WCQF: P1 | (4) OKC Thunder vs Utah Jazz (5) | Utah wins 4-2

[jjscap]

I think UTA wanted #5 instead of #3 because they play better on the road and more importantly they did not want to be seen as favorites which would put tons of pressure on their young inexperienced team. Now they're underdogs.

OKC's advantages: tons of offensive firepower, three stars, great homecourt/fans
UTA's advantages: better/smarter team-play, better defense, better coaching, less pressure

OKC's disadvantages: No Roberson, inferior bench, not great chemisty
UTA's disadvantages: lack of playoff experience (Rubio and DM's first series), limited offense

[NickAnderson]

OKC in 4 or 5


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[jpengland]

Utah in 5

[anish23]

I think UTA wanted #5 instead of #3 because they play better on the road and more importantly they did not want to be seen as favorites which would put tons of pressure on their young inexperienced team. Now they're underdogs.

OKC's advantages: tons of offensive firepower, three stars, great homecourt/fans
UTA's advantages: better/smarter team-play, better defense, better coaching, less pressure

OKC's disadvantages: No Roberson, inferior bench, not great chemisty
UTA's disadvantages: lack of playoff experience (Rubio and DM's first series), limited offense

No, they did not want to lose the game.

Two, who are the three stars, I hope you mean Adams. In that case Jazz have 3 stars also.

But in all honesty, its 2 stars.

[anish23]

I think Mitchell is going to show something new this series, i think he is going to dominate.

I also hope Westbrook plays selfish and bricks his way to losses... and I hope PG's form in the last game of the season doesn't carry over, cuz if it does, then its danger.

I'm not worried about Melo, I'd love it if he remained in the court for big minutes.

[lambchop]

I think UTA wanted #5 instead of #3 because they play better on the road and more importantly they did not want to be seen as favorites which would put tons of pressure on their young inexperienced team. Now they're underdogs.

OKC's advantages: tons of offensive firepower, three stars, great homecourt/fans
UTA's advantages: better/smarter team-play, better defense, better coaching, less pressure

OKC's disadvantages: No Roberson, inferior bench, not great chemisty
UTA's disadvantages: lack of playoff experience (Rubio and DM's first series), limited offense

Home record 28 - 13
away record 20 - 21



I feel as though the eye test isn't always right

[JohnWillow]

Jazz in 6 or 7 games

[EireannX]

I think UTA wanted #5 instead of #3 because they play better on the road and more importantly they did not want to be seen as favorites which would put tons of pressure on their young inexperienced team. Now they're underdogs.

OKC's advantages: tons of offensive firepower, three stars, great homecourt/fans
UTA's advantages: better/smarter team-play, better defense, better coaching, less pressure

OKC's disadvantages: No Roberson, inferior bench, not great chemisty
UTA's disadvantages: lack of playoff experience (Rubio and DM's first series), limited offense

Home record 28 - 13
away record 20 - 21

I feel as though the eye test isn't always right

Their away record was 5-19 before they went on their tear. They closed the season 15-3 on the road.

I still think they prefer to play at home, but the back half of the season they were road warriors.

[The-Power]

Really close. I'm going to say Jazz in 6 or Thunder in 7. Mitchell is really the guy I'm most unsure about (and Westbrook's jumper, which might decide the series one way or the other). If he can keep up with his level of play, I'll take the Jazz but a Rookie in his first playoffs? Always an uncertainty. I voted Jazz in 6 but this feels like it could go either way.

[WestbrookGOATed]

I think UTA wanted #5 instead of #3 because they play better on the road and more importantly they did not want to be seen as favorites which would put tons of pressure on their young inexperienced team. Now they're underdogs.

OKC's advantages: tons of offensive firepower, three stars, great homecourt/fans
UTA's advantages: better/smarter team-play, better defense, better coaching, less pressure

OKC's disadvantages: No Roberson, inferior bench, not great chemisty
UTA's disadvantages: lack of playoff experience (Rubio and DM's first series), limited offense

No, they did not want to lose the game.

Two, who are the three stars, I hope you mean Adams. In that case Jazz have 3 stars also.

But in all honesty, its 2 stars.

Russell and PG are better than anyone on the Jazz roster. Adams and Gobert are about even. And even if Ingles has been good this season, most people would still take Melo over him. Including myself.

[jpengland]

I think UTA wanted #5 instead of #3 because they play better on the road and more importantly they did not want to be seen as favorites which would put tons of pressure on their young inexperienced team. Now they're underdogs.

OKC's advantages: tons of offensive firepower, three stars, great homecourt/fans
UTA's advantages: better/smarter team-play, better defense, better coaching, less pressure

OKC's disadvantages: No Roberson, inferior bench, not great chemisty
UTA's disadvantages: lack of playoff experience (Rubio and DM's first series), limited offense

No, they did not want to lose the game.

Two, who are the three stars, I hope you mean Adams. In that case Jazz have 3 stars also.

But in all honesty, its 2 stars.

Russell and PG are better than anyone on the Jazz roster. Adams and Gobert are about even. And even if Ingles has been good this season, most people would still take Melo over him. Including myself.

Adams and Gobert are about even?

Really?

[WestbrookGOATed]

I'm seriously shocked at all the people picking Utah in 5 or 6. I know OKC hasn't looked amazing this season but they can turn it on whenever they want too. The Jazz are solid but there's no damn chance they're beating this Thunder team in a 7 game series especially with OKC having homecourt.

[WestbrookGOATed]

No, they did not want to lose the game.

Two, who are the three stars, I hope you mean Adams. In that case Jazz have 3 stars also.

But in all honesty, its 2 stars.

Russell and PG are better than anyone on the Jazz roster. Adams and Gobert are about even. And even if Ingles has been good this season, most people would still take Melo over him. Including myself.

Adams and Gobert are about even?

Really?

Yeah? Gobert has the better defense and Adams has the better offense.

[jpengland]

Russell and PG are better than anyone on the Jazz roster. Adams and Gobert are about even. And even if Ingles has been good this season, most people would still take Melo over him. Including myself.

Adams and Gobert are about even?

Really?

Yeah? Gobert has the better defense and Adams has the better offense.

Oh dear.

I guess Andre Roberson and Steph Curry are 'about even', too?

Roberson has better defense. Curry has better offense.

[anish23]

Adams and Gobert are about even?

Really?

Yeah? Gobert has the better defense and Adams has the better offense.

Oh dear.

I guess Andre Roberson and Steph Curry are 'about even', too?

Roberson has better defense. Curry has better offense.

And lebron and jae crowder.

One barely has hair.

[ThunderBolt]

I think UTA wanted #5 instead of #3 because they play better on the road and more importantly they did not want to be seen as favorites which would put tons of pressure on their young inexperienced team. Now they're underdogs.

OKC's advantages: tons of offensive firepower, three stars, great homecourt/fans
UTA's advantages: better/smarter team-play, better defense, better coaching, less pressure

OKC's disadvantages: No Roberson, inferior bench, not great chemisty
UTA's disadvantages: lack of playoff experience (Rubio and DM's first series), limited offense

No, they did not want to lose the game.

Two, who are the three stars, I hope you mean Adams. In that case Jazz have 3 stars also.

But in all honesty, its 2 stars.

Russell and PG are better than anyone on the Jazz roster. Adams and Gobert are about even. And even if Ingles has been good this season, most people would still take Melo over him. Including myself.

I understand home bias, but Melo over ingles?

[Pillendreher]

As if they don’t have deep playoff experience.

Let me address this real quick:

Playoff experience among those who have played at least 700 minutes this season (overall) and who are not injured:

Thunder: 11 players total, 389 games, 12555 minutes
Jazz: 10 players total, 104 games, 2382 minutes

Let me put it this way: Their starting backcourt combines for 0 minutes of Playoff experience and Carmelo Anthony by himself has played more minutes in the Playoffs than this Utah squad combined. Hell, Patterson+Felton combined are close to the total Jazz minutes.

[jpengland]

As if they don’t have deep playoff experience.

Let me address this real quick:

Playoff experience among those who have played at least 700 minutes this season (overall) and who are not injured:

Thunder: 11 players total, 389 games, 12555 minutes
Jazz: 10 players total, 104 games, 2382 minutes

Let me put it this way: Their starting backcourt combines for 0 minutes of Playoff experience and Carmelo Anthony by himself has played more minutes in the Playoffs than this Utah squad combined. Hell, Patterson+Felton combined are close to the total Jazz minutes.

Melo can have all the playoff experience in the world, but if he's being abused on PnR and clunking fall away deep 2s, it matters jot.

[jpengland]

To put the Melo impact into context, hes playing on a team distinctly lacking depth and his .500 TS% and appalling defense is resulting in the Thunder being 3.8 points better off with him being off the court.

By just about every advanced statistic, he's a negative and shouldn't be in any play off teams top 8 rotation.

[SKR]

This might be one of the closest round 1 matchups in the West imo.
But polled Jazz in 6