Life comes at you fast:

The Bucks led game 5 118-111 with 40 seconds to play (and a bucks free throw left to take), and lost it (and their season).



Bucks: Missed FT

IND: 33 foot three pointer.

Bucks: Turnover (Gary Trent Jr)

IND: Halliburton hoop and 1

Bucks: Turnover (Trent Jr)

IND: Halliburton hoop

Bucks: Missed prayer at the buzzer

Anyone who has wanted a visual representation of the stuff that goes on in the Youth Sports thread, take a look at the action of John Haliburton at the end of that game yesterday. For those who did not see it, Tyrese Haliburton took Giannis one on one to the basket for the game winning layup. At the buzzer, John Haliburton came ON TO THE COURT and began popping his jersery and talking shit as he walked up on Giannis who was just standing on the court. They began jawing back and forth, went forehead to forehead until Giannis got pulled away and then the two teams got into it. The statement afterwards tells its own story.


Sir, this is not your sport! You are not playing NBA basketball!

That would usually get someone a complete ban.

To his credit, Tyrese Haliburton made it pretty clear in the post-game media that he did NOT approve of his father's antics.

Seems simple enough but these days I don't take even that much common sense for granted so I was glad to see it.

You are right. That is simple enough. However, similar to the Jax Ulrich's prank call during the draft, I don't think Tyrese should be a part of this situation either. I don't want to put Tyrese in a position to have an opinion either way to be honest. There is already a discussion about how Tyrese softened what he said last night compared to what he said today.

He probably needs to tell nutjob Dad to keep his ass at home then. Otherwise this will continue indefinitely.

Luka probably goes to the line 30 times tonight

Don't put up any kind of fight or anything

I don't really follow basketball all that closely, but I follow sports enough to know that the Mavericks and, in particular their GM, got lambasted for trading Luka.

Are people having second thoughts bout this now with the Lakers losing their first round series 4-1? Aren't their concerns about Luka's commitment to conditioning and defense, such that making a massive financial commitment to him could be a risk?

No, this Lakers team was very flawed and Dallas gave them a long term lifeline by trading them a 26 year old top 5 player. It's an all time had trade.

…checks notes on what happened with the Mavs season… nah

It wasn’t the worst trade of all time because Luka is really really good and could win a championship with the right pieces around him, although that’s true. It’s the worst trade ever because they deliberately decided to only allow one to team to bid, didn’t even get close to the most value out of that team they could have because they were too scared word would get out, and then the main piece they did get is always injured, despite them saying Luka’s conditioning was a big reason for the trade in the first place.

This season or even the next few won’t make it less of a shit trade, barring the Mavs team they put together around AD winning a title. Just willfully trading a top 3 piece in the league for cents on the dollar.

None whatsoever.

It's the worst trade since Babe Ruth, not just because of the player(s) on the floor but because of the damage done to a brand.

It's still a good trade long term. Lebron is 40 and AD is 32 with a long injury history. They got a franchise guy for practically nothing. That's the hardest thing to acquire in the NBA.

This is old but I don't think Fields did a bad job. The Luka trade by the previous GM was a disaster. Same goes for the Murray trade.

I thought he did a decent job of digging out of those disasters. Moving Murray for 2 firsts and Dyson Daniels (who is good!) was a great trade. Maybe I'm missing some terrible moves he made but he took over a pretty shit spot.

Tyrese Haliburton's father staying away from Pacers games - ESPN

The interesting part of this to me is that "This was a decision made by the team's front office, and John Haliburton was understanding and accepted the decision."

Good on Pacers management I reckon.

There's a non-zero chance that the Mavs become the second-most-popular basketball team in Dallas unless the front office can win back the fans.

Speaking as a referee (though not for basketball) this is good news. Parents (and coaches, for that matter) see what happens on TV and think it's A-OK to act like this at kids' games, which is how you get a 35-year-old Dad squaring up to a 16-year-old first-year ref at a U10 game.

It may be an unpopular opinion but my answer to this question is yes. I would still sign him but the risk is there.

I assume he is going to get himself in better shape but he is a professional athlete. I would have assumed that he would be in the best shape already. I have seen him play at least average defense at times but again, I would have assumed he would always play at least average defense. Luka has flaws in his game that are worthy of criticism and his conditioning and his willingness to defend on among them. We criticized 25 year old Lebron despite the fact he had already won 2 MVPs and led a worse Cleveland team to the Finals by the end of his 7th season. We criticized a young Kobe for his flaws despite winning three titles by the end of his 7th season. Lebron is not the ultimate standard but when you compare him with Luka as players who came into the NBA at 19 through their 7th season, Lebron played 98 more games that Luka has at the same point in their careers. Kobe played 46 more games. The Kobe comparison will become more relevant the longer Luka is in purple and gold. Much like Nico, those fans have also been raised in the Mamba mentality religion. Slow walks to the bench and to the locker room due to injuries that may be connected to not being in shape will not sit well with them.

OMG Pacers steal another win from Cleveland

You can say this again! I blacked out for a few minutes after that comeback win. Haliburton has undoubtedly taken the "Most Overrated" vote personally.

Thanks restof the league-you just made a monster!

First time in NBA history the home team has lost all 4 Game 1s in the second round.

I'd have to say I still expect Boston to win out, TWolves likely have a good chance depending on the extent of Curry's injury, and it wouldn't shock me if OKC won 4 straight (or at least pulled out the series). Cleveland may be in trouble, though, as they were only a half-game better than the Pacers since January 1st (I think that was the stat I saw). The Pacers are trouble, and with 2 games on the road in the bag, should win the series.

Based on the reasoning that was given and how things are going this season, he can probably count on being voted #1 once again. For whatever that's worth.

About time Thibs. Any chance you get to take KAT off the court on the defensive end.

DO NOT GET A TWENTY-POINT LEAD!!!

I hope the Celtics lose to punish the strategy of shooting 100 3 pointers and missing 75 of them. It's so horrible to watch and they have no other strategy except we need to make our 3s. Knicks and Pacers at least drive to the basket a little bit. That's how they both came back.

Saw this fun info.

Home teams in round 2 are +16 in points with a 1-7 record.

I really hope we get another Pacers-Knicks series.

I agree with the general point but I am not that bothered by them taking the 100 threes. It is the lack of offensive flow that is the issue IMO. They need a U9 coach from one of the local rec leagues to tell them to make at least 5-10 passes before shooting the ball. The Celtics played like an offense in football up by three TDs in the 4th quarter going no huddle and snapping the ball with 35 seconds left on the play clock.

That implies that there are more than 1-2 coachable players on an NBA roster in 2025.

I don't believe that's the case.

The Knicks barely won and the Celtics missed a bunch of wide open 3s. 1 or 2 of those go in, the Celtics tie the series up despite Tatum playing poorly and how much of a non-factor Porzingis has been. That's how loaded the Celtics are.

Celtics need to clean up their half court offense when they aren't spamming their dribble drive kickouts. Tatum got triple teamed that last possession because Horford and White were lost on the floor. So a time out should've been called.

Dola

None of this matters cause OKC is gonna destroy everyone. Haven't seen a guard as dominant as SGA since Curry a decade ago.

Ok.. file this under "cool but creepy". The guy who did those epic voiceover promos for the NBA on NBC in the 90's and early 2000's? He passed away in 2017.

But in 2025, he'll be doing promos for the return of the NBA on NBC.

How is this possible? AI of course. I don't mind this because they made a deal with the person's family. That's the important part, respecting the creator's rights. Most AI-projects just grab willy nilly and don't respect those rights.

The creepy part is a man who has been dead 8 years telling us all he'll see us all in October for the tip off the NBA season.

- YouTube

It is an iconic voice. I wonder how far away we are from having other AI voices call games? Howard Cosell, Madden and Summerall, Harry Carey calling another Cubs game.

Wow Indy up 80-39 right now

That Pacers-Cavs incident tonight would have gotten a "McFilthy and McNasty" (tm the late great Johnny Most) in that it would have worked back then, but sadly for instigators today, there is instant replay catching the instigator in the act.

John Salley, Isiah Thomas, Rick Mahorn, and Bill Lambeer are all shaking their heads in disgust about how SAWFT the game has become.

(To be honest, at full speed when I saw the highlight, I was confused that the man who threw the push was not the same man as being named as ejected on the title, then I saw the instant replay with the sneaky push/punch, and said "ooohhhhhhh"

If that was a punch I’m the Easter Bunny. They really let Hunter off the hook considering he barely got pushed by a guy moving backwards and then came and pushed Matherin as hard as he could knocking him completely down. ESPN’s headline calling it a punch is a real joke.

Mathurin is a clown.

This is the same half-wit that bumped a ref (female no less) while protesting an obvious hard foul and tried to stir shit with Giannis.

He seems intent on becoming the Pacers version of George Pickens.

Identify however you want but of course that was a punch. It was not something I would have kicked him out of the game for but thems the rules.

The funny part is I'm not sure there would have been a clear view of this incident if not for this being a playoff game. Foz called it correctly. This is a clear case of a) trying to get into Hunter's head and b) hoping to get Hunter to react as he did so Mathurin could flop to the ground.

The Pacers getting back to back playoff series with division rivals is interesting to say the least.

First world problems but I sort of hate how all the teams use their alternate jerseys and courts in the playoffs. I get it as a fun little thing during the regular season, but I'll turn on a game and have no idea who's who for the first couple minutes.

Not a big deal now but I wonder in 20 years if it makes these old clips tough to decipher because every team has a whole new color scheme each season. There is something about just sticking to the basics in the playoffs.

Mavs make a boneheaded deal to trade Luka then win the lottery.

hmm....

Outstanding job NBA! Way to protect Nico!:D

I don't believe the NBA did anything to rig the lottery and actually hate when that becomes the narrative.

I don't either.

Dylan Harper and Wemby is going to be a hell of a combo.

Sucks for Flagg bc idk how the fan base is going to react. If it was my team I’d be out until they are competitive again. I mean they punted a team that just finished as runner up the year before.

I don't know if it's a conspiracy but still fishy that one of the worst trades in history benefitting the NBA's premier franchise and then you magically win the lottery with a 1% chance is fishy.

The few Mavs games I saw after the trade, the fans still supported the players. Even in Luka's return game, they still supported Mavs players. I think Cooper Flagg fits most fans want and fit what Mavs fans have supported in their last two superstars. A potential great player that while not on Luka's level can grow to reach his full potential right before their eyes. He can be one of their own.

Here is the entire lottery order


1. Dallas
2. San Antonio
3. Philadelphia
4. Charlotte
5. Utah
6. Washington
7. New Orleans
8. Brooklyn
9. Toronto
10. Houston
11. Portland
12. Chicago
13. Atlanta
14. San Antonio

Do the Sixers draft another 6'10" forward who could not get his college team to the NCAA tournament?

I'd be really surprised considering how analytically based the franchise is under Morey. Analytics have Ace as a borderline 1st round guy. Right now he looks like he'd be a high usage, low efficiency offensive player that brings more value on the defensive end.

Assuming they hold onto the pick I think Edgecombe or Fears is more likely IMO.

I'm your precise opposite.

Add me to the not rigged camp.

Sucks to see what happened to Tatum last night. I assume Achilles?

Regardless of sport, post-season injuries are especially cruel because, by definition, the best teams are still playing and an injury like that not only likely ends this season but significantly impacts the entire next season.

I know it sounds weird but I almost find it almost hopeful that it is something while serious is not an Achilles injury based solely Tatum's reaction. The more common reaction is the initial "felt like I got shot" injury tends to more shock than actually pain. Like wow, my Achilles just popped. Tatum looked like he was in severe pain last night. Like some other ligament tear or something more structural. I am just terrified basketball players and Achilles tears. That just feels like the one injury that is the closest to a career stopper for those players.

Why would they rig it for the Mavs? Wouldn’t they rather than Flagg in someplace like Chicago if they believe he’s a generational talent?

Back to the games, I still would not be shocked if the Celtics beat the Knicks three more times this season. I still trust the likes of Brown, Holiday, White, and Porzingis at their best more than I do the Knicks besides Brunson. Unfortunately, I don't think we have seen the best of any of those players this year.

A NBA final four of Thunder/Nuggets vs T-Wolves and Knicks vs. Pacers? And then the winner of those matchups in the Finals? I'm here for it.

Sending a top 5 player entering his prime to their premier market for pennies on the dollar was an enormous gift to the NBA.

As noted below, this was simply payback for sending a premier player to one of the two most important markets.

Well damn:(

Celtics' Jayson Tatum undergoes surgery for torn Achilles - ESPN

Conspiracies aside, the funniest thing Nico could do is draft someone other than Cooper Flagg. Just go full on with the villain mode.

Trade the pick to Atlanta ... I mean, it's only fair.

(though Atlanta would still have the woefully short end of the stick)

I bought the WNBA League Pass today. What has happened to my life?

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Glad to see it start up again. Clark with 10 assists, would have been 18-20 except Indiana missed a ton of layups.

I can't do women's basketball. Too much PTSD from watching Mack play. However, I'm closing in on close to watching 24 hours of the college softball regionals in the past 36 hours.

It’s a bargain.

No kidding. I just wantd to make sure I had most of the games, and just peeked at the price. $34.99 a year? Yes, please. I wish more leagues had that kind of deal. They want $29.95 a MONTH just for Braves games. No, that is not happening. So that means I have almost completely stopped watching baseball. Want to know how to kill off fans? Make your games hard to watch.

I thought they raise the price some this year, but was happy to see they hadn’t.

Depends on your perspective! It has increased over 57% since I first got my subscription!:rant:

Just kidding. Even going up from $19.99 when I first subscribed to the current price has not stopped it from being an automatic purchase for ten years running.

I was this close to renewing ESPN+ for one month for the baseball and softball tournaments but I have been happy with the amounts of both that I have seen through YouTube TV.

The "Caitlin Clark is an innocent waif who must be protected from Angry Black Angel Reese" energy is strong on social media today.

That crap is such a PIA. That rivalry could actually be fun, but instead we have to make it some white supremacist bullcrap. Clark's foul was clearly a blatant one. No big deal. Reese overreacted but that was pretty minor as well, and now the whole thing is overblown. Everybody got the fouls they deserved and no real damage done.

I’m not a fan of Reese. Glad to see Caitlin kicking her ass on the court.

Agreed.

Uncomfortable question for all. Is this an actual rivalry without all of that talk?

I mean this is not Bird vs Magic. That was a basketball rivalry that began in the national championship game that was tinged with race talk throughout the pregame talk. It grew in the pros fueled mostly by the basketball rivalry between the teams that drafted them that also included plenty of race talk and similar talk before Magic and Bird got there. Chicago is not LA, Indianapolis is not Boston. The Sky and Fever are not the storied franchises of the WNBA. Reese is not the only WNBA player who does not worship at the altar of CC. There are plenty of guards of all races for Clark to have a rivalry with. Let Reese have a rivalry with Aliyah Boston if there is a need of a rivalry between a Sky player and a Fever player.

Yes the foul was intentional to stop an easy basket. Happens a million times a season. Reese is the one that escalated this and it’s easy to see why if you look into things she has said and how she has behaved towards Clark in the past. That’s removing all the racial stuff from the occasion.

So we can only have rivalries if they follow exactly the Magic vs. Bird blueprint? They both played huge college playoff games against each other (which ended 1-1), drafted in the same year with lots of attention, and now play on regional rival teams. That seems like a good recipe for a rivalry to me. And it definitely pulls eyeballs. No, I dont think we have bad guy/good guy, or make it all about race to be fun. They both have big egos, and they are always going to have extra juice when they play each other.
Honestly, I like them both. Bigger fan of Clark, but I hope Reese continues to develop and Chicago puts things together.

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The escalation also happens a million times a season. In fact, it is not the first time such a foul and the ensuing escalation happened in that building this month between two teams that plain don't like each other.

- YouTube

Somehow, even with the dislike/hate between the Pacers and the Bucks, this incident occurred without the need for everyone to go into think piece mode because things like this happen a million time a season.

Yea, well Clark is different. What if that was LeBron there? There is a difference when things happens with lesser players and when it happens with generational players. You don’t have to like that Clark is that guy in the WNBA but it is what it is.

They also played in two regular season games and the Big Ten conference title game against each other which ended with Clark being on the losing end all three times. Does that count as part of the rivalry?

You can have whatever rivalry you want. It does not have to follow the Magic vs Bird blueprint. I just don't think Clark or Reese look at each other as rivals despite how much fans and the media would like to create one a la Magic and Bird. Do Reese and Clark like each other? Probably not even though they have said that that it is not the case But rivals? Nah. While I believe Reese is a very good player, she is not playing at the level that Caitlin Clark is playing at for anyone to consider them rivals at this point in both of their careers. Hate from the media and fans and their dislike of each other is not enough for me to call it a rivalry. I wouldn't say that there is a rivalry between Clark and

I would even go a step further and say even if Reese thinks Clark is her rival, I can see Clark privately being so arrogant about her standing in the game, that she would consider it insulting for anyone to think of Reese is a rival of hers.

Now the Liberty and the Aces and Breanna Stewart and A'ja Wilson specifically? That is a rivalry for me.

What if it was Lebron was in Clark's place committing the flagrant foul and the guy he committed the foul against took Reese's place and escalated things?

Don't take this as an endorsement of the behavior, just proof that it is not a rare occurrence. And with that, may I introduce you to Isaiah Stewart aka Beef Stew?

- YouTube

Yea I see where you are going but a big difference between a hard basketball foul and an elbow to the dome. As I said that very play happens every close basketball game. You don’t get up acting like that. She had her hand on the ball she didn’t headlock her and take her down or bulldog her from behind or punch or elbow her. She fouled her hard enough on the ball that she made sure the shot wasn’t made.

First, the difference was this reaction was directed to a generational talent and not some lesser talent. Now the difference is that this generational talent's hard foul was not as severe as that other generational talent's hard foul.

If you are of the opinion that no player who receive a hard foul should never ever react in the way Reese reacted, that's fine even though I vehemently disagree. Suggesting that Angel Reese shouldn't react that way or players that Caitlin Clark fouls shouldn't react that way is problematic to say the least.

Really tough to watch SGA.

The reason people are talking about it is because it is a generational player. And I’m also 100% of the opinion that no one should react like that on a basketball play. Sorry if I wasn’t clear because we both seem to be drifting into different points. Also I think you should look at those two plays again and see if you can tell the difference between a hard foul on the ball and a loose ball elbow to the face. Drastically different offenses.

Where were you at last season when Chicago committed 4 flagrant fouls on Clark? Those are all OK because Clark didn’t try to start a fist fight with the person that fouled her?

Unrelated but how do you watch the Fever in the Indianapolis market? They were on NBA Network but I was blacked out. They weren’t on any other channels.

As I said, I disagree with that opinion. While intentional hard fouls are a part of the game, we can't act like they are not intentional and hard. It was not dirty, it was not malicious. It was not an elbow to the face. It also was not a touch foul. It was not a player wrapping their arms around a player's waist and holding them so they did not take a shot and did not fall to the ground. It was not just a foul. It was a HARD FOUL. It wasn't an accident. It was done forcefully with intent but again not with any malice. It is perfectly reasonable for a player to not take to kindly to someone hitting them beyond what we all know to be normal contact for basketball, doing so forcefully with intent even when it is without malice. I understand the reaction of the fouled player. I understood it when Siakam did it. I understood it when Stewart did it. I understood it when Reese did it. I will always understand that player's frustration. Will some take it too far like Stewart did? Sure. Reese's reaction was not that. And again, we don't need to make this more than it is by suggesting a fistfight when we have spent the better part of the last twenty years clowning basketball players because we all know none of them actually want to fight.

As far as where I was when Chicago was committing flagrant fouls against Clark last year? I was probably ripping her teammates for not knocking one of the Sky players on their ass to let them know that roughing up a Fever player would not be tolerated. Or ripping her coach for not tossing chairs a la Bobby Knight to show that she was not tolerating one of her players being roughed up. Maybe even ripping Clark for not standing up for herself if her teammates didn't and then ripping her teammates and her coach for not standing up for her.

The NBA is a blast to watch nowadays. ____ for three! ____ for three!

SGA runs into the defender and he will go to the line for two!

Hey now, half the time he just falls down without contact.

Not hard for me at all. Go Thunder!

:popcorn:

What a great comeback by the Pacers.

That was a pretty damn good basketball game.

Pacers and Knicks likely to tire each other out i wouldn't be shocked if Thunder win their next 7 straight.

Liberty is eating the Fever alive on the inside. Fever has to figure that out.

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What a well refereed game of basketball:lol:

Pacers did it again! Man I don't think they lead the entire game, they sure seem like a team of destiny

Mostly watched the softball game instead of this, and thanks to the weather in OKC, that game ended late - like, 22 seconds left in the basketball game late. Amazing ending.

Basketball is such a beautiful sport when all five players on a team decide they are bust their ass up and down the court. Not that I don't find beauty in the half court game offensively and/or defensively. It is just the transition from defense to offense that involves five people busting their ass down the court, a pass here, a pass there resulting in a uncontested simple layup....chef's kisses.

It is so beautiful and artsy it is enough to make some think basketball is not a contact sport.

I really, really wish SGA could go back in time and play against the 80's Pistons or 76ers. Watching him push off, arm hook, and head butt defenders and get foul calls is so infuriating to watch.

Its insane how hard both these teams play. Nesmith is relentless.

No disrespect but no you don't.

IMO, this was the one way the players were allowed to police themselves and place a cost on foul seeking. Unfortunately, we all clutch our pearls and removed it from the game because allowing the players to police themselves was not a good product to watch.

Sorry if that came off as too harsh. Funny enough, there is a sort of irony in me apologizing. I am particularly sensitive to the foul seeking/chasing conversation today. I was listening to a podcast where the commentators were suggesting the Pacers needed to "be more physical" with the Thunder and not allow them to run their offense so easily. Then, the commentators immediately covered their asses by saying they weren't saying the Pacers should try and hurt the Thunder and they should be more aggressive within the rules and much more verbal diarrhea after that in order to walk back the talk of being more physical. In other words, be more physical without touching them too hard.