Live Event The Official 2023 NBA Playoffs Thread presented by Google Pixel (including the Play-Ins)

[peternorth]

The Finals Thread is here

Denver v Miami

 

[hamG]

The Gobert deal is awful but there has been far worse trades.

How about the 76ers trading away Wilt Chamberlain for Jerry Chambers, Darrall Imhoff and and Archie Clark.... yeeeaaahhh.

You must be like 100 years old

 

[scaryness]

The Gobert deal is awful but there has been far worse trades.

How about the 76ers trading away Wilt Chamberlain for Jerry Chambers, Darrall Imhoff and and Archie Clark.... yeeeaaahhh.

The 76ers also traded away the 1st pick in the 1986 draft (Brad Daugherty) as a straight swap for Roy Hinson.

Charles Barkley has said this was the first time he saw that the Sixers management was dogshit and why he left Philly later in his career.

So Brad Daugherty and future Charles Barkley for 1 and a half seasons of Roy Hinson.

 

[hamG]

One random podcaster on twitter is bastion of truth.

You don't hire a top level guy like Quinn Snyder and then flip someone with as much talent as Trae - unless Snyder makes the demand.

Then again, perhaps we can flip Trae for Walker Kessler.

 

[jod23]

Can you imagine Jordan's reputation if he played in the social media era? All the videos of his demeaning teammates, punching teammates, Madonna publicly posting why she prefers Pippen and Rodman, etc.

It would be brutal.

Yeah but all those things are pointers towards Jordan's drive and elite mentality. LeBron is bigging himself up on the court after hitting a three when you're already 8 points up against are a really bad team. Jordan would never do that. LeBron just doesnt help himself, he has zero humility.

 

[jod23]

The 76ers also traded away the 1st pick in the 1986 draft (Brad Daugherty) as a straight swap for Roy Hinson.

Charles Barkley has said this was the first time he saw that the Sixers management was dogshit and why he left Philly later in his career.

So Brad Daugherty and future Charles Barkley for 1 and a half seasons of Roy Hinson.

To further shit on Philly's front office, Barkley knew they were shit and wanted out and when he did get traded they got an awful package back for one of the best PF's to ever play the game. I think the key piece they got back was Jeff Hornacek haha

 

[jod23]

One random podcaster on twitter is bastion of truth.

You don't hire a top level guy like Quinn Snyder and then flip someone with as much talent as Trae - unless Snyder makes the demand.

Then again, perhaps we can flip Trae for Walker Kessler.

Wishful thinking mate, you need a lot more than just Trae to bring in Kessler. Perhaps a deal that includes Collins and Hunter maybe and a 1st??

 

[Son of Skeletor]

LeBron crowning himslf for making the playin.

I'm thinking others should be accepting 'the crown' for that 'achievement'.


Here are the final officiating stats for the season. See if you can pick the anomaly.

We'll start with free throw rate as a percentage of field goal attempts, as that takes into account extra possessions that raw numbers do not. The average team shoots a free throw at a ratio of one to every four field goals attempted, or just over 20%.

If a team averages a free throw rate at 21%, and concedes them at 19%, then they have an 'advantage' of +2%. 21 teams, or 70% of the league fall within this margin, that is within plus or minus 2%. 25 of the 30 teams fall within plus or minus 3%. That's the bell curve.

Here are the top 10 teams in terms of free throw advantage in terms of free throw: field goal attempt ratio:

10. Pelicans: +0.9%
9. Bucks: +0.9%
8. Blazers: +1.3%
7. Magic: +1.6%
6. Celtics: +1.7%

5. Kings: +2.2%
4. Clippers: +2.2%

3. Heat: +2.6%


2. Sixers: +3.3%




1. Lakers: +6.1%

Note that the gap between 2nd and 10th is smaller than the gap between 2nd and 1st.


If you prefer raw free throw numbers, here are those same ten teams, in order of number of extra free throws shot over the season:

10. Celtics: +36
9. Blazers: +44
8. Pelicans: +65

7. Sixers: +115
6. Bucks: +118
5. Clippers: +130

4. Heat: +157
3. Magic: +160
2. Kings: +173



1. Lakers: +476


Note that shooting 164 free throws more for the season averages out to exactly two extra free throws per game, which is roughly where the teams ranked 2-4 sit. Despite how controversial, and at times inept, the officiating can be, in statistical terms it has been extremely even this season. Except where it hasn't.

Note also that if you added the aggregate advantage of teams ranked 2, 3 & 5, they'd still come out to less than the team ranked #1, combined. Also the gap between the 2nd ranked team and the 23rd ranked team is LESS than the gap between #2 and #1.


Finally, here are those same ten teams, ranked in order of foul advantage on the season. Note that a couple actually had more fouls called on them.

10. Sixers: -68

9. Pelicans: -5
8. Clippers: +9
7. Celtics: +26
6. Magic: +29
5. Blazers: +36

4. Bucks: +76
3. Kings: +95

2. Heat: +127



1. Lakers: +294

Again, if you add the aggregate advantages of teams ranked 2,3 & 5 together, they come out at less than the team ranked #1.

Here are some miscellaneous Lakers season facts to finish with:

Ranked 1st in free throws per game
Ranked 1st in free throws per 100 possessions
Ranked 1st in free throws per game conceded
Ranked 1st in free throws per game conceded per 100 possessions
Ranked 1st in free throw differential (by a considerable distance)
Ranked 2nd in free throw rate as a ratio of field goals attempted
Ranked 1st in free throw rate as a ratio of field goals attempted conceded
Ranked 1st in free throw ratio differential (by a considerable distance)
Ranked 2nd in opposition fouls called
Ranked 3rd in opposition fouls called per 100 possessions
Ranked 1st in fewest fouls committed per game
Ranked 1st in fewest fouls committed per 100 possessions
Ranked 1st in foul count differential (by a considerable distance)

After the Lakers started the season 3-10, they improbably won the free throw count in their next 14 consecutive games, shooting +159 free throws over than span at an average of 11.4 more per game. They went 8-6 in that span.

At the end of January, the Lakers were still four games under .500. From that time on they lost the free throw count just twice for the rest of the season. After winning the free throw count in 15 consecutive games (+147, or +9.8 FTA per game), they than reeled off another 11 game free throw advantage shooting streak, going +153 over those 11 games at an average advantage of +13.9 FTA per game.

Overall during the last 30 games, they were +311 from the free throw line, at an average of 10.3 FTA per game advantage.

In the 28 games they won the free throw count in after January, the Lakers were 19-9. Added together with the 8-6 record they compiled during their early season free throw shooting 'winning' streak, that makes their record during these advantageous times a very healthy 27-15 (+477 FTA).

During the other 40 games, the Lakers more or less broke even from the free throw line - one free throw disadvantage to be precise - and their record during this time was a decidedly less muscular 16-24. In other words, the Lakers had a Denver Nuggets-like 64% win rate in the free throw shooting bonanza days, and a Portland-level 40% win rate when they were officiated like any other team.

So, LeBron may wear the crown... but in the immortal words of Kevin Durant: Adam Silver and the refs are the real MVPs. David Stern is smiling somewhere.

 

[Son of Skeletor]

The 76ers also traded away the 1st pick in the 1986 draft (Brad Daugherty) as a straight swap for Roy Hinson.

Charles Barkley has said this was the first time he saw that the Sixers management was dogshit and why he left Philly later in his career.

So Brad Daugherty and future Charles Barkley for 1 and a half seasons of Roy Hinson.

Plenty of trades like that. We handed over a bunch of top-8 picks in our Jazz days, including the one used to select Magic Johnson, to the Lakers in order to win the right to sign a declining Gail Goodrich as a free agent.

Ted Stepien also handed the Lakers James Worthy three years later, and gave the Mavs a bunch of lottery picks in return for chaff role players. A lot of NBA history involves car-crash awful front office management.

 

[Slysh]

Yeah but all those things are pointers towards Jordan's drive and elite mentality. LeBron is bigging himself up on the court after hitting a three when you're already 8 points up against are a really bad team. Jordan would never do that. LeBron just doesnt help himself, he has zero humility.

Jordan is releasing docos and movies years later to big himself up... neither is humble lmfao

 

[fidstar]

Somehow whenever Jod comes into a NBA thread it becomes about Jordan.

 

[Slysh]

Play off basketball is back baby! Well sort of….

 

[jod23]

I'm thinking others should be accepting 'the crown' for that 'achievement'.


Here are the final officiating stats for the season. See if you can pick the anomaly.

We'll start with free throw rate as a percentage of field goal attempts, as that takes into account extra possessions that raw numbers do not. The average team shoots a free throw at a ratio of one to every four field goals attempted, or just over 20%.

If a team averages a free throw rate at 21%, and concedes them at 19%, then they have an 'advantage' of +2%. 21 teams, or 70% of the league fall within this margin, that is within plus or minus 2%. 25 of the 30 teams fall within plus or minus 3%. That's the bell curve.

Here are the top 10 teams in terms of free throw advantage in terms of free throw: field goal attempt ratio:

10. Pelicans: +0.9%
9. Bucks: +0.9%
8. Blazers: +1.3%
7. Magic: +1.6%
6. Celtics: +1.7%

5. Kings: +2.2%
4. Clippers: +2.2%

3. Heat: +2.6%


2. Sixers: +3.3%




1. Lakers: +6.1%

Note that the gap between 2nd and 10th is smaller than the gap between 2nd and 1st.


If you prefer raw free throw numbers, here are those same ten teams, in order of number of extra free throws shot over the season:

10. Celtics: +36
9. Blazers: +44
8. Pelicans: +65

7. Sixers: +115
6. Bucks: +118
5. Clippers: +130

4. Heat: +157
3. Magic: +160
2. Kings: +173



1. Lakers: +476


Note that shooting 164 free throws more for the season averages out to exactly two extra free throws per game, which is roughly where the teams ranked 2-4 sit. Despite how controversial, and at times inept, the officiating can be, in statistical terms it has been extremely even this season. Except where it hasn't.

Note also that if you added the aggregate advantage of teams ranked 2, 3 & 5, they'd still come out to less than the team ranked #1, combined. Also the gap between the 2nd ranked team and the 23rd ranked team is LESS than the gap between #2 and #1.


Finally, here are those same ten teams, ranked in order of foul advantage on the season. Note that a couple actually had more fouls called on them.

10. Sixers: -68

9. Pelicans: -5
8. Clippers: +9
7. Celtics: +26
6. Magic: +29
5. Blazers: +36

4. Bucks: +76
3. Kings: +95

2. Heat: +127



1. Lakers: +294

Again, if you add the aggregate advantages of teams ranked 2,3 & 5 together, they come out at less than the team ranked #1.

Here are some miscellaneous Lakers season facts to finish with:

Ranked 1st in free throws per game
Ranked 1st in free throws per 100 possessions
Ranked 1st in free throws per game conceded
Ranked 1st in free throws per game conceded per 100 possessions
Ranked 1st in free throw differential (by a considerable distance)
Ranked 2nd in free throw rate as a ratio of field goals attempted
Ranked 1st in free throw rate as a ratio of field goals attempted conceded
Ranked 1st in free throw ratio differential (by a considerable distance)
Ranked 2nd in opposition fouls called
Ranked 3rd in opposition fouls called per 100 possessions
Ranked 1st in fewest fouls committed per game
Ranked 1st in fewest fouls committed per 100 possessions
Ranked 1st in foul count differential (by a considerable distance)

After the Lakers started the season 3-10, they improbably won the free throw count in their next 14 consecutive games, shooting +159 free throws over than span at an average of 11.4 more per game. They went 8-6 in that span.

At the end of January, the Lakers were still four games under .500. From that time on they lost the free throw count just twice for the rest of the season. After winning the free throw count in 15 consecutive games (+147, or +9.8 FTA per game), they than reeled off another 11 game free throw advantage shooting streak, going +153 over those 11 games at an average advantage of +13.9 FTA per game.

Overall during the last 30 games, they were +311 from the free throw line, at an average of 10.3 FTA per game advantage.

In the 28 games they won the free throw count in after January, the Lakers were 19-9. Added together with the 8-6 record they compiled during their early season free throw shooting 'winning' streak, that makes their record during these advantageous times a very healthy 27-15 (+477 FTA).

During the other 40 games, the Lakers more or less broke even from the free throw line - one free throw disadvantage to be precise - and their record during this time was a decidedly less muscular 16-24. In other words, the Lakers had a Denver Nuggets-like 64% win rate in the free throw shooting bonanza days, and a Portland-level 40% win rate when they were officiated like any other team.

So, LeBron may wear the crown... but in the immortal words of Kevin Durant: Adam Silver and the refs are the real MVPs. David Stern is smiling somewhere.

Well.... ****.

 

[LB#16]

Standard hot garbage from Miami.

 

[Borough Blood]

It's UD time

 

[J Shuttlesworth]

Nice blocks by Capela.

Hawks all over them so far.

 

[QuietB]

Yeah but all those things are pointers towards Jordan's drive and elite mentality. LeBron is bigging himself up on the court after hitting a three when you're already 8 points up against are a really bad team. Jordan would never do that. LeBron just doesnt help himself, he has zero humility.

No one in the NBA has humility.

Jordan is releasing docos and movies years later to big himself up... neither is humble lmfao

The Jordan PR machine might be the slickest in history

 

[Elmer_Judd]

Lol Heat.

Big changes coming this off season (Pat Riley should retire)

 

[QuietB]

Lol Heat.

Big changes coming this off season (Pat Riley should retire)

That could be the end for Brylcreem

 

[Elmer_Judd]

That could be the end for Brylcreem

Their fall from grace from Conference Finalists last season to missing the playoffs is not quite as bad or embarrassing as The Mavs, but still quite remarkable really

Butler probably going to ask to be traded

 

[Memphis]

Yeah saw this coming.

 

[Memphis]

I hope Atlanta upset the heat lol.

 

[J Shuttlesworth]

I hope Atlanta upset the heat lol.

Seems very likely at this stage, each run has stopped short and then been answered so far.

Heat asleep on the rebounds.

 

[Elmer_Judd]

Butler has been absolutely trash.

 

[Slysh]

Lol Heat.

Big changes coming this off season (Pat Riley should retire)

Why are you so quick to retire/sack everybody? They have made multiple conference finals/finals over the past few years. Just before that run plenty were saying they had the bleakest future in the NBA

 

[Elmer_Judd]

Funny how much better Atlanta is when Trae is not playing Hero Ball/taking every Hawks shot and the rock is being spread around evenly and their bench is riding the bumps with a Grin.

Team work is the thing that talks.