The Finals

[SacTownKid]

A couple of things - James came in very early - he's had more seasons than the far majority of NBA players already. Notice he's getting injured more often, that's not happenstance.....at 37 you don't "heal" nearly as quickly or efficiently as 27 - most pro athletes are retiring (if they're lucky) or already retired at 37.. James is one of the strongest athletes in basketball with a physical style of play. He's as big or bigger than most NFL Tight-ends and a better athlete than most. But All it takes is a hamstring, knee, or ankle next season and he's out 2 months - if unlucky it could side-line him and force retirement. Happens to everyone. The healing time probably doubles or more at 37 from 20s. Kawhi Leonard is 7 years his junion and already hit hard with injury-bug.

A freak injury can always happen, but the game being as soft as it has been has certainly helped him.

 

[Tetsujin]

Ayton in foul trouble and Saric tearing his ACL means the Suns are going to small ball extra early in the third quarter

 

[Tetsujin]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1414389783443476487

 

[Tetsujin]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1414399144039419910

 

[dude12]

I remember when the Suns got ridiculed for drafting Cameron Johnson

 

[SLAB]

It appears Jrue Holiday decided to show up.

 

[Tetsujin]

Jeff Teague is terrible

 

[kingdivac]

Cam Johson going CRAZY.....man - he looks the best player on the floor in the 3rd

 

[kingdivac]

Johnson has single handedly injected the Suns into the match in the 3rd after a fall-apart 2nd

 

[SLAB]

Amazing what happens when your Number 2 decides to show up.

Now stay the rest of the series, Jrue.

 

[Tetsujin]

Johnson has single handedly injected the Suns into the match in the 3rd after a fall-apart 2nd

Not sure you’re watching the same game as me. Johnson has been getting absolutely decimated by Giannis in the 3rd

 

[Tetsujin]

Cam Johnson just fell on his butt against air and watched his man nail a three to put the Bucks up by 22 to end the 3rd.

 

[kingdivac]

Cam Johnson just fell on his butt against air and watched his man nail a three to put the Bucks up by 22 to end the 3rd.

Sure - still the most exciting play of the quarter from Johnson - earlier. I didn't expect the Suns to win tonight anyway. Wasn't even watching Johnson until that quarter - now will be.....

 

[Capt. Factorial]

Did anybody see what Johnson's injury might have been there? Giannis was grabbing his jersey, but I couldn't see anything that looked like an injury.

 

[Tetsujin]

Did anybody see what Johnson's injury might have been there? Giannis was grabbing his jersey, but I couldn't see anything that looked like an injury.

CP3 taught him well

 

[kingsboi]

why has Booker not played in the fourth?

 

[kingdivac]

why has Booker not played in the fourth?

They're already done....Booker had a horrible shooting game - coach has given up on the game.....

meanwhile - Craig has no business being in the line-up - he's terrible

 

[kingsboi]

They're already done....Booker had a horrible shooting game - coach has given up on the game.....

meanwhile - Craig has no business being in the line-up - he's terrible

the game was over at the beginning of the fourth? they were down by 15 or 17 weren't they?

 

[kingdivac]

the game was over at the beginning of the fourth? they were down by 15 or 17 weren't they?

I think the foul trouble with Ayton combined with Booker's abysmal performance really sunk the Suns. Johnson fill in in the mid-3rd, but the Bucks pulled away......Crowder a pretty good game offensviely. Payne and Bridges both poor games as well.

 

[est.1999]

Booker has shot above 50% just once the entire playoffs. Majority of games he’s hovering in the 25-30% range. He’s a great player but in my opinion has been severely overrated as of late. The Kobe comparisons are odd.

 

[kb02]

One of the things that has always intrigued me is how point spreads swing from game to game in a series. How it varies according to home court and especially motivation. Like the Bucks were -4.5 after getting handled by the Suns in the first two games. But they go home and the line swings wildly in the Bucks favor. This held through in the pandemic when their were no fans and significantly less travel during matchups against the same team.

 

[Joshoua]

Giannis should be getting so much praise right now it’s absolutely unreal what he’s doing. Dude looks like he was down for the years and comes back a week later averaging 40ppg

 

[KingsFanSince85]

I remember when the Suns got ridiculed for drafting Cameron Johnson

Teams don’t go near as wrong drafting Tar Heels as they do drafting Blue Devils.

 

[KingsFanSince85]

It's amazing how everywhere that CP3 goes the team gets a lot better.

I’ve been saying the same most the season.

Player development also has played a factor, but CP3 has been by far the biggest factor.

In addition to the teams he’s played on getting a lot better — those same teams all regressed once he left and were nowhere near as good.

Very compelling.

 

[Tetsujin]

Teams don’t go near as wrong drafting Tar Heels as they do drafting Blue Devils.

Except for us when we drafted Justin Jackson

 

[Capt. Factorial]

Except for us when we drafted Justin Jackson

The Tar Heel we traded him for has turned out OK though.

(Of course, that was the draft where we took a Tar Heel, a Blue Devil, a Wildcat AND a Jayhawk!)

 

[KingsFanSince85]

Except for us when we drafted Justin Jackson

I thought of JJ when wording the way I did. I typically try to avoid absolute statements.

UNC definitely has a much better history than Duke with regard to producing highly successful NBA players.

 

[Tetsujin]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1414637319672455169

by far the most interesting part of this finals has been the redemption of Bobby Portis from guy who punched his teammate in practice so hard it broke his face to lovable potential sixth man of a championship team.

 

[SLAB]

Cool, looks like Giannis’ teammates from Games 1 & 2 have showed up tonight.

 

[SLAB]

3-13 from Jrue and Middleton. Smh