Around the NBA, 2017-18 Season thread

[Paradise]

It will take 46-47 wins to clinch a final spot in the West. All seeds are clinched in the East at 42 wins bare minimum.

Minnesota, New Orleans, Denver are locked into a 1 game difference between 7th and 9th. This Wolves/Nuggets game is almost like a wild card game.

The 9th seed in the East is sitting at 37 wins and is several games back of the 8th spot. The West still is a lot deeper and stronger than the East. The West has felt like the NL league in baseball.

[Roy Tarpley]

The ATL win over BOS bodes well for the final Nets game!

[Paradise]

The next LeBron is in our division and I blame Billy King.

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[MrDollarBills]

The next LeBron is in our division and I blame Billy King.

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but we wouldn't have had a chance to draft simmons even if we had our own pick

still though, you're right. Simmons could be the league's overall best player in a few seasons.

[Paradise]

Nuggets-Wolves is basically a wildcard game on Wednesday.


The playoffs are going to be amazing.

[Prokorov]

Jamal murray putting the nuggets on his back right now

[MrDollarBills]

This Nuggets/Wolves wild card game is lit

[vincecarter4pres]

nuggets/wolves 1 poesseion game under 2 minutes winner gets the 8 seed

tied at 99!

Damn, Wolves in. Kind of wanted to see Denver get in there, though I had no true horse in the race.

[vincecarter4pres]

The next LeBron is in our division and I blame Billy King.

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but we wouldn't have had a chance to draft simmons even if we had our own pick

still though, you're right. Simmons could be the league's overall best player in a few seasons.

Him and Mitchell are probably going to be co-ROTY's.

[bud29]

The field is set. Time for some playoff basketball!

WEST
(1) Rockets vs. (8) Timberwolves
(4) Thunder vs. (5) Jazz
(3) Blazers vs. (6) Pelicans
(2) Warriors vs. (7) Spurs

EAST
(1) Raptors vs. (8) Wizards
(4) Cavaliers vs. (5) Pacers
(3) 76ers vs. (6) Heat
(2) Celtics vs. (7) Bucks

My predictions:

CONFERENCE QUARTERFINALS

(1) Rockets vs. (8) Timberwolves Rockets in 6
(4) Thunder vs. (5) Jazz Thunder in 6
(3) Blazers vs. (6) Pelicans Blazers in 7
(2) Warriors vs. (7) Spurs Warriors in 5

(1) Raptors vs. (8) Wizards Raptors in 5
(4) Cavaliers vs. (5) Pacers Cavaliers in 5
(3) 76ers vs. (6) Heat 76ers in 6
(2) Celtics vs. (7) Bucks Celtics in 7

CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS

(1) Rockets vs. (4) Thunder Rockets in 7
(2) Warriors vs. (3) Blazers Warriors in 6

(1) Raptors vs. (4) Cavaliers Cavaliers in 7
(2) Celtics vs. (3) 76ers 76ers in 6

CONFERENCE FINALS

(1) Rockets vs. (2) Warriors Warriors in 6
(3) 76ers vs. (4) Cavaliers Cavaliers in 6

NBA FINALS

(2) Warriors vs. (4) Cavaliers Warriors in 6

Now, I hope to god this doesn't happen. I am sick and tired of the GSW/CLE matchups. However, the Rockets' road to the finals is brutal - full strength MIN, then possibly Westbrook/George in OKC, then the Warriors.

On the other side, the Raptors have cooled off considerably and the Celtics are completely ravaged by injuries. That leaves the 76ers, who are white-hot, but completely inexperienced with playoff basketball. I'd bet on LeBron. Anyways, this postseason should be really fun - the Nugs/Wolves wildcard game was a blast.

[MrDollarBills]

It's insane to bet against LBJ, but do not be shocked if the Cavs get upended by the 76ers in the east finals. That team has a great mix of youth and veterans, tons of shooting firepower and the Cavs have no answer for Joel Embiid.

Cavs also have a tougher road to the conference finals. I wouldn't want any parts of having to play against the Pacers in the first round, Victor Oladipo is going to light them up big time

[shakendfries]

The Pelicans are my darkhorse candidate to upset the Blazers in the first round

[shakendfries]

Watch on YouTube

deron gets his ankles snatched by someone who was out of the league sooner than him @ 0:25

[Prokorov]

It's insane to bet against LBJ, but do not be shocked if the Cavs get upended by the 76ers in the east finals. That team has a great mix of youth and veterans, tons of shooting firepower and the Cavs have no answer for Joel Embiid.

Cavs also have a tougher road to the conference finals. I wouldn't want any parts of having to play against the Pacers in the first round, Victor Oladipo is going to light them up big time

Cavs will curb stomp indy, i think if anyone can beat the cavs it is philly but i think its a rude awakening once playoff lebron takes the court. its going to be a reckoning.

[MrDollarBills]

It's insane to bet against LBJ, but do not be shocked if the Cavs get upended by the 76ers in the east finals. That team has a great mix of youth and veterans, tons of shooting firepower and the Cavs have no answer for Joel Embiid.

Cavs also have a tougher road to the conference finals. I wouldn't want any parts of having to play against the Pacers in the first round, Victor Oladipo is going to light them up big time

Cavs will curb stomp indy, i think if anyone can beat the cavs it is philly but i think its a rude awakening once playoff lebron takes the court. its going to be a reckoning.

yeah I'm not willing to put money on it, the only team who I'd bet against Lebron is Golden State (if Steph is healthy) because they've beaten him already. But it would not shock me. Lebron is god tier but even with the infusion of talent from their trades, I still think Philly is packing some serious heat right now. I think Philly's main weakness versus the Cavs would be the inexperience of their star players. You never know how the playoffs go with young players.

I think Indy gives them a tough six game series. They bring a very balanced attack on both ends and the Cavs are one of the worst defensive teams in the league.

[Prokorov]

It's insane to bet against LBJ, but do not be shocked if the Cavs get upended by the 76ers in the east finals. That team has a great mix of youth and veterans, tons of shooting firepower and the Cavs have no answer for Joel Embiid.

Cavs also have a tougher road to the conference finals. I wouldn't want any parts of having to play against the Pacers in the first round, Victor Oladipo is going to light them up big time

Cavs will curb stomp indy, i think if anyone can beat the cavs it is philly but i think its a rude awakening once playoff lebron takes the court. its going to be a reckoning.

yeah I'm not willing to put money on it, the only team who I'd bet against Lebron is Golden State (if Steph is healthy) because they've beaten him already. But it would not shock me. Lebron is god tier but even with the infusion of talent from their trades, I still think Philly is packing some serious heat right now. I think Philly's main weakness versus the Cavs would be the inexperience of their star players. You never know how the playoffs go with young players.

I think Indy gives them a tough six game series. They bring a very balanced attack on both ends and the Cavs are one of the worst defensive teams in the league.

cant see the indy series going six. i cant see anything but a sweep unless lebron gets hurt. and 4 blowouts wouldnt suprise me much.

[Prokorov]

Every time ive watched the wizards this year i thought the same thing. thank the lord washington matched on otto porter and he isnt eating 30 million of our cap right now.

[MrDollarBills]

Every time we played the Wizards, I didn't even notice that Otto Porter was on the floor. We should be glad that Washington's management doesn't know when to cut bait. Sean Marks needs to tread carefully from here on out.

Watching Miami vs. Philly, goddamn unless we strike gold in the draft the Atlantic division is going to be dominated by Ben Simmons for the next 10-13 years. This guy is the best talent to hit the league since Lebron.

it's not a matter of if he becomes the best PG in basketball, but when.

[Prokorov]

Every time we played the Wizards, I didn't even notice that Otto Porter was on the floor. We should be glad that Washington's management doesn't know when to cut bait. Sean Marks needs to tread carefully from here on out.

Watching Miami vs. Philly, goddamn unless we strike gold in the draft the Atlantic division is going to be dominated by Ben Simmons for the next 10-13 years. This guy is the best talent to hit the league since Lebron.

it's not a matter of if he becomes the best PG in basketball, but when.

Yeah, i mean porter is an assassin from three but they are paying 30 million for a guy to give them 14/6 with average defense who you forget is even on the floor.

We'll see. Giannis is pretty riddiculous and only 23 years old. once he starts knocking down threes you are looking at basically kevin durant/lebron hybrid with more size and length.

speaking of miami, looking at olynk i wish we would have been able to land him. him splitting 25 minutes better PF and C off the bench would be perfect and he is still relatively young.

[MrDollarBills]

Yeah, I don't think we should be in the business of paying out 30 mil a season to guys who aren't franchise altering players.

re: Olynk, He would have been a perfect fit here. Too bad. We really do need to find another big that can defend, rebound and hit threes.