2024 NBA Season and Playoffs

[Phantom255x]

Idk if it's wise to say this and give NYK even more motivation...

https://twitter.com/TheDunkCentral/status/1780983951307235781?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet

Paul Reed says he wanted to play the Knicks instead of the Celtics

“We wanted the Knicks matchup, that's the easier team.” 👀

(Via
@RunItBackFDTV)

[Vermont Green]

Idk if it's wise to say this and give NYK even more motivation...

https://twitter.com/TheDunkCentral/status/1780983951307235781?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet

Paul Reed says he wanted to play the Knicks instead of the Celtics

“We wanted the Knicks matchup, that's the easier team.” 👀

(Via
@RunItBackFDTV)

If PHI doesn't play better than they did vs. MIA, they aren't going anywhere in any case.  I don't know what happened to PHI.  They were playing very well.  Won their last 8 games.  I expected Embiid to wear down and fade at some point in the playoffs, but not in the play-in round.  NYK is the one that may end up happy with this match up.

[Neurotic Guy]

Heading into the 2008 playoffs KG, PP, and Ray - even though in their 30's -- had not won a championship.  No one worried about KGs intensity or Ray Allen's clutch factor, but I think I recall quite a few concerns when they struggled with Atlanta in the first round.  Without HCA, they very well might have lost that series.  And then... the Cavs took them to seven.  This Game Seven could have gone the other way - C's won by 5 (they blew out Atlanta in round 1, game 7).

It wasn't till the Pistons series in the ECF that the C's won an away playoff game.

The above is just a reminder that a struggle in the early rounds may happen, and may not mean this year's C's are going down.   I'd almost rather the C's had a tough series -- at least a couple of tough games -- to get in the right mode for winning playoff games.  It took the 2008 team a couple of series to become who they became. 

[Who]

Miami Heat

With Jimmy = 33 wins 27 losses (45 win pace)
Without Jimmy = 13 wins 9 losses (48-49 win pace)

They have played well without Jimmy this year. We shouldn't write them off against Chicago.

[keevsnick]

Miami Heat

With Jimmy = 33 wins 27 losses (45 win pace)
Without Jimmy = 13 wins 9 losses (48-49 win pace)

They have played well without Jimmy this year. We shouldn't write them off against Chicago.

Miami could of course beat Chicago, even without Jimmy I think you could argue they SHOULD beat Chicago. Becasue Chicago is also pretty banged up, and not very good.

The bigger deal is the C's will either face an injured Miami team or and injured Chicago team in the first round. What once looked like it could be a tough bracket has broken Boston's way.

Boston had the #1 rated offense in the ECF during the regular seaosn. The 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 6th ranked offenses in the East are now all on the other side of the bracket and #5 Atlanta is eliminated.

Boston's side of the bracket is far more defensively oriented. But I don't think a team stands a chance against Boston if they don't have a high powered offense.

[Roy H.]

Miami Heat

With Jimmy = 33 wins 27 losses (45 win pace)
Without Jimmy = 13 wins 9 losses (48-49 win pace)

They have played well without Jimmy this year. We shouldn't write them off against Chicago.

Miami could of course beat Chicago, even without Jimmy I think you could argue they SHOULD beat Chicago. Becasue Chicago is also pretty banged up, and not very good.

The bigger deal is the C's will either face an injured Miami team or and injured Chicago team in the first round. What once looked like it could be a tough bracket has broken Boston's way.

Boston had the #1 rated offense in the ECF during the regular seaosn. The 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 6th ranked offenses in the East are now all on the other side of the bracket and #5 Atlanta is eliminated.

Boston's side of the bracket is far more defensively oriented. But I don't think a team stands a chance against Boston if they don't have a high powered offense.

You would hope so, but the eighth seed Heat team that we lost to last season was ranked 25th in terms of offensive rating, and they beat us three games in a row.

[angryguy77]

Miami Heat

With Jimmy = 33 wins 27 losses (45 win pace)
Without Jimmy = 13 wins 9 losses (48-49 win pace)

They have played well without Jimmy this year. We shouldn't write them off against Chicago.

Miami could of course beat Chicago, even without Jimmy I think you could argue they SHOULD beat Chicago. Becasue Chicago is also pretty banged up, and not very good.

The bigger deal is the C's will either face an injured Miami team or and injured Chicago team in the first round. What once looked like it could be a tough bracket has broken Boston's way.

Boston had the #1 rated offense in the ECF during the regular seaosn. The 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 6th ranked offenses in the East are now all on the other side of the bracket and #5 Atlanta is eliminated.

Boston's side of the bracket is far more defensively oriented. But I don't think a team stands a chance against Boston if they don't have a high powered offense.

You would hope so, but the eighth seed Heat team that we lost to last season was ranked 25th in terms of offensive rating, and they beat us three games in a row.

They already sold their soul once, they're not getting demonic help from 3 a second year in a row.

[hpantazo]

Lakers media and fan hype is already on overload talking about how great Lebron will be after he leads them to a series win over Denver. There is no way they stand a chance of beating Denver unless Jokic gets injured.

[tazzmaniac]

Idk if it's wise to say this and give NYK even more motivation...

https://twitter.com/TheDunkCentral/status/1780983951307235781?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet

Paul Reed says he wanted to play the Knicks instead of the Celtics

“We wanted the Knicks matchup, that's the easier team.” 👀

(Via
@RunItBackFDTV)

If PHI doesn't play better than they did vs. MIA, they aren't going anywhere in any case.  I don't know what happened to PHI.  They were playing very well.  Won their last 8 games.  I expected Embiid to wear down and fade at some point in the playoffs, but not in the play-in round.  NYK is the one that may end up happy with this match up.

The Sixers should be able to beat NYK.  It is a 7-game series not a 1 game play in.
 Who does NYK have besides Brunson?  If the Sixers hadn't shot so poorly and turned the ball over so much in the 1st half they would have won the game going away. 

Embiid did end up playing 38 minutes and played better in the 4th.  However he clearly isn't close to 100% and the injury scare in the Magic game set him back.  Other than maybe for the 1st 2 season he missed due to injury I don't recall him talking much about the difficulty physically and mentally recovering from an injury.  He needs to get through a few more games without another injury scare and maybe the mentality part gets sorted out.   

[Who]

Idk if it's wise to say this and give NYK even more motivation...

https://twitter.com/TheDunkCentral/status/1780983951307235781?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet

Paul Reed says he wanted to play the Knicks instead of the Celtics

“We wanted the Knicks matchup, that's the easier team.” 👀

(Via
@RunItBackFDTV)

If PHI doesn't play better than they did vs. MIA, they aren't going anywhere in any case.  I don't know what happened to PHI.  They were playing very well.  Won their last 8 games.  I expected Embiid to wear down and fade at some point in the playoffs, but not in the play-in round.  NYK is the one that may end up happy with this match up.

The Sixers should be able to beat NYK.  It is a 7-game series not a 1 game play in.
 Who does NYK have besides Brunson?  If the Sixers hadn't shot so poorly and turned the ball over so much in the 1st half they would have won the game going away. 

Embiid did end up playing 38 minutes and played better in the 4th.  However he clearly isn't close to 100% and the injury scare in the Magic game set him back.  Other than maybe for the 1st 2 season he missed due to injury I don't recall him talking much about the difficulty physically and mentally recovering from an injury.  He needs to get through a few more games without another injury scare and maybe the mentality part gets sorted out.   

I am leaning towards NY.

Brunson will be a massive mismatch for them. Maxey is too small to check him. Hield and Lowry too slow. Melton is the only guy I like covering him. Then you have Embiid who couldn't show at all on the perimeter the other night. Brunson is going to have huge opportunities attacking Embiid in the PnR. I think Brunson will feast in that series.

Maxey needs to step up. He was poor the other night. He needs to take on more offensive responsibility with Embiid struggling. For Philly to win, he has to be great.

[Who]

Young would be an awesome fit with the Spurs and Wemby

I don't know. I really liked it when I first heard the rumour. I liked the idea of two man game. Big man & little man. Center & point guard. Ball-handler and finisher.

But ...

Trae Young is so ball dominant that he will force Wemby to play off-ball too often. And to play in a way that responds to Trae strengths instead of letting the offense revolve around Wemby's main strengths.

I'd prefer to see Wemby play with a less ball dominant player and be the center piece that the rest of the offense revolves around.

As for Trae, I'd love to see him on a team like the 2001 76ers where AI was allowed to monopolize the ball the offense and was surrounded by big physical athletic defensive players & finishers. Preferably better finishers / shooters than that 2001 76ers team. But that sort of mould. A team that allows Trae to be the uber-dominant heliocentric figure he is suited to being. That makes the most of his offensive talent to combat his defensive limitations. And surrounds him with players who can help overcome or reduce his defensive limitations.

[Phantom255x]

Get a load of this joker 

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10117485-ben-simmons-rumors-nets-star-loves-the-nba-lifestyle-too-much-to-consider-retiring

Ben Simmons Rumors: Nets Star 'Loves the NBA Lifestyle Too Much' to Consider Retiring

Easily the worst contract in the league. He'll retire as soon as the contract ends. Still comical people suggested trading Jaylen for him or Smart + additional assets. I doubt he's even seriously hurt, he's just using that to justify "rehab" until the contract runs out. He recently posted "rehab" pics as well, made me roll my eyes hard

[Moranis]

New York completely shut down the Sixers during the regular season. I realize Embiid only played in one of them, but the Knicks crushed them that game and Embiid had a subpar game basically everywhere.

The Knicks are also an excellent offensive rebounding team (lead the league) while the Sixers are a below average defensive rebounding team (23rd).  The Knicks are going to get 2nd chances and in what will likely be a low scoring series, that can be the difference.

That doesn't mean the Sixers can't win and if Embiid was truly healthy, I'd favor them, but right now I think the Knicks win the series in 5 games.  All close, low scoring, hard fought games, but I don't think the Sixers will be able to score enough against the Knicks.  It is probably the worst match-up for them.  I'd have given the Sixers slightly better odds of beating Boston just based on match-up (I still think Boston would have won the series - and not in 7, I just think Embiid is a more of problem for Boston than he is NY).

[celticsclay]

Get a load of this joker 

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10117485-ben-simmons-rumors-nets-star-loves-the-nba-lifestyle-too-much-to-consider-retiring

Ben Simmons Rumors: Nets Star 'Loves the NBA Lifestyle Too Much' to Consider Retiring

Easily the worst contract in the league. He'll retire as soon as the contract ends. Still comical people suggested trading Jaylen for him or Smart + additional assets. I doubt he's even seriously hurt, he's just using that to justify "rehab" until the contract runs out. He recently posted "rehab" pics as well, made me roll my eyes hard

As the article points out it’s kind of unlikely he is going to get more than a vet minimum without really showing something next year. Obviously still amazing money for most of us but a far cry from his lifestyle the last 4 years

[celticsclay]

Idk if it's wise to say this and give NYK even more motivation...

https://twitter.com/TheDunkCentral/status/1780983951307235781?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet

Paul Reed says he wanted to play the Knicks instead of the Celtics

“We wanted the Knicks matchup, that's the easier team.” 👀

(Via
@RunItBackFDTV)

If PHI doesn't play better than they did vs. MIA, they aren't going anywhere in any case.  I don't know what happened to PHI.  They were playing very well.  Won their last 8 games.  I expected Embiid to wear down and fade at some point in the playoffs, but not in the play-in round.  NYK is the one that may end up happy with this match up.

The Sixers should be able to beat NYK.  It is a 7-game series not a 1 game play in.
 Who does NYK have besides Brunson?  If the Sixers hadn't shot so poorly and turned the ball over so much in the 1st half they would have won the game going away. 

Embiid did end up playing 38 minutes and played better in the 4th.  However he clearly isn't close to 100% and the injury scare in the Magic game set him back.  Other than maybe for the 1st 2 season he missed due to injury I don't recall him talking much about the difficulty physically and mentally recovering from an injury.  He needs to get through a few more games without another injury scare and maybe the mentality part gets sorted out.   

I am leaning towards NY.

Brunson will be a massive mismatch for them. Maxey is too small to check him. Hield and Lowry too slow. Melton is the only guy I like covering him. Then you have Embiid who couldn't show at all on the perimeter the other night. Brunson is going to have huge opportunities attacking Embiid in the PnR. I think Brunson will feast in that series.

Maxey needs to step up. He was poor the other night. He needs to take on more offensive responsibility with Embiid struggling. For Philly to win, he has to be great.

Knicks also have a bunch of good defenders and a decent couple of big men to slightly annoy Embid in Robinson and hartenstein. Bogs can also get hot. Let’s not pretend the 76ers or Embid looked good against the heat with an injured butler