NBA 2020/21: The Bubble is Burst

[ursus arctos]

jv, who you got of those left?

[Incandenza]

Brooklyn have to be the overwhelming favorites. Assuming the team from the east is any one of Brooklyn, Philadelphia, and Milwaukee, I'd assume they'd be the favorites against anyone out of the west unless the Clippers suddenly turn it around, survive, and then become the all-dominating team people were expecting them to be.

[ursus arctos]

And yet there is still very little buzz about them on this side of the harbor

[jason voorhees]

Kahwi Leonard...
Jimmie Butler...

I mean this HAS to be CP3's turn?

I haven't seen enough of this season to have any real analysis beyond dumb hunches like that. Other than Embiid's knee prolonged the Process.

But who will be NBA Champion...
1) Dallas
2) Phoenix
3) Milwaukee
4) Brooklyn
5) Utah
6) Atlanta
7) Denver
8) Process

As a human being, the Knicks and their fans won a victory greater than 10 championships with that game 2 win.

18 months of this shit, seeing them in that game 2 gave me hope that life will be better than ever.

Just pissed it's only NYC when the US has the opportunity to make every game in the Americas like that.

[Incandenza]

Kawhi puts in a classic playoffs performance to force game 7. I thought that Dallas’ fans would help swing the game but great Clippers defense combined with ice cold shooting from
the Mavs in the 4th was the deciding factor.

Never underestimate the Clippers being able to blow a big game at home, but Dallas will need someone besides Hardaway to step up and help Luka.

[jason voorhees]

Uh, as I was saying...

Having watched 2 games, my new rankings are

1) Not New Jersey Nets (They also have Blake Griffin? C'mon now.)
2) Phoenix
3) Milwaukee
4) Clips
5) Utah
6) Atlanta
7) Denver
8) Process (unless Embiid comes back, then they'll be 3)

[Cesar Rodriguez]

Haven't watched hoop in a minute tbh (my flatlined when the finals was Warriors - Lebron every year & the bubble last year just didn't do it for me) but super stoked to see the 4 conf semi finalists from the west this year......

Joker in Denver, Kawhi in LA, big Budy in Utah & the baby faced assasin in Phoenix, my man Booker.

I'm gonna jump on the bandwagon of whoever wins the Suns/Nugz series..... Planning on watching every game of that.

[jason voorhees]

Bucks almost down 30.

With 2 minutes to go in the 1st half.

[ursus arctos]

And that's Bklyn without Harden

[jason voorhees]

KD is a lot better than a few years ago. He has the passing of Magic, the shooting of Curry, and defense of Kareem.

Giannis woke up a little bit, but not sure how the Nets can lose 4 games against anyone.

[jason voorhees]

Nice to see D-Wade as a gameshow host.

[ursus arctos]

Kyrie can blow up

Thats my only storyline to a lost series and it depends on Harden still being out

[ursus arctos]

Though there is also the de Blasio curse to consider

[jason voorhees]

That Dr J reverse layup after barreling through the key like Chuck Barkley tho...

[ursus arctos]

[caja-dglh]

Jeez. Playoff games with a lead greater than 40 points and the whole second string out for both teams. That isn't meant to happen.

[Incandenza]

It might be the injury season, the knock against him about going to Golden State to win a ring, the social media stuff, etc., but it's possible that Durant is still underrated. We might be looking at a top-5 player of all time and he doesn't seem to be fully appreciated by a lot of people.

We'll have to see how the Clippers and Jazz fare, but if Chris Paul stays healthy and can contribute like he did in the 4th quarter last night, it might be the Suns in the west. DeAndre Ayton contained Jokic pretty well, and he didn't get into foul trouble--Jokic got Nurkic in foul trouble often in the Portland series, and feasted from there. Ayton matched every minute that Jokic played, and the Suns outscored the Nuggets while they were both on the court. That's bad news for Denver.

[Gerontophile]

Yeah... wait until Kyrie goes injured too.

Don't get me wrong, KD can play. But without anything around him? We'll see.

(The Nets will probably still win, but the Jazz are going to be very very close.)

[Incandenza]

Jokic named MVP

[jason voorhees]

Most Valuable Pre Playoffs the way the Suns are looking like they'll be sweeping this one.

Sixers are looking a bit impressive. They should go at least 6 with the Nets, potentially 7.

[ursus arctos]

Kyrie can blow up

Thats my only storyline to a lost series and it depends on Harden still being out

Thinking emoji . . .

[Gerontophile]

Phoenix are really, really good.

[Gerontophile]

And,it's over. They're almost as good as a fully-fit, Utah.

[Gerontophile]

MVP my ass.

[Incandenza]

Clippers might just be getting it together. All of the remaining series are best 2 out of 3 now. And Phoenix waits.