POLL: Who’s are Best First Round Match Up

[shrink]

Please vote.

I’d also love to see people give the reasons why they voted for that team. Could make a good discussion.

[Loaf_of_bread]

Voted la. I think we match up well. If the nba is indeed rigged, is what it is. They don’t have our length nor depth. Our second unit can torch them.

Don’t see us playing anyone other than lal or Denver.. we'll find out.

[Guest84]

I said Den because I feel like they have a mental advantage over them. I've never seen a team waive the white flag against the wolves like Den has. It's been extremely interesting to watch.

[shrink]

I am not impressed by any of these teams, but I chose HOU. They have more talented players, but I really believe that it takes time for young players to adjust to playoff basketball. And the Rockets have been tumbling in the standings.

[younggunsmn]

We have trouble with teams with really quick guards so Memphis could give us trouble with Ja and their depth.
Denver has gotten healthy and into shape and would probably steamroll us right now, although we match up well with them so they might not want to see us.
You know the league always props up the Lakers so that series would be rigged.
Plus Reaves has leveled up this year and Randle has to guard somebody.

That leaves Houston. They give Ant a lot of trouble defensively with all their length and switchability, and play the right way, even if they dont have the talent for a top 5 seed.
But they're probably our best shot at a series win, if Finch can scheme up a way to successfully attack Sengun who is their weak link.

[Klomp]

Call me crazy, but I want Denver! I think it gives Ant the most confidence because they don't have a matchup for him.

Ultimately though, it's anybody but the Lakers....

[Domejandro]

I would probably pick Houston because of experience level. Following that, likely Memphis and then Denver.

[winforlose]

I choose Houston because I don’t know the status of LeBron. If he misses a playoff series I see LAL is likely an easy out. They lack the size and rebounding and with Doncic less than 100% they will lack the scoring. Denver has Jokic, and that scares me. The dude is getting better and he is already a 4 time MVP. Without him they are not playoff worthy, but with him they are dangerous. I don’t fear Memphis. They have size on us, but they also won’t be able to contain playoff Ant with Wells. I expect a higher level of compete from Jaden, DDV and Naz come playoff time. The shortened bench will favor us.

[FrenchMinnyFan]

I go for Houston or Denver. Houston slow down and don't have the star they need to be a contender. Denver because we got the momentum. Will be a tough one whatever the opponent.

[life_saver]

My preference would be Rockets > Memphis > Nuggets > LA....the team I wanna avoid though is Lakers if Lebron/Luka are not injured. I am scared of facing Luka in playoffs

[Ethomasp31]

I think they would beat any of the 4 in a 7 game series....but the one I'm least sure about is Denver. I want to play the Lakers just to shut up the national media love fest over them. I still think the Wolves can get to the 5th seed (I wouldn't even be totally shocked if they got to 4). If we win Wednesday night, we have a shot of going undefeated in March....at least we will be favored in every game the rest of the month.

Here is how I think the seedings will end up (with CBS predictive wins in parenthesis):

Thunder (67.5)
Denver (51.9)
Lakers (49.3)
Memphis (49.6)
Houston (48.9)
Wolves (47.7)
Warriors (47.2)

https://www.tankathon.com/remaining_schedule_strength


Memphis still has a lot of tough games left
They have:
Cavs
@ Kings
@ Thunder
Lakers
Celtics
Warriors
@ Pistons
Wolves
@ Nuggets

[Ethomasp31]

I think they would beat any of the 4 in a 7 game series....but the one I'm least sure about is Denver. I want to play the Lakers just to shut up the national media love fest over them. I still think the Wolves can get to the 5th seed (I wouldn't even be totally shocked if they got to 4). If we win Wednesday night, we have a shot of going undefeated in March....at least we will be favored in every game the rest of the month.

Here is how I think the seedings will end up (with CBS predictive wins in parenthesis):

Thunder (67.5)
Denver (51.9)
Lakers (49.3)
Memphis (49.6)
Houston (48.9)
Wolves (47.7)
Warriors (47.2)

https://www.tankathon.com/remaining_schedule_strength


Memphis still has a lot of tough games left
They have:
Cavs
@ Kings
@ Thunder
Lakers
Celtics
Warriors
@ Pistons
Wolves
@ Nuggets

If we were to win on Wednesday, with LBJ out most of the rest of March and a win against the Nuggets, things in the West for the 2-7 seed will get even tighter. We were pretty healthy for the first 34 games and were 17-17. We were awful. I remember being in melt down mode in Vegas while on the phone with a buddy cursing the trade. I was oin the ledge. The last 32 games we have been fighting injuries and we are 20-12. We are healthy now. For all the talk about Conley being cooked on here, in his last 20 games he is shooting almost 48% from the arc while averaging 5 assists and less than one turnover. It's probably a big reason why things turned around. I love our chances against anyone in the West, unless we were to fall to the 8 seed. If that happened I would be way more concerned about how we played to finish the year than even the Thunder.

If we are healthy in the playoffs, ANT will be hyped up. I hated the trade when it was made, but honestly since the beginning of January my opinion has slowly changed until now I not only realize that the trade needed to be made but I also think it makes us better potentially. Randle gets us easy inside baskets that even KAT didn't give us. DDV is a cold blooded sniper. JMD and NAW are great defenders and are both playing their best basketball right now. To me NAZ is hot and cold and on defense it seems like his feet are stuck in cement at times, but he is high energy, a streaky shooter and if he is "on" it makes us very difficult to beat. I'm bullish on the Wolves in the playoffs and in December I never thought I would be. I was almost in the camp of addition by subtraction with Randle, but boy was I wrong. This is a team that no one will want to play in the playoffs, even the Thunder. Give me the Lakers, Luka complains more than even ANT and LBJ doesn't scare me anymore. Plus, we have unfinished business with Luka.

[Klomp]

I can live with a potential loss to Denver. They are a solid organization and have been near the top for a long time. I don't think I'd be able to handle the discourse around a potential loss to a Houston or Memphis. And a Lakers series would be miserable!

[TheZachAttack]

I wish I could change to the Lakers. They don't have the defenders to stop Ant or other scorers. Lebron and Luka could break down with the physicality and they kind of remind me of the Suns with their current roster where they have great shot creation but they require making a lot of jump shots and tough shots to win.

[Guest84]

I can live with a potential loss to Denver. They are a solid organization and have been near the top for a long time. I don't think I'd be able to handle the discourse around a potential loss to a Houston or Memphis. And a Lakers series would be miserable!

I wouldn't mind a Mem series since we owe them one. Another Den series would be fun too. I do NOT want an LA series...not out of fear but like you said, it would just be miserable and insufferable to see the side show that comes along with that team.