NBA Season 2024-25

[celticinorlando]

Cleveland is dangerous, and I think maybe more so than the Knicks and Pacers. They did go 17-1 to end the season last year. They've also beaten teams with superstars this season such as the Knicks, Lakers, Bucks in b2b games, and one of the West's best Warriors.

They look like the 2023-2024 Celtics

I live in Ohio and no Cav fan remotely believes they can beat the Celtics in a series. The Cavs will Cav come playoff time. Out in round 2 as usual.

[Goldstar88]

Cleveland is dangerous, and I think maybe more so than the Knicks and Pacers. They did go 17-1 to end the season last year. They've also beaten teams with superstars this season such as the Knicks, Lakers, Bucks in b2b games, and one of the West's best Warriors.

They look like the 2023-2024 Celtics

I live in Ohio and no Cav fan remotely believes they can beat the Celtics in a series. The Cavs will Cav come playoff time. Out in round 2 as usual.

Yep. Regular season and postseason are two different animals. I remember the Hawks used to do the same years back when the C?s had PP/KG/Ray. Great regular season team but always a first or second round exit in the playoffs.

[Vermont Green]

I agree to a point on the Cavs, the regular season and post season are different.  But remember that everyone said DEN wasn't a playoff team, many even said BOS was not a playoff team, even right up to the series with DAL.  I think CLE is better than a lot of people think.  I see both Mitchell and Garland as better than many people think, but BOS is better right now in my mind.

Their rotation is very good at the guard positions and very good at the big positions, but they are kind of barren at the wing positions.  That is their weakness.  One trade or other acquisition could address that.  Mitchell is a very high level scorer.  He makes up for the lack of scoring/playmaking from the wing positions.  But weaknesses do get exploited more in the playoffs.

Mitchell averaged 29.6 pts in the playoffs last season.  Allen was next at 17.0 pts  Garland was not 100% and only averaged 15.7 pts.  Mitchell averaged about 32 pts vs BOS in the playoffs, on 53% from 3.  Of course he only played 3 of 5 games.

[Goldstar88]

I agree to a point on the Cavs, the regular season and post season are different.  But remember that everyone said DEN wasn't a playoff team, many even said BOS was not a playoff team, even right up to the series with DAL.  I think CLE is better than a lot of people think.  I see both Mitchell and Garland as better than many people think, but BOS is better right now in my mind.

Their rotation is very good at the guard positions and very good at the big positions, but they are kind of barren at the wing positions.  That is their weakness.  One trade or other acquisition could address that.  Mitchell is a very high level scorer.  He makes up for the lack of scoring/playmaking from the wing positions.  But weaknesses do get exploited more in the playoffs.

Mitchell averaged 29.6 pts in the playoffs last season.  Allen was next at 17.0 pts  Garland was not 100% and only averaged 15.7 pts.  Mitchell averaged about 32 pts vs BOS in the playoffs, on 53% from 3.  Of course he only played 3 of 5 games.

I don?t recall people saying this about Boston or Denver.

[Kernewek]

I agree to a point on the Cavs, the regular season and post season are different.  But remember that everyone said DEN wasn't a playoff team, many even said BOS was not a playoff team, even right up to the series with DAL.  I think CLE is better than a lot of people think.  I see both Mitchell and Garland as better than many people think, but BOS is better right now in my mind.

Their rotation is very good at the guard positions and very good at the big positions, but they are kind of barren at the wing positions.  That is their weakness.  One trade or other acquisition could address that.  Mitchell is a very high level scorer.  He makes up for the lack of scoring/playmaking from the wing positions.  But weaknesses do get exploited more in the playoffs.

Mitchell averaged 29.6 pts in the playoffs last season.  Allen was next at 17.0 pts  Garland was not 100% and only averaged 15.7 pts.  Mitchell averaged about 32 pts vs BOS in the playoffs, on 53% from 3.  Of course he only played 3 of 5 games.

I don?t recall people saying this about Boston or Denver.

Before they won championships?

[Who]

Chet Holmgren suffered a right iliac hip fracture and will be reevaluated in 8-10 weeks to see if he can play.

That's a dent to OKC's run for the West, and with how tough the West is, could get bad.

Tough loss with Hartenstein also out injured. OKC could handle either one of them being out since the other could maintain an imposing presence in the paint. It will be tough without both though.

[Goldstar88]

Shams Charania: Another injury blow to New Orleans: Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado is expected to miss six weeks due to a hamstring injury, sources told ESPN. New Orleans is now without Alvarado, Zion Williamson, Herb Jones, Dejounte Murray, CJ McCollum and Jordan Hawkins.  via x.com

[Phantom255x]

I'm watching Knicks-Sixers, and Embiid is looking + playing like a guy who just had to walk through the entire Sahara Desert 

Also KAT is really finding his groove in NY. Looking good and making lots of good decisions.

[Goldstar88]

Embiid played 26 minutes and finished with 13pts, 3rebs, 5ast. Yikes

[SparzWizard]

Coach Spo of all people made a rookie mistake...tried calling timeout with 1.1 seconds left but Heat had no more timeout.

Gets a technical foul and Pistons shoot 1 FT. Makes it. Pistons inbound the game from full-court. Immediately fouled at 0.1 and splits the FTs. Pistons win game.

Insane

[Who]

Jaden Ivey stat watch

18.6ppg 4.9rpg 3.8apg 1.3 stocks

Shooting percentages are average. 45.6% FG% 35.6% 3PT% 73.5% FT%. Takes about a third of his field goals from 3. Has around a 30% FT rate (FTA/FGA). Only 54.8% TS%. About 1% higher than last year which was one percentage higher than his rookie year. So steady gradual improvement but still below average.

The 3.8apg is low for such dynamic athlete & driver. Even worse is the 3.3 turnovers per game. That is a near 1:1 assist to turnover ratio. That is what you expect from your center. Not a starting guard. 

Meanwhile, Cade Cunningham had another 7 turnover game. His 4th in 12 games plus he had a 9 turnover game so 5 of his 12 games had 7+ turnovers. Two turnover players on the same squad. Detroit ranks 4th in the league for most turnovers per game / 5th in turnover percentage.

[Who]

That big forward position continues to kill Miami. Jovic has been the worst starting PF in the league this season. They started K Love last night since Jovic has been so bad. He fared no better.

They either have to go small with J Jaquez or Highsmith at PF. Both are natural SFs. Or big with Bam sliding down to PF and Ware starting at center which will kill their spacing on offense.

I don't know why Miami year after year refuses to fill that PF slot. It is such a team killer for them.

[Phantom255x]

The West has 3 teams at the top who are 9-2, and seeds 1-10 are all with winning records

Meanwhile the East has two teams with winning records lol

[Donoghus]

[Phantom255x]

Oh man, hoping he has a speedy recovery