Western Conference | Play-In - (7) Minnesota Timberwolves vs (8) Los Angeles Clippers

[Bornstellar]

Picking Clippers because I fully expect Twolves to choke

[Exp0sed]

I expect the Clippers to win quite handily, one game anything can happen, especially at home but will be suprised if the Clippers don't prevail, Sux for the T-wolves their young guys deserved at least one playoff series for what they accomplished this season.

[GooniesNeverDie]

Think Minni will win the second play-in game.. going to be a lot of nerves vs the Clippers who won't have a single issue with this moment.

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[BoatsNZones]

I expect the Clippers to win quite handily, one game anything can happen, especially at home but will be suprised if the Clippers don't prevail, Sux for the T-wolves their young guys deserved at least one playoff series for what they accomplished this season.

They just have to beat the Pels or Spurs even if the Clippers beat them.

[Exp0sed]

I expect the Clippers to win quite handily, one game anything can happen, especially at home but will be suprised if the Clippers don't prevail, Sux for the T-wolves their young guys deserved at least one playoff series for what they accomplished this season.

They just have to beat the Pels or Spurs even if the Clippers beat them.

right! that's good they have a good chance against either of these

[Patches Perry]

I personally think it would be a travesty if Minnesota somehow get ousted. They've earned their seeding & with Clippers getting healthy, it's a very real possibility their entire good season will come down to a pressure packed game.

For Minnesota, they'd have to lose twice to not make the playoffs. I don't really care for the play in but Minnesota should be able to win one of those games, especially the 2nd one against a 9th/10th seed if it comes to that.

[SpreeS]

LAC with George/Covington/Powell addition is on tier above than MIN. But it’s one game, so everything can happen.

[Satch]

I think the difference will be home court for the Wolves and their starved fans will be crazy

[tarantism]

The Clippers are probably the better team but the way that Minnesota plays brings so much variance into the equation. If they get hot shooting it fuels their defense and they could bury the Clips. If the Clippers can muddy up the game and force the Wolves to make tough shots in the half court they can keep the score low and win a rock fight.

I'll go with the Wolves. Pelicans/Clips would be a great game for the 8th seed.

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[BlueSan]

It's a flawed concept when a team that''s 10 games over the 9 seed could be ousted or in trouble by a hot or off shooting night. Their reward for being 7th seed, is pressure & a non lotto pick, while the failed 10 seed gets a free shot at PO's or lottery. Personally if that's the case & the 10th seed manages to upset the 7th, they should atleast be swapping draft slots aswell, not drafting according to record.

IMO, the only spot that should be up for grabs to control tanking is the 8th seed. 9 plays 10, winner of that game plays a B2B away game for the 8th seed. The 7th seed should not be fighting for their PO life 10 games over the 9 seed.

I personally think it would be a travesty if Minnesota somehow get ousted. They've earned their seeding & with Clippers getting healthy, it's a very real possibility their entire good season will come down to a pressure packed game.

Why not handicap the team that earned the best record while we're at it & give the 8th seed a 2 game advantage.

No, and I will explain why not.

1st - What is the point of sports? The point is ENTERTAINMENT.
2nd - Is it entertaining to watch 1 team battling it out with the other one 100 times....? No Is cinderella's story entertainment? Is it the risk of the underdog maybe beating a better team entertainment on an off night? YES
3. Ask March Madness why they have a single-elimination game. Ask the ski girls and guys why don't they go race on the same track 10 times to make it fairer and even and really make sure that the BEST one wins. It is not about the best one on AVERAGE winning. It is about the BEST one in a given moment which is less certain winning

CERTAINTY is not fun
UNCERTAINTY is fun

MAke Superbowl playoff games best out of 7 as well. Make a football game finals game best out of 7... MAke a boxing match-winner best out of 7 fights...

NBA guys want to make the most money. We want to have the most fun...most fun for wast majority of people DEFINITELY is not to play 82 games and best out of 7 series...
That is why Play in is fun and I only wished the other playoff games would be single elimination or maybe best out of 3, but not more... it kills the tension, the uncertainty, and by the entertainment aspect.

[PD28]

Excited to see Edwards in the playoffs!

[HeartBreakKid]

It's a flawed concept when a team that''s 10 games over the 9 seed could be ousted or in trouble by a hot or off shooting night. Their reward for being 7th seed, is pressure & a non lotto pick, while the failed 10 seed gets a free shot at PO's or lottery. Personally if that's the case & the 10th seed manages to upset the 7th, they should atleast be swapping draft slots aswell, not drafting according to record.

IMO, the only spot that should be up for grabs to control tanking is the 8th seed. 9 plays 10, winner of that game plays a B2B away game for the 8th seed. The 7th seed should not be fighting for their PO life 10 games over the 9 seed.

I personally think it would be a travesty if Minnesota somehow get ousted. They've earned their seeding & with Clippers getting healthy, it's a very real possibility their entire good season will come down to a pressure packed game.

Why not handicap the team that earned the best record while we're at it & give the 8th seed a 2 game advantage.

No, and I will explain why not.

1st - What is the point of sports? The point is ENTERTAINMENT.
2nd - Is it entertaining to watch 1 team battling it out with the other one 100 times....? No Is cinderella's story entertainment? Is it the risk of the underdog maybe beating a better team entertainment on an off night? YES
3. Ask March Madness why they have a single-elimination game. Ask the ski girls and guys why don't they go race on the same track 10 times to make it fairer and even and really make sure that the BEST one wins. It is not about the best one on AVERAGE winning. It is about the BEST one in a given moment which is less certain winning

CERTAINTY is not fun
UNCERTAINTY is fun

MAke Superbowl playoff games best out of 7 as well. Make a football game finals game best out of 7... MAke a boxing match-winner best out of 7 fights...

NBA guys want to make the most money. We want to have the most fun...most fun for wast majority of people DEFINITELY is not to play 82 games and best out of 7 series...
That is why Play in is fun and I only wished the other playoff games would be single elimination or maybe best out of 3, but not more... it kills the tension, the uncertainty, and by the entertainment aspect.

??? More basketball is fun. 4/7 series are easily better than 1/1.

Football and Boxing are 1/1 because they are damaging to the body, not because it's more entertaining.

Also, boxing has rounds...which is essentially 12 separate fights back to back. You win by winning the majority of rounds (or knockout).

[LofJ]

I went with the Wolves. They want it more and they're playing at home.

[Grubie024]

I don't know the clips that well, but to me the biggest key in this matchup is if the Wolves shot is falling. If it is, they're very hard to beat, they can put up 120 on you with ease. It makes their defense better too it seems.

[timO]

LAC for PG

3-1 in RS

LAC 3-0 with PG

minny 1-0 without PG

[Nate505]

It's a flawed concept when a team that''s 10 games over the 9 seed could be ousted or in trouble by a hot or off shooting night. Their reward for being 7th seed, is pressure & a non lotto pick, while the failed 10 seed gets a free shot at PO's or lottery. Personally if that's the case & the 10th seed manages to upset the 7th, they should atleast be swapping draft slots aswell, not drafting according to record.

IMO, the only spot that should be up for grabs to control tanking is the 8th seed. 9 plays 10, winner of that game plays a B2B away game for the 8th seed. The 7th seed should not be fighting for their PO life 10 games over the 9 seed.

I personally think it would be a travesty if Minnesota somehow get ousted. They've earned their seeding & with Clippers getting healthy, it's a very real possibility their entire good season will come down to a pressure packed game.

Why not handicap the team that earned the best record while we're at it & give the 8th seed a 2 game advantage.

Should have finished in Top 6 if they wanted a guaranteed playoff spot.

And they didn't earn their playoff spot at all. Under the old system they did. We aren't playing under the old system though.

[hippesthippo]

It's a flawed concept when a team that''s 10 games over the 9 seed could be ousted or in trouble by a hot or off shooting night. Their reward for being 7th seed, is pressure & a non lotto pick, while the failed 10 seed gets a free shot at PO's or lottery. Personally if that's the case & the 10th seed manages to upset the 7th, they should atleast be swapping draft slots aswell, not drafting according to record.

They do.

If you make the playoffs, you're out of the lottery. If you botch the play-in, you're in the lottery. Doesn't matter if you were 10th or 7th.

Wait, now I'm confused and not sure who deserves the and1. Can anyone quote the rules regarding the play-in and draft position?

[life_saver]

LAC for PG

3-1 in RS

LAC 3-0 with PG

minny 1-0 without PG

another perspective..all those 3 matches which Clippers won happened within first month of the season when Wolves weren't playing well, with most of the players shooting well below their career averages. Wolves started season slowly and it took the team a while to figure out right starting lineup, rotations. They were a below 0.500 team during first couple of months of season

[timO]

LAC for PG

3-1 in RS

LAC 3-0 with PG

minny 1-0 without PG

another perspective..all those 3 matches which Clippers won happened within first month of the season when Wolves weren't playing well, with most of the players shooting well below their career averages. Wolves started season slowly and it took the team a while to figure out right starting lineup, rotations. They were a below 0.500 team during first couple of months of season

True too, but the PG thing is more relevant to me.

And minny is so unexperienced.

[LoveMyRaps]

I got the Clips. Especially with Norm coming back.