NBA 2017-2018 Season

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cestuneblague
Edgy to the Choir



Location: MA/FL

  • #1
  • Posted: 10/15/2017 22:32
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Allright so I guess the new season is upon us, it looks like the Superteam-tm is here to stay and barring injury the finals matchup will be just like the last three, but it's still fun to speculate so I guess here are some "educated" guesses of how they'll finish



West

1- Warriors: Inevitable as rain on an evergreen or a Trump twitter tantrum, the Warriors will finish on top. They're just too stacked and no team can seem to figure them out, constantly shapeshifting. They stay healthy and they're pretty much unbeatable

2- Rockets: Perhaps the NBA's best new backcourt might take some time to gel, but with absolutely overpowering offense and just-enough defense they should easily beat up most teams in the league, could get the priviledge of losing to the Warriors in the conference finals

3- Thunder: on Paper they seem pretty powerful, but while getting George (probably briefly) for a pittance was a stroke of genius I don't know the value of adding another ball-dominant isolation scorer (as good as Anthony is in that regard) to play alongside Westbrook, especially since they gave up a couple of guys who give you a lot of offense and little else to someone who gives you a lot of points but won't get too involved if he isn't getting shots. I feel it will take time to gel, and they have a few too many holes to really compete with the best in the league though they should gang up on weaker squads.

4- Spurs: they look more vulnerable in years past, with questionable interior defense and some aging talent, but with Kawhi leading the way and the usually note-perfect coaching of Popovich they will be a tough out for any team

5- Minnesotta: Adding Butler somehow with depleting the roster and another year of experience for their young elite talent should see the biggest improvement in the win column but they're likely still a little ways away from being a geniune contender.

6- Los Angeles: Added enough pieces after their franchise-altering trade to at least stay above water but trying to make up for all of what Chris Paul gave them is impossible. Gonna be interesting to see if Blake Griffin can be a franchise player and if Milos Tesodosic can be a star in the NBA.

7- Portland: One of the most exciting teams in the league, they'll light up the scoredboards... on both ends. Too many holes on defense will probably keep them from being consistently dangerous, but should be one of the league's most entertaining squads nonetheless

8- Memphis: They look ready for a regression after losing a number of players and considering how much the west has beefed up but they always find a way to win and I don't see that stopping now. Chandler Parsons being at least semi-competant and healthy is crucial, though, for them to be a playoff team.

9- Denver: They have a great raw franchise-talent in Nikola Jokic and the Paul Milsap signing was genius, if their young guards take the next step they could earn a playoff spot.

10- New Orleans: Will Cousins-Davis work? Probably only in fits and starts. I saw them as a weaker version of the Thunder- they'll overpower weaker teams but saavier squads will easily pick them apart. Still might be good enough for a playoff spot but I think they need more depth around Davis rather than another post-dominant (as taletend as he is) star.

11- Utah: Trying to buck the trend of fast-paced, small-ball play in the league with their slow, defense-minded game, they can be effectively disorientating when everything's clicking but with Hayward gone I don't know how they're going to score enough even in their low-posession games. With them already being hit by the injury bug I see them taking a step back, though if Rodney Hood suddenly becomes an alpha-scorer they have an outside shot.

12- Lakers: The Ball Family Experience is here in LA, and with Lonzo that's a good thing. They got some good pieces around him that should see their game elevated, but still developing they're likely a Paul George free agency away from ready to take that next step towards contention.

13- Dallas: Dennis Smith looks like the real deal, and Harrison Barnes is a nice compliment on the wing, but this team is pretty dang thin so they're wise to keep going with the rebuild despite letting Nowitzki's career go out with a whimper.

14- Sacramento: Basketball's greatest trainwreck this side of midtown Manhattan finally looks to be back on the rails with an interesting hodgepodge of young talent, but they need a lot more experience before they can actually make any sort of impact.

15- Phoenix: Despite plenty of scorers and major potential, they seem to be on a road to nowhere. Great individual numbers do nothing when there's nothing to keep it glued together. Devin Booker seems to be a star in the making and Josh Jackson could be a Paul George or even Kawhi-like basket-to-basket enforcer, but they don't seem to know what to do with the rest of their young, talented roster. Could score enough to win more games than they should, but it's likely another a long, losing season without much direction.



East

1- Cleveland: Lebron is on the roster, it's inevitable. They went for quantity this offseason in gaining past-their-prime players who can still produce decently and they got a good haul in the Irving trade, they are still the favorites in the weaker east but they don't have enough stoppers to really challegenge the Warriors- or teams with a great inside or pick-and-roll game. Probably another trip to the finals for Lebron and Co. but they're still pretty vulnerable against a top-tier coach a la Brad Stevens.

2- Boston: Rather than the wild smorgasboard of unusual but effective tweener talents that found major success last year, they're now much more streamlined with some of the best proven and raw talent in the league. The Irving-Hayward-Horford Big Three is one of the best in the league, and they got some great young players, but they gave up a lot of depth to get Irving and Hawyward, and Avery Bradley and Jae Crowder are especially going to be tough to replace. If the likes of Marcus Smart, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum have big years, they can give Cleveland a legitimate run for their money in the conference finals

3- Toronto: The Lowry-Derozan backcourt is great and a full season with Ibaka should help, but is there much more room for improvement with this current roster? I just don't seem them winning a series against the best teams in the playoffs, for which they always seem to struggle to close the deal. Should do well all season but I see their season ending somewhere in Boston or Cleveland (or Washington or Milwaulkee).

4- Washington: Wall has finally developed into one of the best point guards in the league, with Beal and Porter top-notch complimentary wings and Marcin Gortat def a true ironman down low. The big problem is when you need to give these guys some rest. Unless most of their bunch all of a sudden takes a great leap I don't see them taking the next step towards contention, but definitely looking forward to another entertaining series with Boston.

5- Milwualkee: Giannis is the real deal, a true one-of-a-kind generational talent who just needs to find an outside shot, and their roster is loaded with some great young players and spunky veterans, so in a couple years they could very well be the best team in the East, though they're likely looking at another first-round exit this year unless all the stars align.

6- Miami: If their second-half performance carries over the entire season they could be even better than advertised, Dragic-Waiters-Whiteside give them a good core but they're a scorer and a few perimiter-defenders away from challenging the best.

7- Detroit: It's a HUGGGGEEEE dropoff after the Heat. The Pistons got a great deal in grabbing Avery Bradley from the salary-dumping Celtics, but otherwise they have many of the same flaws as last year's team. But if their young shooters can be more consistient and Andre Drummond can make at least half his free throws they could surprise. But in the weak east another medicore season should still qualify them for a lower seed.

8- Philedalphia: No team beats them for raw superstar-potential talent, and they added some good veteran help along with some skilled young players who can contribute now, but Simmons and Fultz need more experience before they can really dominanate. However, again in the weak east they might get the 8th seed by default.

9- Charlotte: An intriguing, feisty team with a few too many holes to really be an effective winner across the entire season, but could challenge for a playoff spot if their big men improve.

10- Indiana; They didn't get much for the Paul George trade but they got enough talent that they can be at least competitive in the middling East, but they really need to start accelerating the rebuild process that they have held off for too long.

11- Orlando: I feel if all they're tantalizing young players all magically click in unison this year they could be the league's biggest surprise, but otherwise it seems to be another frustrating year in Orlando as they struggle to develop.

12- New York: Porzingis will be fun to watch as always but that will be it. That point guard situation is atrocious, are they expecting to push Ntilikina into full-time duties already? Recipe for disaster. Might score enough to at least snag a few extra wins but it should be another go-nowhere season for the league's most epic display of dysfunction.

13- Atlanta: they won 60 games a couple years ago. They may win a third of that this season. Wow, this team is depleted, Dennis Schroeder certainly brings energy but I don't see him elevating a team this deprived of impact players to anything beyond the bottom rungs of the East.

14- Brooklyn: The Brook Lopez- D'angelo Russel swap was a good if somewhat risky move to make and they got some decent role players and bench scorers to compliment, but they won't be able to keep up with most teams in the league. Another losing season with nothing to show for it.

15- Chicago: And here we Tank-ago. Might make up for the botched Butler trade by being front-runners in the Michael Porter sweepstakes.



So bascially for playoff predictions:

GS over San Antonio in 6 and Houston over OKC in 7 for the west semis

Cleveland over Toronto in 5 and Bos over Was in 7 for the east semis

GS over Hou in 5 for the west finals

Cleveland over Bos in 7 for the east finals


And for the NBA FInals????




GS over Cleveland in 5 or 6


Yeah should be a playoffs full of surprises Neutral
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Romanelli
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  • #2
  • Posted: 10/16/2017 00:07
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I'll just read the scores from the last two playoff seasons and call it a day. What a predictable bore of a soap opera the NBA is. Just gets worse every year.
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CA Dreamin



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Location: LA
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  • #3
  • Posted: 10/16/2017 01:00
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I'm bigger fan of MLB and the NFL. I'm a fair weather fan when it comes to the NBA. If my team (76ers) is good, I would follow the NBA more closely. But they haven't been consistently good since AI in his prime, and they've been atrocious in recent years. But I keep hearing Philly is building a team that could be contenders in a few seasons. And hey CGD, you've predicted them to make the playoffs! I hope you're right. Would love to see them succeed, but I need to see it to believe it.

Btw, does anyone have a reasonable chance to beat Golden State this year?
Is Cleveland still the top dog of the East now that his former costar plays for Boston?
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Mercury
Turn your back on the pay-you-back last call


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  • #4
  • Posted: 10/16/2017 04:19
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Romanelli wrote:
I'll just read the scores from the last two playoff seasons and call it a day. What a predictable bore of a soap opera the NBA is. Just gets worse every year.


Weird. I thought you were a huge nba fan... wasn’t you who was going on about how great the warriors are? Lol
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Bobert





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  • Posted: 10/17/2017 02:10
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dude like i can't wait for the annual warriors vs cavs game that'll be sick bro although idk what happened to the other nba teams
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cestuneblague
Edgy to the Choir



Location: MA/FL

  • #6
  • Posted: 10/18/2017 00:43
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Wow. And just like that everything changes out east
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Repo
BeA Sunflower



Location: Forest Park
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  • #7
  • Posted: 10/18/2017 01:20
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CryingGameDahlin wrote:
Wow. And just like that everything changes out east


I know. I’m devastated here.
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benpaco
Who's gonna watch you die?



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  • Posted: 10/18/2017 01:36
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"That's good officiating" in response to the technical on Horford.

No it's not. You gotta let them play. Trash talk is part of the game, one of the biggest problems the league has is these slow moving games from excessive fouls, the last thing you need to be calling is extra technicals for language. Plus there's never going to be consistency in that.

Ugh.

EDIT: Also have no idea what to garner from this game in how good either team is going to be since IT and Hayward don't get to be involved, but my takeaways so far is that Rose is a pretty good fit and that Boston is deeper than I thought even if they don't have the deepest bench out there. Also Tatum seems like he could be the real deal now that he's calming down.
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junodog4
Future Grumpy Old Man


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  • #9
  • Posted: 10/19/2017 02:11
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benpaco wrote:
"That's good officiating" in response to the technical on Horford.

No it's not. You gotta let them play. Trash talk is part of the game, one of the biggest problems the league has is these slow moving games from excessive fouls, the last thing you need to be calling is extra technicals for language. Plus there's never going to be consistency in that.

Ugh.

EDIT: Also have no idea what to garner from this game in how good either team is going to be since IT and Hayward don't get to be involved, but my takeaways so far is that Rose is a pretty good fit and that Boston is deeper than I thought even if they don't have the deepest bench out there. Also Tatum seems like he could be the real deal now that he's calming down.


Thought I was going into this game with no rooting interest... until I saw Cleveland complain about almost every call. Found myself really wanting Kyrie to stick it to them.
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junodog4
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  • Posted: 10/19/2017 02:25
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My predictions:

EAST:

1. Cleveland - Too much depth. There will be injuries due to age, but they've got 2 or 3 guys at every position who can play, and they have Lebron.
2. Boston - Yes, even with Hayward hurt. Tatum can fill in.
3. Toronto - Only to get bounced in the 2nd round. Again.
4. Washington - As long as Wall & Beal stay healthy.
5. Milwaukee - Really impressed me in the 1st round against Toronto last year.
6. Miami - No stars, but solid depth. I really like Dragic's old-school game.
7. Philly - The kids can play. Will get thumped in 1st round, however.
8. Orlando - Another youthful team that may get a run in.

9. Charlotte - Howard won't help.
10. Indiana - Not as bad as you'd think. Turner is up and coming, and I like Oladipo.
11. Detroit - No decent fwds, but I love the acquisition of Bradley.
12. Atlanta - Due for the rebuild.
13. NYK - Crap #1.
14. Brooklyn - Crap #2.
15. Chicago - A team with this little talent can't have dysfunction.

WEST

1. GS - Umm... Who else?
2. Houston - Will try to outscore everyone.
3. OKC - I'm rooting for Paul George.
4. Minnesota - Youth comes through with Butler.
5. SA - I love how Popovich cussed out Trump.
6. NO - Big drop off from top 5, but Pelicans will be in playoffs.
7. LAC - Not the team they were without Paul.
8. Den - Better than you think.

9. Utah - Losing Hayward hurts.
10. Portland - Back-court can't do it all.
11. LAL - Ball is for real. His dad is a clown.
12. Memphis - Starting to slide.
13. Dal - Too bad that Dirk has to retire on such a bleh team.
14. Sacramento - Buddy ball in full effect.
15. Phoenix - No idea what this franchise is doing.

PLAYOFFS

EAST

CLE over ORL
BOS over PHI
TOR over MIA
MIL over WAS

CLE over MIL
BOS over TOR

CLE over BOS

WEST

GS over DEN
HOU over LAC
OKC over NO
MIN over SA

GS over MIN
OKC over HOU

GS over OKC

FINALS

GS over CLE in 6. Shocker.
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