2023-24 NBA Season Discussion

[Texas Chuck]

So I’ve gotten the impression y’all aren’t Wolves believers ehh?

It doesn't matter. 154-0 speaks really loudly.

But also, no. I wasn't when I was told they won the Finals by beating Denver. And I'm not now. I mean for all the debate over Luka/Jokic versus Kyrie/Murray and what that tells us about Minnesota, the real story of this series is down the stretch Dallas gets quality possessions and good shots and Minnesota too often does not. And its hard to see how either of those things changes. Edwards isn't that level of decision maker and neither is Towns(who also seems to have some real confidence issues atm).

But even if one thinks I'm wrong about what the issue is, 154-0. Perfection is hard in the NBA playoffs no matter who you are and no matter who you face.

[Special_Puppy]

So I’ve gotten the impression y’all aren’t Wolves believers ehh?

It doesn't matter. 154-0 speaks really loudly.

But also, no. I wasn't when I was told they won the Finals by beating Denver. And I'm not now. I mean for all the debate over Luka/Jokic versus Kyrie/Murray and what that tells us about Minnesota, the real story of this series is down the stretch Dallas gets quality possessions and good shots and Minnesota too often does not. And its hard to see how either of those things changes. Edwards isn't that level of decision maker and neither is Towns(who also seems to have some real confidence issues atm).

But even if one thinks I'm wrong about what the issue is, 154-0. Perfection is hard in the NBA playoffs no matter who you are and no matter who you face.

I will say that a lot of the Mavs shredding the Wolves defense is just based on Luka+Kyrie hitting incredibly hard shots over the past 3 games. If thet go slightly cold I can see the Wolves stealing 2 games but winning 4 straight is just so hard because one night of hot shot making can end your season

[MartinToVaught]

So I’ve gotten the impression y’all aren’t Wolves believers ehh?

Nothing against the Wolves, really, but I'm not a believer in any team that's down 0-3 until I see it happen. This isn't hockey.

[eminence]

Heathens

[Doctor MJ]

So I’ve gotten the impression y’all aren’t Wolves believers ehh?

It doesn't matter. 154-0 speaks really loudly.

But also, no. I wasn't when I was told they won the Finals by beating Denver. And I'm not now. I mean for all the debate over Luka/Jokic versus Kyrie/Murray and what that tells us about Minnesota, the real story of this series is down the stretch Dallas gets quality possessions and good shots and Minnesota too often does not. And its hard to see how either of those things changes. Edwards isn't that level of decision maker and neither is Towns(who also seems to have some real confidence issues atm).

But even if one thinks I'm wrong about what the issue is, 154-0. Perfection is hard in the NBA playoffs no matter who you are and no matter who you face.

I will say that a lot of the Mavs shredding the Wolves defense is just based on Luka+Kyrie hitting incredibly hard shots over the past 3 games. If thet go slightly cold I can see the Wolves stealing 2 games but winning 4 straight is just so hard because one night of hot shot making can end your season

I want to second this while acknowledging: This is precisely what Luka & Kyrie are both known for, so they've earned the wins so far and may well continue.

But yeah, I think Minny could win a series against Dallas, but it's hard to imagine it's this one.

That said: Someday a 0-3 comeback will happen, but whenever it happens, I'll be very surprised.

[sp6r=underrated]

It doesn't matter. 154-0 speaks really loudly.

But also, no. I wasn't when I was told they won the Finals by beating Denver. And I'm not now. I mean for all the debate over Luka/Jokic versus Kyrie/Murray and what that tells us about Minnesota, the real story of this series is down the stretch Dallas gets quality possessions and good shots and Minnesota too often does not. And its hard to see how either of those things changes. Edwards isn't that level of decision maker and neither is Towns(who also seems to have some real confidence issues atm).

But even if one thinks I'm wrong about what the issue is, 154-0. Perfection is hard in the NBA playoffs no matter who you are and no matter who you face.

I will say that a lot of the Mavs shredding the Wolves defense is just based on Luka+Kyrie hitting incredibly hard shots over the past 3 games. If thet go slightly cold I can see the Wolves stealing 2 games but winning 4 straight is just so hard because one night of hot shot making can end your season

I want to second this while acknowledging: This is precisely what Luka & Kyrie are both known for, so they've earned the wins so far and may well continue.

But yeah, I think Minny could win a series against Dallas, but it's hard to imagine it's this one.

That said: Someday a 0-3 comeback will happen, but whenever it happens, I'll be very surprised.

I had forgotten how close Portland came to pulling it off in 2003. G7 was tied with 3 minutes to go.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/pbp/200305040DAL.html

That comeback is crazier because Portland had lost 10 straight playoff games going into G4 against a very strong Dallas team while being one of the shakiest teams mentally of my life. I still find it hard to understood how they rallied.

[AEnigma]

There are teams I would not be surprised to see pull off a reverse sweep. Last year’s Heat/Celtics series was close to the recipe you would need: better team down in significant part because their opponent had favourable shooting variance. There are of course other possibilities. Perhaps a key player on is absent for the start of the series on the trailing team, or inversely becomes absent for the end of the series on the leading team. Maybe the leading team excessively relied on a specific scheme/approach which took three games to solve. Or it could be as simple as the leading coach being Doc Rivers.

Unfortunately for the Wolves, I do not envision any such principle applying here, barring the Lively injury being shockingly more significant than it seems.

[GSP]

This is one of the worst series ever played by a star in Kat this series

[Special_Puppy]

Delete

[eminence]

This is one of the worst series ever played by a star in Kat this series

It ain't even the worst series ever played by a star this playoffs!

Who do you have in mind?

[AEnigma]

This is one of the worst series ever played by a star in Kat this series

It ain't even the worst series ever played by a star this playoffs!

Who do you have in mind?

Probably the guy who twice gave his team 15-point leads at the half.

[Peregrine01]

Kyle Anderson playing Luka a lot better than McDaniels. Size matters.

[rk2023]

Regardless of tonight, I don't think this is going to be the series where a 3-0 lead is blown. However, there will be a series where history is made and it becomes 1-1nn all time. As AEnigma mentioned, there is more variance then ever.

[Peregrine01]

Kat is the only guy on Minny who passes to Gobert lol

[Statlanta]

It’s 155-0 because Indiana failed

[Peregrine01]

Get real funky, bench KAT for Anderson, put him on Luka, McDaniels on Kyrie.

Eminence looking like a Nostradamus. But yeah, on paper Kyle Anderson on Luka sounds stupid when you have McDaniels but in this match-up he just looks a lot more effective. He doesn’t get bumped around and it lets McDaniels play a more disruptive role off-ball.

[tsherkin]

Edwards coming up big a couple times. Hasn't been amazing inside the arc all night but he's looked pretty sweet in the 4th. Aggressive, confident. And obviously the passing and rebounding, heh.

[bigboi]

They told me Kyrie is the best closer lmao

[eminence]

One down.

[GSP]

Get real funky, bench KAT for Anderson, put him on Luka, McDaniels on Kyrie.

Eminence looking like a Nostradamus. But yeah, on paper Kyle Anderson on Luka sounds stupid when you have McDaniels but in this match-up he just looks a lot more effective. He doesn’t get bumped around and it lets McDaniels play a more disruptive role off-ball.

Eh not really since it wasnt by benching Kat who was a game high +15. It was benching Conley really or the Jaden,Ant,Slowmo,Kat,Rudy lineup. Slomo on Luka didnt really work. Better than Jaden sure but the real difference was starting Jaden on Kyrie and Kat showing up for once