2014 NBA Playoffs Thread

[czvo]

The Harden deal takes too much heat. They would have had to move someone at some point and probably the next year (last year). When you look at the 3 potential candidates to get traded, I'd say they chose right in trading Harden instead of Westbrook or Ibaka. Did they trade him a year before they had too? Yea, but then again what difference did it make? Westbrook gets hurt at the start of the playoffs. Even with Harden that team isn't a contender w/o Westbrook.

Zach Lowe actually just had an article explaining how they actually could have kept all three, even if they gave Harden the max. Of course, it was contingent on the salary cap skyrocketing, which they really couldn't have predicted. Still, there is a strong argument to be made in favor of not trading a really good player before you absolutely have to.

Anyway, I don't think Westbrook or Durant should be "blamed" for losing this series. They both played their asses off. The Spurs were just better. The difference between this year and 2012 is Reggie Jackson isn't James Harden.

Moving forward, the Thunder are fine. Adams will take Perk's place in the starting lineup and Lamb should be able to take over for Thabo. Reggie Jackson continues to improve, and you have to think he will only get better. They have the 21st pick, so they will be able to add a young guy that could contribute right away. Most importantly, their big three will be fully healthy this offseason. Should they remain in good health next year, they will be a top-3 seed again. Significant changes are not necessary.

 

[Adam]

The thunder need to get more motion into their offense. The iso stuff get westbrook and ks their stats but their role players need to be kept in the groove. That's what the Spurs do so well give their bench the green light to initiate offense and take shots

 

[czvo]

The thunder need to get more motion into their offense. The iso stuff get westbrook and ks their stats but their role players need to be kept in the groove. That's what the Spurs do so well give their bench the green light to initiate offense and take shots

Pretty much this. The improvements for OKC need to be internal. They aren't lacking anything (though more shooters never hurts).

 

[KI4MVP]

Thunder can't get past the spurs (without Harden), the Spurs will decline when Duncan retires, which could be this summer. I'm not sure they need to change too much, especially if the Heat break up too.

 

[Tornicade]

Durant , Westbrook and Ibake are all 25.

This trio has about a 7 year window to compete for championships.

They have Regiie Jackson 23 and Jeremy Lamb 21. 21 year old perry jones and 20 year old Steven Adams.

They finally managed to beat the Grizzlies and turned away the up and coming but older Clippers.

let not forget it took the Spurs 6 seasons to get back to the finals including 2 first round losses.It took the Mavericks 5 seasons to return to the finals with three first round losses to win their championships.

 

[#21]

12 down, 4 to go. Go Timmy.

 

[Mdog1]

Thunder can't get past the spurs (without Harden), the Spurs will decline when Duncan retires, which could be this summer. I'm not sure they need to change too much, especially if the Heat break up too.

If the Heat break up it is so LeBron can play for another dynasty team. There is two options in the NBA right now, wait for LeBron to severely decline, or beat him. That's it. If you are doing the former, you're doing it wrong.

 

[brownindian]

So if the Heat break it up big time and they collapse horribly, then does the fact that we own their 2017 and 2015 pick bode well for us?

 

[jrcross13]

So if the Heat break it up big time and they collapse horribly, then does the fact that we own their 2017 and 2015 pick bode well for us?

We only own their 2015 pick. It is lottery protected until 2017 and then it is unprotected. If the Heat break up, that will be a huge pick because they would be in rebuild mode. I just don't see it happening after a fourth straight finals appearance.

 

[KI4MVP]

If the Heat break up it is so LeBron can play for another dynasty team. There is two options in the NBA right now, wait for LeBron to severely decline, or beat him. That's it. If you are doing the former, you're doing it wrong.

You have to get to LeBron's team before you can beat them. If Tim Duncan had retired 2 years ago, we'd be talking about the 3rd straight Heat/Thunder matchup right now. The Thunder have matchup problems with the Spurs, fixing those isn't necessarily going to help them beat the Heat. Those problems are temporary. Sure the LeBron issue is going to be around for another 5+ years. I'm saying it doesn't make any sense to do something drastic because of the Spurs issue when the real issue going forward is Lebrun.

This year the Thunder are a better matchup for the Heat than they were for the Spurs. The spurs problem is temporary and they shouldn't make major changes because of that. When the LeBron situation resolves itself, they can make changes to improve their match ups there, but the match ups they have now are pretty good. They have a SF LeBron has to work hard to defend. They have an athletic guard to keep wade busy. And they have the kind of big that gives the heat fits.

They did still mess up in trading Harden, though. They'd likely be in their 3rd straight finals had they not made that trade.

 

[3 Da Hard Way]

Internet is great :chuckles:

Call me crazy. I think the Spurs handle the Heat decisively

 

[ice cream man]

I just want to say that I LOVE LOVE LOVE the way every single player on the Spurs crashes the defensive boards, and they are still able to get out in transition. That is just out-working your opponent. Wish the Cavs would do it...

 

[Tornicade]

You have to get to LeBron's team before you can beat them. If Tim Duncan had retired 2 years ago, we'd be talking about the 3rd straight Heat/Thunder matchup right now. The Thunder have matchup problems with the Spurs, fixing those isn't necessarily going to help them beat the Heat. Those problems are temporary. Sure the LeBron issue is going to be around for another 5+ years. I'm saying it doesn't make any sense to do something drastic because of the Spurs issue when the real issue going forward is Lebrun.

This year the Thunder are a better matchup for the Heat than they were for the Spurs. The spurs problem is temporary and they shouldn't make major changes because of that. When the LeBron situation resolves itself, they can make changes to improve their match ups there, but the match ups they have now are pretty good. They have a SF LeBron has to work hard to defend. They have an athletic guard to keep wade busy. And they have the kind of big that gives the heat fits.

They did still mess up in trading Harden, though. They'd likely be in their 3rd straight finals had they not made that trade.

Except the fact they lost to essentially the same Memphis team with and without Harden

 

[godfather]

They should have traded Harden, they just should have gotten a BETTER DEAL for him. Harden, Westbrook, and Durant was never going to work long-term. Too much Alpha between the three, as fantastic as all of them are.

I couldn't agree more with Barkley, what's really holding this team back, outside a better bench, and a better coach, is a low post threat. Just someone that can either get garbage points around the basket, or a big man that can get some offensive production inside. Maybe Adams can be that guy, I don't know. But they need to find this if they're ever going to make the next step.

I just feel like the way the entire team is built, it only makes Westbrook and Durant's job harder. They're both still young players, and both still have a lot of growth. Sure they make mistakes. But they're not the problem. The problem is everything that's around them, outside a few players like Ibaka, Jackson, and Lamb and Adams I think will be fine players.

As much 'praise' as the GM has gotten for building this team, he's done a poor job of really building around Westbrook and Durant. Ibaka is definitely a quality player, and very valuable to the team. Especially defensively obviously, and his ability to be a floor spacer helps. But then again, he himself doesn't get easy buckets around the basket.

Their entire offense seems so complex, to where every shot becomes almost difficult and often contested. Throughout a 7 game series against good teams, you're just going to eventually lose playing the way they do.

I think ideally you'd like Durant to take the next step in his game, develop more of a low post game, but I'm not sure he can. I don't think he has the quickest footwork in the world, and he doesn't have a lot of body strength to post up players at his position, much less even some players smaller than him.

 

[Mdog1]

I suppose you do have to get there before you can get curb stomped. The Thunder are not a good team, not as long as Brooks is coach at least. I think he is the worst coach in the league, by far. Problem is he has great player on his team that can make up for his horrible offense. Isoisoiso is not winning anything.

Maybe they do match up better against Miami, but Miami is jus plain better than OKC. SF better, Guard (as in star guards) better, PF better. The problem for OKC is that their three best player aren't better than Miami's three best. That us without getting into the bench, where let's be honest Ray Allen is better than everyone on OKC's side.

It doesn't matter now, the Spurs match up great with Miami. It took a lot of luck last year for Miami to win, but both teams will be fresh this year, and it should be a great series.

Edit: before someone calls me out on Wade v Westbrook, i want to clarify. Westbrook at this point at an individual level is leaps and bounds better than Wade, but he is mistake bound. Wade even at this reduced level rarely makes mistakes, and generally makes the right basketball play. Wade and Durant would be a better team. Shorter window, but Wade gets everyone involved, even if he is on fire. It would be nothing for Wade to be 8/9 from the field, and pass the ball on a wide open long two to someone else who has a better shot. Westbrook doesn't do that, and he didn't last night when KD was wide open for an easy shot.