2024 Playoffs Discussion Thread

[Basketball_Jones]

Can't say looking at the second round in the east that it looks like a scary group.

Window for Raptors will open back up in the next couple of years.

It’s a lot like the West in that every team will be tough. Nobody scary but nobody easy. That’s parity. There’s no sneaking into the playoffs anymore either you need 45 wins and win the play-in. Every team is decent/good.

[Pointgod]

Wolves tanked for several seasons until 2020. Then started to make the playoffs and about to be up 2-0 on the defending champs. Tanking does work.

If you had to tank for 15 years then that’s not very successful. lol.

Yeah minny is a horrible example.

All we gotta do is win 3 lotteries in 8 years AND WE ARE SET.

The current front office of Minnesota has only been in place for 2 seasons so they actually weren’t the one tanking. Minnesota has 3 core pieces: Edwards, Gobert and KAT, two of those pieces were a result of tanking. Make no mistake, none of this works without Edwards so yes tanking does work because it puts the majority of teams in the best position to grab a franchise talent.

[YogurtProducer]

If you had to tank for 15 years then that’s not very successful. lol.

Yeah minny is a horrible example.

All we gotta do is win 3 lotteries in 8 years AND WE ARE SET.

The current front office of Minnesota has only been in place for 2 seasons so they actually weren’t the one tanking. Minnesota has 3 core pieces: Edwards, Gobert and KAT, two of those pieces were a result of tanking. Make no mistake, none of this works without Edwards so yes tanking does work because it puts the majority of teams in the best position to grab a franchise talent.

You cannot possibly look at Minnesota and say they are a good example of tanking working though. This is a franchise with 1 series win since 2004 (maybe two here soon), and 16 trips to the lottery in that span, including FOUR seasons of less than 20 wins. Eventually it worked out, but no franchise is tanking going "well, it might take 16 years but EVENTUALLY we will hit on enough lottery picks to make the playoffs!"

Even though the current FO did not necessarily tank, does not mean they did not benefit from Ant, KAT, McDaniels, etc. Now they are all in. If this fails, they have no picks until 2028.

[Prestige]

Compared to Mobley, Scottie is Kyrie Irving. Mobley is a bum offensively. Who would have thought?

[MiamiSPX]

I think Boston loses 2 more games, at most, before the Finals.

[Syd-TK3]

One thing is for sure Tatum should never be in mvp talks boston is stacked he's been their 3rd best player after 6 games

[Mr Funk]

Pascals last 5 playoff games

13/6/5 - 5/12 FG
19/7/4 - 9/15 FG
12/4/2 - 5/12 FG
13/9/7 - 6/14 FG
17/9/5 - 7/17 FG

Decent all around play but we don’t need to have a referendum every time he plays well like he’s some top 20 player that we’ll regret trading for the rest of our lives.

He has all of the spacing in the world, playing in a system with insane tempo, has the greenest light on the team and still can’t even average mid to high 20’s per game.

We can stop pretending that surrounding him with a 5 out offence would suddenly make him a superstar or that’s something worth investing a 5 year $250M max into.

He’s a very good player who is a decent 2nd option on a playoff team and a great third option on a contender. Enough with the pining.

He's already proven himself to be a solid second option on a championship team, carrying us in Game 1 of the 2019 Finals. Regardless, I don't understand this constant need to denigrate former Raptors who won us a championship and worked their asses off. Whether it's OG or Pascal, I don't get it, they did the best they could in their time here. Those who are constantly denigrating Pascal also keep conveniently omitting all of the double teams he faced following the second game of the Milwaukee series.

Edit: This same topic is ongoing in the "Siakam vs OG east conference semi finals" thread and a naysayer isn't doing well. In the first round series, Pascal averaged 22/9/4 with 57 TS% and only three turnovers.

[Chandan]

D wow josh kiddie looks more pretty with a bruised lip

[Chandan]

Goddamn jalen Williams is Good. Single handedly breaking the game open in the 4th.

[SFour]

imagine having a young team and in their first playoff appearance they aren't choking or using the inexperienced excuse....must be nice

[Los_29]

imagine having a young team and in their first playoff appearance they aren't choking or using the inexperienced excuse....must be nice

To be fair, they played the Pelicans in the first round. Pelicans without Zion are not a playoff team.

[HumbleRen]

Pascals last 5 playoff games

13/6/5 - 5/12 FG
19/7/4 - 9/15 FG
12/4/2 - 5/12 FG
13/9/7 - 6/14 FG
17/9/5 - 7/17 FG

Decent all around play but we don’t need to have a referendum every time he plays well like he’s some top 20 player that we’ll regret trading for the rest of our lives.

He has all of the spacing in the world, playing in a system with insane tempo, has the greenest light on the team and still can’t even average mid to high 20’s per game.

We can stop pretending that surrounding him with a 5 out offence would suddenly make him a superstar or that’s something worth investing a 5 year $250M max into.

He’s a very good player who is a decent 2nd option on a playoff team and a great third option on a contender. Enough with the pining.

He's already proven himself to be a solid second option on a championship team, carrying us in Game 1 of the 2019 Finals. Regardless, I don't understand this constant need to denigrate former Raptors who won us a championship and worked their asses off. Whether it's OG or Pascal, I don't get it, they did the best they could in their time here. Those who are constantly denigrating Pascal also keep conveniently omitting all of the double teams he faced following the second game of the Milwaukee series.

Because my post is aimed at the people who throw a fit whenever Siakam has a good game. I prefaced my post by saying he’s a good player, I know that.

[Basketball_Jones]

This Thunder team is so young but they play like they’ve been there before and aren’t afraid. Reminds me of…okay yeah the old Durant Thunder teams lol. Amazingly OKC has done it again. Let’s see if they don’t screw this up like last time.

[WaltFrazier]

If Minny and OKC do meet in the WCF then the changing of the guard is full on.

[WaltFrazier]

Mitchell Robinson out for the playoffs now. Opportunity for Precious to step in

[Fairview4Life]

Mitchell Robinson out for the playoffs now. Opportunity for Precious to step in

Well, that sucks for the Knicks. Here's hoping Precious just focuses on D and running around.

[will]

If Minny and OKC do meet in the WCF then the changing of the guard is full on.

The presence of Michael Alex Conley Jr. What he did for the Grizz all those years, and then bringing that great leadership to the Jazz who became competitive post-Deron Williams and Sloan.

Absolutely immense for Minny. Especially for a guy like KAT to learn from and more importantly receive that veteran support.

[WaltFrazier]

If Minny and OKC do meet in the WCF then the changing of the guard is full on.

The presence of Michael Alex Conley Jr. What he did for the Grizz all those years, and then bringing that great leadership to the Jazz who became competitive post-Deron Williams and Sloan.

Absolutely immense for Minny. Especially for a guy like KAT to learn from and more importantly receive that veteran support.

Conley 36 years old playing the demanding PG position. Very underrated player. Inherited great genes from his world class long jumper dad.

[will]

If Minny and OKC do meet in the WCF then the changing of the guard is full on.

The presence of Michael Alex Conley Jr. What he did for the Grizz all those years, and then bringing that great leadership to the Jazz who became competitive post-Deron Williams and Sloan.

Absolutely immense for Minny. Especially for a guy like KAT to learn from and more importantly receive that veteran support.

Conley 36 years old playing the demanding PG position. Very underrated player. Inherited great genes from his world class long jumper dad.

Did not know Senior was a world class long jumper!

Bloody hell. Walt dropping nuggets.

[WaltFrazier]

Mitchell Robinson out for the playoffs now. Opportunity for Precious to step in

Well, that sucks for the Knicks. Here's hoping Precious just focuses on D and running around.

Yeah it sucks. But Indy is not the best matchup for Robinson especially not full speed. Precious can probably guard Turner out high better and be better switching onto guards. He's had good moments as a Knick this year including the game Robinson missed vs Sixers.

You're right about focus on D, and I think he's learned not to do any crazy dribble drives in NY . If he does hit a couple of open threes it'll be a huge bonus