The Basketball Thread

[travz21]

I don't think the Bulls have any shot of doing anything. In the playoffs, there's just no way DRose can take on a whole team. And there's no way a Rose-less Bulls will beat the Knicks or Heat when everything is on the line. So either way it doesn't look good for them, despite what's happened in the regular season.


The Knicks are the only team that can give the Heat a tough time. They are huge and can light it up from 3. Woodson will need to play JR, Chandler, Amar'e, and Carmelo 24/7 if they want to win. Novak should be putting in at least 30 minutes, too. Their team is so talented it's nuts. Hopefully the rotation tightens up and the starters put in 40+ minutes during the playoffs.

The Western conference is kind of weird this year. I think OKC is ridiculously stupid for not trading Westbrook, but clearly he's a dangerous weapon to have. Durant should be having 40 shots a night and Harden should be getting 20. How Westbrook doesn't average even 10 assists a game with that team just shows how incapable he is at playing point guard. He's only at 5.4 a game!!!!!

As much as I've hated the Spurs in the past, at this point they look like a lock to make it to the finals. Everyone on their team can ball and Parker is distributing instead of being a pure scorer. They seem to shoot over 50% every fucking night.


I think the Knicks or Heat are the only teams capable of making it out of the East. The West could be anyone really, but I think the Spurs are making it probably 60% of the time.

[ernieball003]

I don't think the Bulls have any shot of doing anything. In the playoffs, there's just no way DRose can take on a whole team. And there's no way a Rose-less Bulls will beat the Knicks or Heat when everything is on the line. So either way it doesn't look good for them, despite what's happened in the regular season.

Except Rose plays for the Bulls, so he doesn't have to take on a whole team by himself.

[Apop]

The Knicks have no chance in making it out of the East this year, the Heat will again. There's just too much talent on that team, love them or hate them, for them not to be the most difficult squad in the league to beat 4 out of 7. In the West, it really comes down to Oklahoma, the Lakers, and the Spurs. If Gregg Popovich did a well enough job resting the key veterans on the team, Duncan and Ginóbili, then that's going to be one difficult series since they have so much experience. However, I think fatigue will reach the Spurs and the Western Conference finals will be the Thunder vs. the Lakers. With the way Bynum has been such a dominate force inside lately, I think the Lakers would be too much to handle factoring in Kobe as well. Plus, Westbrook's turnovers will end to be costly as the game and series progresses. This leads to a Heat v. Lakers final in which I'm by no means a fan of either team and the series will be decided on the play of Wade.

[The Prisoner]

Basketball thread! Yes! We exist!


I don't really see the Celtics going anywhere during the playoffs. Same with ATL and the Pacers. If it were up to me, I'd like to see the Bulls or the Knicks make it past the conference. Realistically, it's going to be the Bulls or the Heat.

The Heat will fail again.
Go Thunder, Go!

[Version One]

The East is the Heat's to lose, and it could happen. The Bulls will go as far as D-Rose and his health will take them. As well as they have played without him, they won't go anywhere unless he's 100%. The Celtics have been playing well are cannot be slept on. The Knicks never seem to be able to figure it out when all of their stars are healthy. Indiana is an under-the-radar team that could make some noise like Memphis did last year.

As far as the West goes, I'm hoping it's the Lakers but right now it's the Spurs and Thunder who look like the favorites. While people expect the Spurs to flame out due to age, they have a younger roster this year so that may not be the case. While the Thunder have been up and down as of late, they'll be ready come playoff time. Memphis is flying under the radar again this season and the Clippers have a shot this year too.

Westbrook's always been more of a combo guard than a pure point and Durant has improved so much as a passer/ballhandler/defender. Though he's not shooting it 30 times a game he's still almost getting 30 points a game, which is super efficient and allows Westbrook to play his game, and this season Russ has been so lethal. My biggest fear is a Lakers-Thunder WCF and Fish hitting a dagger 3 to seal the series for OKC. Definitely hope that does not happen.

[Hawk]

The playoffs are here! So let's see who thinks will make it.
Pick the team to win the first game of the series, pick who you think will win the sires and series score.
So, on that, the games are:

WESTERN CONFERENCE
San Antonio [1] vs. Utah [8]
Oklahoma City [2] vs. Dallas [7]
LA Lakers [3] vs. Denver [6]
Memphis [4] vs. LA Clippers [5]

EASTERN CONFERENCE
Chicago [1] vs. Philadelphia [8]
Miami [2] vs. New York [7]
Indiana [3] vs. Orlando [6]
Boston [4] vs. Atlanta [5]

Go!

-----

San Antonio over Utah in five.
Thunder over Mavericks in six.
Lakers over Denver in six.
Clippers over Memphis is seven.

Chicago over Philadelphia in six.
Miami over New York in five.
Indiana over Orlando in five.
Boston over Atlanta in six.

[Apop]

The playoffs are here! So let's see who thinks will make it.
Pick the team to win the first game of the series, pick who you think will win the sires and series score.
So, on that, the games are:

WESTERN CONFERENCE
San Antonio [1] vs. Utah [8]
Oklahoma City [2] vs. Dallas [7]
LA Lakers [3] vs. Denver [6]
Memphis [4] vs. LA Clippers [5]

EASTERN CONFERENCE
Chicago [1] vs. Philadelphia [8]
Miami [2] vs. New York [7]
Indiana [3] vs. Orlando [6]
Boston [4] vs. Atlanta [5]

Go!

West

San Antonio beats Utah in 5.
Oklahoma City beats Dallas in 6.
LA Lakers sweep the Nuggets.
LA Clippers beat Memphis in 6.

East

Chicago beats Philadelphia in 5.
Miami beats New York in 6.
Indiana beats Orlando in 6.
Boston beats Atlanta in 7.

[The Prisoner]

West



San Antonio beats Utah in 5.
Oklahoma City beats Dallas in 6.
LA Lakers sweep the Nuggets.
LA Clippers beat Memphis in 6.

East

Chicago beats Philadelphia in 5.
Miami beats New York in 6.
Indiana beats Orlando in 6.
Boston beats Atlanta in 7.

West

San Antonio beats Utah in 5.
Dallas beats Oklahoma City in 7.
"LA Lakers sweep the Nuggets".
LA Clippers beat Memphis in 5.

East

Chicago beats Philadelphia in 5.
Miami beats New York in 5.
Orlando beats Indiana in 7.
Boston beats Atlanta in 5.

[travz21]

New York is taking Miami. Denver has a good shot at beating the Lakers.

[Hawk]

New York is taking Miami. Denver has a good shot at beating the Lakers.

Out of the many people I asked you seem to be the only one who is confident in the Knicks taking Miami.
It may be the playoffs but the Heat took the Knicks down 3 - 0 in the regular season.
On the other hand LeBron might will be relied on the most with Wade's somewhat bad finger and Bosh's hamstring (I think it is).
Meaning LeBron will have to be fucking blazing.

[travz21]

The Knicks have had 3 different teams this year. Pre-Lin, Full-On-Linsanity, and the Woodson Era. They've been playing as good as anybody with Woodson. They're 18-6 under him, which is the 3rd best win percentage in the league. The Knicks are definitely the hardest match-up for the Heat. They're big, they can shoot, and they can play defense now. We all know Lebron will crumble if anything gets tight, and Melo is the most clutch player in the NBA. If Wade isn't on his game and Bosh doesn't put up average numbers it could be ugly for the Heat. I wouldn't be surprised if the Knicks chocked, either. We'll see if JR Smith can handle the big stage and if Novak can keep knocking down every 3. I'm super pumped for the playoffs regardless. I hope both teams bring it. I wanna see Melo and Lebron guarding each other and going nuts.

[Hawk]

The Knicks have had 3 different teams this year. Pre-Lin, Full-On-Linsanity, and the Woodson Era. They've been playing as good as anybody with Woodson. They're 18-6 under him, which is the 3rd best win percentage in the league. The Knicks are definitely the hardest match-up for the Heat. They're big, they can shoot, and they can play defense now. We all know Lebron will crumble if anything gets tight, and Melo is the most clutch player in the NBA. If Wade isn't on his game and Bosh doesn't put up average numbers it could be ugly for the Heat. I wouldn't be surprised if the Knicks chocked, either. We'll see if JR Smith can handle the big stage and if Novak can keep knocking down every 3. I'm super pumped for the playoffs regardless. I hope both teams bring it. I wanna see Melo and Lebron guarding each other and going nuts.

I can't see Anthony putting up a tonne of points if LeBron is "on". Though, Bosh needs to be playing well at the minimum. I look at this match up and think it'll either go to the Heat or it'll be a drawn out series that will go either way.

[travz21]

Yeah, that's the way I see it. I don't see the Knicks winning in 5 games or less unless they make 15 3's a game and Chandler plays big. But I can definitely see the Heat winning in 5 or less if the Knicks are a little lame.

Lebron, Wade, and Bosh are going to be guarded by some of the biggest and quickest people they've ever played. This series is going to be really tough if the Knicks bring it.

[Hawk]

Yeah, that's the way I see it. I don't see the Knicks winning in 5 games or less unless they make 15 3's a game and Chandler plays big. But I can definitely see the Heat winning in 5 or less if the Knicks are a little lame.

Lebron, Wade, and Bosh are going to be guarded by some of the biggest and quickest people they've ever played. This series is going to be really tough if the Knicks bring it.

Definitely. That's what will make this a very interesting series.
Then, for whoever wins this, will also be in another difficult match up in round two. I can see the Pacers stirring some shit up.

[travz21]

I think Orlando could throw down if they are hot, too. I wanna see Redick and Anderson go nuts. Their whole damn team makes 3's.

[Hawk]

I think Orlando could throw down if they are hot, too. I wanna see Redick and Anderson go nuts. Their whole damn team makes 3's.

For sure. They could make it very interesting too.

[ernieball003]

I think Orlando could throw down if they are hot, too. I wanna see Redick and Anderson go nuts. Their whole damn team makes 3's.

Live by the jumper, die by the jumper.

[Apop]

I think Orlando could throw down if they are hot, too. I wanna see Redick and Anderson go nuts. Their whole damn team makes 3's.

With Howard out, I don't see Orlando making much noise in the playoffs. The team is built around his inside game opening up the outside shots.

[Hawk]

So the Heat tore New York a new asshole in game 1 winning by 22, 100 - 67.
I laughed my ass of when I saw the replay of the bump on LeBron, the way he flailed his arms up.
But he put some doubt down by making some fantastic shots.

Bulls 103 - 91 Sixers
Rose is out for the rest of the playoffs. Hard to tell how the Bulsl will perform, because they've showed how well they can play without him, but playoffs pressure can change players.

Edit: The flail got GIF'd!

[travz21]

That game was so annoying to watch. Lebron flopped quite a bit. Can't believe Chandler got a flagrant on that shit. Melo caught the Lebron disease and choked big time. Hopefully the Knicks take the sand out of their vaginas next game. The Heat look good.

The Orlando game was actually a decent watch. Nothing very exciting, but I enjoyed it. They're not going to win again if they let Davis get up 20 shots. He's so fucking bad. He's shorter than 2 of their shooting guards. I have no idea why they are playing him even.

I didn't watch the Bulls game, but losing Rose is a killer.

I watched the last half of the OKC vs Dallas game, and that was sick. Terry needs to be getting more shots up when he's that hot. I can't believe how few screens they were setting for him to get open. I hope this is a good series and OKC doesn't take that lucky win and blow the series out now.