2022-23 NBA Season THREAD (2023 Playoffs Talk)

[SilenceS]

James Harden was on fire! 10 1/2 points dog beats the Celtics without the big man

 

[Scoot26]

James Harden was on fire! 10 1/2 points dog beats the Celtics without the big man

Rockets Harden was back.

 

[SilenceS]

Rockets Harden was back.

He pulled a Rodman and came back a new man

 

[Gustavus Adolphus]

Do you understand what he means when he says “don’t respect no one who don’t drop 40?” It has zero to do with the team final score

I don't know what it means.

 

[BNB]

This has easily been one of the best postseasons I have ever seen in the NBA. Usually, you kind of know who's gonna win it all.... but I feel like one of 4 or 5 teams could probably win it at this point.

 

[SilenceS]

This has easily been one of the best postseasons I have ever seen in the NBA. Usually, you kind of know who's gonna win it all.... but I feel like one of 4 or 5 teams could probably win it at this point.

Its felt like that all year. No team really looked head and shoulders better. League has talent spread across it.

 

[SilenceS]

Ayton plays like he is 6'6.

Jokic just ate him.

 

[Scoot26]

This has easily been one of the best postseasons I have ever seen in the NBA. Usually, you kind of know who's gonna win it all.... but I feel like one of 4 or 5 teams could probably win it at this point.

My two picks for the Finals were knocked out in the 1st. My western backup pick is down 2-0 to the Nuggets.

 

[Scoot26]

Its felt like that all year. No team really looked head and shoulders better. League has talent spread across it.

Injuries and team construction have played a large role too.

Denver was really solid most of the year, then had that weird stretch where every team was exposing Jokic on defense. As a result they won a lowly 53 wins, but still grabbed the #1 seed.

Memphis on paper is a really good team, even with their injuries to role players this season. But chemistry/attitude/off-court distractions I think did them in. Ja seemed to push aside most of what he did by the end of the year, by Dillon Brooks is very much still a man baby, and may find himself teamless after this season. I think the dude really hurt the team with his piss poor shooting / shot display.

The Kings are young and upcoming, and it was not really all that surprising they lost to the Warriors. They have two major weaknesses in they don't play defense nor do they rebound well. If they can address those things in the offseason, I like them in a next step kind of thing. I don't think someone like Fox has superstar worthy potential on him though.

The Suns are good on paper, but haven't played much together. KD and them haven't had time to gel, and that may do them in. They didn't look good against a Clippers team missing their two major stars. Now Chris Paul left with an injury in G2 vs Denver and they are now down 2-0. So, idk about you, but they're not exactly lookin' good.

Then the Clippers, well they can't stay healthy. They never will either.

The Warriors had an odd year, also had health issues. They only won 11 games on the road in the regular season, but have won 2 on the road in the 1st round. Just don't feel like you can ever count this team out, though I still feel that road problem will come to bite them eventually. Lucky for them they have HCA in the 2nd round.

The Lakers were complete garbage until the trade deadline, helped by dumping Russell Westbrook. That really turned them around. I think they were the #1 defense the rest of the season. LeBron is still LeBron and AD actually had a really good year. If they can stay healthy they can really do anything.

The Timberwolves were trash gave away 4 1sts to improve nothing.

Milwaukee put together the best season this year and were actually my favorite to win it. That worked out well though as Miami exposed Milwaukee, their shooters shot like crap, Giannis got hurt for two games (Bucks went 1-1), and then the Bucks blew two 10 point leads late in Games 4 and 5. Credit to Jimmy Buckets though and the Miami coaching staff.

Boston is good on paper, like really good on paper. Tatums numbers just about all meet superstar criteria. My problem with Tatum though? Every time I watch him, he doesn't pass the eye test. He's been proven to have some issues in the clutch too. Last night being a good case. In a close game throughout, Tatum had 34 points entering the 4th Q. He finished with 39 points. He made one field goal at 11:06, and made three more free throws the rest of the game. That was his 4th Q. Jaylen Brown wasn't much better. This team did make the Finals last year, so they could do it again.

The Sixers are often just the team that gets in their own way. On paper this is a good team, but its weaknesses are going to be the health of Joel Embiid. In Game 1 vs Boston, they survived without him, but I question the ability to survive a series without him (would question that with most teams). I have doubts that Harden can play 2018 Rockets Harden for an entire series. Now if Embiid can come back and not be too limited, I actually like the Sixers chance to advance on paper, though there is another factor I haven't mentioned.. the Doc Rivers factor. Doc hasn't left the 2nd round of the Celtics since he had KG, Pierce, and Allen in 2012.

The Cavs were a young team that seemed like second round material, but boy did the Knicks expose them. Donovan Mitchell is a really good player, but is on a lower tier. That's going to limit Cleveland going forward sans someone like Mobley becoming a super. There is a lot of room for improvement for this team, so it'll be interesting to see what the front office does.

The Knicks, I think this is their ceiling. There isn't going to be much they can do to get better from here sans some big mega trade that brings in a superstar. If I was a betting man, I am actually betting Miami to beat them provided Jimmy Butler's ankle is a problem.

The Nets are not a good team anymore, probably won't even make the playoffs anymore. They're not tank bad worthy, especially if Bridges continues to do as he has.

The Hawks are another team that are pretty much at their ceiling and seem to have attitude problems within the team. Not sure where this team goes forward. Trae Young has bee in many rumors over the past year.

Then the Heat. This team was a 5 seed in the bubble and ran away with the East, sweeping the Pacers, Bucks in 5, and Celtics in 6 (after going up 3-1). They gave the Lakers a fight, but were quite overmatched. The following year, the Heat suffered numerous injuries and got swept by the Bucks as a 6 seed. In 21-22, they grabbed the 1st seed and went to G7 in the ECF before falling to Boston (barely). Butler and Tatum seemed to trade bad games in that series. Couple of bounces go different and Miami returned to the Finals last year. This year? They lost a play-in game to drop to 8th, but they once again beat the Bucks in 5. They're up 1-0 on the Knicks so far. I like how they match up with the Knicks, so I wouldn't be surprised if this win this series. I also wouldn't be surprised by any means if this 8th seeded team gets to the Finals But it's going to come down to health, if Jimmy's ankle is a problem, the Heat probably won't get out of the 2nd.

So health is going to be the #1 factor in just about all of this. Embiid, Paul, Butler are now all beat up.. it'll be a question if anyone else gets added to it. But I suppose that's how it goes, whoever remains the healthiest wins.

To actually win it all, I give all the edges to any of the teams with an actual well established superstar though.

 

[SilenceS]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1653431517186514945

 

[clonetrooper264]

Dillon Brooks done talked himself out the league

 

[Scoot26]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1653431517186514945

And hardly anyone is shocked.

 

[Gustavus Adolphus]

 

[BNB]

It basically just comes down to the fact that Dillon isn't good enough to deal with the headaches he can bring. I hear people brining up Draymond, Rodman, etc.. The (big) difference there is those guys were key contributors to championship teams. Dillon often hurts the Grizzlies with his atrocious shot attempts/scoring. Just not worth it.

 

[Axl Rose]

I mean i get fans clowning him but that's weird hostile energy from the Grizzlies.

Probably not going to sit right with other players.

 

[SilenceS]

It basically just comes down to the fact that Dillon isn't good enough to deal with the headaches he can bring. I hear people brining up Draymond, Rodman, etc.. The (big) difference there is those guys were key contributors to championship teams. Dillon often hurts the Grizzlies with his atrocious shot attempts/scoring. Just not worth it.

They are HOF with rings. They get under your skin but they proved themselves. Brooks just talked and literally got bounced. Then, he played victim. I mean if you going to be a villain. Own it dont cry after.

 

[SilenceS]

Embiid wins the MVP so the whole twitter verse can shut up

 

[knoxville7]

everyone acts like they want animosity amongst players and rivalries, yet this goes to show that they likely don’t really

 

[SilenceS]

Poole thinking he is Curry with over 10 seconds left lol

 

[Scoot26]

Poole thinking he is Curry with over 10 seconds left lol

Wow, didn't think the Lakers would win in San Fran. Warriors gotta pull a road win again now in Games 3 or 4.