Very impressive performances by the Bucks in Games 5 and 6 without Giannis to put away the Hawks. Suns will be favored especially with Giannis not 100%, but Middleton is now a full-fledged star after he won Game 6 of the ECF with that huge 3rd quarter
I think it'll be the Suns in 6 but I wouldn't count the Bucks out. I like this Finals matchup because it isn't the usual suspects
I’m rooting for 7 games and don’t think I care who wins.
I wish I could get someone to take that bet. I m surprised by that prediction.
Not if Giannis plays. How much you willing to bet on that.
I’m wondering if they have him sit game 1 and 2 giving him another weeks rest.
The NBA playoffs just drag on FAR too long across 2 months
Lol. East Coast Lakers fans
Chris Paul was a Laker?
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Looking forward to this series with former Laker legend Chris Paul and future Laker legend Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Chris Paul was a Laker?
Until David Stern rigged it.
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Looking forward to this series with former Laker legend Chris Paul and future Laker legend Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Lol. East Coast Lakers fans
Lol. Fans of a team that will never see a championship in their lifetime.
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In comment 15299177 BrettNYG10 said:
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Looking forward to this series with former Laker legend Chris Paul and future Laker legend Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Lol. East Coast Lakers fans
Lol. Fans of a team that will never see a championship in their lifetime.
At least we are true fans and not pathetic bandwagon jumpers that decide to root for a team because it wins a lot.
Lakers fans my age and younger talking about titles is hilarious.
Not gonna be good for ratings at all. NBA has been lucky lately with attractive matchups but this is gonna be a rough one.
Hopefully it's only a one year blip and next year they can get one of the Sixers/Celtics/Nets in the finals and the Lakers should be back next year.
Not gonna be good for ratings at all. NBA has been lucky lately with attractive matchups but this is gonna be a rough one.
Hopefully it's only a one year blip and next year they can get one of the Sixers/Celtics/Nets in the finals and the Lakers should be back next year.
I believe the postseason ratings have been better than expected, but I could be wrong. I, for one, am excited for this Finals.
Not gonna be good for ratings at all. NBA has been lucky lately with attractive matchups but this is gonna be a rough one.
Hopefully it's only a one year blip and next year they can get one of the Sixers/Celtics/Nets in the finals and the Lakers should be back next year.
Serious question, why do you care what’s good for their ratings? They are making out well regardless. The NBA needs smaller market teams to shine in order to get more people to care, and it’s also 2 teams that play team basketball (good for the nba as well especially when you factor in what the league will look like in a few years with many of the big stars retired/not good anymore).
The NBA should seize this opportunity.
Agreed. For example, Memphis & NOLA...got Morant & Zion in both places respectively. It'd be great for NBA if those two teams took off in the next couple of years. And yes, NBA will always need major markets to be good-NY, LA, & Chicago-but having good mid tier markets will do wonders for the game. I actually think that Denver, if Murray doesn't get injured, might have won it all.
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The NBA has to be so pissed that they get such a ratings drag. No LeBron, no Lakers/Celtics, no superteams, etc.
Not gonna be good for ratings at all. NBA has been lucky lately with attractive matchups but this is gonna be a rough one.
Hopefully it's only a one year blip and next year they can get one of the Sixers/Celtics/Nets in the finals and the Lakers should be back next year.
Serious question, why do you care what’s good for their ratings? They are making out well regardless. The NBA needs smaller market teams to shine in order to get more people to care, and it’s also 2 teams that play team basketball (good for the nba as well especially when you factor in what the league will look like in a few years with many of the big stars retired/not good anymore).
The NBA should seize this opportunity.
BBI has all kinds, it’s what makes it great. But for the life of me I just cannot fathom why a random fan would be concerned about television ratings. I mean, wtf? It’s one of the strangest tales I’ve seen on here. And that’s saying something.
Was on plenty of NBA threads stating my disgust for the league but how bad I want to like basketball again. Well, I’ve watched more of the 2022 nba playoffs than I’ve done in probably a decade. It’s so much more interesting right now and I genuinely feel good for the players that made it to the finals.
I’m pretty indifferent other than wanting 7 games but probably would lean Suns if I had to. Chris Paul should have a ring before he hangs them up.
That said Giannis winning without jumping ship is a great consolation prize.
Over 38 rule - ( New Window )
I hope it means he just extends in Phoenix - would be gross seeing him team up somewhere.
He carried them to the finals
He carried them to the finals
people killed the Bucks the first time they paid him back in 2015 when they gave him 5/70.
Yeah, the 9 PM starts are just brutal.
Looked it up to confirm and wow how did I not know this>
But everything is pointing CP3 and the Suns way.
If they can pull this off, I’ll be really interested in Booker’s career. Dropped. 70 and won a ring at what age? He could be a “smart” Kyrie, no disrespect to Kyries crazy ass. Booker will feel comfortable in the clutch. Let’s see if CP3 don’t have a BS injury in him here.
I know Ayton was a #1 pick but he is a wonderful player. Knows his role on this team and plays it flawlessly
They have a big bill looming- Bridges, Ayton, Johnson, Payne and CP3 contract.
At this point he's almost forced to pay CP3 but you never know with Sarver. One of the cheapest owners in the league. I think the real question is if CP3 can get 3 years or more. Will the Suns do that or another team like the Knicks?
If the Knicks have any shot at Paul, I would be all over that.
Phoenix isnt going to lose at home. It will probably be 2-2, but i dont give Bucks much chance to win in the valley regardless of what happens in Milwaukee
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or this series will go south for them quick
Phoenix isnt going to lose at home. It will probably be 2-2, but i dont give Bucks much chance to win in the valley regardless of what happens in Milwaukee
Milwaukee beat an almost unstoppable Kevin Durant in Brooklyn in a seventh game. If one of Giannis's running mates, Middleton or Holiday, has a big game, they can win in Phoenix
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In comment 15303516 dpinzow said:
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or this series will go south for them quick
Phoenix isnt going to lose at home. It will probably be 2-2, but i dont give Bucks much chance to win in the valley regardless of what happens in Milwaukee
Milwaukee beat an almost unstoppable Kevin Durant in Brooklyn in a seventh game. If one of Giannis's running mates, Middleton or Holiday, has a big game, they can win in Phoenix
Kevin Durant playing with 4 ham n eggers. Phoenix is a whole lot better than that Brooklyn team they faced in game 7. Harden was immobile, Joe Harris couldnt throw the ball in the ocean, and the rest of the team sucks.
If Suns players get hurt like the Nets had injuries, they will win. Barring that I dont see them winning a game in Phoenix.
I think this ends in 6
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In comment 15303517 MookGiants said:
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In comment 15303516 dpinzow said:
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or this series will go south for them quick
Phoenix isnt going to lose at home. It will probably be 2-2, but i dont give Bucks much chance to win in the valley regardless of what happens in Milwaukee
Milwaukee beat an almost unstoppable Kevin Durant in Brooklyn in a seventh game. If one of Giannis's running mates, Middleton or Holiday, has a big game, they can win in Phoenix
Kevin Durant playing with 4 ham n eggers. Phoenix is a whole lot better than that Brooklyn team they faced in game 7. Harden was immobile, Joe Harris couldnt throw the ball in the ocean, and the rest of the team sucks.
If Suns players get hurt like the Nets had injuries, they will win. Barring that I dont see them winning a game in Phoenix.
I think this ends in 6
Paul George and a bunch of ham and eggers won a game in the Western Conference Finals in Phoenix. The Suns have to figure out how to slow down Giannis or they're in more trouble than you think
He's clearly not capable of doing his job if he doesnt call that
That was Booker's 6th foul too, and he just committed a seventh and it wasn't called
Agreed!
And Jae Crowder is a giant flopping worn out labia. Holy shit.
And how did Booker have 8 fouls?
NBA is straight trash.
Everything go their way because Booker had 40? Besides Cam the rest of the team was terrible. And while he was lucky to not foul out his 5th foul call changed the game and it was a total flop by Tucker.
Phoenix isnt in “danger” time. Bucks havent even competed with them at home to this point and nothing that happened in Milwaukee leads me to believe that will change in game 5.
Bucks took care of business on their home floor, but its not danger time for the suns when they smoked them twice in the valley.
Chris Paul was absolutely awful in this game. As I said above Booker and Cam Johnson were only two suns who played well.
That block by Giannis on Ayton was super nice, but I think it's getting a little overrated. It's not LeBron on Iggy or Hakeem on Starks, but it was definitely a classic moment that gives you a glimpse of the kind of athlete/competitor that Giannis is.
With a healthy Giannis, this is now a hell of a good series. I thought Suns would have the edge but that was if Giannis wasn't 100%. Still rooting for CP3 to get it done and I expect him to have a bigtime performance in Game 5.
LeBrons was better looking but Giannis' impacted the game more, IMO.
Great play, but the pass from Booker was a LITTLE high too - credit Giannis and his freakish wingspan for causing that I guess, but Booker was a little casual with the lob.
LeBrons was better looking but Giannis' impacted the game more, IMO.
Game 7 vs. Game 4. Both were with very little time and the score was tied in the Cavs-Warriors game vs. the Bucks being up. As impressive as Giannis' block was in showcasing his absurd length/mobility, I don't think it's really that close between the two in which was the better play. JR definitely did a great job with the effort but LeBron tracking that down the court and stuffing it was insane.
Hakeem on Starks might be my #1 though. It was a potentially series ending shot and Hakeem switched on a guard and shut that down.
Pretty damn crazy Middleton stat. He's been hot/cold in these playoffs, some really big games surrounded by mediocre ones. But it's insane how great he's been in the clutch. Him being such a strong halfcourt scorer when he's on makes him such a great fit next to Giannis.
Chris Paul has been absolute garbage. Maybe we wont have to hear how he's the greatest leader of all time anymore if they lose this series.
Milwaukee just outworking them tonight.
Phoenix more than capable of winning in Milwaukee but they wont if Chris Paul doesnt wake up.
They need to look for Cam Johnson offensively more. He's better than Crowder or Bridges
That being said, why do people want Chris Paul to win so badly? He's an absolute jerkoff. It's like people all of a sudden forgot how much of an asshole he has been on the court over his career. I wouldn't be one bit upset if he lost this series and continued his career of never winning anything at the college or NBA level
Booker needs the ball all the time when Holiday isn't checking him.
Booker needs the ball all the time when Holiday isn't checking him.
I didn't say he's the difference. But they absolutely do not look for him enough
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Doesn't mean he's the difference in the series. Ron! Staaaaaaaaaaaap!
Booker needs the ball all the time when Holiday isn't checking him.
I didn't say he's the difference. But they absolutely do not look for him enough
I'm busting your balls, Tarheel.
Booker needs the ball all the time when Holiday isn't checking him.
Booker needs the ball regardless of who's guarding him
So many missed free throws for the Bucks.
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or this series will go south for them quick
Phoenix isnt going to lose at home. It will probably be 2-2, but i dont give Bucks much chance to win in the valley regardless of what happens in Milwaukee
Good call.
Suns are capable of winning a game 6, but they're going to need guys besides Booker to show up.
Holiday played the game of his life, he's no where near the kind of player he showed tonight, but he's also not anywhere near as bad as he was in game 4.
Ayton had decent stats, but played a poor game, particularly rebounding.
16 point lead after one is nada in today's NBA. But I agree, Milwaukee was on the canvas.
But they let em off the hook. They are who they thought they were. Might have to crown their ass.
NBA games always tighten up. No matter how much you're up in the first half no lead is ever safe. They certainly should not have blown the entire lead before half.
Milwaukee played a damn near perfect final 3 quarters.
Ayton and Paul need to play far better if they want even a chance to win in Milwaukee
That play by Giannis was borderline dirty, so I dont blame him taunting Giannis for it.
The only unlikable player on either team is Paul imo. Easy finals to watch otherwise. The Paul love fest has been sickening but i love watching the rest of the players in this series.
Plenty of dirtier players and he isn’t out there like Vontaze Burfict, it’s really overblown.
I really hope Giannis becomes the new face of the NBA after LeBron. Such an easy guy to root for. The Bucks are a great example of how to build a contender in the NBA without the need to *hope* for a super team.
He's a scumbag on the court. All the way back to Wake Forest. He's a big fan of punching guys in the balls intentionally on the court.
He's a great player but the guy hasn't won a damn thing at any level and is a Grade A scumbag on the court. He's enjoyable to watch but I find it very hard to root for a guy who is as big of a douchebag as he is.
The praise of him as a leader is a bit much too. I've heard him called the greatest leader in NBA history in the last few weeks. The guy hasn't won anything!
Yeah he’s had some low moments but it happens a lot in the league. Draymond was the king of that for a while and that’s not why I don’t like him - his mouth is.
You don’t have to like Chris Paul but you keep asking why people do and that’s why I do. I suspect others like watching him play and feel the moments of dirty playing don’t define him.
Ohh and he’s been great off the court especially his philanthropy.
But he has done a remarkable job this year with Phoenix (and at his age), taking a team of pieces and making them a cohesive unit. I consider this close to the job Jason Kidd did when he first came over to the Nets and transformed the franchise.
At the same time, this Point God stuff is just nonsense. He's not Isaiah Thomas.
I just read that she's dating Rich Paul, LBJ's agent so now that makes sense.
I just read that she's dating Rich Paul, LBJ's agent so now that makes sense.
She’s really making the rounds. She’s also rumored to be dating some British rapper named Skepta
Pulling for the Suns tonight but all the momentum is with the Bucks in this one, it would be a real surprise if Phoenix can get this one.
Pulling for the Suns tonight but all the momentum is with the Bucks in this one, it would be a real surprise if Phoenix can get this one.
I think it ends tonight. And if it does, Giannis wins MVP. I just hope I can catch the ending live. With the exception of Game 3 & Game 5, I've DVRed the second half because these start times are brutal AF for those of us on the East Coast.
I saw a clip on Twitter this past weekend of a young girl who had done drawings of Giannis. She showed them to him & he was so moved, he left the dais & went over to hug her & take photos with her. He comes across as a really good dude. And his story...well, it's UFB. It's Hakeem like, though I don't know if The Dream grew up as impoverished as Giannis.
This Finals is like two and a half weeks long already.
Having a legendary type of game
Scumbag loser.
Scumbag loser.
Mook man what did Chris Paul do in like an NC- Wake game 15 years ago? Spit on you or something?
How do they add more pieces??
And congrats to Giannis, never thought he could take over a playoff game without a consistent jump shot and he did exactly that tonight
I like Breen a lot with Clyde bc Walt is the absolute best.
But JVG and Jackson are corn riddled shit.
This is the best Disney can do? Garbage.
He's not winning anything with guys like Kanter. If they don't win it won't be Dame's fault at this rate.
The Bucks deserve credit. They felt the urgency to build a better team around Giannis because he was unhappy and they pressed the right buttons.
Congrats to Giannis, great moment for him, the bucks and the nba.
Lets be real here, thry dont win if kyrie doesnt get hurt..Yeah it happrns and it is part of thr game but Bucks got extremely lucky to even be there..
congrats to them for capitilizing
Instead they are champions, crazy
Is it me or are the Suns the worst Finals team in recent memory? Chris Paul and Booker are good players but not great. Ayton is talented but really soft. And they are small too.
Instead they are champions, crazy
Crazy indeed.
Ya very silly, but the good owners cough it up immediately.
Link - ( New Window )
Is it me or are the Suns the worst Finals team in recent memory? Chris Paul and Booker are good players but not great. Ayton is talented but really soft. And they are small too.
the heat last year were tragic
but i dont consider that even a finals in the bubble
To blow a 2-0 lead when it's probably your only shot is really rough.
Probably not. Both players spent 9 years with the teams that drafted them and really haven't seen an uptick in odds of winning (especially with LeBron in the west for Lillard's sake). Giannis really took off in 2016 or so and is simply the more impactful player. Beal and Lillard are basically maxed out in terms of what they can do for their teams so unless they get considerable help, they aren't going to win.
I do hope Lillard stays though, I like him a lot and Portland is a fun team.
it's not the same. Bucks were more of a legit contender than the Wizards and Trailblazers the last few years. Wizards have been bad for a while and the Trailblazers have been one and done 4 out of the last 5 seasons. Three of the "player created" teams lost primarily due to major injuries (Lakers, Nets, Clips). You can't bank on that happening every year.
He is what, 26? He is going to end up as all time great.
Doubt it. Both are older than Giannis & neither have had nearly as good as teams. Let's not forget Bucks were up 2-0 on the eventual NBA champs in '19. The Wizards haven't come close to ECF under Beale & Blazers got swept by Dubs the one time they got to WCF with Dame.