2024 NBA Season and Playoffs

[Who]

One of the things that bothered me about the Lakers roster in the summer was the lack of guard skills (handles, passing, shooting). They were obsessed with adding big forwards (T Prince, C Reddish types) with limited offensive skill-sets. It has severely limited their offense. They do not have balance. They need another player or two who can make plays with the ball to balance out their offense.

[Donoghus]

Can't say I'm surprised.

NBA Communications
@NBAPR
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Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo have been named the Kia NBA Western and Eastern Conference Players of the Month, respectively, for games played in December.

[SparzWizard]

Good morning. The Lakers are below .500 and tied for the last play-in spot. Hope they are enjoying that IST banner

Weren't the Lakers in the play-in last year, and made it to the WCF? If your the Lakers, you only have to qualify. They still have LeBron, which is all that matters. Unfortunately, I trust him a hell of a lot more in the playoffs than I do the Jays.

True, but they benefitted from playing a banged up Grizzlies team without Steven Adams and a headless Ja Morant. There was also a target on Dillon Brooks' rear. Then, they played a fatigued and washed Golden State Warriors team who was a #6 seed that played like a #6 seed. They got swept when it really mattered, against Denver.

But I still trust LeBron and AD in the playoffs. Minny, Sactown, and OKC better step up their games against them. Dallas and Clippers too.

[Who]

Western Conference Rankings

Top tier = DEN, MIN
maybe top tier (if healthy) = LAC, PHX

Second tier = OKC, New Orleans

Third tier = SAC, LAL, DAL, GSW, HOU


I don't see any of the third tier teams as real contenders. They are the bottom half seeds in the playoffs. Solid but unexceptional.

PHX and LAC are wild card type teams with their health / injury risk.

OKC is close but not quite there. I see them as below the best of the best in the West. New Orleans have the individual talent to contend but they lack leadership. Their team does not play together like a title contender needs to. They are a bit of a wild card too but likely to fail.

DEN and MIN are the only two bonafides. Teams to beat in the West. PHX and LAC the best bet to join them.

[Birdman]

Western Conference Rankings

Top tier = DEN, MIN
maybe top tier (if healthy) = LAC, PHX

Second tier = OKC, New Orleans

Third tier = SAC, LAL, DAL, GSW, HOU


I don't see any of the third tier teams as real contenders. They are the bottom half seeds in the playoffs. Solid but unexceptional.

PHX and LAC are wild card type teams with their health / injury risk.

OKC is close but not quite there. I see them as below the best of the best in the West. New Orleans have the individual talent to contend but they lack leadership. Their team does not play together like a title contender needs to. They are a bit of a wild card too but likely to fail.

DEN and MIN are the only two bonafides. Teams to beat in the West. PHX and LAC the best bet to join them.

I would flip New Orleans to 3rd tier & GS to tier 2..Curry can carry a team especially if Green is not hotheaded

[RodyTur10]

Western Conference Rankings

Top tier = DEN, MIN
maybe top tier (if healthy) = LAC, PHX

Second tier = OKC, New Orleans

Third tier = SAC, LAL, DAL, GSW, HOU


I don't see any of the third tier teams as real contenders. They are the bottom half seeds in the playoffs. Solid but unexceptional.

PHX and LAC are wild card type teams with their health / injury risk.

OKC is close but not quite there. I see them as below the best of the best in the West. New Orleans have the individual talent to contend but they lack leadership. Their team does not play together like a title contender needs to. They are a bit of a wild card too but likely to fail.

DEN and MIN are the only two bonafides. Teams to beat in the West. PHX and LAC the best bet to join them.

I'm higher on the Clippers and OKC. Don't expect Minnesota to make the conference finals.
The West is going to be a bloodbath.

Top tier = DEN, LAC, OKC
Second tier = PHX, MIN, LAL
Third tier = DAL, NOP, SAC, GSW, HOU

[Who]

"Two things have to happen for the Bulls and for Zach LaVine to even have a chance, I think, really, for a trade at the deadline," said Adrian Wojnarowski on Wednesday evening.

"He has to show teams that he's healthy. And he has to show them he can impact winning. This team has played much better without him. And with his contract, in this new salary cap, at a deal if you have to take him on just under $200 million left on his contract. You've got to believe this player is healthy and can impact winning.

"There's no market for Zach LaVine right now. There's not been. And even him playing maybe increasingly better closer to the deadline, it just may not be there.

"This is a Bulls' organization that, listen, would like to find a deal for him. And they'd like to get something back. That might be asking too much. They may in the end just have to be glad they can find a team that will take on his contract."

LaVine re-signed with the Bulls in 2022 on a five-year, $215 million deal

[Moranis]

"Two things have to happen for the Bulls and for Zach LaVine to even have a chance, I think, really, for a trade at the deadline," said Adrian Wojnarowski on Wednesday evening.

"He has to show teams that he's healthy. And he has to show them he can impact winning. This team has played much better without him. And with his contract, in this new salary cap, at a deal if you have to take him on just under $200 million left on his contract. You've got to believe this player is healthy and can impact winning.

"There's no market for Zach LaVine right now. There's not been. And even him playing maybe increasingly better closer to the deadline, it just may not be there.

"This is a Bulls' organization that, listen, would like to find a deal for him. And they'd like to get something back. That might be asking too much. They may in the end just have to be glad they can find a team that will take on his contract."

LaVine re-signed with the Bulls in 2022 on a five-year, $215 million deal

I think the Lakers or Heat would take him for contracts if that is the value.  I mean would the Bulls turn down Russell, Prince, and Vincent.  And that seems like something LA might do and it might actually work for them.

[angryguy77]

Bucks and SA in a dog fight

You hate to see it

[Phantom255x]

Milwaukee's bench is something that's also very thin. Portis is a very solid 6th man. But who is behind that? Connaughton I guess? Though he's averaging 5/4/2 in about 22 minutes a game. I'm admittedly not too familiar with MIL's bench but it's probably worse than ours too. And worse than Philly's.

[liam]

Man, does Wemby carry that ball...

[liam]

Man, Vassell is something!

[jpotter33]

That Milwaukee continues to struggle with middling and even the bottom-feeders of the league has to be pretty concerning for them.

[liam]

I'd still take Cedi Osman for a couple of seconds. He'd be a good fit...

[liam]

That Milwaukee continues to struggle with middling and even the bottom-feeders of the league has to be pretty concerning for them.

Lillard looks to be struggling...