NBA Regular Season & Playoffs 2017-18

Osmosis Jones

Donovan Mitchell weighs in on the Rookie of the Year debate

Carcharodon

Warriors getting blown out now in 3rd, bench the starters and let them think about how they are going to attack these playoffs. They have been pathetic recently

LuckyLloyd

Carcharodon wrote: »

Warriors getting blown out now in 3rd, bench the starters and let them think about how they are going to attack these playoffs. They have been pathetic recently

10 - 10 since March - injuries a big part of that obv. Interesting to see how tonight shakes out. Don't think the Warriors would want any part of Oklahoma in the first round right now.

K.O.Kiki

Osmosis Jones wrote: »

Donovan Mitchell weighs in on the Rookie of the Year debate

https://twitter.com/KyleNeubeck/status/983896036589662210
https://streamable.com/nz3tn

Sixers-Jazz finals in 2-3 years plz

K.O.Kiki

I didn't watch the GSW-Jazz match; read that by losing they guarantee not playing OKC or the Jazz in the first round.
So I guess it was a proper tank job?

K.O.Kiki

Also:

LeBron James has more total Points, Rebounds, Assists, Blocks, Higher FG%, Higher 3-pt%, Less Turnovers, and 14 more Triple Doubles than James Harden this season.
Per-game:
LeBron is beating him on average/per game, FG%, 3-Pt%, Assists, Rebounds, Blocks and less Turnovers as well.

ButtersSuki

Listened to the Dunc'd on pod for all the permutations in both Conferences for the last games tonight. Jeez it's complicated; with far more than just this year's Play Off implications for a lot of teams on the line - losing draft picks etc.

I'll try and surmise:
West:
Obviously GS and Rockets locked in 2 and 1 respectively.
Utah and Portland can finish anywhere from 3rd - 5th.
OKC can be as high as 4th and as low as 7th.
San An can be as high as 4th and as low as 8th (San An v Houston Rd. 1? )
Pelicans can be 5-8.
Denver can be as high as 6th if they win, or 7th, but not 8th if they win.
Minnesota can be 6th, 7th or 8th.


East:
Pretty much sorted 1-5, though Cavs and 76ers can flip 3 and 4.
Any of Miami, Wizards and Bucks can finish 6-8.


Fun Fact:
This is the most teams ever to go .500+ (18) in one season in the NBA.

ButtersSuki

K.O.Kiki wrote: »

I didn't watch the GSW-Jazz match; read that by losing they guarantee not playing OKC or the Jazz in the first round.
So I guess it was a proper tank job?

I have to be honest, I'd be very worried if I was a GSW fan. They're playing horribly. They have issues way beyond Curry's injury. Mentally in particular they look off.

Right now I think depending on matchups in Rds 1 and potentially 2 that without Curry they are in real trouble. If they think they're cruising to a non-home court match up with Houston and can just turn it on against them they're likely in for a shock.

The whole Play Offs on both Conferences look very even. There could/should be some surprises.

I mean a lot of the warriors is just being jaded I'd imagine. They could well flip s switch in the playoffs

Gregk961

Marcel Delightful Viewfinder wrote: »

I mean a lot of the warriors is just being jaded I'd imagine. They could well flip s switch in the playoffs

This idea of "flipping a switch" comes up with a couple of teams every year and doesn't always prove effective. The Warriors are in reverse right now and they have a few days to get it up into 3rd or 4th gear(without their key player) or they are gone. The Cavs defense was atrocious coming into the playoffs last year and when they "flipped" it into playoff mode they were better but still pretty bad.

You can see how frustrated Kerr has been all year, he even acknowledged he had been through a similar slump with the Bulls. I still have them as the most likely champions but I'm not half as sure as I was.

Sure it's not always true but sometimes it is and with a team this talented I'd wager they will be a-ok I could be wrong but if your putting mo ye on a team I would likely be them and that says it all really

Osmosis Jones

Warriors have definitely been coasting but I think they could get taken to 6 without Curry in the first round.

Really looking forward to this Nuggets Wolves game.

K.O.Kiki

Markelle Fultz just became the youngest player to record a triple-double (13-10-10); and Russell Westbrook became the first player to ever have TWO triple-double seasons!

Taj Gibson's defence & Andrew Wiggins' FT shooting have helped the Timberbulls reach the Playoffs for the first time in 13 years!

LuckyLloyd

Warriors will be happy to see Spurs in the first round I reckon. Then get the winner of Portland / New Orleans in the second. I think that’s their perfect draw to ease their way into this.

NufcNavan

Honestly this could not have been any worse other than just not making it. I would rather play Toronto than Cleveland and I don't want to play Toronto. To be blunt the Cavs are a horrible horrible team. Take LaBron off of there and I would believe they might not even make the playoffs. However he by himself (as we have witnessed up close and personal for what 5 of the past 7 years) is good enough, even at his age, to not allow them to lose in the first round.

Also not that I am a conspiracy person or anything but believe me the league will not want to see him out in round 1 either. It will be 8 on 5 for the entire series.

Doesn't take away from the good year The Pacers have had but yeah, getting them in round 1 sucks big time.

Is it impossible? No. But it is very very improbable.

If we get Bogdonovich on fire, if we get the Myles Turner we had just a month ago, if Thad can stay out of foul trouble, if Olidipo stays at least at the level he was in January then we have a chance to at least drag this out.

However if we get Bogy who can't hit, Myles the way he has been the past 9 games, Thad in foul trouble and Victor who turns the ball over a lot then this will be over in 5 if we are lucky.

Also, winning close to 50 games and still getting to face LeBron in the first round. Just goes to show that this whole "East is weak" argument is bull****.

ButtersSuki

NufcNavan wrote: »

Honestly this could not have been any worse other than just not making it. I would rather play Toronto than Cleveland and I don't want to play Toronto. To be blunt the Cavs are a horrible horrible team. Take LaBron off of there and I would believe they might not even make the playoffs. However he by himself (as we have witnessed up close and personal for what 5 of the past 7 years) is good enough, even at his age, to not allow them to lose in the first round.

Also not that I am a conspiracy person or anything but believe me the league will not want to see him out in round 1 either. It will be 8 on 5 for the entire series.

Doesn't take away from the good year The Pacers have had but yeah, getting them in round 1 sucks big time.

Is it impossible? No. But it is very very improbable.

If we get Bogdonovich on fire, if we get the Myles Turner we had just a month ago, if Thad can stay out of foul trouble, if Olidipo stays at least at the level he was in January then we have a chance to at least drag this out.

However if we get Bogy who can't hit, Myles the way he has been the past 9 games, Thad in foul trouble and Victor who turns the ball over a lot then this will be over in 5 if we are lucky.

You make some good points re. the refs and the NBA etc., but I think it's closer than you think. The Cavs aren't great.

NufcNavan wrote: »

Also, winning close to 50 games and still getting to face LeBron in the first round. Just goes to show that this whole "East is weak" argument is bull****.

For context, Denver won 47 games in the much-harder West and didn't even make the Play Offs. That's the third highest total ever NOT to make the Play Offs with 48 being the highest (which has happened twice).

I say much harder West as West teams play each other more than the East - and vice versa. Therefore the West is a tougher conference by strength of schedule alone; ergo, 50 wins in the West does not equal 50 wins in the East.

If Denver were in the East, they're easily a 50 win team and in.

I'm not a Denver fan btw, just pointing this out. :pac:

ButtersSuki

Hornacek fired. Can't say I'm surprised but it's such a poisoned chalice. Not sure what he's supposed to do......

ButtersSuki

Orlando winning drops from a tie for 4th to 5th on their own and obviously decrease their own odds in the lottery.
Sacramento winning drops them from 6th to joint 7th.

Can't even tank properly......

Brooklyn winning puts them at 8.

Full list:
1. Phoenix
2. Memphis
3. Dallas TIED
3. Atlanta TIED
5. Orlando
6. Chicago TIED
6. Sacramento TIED
8. Brooklyn
9. New York
10. LA Lakers
11. Charlotte
12. Detroit
13. LA Clippers
14. Denver

NufcNavan

ButtersSuki wrote: »

You make some good points re. the refs and the NBA etc., but I think it's closer than you think. The Cavs aren't great.



For context, Denver won 47 games in the much-harder West and didn't even make the Play Offs. That's the third highest total ever NOT to make the Play Offs with 48 being the highest (which has happened twice).

I say much harder West as West teams play each other more than the East - and vice versa. Therefore the West is a tougher conference by strength of schedule alone; ergo, 50 wins in the West does not equal 50 wins in the East.

If Denver were in the East, they're easily a 50 win team and in.

I'm not a Denver fan btw, just pointing this out. :pac:

I'm not disputing that the West is stronger but the East is not far behind atm.

Meatyfubu

Im sure a strength of schedule with relative wins is available somewhere. Anecdotally I'd imagine anyone below 52-53 wins in the East strength adjusted probably doesnt make the Western conference playoffs.

The Cavs 8 vs 5 stuff is complete bull imo.
Of course the league doesnt want to see him out but it doesn't mean they'll cheat to keep him in. Thats the same as anyone in any business, who wants to see their best selling product not being sold. I'm sure Skip Bayless or Stephen A Smith etc pushes that but it's just not true at least to the extent that some people may think.

Itssoeasy

Games Saturday

Spurs @ Warriors 8pm
Wizards @ Raptors 10:30pm
Heat @ 76ers 1:00am
Pelicans @ Trail blazers 3:30am

Sunday

Bucks @ Celtics 6:00pm
Pacers@ Cavaliers 8:30pm
Jazz@ Thunder 11:30pm
Timberwolves @ Rockets 2:00am

Meatyfubu

Vogel gone too. The Magic front office have made some awful decisons. Lets give all the money to Biyombo, Ibaka and Vucevic while taking time away from some decent players.

Personally think they sold low on Payton, haven't developed Mario given there's a lot to be said for a 6-7 sg who can shoot and jump, Gordon flip-flop between positons and Issac has had a stop-start season


They need to blow it up, dump Biyombo and Vucevic, flip Fournier for some assets and get this draft right

irishman86

NufcNavan wrote: »

I'm not disputing that the West is stronger but the East is not far behind atm.

Take out the Rockets and GSW and i'd still fancy Portland, Utah, Spurs(without Leonard) over the Celtics/Cavs and perhaps Phillie. Toronto is the only real standout for me

irishman86

irishman86 wrote: »

Take out the Rockets and GSW and i'd still fancy Portland, Utah, Spurs(without Leonard) over the Celtics/Cavs and perhaps Phillie. Toronto is the only real standout for me

In fairness celtics are butchered with injuries a healthy celtics I would fancy agains any of them

ButtersSuki

Are we doing a separate Play Off Thread? Or Play Off Predictions?

irishman86

Marcel Delightful Viewfinder wrote: »

In fairness celtics are butchered with injuries a healthy celtics I would fancy agains any of them

I know buddy, i'd have them a super team without the injuries

ButtersSuki

Somehow I managed to post these in the wrong thread....my Rd. 1 predictions:

EAST:
Toronto v Washington 4-0
Boston v Milwaukee 2-4
Philadelphia v Miami 4-1
Cleveland v Indiana 4-3

WEST:
Houston v Minnesota 4-0
Golden State v San Antonio 4-1
Portland v Pelicans 4-3
Oklahoma v Utah 4-3

I'd have a few caveats on some of the above (like is Embiid playing Game 1 etc.?), but I'll go with the above for now.

I could see either of the PORTLAND v NEW ORLEANS and OKLAHOMA v UTAH series going either way, and I could see INDIANA topping CLEVELAND.

Meatyfubu

EAST:
Toronto v Washington 4-1
Boston v Milwaukee 3-4
Philadelphia v Miami 4-2
Cleveland v Indiana 4-1

WEST:
Houston v Minnesota 4-1
Golden State v San Antonio 4-2
Portland v Pelicans 3-4
Oklahoma v Utah 4-2

After what I saw Rondo single-handedly do for the Bulls, I'm convinced playoff Rondo is real.
I think Davis has taken a bit of mid-season leap(as has Lillard tbf). Fancy the Pelicans to win that tie. Boston and Milwaukee will be close, definitely the closest along with the Pelicans-Portland series. It's probably the one I'm least confident on, I thought they'd kick on after getting rid of Kidd and his defensive scheme adding Jabari and Bledsoe but it hasn't happened.

Osmosis Jones

EAST:
Toronto v Washington 4-1
Boston v Milwaukee 4-2
Philadelphia v Miami 4-3
Cleveland v Indiana 4-1

WEST:
Houston v Minnesota 4-0
Golden State v San Antonio 4-1
Portland v Pelicans 4-3
Oklahoma v Utah 4-3

Itssoeasy

EAST

Toronto v Washington 4-2
Boston v Milwaukee 4-3(I can easily see it going seven)
Philadelphia v Miami 4-1
Cleveland v Indiana 4-3

WEST
Houston v Minnesota 4-0
Golden State v San Antonio 4-1(Provided the players bar Steph Curry are fit and play to their potential)
Portland v Pelicans 4-3
Oklahoma v Utah 3-4