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Post by hitnrun24 on Apr 19, 2024 21:47:49 GMT -8
I think the Pelicans will give OKC a very competitive series, even without Zion. Imo, OKC would've gotten through Sac very easily. No size to hurt them.
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Post by hitnrun24 on Apr 19, 2024 21:53:06 GMT -8
The best teams got in from the play ins imo, but still sucks the 2 8 seeds with some upset potential will be short handed now.
OKC in 7 Denver in 6 Minn in 5 Clippers in 6
Clippers over OKC in 7 Minn over Denver in 6
Clippers over Minn in 6
Boston in 5 Knicks in 5 Bucks in 7 Cle in 6
Boston over Cle in 4 Bucks over Knicks in 6
Boston over Bucks in 7
Clippers over Boston in 7
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Post by nuraman00 on Apr 20, 2024 7:52:15 GMT -8
Eastern Conference:
Miami Heat vs. Boston Celtics:
Miami is a good road team, especially in the playoffs, so I think they win a game.
Boston in 5.
Boston Miami Boston Boston Boston
Philadelphia 76ers vs. New York Knicks:
Embiid always struggles in the playoffs. Every year.
But New York seems small, and Tyreke Maxey is good.
Philadelphia in 7.
Philadelphia New York Philadelphia New York Philadelphia New York Philadelphia
Indiana Pacers vs. Milwaukee Bucks:
Milwaukee has had a lot of disappointing losses this year.
Tyrese Haliburton did struggle from January - March. He’ll probably be good in the playoffs though.
Indiana in 7.
Milwaukee Indiana Indiana Milwaukee Milwaukee Indiana Indiana
Orlando Magic vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland seems like one of those teams that will keep on having disappointing playoffs.
I think the Magic’s defense and identity of who they are will continue in the playoffs.
Orlando in 6.
Orlando Cleveland Orlando Orlando Cleveland Orlando
Ok I didn’t pick any short series. There will probably be one in the East.
Western Conference:
New Orleans Pelicans vs. Oklahoma City Thunder:
New Orleans is not a good home team. Thunder have the best player in the series.
Oklahoma City in 5.
Oklahoma City New Orleans Oklahoma City Oklahoma City Oklahoma City
I almost wanted to flip games 1 and 2.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Denver Nuggets
Denver won’t lose the series, but they will make it interesting.
Denver in 6.
Los Angeles Lakers Denver Denver Los Angeles Lakers Denver Denver
Phoenix Suns vs. Minnesota Timberwolves:
Minnesota is too big. While both teams have older players, Kevin Durant is among one of several players who have struggled lately (Luka Doncic, De’Arron Fox, Tyrese Haliburton are a few others).
Nurkic has never been able to be better than an average center.
Minnesota in 5.
Minnesota Timberwolves Minnesota Timberwolves Minnesota Timberwolves Phoenix Suns Minnesota Timberwolves
Dallas Mavericks vs. Los Angeles Clippers:
Dallas has been playing well lately, but that doesn’t always carry over in the playoffs.
Neither team is a good home playoffs team, so there will be a lot of road wins.
I think Westbrook will make a positive impact.
Clippers have 3 guys that could get to the foul line.
Los Angeles Clippers in 6.
Los Angeles Clippers Dallas Mavericks Los Angeles Clippers Los Angeles Clippers Dallas Mavericks Los Angeles Clippers
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Post by clipfan88 on Apr 20, 2024 9:11:26 GMT -8
Boston in 4 Philadelphia in 6 Milwaukee in 6 Cleveland in 6
OKC in 5 Denver in 6 Minnesota in 6 Dallas in 5
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Post by hitnrun24 on Apr 20, 2024 15:42:05 GMT -8
Embiid unfortunately looks to have reinjured his knee, he was playing well before that too. Should be an easy series for the Knicks now. Btw, I like the Knicks but I'd favor all 8 teams in the West over the East 2 seed in a series. In fact probably all East teams outside of Boston for that matter.
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Post by hitnrun24 on Apr 20, 2024 15:56:30 GMT -8
Embiid unfortunately looks to have reinjured his knee, he was playing well before that too. Should be an easy series for the Knicks now. Btw, I like the Knicks but I'd favor all 8 teams in the West over the East 2 seed in a series. In fact probably all East teams outside of Boston for that matter. Unbelievably he returns. Don't think this is gonna be the year for him, but he's showing some heart by trying to play through it. He prob just needs to play more below the rim this postseason.
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Post by mistwell on Apr 20, 2024 19:54:50 GMT -8
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Post by nuraman00 on Apr 21, 2024 11:57:20 GMT -8
Sorry, I saw your post after the games started and I figured it was too late. Here is the Excel File: View Attachment
Thanks!
These are the picks I would have made at the start of the play-in:
A few explanations:
* Clipper vs. Mavs: Both teams have questionmarks. Doncic has been shooting poorly for a while. March and April are his worst shooting months.
Think Westbrook's rebounding would have helped.
* Ultimately, I believed in Minnesota's size and defense.
* I don't trust neither Philadelphia nor Milwaukee, but I had to pick someone. Think Tyreke Maxey would have been the difference.
* For the ECF, I think Porzingis is going to make a big difference, when compared to Boston's past.
* New York loses in the first round because they're small. In general, I picked another gritty team (Orlando in another series), but for New York, I could not do the same.
* My Pelicans pick in the play-in was based on CJ and Zion.
* I would have loved to see Miami beat Boston again, but again, think Porzingis adds a different wrinkle.
corkscrew, you can see I did my predictions that I would have done pre play-in, in the attachment I uploaded. Which meant Pelicans as the 7th seed.
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Post by nuraman00 on Apr 21, 2024 12:39:26 GMT -8
Playin teams: West:7th Lakers, 8th Kings East: 7th Miami, 8th Philly 1st Round Winners: West: OKC, LAC, DEN, MIN East: BOS, ORL, MIL IND, Miami [Edit - Change made to Bucks v Pacers made prior to start of first game] 2nd Round Winner: West: LAC, DEN East: BOS, MIL Conference Winners: LAC, BOS Champs: LAC I like how you specified the edit.
That makes it both applicable for corkscrew's game, and my round by round game.
When you get a chance, can you mention how many games each 1st round series will go?
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Post by nuraman00 on Apr 22, 2024 17:19:09 GMT -8
Thought I'd be watching more of Orlando vs. Cleveland today.
(Or both).
Philadelphia vs. New York game 2 is much more competitive, so focusing more on that.
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Post by hitnrun24 on Apr 22, 2024 17:33:43 GMT -8
Thought I'd be watching more of Orlando vs. Cleveland today. (Or both). Philadelphia vs. New York game 2 is much more competitive, so focusing more on that. Cleveland/Orlando is definitely the least interesting series for whatever reason. It's competitive on paper I think, but something about these teams just aren't compelling. Maybe it's because it just feels like 2 teams that have absolutely no chance to contend. You probably could make the argument for the same with 76ers/Knicks, but it's bigger markets and featuring more interesting players I guess. Plus the games have been more competitive too, but not sure even if the games were competitive in Cle/Orl there'd be all that much interest still.
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Post by nuraman00 on Apr 22, 2024 17:45:57 GMT -8
Thought I'd be watching more of Orlando vs. Cleveland today. (Or both). Philadelphia vs. New York game 2 is much more competitive, so focusing more on that. Cleveland/Orlando is definitely the least interesting series for whatever reason. It's competitive on paper I think, but something about these teams just aren't compelling. Maybe it's because it just feels like 2 teams that have absolutely no chance to contend. You probably could make the argument for the same with 76ers/Knicks, but it's bigger markets and featuring more interesting players I guess. Plus the games have been more competitive too, but not sure even if the games were competitive in Cle/Orl there'd be all that much interest still. I didn't mind if Cleveland and Orlando had zero chance to contend. I just thought the games would be competitive, plus 2nd and 3rd year players are known for having huge playoffs games from time to time.
So I thought Banchero would was going to have a huge game soon.
I'd also say New York has zero chance to contend. Even if they were healthy. So really the 76ers/Knicks series is more just about watching one contender.
Since it's just the first round, I figured 76ers would be more interesting in a later round, so this was a good chance to watch some teams that would not be around much longer, in Cleveland and Orlando.
While the true test for 76ers would be once they started facing better teams.
But, all of that goes for naught if guys like Wagner, Mobley, and Banchero don't have big scoring big efficient games. Those are the young guys on a bigger stage that I typically like watching, at least in the first round, when they're still alive.
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Post by nuraman00 on Apr 22, 2024 17:47:44 GMT -8
Like 3 years ago when Memphis played Utah in the first round, Memphis had no chance to contend, but they had an up and coming star in Morant.
That's kind of what I was looking for, to an extent, with Cleveland and Orlando.
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Post by clipsentuboca on Apr 22, 2024 18:17:08 GMT -8
remember when Hartenstein hadn't yet assimilated himself into Thibodeau's vision when first arrived? Now he's coming up huge late and the toast of The Big Apple. Exciting finish...Sixers really blew a golden opportunity.
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Post by nuraman00 on Apr 22, 2024 18:17:50 GMT -8
Philadelphia 76ers vs. New York Knicks: Embiid always struggles in the playoffs. Every year. But New York seems small, and Tyreke Maxey is good. Philadelphia in 7. Philadelphia New York Philadelphia New York Philadelphia New York Philadelphia
So, I've never gotten a full 7 game series correct.
Other people that have played my predictions game, have. Someone got the 2009 Boston-Chicago series correct, and 2015 Clippers-Spurs correct.
I've been doing this for 18 or 19 years, for both the NBA and MLB. MLB has less best of 7 rounds.
It would be funny if this was a full 7 game series, and I got every game wrong.
Also, I don't think I've ever predicted a comeback from down 0-2; down 3-1; or a series where one team wins games 1-3, and the other wins game 4-6.
Considering those happen from time to time, I think I need to predict one of those, once in a while.
Maybe I should have done a comeback from down 0-2 for this series. Obviously too late to predict that now.
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