Around the League: Playoffs

[carey]

NBA news, tweets, and link dumps will be in this thread for the duration of the playoffs. Discussion of the actual games will be in the specific round threads.

https://twitter.com/ZachLowe_NBA/status/590496453316874240

https://twitter.com/ZachLowe_NBA/status/590496875582607361

[ShelC]

Whatevs.

[carey]

Coach Bud of the Hawks won coach of the year, Kerr second, Kidd third. Not a bad choice but not sure how Kerr didn't win it. 1st place by a good margin in a historically good Western conference is better than rolling over the historically weak East (don't bring up the Hawks record against top West teams, phooey on your facts!)

[ShelC]

Kerr had the most talent for sure, Budz probably got the most out of his team. Kidd did a good job in Milwaukee, but I feel like any competent coach could have gotten that team to the playoffs.

[SDC]

NBA news, tweets, and link dumps will be in this thread for the duration of the playoffs. Discussion of the actual games will be in the specific round threads.

https://twitter.com/ZachLowe_NBA/status/590496453316874240

https://twitter.com/ZachLowe_NBA/status/590496875582607361

related to this, should spurs pay really pay kawhi the max if his team gets bounced in the 1st round by the clippers and manu, duncan and pop all retire at the same time? should spurs make him their franchise player? is he a franchise player?

[carey]

What else are they going to do with the money?

[Mori Chu]

Yes, Kahwi is a great player. He was amazing in the second half of the season. I'd max him out. His defense has been amazing and he's becoming a more assertive offensive player. He's 2015 Scottie Pippen. Worth the money. (Much moreso than Draymond Green, IMO, who is not a max guy to my eyes.)

[SDC]

What else are they going to do with the money?

spend it on somebody more deserving?

[SDC]

Yes, Kahwi is a great player. He was amazing in the second half of the season. I'd max him out. His defense has been amazing and he's becoming a more assertive offensive player. He's 2015 Scottie Pippen. Worth the money. (Much moreso than Draymond Green, IMO, who is not a max guy to my eyes.)

that's a stretch. i dont think the spurs has ever used him as a point forward or as a guy who runs the offense.

[SDC]

pat riley rips on "smiling faces with hidden agendas".

http://www.sportingnews.com/nba/story/2 ... ran-dragic

what does he mean?

[Split T]

We are gonna see lots of max contracts this offseason. Especially among the restricted group. 15 million a year is gonna be only a few million higher than mid level (expected to be 10-12) in 2017 with the 100 million + cap. Green, butler, Leonard, harris, monroe are all max guys. Wouldn't be totally surprised to see knight land one either. Be interesting to see if any guys take the QO knowing they can get a much bigger payday the next offseason

[Mori Chu]

This made me chuckle:

http://ftw.usatoday.com/2015/04/grizzli ... -table-rko

[carey]

Thunder have fired Scott Brooks. I think we all saw this coming but he was dealt a bad hand with injuries this year.

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/12741 ... ott-brooks

[OE32]

Crazy stuff going down. Brooks getting the boot... McD back as Nugs head coach? (Pls yes!)... Rondo gone? (to play with whoever drafts Towns?)

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/eye-on-basketball/25158643

http://bleacherreport.com/tb/dgrpy

[carey]

Crazy stuff going down. Brooks getting the boot... McD as Nugs head coach?... Rondo gone? (to where?!)

I assume you mean Mike D'Antoni as Nuggets coach? That would be a weird hire for them as they had the superior version in George Karl for years.

[Superbone]

It's very unprofessional for Rondo to play like that because he doesn't like the coach. There are no excuses for his lackluster play last night. It's a big pock mark on his reputation.

[carey]

Rondo all of a sudden out with a bad back indefinitely. (Haha...hahahaha.)

Parsons out for season may need surgery on his bad knee. (Actual bummer.)

[carey]

https://twitter.com/espn_macmahon/status/590993779538034688

[In2ition]

I thought he said, "No, I don't care."

[Mori Chu]

What Rondo is doing is horrible. You can't do a one-man mutiny on your coach, especially as the starting PG. It ruins the whole team and the whole system. They are right to bench him and get him out of there. I feel bad for that team because Rondo's BS is submarining one of Dirk's last years in the league.