Not sure anyone can beat Denver

[Jadoogar]

i think Denver is the favourite but if the choice is Denver vs the field, i'm taking the field because
1. it's hard to repeat and there are lots of good teams
2. Boston

[Sgt Major]

Yeah it’s Denver & Boston at the top of the contenders list.

A healthy Porzingis draws Jokic from the basket on defense and is an interesting counter.

Healthy AD couldn't do a thing, hence Porzingis stands no chance.

It goes both ways with KP though. Boston could really wear down Jokic over 7 games making him guard out to the perimeter all series.

That did not happen with Suns, Heat and Lakers, wouldn't happen with Boston neither.

[Johnny Bball]

Denver had everything just fall their way last year (or maybe just a lot). I doubt it happens again.

[SK21209]

I don't like how anyone matches up with them in the West. Minnesota has the size and defense, but at the end of the day the Nuggets have such a high floor on offense that you have to be able to go blow for blow with them. Minnesota doesn't have the halfcourt offense to do that. The Clippers don't have the size and I can't rely on Harden to keep the halfcourt offense humming in the playoffs. The Thunder might actually match up the best with their 5-out, but they don't have the size or experience to knock off Denver yet. Everyone else in the playoff picture doesn't have enough talent.

I think Boston is the one team that can beat them in a series right now.

[sammo89]

We say this every year about the defending champions, but it's almost impossible to repeat nowadays. My money is on the Clippers or Thunder pulling off a surprise eventually

[jc23]

We need a Nuggets/Celtics finals series.
Would definitely be the most hyped finals matchup in a while.

Boston is amazing and if your a fan of basketball they are fantastic to watch but they dont have that top tier star that gets you excited for them the way Philly or Milwaukee would have. Still i agree its the best matchup and i hope it happens.

I don’t really think anyone besides Philly fans are getting excited to watch Embiid in the finals lol

Plenty of nba fans would love to see the two most dominant bigs and reigning MVP's go at it in the finals. Not everyday you get to see that; especially considering they would be forced to guard one another.

[Jaqua92]

Homer talk here but I think Boston has a chance.

Slowing Jokic is damn near impossible, but Celtics have Horford/Tillman, who are strong, low centre of gravity guys who can allow Celtics to play him without doubling.

We’ve also got the wing defenders for Murray/MPJ and 5 guys who can attack them at all times.

I hope both teams remain healthy and we get to see the matchup as I think it will go the distance. Time will tell.

Handling Murray is the X Factor.

Horford and Tillman will get destroyed by Jokic. You gotta keep Jokic out of the high post.

Problem with Jokic what makes him such a problem is that he coaches on the floor. It's hard to notice on TV, but if you pay attention, he often spends the first 10-12 seconds of the shot clock directing traffic, and setting up plays to make reads against the defense. It makes it really difficult to defend because he's constantly calling out plays and actions without even touching the ball.

It puts us in a spot where we HAVE to outshoot them. And if these games are close, we will not win that series. No way.

We'd need a couple blown out wins.

[sol537]

Barring injuries, Denver and Boston probably have an equal chance of winning this year. No other team comes close IMO at the moment.

Clippers and Wolves are the dark horses.

Every other team is a pretender currently and have no real shot.

[dc]

Barring injuries, Denver and Boston probably have an equal chance of winning this year. No other team comes close IMO at the moment.

Clippers and Wolves are the dark horses.

Every other team is a pretender currently and have no real shot.

I agree with that. Wolves gave the Nugz a decent series last year and they're improved this year, but they still wouldn't be favored. Not even if they have homecourt advantage.

Nugz appear to be as good as they were last year. Celts are currently the best they've been in the Tatum/Brown era and their rivals in the east all appear to be weaker than last year.

[Capn'O]

The team with the guy scoring 31 per game on 65% TS might have another gear.

[Curmudgeon]

I don't think the Celtics can stop Jokic, but I don't think Denver's top 6 is as talented as Boston's top 6. On top of Tatum and Brown, Derrick White is the most underrated player in the league. And Porzingis will force Jokic to decide whether or not to come out and guard or let the Celtics have uncontested threes.

And the C's will find the open man. Gone are the days when their offense was a Tatum-Brown tag team. IMHO those who are betting on the games should take the over every time.

This all assumes, of course, that the Celtics don't lay an egg in the EC playoffs. Sometimes they forget to rebound. That's why they play the games.

[doogie_hauser]

Bucks are definitely a threat now they got a coach who actual preaches defence.

I highly respect Denver, but don't get me wrong, they are not on the same level as The Invinci-Bulls or those great Laker Kobe and Shaq teams of the early 00s.

As a Celtics fan, i definitely don't think we are a shoe in to win the East, with the way Milwaukee have turned things around, and you can never count out Miami either..

[Chessboxer]

Bucks are definitely a threat now they got a coach who actual preaches defence.

I highly respect Denver, but don't get me wrong, they are not on the same level as The Invinci-Bulls or those great Laker Kobe and Shaq teams of the early 00s.

As a Celtics fan, i definitely don't think we are a shoe in to win the East, with the way Milwaukee have turned things around, and you can never count out Miami either..

Agreed, I think the Nuggets should be favoured but I don't see them as unbeatable at all. They are walking a tightrope, because if Murray is contained or relegated to a bad shooting series their chances decrease significantly.

[PierceFan4ever]

Why are the clippers, Timberwolves, and Thunder more of a threat to win the championship than the bucks anyways? Timberwolves and Thunder haven’t done anything in the playoffs in a long time, clippers haven’t really proven themselves much either, a lot of that has to do with kawhi’s injuries, but giannis is still the 2nd best player in basketball and has a great supporting cast.

[Gregoire]

Boston and Milwakee I give more than 50% probability.

[Warriorfan]

Heatles, and 73 win warriors were better teams IMO and did not win championships

[hardenASG13]

Why are the clippers, Timberwolves, and Thunder more of a threat to win the championship than the bucks anyways? Timberwolves and Thunder haven’t done anything in the playoffs in a long time, clippers haven’t really proven themselves much either, a lot of that has to do with kawhi’s injuries, but giannis is still the 2nd best player in basketball and has a great supporting cast.

That's all true, I'd say the Bucks have as good a chance as any of them. But who is the best team Giannis and the Bucks have ever beat in the playoffs? The 2021 Phoenix Sun's, who were badly exposed as frauds the next season?

[ChiTownHero1992]

Is it possible for them to win back-to-back absolutely, do i see it happening, not likely I think this is Boston's year as much as I absolutely don't want to see them win. I also think a team like the Clippers if hot/healthy in a 7 game series could take it.

[HotRocks34]

Boston can definitely beat them.

I'm not so sure about that.

They can't do anything against Jokic and that's not a situation a Denver opponent wants to be in.

Not a good matchup for Boston, it seems.

[Sweet Serenity]

Jokic is a cheat code