2023 NBA Playoffs Discussion Thread

[Udidthizz]

Heat vs Denver is going to be interesting

I hope the Nuggets win a close series. But if they aren't rusty after a week off, I wouldn't be surprised if they sweep Miami. The Heat have injuries and only scraped by a very unconvincing Celtics team in a physically and mentally draining 7 game series. The Nuggets are easily the best team they've faced and they may be overwhelmed.

 

[homeytennis]

I'm rooting for the Nugs and Uncle Jeff.

 

[ONE LOVE]

I'm rooting for the Nugs and Uncle Jeff.

Me too. I really like Jokic as a person. He’s just a really good human being all round.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

Jokic or Jimmy getting a chip… and I’m here for it… just hope the games are good. I keep thinking Miami has emptied the clip but they keep coming back.

 

[The Fresh Prince]

Jimmy Butler winning a ring as an 8th seed would be one for the ages.







But damn seeing a Rocky Mountain team win a ring would bring high hopes for our future. Also a big fan of Jokic and Uncle Jeff. He didn't get a fair shake with Quin.

 

[HermanG]

My biggest takeaway from that game 7 was that I'm not convinced we should go after Jaylen Brown anymore. He was tremendous in the playoffs last season and before the Miami series he seemed to be on that same track... but this ECF series he was very ineffective and when Tatum got injured and Brown needed to step up and be the #1 he just stunk the joint with a total choke job.

I guess he wasnt ever coming anyways, but it has been speculated by some.

Its a win-win final in my eyes. Butler or Jokic gets one with a team with less household names than your typical championship team.

 

[Jaanipoeg]

A fun game I played today was going to different teams subreddits. Nearly every one has a Jaylen Brown trade thread where they said he was **** and worth pennies but they obviously want him but shouldn't have to give up anything because he had 8 TOs yadda yadda.

The top comments from the wizards thread talked about how they Celtics should include multiple picks in a Brown for Beal trade. I know sports fans are delusional and all but these threads are just hilarious to me.

"This guy is awful and so you should basically pay us because his contact is dookie. Yes we want him and so does every other team, but you need to pay us to take him"

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

My biggest takeaway from that game 7 was that I'm not convinced we should go after Jaylen Brown anymore. He was tremendous in the playoffs last season and before the Miami series he seemed to be on that same track... but this ECF series he was very ineffective and when Tatum got injured and Brown needed to step up and be the #1 he just stunk the joint with a total choke job.

I guess he wasnt ever coming anyways, but it has been speculated by some.

Its a win-win final in my eyes. Butler or Jokic gets one with a team with less household names than your typical championship team.

I think Jaylen needs more structure and someone setting him up, especially in the playoffs. Id still take him if he wanted to come.

 

[HermanG]

I think Jaylen needs more structure and someone setting him up, especially in the playoffs. Id still take him if he wanted to come.

I'm not too savvy with the new CBA constraints... would bringing him in on a max deal hinder our ability to either resign Lauri or go after a true #1 guy?

If not, then by all means throw some picks at the Celtics. But if not, then I want someone I really can trust with the ball in his hands on clutch minutes. Lauri I would trust but he still lacks passing and versatility as a scorer, so he isnt #1 guy in my books right now.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

I'm not too savvy with the new CBA constraints... would bringing him in on a max deal hinder our ability to either resign Lauri or go after a true #1 guy?

If not, then by all means throw some picks at the Celtics. But if not, then I want someone I really can trust with the ball in his hands on clutch minutes. Lauri I would trust but he still lacks passing and versatility as a scorer, so he isnt #1 guy in my books right now.

No idea. I really see no chance in hell Brown wants to be here so I don't really think about it

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

I'm not too savvy with the new CBA constraints... would bringing him in on a max deal hinder our ability to either resign Lauri or go after a true #1 guy?

If not, then by all means throw some picks at the Celtics. But if not, then I want someone I really can trust with the ball in his hands on clutch minutes. Lauri I would trust but he still lacks passing and versatility as a scorer, so he isnt #1 guy in my books right now.

The new CBA wouldn't constrain us with regard to adding Brown and keeping Lauri. Its the rest of the roster. It will work like a hard cap. I think max players worth the max are not going to be the problem. Max players who are really not worth the max will be and a bigger issue will be the guys you overpay in the 12-30M range. Since you have essentially a hard cap the middle guys will get squeezed. All the big desirable markets will clean up on guys that take the minimum... they already kind of did.

It will be hard to put good players around 3 all-stars... so the Clips model of two huge contracts and a bunch of well paid good role players... won't work. Having 3-4 guys on max deals like GS also will get really prohibitive.

I think teams will need to reload before guys hit the end of their rookie deals if they have cap crunches. We can benefit on both sides of those types of transactions if we get out ahead of it. It will be an interesting couple years while teams adjust.

 

[HermanG]

The new CBA wouldn't constrain us with regard to adding Brown and keeping Lauri. Its the rest of the roster. It will work like a hard cap. I think max players worth the max are not going to be the problem. Max players who are really not worth the max will be and a bigger issue will be the guys you overpay in the 12-30M range. Since you have essentially a hard cap the middle guys will get squeezed. All the big desirable markets will clean up on guys that take the minimum... they already kind of did.

It will be hard to put good players around 3 all-stars... so the Clips model of two huge contracts and a bunch of well paid good role players... won't work. Having 3-4 guys on max deals like GS also will get really prohibitive.

I think teams will need to reload before guys hit the end of their rookie deals if they have cap crunches. We can benefit on both sides of those types of transactions if we get out ahead of it. It will be an interesting couple years while teams adjust.

So assuming we dont reshuffle the deck at this point we should try and find a guy who we truely believe is a #1 guy, and shouldn't really settle or we may be forced to reshuffle in a bit?

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

So assuming we dont reshuffle the deck at this point we should try and find a guy who we truely believe is a #1 guy, and shouldn't really settle or we may be forced to reshuffle in a bit?

It depends. I think Brown/Lauri 1 and 2 (or whatever order you give them) can work with a self creating, passing pg. May not have to be a world beater but if you had Walker/Laur/Brown you are going to be a stout defense. I honestly think Boston really underachieved this year... probably overachieved other years.

I think you just have to make sure every big contract you sign is good enough value to recycle. I think with the max type guys you have to avoid Beal, Lavine types. I think in the next tier down it is Poole, Herro types of deals that will cause issues once you reach contender status. Like right now I wouldn't have an issue with the 4-100M for Reaves but you might need to recycle that deal later.

The ideal situation is you lock up two legit all-nba guys and fill in around them for 5-7 years. If you can't find 2 you shuffle around the 1 guy with the best players/values you can find and cash in on vets here and there as timing allows. Its going to be a much more fluid plan for some. Like the Raps should have been flipping FVV and/or OG while they were on good value deals.

 

[LogGrad98]

Jimmy Butler winning a ring as an 8th seed would be one for the ages.







But damn seeing a Rocky Mountain team win a ring would bring high hopes for our future. Also a big fan of Jokic and Uncle Jeff. He didn't get a fair shake with Quin.

I don't care one whit about Jeff. I think his issues here were at least 80% his own effort on the court, which was abysmal. But I definitely want to see Denver win the chip this year. Jokic is a special player and deserved the MVP again this year, carrying a far less talented squad than Philly to the 1-seed in the West and now the finals. Yeah, Butler is turning it on when it counts, but between the 2, Jokic deserves the ring as he has been playing at this ridiculous level all year.

But really I just hate seeing the same teams win rings all the ****ing time. So Miami can **** off for all I care. Denver needs to win this, if the NBA will allow it. I'm just afraid they want Miami to win it so the big-name franchise can keep the fires of the money-making machine burning. At least until they can get the Spurs back into contention again with the "lucky" lottery draw to win Wemby.

 

[default]

I honestly think Boston really underachieved this year... probably overachieved other years.

I think Boston has as much talent as any team in the league and probably the most. However, I think their new coach sucks.

 

[ONE LOVE]

Alright, who’s ready for the Finals?????

 

[FrenchJazzFa]

Unfortunatly, in office..... will look at box score only and watch replay tonight. Go nuggets !

 

[kabenac]

It's wild Denver traded Gobert and Mitchell to us (granted they drafted for us) yet they're now a favorite to win the Finals.

Nuggets have a nasty roster with a lot of talent. Old grandpa Green may well win a chip.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

Aaron Gordon doing inverted post ups with Jokic makes you think of the possibilities with Lauri and Jarace Walker

 

[ONE LOVE]

How did Denver accumulate such an awesome roster?

OmiGod..