₦airaland Forum

I havent seen brad stevens this animated before

A40:
He groomed the team. Gary Harris was supposed to be a big deal but he stagnated and Jamal Murray has picked it up. Nurkic and Jokic could not coexist so he wisely moved him to Portland

He gets props for grooming and establishing a defensive identity. But the things Jokic does on the court, they are not taught by any American basketball system. A big man leaving the rebound to a guard and running to the 3 point line where is he wide open because his opposing big is still in the post, those are not standard playbooks for bigs. As the opposing big, you HAVE to stay and get that rebound obviously. But if you dont, thats 3 points for your opponent. Its like Popovich getting a Tim Duncan - yeah Pops is good, but he also got luck of the draw. Malone has two lucks of the draw - those Murray shots are not taught either, that is just the internal mamba in the kid rising.

Between Harris and Murray, it looked to me like Harris was the more legit superstar. Talent is so hard to call.

Not taking anything away from Nuggets, I thought they would make noise last year, if not for Warriors

etidy:
Doc rivers is a good coach, he's definitely not elite.
He has had several good teams with the clippers and can't even make a conference final.

I have at least Eric spo, nick nurse, Greg popovich, Rick Carlisle, Steve Kerr, Brad Steven's ahead of him

And right now Mike Malone is also doing a better job

I agree on Doc Rivers. Malone is not in that circle imo. He has the luxury of a Tim Duncan like payer, who can also shoot the 3. That alone distorts defenses. Then he has Murray, who can make impossible shots and keep them in the game. He is a good coach, but he has a really good team.

WeissVonner:
Okay. I'm going to root for the Celtics the next game. I need the Lakers to get some extra rest because it seems year 17 needs it. The old man is looking tired.

For real. Looking like papa smurf running around

WeissVonner:
Just so you know, they're not coming back from 3-1 down again. Certainly not against LeBron James. They've been a great test though. Worthy of the Western Conference. Their humiliation of the clippers was no fluke.

If they play like this every game, and they can, its going to game 7. Clippers pride prevented them from seeing this until the quiet moment in the locker room at halftime game 7. Then they paniced and it was over

steady986:
Oga we hear you. Nobody carry AD. Anything else?

Hahaha you beat me to it. AD got carried tonight. Others stepped up on offense and defense. But its ok, thats why its a TEAM

These playoffs have had some phenomenal games. I wish Kobe was alive to see Murray

aliondo:
Murray is a problem...

I tell uuuu... Those shots are spiritual

Props to Lebron for stepping up to guard him

WeissVonner:
KCP has easily been the most consistent role player for the Lakers this postseason.

He knows his role. KCP does KCP

starnigeria:
scores update

game is moving too fast nuggets down by single digits

WeissVonner:
This team is legit. Maybe the bizzaro bubble situation has something to do with but nevertheless, I don't think the way they're shooting so far is sustainable in the second half.

It is, because those are quality shots. I think its time Lebron takes turn guarding Jokic

Weissvonner and A40 I take amadioha and unkulunkulu beg una, pls suspend dis fight. Roland17 abeg come separate your ppl lol

My goodness, the nuggets have been pretending. They have been a top 3 in the league for most of the year.what I just saw them do in the 2nd quarter, Lakers had to play crazy to keep a lead. Wow!

steady986:
Lol. It's Lakers in 4 until it isn't.
We were sleepwalking through the games? Really? That is the narrative now? I hope when we dismantle the Nuggets in the next 2 games you won't change the narrative and say the Nuggets weren't a match

Thats what I saw. The role players really didnt play with energy. The most active Lakers were the oldest. I understand why tho, this team is still new and still gelling. The younger players dont have that kill and go mentality... They haven't been in the league long enough to understand how hard it is to get this far, with few injuries.

So A40s best friend has returned

steady986:
I have no doubt one bit that we're taking this series. It took a combination of us getting thoroughly out-rebounded, us shooting abysmally from beyond the arc and Jerami Grant scoring his playoff career high for them to win. And it still was close at the he end. It would take similar occurrences for us to lose again and I don't see it happening. We won't make only 6 shots from 3 again, we won't get out-rebounded by 19 again, and Grant sure as hell ain't scoring 26 points on us again.

Lakers in 5

Lol! you are a true fan. from Lakers in 4 to to 5, just like that . The rim as tight for the lakers early on...they were sleep walking most of the game. On to the next one!

steady986:
But moving forward, we can't be sloppy like that. How did a 16-point lead go down to -1? Guys were just missing shots. But credit to Malone sha, he had the balls to play Dozier down the stretch. If he could shoot free throws I don't think we would be celebrating by now. And Murray is a legit baller, damn.

Nuggets are for real. They have a rotation that can come back from 20pts down any day. If not for big bodies Lakers threw at Jokic, this would be 1-1.

My goodness, this kin shot dey cut liver! Denver gon need a minute to recover

steady986:
So Covington took a swipe at LeBron after his fight. We bout to pull up in his front porch to have a word

He is always on their mind.. The hate knows no bounds, to see a bro be successful and speak his own mind. I understand MJ not wanting to go political during his career, cuz you need to bite off only what your personality can chew.

Hats off to Lebron, that's why I always rep that dude. The level of pressure is crazy. He has to watch his taxes, businesses, family, where he goes, what car he rides in etc because powerful people out to get him. But God pass dem...

Roland17:
Nothing to see here..

On to game 4.

Lol, haba we need some ketchup on these fries

I dont like this award for Giannis. Just like I hate the hype Harden gets. These guys have a loooong way to go to becoming legit superstars. All these accolades are entering these guys heads and they are not putting in the work in the summers. How is a 50 year old Lebron outworking you during the pandemic break?

As we speak theres one wicked black @ss spider in new jersey right now, feeling like he should get to the finals next year, minimum. If Giannis stays with bucks, he could be a permanent regular season performer. Can any older nba player reach this guy and talk to him nitori olorun. This life is not stronghead ooo

Marcus Smart getting into it with teamates. This is not the time to fold mentally

A40:
Same Stephen A is now backing him to stay. While I don't suggest he uses his platform to advocate for another black man to lose his job.

He will need to be called out on his hypocrisy the day he ever advocates for a white underperforming coach to lose his job. Because he did it with Brett Brown

Yep. That's the problem with pointing fingers all the time. Eventually you find you either stay consistent or become a hypocrite.

After the shock, in hindsight, I realize the clippers did not have a defensive answer for a skilled big man like Jokic. Just watched some clips of how Harrell was trying to guard Jokic. Several times he gets lost in defensive rotations and leaves Jokic open at the top of the key.

Guys like Harrell are very good at traditional big man defense, as in put a body on the opponent in the post, make him feel you. But once you start to throw screens and move the ball, the game becomes more mental and bruisers like Harrell can blow your defense. And a skilled big man will make you pay. We already saw signs of it in the matchup with Dallas when Porzingis played.

Bottomline, this was a bad matchup for Clippers. They loaded up their team in anticipation of a matchup with Lakers - I could see Harrell bothering Lebron all day. They really didnt think any other team could give them problems. Doc Rivers made the matters worse, as in no adjustments. Even when Nugets were leading in the fourth, he was like CALM DOWN, CALM DOWN. Nah, that was the time to go into overdrive!

Lakers cant look down on this team - they are for real

etidy:
The clown actually ran ads for new balance implying that he's the new king of LA.

Meanwhile Patrick Beverley 's tears is every nba players delight. Lillard and cj go wild on Twitter

I need to find that clip

Roland17:
Doc has to go! There is no 2 ways about it.. The culture and attitude of this team has been indifferent and that boils down to a lack of discipline. You can not turn it on and off whenever you want. They approached the Hubble with a lot of negligence. A lot of their players showed up whenever they wanted and today they paid dearly for it.

Agreed. The casualness bothered me. Like they expected to just show up against Lakers in the WCF. No matter how good you think you are, you cant sleepwalk thru the playoffs

etidy:
You don't go to LA after a circus of a free agency, set up shop opposite the king, get all the players you want, win all the trades and hoard all the talent in the league including all the best assistant coaches and load management just to score 14 points in a game 7.
Curry would have been murdered and is still been murdered while having relevant excuses and he didn't score 14 points in an elimination game

likewise lebron woulda been chewed out

A40:
Especially him. Are you watching?

I was. Man, what a let down. Im not a clipper fan but this has to be a major shock

A40:
Omo as Denver come dey play like who wan win wetin make we do? Let's hope for the best. The Clippers have shown themselves to be frauds

Including Kawhi?

steady986:
D'antoni bailing on the Rockets after tearing them apart. Lol

not his fault. we have an educated fool for a gm

SmooshCHN:
Let's go Nuggets!!!
Just me shouting as a

Funny thing is, Denver will fold if they face LeBron and his boys. There's levels to this shít. They had better let Clippers go and save us the time and drama.

I smell fear in your voice

steady986:
Just look at the last 2 quarters. This is unacceptable from Doc and the boys.

Doc rivers getting exposed. He generally never answers a run. Just leaves the players out there until the lead is like 5