Looks like we've reached the semifinals. A lot of upsets going on in the first games. Aside from the warriors, no team has won at home in this second round yet. Imagine if the Bulls faced the Wizards in the conference finals. Wonder how many people would've seen that coming. I look forward to seeing how things play out this round.

play4fun : I kinda agree with you. Especially since they are going with a college coach that's unproven in the NBA. It sounds though, that they have several reasons based on what I've read in various articles.

1. Durants impending free-agency

2. They have been stagnant for a few years not really being able to get over the hump.

3. At times when things get dicey in crunch time of games, the team/front office didn't feel like OKC had a lot of continuity in their offense. Just crazy isolation plays that rarely work out deep in the playoffs.

It sounds like most of this is due to Durant/Westbrook wanting to have some excitement with the team to get over the hump and the front office is doing everything they possibly can to make Durant happy so he doesn't leave as a free agent.

This was kinda proven when Durant gave the back handed comment to his coach that he was sorry that the only coach he's worked with in the NBA was leaving, but he agreed with the decision. Basically in my mind confirming that it was his wish to change directions.

It's down to the final four. The second round was a lot more entertaining than i anticipated. A lot of back and forth wins, a lot more road wins than I expected, and an epic 3-1 deficit was overcome by the Rockets last night, pitting their high-octane offense against the league-best Warriors in the Western Conference Finals. Meanwhile, in the East, the match up that I'm sure most people expected midway through the season is finally here. The Cavs will face off against the Hawks in what should be a great matchup. Hopefully this round is as exciting as the last one, and I look forward to seeing which two teams advance to the Finals this season.

So far the Cavs and Warriors are living up to their potential, and the Hawks look like they forgot how to play as a team.  I don't see the Rockets or Hawks coming back (I know the Rockets came back from 3-1 in the last series, but it wasn't against the Warriors).  So I think we'll see the two preseason favorites in the finals. 

With a nice win last night, the Finals will feature the powerhouse of the West and the favorite to win the East. The Warriors and Cavaliers have both advanced past the Rockets and Hawks respectively. I have to say that the Conference Finals were rather disappointing. I was expecting a nice six or seven game series. But both the Rockets and Hawks fell into an 0-3 hole early, and despite the very competitive games (except for the Hawks-Cavs game 4 and Warriors-Rockets game 3, which were very disappointing), the Conference Finals ended way too quickly. Hopefully the NBA Finals will be a long, hard-fought series.

In other news, the Bulls have fired Tom Thibodeau. I heard that he was going to get fired anyways, so I'm not all that shocked. And I also heard that the Pelicans would be targeting him if he was fired, so they might have their new head coach soon (of course I don't know this for sure, but it'll be interesting to see how things play out).

In my opinion this years NBA playoffs have mostly stunk. Aside from the Clippers Collapse and their series with the Spurs in the first round, these playoffs have been largely non-competitive.

Really been boring for me to be honest.

For the most part I agree that the Conference Finals weren't great, but I have really liked watching the Warriors this post-season. I've never really been a Warriors fan before, but it's fun watching Steph Curry. I liked him in college and I thought he would be a decent NBA player, but nothing like this. He really is a phenom, and already better than his dad.  I think (and hope) that the Finals are going to be a long, hard-fought battle, and I look forward to watching.

I still can't believe that the NBA didn't move up the finals. Seems like ages since the last game was played. Really, makes me care even less than I already did about the finals this year.

I still believe if the Warriors can stay healthy, that they will win this series in 6 games.

In the latest NBA news, Kyrie Irving is injured. HE's out for 3-4 months with a fractured kneecap, which is a devastating blow to a Cavs team that's coming off of a loss despite James scoring a ridiculous 44 points. SO the NBA FInals looks like it'll be a much quicker series, unless Dellavedova can step up and guard Stephen Curry in place of Irving. In my opinion, losing Irving pretty much eliminates any chance of Cleveland winning, because they no longer have a guard who can make plays or play decent defense on Curry. LeBron now has significantly bigger challenge, and with almost no one left to step up (unless J.R. can have his one-in-a-million hit-a-three-from-anywhere-on-the-court games six games in a row), I think the Warriors can win it in 5.

The series was already a joke (The Warriors are clearly the better team).

Now, the series isn't even really worth watching (May as well be a sweep, the unlikely has become impossible).

I'll still watch, because I love basketball, but there are two outcomes this series can have.

1. The Warriors f***ing dominate and sweep
2. LeBron goes all legendary, and fights, but still loses to the Warriors.

The impossible third scenario of the Cavs winning would be insane, but won't happen.

As a Bulls fan, who is still miffed, I'm fine with this. Go Warriors.

Despite all of the injuries and obstacles, the Cavs have somehow willed themselves to a 2-1 series elad, with some of their role players stepping up. I still think that the Warriors will win (and I think it'll end up being a seven game series), but I have to give credit to Cleveland for trying so hard and making this a competitive and fun series to watch.

megamanmaniac :

You are telling me.

Logically, it makes sense, but it also f***ing doesn't.

A team doesn't lose two all star players (Love and Irving) and end up becoming BETTER because of it.

It just doesn't happen.

But lo and behold, it is happening.

I'm terrified. If the LeBrons win the title, I won't be able to go anywhere on the internet for a few months. The fever pitch over him was unbearable to begin with.

legacyme3 : I think that it's because of players that would normally be an afterthought (and J.R. Smith, who is so inconsistent it's scary) stepping up and doing their job correctly. I'm sure no one expected Dellavedolla to play incredible defense on Curry and hold him to his worst shooting stretch all season, or for Cleveland to hold Golden State to under 60 points after three quarters in two consecutive games. As illogical as it seems, guy are stepping up and are giving LeBron the help he needs (desperately needs) to try and pull off one of the greatest feats [possibly] in NBA History. It's better than watching the Conference Finals over again (which most people, myself included) expected once Irving fractured his knee cap. Hopefully the Warriors step up and win game 4, or else they'll be putting themselves in an embarrassingly difficult position.

It's over. It's finally over. The Warriors held off a Cavaliers rally late, and have won the NBA Finals 4-2. In Game 6 of a series that was way more exciting to watch than the previous round, LeBron's incredible run comes to an end. I have to give the Cavs a lot of credit for keeping it as close as they did and giving the Warriors a tightly contested battle (most of the time), but they couldn't pull it off. Congrats to the Warriors, and congrats to the Cavs for doing as well as they did. They deserve a lot more credit than most people will be willing to give them.

Thank god the LeBrons lost.

I don't think I could have survived an offseason where my team (the Bulls) lose everything, and have to deal with so much drama, and that team is victorious.

Would have absolutely crushed me.

So glad to see Steph Curry get a title. Nice added bonus to LeBron not winning.

Alright, let's have some offseason/preseason talks.

So, for my Spurs, I am hoping that the LaMarcus Aldridge move will work out. It was sad to see Tiago Splitter traded off, but it's to Atlanta, where former assistant coach bud is the head coach, he'll be fine. I just hope that we do end up getting LaMarcus for all of this cap room chaos. 

Also, glad to hear that Kawahi Leonard and Danny Green are going to be resigned. Now as long as Tim Duncan comes back for one more season, I think we are golden!!

Kevin Love is staying put and Lebron's a free agent but he plans to stay put as well. Klay Thompson is gonna stay a Warrior but the biggest move of all so far is that Paul Pierce and Lance Stephenson are now  LA Clippers. Hooray! If Deandre Jordan decides to stay a Clipper, my only peeve is that he still sucks at free throw shooting. I wouldn't mind Draymond Green or even David Lee became Clippers since they are on the verge of not being Warriors next year. It will be interesting to see who will be the new coach of the Chicago Bulls next season. Tom Thibideau just couldn't cut the mustard.

The Celtics have come to terms with Jae Crowder. He agreed to a 5-year extension worth somewhere around $35K. They also got Amir Johnson. If there's one thing I really want, it's for the Celtics to acquire DeMarcus Cousins (as unlikely as that is, despite having the assets to do so and the Kings drafting a defensive center with their 6th pick).

megamanmaniac :

If your team wants a big man, given your guard depth...

Your best chance might be to actually deal with the Bulls. We have too many big men, especially after drafting another one (Bobby Portis). I don't know if Gibson or Noah are particularly available, but they have to be more available than Cousins is, and definitely less costly.

Bulls have big men, need guards.
Celtics have guards, need big men.

Seems like a logical fit to me.

Not that I'd want to deal with the Celtics, the guards that they'd try to move don't appeal to the Bulls, I'd imagine.

Hawks have picked up Tiago Splitter, who I feel will be a good fit for the team.

However, DeMarre Carol left the Hawks to get more money, which is pretty sad as he was one of their best players last year.

But the Hawks do resign Paul Millsap to a 3 year deal, and I feel like that was a smart choice, as he is a really great player.

Hopefully the hawks can get it down next year with Tiago, but we'll see.