NBA Season 2021-22

[Donoghus]

Looking at tonight's schedule of games,

CLE @ PHI
MIL @ CHI

So 2 of the 5 teams near the C's in the standings are guaranteed to lose.  Nice.

The Grayson Allen revenge game in Chicago.  That crowd will be hostile.

[smokeablount]

The Lakers are always on and they stink!

The 10th placed Hawks are 11 games out of first but the 10th place Lakers are 22.5 games out of first.

 

The Lakers are worse than the Hawks but the Suns are also 9 games better than the Heat, so a bit disingenuous with your statement

The pot calling the kettle black.

[Goldstar88]

Good game on ESPN, Bucks vs Bulls..

[Donoghus]

Good game on ESPN, Bucks vs Bulls..

That Jones dunk on Giannis was filthy.

Very entertaining game.

[Goldstar88]

Good game on ESPN, Bucks vs Bulls..

That Jones dunk on Giannis was filthy.

Very entertaining game.

Yes it was.

[Donoghus]

Cavs reeling

[PAOBoston]

Cavs reeling

Crashing hard back down to earth.

[Donoghus]

Bucks move into 3 spot with that win.

Top 6 are all within 5.5 games of each other. Pretty wild.

[jpotter33]

Bucks move into 3 spot with that win.

Top 6 are all within 5.5 games of each other. Pretty wild.

If we can slide up into 4 and the top 3 remain the same, that's about perfect for us. Us being at 4 would give us a round of HCA, and we'd almost be guaranteed to play one of Cleveland, Toronto, or Chicago, all of which I think are series we win (preferably in that order, too). Then we'd be slotted to play likely Miami in the 2nd round, avoiding the two most difficult matchups for us in Philly and Milwaukee.

[seancally]

Bucks move into 3 spot with that win.

Top 6 are all within 5.5 games of each other. Pretty wild.

If we can slide up into 4 and the top 3 remain the same, that's about perfect for us. Us being at 4 would give us a round of HCA, and we'd almost be guaranteed to play one of Cleveland, Toronto, or Chicago, all of which I think are series we win (preferably in that order, too). Then we'd be slotted to play likely Miami in the 2nd round, avoiding the two most difficult matchups for us in Philly and Milwaukee.

East playoffs will be a bloodbath. Right now — and this may well end up the scenario — round 1 is Miami-Brooklyn 

Edit: …or, if Brooklyn wins their play in and grabs the 7 seed, they could end up playing Philly. Lots of intriguing scenarios.

[RJD1974]

Those pesky Magic (even after 33 years, my brain twitches a bit when realizing that's a team name) beat the Raptors tonight. The bottom five seeds are all in mini-freefalls, save the Hawks, who've been in a mini-freefall all season.

This is good.

[SparzWizard]

Bucks move into 3 spot with that win.

Top 6 are all within 5.5 games of each other. Pretty wild.

If we can slide up into 4 and the top 3 remain the same, that's about perfect for us. Us being at 4 would give us a round of HCA, and we'd almost be guaranteed to play one of Cleveland, Toronto, or Chicago, all of which I think are series we win (preferably in that order, too). Then we'd be slotted to play likely Miami in the 2nd round, avoiding the two most difficult matchups for us in Philly and Milwaukee.

East playoffs will be a bloodbath. Right now — and this may well end up the scenario — round 1 is Miami-Brooklyn 

Edit: …or, if Brooklyn wins their play in and grabs the 7 seed, they could end up playing Philly. Lots of intriguing scenarios.

I think healthy Brooklyn sweeps Miami.

But if Brooklyn vs 76ers in Round 1, that will be fun. Can't wait to watch them destroy each other in 7 games.

[nickagneta]

I see Brooklyn imploding in the playoffs. Two complete head cases, that haven't even played together yet with only a month to go before the playoffs, being that important, spells major troubles in my book.

[CelticsWhat35]

I see Brooklyn imploding in the playoffs. Two complete head cases, that haven't even played together yet with only a month to go before the playoffs, being that important, spells major troubles in my book.

I would agree if not for the fact they have Kevin Durant.  If he’s healthy, they’re going to be a problem regardless of the status of Kyrie and Ben.  He’s that good.

[Phantom255x]

Jpotter pretty much echoed my thoughts, but I agree. The standings right now look so good for Boston. Obviously we still want them to go up another spot and get the 4 seed, but either way as it sets up you could have the C's playing the Bulls or Cavs 1st round, then likely the Heat in the 2nd round. Ideally we can have HCA in the 1st round through the 4 seed if we can pass one more team.

In the meantime, PHI and MIL will battle each other in the 2nd round and knock the other out.

Another possible scenario is that the play-in tournament plays out and Brooklyn finishes the 7 seed, which could likely mean they play Philly in the 1st round. That could make things spicy in the East Playoffs.

This isn't to say there's an easy path, but the key should be to try and avoid all of BKN/PHI/MIL until the ECF. Even though CLE, CHI and MIA have their strengths, they definitely aren't unbeatable and I think the C's have a good chance against any of them. Even BKN if 1 of Irving/Durant can't play I think they could actually beat BKN as I don't see Simmons really having a huge effect in the playoffs given his limitations.