The 2023-2024 NBA Season

[ducky]

Odds are they win a series and are done. If they don’t it’s not the end of the world but would be disappointing. At this point the only thing that can affect the outlook for next year is to the positive if they do well. They are ahead of the curve in that aspect, losing at whatever point won’t impact the outlook at all. I just take issue with those that act like the Thunder will underachieve in the playoffs because that is what young teams do. The Thunder are doing things that haven’t been done. I know not everyone believes that but the stats say otherwise.

It is one thing for a young team to be beat in a first round of a playoff series.

But on the flip side, it is rare that a team that is as good as the Thunder (and my Wolves) have been beat early in a playoff series. These are two teams that are going to win 55+ games.

People dont seem to understand the dominance that these two teams have had this year and just how much better they have been compared to the teams that they will be facing in the 1st round of the playoffs.

If both the Wolves and Thunder are healthy heading into the playoffs, they are significantly better basketball teams than anyone they will see in the first round of the playoffs. And in both cases they are significantly better in one area that people overlook but is absolutely critical to playoff success: Defense.

The bottom of the Western conference all are average at best but closer to bad defensive teams. The only team I don’t want in the first round that would scare me a little would be the Pelicans. They can defend and have the some good players that can score consistently in the half court tight defense the playoffs bring. All the other teams in the bottom half of the conference have some major weak links defensively that will show up in the playoffs.

 

[Sportsguy9695]

How do the Knicks lose to the spurs last night with the kind of season there having?

 

[bksballer89]

How do the Knicks lose to the spurs last night with the kind of season there having?

By scoring fewer points

 

[tlance]

View attachment 358356

This is a joke right?

 

[The Q]

How do the Knicks lose to the spurs last night with the kind of season there having?

Because ping pong balls are a stupid way to distribute players

 

[Mecca]

Yep and mavs are trending in the right direction. That is the team I would like to play the least as a top 4 seed in round 1. The only team that would give them more trouble in round 1 would be the lakers due to the size issue.

Heard a stat last night that they are 12-0 when Gafford is in the starting lineup with Luka

Gafford has been playing very well.

 

[Mecca]

This is a joke right?

 

[Mecca]

How do the Knicks lose to the spurs last night with the kind of season there having?

Wemby

40,20 and 7.

He is a 1 of 1.

No close 2nd.

 

[Mecca]

Going to be fun to watch. The Thunder have proven they are a better overall team than the Lakers, but like you said, matchups. I guess all a team can do is build to be the best overall team they can be. Luck of the draw and just luck in general have so much to do with it.

It's just the size.

Denver and the Lakers are the only 2 teams out West that have that advantage.

I know Nurk had like a 50 rebound game against them ,

* flagrant hyperbole *

But, they still caught a L.

So, I wouldn't worry about him.

 

[thunderc]

It's just the size.

Denver and the Lakers are the only 2 teams out West that have that advantage.

I know Nurk had like a 50 rebound game against them ,

* flagrant hyperbole *

But, they still caught a L.

So, I wouldn't worry about him.

Yup not uncommon for a single player to go off on the boards against the Thunder. Funny thing is that a lot of times when it happens the Thunder still win the overall rebounding battle. I’ll be honest, I’m still learning things about how the Thunder want to play and what the overall philosophy is. I know they want to use their young legs and run, but they can really lock down on the other end too. The immediate reaction is they need a rebounder, but I have to think it’s far from that simple or they would have one if it was. A lot of times after they shoot they just all get back on defense immediately. Maybe they can do that if they keep shooting like they are. My frustrations are the second, third and fourth chance points. Daigneault and Presti are a lot smarter than me when it comes to basketball though.

 

[trojanfan12]

Vogel had the audacity to ask them to play defense…

He's such an unreasonable asshole. lol

 

[bksballer89]

Crushing blow for the Kings

Monk out 4-6 weeks

He was their 3rd best player all season

 

[Mecca]

@bksballer89

USC won.

But Juju had another brutal shooting day.

8-28, 2-11 from 3.

 

[trojanfan12]

@bksballer89

USC won.

But Juju had another brutal shooting day.

8-28, 2-11 from 3.

Something like 12-13 from the free throw line though.

 

[thunderc]

Markenan out for the rest of the year, damnit I have him in the finals of a fantasy league coming up.

 

[DJ]

"Despite the statistics, Jokic isn’t at the level of (Vlade) Divac and Dino (Radja) in the center position”

-Toni Kukoc on Nikola Jokic

Do not look now, but Kukoc is on that stuff.....LOL.

 

[bksballer89]

@bksballer89

USC won.

But Juju had another brutal shooting day.

8-28, 2-11 from 3.

 

[The Q]

"Despite the statistics, Jokic isn’t at the level of (Vlade) Divac and Dino (Radja) in the center position”

-Toni Kukoc on Nikola Jokic

Do not look now, but Kukoc is on that stuff.....LOL.

Dude just doxxed himself as @fightinfunbags

 

[The Q]

Uconn is down 5 rotation players and is totally out of gas

This is one of their best runs

It’s been a long time since a team overachieved

 

[Manster7588]

I think the Celtics don't want to face the Hawks in the playoffs.