NBA Season 2022-23

[jpotter33]

Hopefully Phoenix can pull this off. Another loss would put Denver two losses back of us with four games to go, hopefully sealing HCA for us in the Finals if we make it that far.

That's really important against Denver in particular, as they've been virtually unbeatable there, let alone their inherent environmental advantage with the altitude.

[celticsclay]

Wouldn’t shock me to see Celtics play the Lakers in the finals.

Respectfully what the heck are you watching?

[Phantom255x]

The Lakers can probably win a favorable first round matchup, but I'd be shocked if they even make the WCF. I think there's a good chance the Suns with KD could beat them in the 2nd round. That's assuming Denver or Memphis doesn't in the 1st round. I think LAL can beat MEM in a series, not sure about Denver. I'd actually pick DEN to win that in 6 or 7.

Golden State to me is probably going to be the team to beat again in the West. They are healthy, AND Wiggins could actually return soon. Wiggins is sort of their Wild Card/X-Factor which we unfortunately also witnessed ourselves in the Finals last season.

As others have also noted though, there's a lot of variability in the West and unknowns. It could also come down to simply health. I mean AD got back up and resumed, but are we sure he can stay healthy over the next 2-3 months? Same with Durant in Phoenix.

[Goldstar88]

Think Kyrie might play better defense than Luka. It’s bad…

[Phantom255x]

Think Kyrie might play better defense than Luka. It’s bad…

Luka’s checked out. His body language tells it all.

Unless OKC or another team ahead of them starts losing a handful in a row, I think DAL is going to miss the playoffs entirely

[#1P4P]

Tuned into Maverick-Heat… it’s incredible to see a team with 66/44/90 split mid-3rd quarter still down 6, then you look at the home team shooting 54/35/95 on more attempts and realize why.

I thought Luka’s court generalship and team defense would rule the day, but it’s been an epic collapse.

The Mavs lose this game and they’re play-in chances are dire.

[Moranis]

The Lakers were 2-10 so they are 37-28 since.  They were also 25-30 after Westbrook's last game and since all the trades are 14-8 and that is with very little health at the same time from their best 3 players.  The Lakers are a much different team right now than they've been for most of the year.  And every single series they'd play they will have 2 of the 3 best players on the floor.  That stuff matters.  Now would it surprise me if they lost in the 1st round, not really, but they absolutely have the potential to go on a deep run if they can manage to stay healthy.  Health is the key for them though and I don't think they will stay healthy all playoffs.  Just too much injury risk from each of their top 3 players.

[tazzmaniac]

Tuned into Maverick-Heat… it’s incredible to see a team with 66/44/90 split mid-3rd quarter still down 6, then you look at the home team shooting 54/35/95 on more attempts and realize why.

I thought Luka’s court generalship and team defense would rule the day, but it’s been an epic collapse.

The Mavs lose this game and they’re play-in chances are dire.

Team defense would rule the day with Luka and Kyrie on the floor???  I'm very, very confused. 

[Goldstar88]

Luka with 42/10/8 and… The Mavs lose.

Also, Cody Zeller started and had 20pts/8rebs.

[hpantazo]

Luke with 42/10/8 and… The Mavs lose.

Maybe the Kyrie trade was Cuban's secret tanking strategy for Wembanyama

[#1P4P]

Tuned into Maverick-Heat… it’s incredible to see a team with 66/44/90 split mid-3rd quarter still down 6, then you look at the home team shooting 54/35/95 on more attempts and realize why.

I thought Luka’s court generalship and team defense would rule the day, but it’s been an epic collapse.

The Mavs lose this game and they’re play-in chances are dire.

Team defense would rule the day with Luka and Kyrie on the floor???  I'm very, very confused.

No need to confuse yourself. The Celtics had top 6 defenses throughout most of the IT, Kyrie, and Kemba seasons. Good team defense can neutralize weak individual defender(s) when the execution is present.

The Mavs were 7th in DEF RTG and made the WCF last season, in part, because of their team defense. This season, pre-AS break (with Finney-Smith and Dinwiddie in Kyrie’s place) they ranked 24th in DEF RTG; post-AS break, with Kyrie, they rank 24th.

Wood, Luka, and Bullock rank among the worst in the aforementioned stat with Brunson among that group despite being on an 8th ranked defense.

[PAOBoston]

Luka with 42/10/8 and… The Mavs lose.

Also, Cody Zeller started and had 20pts/8rebs.

Mavs should never have let Brunson leave. Biggest mistake they made.

[Celtics2021]

Tuned into Maverick-Heat… it’s incredible to see a team with 66/44/90 split mid-3rd quarter still down 6, then you look at the home team shooting 54/35/95 on more attempts and realize why.

I thought Luka’s court generalship and team defense would rule the day, but it’s been an epic collapse.

The Mavs lose this game and they’re play-in chances are dire.

Team defense would rule the day with Luka and Kyrie on the floor???  I'm very, very confused.

No need to confuse yourself. The Celtics had top 6 defenses throughout most of the IT, Kyrie, and Kemba seasons. Good team defense can neutralize weak individual defender(s) when the execution is present.

The Mavs were 7th in DEF RTG and made the WCF last season, in part, because of their team defense. This season, pre-AS break (with Finney-Smith and Dinwiddie in Kyrie’s place) they ranked 24th in DEF RTG; post-AS break, with Kyrie, they rank 24th.

Wood, Luka, and Bullock rank among the worst in the aforementioned stat with Brunson among that group despite being on an 8th ranked defense.

Oh the clamoring for Wood by some here this summer.  Man was he overrated by message boarders.

[Phantom255x]

The Heat entered the game last in PPG scored, and they put up 129 on Dallas even with Bam not playing. That's how bad Dallas' defense was.

[#1P4P]

Tuned into Maverick-Heat… it’s incredible to see a team with 66/44/90 split mid-3rd quarter still down 6, then you look at the home team shooting 54/35/95 on more attempts and realize why.

I thought Luka’s court generalship and team defense would rule the day, but it’s been an epic collapse.

The Mavs lose this game and they’re play-in chances are dire.

Team defense would rule the day with Luka and Kyrie on the floor???  I'm very, very confused.

No need to confuse yourself. The Celtics had top 6 defenses throughout most of the IT, Kyrie, and Kemba seasons. Good team defense can neutralize weak individual defender(s) when the execution is present.

The Mavs were 7th in DEF RTG and made the WCF last season, in part, because of their team defense. This season, pre-AS break (with Finney-Smith and Dinwiddie in Kyrie’s place) they ranked 24th in DEF RTG; post-AS break, with Kyrie, they rank 24th.

Wood, Luka, and Bullock rank among the worst in the aforementioned stat with Brunson among that group despite being on an 8th ranked defense.

Oh the clamoring for Wood by some here this summer.  Man was he overrated by message boarders.

Better than TimeLord, I read.

Wood's been on 7 teams in 7 seasons. Contending, tanking, rebuilding, and talent-starved teams have had him on their roster and said to themselves, "he's a promising, young big that can shoot and score and is cheap, but you know what? We'll pass."

Teams can make mistakes and players can be rehabbed in the right setting, but I highly value chemistry and can read between the lines, and we're not in the "let's take a chance on him" stage; we're in the "who's going to bring a positive attitude, accept the role assigned to him, and contribute when he's called upon" stage.