Most wanted 1st and 2nd round rivals

[Tricky_Kid]

I'm just curious what You guys think about matchups. There are still games on the scheldues and few teams can qualify to PO or change spots in last minute.

For me personally the best pick for first round was Detroit. But as I said in the beggining of the season the same as Orlando they probably won't be in top 8 in the east.
From teams like Indiana, Atlanta, Milwaukee I would pick Hawks basicly the don't have star quality players like PG or Greek Freak and Horford, Teague are gone. Schroeder isn't on the same lvl as Jeff. They lost Korver too.
Second round let's assume top seeded teams won from Cavs, Raps, Celtics I would like to play Boston.
They have rebounding issues all season long. Our last game was anomally when we lost in rebounding stats. They don't have star quality player I don't count great scorer like IT. He is liability on D so in my books he isn't all star lvl player. But it is just me. Raps are a better team, better D, DeRozan can won the game by himself, addiction in Tucker, Ibaka are icing on the cake. The only question mark is if Lowry will be healthy.
Watching Celtics board after a loss would be real damn pleasure. I wonder what salty IT would say. He is master of finding excuses and disrespected everyone.

So Hawks and Celtics and we are going to the finals after defeating Lebrons team

[dlts20]

Milwaukee all day. Have you seen there fans on the main board? Makes me want the Bucks more than anyone. I don't want the Hawks. We match up well but Millsap is a legit All Star, Howard is now underrated, Schroeder is capable, Hardaway is one of those guys who can get hot and steal a game. Most of all coach Bud maybe the best coach in the East

[J-Ves]

1st round - anyone but the Heat and Bucks. The Heat have been one of the best teams for a while now and the Wiz don't like facing great rim protectors like Whiteside. The Bucks are playing great ball and Giannis is the closest thing to Lebron since Lebron. Middleton is underrated and has killed the Wiz in the past.

2nd round - anyone but the Cavs. Beating Boston or Toronto in a 7 game series without home field advantage would be difficult but doable. Beating a fully healthy Cavs would be extremely unlikely, the Wiz just can't defend Lebron or Love to save their lives.


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[queridiculo]

Don't really care who Washington plays in the first round, but holding on to the third seed would be nice nevertheless.

[Tricky_Kid]

Milwaukee all day. Have you seen there fans on the main board? Makes me want the Bucks more than anyone. I don't want the Hawks. We match up well but Millsap is a legit All Star, Howard is now underrated, Schroeder is capable, Hardaway is one of those guys who can get hot and steal a game. Most of all coach Bud maybe the best coach in the East

Celtics board and their broadcasting crew is terrible. Would be awesome to knock them off

Good Markieff is capable to contain Millsap and we have GOAT Smith to the rescue. Howard isn't scares me at all and outside of THJ they haven't quality bench.

Bud isn't the Pop afterall

[Mojo Amok]

If we're talking ease, it's Atlanta and Boston for reasons that are almost too obvious to state. Both are horribly flawed playoff teams, with Boston looking like a historically bad 1-seed (if they make it).

Toronto is much tougher looking as they're grinding out emphatic wins where they score 90 points. However, it looks quite unlikely that we're going to play them under any but outlier scenarios, so it's whateva'.

Atlanta got blown out at home against the Nyets which officially pushes the Bucks into the 5th seed. With both the Hawks and Pacers struggling and the Dawn of the Fawn™ surge, it's hard to see Milwaukee dropping.

Both them and Miami are obvious 'Do Not Want' matchups, even if the Wizards would be favored.

Spoiler:

I'd love to see the Wizards hold the 6th seed while beating the HEAT twice to wrap up the season and then not have to see them in the first round.

The planets would be in full alignment if the Cavs then held off the Celtics from getting the top seed - despite the discussion of the Celtics schedule being easy, it actually have a good number of loosable games remaining (Miami, Milwaukee, Cleveland, @Atlanta, @Charlotte & Milwaukee).

Overall it's a much easier bracket that what you'd usually see regardless of how the specifics play out.

[nate33]

Good point about our 2 remaining games against Miami. We may be in the position to dictate whether or not we end up playing Miami in the 1st round.

I'm most concerned about playing elite pick-and-roll teams. Miami is kryptonite for us, and we're not beating Lebron in the playoffs with the calls he'll get. Toronto has the potential to play stifling defense so they're a problem too. I'm not to worried about anyone else. Milwaukee is solid, but since they don't run a pick-and-roll attack, I think we can defend them. Atlanta is in free fall and not a threat. Indy just doesn't have the horses. Boston isn't that talented either, though with Avery Bradley pestering Beal, they're still a tough matchup.

[FAH1223]

I don't want Miami. They're playing good basketball and like nate said, their pick and roll will kill our lazy defense and bad defensive lineups. Spoelstra has outcoached Brooks in the Finals before.

[gambitx777]

We clinched a playoff berth. Its a good year, lets see if we can catch the C's.

[Kanyewest]

Celtics are tied with the Cavs meaning the Wizards are 2.5 games behind both. Cleveland is 6-8 in their last 14.

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[Tricky_Kid]

I would laugh if Cavs started to to rest guys and finish 4th which is very unlikely looking at our remaining games. Finish 4th with Boston 1st is good too.
Miami would be nightmare in first round not only for us for Celtics too.
Teams have own up and downs moments but Raptors seems to be the second best team in the East. And they are playing without Lowry - scary!
We need to play more Oubre and bust his confidence before playoffs comes, we will be x factor on D end like Otto two years ago vd Demar.
Interesting game Cavs - Spurs 2nite we will see how Cavs D will look like.

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[Tricky_Kid]

Celtics are tied with the Cavs meaning the Wizards are 2.5 games behind both. Cleveland is 6-8 in their last 14.

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If we finish with the same recorrd as Boston who will get better seed?

[europeanfan]

Celtics are tied with the Cavs meaning the Wizards are 2.5 games behind both. Cleveland is 6-8 in their last 14.

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If we finish with the same recorrd as Boston who will get better seed?

I've read somewhere that the tiebreaker is conference record, where the Celtics are ahead by a lot.

So that basically gives the Celtics an extra game, with a way easier schedule, makes it nearly impossible to pass them for 1st seed.

If they're locked with the Cavs in the second round, that's fine at this point. They can't tank on purpose to let Toronto pass them when they have the opportunity to go for 50 wins. Then again the super tough schedule may take care of that for them regardless.

For me hardest path is looking like Bucks-Cavs-Raptors.

Hawks Bucks and Pacers are all tied at 37-36, so the seeding is still extremely fluid.

[Gant]

Celtics are tied with the Cavs meaning the Wizards are 2.5 games behind both. Cleveland is 6-8 in their last 14.

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If we finish with the same recorrd as Boston who will get better seed?

Boston. Better conference record.

[gambitx777]

I don't want to see any one hurt but at the same time, If they take it easy and drop to 3 then blow out some body parts aginst the buck. I'd almost have to laugh.

[nate33]

Cleveland is going to have to rest Lebron a couple of games down the stretch to make sure he's ready for the playoffs. The Celtics will take the top seed. I think Toronto slips ahead of us and we fall to 4th. The Hawks are in free fall and will finish 7th or 8th. Miami seems to be faltering a bit and may not have the juice to catch Milwaukee and Indy, so they'll finish alongside Atlanta. So that leaves Indy or the Bucks as the 5th seed and our first round matchup. Our second round matchup will be Boston.

My prediction:

1. Boston
2. Cleveland
3. Toronto
4. Washington
5. Milwaukee or Indy
6. Indy or Milwaukee
7. Miami or Atlanta
8. Atlanta or Miami

It's possible that Atlanta hangs onto 7th, leaving Miami at 8th. That's a bad matchup for Miami because Boston defends the pick and roll well. They'll put Avery Bradley on Dragic, and Horford on Whiteside.

Overall, this is about as favorable of a playoff matchup as we could hope. Ideally, we get Indy instead of the Bucks, but I think we can beat either team.

[gambitx777]

I think lowery is nothing but a stat filler to be honest, he is great but I think his teams have always been better off with out him.

[Kanyewest]

Cleveland is going to have to rest Lebron a couple of games down the stretch to make sure he's ready for the playoffs. The Celtics will take the top seed. I think Toronto slips ahead of us and we fall to 4th. The Hawks are in free fall and will finish 7th or 8th. Miami seems to be faltering a bit and may not have the juice to catch Milwaukee and Indy, so they'll finish alongside Atlanta. So that leaves Indy or the Bucks as the 5th seed and our first round matchup. Our second round matchup will be Boston.

My prediction:

1. Boston
2. Cleveland
3. Toronto
4. Washington
5. Milwaukee or Indy
6. Indy or Milwaukee
7. Miami or Atlanta
8. Atlanta or Miami

It's possible that Atlanta hangs onto 7th, leaving Miami at 8th. That's a bad matchup for Miami because Boston defends the pick and roll well. They'll put Avery Bradley on Dragic, and Horford on Whiteside.

Overall, this is about as favorable of a playoff matchup as we could hope. Ideally, we get Indy instead of the Bucks, but I think we can beat either team.

I think that's a fair assessment of how the top 4 could shake out. Would be funny if the Wizards/Raptors managed to win out and the Cavs slipped to 4.

Atlanta really needs Millsap back, their 7 game losing streak has happened with him out of the lineup as well as some other players.

[Kanyewest]

I think lowery is nothing but a stat filler to be honest, he is great but I think his teams have always been better off with out him.

The Raptors are playing pretty well without Lowry at the moment but they also added Ibaka and PJ Tucker, at the trade deadline. Their schedule has also been relatively easy since the all star break.

[gambitx777]

im more afraid of the raps without him, than with him.