Who believes the OKC v Denver matchup is the real finals

[Effigy]

Just like Minnesota/Denver was the real finals last year.

[bbms]

Every Nuggets series is a Finals matchup.

People were saying Denver vs Clippers was the real WCF

who is this "people"?

[NY2k1]

Lol, no

[akula1488]

OKC/NYK/IND need a solid #2 which they don't have right now. DEN has 1/2 but no depth.
MIN looks like the most balanced team to be the favorite, as they have a clear 1/2 and solid depth and pieces. they just don't ever HCA rest of the way.

[Marrs-Law]

OKC/NYK/IND need a solid #2 which they don't have right now. DEN has 1/2 but no depth.
MIN looks like the most balanced team to be the favorite, as they have a clear 1/2 and solid depth and pieces. they just don't ever HCA rest of the way.

Siakam imo probably counts as a "solid #2" for Indiana. I don't think he's any much worse than Williams/KAT/Murray/Randle (and probably better than 2 or 3 of the 4 at this point). The bigger problem is that Hali is not quite yet a truly elite self-shot creator (though I think a lot of that is perception more than anything tangible, ala, idk if ANT for example is any better, he just does a lot more iso scoring) in my eyes. In addition, player-by-player INDY is probably not better than (at least) OKC. Hopefully in a potential finals matchup OKC is disjounted enough that they can overcome the talent gap, but we will see

[Dadouv47]

I see a real chance of Denver beating OKC so I wouldn't bet it right now but if we advance to the WCF I would have OKC over the field.
That being said, I think the Wolves is gonna be a match up nightmare for us because they have a lot of length...very good defensive guards and ton of size inside. Gonna be a hell of series if it happens. I can see OKC struggling a bit against the Knicks and gotta respect Indiana but I don't see a team winning a championship with such a meh defense.

[TeamFirst]

Yes. Best team (with goat level defense) vs best player (with goat level offense). The 2 most deserving MVP candidates vs each other. Its the real finals for me. Hope it gets to 7.

[ORLMagicGirl15]

It’s the second round in the West.

[Sharkboy242]

No because I thought the same last year of Denver vs Minny and look at how that turned out LOL

[Dadouv47]

It’s the second round in the West.

I think it's more about OKC being close to 60% of chances to win the title right now (I think Vegas is overrating us but hey that's their line) and Denver being the only team with championship experience that is still in these POs.

[bledredwine]

I think that it definitely is out West. The Wolves have been playing some pretty ugly basketball IMO, and I've been a big fan of ANT... just let down overall.

Tough crowd.

The Timberwolves are 8 - 2 with pretty pointed differentials. They haven't really even been challenged yet... they're winning easily. But the narrative is becoming that it's primarily because of poor competition instead of them just being better than those teams?

Meh.

They're facing a poor version of the old Nuggets and Jokic isn't even looking like himself.
They've faced well, the lakers.

They're doing very well and I'm rooting for them and honestly, any of the western teams left (GS, OKC, DEN, and T-Wolves are 4 of my 6 favorites in the league alongside the Spurs).

[ChuckChilly]

I think the Knicks can still play better if they could just get their 3 front court players to put up decent offense consistently. If that happens, I would consider the Knicks vs whichever team out the West a "real" finals.

The pacers are really good too. Hali has become a killer in crunchtime. Turner has had some massive series for them. Nembhard is just the clutchest SOB & a great defender; and a great secondary ball handler when teams trap Hali. While Nesmith is pure energy & chaos with some real game to go with it.

Plus they are the only team who plays too fast for OKC to speed them up, they have the best coach left in the playoffs, they play great team ball on both ends, and they already run 11 deep with legit dudes.

Indiana would pose a different challenge to OKC, but no less of one than Minnesota or New York…and I’d favor all 3 over the Nuggets this year.

Only reason its hard to believe in the Pacers is that their two best players are liable to put up 8 - 15 points on any given night. Even with their offense, its hard to trust a team like that. But you're right, they definitely could put up a fight or win against any of the teams currently alive if they got hot.

[jkvonny]

I think who ever win this series probably wins the championship. Leaning towards OKC they have depth and youth. But Nugz are mentally tuff and championship experience.
Minny has a chance but they gotta stop the turnovers and their occasional long scoring droughts. They have a lot of size, defense, depth tho.

Knicks/Pacers have a shot if the continue to stay hot.
Pacers have a high octane offense and their defense improved, depth. Knicks are gritty and defensive. Shoots well too. Good starting 5.

Celtics is missing Tatum and dehind in their series vs the Knicks. They probably have less of a chance. But they are defending champs. If their 3s drop, they may hv a shot if not, they are cooked. Too much live and die by the 3s.

[cgf]

I think the Knicks can still play better if they could just get their 3 front court players to put up decent offense consistently. If that happens, I would consider the Knicks vs whichever team out the West a "real" finals.

The pacers are really good too. Hali has become a killer in crunchtime. Turner has had some massive series for them. Nembhard is just the clutchest SOB & a great defender; and a great secondary ball handler when teams trap Hali. While Nesmith is pure energy & chaos with some real game to go with it.

Plus they are the only team who plays too fast for OKC to speed them up, they have the best coach left in the playoffs, they play great team ball on both ends, and they already run 11 deep with legit dudes.

Indiana would pose a different challenge to OKC, but no less of one than Minnesota or New York…and I’d favor all 3 over the Nuggets this year.

Only reason its hard to believe in the Pacers is that their two best players are liable to put up 8 - 15 points on any given night. Even with their offense, its hard to trust a team like that. But you're right, they definitely could put up a fight or win against any of the teams currently alive if they got hot.

Usually that's cause they don't need Haliburton & Siakam to score 40 each.

[Johnny Tomala]

No. Nuggets have no chance to win it all.

[Capn'O]

Given how wrong everyone has been on lots of teams and series' its not really fair to crown Denver and OKC like this.

Lots of people had the Lakers going to the finals, the Cavs/Celtics as the guaranteed ECF, etc.

The finals will be the real finals.

100%.

With that said, I think Denver is the Thunder's worst matchup and will have them as the favorite if they win this series.

[Ssj16]

Congrats to the Pacers. I've definitely been impressed with how they reached the finals but I still don't see them having any answers for OKC.

Indiana has better offense than OKC but I think OKC's defense is too stiffling and OKC has the clear best player in the series.

Not to mention Chet and JDubb have been hearing up on the offensive side.

I'm call OKC in 5.

[Johnny Tomala]

Just like in 2007 the second round was the real Finals.

Thunder in 5 over Pacers.

[HotRocks34]

We'll find out soon.

[Lalouie]

prescient