Obi off to a slow start with only 2 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists and 1 steal in 16 minutes of a Pacers win over the Pistons.
Toppin tossed in 10 points, had 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 blocks in a win over the Cavs. Highlight:
#1 with the Eastbay:
https://www.espn.com/video/clip/_/id/44622722
Obi oop:
Obi started in a game that meant absolutely nothing--4 of the Pacers' starters sat out. He only scored 4 points, snared 5 boards, had 3 assists and a steal in 21 minutes of a loss to the Magic.
Toppin finished with 6 points, a rebound and an assist in 15 minutes of a Pacers' playoff W over the Bucks. Highlight:
Obi had 7 points on 3-4 shooting, 3 rebounds, an assist and a steal in 21 minutes of another playoff win over the Bucks. Highlight:
https://www.espn.com/video/clip/_/id/44807234
Obi with only 7 minutes of run in the 1st half Sunday night vs. the Bucks, but he had 6 points on 2-3 three pointers. He got 7 more minutes and scored 6 more points in another Pacers win in which Bucks star Damien Lillard was hurt. Highlight:
Obi only had 5 points in 11 minutes but the Pacers eliminated the Bucks with an insane finish in OT:
So I don't watch the NBA anymore, and outside of a few Obi and Toumani highlights posted on here, that clip was the most of a game I have seen in over 25 years. My take, and I know a lot of people will probably disagree, the talent level is obviously through the roof but four guys just standing around doing nothing on offense, in my book is not good basketball and is why I don't watch.
I will be one of the people who respectfully disagree. Last play of the game, clear out the lane, "our best player against your best player, one on one, we win." That is exactly what I want to see at the end of a game. I will agree with you 100% that the overall product is lacking and I have said since I was in high school that you never need to watch an entire NBA game, just the last five minutes.
Pacers efforts not withstanding, I am guessing Gary Trent, Jr. will not be going out on the town in Milwaukee any time soon. In the space of 3 minutes he single handedly won and then lost that game for the Bucks.
Last play maybe, but they do it almost every trip down the court. Occasionally a two-man game while three guys stand along the sidelines.
I suggest you guys try watching the Celtics. At their best they share the ball and have multiple offensive weapons at their disposal. They kill teams with three-pointers and their defense is also elite.
In game 1 of the EC semis Indy upset the Cavs, who were without star Darius Garland. Our guy Obi had 7 points on 3-6 FGA, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, a steal and a block in 15 minutes of run. Highlight:
Obi and the Pacers are up 2 games to none vs. the Cavs!
Indiana got smoked in the 2nd Qtr by displaying non-existent defense and never recovered.
They need to win one at home - so that’s the next one. Cavs aren’t going to roll over, so the Pacers will need to fix their defense to go up 3-1. Cavs weren’t going down 3-0, but Pacers need to respond to be in the driver’s seat. It would be a big upset if they can advance.
I guess my grievances about the NBA are:
...no double or triple teaming defense allowed
...no zone defense allowed
...no full court press defense allowed
...no trapping defense allowed
...traveling often not called
...star players are allowed to get away with certain infractions
...too much 1 on 1 offense, not much team offense
Obi has 13 at the half and the Pacers lead the Cavs by 41 points, 80-39!!!
Yikes, what an utter beatdown...92-49, 8 left in 3rd.
Is this type of score normal now? I never watch the NBA. 43 point lead???
Holy Moly. Everyone pray they don’t collapse. Not sure any team could come back to win the series if they have a 41 point collapse.
And the Pacers did not collapse. I heard the 41 point advantage in the first half was the largest ever for a playoff game. They just need to get one in Ohio and advance.
Obi 20 Pts 5 Reb 2 ast in 21 minutes - a number of highlight plays on ESPN reminds me of his breakout season way back when ...
My grievance about the NBA is the players. The Babylon Bee had a recent article describing that the league made a policy change to give LeBron how own whistle so he can start calling his own fouls from now on, eliminating the middle-man. Pretty much sums it up.
Agree that the league allows/encourages its stars to be officiated much differently than the other players but I view it as a league problem, not a player problem. They have an anti-flopping rule, if it actually got enforced, (because then NBA demanded it and made it a point of emphasis), when a 6'8' 240lb Lebron James acts like he got hit by a semi when someone breathes on him, I am guessing that would start to go away. It is present in college as well. I would be so bold as to say that UD lost to Colorado in 2019 because instead of getting a shot up or passing to a teammate, Rodney Chatman was trying to create a foul on the last play of the game. I hope that was a good lesson to all the players. The NCAA also has an anti flopping rule which makes it a class B technical foul to fake being fouled. You don't see it called a lot anymore but is was a point of emphasis a couple years ago.
The Pacers have never won the NBA title, they are 0-1 in the NBA Finals, having made the Finals in 2000.
Minnesota and OKC have never won a title either.
Minnesota has never made the Finals.
OKC is 0-1 in the Finals.
Boston, NY, Denver, Cleveland, and Golden State have all won at least one title.
Tight game 5...pacers 96 cavs 94...6 minutes left in the game
Pacers win and advance.
