Just looked at the 26 Turnovers, but did the Sixers allow the non-calls to distract their focus and concentrate more on the officials instead of the Bucks? Didn't see any of it, so I'm asking. Young teams can fall victim to that.
Just looked at the 26 Turnovers, but did the Sixers allow the non-calls to distract their focus and concentrate more on the officials instead of the Bucks? Didn't see any of it, so I'm asking. Young teams can fall victim to that.
"One problem with people who have no vices is that they're pretty sure to have some annoying virtues."
goreds2 (03-05-2018)
A road game the Sixers almost pulled out. Even when the Sixers have lost over the last two months, they've been in the game. They are a tough matchup for everybody every night.
Don't look now, but Sacramento has the correct people getting minutes and they are playing well. I mentioned in the pre-season that Skal should start al season. He's finally getting the minutes and he's producing. Fox is producing. Bogdanovic and Mason and Hield are producing. Cauley-Stein is out tonight, but he just needs to keep getting minutes. He's much better now than he was at the beginning of the year. Josh Jackson, The Elder, has been disappointing, but his age will allow him to improve quickly next season if he puts in the work this off-season. All the Sacramento players (non-veterans, bit Koufos should stick around) need to spend the entire off-season together in Sacramento practicing with the Coaches and teammates. That's how they could improve the quickest. Giles will make Koufos expendable, which is why Koufos should stick around if he wants a job there.
Last edited by Kingspoint; 03-04-2018 at 10:48 PM.
"One problem with people who have no vices is that they're pretty sure to have some annoying virtues."
goreds2 (03-05-2018)
Basically, what began happening after the Bucks were down big is that they started grabbing and holding the Sixers' three-point shooters coming off screens and hacking Embiid when double-teaming him. They were allowed to do that for the entire second half. Many of the turnovers looked like passes thrown right into the hands of Bucks defenders, but a big cause of that was the lack of timing and the need to make absolutely pin-point passes through almost no window as the shooters were being held. By the way, that is the M.O. of teams looking to beat the Sixers- hold and grab Reddick and Belinelli off screens and hope the officials don't see it. If it's not being called, they just continue as they did tonight with impunity.Originally Posted by Kingspoint
Don't get me wrong- the Bucks have great length even with their rotation players off the bench. But it was brutal. The Bucks didn't go on a 21-0 run to end the third quarter just because they turned up their defensive "intensity". They were in trouble and got bailed out big time. The Sixers appeared to begin to get frustrated during the third, but then realized there was nothing they could do about it.
"The problem with strikeouts isn't that they hurt your team, it's that they hurt your feelings..." --Rob Neyer
"The single most important thing for a hitter is to get a good pitch to hit. A good hitter can hit a pitch that’s over the plate three times better than a great hitter with a ball in a tough spot.”
--Ted Williams
goreds2 (03-05-2018),Kingspoint (03-05-2018)
OK, I just saw a blurb about the three billboards in Cleveland paid for by Sixers fans trying to lure LeBron to Philly next year, Simmons' response, "He's smart. He's got a high I.Q. He knows what's going on here (the quality of play and upsurge of Sixers basketball and that it's a recipe that should work for him)", and LeBron's response that he hadn't seen it. As plugged in as James is to social media, I guarantee he received a picture of the billboards with 30 minutes of them being put up.
Very interesting concept. Never even thought about it, but Philly would become the favorites instantly if he joined them, over Golden State and Houston, and Toronto and Boston. Though only slight favorites as these are four great teams Philly would be competing against.
Would love to see five contenders over the two we have been having. I think we have four now, with Cleveland not being one of them,.....yet. Let's see how they look in 20 games.
Of course, I'm looking for Portland to get to the Conference Finals this season and lose. You have to crawl before you can walk. Dame has made the 2nd Round twice, once with this group. It's time to make the 3rd Round. Do that first, and we can talk about winning the Conference Title next season. LeBron is different. Add him to the Sixers, and the reality becomes a Title because of his experience and that he's still the greatest player in the world.
Last edited by Kingspoint; 03-05-2018 at 01:21 AM.
"One problem with people who have no vices is that they're pretty sure to have some annoying virtues."
goreds2 (03-05-2018)
Just read (what you were alluding to) that Philly had Milwaukee in the penalty one minute into the 3rd. That they consciously made that effort, and then logic would dictate they would follow that up with more posting and drives. Refs had to swallow their whistles as it is the only thing that makes sense. How else would Simmons avoid a single free throw attempt for the first time in six weeks?
There's been some really bad officiating all season.
Saturday, Nurkic gave Adams a bump that should have been a Flagrant-1 or a Flagrant-2 with ejection, but on review, was only a common foul. Westbrook shoved Nurkic and had to be given a "T" for that. But, the bad part is that the refs let it get to that point in the first place. So, instead of making the correct call on Nurkic, they take it out on the Blazers, immediately calling an Offensive foul on Portland on a flop by OKC (you could see the flop and the refs' reaction coming before it happened). Then Nurkic is called for 3 seconds in the key (that call always requires at least six seconds, and Nurkic was there for 2.5 when they blew the whistle taking away a basket). They then called Nurkic for a foul at the other end where he only touched Adams in a normal way where two bigs begin to feel where the other is going to try to get to. They put OKC at the free throw line for four free throws, took a basket and a posession away from Portland, and by themselves turned a 10 point lead into a 3-pt lead. The refs are not supposed to decide outcomes.
Stotts pulled Nurkic out for the rest of the game after the foul call, his 4th, and never put him back in. Part of that was due to it not being acceptable what Nurkic did (unlike the idiot Jimmy Butler who doesn't understand how wrong it was for Teague to lose his cool doing the same thing to Rubio), and the other that it was clear what the refs were doing.
There has been some terrible officiating this season that needs to get addressed this Summer.
"One problem with people who have no vices is that they're pretty sure to have some annoying virtues."
Key games this week, though as tight as these races are, every game from here on out is on a 70% to 80% on the must-win scale (or must lose scale if you're tanking):
Today (Monday):
MIL @ IND (Unbelievably, Nate and Pritchard are definitely in the running for end-of-season awards. Milwaukee is trying to incorporate a ton of changes, Head Coach, Parker, Bledsoe, etc., that may be contributing to their recent plunge in the standings)
POR @ LAL (Both teams have winning streaks. LAL have won: vs DAL, @ SAC, @ ATL, @ MIA, and @ Aldridgeless-SAS. No matter who the opponent, four in a row on the road is impressive. LAL have lost 13 straight to POR. Their task is daunting. POR have won: vs GSW, @ UTA, @ PHO, vs SAC, vs MIN, vs OKC. They are winning with Defense. Ut began in Los Angeles against these Lakers on Dec 23rd when Moe Harkless got a spot start, was easily the best player on the floor for both teams. It took six weeks for Harkless to get back into the starting lineup permanently, but he's here to stay. Stotts may hold him out tonight (strained patellar tendon) on the first night of a back-to back, but would play him, then give him time off until they face the Warriors Friday. POR is only favored by two tonight, trying for their 18th road win of the season. These young Blazers play with the savvy of Veterans.)
Tuesday:
MIA @ WAS (MIA has flipped their momentum thanks to the return of Wade, while Beal looks to bounce back from a terrible shooting night against Indiana. If Beal takes that many shots, they may as well go back to Wall. WAS has been winning because they've shared the wealth.)
HOU @ OKC (Rockets go for 16th in a row, while OKC tries to avoid falling further in the West standings. My money is on the Rockets. UTA, DEN and LAC are rooting for HOU.)
NOP @ LAC [Jordan vs Davis is a great matchup. NOP looks unstoppable right now. These two franchises are the biggest surprises in the West this season. LAC have fewer losses than OKC with a win tonight (assuming an OKC loss) and only one more loss than POR and NOP. Should be a dandy. Too bad most of the nation will be asleep and miss it.]
Wednesday:
UTA @ IND (The turtle game of the week. First team to 90 wins. Actually, quality play will be on display from both teams. Two teams, red-hot. Something's gotta give. UTA is itching to get tied with one team ahead of them in the West and don't want that 31st loss until they get there. Indiana has their eyes on home-court in the first round. Anal Nate will get them to slow this one down and try to avoid turnovers against the defensively strong Jazz. Driving against Gobert is unlike anything else in this league, as Oladipo will remember from his time with OKC.)
HOU @ MIL (MIL should not be able to compete in this game continuing their downward march through the standings. Who can stop the Rockets?)
CLE @ DEN (CLE could not compete with them in CLE ths weekend. They certainly won't in DEN)
Have to stop. That's just Monday through Wednesday. NCAA Conference tournaments get great Thursday through the weekend.
"One problem with people who have no vices is that they're pretty sure to have some annoying virtues."
Brandon Ingram will be out at least a week with a sore left groin injury.
Stick a fork in the Pistons. They are done.
They have come undone like Weezer's sweater.
SVG surely can't survive this. Wonder if Chauncey Billups gets the GM gig there? Or maybe Jalen Rose?
I'm not a system player. I am a system.
Lillard is amazing. He just flips a switch and goes back-to-back-to-back-to-back 3's, with an average distance of 30+ feet, including half a dozen drives, all in the 4th.
No player in the NBA has played that well, any game of any year the way Lillard just placed himself in other-worldly status tonight.
Lillard overcame his own teammates tonight and the Lakers.
Last edited by Kingspoint; 03-06-2018 at 01:44 AM.
"One problem with people who have no vices is that they're pretty sure to have some annoying virtues."
The Portland Trailblazer franchse has been waiting for rim-protection, it seems like since Walton left. Give this franchise that and they become relevant as a Title Contender. I believe you have to lose a particular playoff round before you can win a particular round, so that places Portland 2-1/2 years away from winning a Title if all things go right (Lose Conference Finals this year, Win Conference Finals, but Lose NBA Finals next year, and win the NBA Title in 2019-2020).
Portland leads the NBA in Opponents FG% in the Paint this season. Their Paint Defense is a team stat, but it's players who weren't here for much of last season (Turner-broken hand, Davis-torn shoulder, Nurkic-20 games, then hurt for the playoffs, Harkless-entered starting lineup post All-Star game last year, Collins-best big man and rim-protector in the draft).
Blazers are #1 in Defensive Efficiency in the NBA over last six games.
Blazers missed Moe tonight. Heavy foul trouble for Blazer bigs tonight amplified Moe's absence. He'll probably miss tomorrow, too.
Lillard personally willed this team to victory. He's had to save them their last two road games, which is concerning. Harkless's knee needs to get healthy by Friday. Longterm, Portland isn't going anywhere without Harkless. He's critical for their Defense.
"One problem with people who have no vices is that they're pretty sure to have some annoying virtues."
Randle was killing Portland tonight,...in the paint (pushing off with his right arm on every play, but if they aren't going to call it, keep going to that well); but, KCP, Thomas and Ball shot the Lakers out of the game. Randle got one shot in the 4th. Lakers self-destructed to give Lillard a chance to display his MVP-caliber performance.
Lillard and C.J missed 8 Free Throws tonight. That's never happened before and will never happen again.
Last edited by Kingspoint; 03-06-2018 at 01:49 AM.
"One problem with people who have no vices is that they're pretty sure to have some annoying virtues."
Pacers win another key game. This is becoming habit.
"One problem with people who have no vices is that they're pretty sure to have some annoying virtues."
I give your Blazers some credit, they are playing extremely good basketball right now. Unfortunately tho, they don't even make the Western Conference Finals. Honestly, I think that as long as Golden State and Houston stay in their current roster construction, Lillard's greatness will be a waste...unfortunately, because he has turned himself into a really good player!
A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor!
Can we all just agree that the officials have it out for everyone's favorite teams and players and leave it at that?
There isn't really a need to complain about officials with virtually every post, is there? Isn't that beating that particular subject to death?
Revering4Blue (03-06-2018),texasdave (03-06-2018)
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