Lillard you fecking beauty!!
NBA 2018-2019
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Dame, probably my favorite player currently. 50th point being the game winning dagger. My god, easily the best playoff performance so far. Portland has a knack for closing out 1st round series in style.
Russ is gonna get destroyed even more now if that’s possible. Thought he responded well after the game 4 bashing he received, but unfortunately reverted to the Russ of old in crunch time.
Russ is gonna get destroyed even more now if that’s possible. Thought he responded well after the game 4 bashing he received, but unfortunately reverted to the Russ of old in crunch time.
@Sarni congrats! Spectacular way to end the series. Will be cheering Portland on against either Denver or the Spurs. Dame is incredible.
Thanks!
It was a good series I thought. Better luck next year, and get some shooters around Westbrook!
I knew when Russ scored 10 points in a row OKC were in trouble. It just encourages him to keep chucking up bricks. Thirty one shots he took, thirty one fecking shots. How the hell if you are Billy Donovan do you allow it. The rest of the team shoot 65% and fecking Westbrook shoots 11-31 and then to make matters worse you put the ball in his hands to take your last shot. If I were Sam Presti I'd fire Donovan's ass right now and then I'd fire myself for giving Westbook that stupid fecking contract that will pay him $171 million dollars over the next four years.
Fantastic from Dame and congrats to Portland and @Sarni btw.
Fantastic from Dame and congrats to Portland and @Sarni btw.
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you cant not give him that contract.
I know - small town market and all that. I'm just pissed off with Westbrook's performance. Sometimes you're just way too rational. Let me rant without being so damned logical.
There isn't a lot he can do really. TBH I think he's done a decent job at managing egos. He did well with Melo until after the Jazz series and he does an OK job with Westbrook most of the time. If it comes down to him or Russ he knows who the organisation is picking. It is the same with most superstars and coaches (except maybe Pop). The coach will never win.
No real issue with the contract. I get why it annoys people but we had to do it. It's whatever. The real issue was essentially giving Westbrook the franchise after KD left. In a way it had to be done to convince him to stay and it led to some awesome things (like the crazy MVP season). But since then they've never really been able to pull Westbrook back. People say that he hogs the ball or whatever and he does to a degree. But when Durant was there he regularly deferred late in games and in big moments. He does at times with George, too. But he needs to do it more and the MVP season gave him this belief that he can do what he wants. That he can make and take any shot without consequence. It isn't a great situation.
EDIT: Russ is also gonna get smashed by people (and rightfully so) because Dame was better. But Dame played out of his mind. Not many players in the league could match him step-for-step when he is like this.
Once they lost KD and Harden, they were going to ride or die with Russ. Hindsight is 20/20, but they botched that core up massively and ended up with the worst possible option and situation. It’s looking more and more like those who bailed made the absolute right choice.
As for the game I just don’t understand why PG didn’t have the ball in his hands every single possession in the closing minutes, absolutely unforgivable. He was feeling it, with 36 points on 14-20 shooting, just baffling not to have him your #1 late in the game tonight.
Also, deja vu with that Steph dagger from near half court a couple of seasons back in the regular season (although that was on the opposite side). You knew Dame was measuring up the shot when he was dribbling it out. Cold blooded.
As for the game I just don’t understand why PG didn’t have the ball in his hands every single possession in the closing minutes, absolutely unforgivable. He was feeling it, with 36 points on 14-20 shooting, just baffling not to have him your #1 late in the game tonight.
Also, deja vu with that Steph dagger from near half court a couple of seasons back in the regular season (although that was on the opposite side). You knew Dame was measuring up the shot when he was dribbling it out. Cold blooded.
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Yes, Portland did it. Very happy for them and now they have a serious chance of making the finals. Lillard is incredible, loved how he waved goodbye to OKC after that ridiculous winner 
@Sarni Happy for you, I hope you reach the finals
@Sarni Happy for you, I hope you reach the finals
I don't know why I'm that upset to be honest. Russ just infuriates me and I happen to rate Paul George I suppose. Was really looking forward to game 6 because it's been a really good series at times. C'est la vie I guess.
...and better luck next year.
George was doing a good impression. Not putting the ball in his hands for the final shot was criminal from Donovan
Also, Grant at 5. It took him 4 games and a half to figure out he needed to bench Adams and play Grant at 5 to have a chance against Portland
Also, Grant at 5. It took him 4 games and a half to figure out he needed to bench Adams and play Grant at 5 to have a chance against Portland
Maybe. But it could be worse. If Westbrook hadn't signed they'd need to trade him or he walks. At the end of the day they're a flawed playoff team in the West with two superstars (of course some won't use the term for Westbrook but I'm just making the point that they have good players). I'd take that over being a Phoenix, Kings, Chicago etc and spending years doing nothing.
Was Harden even considered a serious loss at the time it happened ? I don't really remember it to be the case, the biggest difference was KD leaving. They enabled Russ, he goes stats chasing but overall he's become a worse basketball player.
Take a bow, Dame.
Dame is cold bruh.
Yes, it was. But the thinking was with Russ and KD, they needed to resign Ibaka more. Still, the way they dealt with it was, let us say, rushed?
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The amount of crazy shots he made. Finished the night with the little wave.
Best part is Stotts reaction 
Btw, i got into a fight with my neighbor because of it
Btw, i got into a fight with my neighbor because of it
I swear all his 3 pointers were tough contested shots or from ridiculous range. Lillard is a killer
It was an awful trade even back then. Then every year since makes it look worse and worse.
Fair enough, but I was thinking along the lines of the "what if’s" that will be painful for any OKC fan, as it's one of the biggest "what if’s" in NBA history tbh. I suppose it's fine being a perennial playoff team, but you're in dire need of changes (in one of, if not all of, culture, coaching, personnel, and front office) if you have higher aspirations. You're kind of in purgatory where the team seems to have peaked (being a yearly 1st round exit, and at best 2nd round), and it's hard to see you contending for the title while Russ is there, which will just delay the inevitable rebuilding process once Russ and PG's cycle is up.
On the flip side, many said the same of Portland after they got swept last year, but the difference is both Lillard and McCollum can shoot lights out, they have great chemistry on the court, are more mature and level-headed in their play (and the way they conduct themselves) even though they are a little younger (entering their peak years whereas Russ is in the middle of his peak years, and we don't know how he'll adapt once his athleticism starts to deteriorate), and they seem to want to be put in positions to succeed (aka coachable).
Not saying they'll win the title or anything like that, but at this point in time, I have more faith in them getting the most out of their team than PG and Russ theirs (who are, on paper, considered better than Dame and CJ). A positive that could come out of this embarrassment of a series is that it humbles Russ and makes him rethink how he plays the game, although it’s unlikely at his age and stage of development. He’s pretty much the finished article, what you see is what you get.
One thing's for certain, OKC is a long way off from being the title contenders of the KD era, and the bright future the team seemingly had when they made the finals with a young KD, Russ, Harden, and Ibaka, seems a distant memory.
It was hotly debated at the time. It was widely considered a bad basketball decision, but perhaps the correct monetary move so whatever you felt was more important. He was considered an important part of their young core along with KD, Russ, and Ibaka that had just gone to the finals. Soon after he won gold in London with Team USA and was also the 6th man of the year, leading OKC's 2nd string off the bench (being trusted with starter's minutes), and was only 22 years old. They could have kept the core in tact if they were willing to pay the luxury tax, but since they were/are small market, decided against it and chose to keep Ibaka out of the two because they felt he brought better balance, whereas Harden was expendable due to Russ. People still expected OKC to be good, but obviously not as good as with Harden. We can speculate on how he would have developed, and although it's unlikely he would have gone on to the MVP level he has reached with Houston, there was no doubt he would have been a key player for OKC. I'm sure Harden has no regrets though.
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As a raptors fan it’s been great not having to play Lebron
Thanks for the detailed reminder. Harden being traded started their decline but KD deciding to take his talents elsewhere is what gave the full control to Russ and his crazy brand of basketball that doesn't work in the playoffs.
Is Westbrook even a top 10 player right now? I would have (not in order): LeBron, KD, Steph, Giannis, Leonard, Harden, CP3, Davis, George and Lillard easily ahead of him.
I wanted Lillard to not look at the shot going in. That would have been even more cool.
yep, no way he's top 10. TS% of 50.1, which is horrible. his worst PER since 2009/10. and worst of all, he thinks he's still a superstar.
Lebron, Durant, Giannis, Harden, Curry, Leonard, Davis, George, Embiid, Lillard, Towns, Irving, Jokic all ahead for me
Maybe even Blake
Ok let's all simmer down for a second.
Yeah, forgot Embiid, he is definitely ahead. Towns not sure, I feel that he hasn't done much, and Jokic has has only one top year so far.
As a huge Russ fan...no, he isn't. For OKC to reach their ceiling in the Russ/PG era it requires two things, IMO. 1) Russ has to realise that PG is the best player on the team now; and 2) Presti needs to somehow get more shooting around them to allow Westbrook to be be the best facilitator he can.
I do think it was working well until George injured his shoulder(s) tbh. Westbrook was deferring and George was playing really well. Unfortunate.
Towns is a turnstile defensively but I'd still take him over Westbrook, he's much more efficient on the important end of the floor. Same with Kyrie.
Blake is maybe a bit far, but he had a nice season.
See above, Jokic in with same reasons as Towns.
Not sure about Kyrie v Westbrook comparison. Both are toxic in a way, Westbrook is a far better defender and playmaker, Kyrie is streets ahead as a scorer.
People on Facebook Ringer site were trying to compare Dame with Kyrie recently, it was basically 60/40 towards Dame. I don’t think it’s particularly close when you consider Dame’s leadership and character.
KD leaving was the death knell for sure. They went from perennial title contenders to 1st round irrelevancy overnight. The sad and ironic thing from an OKC perspective is that their current payroll is one of the highest in the league, and they have had some of the highest luxury tax bills. If only they decided to open their checkbook when they truly had something special. Much has changed in the NBA since Harden left, but in what you can only call twisted fate, that Harden debacle may have contributed to their current “mess” as they attempted to atone for that mistake.
Great breakdown
Blake Griffin is better than Russell Westbrook.
Let's forget for a second that Damian took that shot fully intentional, has about 65% from 30 feet and can make those regularly... But the irony of talking about a bad shot while Russ is sitting next to you.