RealGM

It looks like Warriors and Grizz have 1 and 2 locked up.
6th seed isn't impossible, but 7th or 8th seem more possible.
Assuming that is the case, who would you rather face in the PO?
Memphis was a great series last year, and now both teams made upgrades this year.
If GS loses a game early they may feel the extra pressure of losing as a 1 seed.

I'll take "who gives a flying f***, I just want to see the Peake rockin in the playoffs."

It doesn't matter. You probably have to go through both to make the Finals. I'd probably take Memphis out of those two if I had to pick one of them. If I had my choice I'd take Houston, which is still somewhat realistic. Houston could move up to the 2 seed and OKC could end at 7. Outside of that miracle I don't think it matters. However, look at it this way. Is it really a reward to be the #1/2 seed when are most likely going to be playing the Thunder or Spurs? I'd rather be the #3 seed playing Dallas than the #1/2 this year, assuming all teams are healthy in the playoffs.

Very true. 1 and 2 seed will only help in later rounds. At this point with the KD injury I wonder if you guys should cruise to 8th, or go all out for the 6th seed, or possibly 7 if Houston gets hot and grabs number 2 seed.

I posted this in the Warriors board.... If you finish 8th, would you potentially be the best / most dangerous 8th seed ever?
Best 8th seed records ever:
50-32 (.610 WP) 09-10 Oklahoma City Thunder
50-32 07-08 Denver Nuggets
49-33 13-14 Dallas Mavericks

You need to go 19-7 to tie the record for best 8th seed ever (50 wins)
SAS currently has a 0.618 WP, on pace for over 50 wins.

Surprisingly the 8th seeds that advanced were not the 8th seeds that had the best records.
'99 Knicks, '94 Nuggets, the '11 Grizz, or the '07 Warriors... All teams I think OKC is better then.

I'd rather face the Grizzlies.

No doubt about it.

A few weeks earlier I'd think that small balls teams like Warriors got the edge on the Thunder because we didn't have enough post scorers to take advantage of them. Now we got three ligitimate scoring options in Kanter, Ibaka and McGary (even if I doubt he'll see minutes on playoffs) on our PF/C group to punish small ball.

Still, I'm afraid a series against the Warriors (imo most realistic first round matchup), would end up in a bang bang movie starring John Wayne featuring Clint Eastwood. That scares the **** out of me.

Memphis would be a good test for first round. They got better at perimeter scoring while still having that defense that gets under your best players' skins. That would would be the tough series Thunder needs to prove themselves as legitimate tile contenders after the trade.

So Memphis.

I always think wishing for a given opponent is jinxing it.

Just get there, keep playing well, hope KD is healthy.

I'd probably go with Memphis, Warriors simply just scare me with their ability to go absolute berserk from 3 at any moment.

Our main problem with Memphis last season was simply the lack of offensive options on the floor, Thabo and Perkins simply put way too much pressure on KD and Westbrook to create shots with no spacing. I mean bloody Fisher and Butler were logging massive minutes for us and we still ended up winning that series. With Kanter, Augustin and guys like Morrow, Singler and Novak to space the floor I don't see us have anywhere near the amount of offensive struggles as we did in the last playoffs. Though do have to give credit to Memphis, they do look improved on last season with Green so they would still be a very tough opponent.

The one thing I'll say about preferring a team: Bogut is less and less likely to be healthy with each game he plays.

kdthunderup wrote:I'd probably go with Memphis, Warriors simply just scare me with their ability to go absolute berserk from 3 at any moment.

Our main problem with Memphis last season was simply the lack of offensive options on the floor, Thabo and Perkins simply put way too much pressure on KD and Westbrook to create shots with no spacing. I mean bloody Fisher and Butler were logging massive minutes for us and we still ended up winning that series. With Kanter, Augustin and guys like Morrow, Singler and Novak to space the floor I don't see us have anywhere near the amount of offensive struggles as we did in the last playoffs. Though do have to give credit to Memphis, they do look improved on last season with Green so they would still be a very tough opponent.

Memphis is team that scares me more, post trade. I thought Perkins was a primary reason Thunder won the series, his work on ZBo helped a bunch. I think Memphis is gonna test this new Thunder front court.

Thabo's minutes in that series went down drastically as the series progressed, till he was DNP'd in Game 7. I have questions about his ineffectiveness, whether it was just plain lack of offense or he had never gotten over his injury from earlier in the season. Stat wise, he had a very off year, dropped off a bunch in 3P shooting. I don't think that was the same Thabo.

I also thought DFish and Butler were absolutely needed to space the floor, although both of them's 3P % fell off in playoffs, they were 40 and 44 % respectively reg season.

( On another note, I actually saw a guy the other day, hammerin on Brooks for playing DFish too many minutes vrs Spurs in Game 6. I asked him WHO should've gotten those minutes, and he told me Thabo or Butler. )

spearsy23 wrote:The one thing I'll say about preferring a team: Bogut is less and less likely to be healthy with each game he plays.

The Warriors were better without Bogut against OKC. Don't know if that's still the case with our new bigmen rotation.

spearsy23 wrote:The one thing I'll say about preferring a team: Bogut is less and less likely to be healthy with each game he plays.

+1. I think we have a small shot at 6th though.

We're 4,5 GB the 6th spot so that's not impossible to do that, but unlikely.

Anyway, if we manage to finish the season on a 20-5 run... who knows.

Lot of things will be determined by the news on KD and when he'll be back.

We still have 2 games each vs Portland and San Antonio. Other than Golden State/Memphis, the rest are at best 6-4 on their last 10 games.

It's more of how hot we end our last 25 games though and yea that's dependent on Durant

Devilanche wrote:We still have 2 games each vs Portland and San Antonio. Other than Golden State/Memphis, the rest are at best 6-4 on their last 10 games.

It's more of how hot we end our last 25 games though and yea that's dependent on Durant

2 games back of SAS and already won one so we control our own ability to get the 7 seed. 4 games back of LAC with only 1 game against them so unless they go on a lengthy losing streak it's unlikely we make that up. Passing the Spurs is my only concern because NOP has an easy schedule for a while and will be getting Davis back, plus they own the tiebreak.

Yeah, this thread is way premature. After tonight likely only in by a game.

Guys, sorry but I'm locking this due to bad karma!