***Official NBA Thread***

[social]

If the highlights v. Milwaukee are anything to go by, what the Nets really need is a defensive scheme that prevents every alpha scorer and their uncle Bob burning Kyrie Irving in switches.

I don't see them going anywhere until that is sorted. Celtics vs. Bucks would make for a fascinating series, especially if the Time Lord comes back reasonably healthy.

The Sixers had no defensive scheme (Doc & Brett Brown are terrible coaches)

It was basically a case of Simmons & Embiid being so good on that end that they covered up the weaknesses of the rest

It’s really difficult to switch off Simmons as he is so big & fast that he breaks through screens

Big ? is whether Simmons can get fit enough in a very short period as some combination of he, Brown, KD, Claxton & Drummond could potentially be elite at that end

Obviously Kyrie has to play but even he shut down Harden recently

Mind you, doubt that there’s sufficient time for them to gel

Bucks are favourites in East for mine

 

[social]

Crazy that Celtics media is focused upon Simmons

It’s like putting your focus upon an injured teenage Cummins when you have Warne & McGrath staring you down

 

[OverratedSanity]

Shame for cleveland, would've liked to see Mobley and Garland in the playoffs

On Simmons, it seems insane that there's a possibility he might play the celtics series...I don't see how it's a good idea to drop in a guy who's notorious for his playoff struggles into the middle of a series against the smart-est (heh) defensive team in the league? I guess there wont be the same spacing issues here without Thybulle and Embidd on the floor but this is just some dumb mindgames from the Nets I'm assuming. He aint coming back, they have a chance without Simmons if KD and kyrie go nuts.

 

[social]

Simmons is the game’s best defender & will only be playing 15 minutes maximum

I doubt that he plays but everything said about him has been wrong so far so who knows

Wouldn’t surprise me at all if he suits up as NBA will be pushing it

KD, Kyrie & Simmons will be one of the highest rating games in history

 

[OverratedSanity]

Ok, so my undoubtedly to be proved bad predictions:

West:

Suns vs Pelicans- Suns in 4
Grizzlies vs Timberwolves- Grizzlies in 6
Warriors vs Nuggets- Nuggets upset in 7
Mavs vs Jazz- Jazz in 7

East:

Heat vs Hawks- Heat in 6
Celtics vs Nets- Celtics in 7
Bucks vs Bulls- Bucks in 5
Sixers vs Raptors- Sixers in 6

Nuggets, Nets, raptors all have a legit shot at an upset. Imo Harden's decline has been a tad overstated, warriors looked dodgy enough for the entire second half of the season to the point I can see Jokic giving them trouble especially if Steph isn't 100%. Rest should be fairly straightforward, second round will be awesome this year.

 

[andruid]

Let me have ago at this prediction malarkey

West:

Suns vs Pelicans- Suns in 4
Grizzlies vs Timberwolves- Grizzlies in 5
Warriors vs Nuggets- Golden State in 6
Mavs vs Jazz- Mavs in 7

East:

Heat vs Hawks- Heat in 4
Celtics vs Nets- Celtics in 6
Bucks vs Bulls- Bucks in 4
Sixers vs Raptors- Sixers in 7

 

[Anil]

West:

Suns vs Pelicans- Suns in 4
Grizzlies vs Timberwolves- Grizzlies in 5
Warriors vs Nuggets- Warriors in 6
Mavs vs Jazz- Mavs in 6

East:

Heat vs Hawks- Heat in 5
Celtics vs Nets- Nets in 7
Bucks vs Bulls- Bucks in 5
Sixers vs Raptors- Sixers in 6

 

[andruid]

A very 'This is what the Celtics gotta do to win' finish last night

 

[duffer]

Ok, so my undoubtedly to be proved bad predictions:

West:

Suns vs Pelicans- Suns in 4
Grizzlies vs Timberwolves- Grizzlies in 6
Warriors vs Nuggets- Nuggets upset in 7
Mavs vs Jazz- Jazz in 7

East:

Heat vs Hawks- Heat in 6
Celtics vs Nets- Celtics in 7
Bucks vs Bulls- Bucks in 5
Sixers vs Raptors- Sixers in 6

Nuggets, Nets, raptors all have a legit shot at an upset. Imo Harden's decline has been a tad overstated, warriors looked dodgy enough for the entire second half of the season to the point I can see Jokic giving them trouble especially if Steph isn't 100%. Rest should be fairly straightforward, second round will be awesome this year.

Warriors gonna wipe the floor with us

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Anyone thinking Jokic could defend the Warriors in space needs their head checking for rocks. Once they put Draymond at 5 Jokic may as well sit on the bench.

EDIT: That said, Jokic is so good on the other end that he could just have a few of those games.

 

[social]

IF Steph, Klay & Poole continue to shoot like this then good luck

 

[Anil]

If Booker has a serious injury, that would do it for the Suns’ championship hopes…

 

[nightprowler10]

Man, we're gonna get swept aren't we.

Whew.

DeMichael DeJordan does it again.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Whew.

DeMichael DeJordan does it again.

What an unbelievable season from him. Amazing.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Caruso is actually so ****ing good too. Feel like the memes surrounding him led people to grossly underrate his actual impact especially on defense.

Also this middleton injury is brutal for the bucks if he's out for an extended period.

 

[andruid]

Let see if the Celtics can do it in the dizzying lights of a Saturday night in Brooklyn New York

 

[nightprowler10]

Feel like the memes surrounding him led people to grossly underrate his actual impact especially on defense.

Apparently including Lakers BO.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Caruso is actually so ****ing good too. Feel like the memes surrounding him led people to grossly underrate his actual impact especially on defense.

There's only so much impact a perimeter player can have on defense, which almost every single basketball watcher overrates. It's why Smart winning DPOY is a joke and why you can never take any post social makes about Ben Simmons seriously until Simmons unveils his nutsack and actually plays the 5 on the defensive end.

Anyone thinking Jokic could defend the Warriors in space needs their head checking for rocks. Once they put Draymond at 5 Jokic may as well sit on the bench.

EDIT: That said, Jokic is so good on the other end that he could just have a few of those games.

Here's one of those games - and they still might lose.

 

[Anil]

****, we had a chance there until the very end...ah well, hope we avoid a sweep...

 

[OverratedSanity]

There's only so much impact a perimeter player can have on defense, which almost every single basketball watcher overrates. It's why Smart winning DPOY is a joke and why you can never take any post social makes about Ben Simmons seriously until Simmons unveils his nutsack and actually plays the 5 on the defensive end.

A single perimeter defender is obviously never going to be as valuable as a great rim protector obviously, but with lonzo out Caruso's even more vital. Feel like the bucks don't exploit vuc and DeMar as much as they should tho.

Smart is definitely a weird choice, timelord getting injured probably the only reason he won because they felt they needed to give it to someone on the celtics.