NBA 2023-24

[JJ Husker]

I don't want to give those dirty c-bags any history.  being the 1st team to come back from 0-3 is just too much.  Regardless that Denver should curb stomp them in the Finals.   They only deserve pain and suffering and nothing that they can say we made history.

You make a compelling point  :thumbs

 

[suh_fan93]

Was reading a few pages back regarding Mike Breen.  Unpopular opinion to some I guess but I've always found him incredibly boring and dry as an announcer.  Not to the point that I don't want to listen mind you.  I've just never understood the adulation.

 

[admo]

Was reading a few pages back regarding Mike Breen.  Unpopular opinion to some I guess but I've always found him incredibly boring and dry as an announcer.  Not to the point that I don't want to listen mind you.  I've just never understood the adulation.

I too did not want to say something, but I agree 100%.  

He makes a living talking stats during a game (pay attention - you will never not notice this again)

And he uses the same phrases all throughout the game:

"already..."  "just..." ..."only..".... "again..."  

"He already has 5 assists...."

"He just grabbed his 6th rebound..."

"And it's ONly the 1st quarter.... And it's ONly the 2nd quarter"...

"He hit his 3rd three from behind the arc, again! "

He's fine I guess.  But once you hear his catch phrases a thousand times, and how he uses stats to have something to say...... you pretty much get Mike Breen.  4th quarter he is pretty much quiet because not much to add by then.

 

[admo]

The Miami Boston matchup just shows how hard the Conference Finals are, and especially closing out a team.

Next game will be in Miami, and the Heat need to play the first half like they did the first few games.  They should be able to get that home cooking officiating (home calls going there way)...... unless the NBA really really wants a game 7 - and the officials swallow their home court whistles for once.  We shall see.  Because a game 7 will be a Boston victory.  So I am intrigued if there will be those favorable calls for Miami....... or not.

On the flip side, it also shows how impressive it was for Denver Nugget to sweep the LA Lakers in a Conference Finals.  Especially since the Lakers are a really good team and been playing well - well enough to win 2 or 3 games - or the Series - but the Nugget swept them.  That stuff doesn't happen in Conference Finals that often. 

 

[AZRaiderH8r]

Initially, I was hoping that Miami would close it out quickly, so they had the same amount of ridiculous rest as the Nuggets before game 1 of the finals. Since they have crapped the bed these last two games, I'm hoping that it goes 7 now and they just beat each other up. I honestly feel pretty confident about the Nuggest beating either team, but who knows? Hopefully they aren't getting rusty. 

 

[Lorewarn]

I too did not want to say something, but I agree 100%.  

He makes a living talking stats during a game (pay attention - you will never not notice this again)

And he uses the same phrases all throughout the game:

"already..."  "just..." ..."only..".... "again..."  

"He already has 5 assists...."

"He just grabbed his 6th rebound..."

"And it's ONly the 1st quarter.... And it's ONly the 2nd quarter"...

"He hit his 3rd three from behind the arc, again! "

He's fine I guess.  But once you hear his catch phrases a thousand times, and how he uses stats to have something to say...... you pretty much get Mike Breen.  4th quarter he is pretty much quiet because not much to add by then.

He's far from my favorite announcer ever but this is making me laugh. He's the play-by-play guy...what exactly are you expecting from him other than giving the direct details of what's happening?

 

[sho]

He's far from my favorite announcer ever but this is making me laugh. He's the play-by-play guy...what exactly are you expecting from him other than giving the direct details of what's happening?

I think my biggest 'beef' with him, and most announcers is how over the top animated they are for events in the second quarter.   It's not a game winning three at the buzzer, it's a open look 3 with 14 seconds on the shot clock, calm down on the major catch phrases and histrionics.

 

[Jason Sitoke]

Honestly? I don't get the anger about media bias. If we can agree there are superstars, then surely we understand why they get superstar treatment. LeBron James has been the biggest story in the game for 20 years, often irritatingly so, but the way the game ended and the possibility it might be his last in LA or the NBA, is a big story. The same announcers and commentators have spoken with awe and superlatives about Nikola Jokic the entire playoffs. He's moving on. LeBron isn't. I've seen no one diminish what the Nuggets have accomplished. 

And given the chance to just watch basketball for the love of the game, the same media has done a good job pointing out how the non-superstars are earning appreciation; the Michael Porters, Bruce Browns, Austin Reeves', Rui Hachamuras, Gabe Vincents and Caleb Martins. The same media is a role player's best friend. 

I don't get the specific ESPN hate, either, although I prefer the TNT crews. 

But I do hate the "hot take" culture that has taken over sports radio and social media. Lot of stupid and biased hot takes out there in every sport, and they constantly bandwagon:  if a team loses Game One it's because their weaknesses were finally exposed. Same team comes back and wins Game Two?  Its because a superstar player finally woke up. They lose Game Three? That same superstar player doesn't care anymore. Just hyper over-reactive clickbait by guys with no skin in the game. 

But I think the superlatives are also seeming to be of utter surprise at how good the team is, which is odd. They were 1st in the west all season and yet you had more Warriors, Suns, Lakers finals predictions.  And it didn’t seem like affinity bias…it felt like none of the media had actually watched the Nuggets all year. 

Lisa Salters is an NBA sideline reporter and flat out admitted she’d never seen Jokic play:

https://apnews.com/article/nikola-jokic-nuggets-espn-lisa-salters-31566fb8b829c8062bcba739c812d3a7

In her job of covering the NBA, she just noticed that the 2-time MVP is good at basketball.  She’s using superlatives now because she’s forced to watch him play for the first time. 
 

Watching a lot of the media sing praises of the nuggets is cool, but it kinda reminds me of a 3 month old being excited at discovering his own feet. 

 

[admo]

He's far from my favorite announcer ever but this is making me laugh. He's the play-by-play guy...what exactly are you expecting from him other than giving the direct details of what's happening?

Maybe it's that you love him.

Maybe others are tired of him.  

Maybe people have opinions, spoke their voices, feel solid with their reasoning, and expressed it....  and you choose not to understand.  Then you ask why again. 

No one is asking why you like him or love him.  So be respectful and do the same. 

 

[Guy Chamberlin]

Some guys just have a great announcing voice, and in the NBA that's Kevin Harlan. 

 

[Guy Chamberlin]

But I think the superlatives are also seeming to be of utter surprise at how good the team is, which is odd. They were 1st in the west all season and yet you had more Warriors, Suns, Lakers finals predictions.  And it didn’t seem like affinity bias…it felt like none of the media had actually watched the Nuggets all year. 

Lisa Salters is an NBA sideline reporter and flat out admitted she’d never seen Jokic play:

https://apnews.com/article/nikola-jokic-nuggets-espn-lisa-salters-31566fb8b829c8062bcba739c812d3a7

In her job of covering the NBA, she just noticed that the 2-time MVP is good at basketball.  She’s using superlatives now because she’s forced to watch him play for the first time. 
 

Watching a lot of the media sing praises of the nuggets is cool, but it kinda reminds me of a 3 month old being excited at discovering his own feet. 

You're right. Now the story of how under-appreciated Denver has been IS the story. 

But Jokic vs Embid for the MVP was a big story, too, with a lot of sentiment going to Jokic. Especially now that Embid flamed out. 

The Lakers, Warriors and Suns take up a lot of media space, along with the total meltdown of the premature Memphis Grizzlies dynasty. If I was Denver, I'd be grateful for the relative boredom. They get to earn it on the court.  

 

[Lorewarn]

Maybe it's that you love him.

Maybe others are tired of him.  

Maybe people have opinions, spoke their voices, feel solid with their reasoning, and expressed it....  and you choose not to understand.  Then you ask why again. 

No one is asking why you like him or love him.  So be respectful and do the same. 

Sorry, forgot this was a messageboard where it's common practice to not ask people questions about their opinions.

Honestly my mistake. I've known since I was a little kid that asking someone why they dislike something is actually a very disrespectful act.

 

[Jason Sitoke]

You're right. Now the story of how under-appreciated Denver has been IS the story. 

But Jokic vs Embid for the MVP was a big story, too, with a lot of sentiment going to Jokic. Especially now that Embid flamed out. 

The Lakers, Warriors and Suns take up a lot of media space, along with the total meltdown of the premature Memphis Grizzlies dynasty. If I was Denver, I'd be grateful for the relative boredom. They get to earn it on the court.  

Yeah, and I agree. It hadn’t really angered me as a fan or anything. We live in a world where hot takes and superstars living in media mega vortexes rule the day, and the NBA is basically built on it.  I’m not really a guy that fumes watching Nick Wright or Max Kellerman dismiss the nuggets. With Wright, it’s a schtick and Kellerman just isn’t very sophisticated, even as sports personalities go. 
What has bothered me is media people who’ve never commented on jokic or the nuggets before acting like they’ve really evaluated this team all year and that this team has really elevated their game. No…this is who they’ve been most of the year and if you watched them you would know that. 

 

[admo]

Mike/Van Gundy/Mark Jackson are one of the best commentary teams around, and it's not an accident they've been calling the Finals for going on 15 years now. When they complain, it's mostly complaining about the stuff that should rightfully (and hardly ever does) get complained about, ie bad officiating and bad player behavior like flopping. 

I get the most annoyed with Jackson out of the three but I think as a trio they offer great play-by-play and color and humor. 

Tough break for the Lakers tonight, couldn't match Denver getting hot at the perfect time. Once Lebron started fronting Jokic I thought they were gonna walk away with it. 

You spoke your mind.  No problem with that.  Other PPL said they don't like Breen.  No problem with that either.  

 

[admo]

So who gone win game 6 ?? 

Vegas has Boston as 3 point favorite on teh road at Miami.   :hellloooo

Celtics best team in East during season.  But this is playoffs.  Eastern Conf Finals.  Trailed Miami 3-0 in the series.  Won the last 2.  If the game goes to 7 game series, the final game will be in Boston.

Meanwhile NBA execs and ESPN/Disney execs know very well the NBA championship isn't until next THursday..........  Big break/dead period between "all eyes on the NBA game on TV or not" and that advertisement/commercial revenue money.  

Should be fun to see how it unfolds !  

:snacks:

Personally, I think Miami is still better during this playoff run, and that they win tonight.  But my experience of the league and TV network ratings tell me that the game will be a Celtic victory.  And therefore, another NBA game before the Championship series! And home teams usually win game 7 - but that's not the point of the series.  Just get another game in is.