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I've been saying they have a shot but the Raps fans dont agree.

The_Hater wrote:

Johnny Bball wrote:

Jcity08 wrote:I mean I was optimistic during the times we were one and done in the playoffs, nothing can take away my optimism.

But the Bucks are legit title contenders & heavy favourites in the East and I can recognize that too.

This. Either way the eventual champion is coming out of the east.

You would pick Toronto or Boston over the Lakers or Clippers?

Boston ain't coming out of the east and the Lakers aren't coming out of the west the way i see it, just my opinion... but to answer the one question left, yes.

Duffman100 wrote:

The_Hater wrote:

Duffman100 wrote:
Between Milwuakee, Toronto, Boston, Philly, Heat and (when healthy) Pacers... I wouldn't call the East a weak conference.

Lakers, Clippers, Denver, Houston, Jazz, Thunder. That top 6 is very comparable.

That’s kinda cherry picking though Duff. 2/3 of the leagues top contenders reside in the west. You omitted Dallas, who is very good and considerably better than #7 in the east. 1-6 might look somewhat comparable but 7-15 in the west is considerably stronger than the east as a group to he point that it’s laughable. And the unbalanced conference schedules has also inflated the top team’s records in the east just like it does most seasons.

All that said, I’m still picking the Bucks to win the title, but part of the reason for that is because I think they have a far easier playoff map playing in the east then the Clips/Lakers have playing in the tougher conference.

Sure, but we're talking this bubble right now which is essentially the playoffs. so 7-15 isn't really that relevant.

Regardless of potentially inflated records, the top 6 of the East is comparable to the top 6 of the West. So it's not like whoever is in the East has a cake walk or much of an easier path in the 2nd round or CF.

Well the 1-2 seeds in the west are going to likely have to play #7 Dallas, who’s very good and has the 5th best point differential in the league (ahead of all but 2 EC teams) and quite possibly a reloaded and finally healthy Portland team at #8, who made the conference finals last season.

Meanwhile 1-2 seeds in the east get to play Orlando and the corpse that used to be Brooklyn. That’s a pretty huge advantage out of the gate for the top seeds in the east.

And then there’s Indiana who is without Sabonis and probably Oladipo too. So they’re not exactly making it a tough top 6 with a roster that will look more like a lottery team.

Also, in terms of SRS, 7/10 of the top teams in the league play in the west.

The_Hater wrote:

Duffman100 wrote:

The_Hater wrote:
That’s kinda cherry picking though Duff. 2/3 of the leagues top contenders reside in the west. You omitted Dallas, who is very good and considerably better than #7 in the east. 1-6 might look somewhat comparable but 7-15 in the west is considerably stronger than the east as a group to he point that it’s laughable. And the unbalanced conference schedules has also inflated the top team’s records in the east just like it does most seasons.

All that said, I’m still picking the Bucks to win the title, but part of the reason for that is because I think they have a far easier playoff map playing in the east then the Clips/Lakers have playing in the tougher conference.

Sure, but we're talking this bubble right now which is essentially the playoffs. so 7-15 isn't really that relevant.

Regardless of potentially inflated records, the top 6 of the East is comparable to the top 6 of the West. So it's not like whoever is in the East has a cake walk or much of an easier path in the 2nd round or CF.

Well the 1-2 seeds in the west are going to likely have to play #7 Dallas, who’s very good and has the 5th best point differential in the league (ahead of all but 2 EC teams) and quite possibly a reloaded and finally healthy Portland team at #8, who made the conference finals last season.

Meanwhile 1-2 seeds in the east get to play Orlando and the corpse that used to be Brooklyn. That’s a pretty huge advantage out of the gate for the top seeds in the east.

And then there’s Indiana who is without Sabonis and probably Oladipo too. So they’re not exactly making it a tough top 6 with a roster that will look more like a lottery team.

Also, in terms of SRS, 7/10 of the top teams in the league play in the west.

the 3 east teams being Bucks, Raptors, Celtics?

I would have thought Philly and Heat would be in the top 10. At least one of them. What's the list?

The_Hater wrote:

Duffman100 wrote:

The_Hater wrote:
That’s kinda cherry picking though Duff. 2/3 of the leagues top contenders reside in the west. You omitted Dallas, who is very good and considerably better than #7 in the east. 1-6 might look somewhat comparable but 7-15 in the west is considerably stronger than the east as a group to he point that it’s laughable. And the unbalanced conference schedules has also inflated the top team’s records in the east just like it does most seasons.

All that said, I’m still picking the Bucks to win the title, but part of the reason for that is because I think they have a far easier playoff map playing in the east then the Clips/Lakers have playing in the tougher conference.

Sure, but we're talking this bubble right now which is essentially the playoffs. so 7-15 isn't really that relevant.

Regardless of potentially inflated records, the top 6 of the East is comparable to the top 6 of the West. So it's not like whoever is in the East has a cake walk or much of an easier path in the 2nd round or CF.

Well the 1-2 seeds in the west are going to likely have to play #7 Dallas, who’s very good and has the 5th best point differential in the league (ahead of all but 2 EC teams) and quite possibly a reloaded and finally healthy Portland team at #8, who made the conference finals last season.

Meanwhile 1-2 seeds in the east get to play Orlando and the corpse that used to be Brooklyn. That’s a pretty huge advantage out of the gate for the top seeds in the east.

And then there’s Indiana who is without Sabonis and probably Oladipo too. So they’re not exactly making it a tough top 6 with a roster that will look more like a lottery team.

Also, in terms of SRS, 7/10 of the top teams in the league play in the west.

Orlando is better than Memphis or at least we beat them a couple times.

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Johnny Bball wrote:

Jcity08 wrote:I mean I was optimistic during the times we were one and done in the playoffs, nothing can take away my optimism.

But the Bucks are legit title contenders & heavy favourites in the East and I can recognize that too.

This. Either way the eventual champion is coming out of the east.

No one likes watching the Lakers lose more than I do... but I think you are seriously overconfident.

The only team in the East capable of beating the Clippers or Lakers in a 7 games series is the Bucks.

VanWest82 wrote:

SFour wrote:

VanWest82 wrote:Raptors will have their hands full with Magic in round one. They should focus on that series first.

Gasol's hands are definitly going to be full taking care of his son

Spoiler:

Raptors have trouble scoring. Magic have tremendous length and one of the best defenses in the NBA. They have a player, Isaac, who was grown in a lab to slow down Siakam. Not saying Magic should be favored or anything but it might be closer than you think.

Raptors dog walked the Magic all season long this year and weren't even healthy lol.

most likely going to be the Bucks. Raptors have a very low chance. Stopping the Bucks without Kawhi is going to be a high order, esp in a 7 game series, for any team - not just Toronto.

I believe more in Philadelphia if they go on a rampage with Simmons at PF or, obviously, the Bucks. But I wouldn't count em out.

The Raptors should feel good about the team this year. Are they good enough to beat the Bucks? I hope we get a chance to find out.

Soulyss wrote:

Johnny Bball wrote:

Jcity08 wrote:I mean I was optimistic during the times we were one and done in the playoffs, nothing can take away my optimism.

But the Bucks are legit title contenders & heavy favourites in the East and I can recognize that too.

This. Either way the eventual champion is coming out of the east.

No one likes watching the Lakers lose more than I do... but I think you are seriously overconfident.

The only team in the East capable of beating the Clippers or Lakers in a 7 games series is the Bucks.

Overconfident? *Caugh* Champs.

They probably won't make it. But I have them in the conference finals against the Bucks. The raps have the perfect team for a superstar to join, Kawhi should've ran it back with a 1+1..

They have a puncher's chance. The top 6 teams in the East have a "chance". I just don't think The Bucks are a lock, favs, but not a lock. Everyone else could beat everyone else on any given night.

No. Raptors won't have a player of Kawhi's caliber for a very long time.

I wouldn't consider them favorites, but they have the best defense in the league and a bunch of battle tested players. I know the 2000s pistons is a played out comparison for any team without a superstar, but the parallels are undeniable. I wouldnt count them out of a series against any team in the league.

Sure. Are they favorites to come out of the East? No, they aren't. The Bucks are still the favorites.

But I don't see why they wouldn't be optimistic about their chances. They definitely have a chance. Same goes for the other teams in the East's top 6 if healthy (excluding the team I support, perhaps, since we aren't healthy at all at the moment). They are all good enough to have a chance. I do believe that Toronto does have a slightly better chance than the rest. They did have a slightly better record than the other four teams, after all.

the key here is that none of MIL, LAL, or LAC are teams without significant question marks.

OG missed all 2019 playoffs
Our best wing defender
Pretty much playing the best of his career on offense over this current stretch while lockdown defense on the best opposing wing.

real catch to be the x factor

Drygon wrote:No. Raptors won't have a player of Kawhi's caliber for a very long time.

The stat is true but not completely comparable to this year. Raptors best wing defender of OG this year, missed all of last year. OG should (but won't) best all-nba defense praise.

every part of the raptors are better this year compared to last (except losing KL) + adding an all-nba defender