Lively and Gafford looked like Allstars vs Toody

[AirBonner]

Against 39 year old Horford? Not so much. I actually trust current Horford over Toody on defense.

[SouBeachTalents]

Horford also isn't completely useless on offense, and can do elementary things like shoot, dribble and even catch the ball.

[bdonovan]

I think you might be misunderstanding the dynamics involved. The reason Gobert and kat had to come over and guard Dončić was because there was nobody on the Timberwolves that could guard Dončić.

Primary difference here is that Jaylen Brown can guard Dončić so he does not need help defense from the bigs on the Celtics. That is why they can stay home with Gafford and Lively and prevent easy dunks.

[Xiao Yao You]

I think you might be misunderstanding the dynamics involved. The reason Gobert and kat had to come over and guard Dončić was because there was nobody on the Timberwolves that could guard Dončić.

Primary difference here is that Jaylen Brown can guard Dončić so he does not need help defense from the bigs on the Celtics. That is why they can stay home with Gafford and Lively and prevent easy dunks.

Trolls dont deal in facts

[GimmeThat]

I think you might be misunderstanding the dynamics involved. The reason Gobert and kat had to come over and guard Dončić was because there was nobody on the Timberwolves that could guard Dončić.


you're saying Gobert provides 0 rim protection to a team that shot less 3 point shots than the Wolves

"it's playoff time Rudy, come here.. come here.. and chase the ball without seeing the big picture like a brainless animal"

can't teach stupid you know, just as much as can't teach fake

[bdonovan]

you're saying Gobert provides 0 rim protection to a team that shot less 3 point shots than the Wolves

"it's playoff time Rudy, come here.. come here.. and chase the ball without seeing the big picture like a brainless animal"

can't teach stupid you know, just as much as can't teach fake

The alternative is to let Doncic shoot a layup on virtually every posession since no one on the Wolves could keep him from getting to the hoop.

[Xiao Yao You]

The alternative is to let Doncic shoot a layup on virtually every posession since no one on the Wolves could keep him from getting to the hoop.

Same problem the jazz had. Gobert cant guard everyone at the same time

[NBAGOAT]

Horford akways been one of the more switchable bigs and Luka doesn’t beat oeople with speed lol. You switch and lively isn’t open. Switching was never an option for minn but tbf not only goberts fault. You can’t switch conley or kat onto Luka. If Boston faced denver their ability to switch doesn’t matter, you cant switch anyone on to jokic and Boston would have more trouble guarding Murray/jokic pnr

[90sgoat]

If NBA were to do a random drug test, I think they should go look at Horford first.

The way he's staying in shape at his age is ... not normal. He's almost moving better than Lebron.

[beasted]

I think you might be misunderstanding the dynamics involved. The reason Gobert and kat had to come over and guard Dončić was because there was nobody on the Timberwolves that could guard Dončić.

Primary difference here is that Jaylen Brown can guard Dončić so he does not need help defense from the bigs on the Celtics. That is why they can stay home with Gafford and Lively and prevent easy dunks.


Trolls dont deal in facts


McDaniels is a better defender than Jaylen Brown in everyone's book. What are you even talking about?

[Real Men Wear Green]

McDaniels is a better defender than Jaylen Brown in everyone's book. What are you even talking about?
He may be better overall but Brown is stronger and a more explosive athlete, two factors that are important vs Doncic. Brown is himself a great defender overall and generally gets less credit than he deserves because the Celtics have so many good players.

[beasted]

He may be better overall but Brown is stronger and a more explosive athlete, two factors that are important vs Doncic. Brown is himself a great defender overall and generally gets less credit than he deserves because the Celtics have so many good players.

Are you saying that Brown IS indeed a better defender than McDaniels? Because if not, again, what are we even talking about?

There's no stats or metrics that support that being true.

[Real Men Wear Green]

Are you saying that Brown IS indeed a better defender than McDaniels? Because if not, again, what are we even talking about?

There's no stats or metrics that support that being true.
I think he may or may not be better and that doesn't matter to begin with. This is about how players match up not who might get a higher rating in a video game. Doncic takes advantage of his superior size and strength vs most players that are assigned to guard him. JB isn't quite as big as him but is undoubtedly stronger in the weight room and certainly not light so Doncic can't push him around. Brown's had two highlight steals where Doncic tries to force his way past, fails to move Brown at all and then Brown strips him. McDaniels isn't going to make that play regardless of whether you rate his defense as a 9 or an 8.

If you don't see what I'm talking about here, consider Ron Artest and Tayshawn Prince vs. Paul Pierce and Kobe Bryant. Artest may have been the better defender overall but vs Kobe Prince was the better defender because his length was a much bigger problem for Kobe than the strength of Artest, shooting over Prince was too difficult and it arguably cost the Lakers a championship. But Pierce wanted to use more of a power game and could muscle Prince out of position to get good shots off. Artest on the other hand gave Pierce hell. Its about the match up, not just who you think might be better.

[beasted]

In the general team concept of defense, the Wolves just got beat by better offense. The best offensive players ascend in the playoffs. I've never seen a defensive player ascend.

Essentially if we're putting numbers behind it, the equivalent of Caleb Martin last year against Boston suddenly playing out of his mind like a legit 2nd option on a title team. When have we ever seen a Rudy Gobert ascend and become a 4 BLK per game, 2 STL, force field keeping players out of the paint? Rarely if ever amongst all players in playoff history.

Reality is great offense always beats great defense.

[Real Men Wear Green]

In the general team concept of defense, the Wolves just got beat by better offense. The best offensive players ascend in the playoffs. I've never seen a defensive player ascend.

Essentially if we're putting numbers behind it, the equivalent of Caleb Martin last year against Boston suddenly playing out of his mind like a legit 2nd option on a title team. When have we ever seen a Rudy Gobert ascend and become a 4 BLK per game, 2 STL, force field keeping players out of the paint? Rarely if ever amongst all players in playoff history.

Reality is great offense always beats great defense.
None of what you're writing here has anything to do with how players are matching up, which is the important thing here. The last game wasn't real? The two regular season games when Brown and Doncic matched up were not real either? Doncic is certainly too good to completely shut down but Brown has been doing a good job on him, good enough to give the Celtics a chance at victory. That's really all you ask for when dealing with a superstar.

[FKAri]

I think it has less to do with Brown vs McDaniels and more with the fact that Boston doesn't run 2 big lineups like Minnesota. It provided lots of mismatch opportunities.

[beasted]

None of what you're writing here has anything to do with how players are matching up, which is the important thing here. The last game wasn't real? The two regular season games when Brown and Doncic matched up were not real either? Doncic is certainly too good to completely shut down but Brown has been doing a good job on him, good enough to give the Celtics a chance at victory. That's really all you ask for when dealing with a superstar.

What you're saying would only make any sense if Doncic had a significantly worse than usual game. He played more or less equivalent to game 1 against the Wolves. So again, I ask, what are we even talking about?

[Real Men Wear Green]

What you're saying would only make any sense if Doncic had a significantly worse than usual game. He played more or less equivalent to game 1 against the Wolves. So again, I ask, what are we even talking about? You didn't notice his assists totals? You think needing 26 shots to score 30 points is normal for him? I've illustrated what I'm talking about pretty well. If you don't understand it is not my problem.