The Jazz had an illegal pick to win game 6 in 1997. I'm fully convinced we should have beaten them. We did take them lightly and let them come back, which is some sort of H-Town sports curse.
I agree but part of me thinks we had it coming after beating them in 94 and 95 (especially coming back on the road in 95). On the other hand, losing to the Jazz in 2007 was just indefensible and devastating.
I will always assume we win it all in '18 if CP3 + Scott Foster doesn't happen. But in '97 I can't assume we beat Utah even if the illegal pick got called. It was Game 6 and waiving off that shot would've put it into OT, so no guarantees. We were behind practically all series and that was with Eddie Johnson's miracle game winner.
Yes, i agree and Game 7 would have been in Utah, who where undefeated till Game 5 of the finals, Jordan's flu game. So i think we wouldnt have won that series. Game 7 in 2007, on the other hand, they blew it for sure. Yao couldnt get a single defensive rebound in those last minutes of the game. 2018 we should have won but people forget that we got blown out by 40 in game 3 in that series, so hard to be definitive also.
If we had played these Warriors, we would've gotten smoked. Suns needed all the threes they could get to keep them at Bay.
My biggest takeaway from NBA Playoff basketball so far is defensively tilted perimeter players who are little threats to score the basketball are not viable in this current postseason environment. Given the shifts in size, with teams leaning into double big or true C and PF sized lineups, you can't afford to play 4v5 on offense in the playoffs. There's too much help in the gaps, in the paint, too many bodies for someone to have to beat off the dribble to create a shot. If teams double, that skip pass has to go to a viable scorer, or else you're just bleeding possessions away. Playoff lesson #2 that I’ve also spoken about a lot this season: Shooting is no longer a separator between highest level player outcomes. It’s a prerequisite to getting on the floor. What IS a separator is ball handling/footwork. Being able to create opportunities for your teammates, but also yourself from pull-up jumpers and paint touches. The best players in the world have command over their dribble and aren’t limited to where they can get to on the floor. Major factor in a player’s ceiling when evaluating this upcoming 2026 NBA Draft and beyond. Spoiler
