I was at Draftkings in Foxwoods. Started with C's -160. Added C's
+ 300 and C's + 6.5
Gave it all back on craps
Irving gotta start scoring again, otherwise he's pretty much useless. Doesn't do anything else besides get attacked on D every play.
Given his off court antics have become so publicized, this isn't something that ever gets pointed out. His prototype of player generally gets overrated by casual fans.
I don't think he's done enough in his career to be called by his first name either, the 2016 finals was over a half decade ago.
Irving just isn't all that great. Durant is also getting older and has had a ton of various injuries. This will catch him sooner rather than later.
That's why I had little doubt Boston takes this series. I would rather have Tatum and Brown now over those two and the gap will expand each passing season.
This isn't last season when it was thought this team had a prime Durant, Harden and Irving. Those 3 would be unstoppable. People still have the perception of this team. That team simply was a "never was."
That's why I had little doubt Boston takes this series. I would rather have Tatum and Brown now over those two and the gap will expand each passing season.
This isn't last season when it was thought this team had a prime Durant, Harden and Irving. Those 3 would be unstoppable. People still have the perception of this team. That team simply was a "never was."
Meh. Most top players in the league are unstoppable when they are on...
Problem with Nets is the rest of the teams is so poor(I mean they start the fossil known as andre Drummond) that people have to perceive Durant and Irving as so much higher then other play-off teams 2 stars that they are this championship team. They simply aren't.
Also Irving even at his best is a below average defender and at his worst defends about as well as dragic. Durant at this point himself is just an average defender.
Thats why this team is getting bounced first round. Perhaps Ben Simmons comes back next season as Ben Simmons and they can finally figure it out. I would be shocked if it happens this year.
I think Simmons is an AWESOME fit with this Brooklyn team as you have to alphas who always want the ball and Simmons can just concentrate on D
If you watch Brooklyn play, their D is AWFUL and their transition defense is 10x WORSE
Simmons is 1 of the best defenders in the league.
I also think he is a punk as well
Durant is definitely a lot better than an avg defender, but no one is gonna look that good when 2 of Irving/Curry/Mills/Dragon are on the court at all times. Hard to cover for that.
Irving is definitely top tier at his skill, and when people watch the game on a Sunday and he's hitting contested 25 foot 3's off the dribble, that's just the easiest part of the game to understand/conceptualize so he looks like a world beater. But when he isn't doing that, he really isn't creating for anyone else, can't really defend wings on switches (99% of 6'1 guys can't), doesn't move w/o the ball well.
All in all works pretty well when you're the #2 for probably the 2 best players to come into the league in the last 25 years but most of the scoring PG prototypes have hard ceilings as to how far their teams can go if they can't really create for others. You usually need to be part of a team with a defensive identity first (Derrick Rose)
Irving is definitely top tier at his skill, and when people watch the game on a Sunday and he's hitting contested 25 foot 3's off the dribble, that's just the easiest part of the game to understand/conceptualize so he looks like a world beater. But when he isn't doing that, he really isn't creating for anyone else, can't really defend wings on switches (99% of 6'1 guys can't), doesn't move w/o the ball well.
All in all works pretty well when you're the #2 for probably the 2 best players to come into the league in the last 25 years but most of the scoring PG prototypes have hard ceilings as to how far their teams can go if they can't really create for others. You usually need to be part of a team with a defensive identity first (Derrick Rose)
He hasn't played in 10 months though, and he is a unique player too. Someone that has to be integrated correctly and find the right lineups that he works with. You can't put him out there with Drum/Claxton on the court already I don't think. So you gonna take Brown off the floor? He's been by far their 3rd best player all season. Just not the type of thing that can be figured out on the fly.
If he comes back, it is just gonna be 15-20 mins a game to spell guys on D.
The last we saw of him he was shooting 35% FT's and afraid to touch the ball. An elite defensive team can scheme against that pretty well.
In perfect world next season, he would be their Dray Green smallball 5 but who knows, he hasn't played in forever and seems like he has legit mental issues from everything that has happened with him.
I do think Nets smoke gm 3 on some zig zag though if anyone cares, got it -3.5 but 4 is fine.....That C's intensity gonna be tough to bring on the road up 2-0
I dont think Simmons is coming back this season (regardless if they go deep or only have 2 more games left in the season)
He hasnt even practiced vs competition.
Gotta love a guys who doesnt play b/c of mental issues but also doesnt want to give any of his 20 mil back either (lets not get political but we're all thinking the same thing here and i'll take an L on that one haha)
I don't think Nets supporting cast is as bad as people make it out to be. You really only need 8 guys in the playoffs.
Brown has improved a lot, Claxton is OK despite being a FT liability, Curry is a solid player/third scoring option when healthy, Dragic and Mills are nice in doses. Drummond is OK though lack of athleticism is problematic
Simmons should be a great fit, but don't think they should bring him back for this postseason. Game 4 of a tough series isn't an ideal spot to work someone in who hasn't played for almost a year.
More than defense, the Nets need help rebounding. I don't think either team has looked great defensively, sans for Celtics on Durant/4th quarter of Game 2
Main problem in this series has been Durant. Boston is bullying him and he doesn't have the game like prime LeBron to bully back/create shots for others. Nets would be better off trying to get Durant to run off screens; their offense just lacks creativity -- probably Nash's fault
Brown has improved a lot, Claxton is OK despite being a FT liability, Curry is a solid player/third scoring option when healthy, Dragic and Mills are nice in doses. Drummond is OK though lack of athleticism is problematic
Simmons should be a great fit, but don't think they should bring him back for this postseason. Game 4 of a tough series isn't an ideal spot to work someone in who hasn't played for almost a year.
More than defense, the Nets need help rebounding. I don't think either team has looked great defensively, sans for Celtics on Durant/4th quarter of Game 2
Main problem in this series has been Durant. Boston is bullying him and he doesn't have the game like prime LeBron to bully back/create shots for others. Nets would be better off trying to get Durant to run off screens; their offense just lacks creativity -- probably Nash's fault
You can only get so creative going against elite D
why scoring in isolation is so much more important in the playoffs
and the nets roleplayers aren't very good, a lot to exploit. Brown is their only guy close to what you would call a 2way player.
As long as 2 of Curry/Kyrie/Mills/Dragic are on the court at a time, the Celts should be able to manufacture good shots.
why scoring in isolation is so much more important in the playoffs
and the nets roleplayers aren't very good, a lot to exploit. Brown is their only guy close to what you would call a 2way player.
As long as 2 of Curry/Kyrie/Mills/Dragic are on the court at a time, the Celts should be able to manufacture good shots.
In general yes
But I do think Boston has shown defensive vulnerability this series. They are struggling falling into coverage once someone like Kyrie gets penetration off the dribble, or if someone gets the ball at the elbow. Brooklyn had tons of high-low opportunities from the elbow with Claxton/Brown and took advantage in first half
They kind of abandoned that in the 4th quarter and relied too much on KD. Now Boston deserves a lot of credit for that, but Nets weren't even trying to get the ball to the elbow or run KD off a baseline screen. Could've at least been more creative than that
the Nets are an elite offensive team, of course they're gonna score over the course of the game most nights. Otherwise they would just lose by 20 regularly. But they're getting very few good looks from 3, having to shoot contested midrange jumpers, forcing turnovers, best players seeing multiple bodies any move they make.
C's are defending them about as well as you can.
What else are they gonna do? Their offense was always going to just be reliant on how those guys score in isolation with the personnel they have.
C's are defending them about as well as you can.
What else are they gonna do? Their offense was always going to just be reliant on how those guys score in isolation with the personnel they have.
