Everything Playoffs

[S.R.]

Holy shit

[GOLDBLUM]

Holy shit

Wooooooooooah.

[MixxAOR]

Holy shit

Ouch

[G__Deane]

HILADELPHIA — Giannis Antetokounmpo helped Milwaukee lock up the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference with another MVP-worthy performance.

Antetokounmpo outdueled fellow MVP candidate Joel Embiid, finishing with 45 points and 13 rebounds and leading Milwaukee to a 128-122 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday night as the Bucks clinched the top spot in the conference.

[LJ2]

At the start of the season I did not think Giannis was the real deal, but man did he bring it this season. Monster numbers every game with no load management needed. Whether he or Harden get MVP I won't be mad.

[planetmars]

Was looking up at the standings this morning. So Raptors need 58 wins to secure 2nd seed in the league (ie, home court advantage in the finals if they get there).

Warriors have 54 wins, with 4 games remaining (all seem to be cupcake teams too). Raptors own the tie breaker.

So we need to go 2-1 in the next 3. Can't give these ones away just yet.

Although I'd like to see Fred take the night off against the Heat.. just so that Bam doesn't hurt him on an illegal screen again.

[slaw]

LOL, I was just writing last week about the Sixers finding their groove heading into the playoffs and they've since lost to Dallas, Atlanta and got beat up by Milwaukee. Meanwhile, the bumbling and stumbling Raps, I believe I called them, have won 5 in a row and are in cruise control.

Speaking of the Bucks, they remind me so much of the Raps from the last couple seasons. Now, they do have Giannis, but they look to be in 7th or 8th gear already - what happens in the playoffs? Is there more there? I know Toronto and Boston can crank it up. Can Milwaukee?

[LJ2]

LOL, I was just writing last week about the Sixers finding their groove heading into the playoffs and they've since lost to Dallas, Atlanta and got beat up by Milwaukee. Meanwhile, the bumbling and stumbling Raps, I believe I called them, have won 5 in a row and are in cruise control.

Speaking of the Bucks, they remind me so much of the Raps from the last couple seasons. Now, they do have Giannis, but they look to be in 7th or 8th gear already - what happens in the playoffs? Is there more there? I know Toronto and Boston can crank it up. Can Milwaukee?

You could very well be right, but unlike the Raptors from a couple of seasons ago, the Bucks have Giannis who has been the best player on the court night in and night out against seemingly every other team they've played..That was never the case for the Raptors even in some of their first round playoff match up's.

[slaw]

You could very well be right, but unlike the Raptors from a couple of seasons ago, the Bucks have Giannis who has been the best player on the court night in and night out against seemingly every other team they've played..That was never the case for the Raptors even in some of their first round playoff match up's.

Agreed, that's not insignificant. And all the arrows point the right way but..... I don't know. There's something about the Bucks that bothers me and makes me skeptical of their chances but I can't put my finger on it.

[G__Deane]

LOL, I was just writing last week about the Sixers finding their groove heading into the playoffs and they've since lost to Dallas, Atlanta and got beat up by Milwaukee. Meanwhile, the bumbling and stumbling Raps, I believe I called them, have won 5 in a row and are in cruise control.

Speaking of the Bucks, they remind me so much of the Raps from the last couple seasons. Now, they do have Giannis, but they look to be in 7th or 8th gear already - what happens in the playoffs? Is there more there? I know Toronto and Boston can crank it up. Can Milwaukee?

I don't know; I'd say it's very much up in the air as to whether the Celts and Raps can crank it up (Kawhi's rep rests on it this year tho). And if the 3 point shooters hold up for the Bucks, they're the real deal and the favourites to come out of the East imo

[bertarapsfan]

Big game tn. Celtics vs Pacers. I know everyone expects the Celtics to turn it on and make quick work of the pacers but if Indy can secure home court i could this being a 6 or 7 game series with some really close games. Hell if the odds are crazy in favor of the celtics i might even put on money on Indy taking the series espically if they got home court

[Demographic Shift]

Chowders at Pacers This might be for home court .. after tonight each have 2 games left... If the Chowders win tonight.. they have the head to head tiebrekaer and simply need to win one more. If the Pacers win... then the tiebreaker comes down to best confreence record.. and they will both be tied in that regard with 2 games left.....Boston gets Orlando and the WHiz.... Indy gets Atlanta and Brooklyn....It might come down to a coin flip if the Pacers win tonight and go 1 and 1 in their last 2 and Boston wins out....

Again.. its for home court.. but this time .. its a real playoff preview. Game of the night.

EDIT... Jaylen Brown is out tonight... Mucus Morriss is questionable. Sorry for the spelling mistake on Morris.

[inthepaint]

Agreed, that's not insignificant. And all the arrows point the right way but..... I don't know. There's something about the Bucks that bothers me and makes me skeptical of their chances but I can't put my finger on it.

I think it's experience, particularly playoff experience (or in the Bucks case, lack thereof). They're depending on Giannis being in top shape throughout, and all their role players performing flawlessly (their second best player is probably Middleton, who got their 1st all-star nod this year, but never went beyond the first round in his career)

Very rarely in NBA history a team goes from 1st round exit to NBA finals the year after. Usually teams that win their conference have been "knocking on the door" for while. They certainly have the tools to do it, and played a heck of a reg season to show that, but as we all now, the translation to playoff success is not automatic. I'm certainly not discounting them, but it's for sure far from being in the bag for them.

[Other Scott]

Chowders at Pacers This might be for home court .. after tonight each have 2 games left... If the Chowders win tonight.. they have the head to head tiebrekaer and simply need to win one more. If the Pacers win... then the tiebreaker comes down to best confreence record.. and they will both be tied in that regard with 2 games left.....Boston gets Orlando and the WHiz.... Indy gets Atlanta and Brooklyn....It might come down to a coin flip if the Pacers win tonight and go 1 and 1 in their last 2 and Boston wins out....

Again.. its for home court.. but this time .. its a real playoff preview. Game of the night.

EDIT... Jaylen Brown is out tonight... Mucus Morriss is questionable. Sorry for the spelling mistake on Morris.

Celtics are guaranteed the tiebreaker. They are ahead in conference record now and both teams have entirely conference games left. There's no way Indiana can finish tied with Boston but catch up in the conference tiebreaker.

[Demographic Shift]

Celtics are guaranteed the tiebreaker. They are ahead in conference record now and both teams have entirely conference games left. There's no way Indiana can finish tied with Boston but catch up in the conference tiebreaker.

Moot point now... Celtics up 1 game with the head to head tiebreaker and in conference wins.... Magic number is 1. Chowder win or Pacer loss cements it. Chowders in the 4 hole and Indy in 5 really pretty big good likely high odds right now.

Everything else is still up in the air...

Orlando in 6th - 2 games left.
Brooklyn with the tie breaker over Detroit in 7th 3 games left
Pistons in 8th 3 games left.
Heat in 9th... The Heat are going to be playing literally for their season against the Raps on Sunday -3 games left..