Playoff Predictions 2020/21

[planetmars]

I don't get the love for Philly. I think they'll be mediocre again. Danny Green and Seth Curry are going to solve their problems? Doc Rivers is beyond overrated. I do like Tyrese Maxey though.

I mean I'll rank them higher if they can get Harden, but that's not a given.

[chris]

Don't think the Hawks get in? I think they had a pretty good off season. Got some defensive pieces in Rondo and Dunn to pair with Trae in the back court. Capela is up front. They might get Brogdanovich if Sacramento doesn't match their offer sheet. Gallo can be dangerous and a release valve for Trae.

Collins was suspended for half the year last year, and should play all season.

I think they get into the 8th spot. I don't trust Charlotte, even with Hayward.

they could do for sure. the 8 seed is a crap shoot. but charlotte played well last year, above their heads i think, and i like their coach. he was on rusillos podcast at some point last year and i thought he was rpretty impressive. i put more stock in coach and culture then most. like i said i'd feel better about the pick if they weren't trying to integrate a 19 yr old rookie point guard, who will not make them better when he's on the floor in year 1.

atlanta has been upgraded in talent. orlando will be tough but clifford's coaching style has a shelf life and this year may be the year players tune him out, chicago players will be excited to not play for a coach who has them running windsprints and doing knuckle pushups in practice.

those are the other teams in the mix.

[The Great One]

I don't get the love for Philly. I think they'll be mediocre again. Danny Green and Seth Curry are going to solve their problems? Doc Rivers is beyond overrated. I do like Tyrese Maxey though.

I mean I'll rank them higher if they can get Harden, but that's not a given.

If Harden gets traded to Philly, that means no more Ben Simmons. That would make the Sixers a worse team. Simmons is what makes the Sixers go. If I'm the Sixers I wouldn't trade for Harden. If he's your #1 then you're not winning anything.

He'd be a good fit in Brooklyn though playing second banana to Durant.

[chris]

I don't get the love for Philly. I think they'll be mediocre again. Danny Green and Seth Curry are going to solve their problems? Doc Rivers is beyond overrated. I do like Tyrese Maxey though.

I mean I'll rank them higher if they can get Harden, but that's not a given.

the love for philly is based on the fact that their new coach is not brett brown, and that the roster is a little better balanced. they've under-achieved for a few years now. if they just meet expectations or slightly under-perform them, they should be better.

[planetmars]

the love for philly is based on the fact that their new coach is not brett brown, and that the roster is a little better balanced. they've under-achieved for a few years now. if they just meet expectations or slightly under-perform them, they should be better.

I don't think Doc is much better, but I guess that's just my personal opinion. Yeah I guess I'm in the wait and see camp.. which is always the case with those guys. Embiid and Simmons don't work together in my opinion.. no matter who you surround them with.

[chris]

I don't think Doc is much better, but I guess that's just my personal opinion. Yeah I guess I'm in the wait and see camp.. which is always the case with those guys. Embiid and Simmons don't work together in my opinion.. no matter who you surround them with.

i think doc is a completely mediocre and thoroughly overrated coach, historically.

so that's a huge upgrade.

[planetmars]

Here are my predictions:

1. Milwaukee
2. Toronto
3. Boston
4. Brooklyn
5. Indiana
6. Miami
7. Philly
8. Atlanta
--
9. Charlotte
10. Washington
11. Orlando
12. Chicago
13. NY
14. Detroit
15. Cleveland

[Puffer]

In terms of lineup predictions is Lowry/FVV/Powell/Siakam/OG our closing lineup? I mean we probably start Baynes but I think this lineup gets a lot of looks no?

Here's their 3pt shooting % for the regular season:

Lowry 35.2%
FVV 39%
Powell 39.9%
Siakim 35.9%
OG 39%
Baynes 35.1%

Off the Bench

Thomas 47.5%
Boucher 47.2%
Alex Len 67% with the Kings (career 33%)

So yeah, they might get a lot of looks.

[Demographic Shift]

Hard to believe that we are within a MONTH of the regular season.
THe NBA offseason got compressed into 3 week window of the draft and free agency and trades and guess what ....camp doors are open.


First tier is the Bucks. The Alphabet rides again. Hopefully for the last year wearing those lousy Milwaukee uni's. Danforth awaits Giannas. Opa !!

Second tier is the Nets and the Celtics and Heat.
These guys all have talent. Right now we know Bostons works even without Hayward. More touches for Tatum. Yeah like that hurts Boston.

We know Miamis works like clockwork inside of a bubble. Lets see if what they have is sustainable. It should be.

We are unsure of what the Nets have in cohesiveness as they hit the floor with Durant and Irving and a bunch of other guys who aren't sure how this works other than they will have the best player on their team most every night. Steve Nash has work in front of him.

Third Tier is the Philly, Raps and Indy. All of these teams come with questions but they are still good teams just not up in Tiers 1 and 2.

Indy blamed it on Nate. Well now that that bit of blame assignment is done what is appreciably different about Indy from last year to this year. Not much. Olidiipo wanting out. They still have Myles Turner and Damontas Sabonis when they only need 1. They still do have Brogdon and Warren though.
Questions.

Philly started out great. They fixed their balance sheet at a small cost and move one of the three uneven legs of the philly chair that is never right. In comes Doc Rivers with his special brand of media savvy but the problem is still very evident over this bit of wallpapering. Joel Embiid and Simmons just don;t work well together. Its year 4 of this duo and they are no better off than they were in year 1. They have tried to address the 3 point shooting problem by adding Curry and Green. They still badly need a real PG.
Questions.

Can the Raps beat Indy and Philly to finish at the top of the third tier ? Freddy and Kyle are going to be the best backcourt on a lot nights. Lowry as always will be ready to go. Fred is going to show us he is worth the Brogdon Deal. OG needs to make another big stride with his handles and taking advantage of his 3 pointer being north of 39%. Pascal has a come to Jesus season for himself. How good can he be. Have we seen the ceiling. Will Norm always be Norm ? Great in stretches. Reach for visine in stretches. They must see something in Boucher to give him 13.5M$ paid tryout.
Questions.


The Herd. Everyone else in the 8 to 15 group. They are better but they are far from competeing with the top 3 tiers.

Darkhorse Team to make Strides Altanta. One year I will get this right. But again. Atlanta.

Team WTF and Turmoil: The Whiz... John Wall is one self entitled son of a bitch. Hes back. Gone are the Morriss and other knuckle heads the Whiz had in their heyday of getting out of the first round ... but John Wall is more than up to take on the mantle of lead knucklehead.Leonsis has to fix this. Its worth Russell for John Wall and just shut up and drive and get out of there.

Play in Teams... Atlanta and Charlotte.

[Demographic Shift]

With the removal of John Wall and the addition of the triple double stat god Russell Westbrooke ....are the Whiz a play in candidate or firmly in the lottery ?

[inthepaint]

With the removal of John Wall and the addition of the triple double stat god Russell Westbrooke ....are the Whiz a play in candidate or firmly in the lottery ?

I think they'll make the playoffs. They'll probably package some assets at the deadline to bring another good player and make a push for the post-season

[LJ2]

With the removal of John Wall and the addition of the triple double stat god Russell Westbrooke ....are the Whiz a play in candidate or firmly in the lottery ?

They were a playoff team with Wall and Beal when both were healthy, so I'd say barring injury they should be in easily. Scott Brooks already knows Russel's game quite well so it shouldn't take long to get hat team turned around.

[S.R.]

They were a playoff team with Wall and Beal when both were healthy, so I'd say barring injury they should be in easily. Scott Brooks already knows Russel's game quite well so it shouldn't take long to get hat team turned around.

They're absolutely a playoff team. Russ alone would get them there. But I expect a much more motivated Beal to return to form, too.

[Puffer]

They're absolutely a playoff team. Russ alone would get them there. But I expect a much more motivated Beal to return to form, too.

I still get a big kick out of your tag line every time I see it.

"We're playing in a building." -- Kawhi Leonard

Ha ha Ha ha ha.

[Demographic Shift]

I think they'll make the playoffs. They'll probably package some assets at the deadline to bring another good player and make a push for the post-season

They were a playoff team with Wall and Beal when both were healthy, so I'd say barring injury they should be in easily. Scott Brooks already knows Russel's game quite well so it shouldn't take long to get hat team turned around.

So of the top 7 teams....
Bucks .. Heat.... Nets... Chowders... Raps... Indy....Hinkies.....

Who falls out for the whiz to sneak in beyond 8th ?