RealGM

Out of the two higher level bracket combinations, which team (different answers contingent on whom advances works as well) would you trust the most to come out of the Western conference?

I had high hopes for the Nuggets going into the playoffs, but it’s becoming obvious they aren’t a championship caliber team. It’s going to be the winner of LAL/GSW. I wish it weren’t as I’m tired of Curry and Lebron being in the finals all the time. 2021 was the only year since 2010 that neither of them were in it.

I prefer the winner of GSW/LAL.

LAL matches up well against both Denver and Phoenix.

RE Denver: AD, Gabriel and LeBron are as much as you could ask for for Jokic defenders. I can't trust the secondary creators on Denver to create against this focused LAL defense.

Draymond/Looney are excellent defenders for Denver. Offensively GSW is unlocked against a weaker Denver team where they can penetrate and attack the rim [which they can't do against LAL].

RE Phoenix: AD once again helps in the paint but I just can't see this depth-less Phoenix team beating either GSW or LAL 4 times.

Colbinii wrote:I prefer the winner of GSW/LAL.

LAL matches up well against both Denver and Phoenix.

RE Denver: AD, Gabriel and LeBron are as much as you could ask for for Jokic defenders. I can't trust the secondary creators on Denver to create against this focused LAL defense.

Draymond/Looney are excellent defenders for Denver. Offensively GSW is unlocked against a weaker Denver team where they can penetrate and attack the rim [which they can't do against LAL].

RE Phoenix: AD once again helps in the paint but I just can't see this depth-less Phoenix team beating either GSW or LAL 4 times.

Lebrons a 50-50 but I feel he can’t really guard Jokic at all, but Wenyen and AD struggle a lot with stronger more Girthy guys and Jokic is the girthiest of them all

No-more-rings wrote:I had high hopes for the Nuggets going into the playoffs, but it’s becoming obvious they aren’t a championship caliber team. It’s going to be the winner of LAL/GSW. I wish it weren’t as I’m tired of Curry and Lebron being in the finals all the time. 2021 was the only year since 2010 that neither of them were in it.

Yeah, it's not that the Nuggets lost Games 3 and 4, it's the way they lost that's concerning. You cannot lose both games with Chris Paul out, and your star player puts up 41 and 53 points. The Suns are going to win the series, and probably in 6 games.

Regardless of who wins the series, the Lakers are going to the Finals. Keep in mind, the last time LeBron lost a series that took place entirely in the month of May was the Celtics series in 2010, and for those hoping for a Warriors comeback, no LeBron team has ever blown a 3-1 lead.