Your 2021 NBA Playoffs Thread...

We are smack dab in the middle of the NBA playoffs. If you’ve been paying close enough attention, you’ll notice one thing rings true much more so than in recent years.

We might be about to witness a changing of the guard, for we are in a time where the league’s eventual champion is no longer a foregone conclusion.

Chumpservations, Vol. 40: Your 2021 NBA Playoff Edition - Sports Chump

 

The Knicks and their "we're just glad we made it" attitude doomed them. It's nice to finally have expectations for next year, with all the cap space and a gazillion draft picks (lowest one is in the 20s but still).

Eff the Nets.

 

Teej...

In this day and age of scoring in the NBA, you have to have at least one if not three.

I'm not sure the Knicks had any.

No disrespect to the season he had but when Julius Randle is your go-to scorer, you might be in trouble come playoff time.

 

I'm really looking forward to the Nets-Bucks series. Such a great matchup.

Joel Embiid's injury really has put a damper on my excitement of a possible championship. If he's not going to be able to play at 100% the Sixers won't be able to beat the Nets-Bucks winner. It would be extremely tough even with him at 100%. Hopefully he can play effectively through it.

 

That's exactly right!! If we learned anything the past 10 years, is that the old myth "everybody wants to play in MSG" is absolutely false. LeBron turned us down (three times). Durant turned us down. Every super star has turned us down and when we found a unicorn (Porzingis) he quickly demanded a trade (which I still think we won).

Let's see if after this season the narrative changes.

 

Dude...

How about what the Nets have done to the Bucks so far?

Ouch!

 

I can't believe how dominant the Nets have been. I really thought it was going to be a long tough series. They look scary.

 

In keeping with this Nets theme, and NBA post-season string, a buddy recently sent me a Yahoo article on the Nets that inspired this post...

We are who we thought they were: The Brooklyn Nets Edition - Sports Chump

 

Man things really changed up in the Nets-Bucks series now with the injuries. I hope Irving doesn't miss too much time. It didn't look good though.

 

With both Harden and Irving out for Game 5, I wonder how confident they are that two more days of rest might get one, or both, back for Thursday allowing them to take the series.

It's a gamble but one I suppose they have to take.

 

I can't believe the Sixers had 18+ point leads in the last two games and lost them both. Simmons and Tobias Harris are soft. I haven't been this depressed about a Philly team loss since the Eagles lost the NFC Championship Game to Tampa Bay back in 2002. Absolutely disgusting.

 

The NBA literally got drunk in this year's playoffs.

 

Damn, that was a sweet game, Dawk. Last game in the Vet too. Thanks for brining up good memories.

I was thinking more recently, like Kawhi's multiple rim bouncing dagger against the Sixers a few years ago to send them packing in that heartbreaker.

I tweeted last night that coughing up a 26-point lead at home in a crucial game five might be the most Philadelphia thing ever.

They're going to have to figure out what to do with Simmons. I think he still has value but you can't be letting Trae Young carve you up like that.

It ain't over yet. We'll see how they respond.

 

Simmons defense on Young has not been bad. It's when others are on him that they have had issues. Overall though Trae has not killed them. He's a -31 in the series. Simmons foul shooting woes have absolutely been the reason that the Sixers have not won this series in 5 games though. I can't believe it's so bad that the Hawks start Hack-A-Ben as early as the 2nd quarter. 4-14 in the last game was pathetic.

I know that Simmons doesn't have heart because he doesn't work on the small things to improve his game. I'm most disappointed in Tobias Harris. He seemed like he upped his game this past season but he's been afraid to shoot in the 4th.

The one thing about the process and tanking is that they started off with a losers mentality and Doc Rivers has not been able to turn that around when it counts. Rivers has been awful with his moves as well. He leaves the bench in too long sometimes.

Nets-Bucks going to a game 7...sweet.

 

Looks like discussions of Philadelphia's demise were a tad premature.

 

What an ending to the Bucks-Nets series....overtime in Game 7. Last week they looked finished and now the Bucks may be the favorite to win it all. Crazy.

 

I'm not sure Ben Simmons can stay in Philly after last night. Passing up a dunk late in the 4th quarter because he was afraid of being fouled is something the fans will never forget or forgive.

 

What a wild ride it's been so far. I lost my ass betting on the Nets. Damn injuries.

Updated SportsChump post to come.

 

Can't wait for this thing to be over. All my sports feeds have gone insane. I know it's the only sports of this part of the year (when you don't like soccer...the Euro has been very good this year), but come on...I can't listen to my podcasts anymore, they're all about the NBA playoffs now.

 

Ask and you shall receive. Here's why this NBA post-season is so special...

Your Final Four NBA Primer - Sports Chump