New Album & The Beginning of Basketball Season

[steve williams]

NBA Finals 2021: What to know about the Phoenix Suns vs. Milwaukee Bucks showdown​

This for me is the read of the day....
The other factor to consider is the coaching and so far Monty Williams for me has outreached every series opponent coach that he has played. This plus the fact that the Suns have it written all over their faces that this is their year. We will know in the next 2 weeks

NBA Finals series keys: Can the Bucks stop CP3? Will Giannis play?

Our NBA experts examine what matters most in an unexpected Suns-Bucks Finals matchup.

www.espn.com

In a postseason unfortunately defined by injuries to important players, it's both fitting and upsetting that the biggest key to these Finals is health-related. Now more than ever, the best ability is availability.

 

[steve williams]

And here are the odds makers.........

Personally I would be surprised to see Giannis play other than as a token appearance much like Trae Young in Game 6 against the Bucks. Trae was a non factor in the game

Sportsbooks make Phoenix Suns NBA Finals favorites over Giannis Antetokounmpo-less Milwaukee Bucks​

Suns installed as Finals favorites over Bucks

With Milwaukee star Giannis Antetokounmpo sidelined, sportsbooks have installed the Phoenix Suns as -175 favorites over the Bucks in the NBA Finals.

www.espn.com

Jeff Sherman, who oversees NBA odds for the SuperBook, said they took multiple limit bets on the Suns to win the series Saturday night, prompting him to move the price to -170.

Sherman is expecting Antetokounmpo to miss at least the start of the NBA Finals and believes how soon he returns will be dictated by the outcome of the early games.

"The Bucks would've been a favorite if there was no injury at all to Giannis," Sherman told ESPN.

The Suns won both meetings against Milwaukee during the regular season, in a pair of tight one-point victories.

 

[jadis]

Out of curiosity is there anyone here who at the onset of this season predicted the East and West Conference winners

Having said that what are your predictions. Who will win and in how many games

For me it all boils down to whether Giannis is healthy enough to play. The Bucks proved they can win without him however the Suns aren't the Hawks

Earlier in the season I expected the winner of the East to win it all but then again I expected either the Sixers or the Nets to win the east. I anticipated the West would come down to either the Clippers or the Lakers but as Lady Luck shined on the Suns,.....


Series 1 ....AD goes down and the Lakers never recovered.....Suns win

Series 2...Jamal Murray out with knee surgery. Suns sweep the Nuggs

Series 3 ....KL out with a knee injury.........Suns win the series

Finals......will Giannis be able to play? Watching the slow mo of his hyperextension injury was tough to watch. If he plays, it will be limited action and will he be able to rise to the star status he possesses

So for me if Giannis doesn't play or does play but not to his ability there is no way that the Bucks will beat the Suns and I say Suns in 6

If he does play I would be amazed as to what level he will be able to so I would still say Suns in 6

For me the Factor for the Bucks has to be Khris Middleton, Holiday and Lopez. If they can maintain that which we saw in the Hawks series, then I would say the series will go 7 games but I still think the Suns have Destiny on their side this year and will win the Larry O'Brien

Like you, Steve , I felt the East would be the Nets or Sixers and the West would be the 2 LA teams. While we know how injuries disseminated many teams, 2 teams have virtually healthy lineups but got ousted as well - Sixers and the Heat. So it's a bit baffling. I have not recalled any playoff or Finals team that won with its star player missing many games out of the 7 games. So the Bucks are in a very tough situation. Suns are intact, and that is to its credit, and not its fault, if they win the title with a complete and healthy lineup. Can't really blame the trainer for the injured teams either. Trae stepping on a ref's foot is not the trainers fault, and Jaylen Brown probably broke his hand in practice and did not play a single playoff game. And Kyrie's sprain was even something else, if you ask any Celtics faithful. The championship ironically is about the best intact team, and not just about the best team. The last team standing, as they say in the WWE, is the champion. And all roads point to Phoenix. Although I am still rooting for the Bucks, as this year, I suddenly developed a great respect for Giannis for staying, which actually surprised me.

 

[rblnr]

Let's assume for the sake of argument that Giannis can play effectively -- would anybody take the Bucks? I'd still take the Suns.

 

[WLVCA]

I thought the Nets Super Team would take the East followed by the 76ers and then the Bucks.

In the West I hoped for the Clippers but was doubtful due to their poor performance in The Bubble. I thought it likely that one of the surprise teams from last year's playoffs - Denver or the Jazz would be the biggest threats. You can never count the Lakers out but I thought LeBron was - finally - starting to slide downhill.

I was wrong on all counts and certainly didn't see the Suns winning the West. Thought CP3 was well past his prime and just hanging on - wrong again.

I'm pulling for the Bucks in the Finals but if Giannis can't play the Suns will win.

Could be sour grapes on my part rooting against the Suns since they beat the Clippers in the Playoffs

 

[jadis]

I'm pulling for the Bucks in the Finals but if Giannis can't play the Suns will win.

Could be sour grapes on my part rooting against the Suns since they beat the Clippers in the Playoffs

Well, you're not alone. After the Sixers beat the Celtics in the 1982 ECF to make it to the Finals against the Lakers, I rooted for the Lakers and jumped for joy each time Wilkes nailed an outside shot. And even bought a Lakers championship T-shirt after that. that's how rivalries end up.

 

[jadis]

Let's assume for the sake of argument that Giannis can play effectively -- would anybody take the Bucks? I'd still take the Suns.

If Giannis is 100%, I'd take the Bucks. So far there's only one 6 foot 0 guard to lead an NBA team to a title and with a machine that swept the defending Eastern champions Heat, the Bucks would have been poised to take the title after eliminating the Nets but Murphy's Law happened, Giannis went down in huge pain and I doubt he will be 100% or even 60% if they even let him play.

 

[steve williams]

I'm taking the Suns with or without Giannis. With Giannis it might go an extra game. Personally after seeing that injury in slow mo I can't believe that he will play at all but if he does it won't be 100%

Suns in 6

 

[jadis]

Suns open as 5 pt favorites. No surprise. The surprise will be if Giannis plays.

NBA Finals odds: Suns slight favorites over Bucks to win championship

The Suns are -200 favorites to win, while the Milwaukee Bucks are at +160.

theathletic.com

 

[WLVCA]

These playoffs are a disaster....the best players hurt one after the other.

If last year was an asterick title I don't know what you would call this one.

Hope the NBA and the Players Association come up with a better plan for next season

 

[jadis]

This era boasts of incredible athleticism of the players. The game has evolved from simply finding a way to put the ball into the basket. Dazzling 2-balls dribbling in practice and incredibly long long shots. Ankle breakers as a figurative term turns literal. Kamikaze drives ala Derick Rose and nasty crossovers that even 6'11 players now execute into perfection. Do these contribute to the many injuries happening? And those defensive stance that do not give space to the shooter, and shooter falling down as a matter of habit to bait the refs into blowing their whistles? And how bout those ridiculous arm swings by the shooter once the find the hands of the defender over, so they go under to instigate a contact and get 2 shots? Those should be ruled as offensive fouls. Lots of trickery happening on court really, in this new era of basketball. In those days, Havlicek just steals and shoots the ball, and he has 8 rings, from 1963-1976. And I don't think he played to chase rings and form super teams either.

 

[jadis]

Good explanation by CP3, I'm with him. I personally felt going on with the bubble league last season was even worse that this shortened league. And the injuries this season to me is not due to the cramped up sked, as nobody really flopped from exhaustion. The injuries were during games (or even practice), banging of knees, stepping on feet, head butt to face, and even a strain here and there with no contact at all, which can happen anytime whether it's 72 or 82 games in a season. And as Chris Paul said, all these were in their conversations.

CP3 addresses criticism of compact schedule

Paul said that while injuries are "always unfortunate," the condensed schedule was a discussion that included all players before the season.

tv5.espn.com

 

[steve williams]

Great read by Shaun Powell who is calling the Bucks in 6........

NBA Finals preview: Can Bucks put clamps on determined Chris Paul, Suns?​

Assuming Giannis Antetokounmpo plays, Milwaukee will need to lean on its defensive prowess to slow down Phoenix's dynamic backcourt.​

NBA Finals preview: Can Bucks put clamps on determined Chris Paul, Suns?

Assuming Giannis Antetokounmpo plays, Milwaukee will need to lean on its defensive prowess to slow down Phoenix's dynamic backcourt.

www.nba.com

 

[jadis]

Chris Paul is now the face of the Finals starting in about 11 hours. I forgot the deal that brought him to Phoenix and dug it up.

"The Phoenix Suns are making a serious push for the 2020-21 playoffs with the addition of 10-time NBA All-Star Chris Paul. The Suns traded Kelly Oubre, Ricky Rubio, Ty Jerome, Jalen Lecque and a 2022 first-round pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for Paul and Abdel Nader."

So 5 players for CP3 and a bench player. Rubio was the Suns point guard last year and what a difference a seasoned premier point guard does overnight.

 

[WLVCA]

Good explanation by CP3, I'm with him. I personally felt going on with the bubble league last season was even worse that this shortened league. And the injuries this season to me is not due to the cramped up sked, as nobody really flopped from exhaustion. The injuries were during games (or even practice), banging of knees, stepping on feet, head butt to face, and even a strain here and there with no contact at all, which can happen anytime whether it's 72 or 82 games in a season. And as Chris Paul said, all these were in their conversations.

CP3 addresses criticism of compact schedule

Paul said that while injuries are "always unfortunate," the condensed schedule was a discussion that included all players before the season.

tv5.espn.com

What else did you expect CP3 to say?

"I really screwed up as President of the Players Association by agreeing to the compressed 72 game schedule."

"We wouldn't be in the Finals if the best players on every team we faced couldn't play due to injury. We were the luckiest team in the NBA."

Not very likely.

 

[steve williams]

Abd so far Paul is leading the ladder for playoffs MVP

 

[jadis]

What else did you expect CP3 to say?

"I really screwed up as President of the Players Association by agreeing to the compressed 72 game schedule."

"We wouldn't be in the Finals if the best players on every team we faced couldn't play due to injury. We were the luckiest team in the NBA."

Not very likely.

There is no doubt the Suns have been very lucky so far, but they still need to win 4 more games or their luck would be meaningless.

 

[christoph]

There is no doubt the Suns have been very lucky so far, but they still need to win 4 more games or their luck would be meaningless.

I just hope the greek-freak recovers fast

 

[steve williams]

I just hope the greek-freak recovers fast

Well not surprisingly......... I doubt he will play at all in the finalsand if he does I don't expect him to be a factor. I keep having visions of that hyperextension injury

Giannis Antetokoumpo questionable for Game 1 of The Finals​

The two-time MVP is dealing with a knee injury and was listed as doubtful for Game 1 as of Monday night.​

Giannis Antetokoumpo on Game 1 return: 'I did not feel pain'

The former two-time Kia MVP was a surprise starter in Game 1, putting up 20 points and 17 rebounds in his Finals debut.

www.nba.com

 

[steve williams]

and just for fun........seems all but Kenny favor the Bucks even when Giannis isn't healthy

Shaq, Kenny & Chuck make Finals predictions

NBA | Video: Shaq, Kenny & Chuck make Finals predictions

The guys try to make their Finals predictions, but their picks hinge on the status of Giannis Antetokounmpo.

www.nba.com