62 Comments
User's avatar
wonderyearsballer's avatar

Watching a procession of playoff games where teams fighting altitude sickness slug to an exhausted standstill and can barely make a jumper while the injuries pile up makes me wonder how much more entertaining it could be if there were just a _little_ more rest between each game? I would even be willing to consider 5-game series for the first two rounds if it meant we could see everyone playing at their best…

…unless Steph is healthy and cooking, then I want 11-game series. And popcorn. And a comfy chair.

Expand full comment
DFiB's avatar

So... it's looking like James Wiseman's team is gonna be in the ECF, huh?

Expand full comment
ananthd's avatar

Sadly, Big Jim is not in the league currently. He was traded to the Raptors by the Pacers followed his injury and subsequently waived.

Expand full comment
DFiB's avatar

And he will get a ring if the Pacers win it all.

Expand full comment
AttilaTheHun's avatar

He gets a ring when he played only 5 minutes of one game and was traded?

Expand full comment
SabWrites's avatar

Beyond the playoff roster..the team will decide who else gets a ring. Wiseman is not guaranteed a ring.

Expand full comment
DFiB's avatar

He's not guaranteed a ring, but it's pretty customary to give people rings.

Expand full comment
fzwinter's avatar

He's looking for his second ring (even though he didn't even play in '21-22). If he gets it, he'll be just one behind Patrick "Three-Ring" McCaw.

Expand full comment
DFiB's avatar

That's Patrick "Three-peat" McCaw, sir.

Expand full comment
ServantOfLuna's avatar

>>>Brian Windhorst: "Donovan Mitchell has been dealing in this series with a calf injury. It was not serious enough to be on the injury report but he was definitely dealing with it and admitted he was going through something. He had a calf injury last year in the playoffs"<<<

https://old.reddit.com/r/nba/comments/1kkksqs/brian_windhorst_donovan_mitchell_has_been_dealing/

I guess that explains why he didn't return in the 2nd half. He did not look good in this clip while he was trying to warm up before the 2nd half.

https://old.reddit.com/r/nba/comments/1kkh35d/donovan_mitchell_seen_laboring_trying_to_warm_up/

Expand full comment
AttilaTheHun's avatar

It was reported he didn't return because of a left ankle injury.

Expand full comment
WCoastD's avatar
2dEdited

What is up with all the calf injuries this season? I wonder if something was changed with the wood floor construction/suspension across the league. This injury is so prevalent.

Expand full comment
ServantOfLuna's avatar

19-2 run by the Pacers at the end of the 1st half.

https://old.reddit.com/r/nba/comments/1kkiovl/highlights_the_pacers_192_run_at_the_end_of_the/

This was a microcosm of what happened tonight: unforced turnovers and rushed shots by the Cavs, and Pacers hitting everything.

Expand full comment
AttilaTheHun's avatar

And that's after Mathurin got tossed in Q1 on a flagrant 2 for punching Hunter in the sternum, which set off a brief shoving match.

Expand full comment
punk basketball's avatar

Sample size don't matter in the playoffs. Just these micro bursts at the right time is all it takes

Expand full comment
SabWrites's avatar

Cavs outscored Pacers by 20 in the second half and still lost by 20.

Expand full comment
AttilaTheHun's avatar

The Pacers pulled their stars in the 4th.

Expand full comment
fzwinter's avatar

Watching the Pacers blow out the Cavs after being blown out at home the previous game gave me a little more optimism for Monday's game against the Wolves. A good team will play the game in front of them and not dwell on the past, and that's what I'm hoping the Dubs do tomorrow night. Getting it back to 2-2 would be huge.

Seems like everyone is expecting Steph to be back for Game 6 but I'm guessing that nobody really knows if that's gonna happen until Steph is re-evaluated and gets some practice time in. How about the Dubs just win the next three without him and then he can return for the WCFs.

Expand full comment
ananthd's avatar

The Pacers had 25(!) assists in the first half. The ball was humming. That's what would be required or something close to that(15+ assists each half) to have a shot, as well an under 10 turnover game.

Expand full comment
Nellie's avatar

This Pacers team has big W’s energy. That’s my second team for these playoffs.

Expand full comment
Captain Jack's avatar

Series is not over but I knew I doubted the Cavs in the playoffs for a reason

Expand full comment
SabWrites's avatar

If Mitchell is done Cavs are too. Apparently.

Expand full comment
Refugium's avatar

VALKYRIES WIN preseason game in Phoenix 84-79.

Expand full comment
JZAlvarado's avatar

WGBC!

Expand full comment
Being's avatar

WGBGETLTL

(we gon' be good enuff to lose the lottery)

Expand full comment
KllrXvr's avatar

Who's #1 next year, Lauren Betts? Olivia Miles? Other?

Expand full comment
Refugium's avatar

Valkyries need someone who can shoot. So I would choose Miles.

Expand full comment
ServantOfLuna's avatar

Based on the box score:

-Cavs had 22 turnovers compared to the Pacers 11 turnovers. Pacers got 35 points off of those turnovers.

-Pacers had a whopping 58 points in the paint compared to 32 for the Cavs. They got a lot of points from their wings and the small guards and pounded the Cavs zone. Cavs were 16/35 twos while the Pacers were a whopping 34/58 twos.

-Pacers were only +1 in threes made. I think they were probably +8 in threes made before garbage time.

-Cavs were +19 in FTs made, but that didn't matter as they were dominated in the paint.

-Mobley, Allen, and Mitchell were ineffective tonight.

Expand full comment
DFiB's avatar

Pacers starters played under 30 min in a high leverage playoff game. There was 15 minutes of garbage time to skew any stats.

Expand full comment
ServantOfLuna's avatar

Pacers win 129-109 and go up 3-1 in the series.

Expand full comment
DubsNerd's avatar

Man, quite the window dressing to get it to 20. If you just saw the final score you'd hardly know it was such a blowout

Expand full comment
AttilaTheHun's avatar

The 4th quarter was garbage time for the Pacers.

Expand full comment
dinohealth's avatar

Did anyone else see ATKINSON's pre-game press conference? He looked absolutely SHOT/DRAINED BEFORE the game...looked like he had not slept in a week and could barely verbalize his responses...

Expand full comment
SpreewellStan's avatar

I would be too if I knew my 60+ wins team has no chance against Indy

Expand full comment
ananthd's avatar

Pacers have had some injury luck with Dame, Mobley, Garland and Mitchell.

Expand full comment
ServantOfLuna's avatar

109-77 Pacers after 3 quarters.

Expand full comment
SabWrites's avatar

Coach of the year might be getting fired soon.

Expand full comment
Chadara's avatar
2dEdited

Rick Carlisle is underrated good, if not great.

Expand full comment
fzwinter's avatar

He's always had the Dubs' number, at any rate

Something to be said for not firing a coach the first time the franchise tastes some adversity. Are you listening Kings, Nuggets, Grizz, Suns, Lakers, Bucks?

Expand full comment
dinohealth's avatar

PACERS dishing out a slaughter...sheer carnage....

Expand full comment
SabWrites's avatar

Cavs*

Expand full comment
dinohealth's avatar

lol...thanks...got to fix that

Expand full comment
GlueAndBold's avatar

Amazing.

Expand full comment
Chadara's avatar

From NBC Sports Bay Area:

"Put it like this," Dunleavy said of his father's playing days with a laugh, "Draymond Green would have zero technical fouls in their era."

Expand full comment
Tookie007's avatar

he’d only have 2-3 in this post season if he wasn’t Draymond Green

Expand full comment
ServantOfLuna's avatar

Pacers up 80-39 at halftime. Indiana outscored Cleveland 38-23 in the 1st Q and 42-16 in the 2nd Q.

Expand full comment
Sleepy Freud's avatar

Wow. If you told me the teams were flipped, I would have believed that more.

Expand full comment
SabWrites's avatar

I think the Cavs developed a very bad habit of only showing up for one or two quarters and still winning games in the RS. It's really come back to bite them in the ass in the playoffs. Also what has happened with Mitchell?

Expand full comment
ServantOfLuna's avatar

If the Warriors don't win the championship this season, I want the Pacers to win one.

Expand full comment
Captain Jack's avatar

I have an irrational feeling of dislike for Nembhard so they can suck it.

Expand full comment
Sleepy Freud's avatar

Same. Blue and gold, baby!

Expand full comment
GlueAndBold's avatar

I approve of this remark

Expand full comment
ServantOfLuna's avatar

Wait, Pacers vs. Cavs game already started? And it looks like the Pacers are off to a hot start.

Expand full comment
KlaysPaperAirplanes's avatar

Very hot start

Expand full comment