233 Comments

Mike Brown to the Kings

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Better off than going to the LOLakers

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and the trend continues. When will they learn that getting our sloppy seconds will not help them win? I mean I love Mike Brown but I have a hard time seeing him succeed as long as that ownership group is still over there

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I wouldn't call him sloppy seconds.

But you're right that it's hard to succeed in an organization that is so poorly run. Let's hope he gets paid well and that he shows enough to find a spot elsewhere.

I wonder if the Ws already knew he was prepared to go and therefore hired Atkinson. Makes sense.

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I saw somewhere that some teams may also be interested In Atkinson.

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Good move by the Kings. Gonna miss you, Mike Brown.

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Jenkins reports Morant out for Game 4.

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awwwww, major bummer

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Oof

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On Grizzlies being as good or better next year: I had a look at their payroll situation. Lowest by far this deep in the playoffs, with all but Jones and Anderson locked up for next year. Ja is going into his last year, so very likely he gets a new max contract this summer unless the Grizz ownership are idiots. Even so they can afford more than MLE for at least one if not two good players even with the Ja increase. Unless they screw up (and I know zero about their owners) they should improve.

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They are going to be in the way for any team trying to compete for a title for awhile, they've drafted exceptionally well. Morant's durability is a factor though, as is JJJ learning how to defend without fouling.

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Would it be fair to compare Ja Morant to pre-injury Derrick Rose?

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Ja has Roses athletic profile with Kyrie Irving's interior finishing. That's honestly the best way to describe him imho.

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I think Irving's finishing is much more versatile. A million moves. Ja has like three and they all work.

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That makes sense

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My recollection was pre-injury Rose was high usage and pretty inefficient. Morant’s efficiency in the paint isn’t like anything I recall from a guard his size, ever

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He has amazing touch.

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G4 and 5 are gonna be dangerous for our guys. Fingers crossed.

Also, Dray please don't get anymore flagrants

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To be fair to Memphis (and I am as sick of them by now as anyone), I don't think they have truly dirty players on their team. Brooks is an idiot and plays out of control. Other than that, who else is known for this kind of thing? Yeah they griddy and talk trash and act like fools but I don't think they are malicious, personally.

Currently it's their head coach out there creating smoke, and he should be fully accountable for that if anything does happen.

In any case, I cannot wait to be rid of them.

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Imagine if someone like Grayson Allen were on their team, given the tone the coach has set. A truly horrifying image.

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Mavericks beat the Suns 111-101 and tie the series 2-2.

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I'm hoping they go seven. Go both sides!

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Some horrible coaching, why not just stay home and let luka try to get 60 points by iso? Why help off shooters who have been knocking em down all night.

It's not like luka is like ja to where 1v1 he can go past you and dunk everytime, most of lukas shot are tough and contested AND hes 1-10 from 3. Makes no sense

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I've never understood the love for Monty Williams, but I can't claim I know coaching all that well. His team is doing well, to be sure, but they don't seem all that innovative. I think most coaches would have them do what they're doing, more or less.

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May 8, 2022·edited May 8, 2022

Yeah the difference is Doncic is tall and can pass and can hit a three that doesn't take 5 seconds to load.

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Luka is really, really good. I think you’re underrating his ability to drive to the hole and finish through contact.

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Yea but they have capable defenders, it's not going to be easy driving bridges, crowder and ayton to the rim everytime. Give me that over open 3s all day

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Agree

Too many open 3s. Remember me Utah in first round with Gobert on the floor

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At some point Richard Jefferson described Phoenix's backcourt as the best in the league. Can we think of any other contenders?

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Steph and Poole, sure.

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This is over. Suns fans probably pissed at refs

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May 8, 2022·edited May 8, 2022

Also, with CP3 out, Suns are struggling to score.

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Jeez, now that Suns don’t have a review, Doncic floppin’ all over the place. Want them to still win, but what a crappy way to do it.

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So it looks like no matter who wins the Suns-Mavericks series, a team with a notorious flopper is going to make it to the WCF.

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Fortunately we have some experience dealing with notorious floppers.

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Is it just me, or are there a ton of fouls being called tonight?

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Terrible waste of a challenge

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Eh. I don’t know, sitting on the challenge isn’t automatically great, it was a high leverage play, and now it’s a blowout. Saving it wouldn’t have led to a better outcome in this instance. Certainly can’t call it “terrible”

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I can call it terrible. And did. And will again. It was a terrible challenge. No chance at overturning the call. Game want a blowout yet. Could have cost them if things went a different way. Hindsight it didn’t matter. At the time? Truly terrible.

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May 8, 2022·edited May 8, 2022

No. Also “no chance of overturning” is post-facto justification and means any challenge that fails is always a bad challenge, which is just silly.

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It’s not. It was my feeling at the time watching it live. I didn’t post waste of a challenge after it failed. I posted before it failed. I’m fact, I posted before I saw a replay.

Anyway. I have no interest in conversing with anyone that starts off a reply with “no”.

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Maybe re-read what you wrote and come down off of your high horse? Or don’t, I don’t particularly care.

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I actually thought it was bad because Brunson, the guy in the play, wasn't really calling for the review probably because he knew it wouldn't be so clear cut. Now, if Kidd wanted a timeout anyway, then I guess it wasn't that bad.

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I thought the players clearly indicated they thought it was a bad call. For whatever that’s worth. And it probably was a wrong call, just no good video to overturn.

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Luka was definitely screaming for it but Brunson wasn't.

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Taylor Jenkins makes it clear that he and the Grizzlies believe that Jordan Poole play where he grabs Ja Morant's knee led to this injury. "This injury is caused by that play."

https://twitter.com/notoriousohm/status/1523410005575168001

I can't believe this. You're the head coach, and you whine about something that clearly didn't cause an injury to Morant's knee rather than admitting that you are wrong? Geezus. I really hope the Warriors finish off the Grizzlies ASAP.

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Any chance Jenkins is trying to defend the organization in future negotiations? Maybe distract from the possibility that they rushed him back the first time, and maybe the second time as well, before the knee was back to full strength?

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I can’t decide between “Ja is out for the rest of the year, and we gotta start blaming others “ and “All the great coaches play politics games with refs through the media, so I’m supposed to do that”

Probably both.

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My worry is that he is creating narrative for his team to play over the line physical in G4 and if injury happens, then get a pass.

What.a dingus!!

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Damn I hope that’s not the case.

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I feel Kerr should pre-empt this by bringing it up in the media before the game. Put the officials on lookout about what Memphis is trying to do here. The refs should warn both teams before tip-off that no bull$hit will be tolerated.

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Sure, if he’s referring to the part of the play where their knees bumped, that might have caused the injury. But not when JP swiped at the ball and got Ja’s knee instead.

Just another clue that Memphis has already lost the mental battle of this series. Now we just need to close them out on the court.

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Did he say this after the NBA already determined no action against Poole (which was probably a 30 second conversation by the league)? Because if so, this serves no purpose other than to rile up the temperature even more. What a bush-league team led by a bush-league coach.

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Luka some terrible defense closing out multiple times this quarter

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Luka was horrible on defense tonight

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CP3 fouling out with 9 minutes left really puts a smile on my face.

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Hard to say which matchup would be more favorable for the dubs. Mavs have scarier peaks but Suns are more consistent.

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The Suns have Chris Paul, and it's a time-honored tradition for Steph to extinguish his feeble championship hopes. But I'd be glad to face either of these teams. That would mean the Ws made it to the conference finals.

Don't know how the Ws would match up against the Bucks or Celtics. But it would be a delight to see.

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Luka does not defend at all

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Mavs remind me Rockets with Harden and bunch of shooters

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Warriors have HCA against the Mavericks so I'll root for that, but I really think they would beat the Suns.

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HCA is a factor for sure, and with that in mind, I’d probably agree. But yeah I like our chances against the Suns.

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We have a lot of practice against these teams with a superstar and some miscellaneous supporting parts.

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Mavericks are a more favorable matchup if you ask me.

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May 8, 2022·edited May 8, 2022

Give me the Mavs every day of the week. Peak Phoenix, with Chris Paul, Booker, Ayton, and Bridges all rolling, are as good a team as it gets.

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Don’t forget McGee 😉

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May 8, 2022·edited May 8, 2022

Not as good as the Warriors though. Still more scared of Memphis than Phoenix, personally.

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I think we match up with them better, personally.

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Mavs. Dray will cut them up defensively

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I have to agree.

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