NBA 2014-2015

[walto]

9 point second quarter for the Cav scrubs today. Boston is up by 30 after 3.

[jon abbey]

9 point second quarter for the Cav scrubs today. Boston is up by 30 after 3.

NY/ORL had the lowest combined total for a quarter in league history yesterday, 8-7.

[jon abbey]

I guess it's nice for Celtics fans that the Cavs are resting their top players now. But I wonder if it giving away these games will hurt Cleveland if they make it to the Finals.

thinking about this more after seeing that BOS squeaked one out by 40 here, the more immediate playoff impact for CLE is that these two losses, one somewhat contested and one not at all, make it pretty likely that CLE gets BOS instead of BKN or IND or MIA in the first round (and eliminates one of those other three all together). if I'm CLE, I definitely would want to play BOS over those other three, easily the largest chance for a total steamrolling IMO.

[The G Man]

I guess it's nice for Celtics fans that the Cavs are resting their top players now. But I wonder if it giving away these games will hurt Cleveland if they make it to the Finals.

thinking about this more after seeing that BOS squeaked one out by 40 here, the more immediate playoff impact for CLE is that these two losses, one somewhat contested and one not at all, make it pretty likely that CLE gets BOS instead of BKN or IND or MIA in the first round (and eliminates one of those other three all together). if I'm CLE, I definitely would want to play BOS over those other three, easily the largest chance for a total steamrolling IMO.

Boston got better and Dallas got worse after the Rondo trade. Dallas is -1.6 pts/100 possessions with Rondo on the floor, pretty awful when one considers that he is a starter.

Who is everybody's choice for MVP?

Here's my ranking. I really can't decide between Curry and Harden though I think Curry will win. I deducted points for AD, Westbrook and Lebron for games missed.

1. Curry and Harden (tie)
3. Paul
4. AD
5. Westbrook and Lebron (tie)

[jon abbey]

I kind of hate MVP voting based on the regular season because the playoffs is what really counts and guys prepare for that in different ways. I guess I'd vote for Curry based on the regular season.

[Captain Hate]

Who is everybody's choice for MVP?

Here's my ranking. I really can't decide between Curry and Harden though I think Curry will win. I deducted points for AD, Westbrook and Lebron for games missed.

1. Curry and Harden (tie)
3. Paul
4. AD
5. Westbrook and Lebron (tie)

I'd put Curry at the top with Harden second and flip CP3 and AD. CP3 had a relatively horrible game against GS that I watched while waiting for a red eye although he's looked outstanding every other time I've seen him.

[jon abbey]

there is a good chance OKC will get the last playoff spot after all. both games have to go their way, but they are playing MIN and NO gets SA, who will likely need a win to not drop to the 5/6 spot.

[The G Man]

While Minny has lost 11 in a row and Philly 9 in a row, the idiotic Knicks have won two in a row and now have one win more than Minny and one less than Philly.

[The G Man]

Zach Lowe, awards part 1. Curry by a hair over Harden, Pop, Draymond Green, Wiggins, Gobert, Lou Williams.

Rudy Gobert was a nice pick. Kerr will beat Pop for the same reason that Barkley beat Jordan one year.

http://grantland.com/the-triangle/nba-a ... ndividual/

[Captain Hate]

That's an excellent analysis of all categories. I particularly like how he talks about how Kerr designed his motion offense around Curry's unique skills.

Spurs and the Clip Joint are both on a real roll coming into the playoffs.

[The G Man]

Poll of players:

Harden 15, Curry 12, Westbrook 2

http://hoopshype.com/articles/hoopshype ... ba-players

[The G Man]

That's an excellent analysis of all categories. I particularly like how he talks about how Kerr designed his motion offense around Curry's unique skills.

Spurs and the Clip Joint are both on a real roll coming into the playoffs.

The Clips have a great starting lineup and an awful bench except for Jamal Crawford. They should play their six best heavy minutes in the playoffs, which is easier to do when there are more off days and more commercial breaks during games and go to a slow pace when the reserves are mostly in.

[The G Man]

Wow!
http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/12692 ... s-practice

[jon abbey]

oh man, this should be hilarious, a game 7 in reverse:

"Miami only keeps its pick if it is in the top 10. If it falls No. 11 or later, it goes to Philadelphia. Miami is eliminated from playoff contention. They currently have the 10th worst record in basketball. If the Heat lose on Wednesday, they will almost assuredly keep their pick. If they win and the Nets lose, there's a 50-50 chance (literally a coin flip) the Heat would give up their pick to Philly.

So Miami wins and it potentially loses its pick to the Sixers. Miami loses and it keeps its pick. Here's the kicker: Miami is playing against Philly in the finale. Both teams, we presume, want badly to lose, Miami so it keeps the pick and Philly so that Miami wins and potentially gives it up. The NBA, ladies and gentlemen."

[The G Man]

oh man, this should be hilarious, a game 7 in reverse:

"Miami only keeps its pick if it is in the top 10. If it falls No. 11 or later, it goes to Philadelphia. Miami is eliminated from playoff contention. They currently have the 10th worst record in basketball. If the Heat lose on Wednesday, they will almost assuredly keep their pick. If they win and the Nets lose, there's a 50-50 chance (literally a coin flip) the Heat would give up their pick to Philly.

So Miami wins and it potentially loses its pick to the Sixers. Miami loses and it keeps its pick. Here's the kicker: Miami is playing against Philly in the finale. Both teams, we presume, want badly to lose, Miami so it keeps the pick and Philly so that Miami wins and potentially gives it up. The NBA, ladies and gentlemen."

The point spread moved 7 points and now Philly is a 2.5 point favorite. Spoelstra should play Michael Beasley and Shabazz Napier the entire game.

[Captain Hate]

As a long time Pierce hater I found this interview oddly endearing:

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/12690 ... eaks-truth

[walto]

I don't know about hyperbaric chambers, but I was told that he had "sex tents" in his basement around here.

[The G Man]

No Napier but after 39 minutes, Beasley and three other starters have played the entire game. Miami was up big at halftime but scored 11 in the third. They should be gassed now, lead down to four.

[The G Man]

Four Heat starters played 48. The Nets won and the Knicks lost so the Heat-Philly game meant nothing at the end.

[The G Man]

The Spurs were in 7th place on Feb 23. They've gone 21-5 since then, yet only climbed to 6th place, assuming Memphis holds on to beat Indiana.

Why exactly is Memphis trying to win? Do they want to play GS in the second round instead of SA?