Who Do We Want in the 1st Round?

[Jared_Farver]

I don't get the Wizards-fear people seem to have.

We have no clear advantage over them.

They can score on our defense, defend us well enough, play bigger than us and keep the turnover rate against us low.

The real question is why should we feel confident in a series against them? They are literally just playoff experience away from being in the Miami and Indiana tier.

Wait, you really think the only thing keeping the Wizards from being on the same tier as the Heat and Pacers is playoff experience?

[Hokie]

Based on current playoff teams, I'd probably prefer the Hawks considering they're the worst of the bunch. I think they end up losing their playoff spot though. I think we'll end up playing Brooklyn in the 1st round; I think the Bulls will play well enough the rest of the way to grab the 3rd seed, and Brooklyn won't play well enough the rest of the way to move to 4/5.

We should be able to take down Brooklyn without too much trouble. They're old and overrated. Pierce and Garnett look like they're on their last legs. Of Toronto, Brooklyn, Washington, and Charlotte, Washington is likely the team I'd least like to face, for reasons already mentioned.

I want Miami in round 2. I know a lot of Bulls fans believe that we can beat Indy in a 7 game series, but I don't. Indy was a tough matchup for us even before Rose went down, and I think they have too much talent for us to get by them in a 7 game series. I don't like Indy by any stretch of the imagination, but I'd rather see them in the Finals than Miami. I'd like to see us rough Miami up for a few games and give them hell before their series with Indy, instead of the other way around.

Then I hope whoever comes out of the West wins it all.

[drosestruts]

Milwaukee, have they been statistically eliminated yet?

My real answer however is Atlanta or Detroit.

[qianlong]

I would prefer to avoid the wizards and the nets, I believe they are in the same tier with us. We may be better than them but toronto,charlotte, atlanta or whoever makes the eight seed are a step below.

I honestly would also like to see Nets Miami. Miami will clearly come on top, but those old guys have some pride to defend.

[Tenchi Ryu]

Wait, you really think the only thing keeping the Wizards from being on the same tier as the Heat and Pacers is playoff experience?

Yep. Especially compared to the Pacers. Wizards have all the talent right there: a legit star who's a top 5 PG and top 15 player in the entire league, a rising potential future star and role players who do their job well.

Only thing iffy for the Wizards is their experience, coaching and injury prone-ness. Otherwise, the talent truly is all there.

[DanTown8587]

The Pacers as a team rely on playing Miami without a C because they need Hibbert to become other worldly, otherwise their offense is just no where near good enough to win.

Just as an aside, the Wizards two best players are bad shooters. But they're bad shooters in the long run. Short run, 7 game series, they have enough games where they are making shots and boy is that tough.

I mean most guys splits win to loss have a little higher towards the win, but Beal/Wall are a little extreme

Beal in wins
.446 FG%
.458 3pt%
.538 TS%

Beal in losses
.374 FG%
.366 3pt
.456 TS%

Wall in wins
.400 3pt%
.561 TS%

Wall in losses
.260 3pt%
.488 TS%

The last point I'll make about them: The Wizards are a young team that plays to the level of their opponent, hence why they have so many quality wins and bad losses. Teams like that are not teams that you want to play in a seven game playoff series.

[kdapiton]

It's funny, would you want Washington in round 1 for the more likely rd 2 upset of Indiana or would you want Charlotte/Brooklyn rd 1 with Miami waiting next?

Be nice to luck in to both.

Same with last year. Many saw that the Nets were a better match up for us, but with Miami waiting in the next round. As opposed to going through NY and Indy.

[MAQ]

To be honest I think all of us on this board very well that the Bobcats are not very good. We should just sweep them and be done with it.

Bobcats are the best defending team on the list. I don't want to face a team that defends well. We struggle enough to get baskets as is.

[MrSparkle]

We are favorites against any of the potential 3-6 seeds, but I'll be honest, it doesn't matter who it is. Without Rose, this team will have a hard time beating anybody. Playoff defense clamps things up--Noah's not gonna have the space and luxury of repeatedly hitting DJ and Jimmy with fundamental back-door cut passes. Guys are gonna have to hit shots, and we know that Jimmy, Kirk, Taj, Noah... all of them, they are unreliable shooters.

On the bright-side, every team will have a hard time beating us too. Even Miami. They might win 4-1, but it'll be a tough 4-1. I'm hoping for a 7-game 2nd rd. thriller; I think it's reasonable to hope for that. Unless we deal with another injury.

Wizards, Nets, Bobcats are the most probably match-ups.. Raptors, Cavs, Hawks are possibilities if things get weird...

I'd be more scared of the Wizards than the rest. Bulls ought to put away Nets again, and the Bobcats might put up a good fight, but they're just too young and incomplete.

Still, they may struggle (6 or 7 games), but Bulls are clear favorites, no matter who they play. Just saying, it'll be an ugly series, regardless of who it is. I just don't expect them to come out with authority and sweep, despite them looking drastically better right now than the lower seeds.

[long suffrin' boulez fan]

Wiz fan here. I come in peace.

There is one huge reason you ought not fear us...

Thibs > Wittman

And it's not even close

[Jared_Farver]

Wait, you really think the only thing keeping the Wizards from being on the same tier as the Heat and Pacers is playoff experience?

Yep. Especially compared to the Pacers. Wizards have all the talent right there: a legit star who's a top 5 PG and top 15 player in the entire league, a rising potential future star and role players who do their job well.

Only thing iffy for the Wizards is their experience, coaching and injury prone-ness. Otherwise, the talent truly is all there.

Calling John Wall a top 15 player is very questionable.

If they are just a tier below, how come the Wizards' record is nowhere near the Pacers or Heat's record? And, I watched the last Wizards/Pacers game and the Wizards managed to score a measly 66 points compared to the Pacers' 93. Paul George also had an off night too; he only scored 8 points.

[mj234eva]

i don't give a damn who we get in round 1

Likewise.

[bullsnewdynasty]

I really hope we play the Nets again. Jason Kidd in a playoff series is going to be like a deer in the headlights, and that team has no heart.

With that said, there's no point in "avoiding" anyone in round 1. If you can't beat the Wizards, you are not going to beat Miami or Indiana anyway.

[Scarface844]

Bobcats are the best defending team on the list. I don't want to face a team that defends well. We struggle enough to get baskets as is.

Raptors are actually the best defending team on that list. Raptors are the only team in the Eastern Conference that is in the top 10 of both offensive and defensive efficiency. Raptors rank top 10 in a lot of areas actually and interestingly enough even with a top 10 offense they play at the 9th slowest pace in the league at #21.

#10 in Offensive efficiency
#4 Points Allowed Per Game
#6 In Defensive Rating
#7 in Opponent FG%
#1 in Points scored in the 4th quarter
#10 in Offensive Rebounding
#9 in fewest turnovers
#9 in NETRTG

http://stats.nba.com/leagueTeamGeneral. ... r%20Season

[Damas]

knicks

[85Bears]

I just want a new up and coming team. This year is just playoff practice so we might as well test Washington or Toronto. If they are up and comers in the east and we will be facing them over the next few years, we might as well start to learn how to beat them.