2019 East Finals | (1) Milwaukee Bucks vs (2) Toronto Raptors (TOR leads 3-2)

[jrry32]

3 minutes ago, BillsGuy82 said:

They had one of the highest scoring benches during the season than ranked dead last heading into this series and contributed nothing first couple games

Something was gonna change

In hindsight, yeah, but it sure looked like the Raptors were shook (especially Siakam and Van Vleet).

9 minutes ago, J-ALL-DAY said:

Giannis was phenomenal this season no doubt, but yeah going with a guy like KD who is good enough all around and has a far superior one on one game. But dude has time to change it around, so let's see what he will do.

I thought the Raptors still had a shot. Slight chance, but they were in control of most of the game in games 1 and 3. They kind of blew it in game 1 and then the Bucks just destroyed them in game 2. But the Bucks were looking like a juggernaut, 2012 Spurs-esque. It looked even MORE impossible for that Thunder team to come back and they won four straight games. This is a far less surprise to me. 

Nothing Giannis can do this year. I'm not talking about the future. KD is just better right now. Of course, being better doesn't mean anything if you're not on the court.

[BillsGuy82]

1 minute ago, Broncofan said:

Since OG Abunoby went down, it really screwed with their rotation - the bench was pretty nonexistent for almost the entire PHI series (weren't really needed for ORL).    If Powell doesn't show up Game 3, TOR's probably already out.   But ever since they got Powell going, suddenly VanVleet has found his stroke.  And Ibaka/Gasol weren't great tonight, but they've done a good job of clogging up the middle and forcing MIL's shooters to beat them, while the perimeter D for TOR has been much better.   

Anounby is close to returning. If not this series he'll be ready for Warriors if we make it

[champ11]

7 minutes ago, Broncofan said:

After the PHI series there was no way that TOR was winning this series unless the bench actually showed up, and it couldn't be just the Kawhi show from the starting 5.   After Game 2, it wasn't looking good at all.  Then, the improbable happened - both elements TOR needed showed up.

Game 3 - Powell's 19 pts were clutch, and Gasol/Siakam showed up (and other than the missed FT's that could have prevented OT, the breaks went TOR's way).

Game 4 - Powell again with 18, and Ibaka/Van Vleet combined for 30+ pts, and this time Lowry joined Gasol with a huge game.   

Tonight - VanVleet was unbelievably clutch with 21 on 7 3-pointers...and Siakam's double-double was also clutch (although his outside game is ice-cold).   A game where Ibaka, Gasol & Green did nothing.   But the D was suffocating inside.

After Game 1, I didn't know if TOR had it in them to get a road W, they ran out of gas in a really winnable game.   Tonight, they didn't fold when MIL tried to run them off the court in the 1Q and 3Q.   It's tough to see them beat GS for more than 1-2 games...but man, you can't deny that they're doing a great job of exorcising their playoff choke artist labels.   Kawhi is just out of this world right now.   Hard to argue that he's not the toughest guy to defend in a playoff game format (KD being the obvious other guy).  

If TOR pulls out a home W, it really pays off the go-for-it move to get Kawhi, and you have to think he'll be tempted to return.    On the flip side, man I feel bad if the MIL team starts to break up - they're truly just a secondary piece away and their length poses such a problem for most teams, including GS.   But it's hard to knock what TOR has done.   Amazing.

You really went all this time without telling me you’re a hoops fan? 

[jrry32]

1 minute ago, areksoo said:

Yeah except that's not what happened.

 

Bucks stole game 1.  Raptors stole game 5.

Bucks blew out game 2.  Raptors blew out game 4.

Game 3 was a double OT where Raptors got the better of it.

 

This series is really very much right down the middle.

Bruh, the Bucks spanked the shiot out of the Raptors starting in the 4th quarter of Game 1 and continuing through Game 2. And then in Game 3, the Bucks shot terribly and had Giannis foul out, and the Raptors still needed double OT to eke out a win with Kawhi looking hobbled. They looked DOA. Don't care what you say.

[champ11]

16 minutes ago, J-ALL-DAY said:

He will have to develop some type of perimeter game really just hit the block. Dude is super young, and has been getting better every single season. But the moment of truth was always going to be in these close games in the playoffs when the Bucks were unable to blow the opponent out. You seem a bit surprised, but not like in game 1 or game 3 when the games were coming down to the wire, Giannis was making any plays down the stretch. Lopez won them game 1 and Middleton was the one making big shots in game 3. 

Yeah, I didn't even watch the first half so this makes sense because dude wasn't doing anything when I was watching lol.

 

Bruh I’m not surprised at all. I was just hoping it wouldn’t play out like this bc it seemed so obvious. That was actually the first time I’ve seen Milwaukee in a close game and....not good! 

[Broncofan]

2 minutes ago, BillsGuy82 said:

Anounby is close to returning. If not this series he'll be ready for Warriors if we make it

I don't think so - he's not been cleared for contact.  Which sucks, it must mean he had a more complicated form of appendicitis (like it ruptured with contamination) - some players are back within 7-10 days if the operation was mostly clean.   

 

 The fact he's not cleared for contact isn't good.   Once he's cleared for contact, all bets are off.

[J-ALL-DAY]

1 minute ago, champ11 said:

Bruh I’m not surprised at all. I was just hoping it wouldn’t play out like this bc it seemed so obvious. That was actually the first time I’ve seen Milwaukee in a close game and....not good! 

Yeah, dudes unlike the Dubs actually bring it every game and straight blow teams the hell out lol. In a way reminds me of the 09 Cavs. 

[Broncofan]

3 minutes ago, champ11 said:

You really went all this time without telling me you’re a hoops fan? 

I literally don't follow hoops until playoff time except for the Raptors highlights living here in Canada - so I'm so out of touch if it's not the Raptors.  I can tell you a LOT about the Raptors, but that's it.   I couldn't even tell you who the starters are on most teams lol.   I don't even know the starting 5 for the Nuggets even though I live and breathe Broncos info lol.

Edited May 24, 2019 by Broncofan

[champ11]

1 minute ago, J-ALL-DAY said:

Yeah, dudes unlike the Dubs actually bring it every game and straight blow teams the hell out lol. In a way reminds me of the 09 Cavs. 

Lmao I know you miss 2015 like we all do. Milwaukee is a great team. But they might not have the clutch time chops. That’s an issue when you blow everyone out all year. 

[Broncofan]

 

 

1

9 minutes ago, jrry32 said:

In hindsight, yeah, but it sure looked like the Raptors were shook (especially Siakam and Van Vleet).

Nothing Giannis can do this year. I'm not talking about the future. KD is just better right now. Of course, being better doesn't mean anything if you're not on the court.

To be fair, Siakam wasn't even close to 100 percent after getting a bad calf contusion in PHI game 4, he was literally one-legged.  He's just starting to get healthy now.  He's still got a pretty shaky outside game, but he's improved so much.  I can see why he gets Most Improved Player consideration, I remember he was sushi raw last year.

[49er pride]

BK on suicide watch. 

[champ11]

3 minutes ago, Broncofan said:

I literally don't follow hoops until playoff time except for the Raptors highlights living here in Canada - so I'm so out of touch if it's not the Raptors.  I can tell you a LOT about them, but that's it.   I couldn't even tell you who the starters are on most teams lol.

I’ll just send you Nugs highlights next year

[areksoo]

6 minutes ago, jrry32 said:

Bruh, the Bucks spanked the shiot out of the Raptors starting in the 4th quarter of Game 1 and continuing through Game 2. And then in Game 3, the Bucks shot terribly and had Giannis foul out, and the Raptors still needed double OT to eke out a win with Kawhi looking hobbled. They looked DOA. Don't care what you say.

What about game 4?  Or did you completely block that out of your memory?

[Broncofan]

3 minutes ago, champ11 said:

I’ll just send you Nugs highlights next year

It's kinda funny, because I follow all the DEN beat reporters on Twitter (as you know lol), so I kinda get a little annoyed when Nugget stuff pops up, I'm like "damn, it's hoops not Broncos info lol".   But that's a fine young team, it's nice to see DEN have something good to root for lol.

Edited May 24, 2019 by Broncofan

[Broncofan]

2 minutes ago, areksoo said:

What about game 4?  Or did you completely block that out of your memory?

To be fair, @jrry32 said DOA after Game 3 in the OP that started this specific discussion.  It's hard to argue that point.

Edited May 24, 2019 by Broncofan