omerome wrote:Ssj16 wrote:cgf wrote:
OKC are beatable, and we should be favored over any of the others. The west's top 4 just isn't as good as the east's this year.
I'll give you credit that the Knicks are better than expected but this "top of the east" is better than "the top of west" is even more flawed if you consider the top 2 teams in the east are getting smoked.
It's never been about the records, it's about the actual quality of the teams and who the best players are. The West still contains the higher end players as well as higher calibre teams based on past experience.
Minnesota is a proven team from last year's playoffs plus OKC or Denver are both high end teams.
Indy is a good team but they had injury luck 2 years running now and this would be NYC's first time in the ECF after decades.
If both of the top teams in the east are getting smoked, maybe give credit to the teams that are doing it are quality teams themselves.
It's still way too early to declare who's going to be in the ECF, but if the top two teams are out, maybe the gap isn't so big between these teams after all.
Again, who had the Knicks after four games up 3-1 against Boston? Same with Indiana? Be honest.
When the Knicks faced the Pistons in the first round, people were saying that if they're struggling against them, then they have NO chance against the top teams. I say, maybe they were that good and they deserve some credit.
Frankly, it's showing that the East is better then we thought.
I didn't have the Knicks up 3-1 after 4 but I do have money on them making the finals (put it on them right at the start of the year).
Brunson is a proven playoff performer, KAT is a great second option (better than the majority of second options IMO currently playing), and they have OG who is probably the best 3 and D player in the league along with Mikal Bridges who's not too far behind on that list, and some great role players that offer different looks and energy in Robinson and Hart.
Most of the underestimating came from Brunson not having the same name value as people like Edwards, and KAT being memed endlessly to the point where no one looks at him as an actual amazing player. Brunson is a top 8-10 player in the league easy, and KAT is better or the same IMO as Jaylen Brown, Jamal Murray, J-Dub, Randle, Siakam.