NBA Thread

[HoosierHoopster 8,575]

57 minutes ago, Demo said:

Shot 40% and still kicked their a$$. Amazing. Best defensive game I’ve seen them play. So synch’ed up. They put another defensive effort like that together Sunday they’ll absolutely win it.

It's also the offensive balance. Per ESPN research, P's are the first team in NBA history to have at least 8 players score at least 200 points in the postseason -- whether or not that's fully accurate (haven't checked and we all know ESPN research can be spotty),I'd bet the P's are minimally one of only a few teams who have had that kind of offensive balance in the postseason.

Problem is that the Thunder have played much, much better at home, and the series against Denver was similar, and ended with the Thunder crushing Denver in G7. I'm hoping the P's come out and play their best, attacking on both sides of the ball, if they do I think they've got a real shot, but the Thunder are going to bounce back from G6.

[jermhoosierfan 356]

8 hours ago, RaceToTheTop said:

Pacers were up 30 after three quarters.  Exactly what kind of script is that?

I would think the NBA would want the score a little closer because the ratings would be better.  A lot of people check out if the score gets out of whack that like.  It is more that the Thunder kinda sucked it in knowing they had a Game 7 at their place on Sunday.  If you have a chance to knock a team out, you don't let them hang around.  If you F around, you can find out sometimes.

[Stuhoo 90,023]

12 minutes ago, jermhoosierfan said:

I would think the NBA would want the score a little closer because the ratings would be better.  A lot of people check out if the score gets out of whack that like.  It is more that the Thunder kinda sucked it in knowing they had a Game 7 at their place on Sunday.  If you have a chance to knock a team out, you don't let them hang around.  If you F around, you can find out sometimes.

The NBA doesn't necessarily get what the NBA wants. Theories to the contrary are conspiracy theories that are not grounded in any kind of reality.

At the top of the "NBA not getting what the NBA wants" list?

An Oklahoma City vs Indianapolis Finals.

[Hovadipo 61,607]

I’ve heard enough about ratings to last me a friggin’ lifetime. The TV networks have already paid! This series that is the apocalypse for ratings nerds has been bought and paid for by The Mouse! Does anyone actually think that this series is going to hurt the next TV deal? I promise it won’t. The NBA will survive. It has bigger problems to worry about than tripping bassackwards into the most entertaining Finals in about a decade. 

[jermhoosierfan 356]

1 hour ago, Hovadipo said:

I’ve heard enough about ratings to last me a friggin’ lifetime. The TV networks have already paid! This series that is the apocalypse for ratings nerds has been bought and paid for by The Mouse! Does anyone actually think that this series is going to hurt the next TV deal? I promise it won’t. The NBA will survive. It has bigger problems to worry about than tripping bassackwards into the most entertaining Finals in about a decade. 

I never understood the whole, "OMG, we have two smaller market teams in the Finals.  No one will watch!"  Then why bother giving 2 smaller market cities teams then?  There is always a chance they will make it to the Finals one day.  Only those bean counters should care what the ratings are.  The NBA has regular season ratings problems they need to figure out before they worry about the Finals ratings.  

[jermhoosierfan 356]

47 minutes ago, Stuhoo said:

The NBA doesn't necessarily get what the NBA wants. Theories to the contrary are conspiracy theories that are not grounded in any kind of reality.

At the top of the "NBA not getting what the NBA wants" list?

An Oklahoma City vs Indianapolis Finals.

If the NBA was going to get what they wanted, the Knicks would be in the Finals and not the Pacers.  Any of those conspiracy theories that are mentioned are BS just because of that fact.  Sunday night should be a really good game if the Pacers come out to play like they did last night.  Come out playing knowing it is the last game of the season with nothing to hold back for.

[LIHoosier 27,823]

2 hours ago, Hovadipo said:

I’ve heard enough about ratings to last me a friggin’ lifetime. The TV networks have already paid! This series that is the apocalypse for ratings nerds has been bought and paid for by The Mouse! Does anyone actually think that this series is going to hurt the next TV deal? I promise it won’t. The NBA will survive. It has bigger problems to worry about than tripping bassackwards into the most entertaining Finals in about a decade. 

Checks notes, just got a 76 BILLION dollar deal starting next year.

[Demo 24,086]

2 hours ago, Stuhoo said:

The NBA doesn't necessarily get what the NBA wants. Theories to the contrary are conspiracy theories that are not grounded in any kind of reality.

At the top of the "NBA not getting what the NBA wants" list?

An Oklahoma City vs Indianapolis Finals.

Yup. Even if they wanted to try influence things a bit now and then there are just way too many uncontrollable factors.

My 1 exception , and I will die on this hill, is I 100% believe in the Patrick Ewing to the Knicks frozen envelope conspiracy theory. Stern couldn’t have looked guiltier during that entire process and he was relieved as hell when it was over.

[LIHoosier 27,823]

It wasn't frozen, the head of security threw the Knicks envelope into the tumbler as hard as he could to make a sizable dent in it and Stern went fishing till he felt the bent corner.

[Brass Cannon 25,529]

6 hours ago, Demo said:

Yup. Even if they wanted to try influence things a bit now and then there are just way too many uncontrollable factors.

My 1 exception , and I will die on this hill, is I 100% believe in the Patrick Ewing to the Knicks frozen envelope conspiracy theory. Stern couldn’t have looked guiltier during that entire process and he was relieved as hell when it was over.

The statistical odds of the lottery winner would almost guarantee the process is rigged. Or at least has been rigged once or twice

Astronomical odds or businessman lies for money.  Which one you putting your money on 

[Brass Cannon 25,529]

9 hours ago, jermhoosierfan said:

I would think the NBA would want the score a little closer because the ratings would be better.  A lot of people check out if the score gets out of whack that like.  It is more that the Thunder kinda sucked it in knowing they had a Game 7 at their place on Sunday.  If you have a chance to knock a team out, you don't let them hang around.  If you F around, you can find out sometimes.

Think that was the natural result of the refs not calling all incidental contact on the pacers and the thunder playing badly.  Game 4 that second quarter run was muted by bs calls. Which left the thunder in position to pounce 

[J34 1,655]

TEAM

[J34 1,655]

[Demo 24,086]

Obviously not the subject matter of the moment, but in a week or so, after the victory parade, I really need someone to explain the Durant trade to me from the Houston perspective.

[Stuhoo 90,023]

1 hour ago, Demo said:

Obviously not the subject matter of the moment, but in a week or so, after the victory parade, I really need someone to explain the Durant trade to me from the Houston perspective.

Win now. Dump a bunch of likely useless 2nd round picks.

That having been said, I’m with you that it’s an unadvisable trade for Houston.

[HoosierHoopster 8,575]

On 6/20/2025 at 11:16 PM, J34 said:

TEAM

Posted this above! But yup

[HoosierHoopster 8,575]

4 hours ago, Demo said:

Obviously not the subject matter of the moment, but in a week or so, after the victory parade, I really need someone to explain the Durant trade to me from the Houston perspective.

Yeah. Thunder built their team effectively through the PG trades/move. Acquired SGA from the clips and continued to build their young team. Rockets were on strong path with their mostly young gunners. Durant is maybe the most efficient/effective scorer in the League, but 37 and the Rockets largely gave up on building around the developing strong young players.

Side note - guess who the Heat refused to trade for Durant…. A young core IU player…

[J34 1,655]

17 minutes ago, HoosierHoopster said:

Posted this above! But yup

Oops. Sorry about that. Definitely an enjoyable brand of basketball. 

[Brass Cannon 25,529]

Ref crew got announced already

Thunder record with these refs 9-1
Pacers record with these refs 5-8

SMH

[sirhoosierlot 3,888]

I’m going to be sick