Octopus Overlords

I checked the end of the OKC - HOU game and the Rockets were up by 2 with .5 seconds to go - over, right? So I switched to baseball. Ten minutes later the game was still going, now with 1.1 seconds left.

Jaymann wrote: ↑Thu Sep 03, 2020 10:28 am I checked the end of the OKC - HOU game and the Rockets were up by 2 with .5 seconds to go - over, right? So I switched to baseball. Ten minutes later the game was still going, now with 1.1 seconds left.

Heh, a few minutes later the game had 2.6 seconds on the clock. They were going *back in time*!

Actually there was a challenge because Paul had been trying to call timeout before the ball went out of bounds. I believe the call was that the relevant player had stepped out of bounds earlier so they reset the clock to that point. I think - it was a little hard to follow.

Adrian Wojnarowski @wojespn · 4h
Hall of Fame guard Steve Nash has signed a four-year contract to become the next coach of the Brooklyn Nets, sources tell ESPN.

Raptors hit a winning shot on an inbound play with .5 seconds remaining. That's .1 seconds better than Derick Fisher. If the Celtics blow the series...

The Bucks are toast. No team has ever come back from 0-3 in NBA history.

Giannis is great, but he and his team might be developing a rep for choking and disappointing playoff runs.

Lakers let the Rockets play their game. Can't get out rebounded by the worst rebounding team in the league, AND have almost half of your shots be 3's if you are the Lakers.

Hats off to the rockets tho, they rebounded and defended extremely well. I don't expect it to hold up for the entire series - the Lakers are too tall and talented, but they just need three more.

I still expect the Lakers to get a dominant inside performance in game two, but if they don't...

Those Celtics green jerseys may be getting a little tight as the Raptors even the series at 2.

The Lakers laid an epic egg in game 1, reminiscent of the first game against Portland. Let's hope they do a similar bounce back in game 2.

WTF? The Nuggets beat the Clippers?!? I woke up and checked the scores. This one had sweep written all over it.

I think they may start in bubble(s). The Christmas games are too lucrative. MLK day games too, especially in this environment.

Yes! Lakers use smothering defense for 7/8 of the game to go up 3-1. Out small ball the Rockets. And Caruso comes up big. The Rockets have no chance to win 3 straight. NO CHANCE!

Jaymann wrote: ↑Thu Sep 10, 2020 11:07 pm Yes! Lakers use smothering defense for 7/8 of the game to go up 3-1. Out small ball the Rockets. And Caruso comes up big. The Rockets have no chance to win 3 straight. NO CHANCE!

[Morgan Freeman]
They had a chance.
[/Morgan Freeman]

I am of course looking forward to an all LA conference final, but I am also going to be watching the Celtics/Raptors game closely. On the one hand, no Laker fan ever wants a Celtic win, but on the other hand, it'd be awesome to beat them yet again in the Finals. This has been an intense (for me at least) time for basketball, so much basketball in such little time!

A funny thing happened to the Clippers on their way to their coronation...

When did Boston start wearing Timberwolves jerseys?

Lakers blow out the Rockets to go to the finals for the first time in a decade. Clippers still have some work to do. With opening Sunday for the NFL, not many will watch them.

Jaymann wrote: ↑Sun Sep 06, 2020 10:34 am WTF? The Nuggets beat the Clippers?!? I woke up and checked the scores. This one had sweep written all over it.

You were sayin'?

Apparently Nuggets just like digging themselves out of a 3-1 hole.

Wow, I switched over from the Packers/Vikings snooze fest in time to see the Clippers blow another 16 point lead and get spanked by the Nuggets who force a game 7.

STC (still the Clippers)

Lorini wrote: ↑Sun Sep 13, 2020 4:18 pm STC (still the Clippers)

You know, I actually went to a San Diego Clippers game (back when the name made some sense) against Wes Unseld and the Washington Bullets. The game went into triple overtime before the Clippers lost to a buzzer beater. Some things never change.

Lorini wrote: ↑Sun Sep 13, 2020 4:18 pm STC (still the Clippers)

Confirmed.

Does Doc Rivers get fired? The Nuggets were a 3 seed, so it's not like the Clippers lost to the Washington Generals or anything, but the way they blew it is pretty embarrassing.

I'll also say that I really like Jamal Murray. He seems like a pretty good guy, so I'm happy to see him advance.

El Guapo wrote: ↑Wed Sep 16, 2020 10:09 am Does Doc Rivers get fired? The Nuggets were a 3 seed, so it's not like the Clippers lost to the Washington Generals or anything, but the way they blew it is pretty embarrassing.

I'll also say that I really like Jamal Murray. He seems like a pretty good guy, so I'm happy to see him advance.

The question to that is always who are they going to hire that's better if they fire him? Tyronn Lue has been a championship coach and he's already in the organization. But at the end of the day the players who are supposed to make shots have to make them and that didn't happen.

I would be surprised if the Clippers fired Rivers. How many championship winning coaches are on the market? But, perhaps more importantly, both Leonard and Paul George can opt for FA soon; my impression is that they both like playing for Doc, so I'm not sure Clippers brass want to do anything that might increase the chances of them leaving.

Paul George: I coulda had class. I coulda been a contender. I coulda been a Laker.

Lorini wrote: ↑Wed Sep 16, 2020 10:46 am

El Guapo wrote: ↑Wed Sep 16, 2020 10:09 am Does Doc Rivers get fired? The Nuggets were a 3 seed, so it's not like the Clippers lost to the Washington Generals or anything, but the way they blew it is pretty embarrassing.

I'll also say that I really like Jamal Murray. He seems like a pretty good guy, so I'm happy to see him advance.

The question to that is always who are they going to hire that's better if they fire him? Tyronn Lue has been a championship coach and he's already in the organization. But at the end of the day the players who are supposed to make shots have to make them and that didn't happen.

Someone who can make adjustments?

Fun fact - before 2020 Doc Rivers has now advanced from being the only coach in NBA history to blow two 3-1 playoff leads to now being the only coach in NBA history to blow three 3-1 playoff leads.

Goaltend!

Ralph-Wiggum wrote: ↑Wed Sep 16, 2020 11:59 am Goaltend!

That's what I find strange about the block. If the ball were coming down by itself it would clearly be a goaltend. But because the Celtic player was shoving it down it wasn't called.

Jaymann wrote: ↑Wed Sep 16, 2020 11:16 am Paul George: I coulda had class. I coulda been a contender. I coulda been a Laker.

Kawhi Leonard: I coulda had class. I coulda been a contender. I coulda been a Laker.

Rivers suffers from the same thing his twin Doc who manages the Dodgers. They fall in love with players instead of managing the friggin game. Why is Harrell still in the game? Why can't Rivers see that he needed to mix it up when his starters were failing? He doesn't seem to be about actual winning and as a fan (or potential fan, I'm a Lakers person) that's inexcusable.

rittchard wrote:

Jaymann wrote: ↑Wed Sep 16, 2020 11:16 am Paul George: I coulda had class. I coulda been a contender. I coulda been a Laker.

Kawhi Leonard: I coulda had class. I coulda been a contender. I coulda been a Laker.

I'd rather have Kawhi. I never understood the PG love. I always saw him as a good, even all star, sometimes player on otherwise mediocre teams, but not a star.

And if he went to the Lakers, they probably wouldn't have Kuzma and KCP. Maybe even Caruso and or Rondo too.

I doubt seriously Kawhi would go to the Lakers to play third fiddle. Only Kevin Durant has that level of ring whore.

I've been really enjoying watching the Heat. They play really well as a team and hard on defense and none of their players seem to shy away from big moments (Herro in particular has been clutch in the playoffs). If they get past the Celtics, I'm not sure if they'll have the firepower to beat the Lakers, but I definitely wouldn't count them out of any game.

Ralph-Wiggum wrote: ↑Fri Sep 18, 2020 10:58 am I've been really enjoying watching the Heat. They play really well as a team and hard on defense and none of their players seem to shy away from big moments (Herro in particular has been clutch in the playoffs). If they get past the Celtics, I'm not sure if they'll have the firepower to beat the Lakers, but I definitely wouldn't count them out of any game.

I watched most of the second quarter last night with my son, and timing worked out great as we got to see the Celtics dominate and go up by second digits. Turned it off at halftime for bedtime...which worked out for the best.

El Guapo wrote: ↑Fri Sep 18, 2020 11:10 am

Ralph-Wiggum wrote: ↑Fri Sep 18, 2020 10:58 am I've been really enjoying watching the Heat. They play really well as a team and hard on defense and none of their players seem to shy away from big moments (Herro in particular has been clutch in the playoffs). If they get past the Celtics, I'm not sure if they'll have the firepower to beat the Lakers, but I definitely wouldn't count them out of any game.

I watched most of the second quarter last night with my son, and timing worked out great as we got to see the Celtics dominate and go up by second digits. Turned it off at halftime for bedtime...

Apparently so did the Celtics.

Jaymann wrote: ↑Fri Sep 18, 2020 11:17 am

El Guapo wrote: ↑Fri Sep 18, 2020 11:10 am

Ralph-Wiggum wrote: ↑Fri Sep 18, 2020 10:58 am I've been really enjoying watching the Heat. They play really well as a team and hard on defense and none of their players seem to shy away from big moments (Herro in particular has been clutch in the playoffs). If they get past the Celtics, I'm not sure if they'll have the firepower to beat the Lakers, but I definitely wouldn't count them out of any game.

I watched most of the second quarter last night with my son, and timing worked out great as we got to see the Celtics dominate and go up by second digits. Turned it off at halftime for bedtime...

Apparently so did the Celtics.

In their defense, who knew that basketball games have *two* halves?

All of us have watched games where we wished the game ended before it actually did so our team would win. I'm sure the Clippers are very familiar with that feeling for example

And the wags have been saying that Anthony Davis disappears in the fourth quarter...

Edit to add: Apparently Davis yelled "KOBE!" after hitting that game winning shot.