2024 NBA Playoffs

[bushwick_bill]

 

[TxBuckeye]

Its not. Flopping and tanking different things. And if you can honestly say the Knicks have never lost a game purposefully to gain some variety of advantage, have at the Cavs. But I'm pretty confident the Knicks have tanked some games in the past.

I know you are a Knicks fan, but man, even biased Knicks fans I have seen have happily agreed that the reffing to end that game was stupidly one-sided. If that was an offensive foul than that certainly should have been a technical for flopping. One was tick tack and the other was blatant.

The Knicks were the beneficiary of multiple terrible calls and would have been an additional one had Carlisle not challenged that foul call on the steal.

Be happy you won, but don't get salty about the world commenting on the obvious imbalance in refereeing at the end of that game.

1. If they tanked some games it surely wasn't under Thibs. Prior to Thibs the organization was a clownshow for two decades and didn't need to actively try to tank games. They just sucked

2. Yes, the officiating was not the greatest. Guess what, welcome to the NBA in 2024. NBA officiating is a joke. I mean, I can go back to the last series and point to a game the Knicks lost on a call that wasn't made but I haven't once said a word about it other than we should have made our damn FT's then that missed call wouldn't have mattered. We can pick apart every game, every day of the season and find a dozen or so calls that were made or missed that hurt both teams playing so it is what it is.

2A. I'll bet I can watch the Cavs game tonight and find some calls that go the Cavs way that probably shouldn't and there won't be a peep about it from you guys. BUT, you will be bitching all game long about how the NBA wants the Celtics to win the series (and no, I don't go into your game threads to comment so you won't hear from me. I don't go to other teams threads and stir the pot).

3. Yes, I'm happy we pulled that one out and am worried as shit that these guys are going to be running on fumes by game 4 or 5 because Thibs is getting more stubborn about the bench usage. I know the team is decimated with injuries but at some point all these high stress minutes are going to take their toll.

 

[TxBuckeye]

It was a business decision. Home court was locked up, the team was banged up, the best player's health was in jeopardy. Playoffs were secured, no reason to win a meaningless game 82 and risk more people getting hurt. Anyone mad at it was virtue signaling.

The refs want an "Establishment Team" in the finals, it is what it is.

hmmmm....The Knicks had home court locked up and don't talk to me about a team that is banged up. And

And carry on with your Alex Jones theories. Tell me what the NBA has done for the Knicks over the last 20 years? I can think of a time or two they actually lost ground in the lottery. Yes, the NBA definitely helps them out lmfao.

 

[DirtyDan]

I don't think he would have had the guts to be the first one to pull something like that

KD is gutless for betraying Russ and Oklahoma city. He had a once in a lifetime chance to go to a championship team due to a loophole and he was not going to pass on that. KD is a snake.

 

[Cassity14]

Couldn't beat the Celtics? They won one title. Not 10. So other teams were doing it.

2 teams did: Orlando (after half of Boston's team was hurt) and LA, who was a super team in their own right. Worth noting that Kobe got said super team after publicly demanding a trade.

The Cavs were completely asset-strapped and old. There's no reason to believe LeBron staying was going to allow them to beat Boston either of the following 2 years, which he was able to do in Miami in some incredible playoff series.

LeBron is a primary reason they didn't get more than 1.

 

[AustinCarr]

1. If they tanked some games it surely wasn't under Thibs. Prior to Thibs the organization was a clownshow for two decades and didn't need to actively try to tank games. They just sucked

2. Yes, the officiating was not the greatest. Guess what, welcome to the NBA in 2024. NBA officiating is a joke. I mean, I can go back to the last series and point to a game the Knicks lost on a call that wasn't made but I haven't once said a word about it other than we should have made our damn FT's then that missed call wouldn't have mattered. We can pick apart every game, every day of the season and find a dozen or so calls that were made or missed that hurt both teams playing so it is what it is.

2A. I'll bet I can watch the Cavs game tonight and find some calls that go the Cavs way that probably shouldn't and there won't be a peep about it from you guys. BUT, you will be bitching all game long about how the NBA wants the Celtics to win the series (and no, I don't go into your game threads to comment so you won't hear from me. I don't go to other teams threads and stir the pot).

3. Yes, I'm happy we pulled that one out and am worried as shit that these guys are going to be running on fumes by game 4 or 5 because Thibs is getting more stubborn about the bench usage. I know the team is decimated with injuries but at some point all these high stress minutes are going to take their toll.

1 Who cares if it was under Thibs or not? /shrug Manipulating standings isn't a new trick. And to be fair, I'm not even sure that was what they were trying to do. This team had been so snake-bitten with injuries that we could have lost someone over a meaningless game.

2 There are always missed and bad calls. It will be that way until we get our AI overlords to referee the game. But, some teams get a disproportionate amount of calls in their favor. It's a fact of being an NBA fan. The league encourages certain teams to win. Its good for ratings. Its good for the league (If not good for the fans of the negatively impacted teams). You can see it with the Lakers. You could see it with the way the Dynasty Warriors were officiated. In previous years I would not have said that is true of the Knicks. This year I would. Its not generally this blatent. But there certainly seems to be a thumb on the scale in their favor. It is what it is and I accept it. It was blatant enough that the Knicks fans on r/NBA were saying it was bad.

3) I am not going to try and predict the future here. I can say the previous series was allowed to get rough. And each team had advantageous calls. While I think the refs allowed more grabbing/holding by the Magic, I thought it was overall pretty fair. Cavs were caught reaching too often. I wouldn't say it was a poorly-called series on the whole.

4) I don't get Thibs. You have a fairly deep roster. Why are you running guys 44+ minutes? Just insanity. Its the one thing about him that I don't like. Otherwise I really solid basketball mind.

 

[DirtyDan]

And LBJ isn't/wasn't? I mean, if there's one criticism of LBJ that seems inarguable, it would be that one.

My point is KD would have gone to GSW regardless of what other players have done in the past. It was not a comment on Lebron. I just have a hard time buying that every top player was going to be altruistic if Lebron had stayed put in Cleveland. KD took the easy way out because he's a little bitch and had a once in a lifetime opportunity to exploit a loophole not because LeBron did it in the past.

Super teams played a big part in the NBA between 2010-2020, but KD took it to another level.

 

[TxBuckeye]

1 Who cares if it was under Thibs or not? /shrug Manipulating standings isn't a new trick. And to be fair, I'm not even sure that was what they were trying to do. This team had been so snake-bitten with injuries that we could have lost someone over a meaningless game.

2 There are always missed and bad calls. It will be that way until we get our AI overlords to referee the game. But, some teams get a disproportionate amount of calls in their favor. It's a fact of being an NBA fan. The league encourages certain teams to win. Its good for ratings. Its good for the league (If not good for the fans of the negatively impacted teams). You can see it with the Lakers. You could see it with the way the Dynasty Warriors were officiated. In previous years I would not have said that is true of the Knicks. This year I would. Its not generally this blatent. But there certainly seems to be a thumb on the scale in their favor. It is what it is and I accept it. It was blatant enough that the Knicks fans on r/NBA were saying it was bad.

3) I am not going to try and predict the future here. I can say the previous series was allowed to get rough. And each team had advantageous calls. While I think the refs allowed more grabbing/holding by the Magic, I thought it was overall pretty fair. Cavs were caught reaching too often. I wouldn't say it was a poorly-called series on the whole.

4) I don't get Thibs. You have a fairly deep roster. Why are you running guys 44+ minutes? Just insanity. Its the one thing about him that I don't like. Otherwise I really solid basketball mind.

4. We "had" a fairly deep roster. The injuries have completely gutted it. And what is left on the bench isn't that great to be honest but Thibs has got to use them in spots or the starters are going to be burnt (at least imo). I am amazed how Hart continues to keep playing 45 minutes a night and it doesn't seem to effect him at all. In fact he seems to be playing better the more he plays. Burks playing like hot garbage since the trade is a killer right now. Thibs has zero confidence in him. But hell, even the three he used last night (Achiuwa, Mitch and Deuce) only played 27 minutes total. 8 man rotations are not uncommon in the playoffs but you have to let them play a bit. Those 3 have proven they can give solid minutes but it's like Thibs is only trusting the 5 starters now unless Deuce goes on one of his heaters.

 

[bushwick_bill]

 

[The Wizard of Moz]

Wow forgot Brunson didn’t get picked, to be fair he played really poorly in the World Cup

Brunson shoots 70 times a game

He’s one of the freest overs to bet, but he’s not getting 98% usage on team USA so I don’t think his game translates super well

 

[bushwick_bill]

hmmmm....The Knicks had home court locked up and don't talk to me about a team that is banged up. And

And carry on with your Alex Jones theories. Tell me what the NBA has done for the Knicks over the last 20 years? I can think of a time or two they actually lost ground in the lottery. Yes, the NBA definitely helps them out lmfao.

Did I just see an Alex Jones reference! HA!!!! Amazing...

 

[The Wizard of Moz]

1. If they tanked some games it surely wasn't under Thibs. Prior to Thibs the organization was a clownshow for two decades and didn't need to actively try to tank games. They just sucked

2. Yes, the officiating was not the greatest. Guess what, welcome to the NBA in 2024. NBA officiating is a joke. I mean, I can go back to the last series and point to a game the Knicks lost on a call that wasn't made but I haven't once said a word about it other than we should have made our damn FT's then that missed call wouldn't have mattered. We can pick apart every game, every day of the season and find a dozen or so calls that were made or missed that hurt both teams playing so it is what it is.

2A. I'll bet I can watch the Cavs game tonight and find some calls that go the Cavs way that probably shouldn't and there won't be a peep about it from you guys. BUT, you will be bitching all game long about how the NBA wants the Celtics to win the series (and no, I don't go into your game threads to comment so you won't hear from me. I don't go to other teams threads and stir the pot).

3. Yes, I'm happy we pulled that one out and am worried as shit that these guys are going to be running on fumes by game 4 or 5 because Thibs is getting more stubborn about the bench usage. I know the team is decimated with injuries but at some point all these high stress minutes are going to take their toll.

It’s uhhh pretty objective that the league wants the Knicks Celtics

Anyone arguing against that has pretty much no business chops at all. The draws from each of the 4 teams is not created equally

Whether or not that impacts the game is a different question. But yes, obviously, the league wants Knicks Celtics

 

[TxBuckeye]

Did I just see an Alex Jones reference! HA!!!! Amazing...

Yes sir. Fun fact, my wife went to high school with that lunatic.

 

[bushwick_bill]

Yes sir. Fun fact, my wife went to high school with that lunatic.

HOLY SHIT!!! HAAAAA - fuck that dude I hope someone curb stomps him one day... anywho... I was scrolling real quick and saw it and lol'd...

 

[TxBuckeye]

It’s uhhh pretty objective that the league wants the Knicks Celtics

Anyone arguing against that has pretty much no business chops at all. The draws from each of the 4 teams is not created equally

Whether or not that impacts the game is a different question. But yes, obviously, the league wants Knicks Celtics

The league wanting it and officials (and the league telling them to do so) openly calling the game to make it happen is two different things.

Sorry, but I don't buy into conspiracy theories. As a life long Lions fan I've heard a thousand times how the NFL hates the Lions and officials call games against them because of it blah blah blah. Officiating is just bad and every year gets progressively worst. It is what it is.