Who are you taking in the West? OKC or the field?

[JustBuzzin]

Quick question:
If they face Denver in the playoffs who's going to stop Jokic? Alex Len?

People really act like Jokic is prime Lebron out there. This is the same team (Denver) that Edward's and KAT mopped the floor with last year. Where was Jokic then? Or the year before? This isn't 2023 anymore. Stop living in the past.

You're living in the past if you mention prime LeBron and downgrade Jokic.
This is his era.
The Timberwolves had Gobert and Towns as frontcourt. Along with dogs on the perimeter.

Gobert is a 4DPOY.
Who do you have? Len and Hachimura?

It's his era?

Better start racking up championships lol.

LeBron was winning championships during his prime. Jokic is no different than Giannis. Single championship Boyz!

[Special_Puppy]

OKC doesn’t have playoff experience. Last year they choked away the 1 seed. What’s to stop them from doing it again?

OKC Net Rating in 2024: +7.4
OKC Net Rating in 2025: +15.8

I think I'd take the field over OKC, but this OKC team is *SUBSTANTIALLY* better than the team that lost in the 2nd round last year

https://www.pbpstats.com/team-leverage-summary/nba?Season=2024-25&Leverage=Medium,High,VeryHigh

[Big J]

OKC doesn’t have playoff experience. Last year they choked away the 1 seed. What’s to stop them from doing it again?

OKC Net Rating in 2024: +7.4
OKC Net Rating in 2025: +15.8

I think I'd take the field over OKC, but this OKC team is *SUBSTANTIALLY* better than the team that lost in the 2nd round last year

https://www.pbpstats.com/team-leverage-summary/nba?Season=2024-25&Leverage=Medium,High,VeryHigh

They are substantially better “in the regular season”. Playoffs are played at a completely different intensity level. You have to throw regular season stats out the window when it comes to the playoffs.

[Special_Puppy]

OKC doesn’t have playoff experience. Last year they choked away the 1 seed. What’s to stop them from doing it again?

OKC Net Rating in 2024: +7.4
OKC Net Rating in 2025: +15.8

I think I'd take the field over OKC, but this OKC team is *SUBSTANTIALLY* better than the team that lost in the 2nd round last year

https://www.pbpstats.com/team-leverage-summary/nba?Season=2024-25&Leverage=Medium,High,VeryHigh

They are substantially better “in the regular season”. Playoffs are played at a completely different intensity level. You have to throw regular season stats out the window when it comes to the playoffs.

Historically, there is a very strong correlation between regular and post-season performance. Teams that win less than 55 games almost never win the title and teams that win over 65 games typically win the chip. https://thinkingbasketball.net/2022/03/14/is-longevity-really-that-valuable-our-intuitions-of-championship-equity/

[makubesu]

The Nuggets are starting to look spooky again. If they peak for the playoffs, everyone is toast.

[WestbrookGOATed]

People forget OKC is 44-10 and Chet has only played like 20 games. I have no reason to believe any other team in the west poses a major threat. The Lakers have no bigs or defense, Denver has taken 3 steps back, Minnesota might give us problems with their size, but overall OKC is far more talented. Dallas is playing great right now but AD is always injured and they're most likely a first round exit. OKC has 2 rounds worth of playoff experience under their belt already. They're ready.

[KGtabake]

I got Lakers or Grizzlies tbh

Everyone is downplaying Luka is a top 3 player when healthy. When he gets in shape nobody is going to want to face a Luka and LeBron duo in the playoffs.

Memphis just seems like the most complete team in the West. Their depth and size is going to be a problem.

Quick question:
If they face Denver in the playoffs who's going to stop Jokic? Alex Len?

Quick question did you see Denver in the playoffs last year?

Jokic needs help. I can ask you the same question who's stopping Luka and LeBron?

The Nuggets are...what? 10-0 vs the Lakers?
They don't have to stop them. They just have to outscore them. And unless you consider Luka a great defender, i can't see how the Lakers ate going to outscore the Nuggets without defense.

[KGtabake]

People really act like Jokic is prime Lebron out there. This is the same team (Denver) that Edward's and KAT mopped the floor with last year. Where was Jokic then? Or the year before? This isn't 2023 anymore. Stop living in the past.

You're living in the past if you mention prime LeBron and downgrade Jokic.
This is his era.
The Timberwolves had Gobert and Towns as frontcourt. Along with dogs on the perimeter.

Gobert is a 4DPOY.
Who do you have? Len and Hachimura?

It's his era?

Better start racking up championships lol.

LeBron was winning championships during his prime. Jokic is no different than Giannis. Single championship Boyz!

They're 30 years old pal. They haven't retired.
It's their era simply because they're the best players on the planet since 2019.
"Racking up championships".
There's a different champion every year.
Do you see them move to LA or GS to form superteams?
...or you think it would be difficult for them to play in Miami or LA or Boston for example and be in the finals year in year out?

[KGtabake]

People really act like Jokic is prime Lebron out there. This is the same team (Denver) that Edward's and KAT mopped the floor with last year. Where was Jokic then? Or the year before? This isn't 2023 anymore. Stop living in the past.

You're living in the past if you mention prime LeBron and downgrade Jokic.
This is his era.
The Timberwolves had Gobert and Towns as frontcourt. Along with dogs on the perimeter.

Gobert is a 4DPOY.
Who do you have? Len and Hachimura?

Prime Lebron had the league in a choke hold, especially the East. If I was living in the past I would expect the same from a 40 year old.

Again, you are just proving my point. Jokic isn't prime Lebron. He lost to a Wolves team that isn't even a top 3 team, a subpar Wolves team even that traded away KAT. So when people say "How are you going to stop Jokic" to that I say - Same way he was stopped before.

Prime LeBron couldn't get out of the East before joining Miami and even then when he played against the Mavericks or the Spurs he was far from "had the league in a choke hold".

Jokic has the Lakers on their knees for years.
10-0 is 10-0.
Like it or not.

[Dacost]

I think this is one of those years that alot teams are going to disappointed with an early first round exit.

The west a insane there is argument for every single team 1 to 10.

[JonFromVA]

OKC Net Rating in 2024: +7.4
OKC Net Rating in 2025: +15.8

I think I'd take the field over OKC, but this OKC team is *SUBSTANTIALLY* better than the team that lost in the 2nd round last year

https://www.pbpstats.com/team-leverage-summary/nba?Season=2024-25&Leverage=Medium,High,VeryHigh

They are substantially better “in the regular season”. Playoffs are played at a completely different intensity level. You have to throw regular season stats out the window when it comes to the playoffs.

Historically, there is a very strong correlation between regular and post-season performance. Teams that win less than 55 games almost never win the title and teams that win over 65 games typically win the chip. https://thinkingbasketball.net/2022/03/14/is-longevity-really-that-valuable-our-intuitions-of-championship-equity/

According to statmuse 22 teams have won championships playing at less than a 55 game pace.

Things like health, talent, playoff experience, matchups, coaching are what's important to winning championships. History has no actual correlation.

So, the Nuggets are interesting having actually won a championship, haven beaten OKC this season, and the additional wonkiness of having to face them at altitude.

Dallas having beaten OKC 3x should be given a little consideration even without Luka.

Otherwise some of the other young up and coming teams could be interesting because OKC just doesn't have a huge experience advantage over them like Memphis and Houston ... and while I'm not a big fan of Julius Randle he at least gives the TWolves more depth and strength and coincidentally they did just beat the Thunder.

[Slimjimzv]

Whenever it's X vs the field, you always take the field unless you're an unreasonably biased homer.

I took OKC.

[ejftw]

You almost always take the field, and this is no exception. Denver would be the best bet, assuming that Murray and Porter step up, to oust the Thunder. Pretty big gap after that, however. Don't really buy Memphis nor Houston. Same with the Lakers after they reneged on the Williams trade

[dWadeOwnzYou]

I'm surprised a lot of people not taking the Lakers. A healthy Luka and LeBron is not going to be easy.

[audiosway]

The Field. OKC can NOT beat Dallas. Dallas owns them Luka or not.

[Stan]

You'd have to be crazy to pick OKC over the entire field, that's reserved for the KD Warriors or LeBron's Heat/Cavs.

[Kobe187]

In the first round? Coming out of the west?

1st round definitely taking OKC.
Coming out of the West I’d bet the house on the Field.

West will be very good 1-8. OKC is unproven in the playoffs, plus there are just too many things that could go wrong,

[nazario]

i would take both denver and gsw over OKC.
Denver has Jokic, GSW has a weird hold on both OKC and houston.

[Bank Shot]

OKC. It's a 13 SRS team. This is not some normal #1 seed. They are a huge favorite.

[Beethoven]

I'm surprised a lot of people not taking the Lakers. A healthy Luka and LeBron is not going to be easy.

Let's downplay them.