The law of averages is on the side of Kawhi and the Clippers. Imagine the odds of the road team winning EVERY game in a seven-game series, they must be... Crazy. It would be crazy if that's what ends up happening. I want to say the Rockets did just that with Utah or Phoenix in one of their championship runs, but it wasn't ALL of the games. Eventually, the Rockets won at home. EDIT: The Rockets had a series against the Spurs where the road team won every game until G6 that the Rockets won at home. This is the first series ever that the road team won the first 6 games. If there was one team cursed enough to lose all 4 home games, it would be the Clippers, but I'm thinking they win
silver finna send his best player scott foster to the rescue... but he'll be confused which team to play for
The criticism Paul George receives is kinda on him. He says a lot of things, a lot of dumb things. Like giving himself the nickname of Playoff P, for example. I don't think Porzingis builds himself up in that way.
The Rockets did do that; it was the 1995 Western Conference Finals vs San Antonio. Rockets won Games 1&2 at the Alamodome. Spurs won Games 3&4 at The Summit. Rockets won Game 5 back in SA, and closed it out with Game 6 win at the Summit to go back to the NBA Finals, and broomed Orlando for Title #2.
Almost ie DIDN'T; Kawhi on the other hand DID got eliminated by the Nuggets despite being up 3-1. And Harden despite sucking that game made all the key defensive plays in winning time.
Yep, the only person to give themselves a nickname, and it absolutely worked, was Kobe as the Black Mamba. After that, he: won league MVP, went to 3 straight NBA Finals (winning in '09 and '10), won two Olympic Gold Medals, and an Academy Award for "Dear Basketball".
Some people do that type of stuff to motivate themselves. It's almost like setting goals for yourself when you are truly confident in yourself. I think Paul George does it to give himself confidenxe that he may lack.
I've watched Dallas play here and there but what in the world is going on with Porzingis? He looks disinterested out there. I realize the offense is based on Luka but Porzingis was at one point unguardable in the mid post and post area. He's had injuries but the drop off is mind boggling to me. He didn't just all of a sudden lose those skills when he left New York.
Doesn't matter. Tingus Pingus wanted out of New York because it was a loser franchise and you were tired of losing. You were then essentially traded for Dennis Smith Jr. (a failed #9 overall) and 2 future FRPs. That's a major haul, so you must be of major value. I thought the Knicks were the clear losers of the trade. Now, it's definitely less clear. It's fine if Porzingis is worse than Luka. It's NOT fine if Porzingis is relegated to role player status. He has so much potential.
It is strange that Porzingus isn't a better fit with Luka. When Luka runs the high screen and roll with Klieber or Powell he's great at getting them dunks and layups right at the rim. With Porzingus it barely ever happens. On the pick and pop, Klieber seems to set better screens and is a frequent target for the three. Porzingus also gets his share of spot up threes from Luka, but it doesn't seem as frequent or seamless.
Porzingis just doesn't have the spring he used to. When he was 'the unicorn' he was very athletic. I mean more than the usual stereotype of "Sneaky Athletic" he was dunking on guys regularly. If you look at his early days he just doesn't play like that anymore. You can see here there are plays where he'd come roaring down the paint to dunk...just don't see that much anymore. He does it sometimes sure but he used to seem so aggressive and dynamic...now it's just...yeah, he's another wing out there with a jumpshot. You often forget he's in the game. I think Dallas should trade him while he has value because he's not helping Luka much. Also, like all of his injuries IIRC are leg injuries...that's no good for a big.
They let physical play go on both sides but Luka, sometimes Hardaway JR and Finn get hit hard with down the critical stretch more so than the Clips. I'm pulling for Boban and Mavs to win somehow. Big guy is the nicest dude in the league and hopefully closes out the series.
This has been the closest series so far. If PG13 could have 30+ pt games, it'd already be over. But we all know that is unlikely.
