

 

[purbeast0]

Well that wasn't very fun last night lol.