Rachel Nichols: Did the Nuggets tank a game vs. the Blazers so they could avoid the Rockets?

Yeah I wanted to beat the **** outta OKC again last year and the Jazz ruined it.

 

Wrong thread.

 

I actually had the pleasure of bumping into her at one of the playoff games last season. The thought crossed my mind of going, "damn yo thicc!" But then my mind shifted to obsessing on Ms. Nichols and putting some mayonnaise on my cheeseburger. That burger was thicc too. Perfect char with pink medium rare on the inside. How they do it at the TC.

 

Just beat OKC, and uh...GO JAZZ !

DD

 

i wonder how the players feel that their coach threw the game away? The competitive ego of some of their players wouldnt like it for sure.

 

We could always blame Scott Foster... just sayin'

 

Of course a team would do it. If they thought they could advance and hold off getting eliminated earlier. This is not on the players, it is on the management. They players would go out and compete as hard as possible, that's why it is taken out of their hands.
As an organization getting to the WCF looks a lot better that getting tossed in the first round. They could also sell that narrative to perspective free agents as a "look how close we are" scenario.

 

Nah they threw that game. They took out the guys that were getting them the lead in the 4th so they lost. Makes sense from to do it. They won’t beat a full rockets teams and they know it.

 

It's a smart strategic move. If I were them I'd much rather have Houston/GS take each other out as well rather than face them one after the other. Of course, if they give up the 2 seed it blows up in their face.

 

Oh I rooted for the Jazz last year to beat OKC (loved rubbing a first round exit in their face), and I'd love to get the 2 seed and push OKC to the 8 spot against the warriors by winning tonight. Tonight could either be perfect or miserable..

 

So when is Rachel and ESPN going to discuss how Raptors, 6ers or Celtics trying to avoid Giannis and the Bucks.

Oh yeah, that is NEVER going to happen.

Teams are still intimidated to face GSW and the Rockets not so much the Bucks. Records mean shyte when postseason starts - everyone knows who true contenders are and try to avoid them as long as possible.

Players and coaches respect Giannis, they truly fear the Beard and GSW.

 

It's on the players indirectly because they are being "held back" intentionally by management.

"Hey guys, we don't think you're good enough to beat both Houston and Golden State, so let's start losing on purpose. Sound good?"

"Hell no, what!?"

"Well, maybe you're good enough, but just in case, it would look better to make it to the WCF and lose rather than lose in the semis, especially to prospective free agents next year."

"Look better? What if we mess around and give up the #2 seed all together to Houston by not winning out then?"

"Oh, that could never happen. I'm just going sit everyone, trust me."

 

Lol, this guy lying his ass off here.

 

Not buying it until I hear that's exactly what happened after the season is over. The risk, reward is way too lopsided. They could end up giving up the #2 seed to us tonight if they lose to the Jazz. That means they would now be on the ROAD vs both us and the Warriors. The team with perhaps the best home court advantage in the league because of the altitude.

If I found out MDA did this to avoid an opponent in the playoffs I'd be beyond pissed.

 

Sure....

 

Of course he's not going to outright admit it, but resting your big guns and pulling the players out of the game against the Blazers when you were winning is extremely suspect. They are 0-11 against us since Capella became a starter. It doesn't matter if they had homecourt or not; they would get slaughtered by us and they know it. Actions speak louder than words.

 

He is a liar.... He didn't even play the few starters he had at the end of the game, and it just so happens that it's against a team that can pass us, and they can still "control their own destiny" in the last 2 games. I would love to hear why he didn't win two and rest the last game? You know, the one that would give them more rest before the playoffs started. Now he might have to play his guys hard all the way until the final minute of the last game, lol. What a joke...

 

I get that, just keep in mind the players he pulled may have been on a minutes count as well.

 

they didn't pull harris and barton when they were winning. they were actually losing at the end of the 3rd when both went out. The nuggets came back and took the lead by as much as 6 when they were on the bench.

 

Ok, thanks for putting that to bed. I didn't watch this game admittedly and was arguing about the minutes restrictions and such on pure hypotheticals.