Red Mosquito

Monkey_Driven wrote:Consistent excellence is the elite level that very few players can ever reach. I'm not talking just counting stats either. The consistent ability to impact the game, put up stats, and perform in the highest pressure moments is what makes the greats great. I don't consider it a huge demerit that Tatum or AD fall short in that area.

Yeah it's all about consistency. It's why teams are thrilled if Steph only has 23 points or we say LeBron had a bad game when he's 22/10/11. Whether it's huge demerit for Tatum and AD depends on your expectations. If you want them to be on that true level of superstar greatness then it's the thing holding them back. Otherwise they're on that frustrating next tier down that can be on that level half the time and drive you insane the other half.

Maybe I'm overhyping how good the great version of AD is, so I'm curious what other people think. But when he's great like he was in 2020 and was in the regular season before getting injured and has been for a majority of the playoffs I think he's as impactful and dominant as anybody in the league today, full stop. Maybe one way to say it is that he might have the highest ceiling of anybody in the playoffs but that his floor is much lower than the other contenders like Steph, Jokic, Booker, and Butler.

I feel like excuses abound for Tatum and it's ridiculous.

knicks suck

but go knicks

Go Heat. They better not play with their food and let this series go more than 5.

Not-so-hot take: the lakers need game 4 more than the Warriors do.

4/5 wrote:Not-so-hot take: the lakers need game 4 more than the Warriors do.

I have no feel for this series yet. It's living dangerously to pick your spots as much as AD and Lebron have been doing so far.

Feels reductionist to say “if the Warriors hit their threes 3 out of 4 times they’ll win,” but it also feels kinda true.

Less reductionist: if the Warriors don’t find a way to prevent AD from eliminating the paint it’s tough to see them winning 3 of 4.

I think Kerr will make adjustments, he’s always been good at that. I wonder if going small and just always having shooters on the floor is the play. Or maybe go back to Looney and say ok our spacing is gonna suck but we have two of the best shooters ever, they can hit shots and Looney can gobble up offensive rebounds and pack the paint on the other end.

Also maybe a warmer take: if the Warriors survive this series I think they’re the clear favorites to win the chip. Not that the Lakers are better than the other remaining teams but they seem to present specific challenges to the Warriors I don’t think the others can.

Has Klay ever fouled anyone?

This game reflected the season in general. Can't see this series lasting longer than 6 games.

If my team was playing the Warriors and they were up 3-1 in the series with 2 mins left in the 4th up by 15 I would still think there is a good chance my team was going to lose. I'll believe they are done when I see it.

bada wrote:If my team was playing the Warriors and they were up 3-1 in the series with 2 mins left in the 4th up by 15 I would still think there is a good chance my team was going to lose. I'll believe they are done when I see it.

I want to believe this is still true, but the vibe has been off all season with this crew. Jordan Poole getting the extension, getting punched, and then being hot garbage for a good chunk of the season has the been an ever present subplot.

Believe me I WANT them to be done. lol. It's the only team that scares me.

bada wrote:If my team was playing the Warriors and they were up 3-1 in the series with 2 mins left in the 4th up by 15 I would still think there is a good chance my team was going to lose. I'll believe they are done when I see it.

So much this.

Warriors in 7.

bookies and NBA want a 7 game series too!

Tatum has a max contract, so I'm gonna hold him to being more consistent like the MVP-caliber player he wants you to think he is...

Coach wrote:Tatum has a max contract, so I'm gonna hold him to being more consistent like the MVP-caliber player he wants you to think he is...

So does Bradley Beal

So brutally predictable.

Teams take on the identity of their best player. The Celtics are inconsistent, mentally fragile and more interested in individual success. They say the right things but its all secondary to growing the brand. They should have won last year. They should win this year. There are no trades to be made. There is nothing missing except what is between the ears. Only hope for the organization is they grow up. They are lead by a Duke Blue Devil so....good luck. They could lose Thursday and be done. They could win the next two games and go on to win the championship. Both are entirely possible. All I know is I don't trust them. I don't like watching them. I don't like talking about them. Still there's always hope.