ATL - 20-21 Season Begins

[Prez]

So is there anybody on here who thinks we can beat the Nets? I know they look great but surprised many think we don’t stand a chance.

I do actually i think we match up great against them

They have a deeper bench, and defensive anchors in DJ/Allen. Giannis free throw shooting in a tight playoff game down the stretch would also be a concern. Would be an interesting series.

DJ isn’t a defensive anchor, hasn’t been for years. Allen is good but not nearly big/physical enough to handle Giannis when the rest of the cast is suspect defensively

I think they’re better than us but Giannis should dominate if he doesn’t fold mentally. Jrue and Khris are both substantially better than whoever the 3rd guy in Brooklyn is.

I actually think our starting 5 can hang with or even outplay them, it’s the depth that’ll kill us, our roster goes like 6 deep with reliable players, and even that might be a stretch with Augustin as that 6th guy

[theFireBlanket]

Nwora & Merrill will hustle/shoot their way into the rotation. At that point the offense from the bench will match Brooklyn.

Bucks starting 5 will mop theirs. Giannis isn't playing good yet,... when he does it's over.

Jrue can stifle Kyrie, no doubt. Middleton is capable of being Giannis 1B. After all of the unworthy of being #2 talk, it's gradually been made clear he's right there. On offense & defense. He's in the best shape of his career. Remember how it's always been said that Khris will age well because he doesn't rely on athleticism? While true, he's conditioning himself to being a great athlete, so he's going to exceed expectations.

[freewhitemoon]

does durant look quicker than giannis right now

Durant has always been quicker than Giannis. Giannis has him beat in the open court but his first step is pretty average. Though i am surprised how quick Durant is right after coming back from the achilles tear

[KL78192020]

does durant look quicker than giannis right now

Durant has always been quicker than Giannis. Giannis has him beat in the open court but his first step is pretty average. Though i am surprised how quick Durant is right after coming back from the achilles tear

He was probably healthy and ready to start playing in the summer, there was a bit of talk of him coming back for the bubble. Hes been given an extra 6 months, looks like that extra time helped him prep more.

[buckboy]

Only one game of course, but MPJ is horrid tonight. Looks clueless.

[KidA24]

Joker might get back to back triple doubles, and lose the 2nd game by 20. Cripes is he good.

[ReasonablySober]

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Amazing.

[ReasonablySober]

Ooof. Kawhi got nailed.

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[rilamann]

I think they’re better than us but Giannis should dominate if he doesn’t fold mentally.

Without Steph Curry & Klay Thompson to have his back, I would bet considerably more money on Durant folding mentally in a big series before I would bet on Giannis folding mentally. There's a reason why Durant had to join a 73 win team. People seemed to have forgot. I haven't.

[KidA24]

I think Kawhi got knocked out cold there.

[rilamann]

So is there anybody on here who thinks we can beat the Nets? I know they look great but surprised many think we don’t stand a chance.

The overrating of the Nets by some is becoming comical.

They're a good team and they're off to a nice 2-0 start, but I am not buying into the hype that they're an unbeatable juggernaut that is going to waltz the finals. Kyrie will become a cancer as soon as things don't go his way and Durant will remind us why he signed with the Warriors when **** gets serious.

[theFireBlanket]

Hasn't Ibaka hurt a teammate before? The torque he put on Kawhi's face was up there. Other angles of the hit are brutal.

[Prez]

I think they’re better than us but Giannis should dominate if he doesn’t fold mentally.

Without Steph Curry & Klay Thompson to have his back, I would bet considerably more money on Durant folding mentally in a big series before I would bet on Giannis folding mentally. There's a reason why Durant had to join a 73 win team. People seemed to have forgot. I haven't.

Ehhh Durant from '11-'16 pre-GSW averaged 29/8/4 on 58% TS in the playoffs and got to the WCF or further 4 times in 6 seasons lol. Durant had his playoff warts before he jumped ship but he was still way more reliable than Giannis.

[ReasonablySober]

I think they’re better than us but Giannis should dominate if he doesn’t fold mentally.

Without Steph Curry & Klay Thompson to have his back, I would bet considerably more money on Durant folding mentally in a big series before I would bet on Giannis folding mentally. There's a reason why Durant had to join a 73 win team. People seemed to have forgot. I haven't.

Ehhh Durant from '11-'16 pre-GSW averaged 29/8/4 on 58% TS in the playoffs and got to the WCF or further 4 times in 6 seasons lol. Durant had his playoff warts before he jumped ship but he was still way more reliable than Giannis.

I'm with you on giving him the benefit of the doubt in OKC, but he was really objectively bad in the playoffs his final season there.

[Prez]

Without Steph Curry & Klay Thompson to have his back, I would bet considerably more money on Durant folding mentally in a big series before I would bet on Giannis folding mentally. There's a reason why Durant had to join a 73 win team. People seemed to have forgot. I haven't.

Ehhh Durant from '11-'16 pre-GSW averaged 29/8/4 on 58% TS in the playoffs and got to the WCF or further 4 times in 6 seasons lol. Durant had his playoff warts before he jumped ship but he was still way more reliable than Giannis.

I'm with you on giving him the benefit of the doubt in OKC, but he was really objectively bad in the playoffs his final season there.

He was, but still better than Giannis this past postseason against Miami for example. And like you mentioned we have the whole body of work in OKC

[VooDoo7]

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Amazing.

Jefferson's voice annoys me. I get Freeway-lite vibes when listening to him talk.

[ReasonablySober]

Ehhh Durant from '11-'16 pre-GSW averaged 29/8/4 on 58% TS in the playoffs and got to the WCF or further 4 times in 6 seasons lol. Durant had his playoff warts before he jumped ship but he was still way more reliable than Giannis.

I'm with you on giving him the benefit of the doubt in OKC, but he was really objectively bad in the playoffs his final season there.

He was, but still better than Giannis this past postseason against Miami for example. And like you mentioned we have the whole body of work in OKC

Just so I'm understanding you, you're saying in Durant's last OKC year he was better than Giannis was a few months ago?

[Prez]

I'm with you on giving him the benefit of the doubt in OKC, but he was really objectively bad in the playoffs his final season there.

He was, but still better than Giannis this past postseason against Miami for example. And like you mentioned we have the whole body of work in OKC

Just so I'm understanding you, you're saying in Durant's last OKC year he was better than Giannis was a few months ago?

In the playoffs? Yes, for as bad as Durant was by his standards in the 16 playoffs he was still better than Giannis against Miami. I really don't care about their first round matchups but Durant against SAS/GSW (massively tougher opponents than Miami btw) > Giannis against Miami.

[ReasonablySober]

He was, but still better than Giannis this past postseason against Miami for example. And like you mentioned we have the whole body of work in OKC

Just so I'm understanding you, you're saying in Durant's last OKC year he was better than Giannis was a few months ago?

In the playoffs? Yes, for as bad as Durant was by his standards in the 16 playoffs he was still better than Giannis against Miami. I really don't care about their first round matchups but Durant against SAS/GSW (massively tougher opponents than Miami btw) > Giannis against Miami.

Based on what?

[Prez]

Just so I'm understanding you, you're saying in Durant's last OKC year he was better than Giannis was a few months ago?

In the playoffs? Yes, for as bad as Durant was by his standards in the 16 playoffs he was still better than Giannis against Miami. I really don't care about their first round matchups but Durant against SAS/GSW (massively tougher opponents than Miami btw) > Giannis against Miami.

Based on what?

Again, don't care about the first round.

Giannis vs. Miami: 22/11/5/1/1 on 55% TS, -12.9 net rating (3rd worst on the Bucks)
Durant vs. GSW: 30/8/3/2/2 on 54% TS, +6.0 net rating (2nd best on the Thunder)

And in the 3 straight losses that sealed the series Giannis was barely cracking 50% TS and was trash offensively, literally the only Buck in the main rotation with a worse ORTG was a complete offensive liability in Bled. And this is against a 73 win juggernaut for KD and a very good but not really anything special Miami team for Giannis.

And Durant also torched a 10+ SRS #1 defense Spurs team for 28/7/4 on 60% TS in the previous round, which dumps on Giannis' Miami series.