2023 Play-In and First Round Predictions.

[nuraman00]

Atlanta Hawks at Miami Heat
Miami wins, gets 7th seed

Miami has the two of the three best players, and I like Adebayo.

Chicago Bulls at Toronto Raptors
Toronto wins

I like Siakam and Toronto's shooting more.


Western Conference
Minnesota Timberwolves at Los Angeles Lakers
Minnesota wins, gets 7th seed

I don't think the in-fighting will affect Minnesota much.

The Lakers have played a bunch of easy teams the past few weeks, and have not shown enough of whether they are capable of more.

I also think if there will be one surprise, then I'm picking this result.

Plus Minnesota is used to playing short handed this year.

Oklahoma City Thunder at New Orleans Pelicans
Oklahoma City wins.

I can't decide, it's very close.

But if a 10th seed is going to make the playoffs, I think this Thunder team, in a given year, is better than most 10th seeds.

 

[nuraman00]

Mike Conley Jr. makes 3 FTs with 0.1 seconds left in regulation to tie the game!

 

[MHSL82]

 

[nuraman00]

Mike Conley Jr. makes 3 FTs with 0.1 seconds left in regulation to tie the game!

Does this post belong in the "You've Got To Make Your Free Throws" thread if Minnesota blew multiple double digit leads, and lost the game?

 

[MHSL82]

Does this post belong in the "You've Got To Make Your Free Throws" thread if Minnesota blew multiple double digit leads, and lost the game?

Last night, I was going to copy your comment to that thread, but that I want to sleep.

 

[nuraman00]

I think I don't want it in that thread. It's too infuriating because all anyone will remember was Minnesota losing the game.

Nobody cares that he made the FTs anymore, because they lost the game.

Making crucial FTs should be highlighted when the team wins the game. Or missing them if the team loses the game.


Now if this was a NBA Finals game, then it might still belong in that thread, because of how much more attention that game would get. But for a play-in game, all people will think about is the loss.

 

[nuraman00]

@MHSL82, are you going to give any predictions? However much you want to do.

 

[MHSL82]

Nobody cares that he made the FTs anymore, because they lost the game.

I think people care because if he missed it, he would be the “reason why they lost.“ I think he would be hurt by missing that. He would not have thought that they were going to lose in overtime anyway. Only masters of rationalization like myself can rationalize through things like that. For example, I say the Jazz lost in game seven after the push off was called.

 

[nuraman00]

I would have told Conley that he did great things for 103 other possessions.

 

[nuraman00]

For example, I say the Jazz lost in game seven after the push off was called.

That explains 1998.

How would they have lost if 1997 went to a game 7?

 

[nuraman00]

Chicago Bulls vs. Miami Heat:

Chicago wins.

The Bulls are a bit small, but that might not matter, if they keep making shots.

Oklahoma City vs. Minnesota Timberwolves:

Oklahoma City wins.

Rooting for Minnesota, but I've been saying for a while that if a 10th seed is going to get in the playoffs, Oklahoma City has the best chance to do so.

Minnesota is much steadier with Conley Jr. I like them when everyone is healthy.

But sometimes the other team wins.

Minnesota probably has an advantage with their bench, but who knows how it will play out.



Atlanta Hawks vs. Boston Celtics:

While Atlanta has the talent to get a few wins in this series, I think odds are this goes less than 6 games.

The biggest advantage Atlanta has is their size. They have a lot of bigs.

Boston in 5.

Boston
Atlanta
Boston
Boston
Boston

Brooklyn Nets vs. Philadelphia 76ers:

I like Brooklyn's talent to keep games competitive. I don't think they can win a lot of games in a series.

Philadelphia in 4.

New York Knicks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers:

If Cleveland plays well, this could be a short series.

I guess I'll pick them to do so.

Not sure how many times a #4 has swept a #5, but why not, I'll pick it.

Cleveland in 4.


Los Angeles Lakers vs. Memphis Grizzlies:

Memphis is deep and has a lot of good players.

While a short series wouldn't surprise me, I'll pick a longer one.

I think Memphis wins, but I could be wrong.

Memphis in 6.

Memphis
Memphis
Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
Memphis
Los Angeles Lakers


Golden State Warriors vs. Sacramento Kings:

I think both teams have shown what they are, good and bad.

What that means is the Kings are poor defensively, good offensively, have depth, and can win on the road.

The Warriors struggle on the road, don't get to the foul line, and have great shooters.

It would not be surprising if the Kings let someone on the Warriors average 7 ppg more than they did in the regular season, like Jordan Poole.

2 years ago, 21/22 analysts between ESPN and Sporting News picked the defending champ Los Angeles Lakers over the #2 seed Suns.

I did too.

If it goes 7, I don't know what to think. There's enough history of experienced teams winning those, and enough of new teams winning those.

If Sacramento is to win, Sabonis has to stay out of foul trouble.

There's definitely at least 3 ways the Kings can have crippling problems, and they can lose these games. I think there's a lot more that can go wrong for the Kings, than can go wrong for the Warriors, so this prediction can be very wrong.

Fox might play well in the playoffs, like Morant did a few years ago. I think he's done well against the good teams, this year.

Sacramento in 6.

Sacramento
Sacramento
Golden State
Sacramento
Golden State
Sacramento

Los Angeles Clippers vs. Phoenix Suns:

The Suns have barely played a team trying to win, with Durant back.

With that said, I'll give them the benefit.

The Clippers always lose playoffs games at home. They are decent on the road in the playoffs. They have a few good wins every year.

I don't think they can keep up with Phoenix, and Paul George doesn't seem to be the type of player that can play well if he's not at least 90%.

Their defense has been below average all year. Their rebounding might be ok, it depends on how each game goes.

Phoenix in 4.


Ok that is weird that I have two #4 seeds sweeping. Oh well.

 

[nuraman00]

What are you doing, Knickerbockers?? You're supposed to be losing.

 

[MHSL82]

I think you’re absolutely wrong about the Memphis series. There’s no way that they win in six games when Lakers win three. (Take a look at your post. You list the Lakers three times).

I haven’t done very many predictions, so this really is not a criticism, but I think it’s funny how every year you have a few sweeps predicted. I don’t have confidence in the Clippers, but I always feel that teams can win one somewhere.

 

[nuraman00]

I haven’t done very many predictions, so this really is not a criticism, but I think it’s funny how every year you have a few sweeps predicted. I don’t have confidence in the Clippers, but I always feel that teams can win one somewhere.

I am probably wrong on a lot of those.

 

[nuraman00]

@MHSL82, are you going to do predictions?

 

[nuraman00]

I think you’re absolutely wrong about the Memphis series. There’s no way that they win six games when Lakers win three. (Take a look at your post. You list the Lakers three times).

Good eye!

I meant Memphis wins the last game.

 

[nuraman00]

Miami Heat vs. Milwaukee Bucks:

If the Heat play their best, this can be a great series.

I don't trust them to do so.

Milwaukee in 5.

Milwaukee
Milwaukee
Milwaukee
Miami
Milwaukee


Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Denver Nuggets:

I like Minnesota's length, deflections, athleticism.

I think this will be a long series. I'll have it go 7.

Remember the #1 seed Spurs went 7 against Dallas in 2014, and Boston went 7 against Atlanta in 2008.

Denver in 7.

Denver
Denver
Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota
Denver
Denver

 

[MHSL82]

Who I want to win: Hawks (Snyder/Smart), 76ers (Simmons), Kings (GS Cockiness), Bucks (Ingles/Butler), Clippers (Durant/Paul), Lakers (Brooks), Cleveland (Knicks recruitment of Mitchell), and Nuggets (if Minnesota’s success hurts our draft pick, otherwise, go Conley/Gobert).

Counter reasons: I want Jacque Vaughn to succeed, I don’t like Trae Young as much as I used to, don’t like Grayson Allen, and don’t really want Mitchell to do what he didn’t do here, yet, but not really against.

Who I think will win: Boston (better, more experience, and proven), 76ers (better/healthier), Golden State (pessimist), Bucks (better), Suns (better, coattails), Lakers (don’t know), Cleveland (don’t know), and Nuggets (just cause).

Least sure on Lakers (don’t care) and Kings (don’t know) series.

 

[nuraman00]

and Nuggets (if Minnesota’s success hurts our draft pick, otherwise, go Conley/Gobert).

No.

It doesn't matter how far Minnesota goes in the playoffs now, it will be the same 16th pick.

 

[nuraman00]

@MHSL82, are you going to make predictions about game winning assists? Preferably the buzzer beating kind, to win a game.