Basketball Megathread (Current Topic: 2023-24 Season) - Lounge

AfterHours

Gender: Male
Location: originally from scaruffi.com ;-)

AfterHours wrote:

Sorry all, but Lakers are rounding into form and LeBron is regaining health looking more and more spry and confident. Barring injury, the West is a wrap!

Well this comment isn't aging too well, though I suppose I kinda salvaged myself with the barring injury part. Because without Davis their chances are very low, so we'll see if he can return next game and how much of a factor he is. I do think theyll pull out the series still, but its probably not going to be pretty. Just very hard to imagine a Lebron-led team losing in the 1st round, but if it happens this year I suppose it would make sense it would be one that was so disjointed and marred by injuries.
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LedZep

Honestly, the way the Suns are playing, if Paul and Davis were both healthy I'd still pick the Suns in the series.
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Finally updated the overall chart

2020s
90s

Repo
BeA Sunflower

Location: Forest Park

I don't know who to route for now. Crying or Very sad

Any good teams out there that could use some love besides The 76ers, Lakers or Nets? I would NEVER be able to route for those three. Mr. Green

kokkinos

Man, that was brutal, I feel so bad for Dame, what a performance and it all went to waste.

Repo wrote:

I don't know who to route for now. Crying or Very sad

Any good teams out there that could use some love besides The 76ers, Lakers or Nets? I would NEVER be able to route for those three. Mr. Green

Oh come on, don't put 76ers in the same tier as the other two - unless you mean the Celtics-76ers rivalry, in that case it is perfectly understandable.
If you want a likeable team that has a somewhat realistic shot at the title, I guess it's either Bucks or Suns.

Repo
BeA Sunflower

Location: Forest Park

kokkinos wrote:

Man, that was brutal, I feel so bad for Dame, what a performance and it all went to waste.

Repo wrote:

I don't know who to route for now. Crying or Very sad

Any good teams out there that could use some love besides The 76ers, Lakers or Nets? I would NEVER be able to route for those three. Mr. Green

Oh come on, don't put 76ers in the same tier as the other two - unless you mean the Celtics-76ers rivalry, in that case it is perfectly understandable.
If you want a likeable team that has a somewhat realistic shot at the title, I guess it's either Bucks or Suns.

Yes! It's exactly that.

Guess I will go with the Bucks! They're just an hour of north of me so that works rather well actually!

kokkinos

That's a fine choice. They 've built their team the right way, no shady superstar-hunting shenanigans, plus it would be great for the city of Milwaukee and of course Giannis is one of the most likeable elite level players. Lots of reasons to root for them.

AfterHours

Gender: Male
Location: originally from scaruffi.com ;-)

LedZep wrote:

Honestly, the way the Suns are playing, if Paul and Davis were both healthy I'd still pick the Suns in the series.

Don't blame ya, it is looking that way. But if Davis returns to full or mostly full form like what happened in games 2 and 3, the Lakers should re-take control as they are the superior team (if healthy and if playing with urgency -- and I say that with understanding that those have been big "ifs" since they were 21-6, so completely understandable to bet against them and you very well might prove correct).
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LedZep

Yeah I picked the Lakers to win the West, but LeBron is not playing well for his standards (injury, age, being passive), Davis goes missing every now and then (game 1 and the first half of game 4, plus he's injured now) and the team seriously lacks quality on the offensive end. Plus the lack of chemistry. Their bad 3pt shooting was supposed to be a problem last year but it wasn't since they were clearly much better than any team they've faced, but it's still something that should've been addressed in the offseason imo. Adding Schroder is not enough, and a lot of other teams are much better than they were a year ago. They can still win mind you, but it's not looking too good.

As a side note, rooting for the Bucks in the playoffs is not a nightmare for the first time in the last 3 seasons. I'm finally more happy with the team than angry with Budenholzer. Still fairly confident that the Nets will beat everyone, but it's looking much closer than what everyone initially thought. Maybe we're in for a legendary 7 game series.
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Finally updated the overall chart

2020s
90s

AfterHours

Gender: Male
Location: originally from scaruffi.com ;-)

LedZep wrote:

Yeah I picked the Lakers to win the West, but LeBron is not playing well for his standards (injury, age, being passive), Davis goes missing every now and then (game 1 and the first half of game 4, plus he's injured now) and the team seriously lacks quality on the offensive end. Plus the lack of chemistry. Their bad 3pt shooting was supposed to be a problem last year but it wasn't since they were clearly much better than any team they've faced, but it's still something that should've been addressed in the offseason imo. Adding Schroder is not enough, and a lot of other teams are much better than they were a year ago. They can still win mind you, but it's not looking too good.

As a side note, rooting for the Bucks in the playoffs is not a nightmare for the first time in the last 3 seasons. I'm finally more happy with the team than angry with Budenholzer. Still fairly confident that the Nets will beat everyone, but it's looking much closer than what everyone initially thought. Maybe we're in for a legendary 7 game series.

Yep, looks like that was pretty much what happened.

Regarding Lebron, it's a bit unclear if "father time" has truly caught him or if it was more due to recent injury. Regardless, I think the Lakers should start building as if he is finally on the decline starting this off season. I think they need a 3rd star or at least 2nd tier player to fill in offensively. Wouldnt be surprised if they make a strong push for Lillard or Beal. Maybe Paul George if the Clippers dump him (Im just throwing these out there, not sure how realistic contract wise). Then they should replace at least a couple spots with more reliable 3 and D players and a young defensively minded athletic lob threat center behind AD (such as Nerleans Noel or similar).

It will be interesting to see what happens with Schroder, Harrell, Drummond, Gasol. They seem like good additions individually but they didnt fit too well and I have a feeling there were some locker room issues that arose as none of them played the roles they were accustomed to.

I think theyll for sure use Kuzma in a trade.

My opinion on Lebron is it was a partially age/father time but probably an accumulation the short off-season (with his age not helping the short turnaround) + the injury earlier in the season (the time off of actual play possibly hurting his conditioning) + the end of season leg injury. He might be the most durable and well conditioned basketball player ever but I think it just took its toll on him. Maybe he couldve withstood it 5 years ago but it was probably too much to expect in his 18th year.

AD would be wise to figure out how to improve his body so he isnt so injury prone. He remains the most talented big man in the league and its a shame how unreliable he can be when he should probably be the best player in the league by now.

Anyway, with my home team Portland out of it now too (and no chance they were going all the way to begin with) Im rooting for the Bucks now too, even if the odds are in the Nets favor. Imo, the only teams that can realistically beat the Nets this year wouldve been a healthy Lakers or these Bucks, so it will be sweet if they pull it off.
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junodog4
Future Grumpy Old Man

Gender: Male
Location: Calgary

Repo wrote:

I don't know who to route for now. Crying or Very sad

Any good teams out there that could use some love besides The 76ers, Lakers or Nets? I would NEVER be able to route for those three. Mr. Green

Simple. Root for whoever is playing against the Nets.

I'd love to see a Bucks-Jazz final.
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