NBA

[SeanMayTriedToEatMe]

Probably fine for the Thunder series.

 

[CK86]

 

[DurhamSon]

They were 21-4 without him, and that’s probably 22-4 after tonight

I wouldn’t even think of bringing him back until the ECF, and they’ll get past Orlando or Cleveland easily enough without him. And honestly it might just be worth sitting him until June and letting him warm back up in the second half of the conference finals. If they pull that off this might work towards their benefit if he’s rested and healthy instead of having grinded his way through the East

Assuming he’s able to come back, the big negative is the extra minutes Horford is going to have to play now, putting him at risk

 

[SeanMayTriedToEatMe]

Probably goes to whatever team drafts/signs Bronny. Whole family isn’t in southern CA anymore, so makes sense for him to not feel shackled there geographically. I’d guess Knicks if they put up a respectable fight against the Celtics. The Knicks wouldn’t be playing for the Finals so much as they would be playing for LeBron.

 

[SeanMayTriedToEatMe]

Would be shocked if he played tonight.

 

[DrKlahn]

Sounds like Embiid's next game at MSG might be in a Knicks uniform

 

[rome8180]

Things looking really cycle-y tonight. That's mere superstition though.

 

[Pantone287]

Bobby Portis leading his team to a playoff win on 14-24 FG is not necessarily something I would have predicted a few weeks ago. How fun it must have been for him to randomly get to cosplay as a playoff superstar for a night.

 

[childress22]

Things looking really cycle-y tonight. That's mere superstition though.

I kind of like the idea of this being the ominipotent deity that fucks with all our desired NBA outcomes at random times.

 

[SeanMayTriedToEatMe]

 

[DurhamSon]

Jon, make the offer

 

[physicsfactor]

 

[torontoduke]

If the Celts don't win the title this year, I will change my D-F username to PlayoffJimmy

 

[SeanMayTriedToEatMe]

 

[rome8180]

Is there even a single team that would trade places with them? Maybe the Hornets. But even they seem to be operating a lot more rationally under new ownership.

 

[rome8180]

The Magic wanting to sign Paul George is interesting. If it meant they were going to play Paolo at center and Franz at the 4, I'd be more excited. I think that lineup would hold up defensively while improving massively on offense. But instead, I assume they'd go Suggs, PG, Franz, Paolo, Carter.

 

[DrKlahn]

So six teams have been knocked out of the playoffs so far, and I don’t think anyone would have imagined this list at the start of the year:

Heat
Bucks
Sixers
Suns
Lakers

Oh yeah the Pelicans too. Finally they are in elite company.

 

[rome8180]

I think I've talked myself into the Wolves upsetting the Nuggets. They have a defensive answer for every single player on the Nuggets. They have all kinds of good perimeter defenders to throw at Murray, who is already hobbled. No one has an answer for Jokic, but the Wolves are as close as it gets.

My main reason for skepticism about the Wolves was their offense. But in the playoffs, they've had the number one offense. Maybe that's just a product of playing the Suns. But they've just played better overall than the Nuggets have so far. My only concern with their defense was if they encountered a team that could really drag them into space. The Nuggets are obviously a great shooting team, but that's not what I mean. I'm talking about more of a team that can get their bigs into mismatches with small ball handlers.

The final advantage I see for the Wolves is the bench. The Wolves should crush the Nuggets in the non-Jokic minutes. Even if that's only 5-7 minutes a game, that could swing a few games.

 

[Devilsforlife]

A Wolves run would be cool. I loved those KG teams in the early 2000s, and they’ve spent 20 years in the wilderness since (which did seem kinda fitting, given their name).

 

[Grit]

I think I've talked myself into the Wolves upsetting the Nuggets. They have a defensive answer for every single player on the Nuggets. They have all kinds of good perimeter defenders to throw at Murray, who is already hobbled. No one has an answer for Jokic, but the Wolves are as close as it gets.

My main reason for skepticism about the Wolves was their offense. But in the playoffs, they've had the number one offense. Maybe that's just a product of playing the Suns. But they've just played better overall than the Nuggets have so far. My only concern with their defense was if they encountered a team that could really drag them into space. The Nuggets are obviously a great shooting team, but that's not what I mean. I'm talking about more of a team that can get their bigs into mismatches with small ball handlers.

The final advantage I see for the Wolves is the bench. The Wolves should crush the Nuggets in the non-Jokic minutes. Even if that's only 5-7 minutes a game, that could swing a few games.

The Nuggets also only outscored the Lakers by 11 points across 5 games, and I think that was with an especially impactful home court advantage because of how quickly the Lakers were tiring out.