NBA Season 2022-23

[Redz]

That Knicks vs Cavs series is hard to call.

G: D Garland vs J Brunson
G: D Mitchell vs Q Grimes
F: Okoro vs RJ Barrett
F: Mobley vs Randle
C: J Allen vs M Robinson

That is an interesting set of matchups.

I am most excited about the Randle vs Mobley matchup to see how that plays out. Mobley with his size and length vs Randle with his bulk and ball-handling. Brunson and Garland is a great matchup too. Neither guy can defend the other. Garland is too quick for Brunson to stay in front of and Brunson is too physical & savvy for the small Garland to stop from getting to his spots.

Donovan Mitchell has a huge advantage at SG. RJ is kinda lackluster at SF. Small advantage RJ. M Robinson and J Allen is a wash. Both are similar players. J Allen is a bit better at it but does not create matchup advantage here.

That Mobley vs Randle matchup could decide the series. I wouldn't be surprised to see Randle outplay Mobley especially when Randle forces the switch to get a smaller guard defender on him. Randle can create those mismatches easier and better than Mobley can. Yeah, Randle over Mobley.

G: Rubio vs Quickley
G: LeVert vs Josh Hart
F: Danny Green vs Fournier
F: Dean Wade vs Obi Toppin
C: R Lopez vs Hartenstein

Quickley has the advantage over Rubio. I reckon Hartenstein over Robin Lopez as well. Josh Hart has played so well that he should be able to nullify LeVert. Fournier over Danny Green. Not sure about Wade vs Toppin. NY look to have a sizeable advantage off the bench. Not good for Cleveland.

So does this series comes down to CLE’s advantage with D Mitchell in the starting lineup (or does Randle negate that?) vs NY’s advantage at multiple positions with their bench?

Looks to me like CLE’s bench is going to be their downfall in the playoffs. Rubio and R Lopez haven’t been able to deliver. K Love was a no-show this season. This has severely weakened their bench and their chances of a long playoff run.

I can never remember a year with more series that I could argue going either way, or more teams that could either go out in the first round or reasonably go on a deep run.

[Who]

Is Dillon Brooks the only live body Memphis got to put on LeBron James?

After him it looks like they will be searching the end of their bench to find someone who can defend LeBron. Not a good sign. LeBron has been known to draw a few fouls on his defenders in the past. Just maybe having only one guy who can take the assignment is not good for Memphis.

Memphis got those two small guards in Morant and Bane. Then they have the two shooters Kennard and Konchar. Those are their main perimeter guys alongside D Brooks. You could of maybe tried JJJ on LeBron but JJJ will have his hands full with AD so that isn't really an option either. There other bigs Aldama and Tillman can't cope with LeBron.

Memphis just do not have a roster well equipped for defending LeBron outside of D Brooks.

[Birdman]

Toronto got to be the biggest disappointment on the NBA season…wonder if Nurse will be gone?

[PAOBoston]

Toronto got to be the biggest disappointment on the NBA season…wonder if Nurse will be gone?

Time to blow up that situation. Siakam/Van Vleet should be traded. Try and build around Barnes.

The Pelicans have also been a massive disappointment. That could also be another potential blow up situation.

[Moranis]

Is Dillon Brooks the only live body Memphis got to put on LeBron James?

After him it looks like they will be searching the end of their bench to find someone who can defend LeBron. Not a good sign. LeBron has been known to draw a few fouls on his defenders in the past. Just maybe having only one guy who can take the assignment is not good for Memphis.

Memphis got those two small guards in Morant and Bane. Then they have the two shooters Kennard and Konchar. Those are their main perimeter guys alongside D Brooks. You could of maybe tried JJJ on LeBron but JJJ will have his hands full with AD so that isn't really an option either. There other bigs Aldama and Tillman can't cope with LeBron.

Memphis just do not have a roster well equipped for defending LeBron outside of D Brooks.

This is why I think the Lakers will win and win rather easily.  If they still had Clarke and Adams, the series is a lot different in my view. 

The inverse of that is of course, Memphis is fast and can shoot and I'm not sure the Lakers are all that equipped to defend the Grizzlies.  I would just put my trust far more in Lebron than anyone else in that series.

[Who]

So it looks like David Roddy is next man up after D Brooks to defend LeBron. Roddy looks a bit like Grant Williams with that short sturdy frame at about 6-6 250lbs. Roddy certainly has the bulk and strength to stop LeBron from beating up on him in contrast to Memphis' other guards adn wings.

However, I haven't seen enough of his D to know if he has the lateraly speed to stay in front of LeBron's drives + Roddy is an awful offensive player. He is more similar to G Williams before G Will learned to shoot the 3 than the player G Will is today. Roddy with a 52% TS% on the season. 30% from 3PT%.

A potential (role player) breakout candidate if he can defend LeBron and hit enough shots but more likely to be a liability who hurts his team whenever asked to stop LeBron.

I feel like it is too soon for the rookie. Maybe in a year or two. But as it stands, it looks like he is their 2nd best option against LeBron.

That guy Ziaire Williams looked really good late last season but he has barely played this season. He was an outstanding athlete at 6-8, fast and long. Active defender. His offensive numbers are woeful as well; even worse than Roddy's. Not good. I do not understand why Ziaire has not been given more PT this season. He must have been a major disappointment because he looked so promising (role player wise) late last season.

[Who]

JJJ is MEM's only shot-blocker with S Adams and B Clarke out injured. They will have no rim protection whenever JJJ sits down which is fairly often. JJJ is too foul prone to play 40mpg. He is more likely to be in the low 30s most nights and have a game or two where he struggles to even get to 30mins.

So the paint will be wide open for LeBron and AD whenever JJJ is not on the court.

[Who]

I see MEM more as a 42-45 win team without S Adams and B Clarke. Those two guys lift MEM to a 50-52 win type team. MEM win with depth. They are not an above average team without that depth. They are a middle of the pack team.

The Lakers are at least a 42-45 win team if not better when both AD and LeBron are available and post-trade deadline. They are probably more of a 45-48 wn team.

If MEM were healthy, I'd take them over LAL.

But without S Adams and B Clarke, they are in trouble.

[bello_man09]

I see MEM more as a 42-45 win team without S Adams and B Clarke. Those two guys lift MEM to a 50-52 win type team. MEM win with depth. They are not an above average team without that depth. They are a middle of the pack team.

The Lakers are at least a 42-45 win team if not better when both AD and LeBron are available and post-trade deadline. They are probably more of a 45-48 wn team.

If MEM were healthy, I'd take them over LAL.

But without S Adams and B Clarke, they are in trouble.

Lakers are overrated I agree some what with you guys are saying...but that performance against the Wolves was soooo bad. and the lakers fans are just yapping and saying they're going to beat Memphis- if they play like that they can't beat anyteam in the west. the wolves where beyond bad they shot 13 percent in the 4th smh and till lakers needed Ot to win.

[Who]

Aldama and Tillman are quality 3rd stringers but neither one of these guys are solid rotation players. And they are not just the 4th big here. They are the 2nd best and 3rd best bigs on the team behind JJJ. That is a major problem.

Memphis are in trouble.

[Roy H.]

Aldama and Tillman are quality 3rd stringers but neither one of these guys are solid rotation players. And they are not just the 4th big here. They are the 2nd best and 3rd best bigs on the team behind JJJ. That is a major problem.

Memphis are in trouble.

I disagree about Tillman.  He's really taken a step forward.  Since the All-Star game he's made 21 starts, and he's putting up 10 / 7 with 62% FG%.  His net rating has been good, too, as Memphis has generally thrived with him in the game.

But, in general, Memphis isn't a complete team without Adams in the middle, which allows their other players to come off the bench or to move away from the paint. 

[Donoghus]

FWIW,

MEM -140
LAL +120

[Who]

I see MEM more as a 42-45 win team without S Adams and B Clarke. Those two guys lift MEM to a 50-52 win type team. MEM win with depth. They are not an above average team without that depth. They are a middle of the pack team.

The Lakers are at least a 42-45 win team if not better when both AD and LeBron are available and post-trade deadline. They are probably more of a 45-48 wn team.

If MEM were healthy, I'd take them over LAL.

But without S Adams and B Clarke, they are in trouble.

Lakers are overrated I agree some what with you guys are saying...but that performance against the Wolves was soooo bad. and the lakers fans are just yapping and saying they're going to beat Memphis- if they play like that they can't beat anyteam in the west. the wolves where beyond bad they shot 13 percent in the 4th smh and till lakers needed Ot to win.

Yeah, I am not impressed with LAL either. They will lose to the first good team they come in contact with.

They are so lucky though. They have an injury hit MEM team in the first round. Then they may get SAC in the 2nd round which is a winnable series for them as well. They could get lucky and go all the way to the WCF before they meet a single good team.

That will be fool's gold though. They'll enter into the summer thinking they are contenders next year rather than just having a fluky pair of playoff matchups that made them think they are far better than they actually are. Reality will hit them hard next season in that scenario.

I hope GSW can beat SAC because I believe they'd be a much tougher team for LAL to face in the 2nd round. GSW should beat LAL. Not convinced by SAC. Not convinced by them all season. SAC have just been healthier than the rest of the west - not better. In terms of talent, SAC is a bottom 3 team out of the 8 playoff teams in the West. That is a winnable matchup for LAL.

First good team LAL meet will take them out.

[Who]

Aldama and Tillman are quality 3rd stringers but neither one of these guys are solid rotation players. And they are not just the 4th big here. They are the 2nd best and 3rd best bigs on the team behind JJJ. That is a major problem.

Memphis are in trouble.

I disagree about Tillman.  He's really taken a step forward.  Since the All-Star game he's made 21 starts, and he's putting up 10 / 7 with 62% FG%.  His net rating has been good, too, as Memphis has generally thrived with him in the game.

But, in general, Memphis isn't a complete team without Adams in the middle, which allows their other players to come off the bench or to move away from the paint.

I don't like Tillman. He is not skilled on offense and he doesn't do much on defense. He is too slow to switch and/or cover athletic or perimeter bigs + too he is too small to provide rim protection in the paint. He is just a bulky guy with limited defensive utility. On offense, he can't create his own shot, he can't shoot with any range, he is not a passer. He is an unskilled garbage man.

All he is is a live body who understands that he has very little talent so he doesn't try to do anything beyond himself (which is most things on the basketball court) so effectively minimizes his mistakes. He is an active screen setter and hard worker but he is nothing more than a dodgy defender / unskilled garbage man.

[Goldstar88]

That Knicks vs Cavs series is hard to call.

G: D Garland vs J Brunson
G: D Mitchell vs Q Grimes
F: Okoro vs RJ Barrett
F: Mobley vs Randle
C: J Allen vs M Robinson

That is an interesting set of matchups.

I am most excited about the Randle vs Mobley matchup to see how that plays out. Mobley with his size and length vs Randle with his bulk and ball-handling. Brunson and Garland is a great matchup too. Neither guy can defend the other. Garland is too quick for Brunson to stay in front of and Brunson is too physical & savvy for the small Garland to stop from getting to his spots.

Donovan Mitchell has a huge advantage at SG. RJ is kinda lackluster at SF. Small advantage RJ. M Robinson and J Allen is a wash. Both are similar players. J Allen is a bit better at it but does not create matchup advantage here.

That Mobley vs Randle matchup could decide the series. I wouldn't be surprised to see Randle outplay Mobley especially when Randle forces the switch to get a smaller guard defender on him. Randle can create those mismatches easier and better than Mobley can. Yeah, Randle over Mobley.

G: Rubio vs Quickley
G: LeVert vs Josh Hart
F: Danny Green vs Fournier
F: Dean Wade vs Obi Toppin
C: R Lopez vs Hartenstein

Quickley has the advantage over Rubio. I reckon Hartenstein over Robin Lopez as well. Josh Hart has played so well that he should be able to nullify LeVert. Fournier over Danny Green. Not sure about Wade vs Toppin. NY look to have a sizeable advantage off the bench. Not good for Cleveland.

So does this series comes down to CLE’s advantage with D Mitchell in the starting lineup (or does Randle negate that?) vs NY’s advantage at multiple positions with their bench?

Looks to me like CLE’s bench is going to be their downfall in the playoffs. Rubio and R Lopez haven’t been able to deliver. K Love was a no-show this season. This has severely weakened their bench and their chances of a long playoff run.

I can never remember a year with more series that I could argue going either way, or more teams that could either go out in the first round or reasonably go on a deep run.

Agreed. The playoffs should be really good this year.