The 2014 Playoffs thread

[Vox_Populi]

OKC needs a better coach.

This was my first thought.

[MBunge]

OKC needs a better coach.

I thought Brooks made a great move doubling Blake to start the game to keep Ibaka from picking up early fouls.  Letting Westbrook run the same play over and over to end the game was just terrible.

Mike

[SHAQATTACK]

Not surprised cp3 steps up ...why Doc wanted out ...to be with his boy ..CP3

Clippers

Yuk

[Celtics18]

What an entertaining game.  I was psyched to see the Clippers win and even up the series. 

Doc went mad scientist in this one, and it ended up paying off. 

[pokeKingCurtis]

Westbrook has been one of the most dominant players in the playoffs so far.  He's having an amazing run.

Making a strong case that he is the #1 PG in the league

Wins them games, wills OKC back when they're looking down (could have lost in round 1 without the Brodie, could have been down 3-1 against the Clips without the Brodie), then promptly drops one for them (horrible 3).

Kinda wanna see Jerry Sloan coach Westbrook. Like a wild Hulk Deron Williams.

[Who]

Washington should never let Drew Gooden defend Roy Hibbert. It should be Gortat or Nene. Never Gooden. Gooden is a train wreck defensively at the center position both as a one-on-one defender and as a team defender.

[pearljammer10]

Westbrook has been one of the most dominant players in the playoffs so far.  He's having an amazing run.

Making a strong case that he is the #1 PG in the league

Wins them games, wills OKC back when they're looking down (could have lost in round 1 without the Brodie, could have been down 3-1 against the Clips without the Brodie), then promptly drops one for them (horrible 3).

Kinda wanna see Jerry Sloan coach Westbrook. Like a wild Hulk Deron Williams.

Not in my eyes. He will have an unstoppable stretch of 2 or 3 games then revert back to his old Westbrook ways. He is just not a smart enough player to be considered the #1 PG in the game. He certainly has the tools and the talents but always falls back to his bad habits.

He is certainly not to blame for the Thunder loss today (cough coach Brooks cough) but he is a big part of it.

[mgent]

Anybody who calls Westbrook a better point guard than Tony Parker has completely lost sight of what basketball is.

[pokeKingCurtis]

Westbrook has been one of the most dominant players in the playoffs so far.  He's having an amazing run.

Making a strong case that he is the #1 PG in the league

Wins them games, wills OKC back when they're looking down (could have lost in round 1 without the Brodie, could have been down 3-1 against the Clips without the Brodie), then promptly drops one for them (horrible 3).

Kinda wanna see Jerry Sloan coach Westbrook. Like a wild Hulk Deron Williams.

Not in my eyes. He will have an unstoppable stretch of 2 or 3 games then revert back to his old Westbrook ways. He is just not a smart enough player to be considered the #1 PG in the game. He certainly has the tools and the talents but always falls back to his bad habits.

He is certainly not to blame for the Thunder loss today (cough coach Brooks cough) but he is a big part of it.

Which is why I'd like to see him with Sloan...or Pop. Honestly any coach with a decent offensive system.

Too much freedom = bad Westbrook.

Sloan's flex seems perfect, though. Deron Williams just had to go ruin a good thing.

[Celtics18]

It will be very disappointing if Washington can't manage to even this series up right here.  To me, this is going to fall on John Wall and Bradley Beal.  Those young guns are going to have to make star plays in crunch time. 

[Who]

Westbrook has been one of the most dominant players in the playoffs so far.  He's having an amazing run.

Making a strong case that he is the #1 PG in the league

Wins them games, wills OKC back when they're looking down (could have lost in round 1 without the Brodie, could have been down 3-1 against the Clips without the Brodie), then promptly drops one for them (horrible 3).

Kinda wanna see Jerry Sloan coach Westbrook. Like a wild Hulk Deron Williams.

Not in my eyes. He will have an unstoppable stretch of 2 or 3 games then revert back to his old Westbrook ways. He is just not a smart enough player to be considered the #1 PG in the game. He certainly has the tools and the talents but always falls back to his bad habits.

He is certainly not to blame for the Thunder loss today (cough coach Brooks cough) but he is a big part of it.

I have been really impressed with how well Westbrook has fared versus other top PGs in the league over the last 2-3 years.

I think Westbrook and T.Parker have been the best two PGs in the league over that period in matchups against their fellow top PGs in the league. Parker so disciplined and team orientated. So difficult to rattle. Constantly probing and running his team superbly well. Westbrook in a very different way. So explosive and powerful and just a relentless attacker. You can see top opposing PGs just hate playing against him. Physically overwhelming. Similar to D-Rose when he won MVP in 2011. Not always the most skilled PG but just so [dang] difficult to play against.   

I don't think CP3 has done as well in winning matchups against top PGs as those two.

[mgent]

Gortat has an off night and Gooden/Harrington pick up the slack as if it's business as usual.

[Celtics18]

Who knew Drew Gooden, Al Harrington, Martell Webster, and Andre Miller were still in the league?

[Vox_Populi]

Wittman doing a better job coaching than Brooks.

[Who]

Washington have gotten some (surprisingly) great play out of A.Harrington and D.Gooden here but they need to be careful not to stay with them too long. I don't think they should be betting on those two guys having the legs needed to keep this up.