NBA Season/Playoffs 2025-26

[Moranis]

With Denver & Minnesota bludgeoning each other, it certainly seems like we're on a collision course for Spurs/Thunder in WCF.

Gobert has played great against Jokic. His reward is to go against Wemby.

I understand that Anthony Edwards will be out the entire series.  This is basically a life line for DEN to come back.  DEN tends to go as Murray goes.  They need him scoring to win in the playoffs.  He is getting his points (average 26 pts/gm for series) but really low efficiency.  Not sure what is up with him.

that is because Murray is really inconsistent

[SparzWizard]

Adding insult to injury, Knicks are blowing out the Hawks tonight, about to take a 3-2 series lead.

[snively]

Denver really needs that 3rd scorer when teams load up on the Jokic/Murray two man game.  Watson seemed like he was developing into that when he got hurt.

[Phantom255x]

Meanwhile the Spurs are on pace to finish this easily tonight. OKC/SAS advance in 5 or fewer games. Meanwhile every East series is going at least 6 games including the C's...

[SparzWizard]

Meanwhile the Spurs are on pace to finish this easily tonight. OKC/SAS advance in 5 or fewer games. Meanwhile every East series is going at least 6 games including the C's...

This is what real elite contenders do. They step on the opponent's throat on the closeout game and shut them down for good. You saw last night's game with OKC/PHX too. Boston ain't good enough to hang with OKC/SAS sorry to say. They're more on the NYK/CLE tier. I don't even know if they're on the same level as DEN...C's couldn't even beat Denver this year.

[angryguy77]

Meanwhile the Spurs are on pace to finish this easily tonight. OKC/SAS advance in 5 or fewer games. Meanwhile every East series is going at least 6 games including the C's...

This is what real elite contenders do. They step on the opponent's throat on the closeout game and shut them down for good. You saw last night's game with OKC/PHX too. Boston ain't good enough to hang with OKC/SAS sorry to say. They're more on the NYK/CLE tier. I don't even know if they're on the same level as DEN...C's couldn't even beat Denver this year.

I'm tired boss. Except for the title year, it's the same story series after series.
This core has enough experience to not keep looking like they're taking their first playoff steps.


Chuck talking right now about how we're not a great team if we can't hit 3's. He's right and I HATEA this philosophy 

[Goldstar88]

Denver really needs that 3rd scorer when teams load up on the Jokic/Murray two man game.  Watson seemed like he was developing into that when he got hurt.

Yeah, someone like MPJ. 

[Goldstar88]

Wemby only took 7 shots tonight. Finished with 17pts/14rebs/6blks/3ast

[SparzWizard]

New York Knicks were chanting "We want Boston" after dismantling the Hawks last night in Game 5.

And Boston should be scared. Heck don't even know if they'll get past Philly now that their whole team is healthy. Knicks might get the 76ers lol

[angryguy77]

New York Knicks were chanting "We want Boston" after dismantling the Hawks last night in Game 5.

And Boston should be scared. Heck don't even know if they'll get past Philly now that their whole team is healthy. Knicks might get the 76ers lol

Losing to NY last year and then to Philly this year is a special hell non of us deserve.

[snively]

Denver really needs that 3rd scorer when teams load up on the Jokic/Murray two man game.  Watson seemed like he was developing into that when he got hurt.

Yeah, someone like MPJ. 

I think MPJ was too limited a creator.  They need someone more dynamic.

I thought Westbrook was the right kind of player just too inefficient. Somebody like Mathurin or Jaquez or Grimes who you can sing the ball too weakside and they can run their own scoring actions against a recovering defense.

[Goldstar88]

Denver really needs that 3rd scorer when teams load up on the Jokic/Murray two man game.  Watson seemed like he was developing into that when he got hurt.

Yeah, someone like MPJ. 

I think MPJ was too limited a creator.  They need someone more dynamic.

I thought Westbrook was the right kind of player just too inefficient. Somebody like Mathurin or Jaquez or Grimes who you can sing the ball too weakside and they can run their own scoring actions against a recovering defense.

Feel like MPJ is a much better scorer than any of those guys and the Nuggets won a championship with him as their 3rd option. He is a career 50/40/80 guy. Averaged 24ppg this season and can score from everywhere. That trade was a big mistake. Cam Johnson has been a disaster.

[snively]

Denver really needs that 3rd scorer when teams load up on the Jokic/Murray two man game.  Watson seemed like he was developing into that when he got hurt.

Yeah, someone like MPJ. 

I think MPJ was too limited a creator.  They need someone more dynamic.

I thought Westbrook was the right kind of player just too inefficient. Somebody like Mathurin or Jaquez or Grimes who you can sing the ball too weakside and they can run their own scoring actions against a recovering defense.

Feel like MPJ is a much better scorer than any of those guys and the Nuggets won a championship with him as their 3rd option. He is a career 50/40/80 guy. Averaged 24ppg this season and can score from everywhere. That trade was a big mistake. Cam Johnson has been a disaster.

He can absolutely score but not in the contexts they needed. He averaged 13 per game in 5 playoff campaigns for them.

When teams overloaded on the Jokic/Murray 2 man game he wasn't the guy who could punish a weaker matchup or act as a pressure release valve. Became peripheral, not unlike Cam Johnson (who has disappointed because he hasn't offered any more guard skills).

A guy like Jaquez with more on- ball game fits their needs from a 3rd wheel better.

[Who]

RealGM has a note saying every Champion since 2015 has won the first round in 4 or 5 games. An 11 year streak.

========

They then went back further to 2003 when they switched the first round from a best of 5 to a best of 7. In that time, 6 (out of 22) Champions swept the first round. LeBron's Heat. Warriors twice pre-Durant and with Durant. LeBron's Cavs. Giannis' Bucks. OKC last year.

Sticking with the 2003 timeline, 74% of Champions have won the first round in 4 or 5 games. Only 2 teams went the full 7 games and won the title - the 2008 Celtics and 2014 Spurs.

[Donoghus]

RealGM has a note saying every Champion since 2015 has won the first round in 4 or 5 games. An 11 year streak.

========

They then went back further to 2003 when they switched the first round from a best of 5 to a best of 7. In that time, 6 (out of 22) Champions swept the first round. LeBron's Heat. Warriors twice pre-Durant and with Durant. LeBron's Cavs. Giannis' Bucks. OKC last year.

Sticking with the 2003 timeline, 74% of Champions have won the first round in 4 or 5 games. Only 2 teams went the full 7 games and won the title - the 2008 Celtics and 2014 Spurs.

I remember that Spurs-Mavs series.  Went 7 games. Really entertaining.  That was a fun rivalry. Duncan/Dirk.  You got the full Monta Ellis experience.