Who is the Most Overrated Team in the East ..aka.. Why Boston Sux.

[slaw]

I wish one of you highly knowledgable posters would remind me again why I shouldn't fear Philly. I've posted about this I'm sure irrational fear months ago and was reassured by someone. They have a swagger about them, a gang of shooters and probably the best centre since Shaq. But we can beat them right?

Don't know if I'm highly knowledgeable but:

- no playoff experience (big deal in the NBA);
- they turn the ball over like it's on fire;
- they give up a lot of free throws;
- they've had trouble closing out games against good teams all year.

They are a year or two away.

[KeonClark]

I wish one of you highly knowledgable posters would remind me again why I shouldn't fear Philly. I've posted about this I'm sure irrational fear months ago and was reassured by someone. They have a swagger about them, a gang of shooters and probably the best centre since Shaq. But we can beat them right?

Their best player has played 93 career games. Second best player about 70. They ain't ready. Playoff intensity will swallow these guys whole

[GLF]

Raptors have top-5 D, top-3 net rating, have best 5-man unit (+21.3) among NBA's 30 most used lineups, are 53-18 with Lowry in the lineup, and are on a 19-4 run.
No back-to-backs in the playoffs, and Lowry/DeRozan capable of being best player(s) in a series.
Be afraid, East

LOL I love this

[Shaolin Fantastic]

Don't know if I'm highly knowledgeable but:

- no playoff experience (big deal in the NBA);
- they turn the ball over like it's on fire;
- they give up a lot of free throws;
- they've had trouble closing out games against good teams all year.

They are a year or two away.

They remind me a lot of OKC in 2010-11. Offensive/Defensive ratings are flipped, almost have the same expected W-L over 82 games (48 vs. 51 and that can be attributed to Embiid missing a ton of games, when he's healthy they're a 50+ win team).

That team got to the WCF, albeit by beating two teams that were worse than them in the regular season because the 8 seeded Grizzlies upset San Antonio in round 1. We're much better on paper than the teams OKC beat that year fwiw.

That OKC team was also really bad in terms of fouling (28th and top 10 in FTA against), not quite as bad in turnovers granted. The playoff experience thing was an issue for them too, they actually had like zero. At least in Philly's case they have Redick who has nearly 90 playoff games played. It's a factor, but one that can also be mitigated by having the best player(s) in a series. The last point is kind of irrelevant because we've had that exact same problem.

I'm not saying they will knock us out but for some you guys to just dismiss them as a threat is pretty foolish.

[Chr1s1anL]

There is a different between dismissing them and not being terrified of them. Only team that scary me is LBJ. Anyone else raps will beat in a 7 game series.

OG will be guarding Simmons from the foul line. Have bodies(JV/Yak/Bebe/Ibaka) throw at Embiid. Plus he really stuggles with double teams. Which explauns the thr turnovers. Thier half court offense is Embiid going one on one in the post.



Sent from my LG-H831 using Tapatalk

[S.R.]

They remind me a lot of OKC in 2010-11. Offensive/Defensive ratings are flipped, almost have the same expected W-L over 82 games (48 vs. 51 and that can be attributed to Embiid missing a ton of games, when he's healthy they're a 50+ win team).

That team got to the WCF, albeit by beating two teams that were worse than them in the regular season because the 8 seeded Grizzlies upset San Antonio in round 1. We're much better on paper than the teams OKC beat that year fwiw.

That OKC team was also really bad in terms of fouling (28th and top 10 in FTA against), not quite as bad in turnovers granted. The playoff experience thing was an issue for them too, they actually had like zero. At least in Philly's case they have Redick who has nearly 90 playoff games played. It's a factor, but one that can also be mitigated by having the best player(s) in a series. The last point is kind of irrelevant because we've had that exact same problem.

I'm not saying they will knock us out but for some you guys to just dismiss them as a threat is pretty foolish.

For OKC Durant had played 4 full years in the L and Russ had played 3 full 82 game seasons. It was also their second 50+ win season. The year before was their first one and they lost in the 1st round.

I'd like to know what the deepest any NBA team has gotten in the 1st postseason run for a core as young as Philly's. In terms of GP, the entire core is essentially rookies. It virtually always takes a 1 or 2 cracks at the playoffs before a team runs deep, even for teams anchored by guys like LBJ or MJ.

[Demographic Shift]

Eastern Conference Playoff Seeding Derby - Oliver Stone Conspiracy Edition


Looked like the NewLooks almost..kinda..sort of ....mailed one in last night in Miami. Was this unexpected loss by the unstoppable NewLook express coincidence only ? Coincidence or not as the curtain rises today the NewLooks have seemingly placed themselves in a position with a win here and a loss there to give themselves a bit of a choice on who they want to play in the opening round.

The Wiz look more and more like they wind up in 6th. The Wiz are two games back in the loss column with Indy with 8 to go and if the NewLooks finish 3rd that’s who they get...but..if the NewLooks would prefer either of Indy or even the Easts most dangerous team the Hinkies..they could draw them by dropping a couple of games in the last 8.

Nonsense you say..pro teams always play to win....well in most other pro sports leagues yes..but this is the nba where losing is a strategy.

The Hinkies continue a steady diet of cupcakes to year end. 7 of 9 are against the tank brigade with only two against playoff teams. One of those games is against the NewLooks. If the Cavs come up limping in that one in just over a week..that will definitively signal their choice of opponent in round 1. Careful what you wish for..Indy has won 3 of 4 from the New and OldLooks this year.

If the Cavs turn right...Lance”the ear blower” Stephenson awaits if the NewLooks opt for Indy.....The ever confident combo of Beal and Wall await if the NewLooks stay the course if they turn left. They are unstoppable however.

[slaw]

For OKC Durant had played 4 full years in the L and Russ had played 3 full 82 game seasons. It was also their second 50+ win season. The year before was their first one and they lost in the 1st round.

I'd like to know what the deepest any NBA team has gotten in the 1st postseason run for a core as young as Philly's. In terms of GP, the entire core is essentially rookies. It virtually always takes a 1 or 2 cracks at the playoffs before a team runs deep, even for teams anchored by guys like LBJ or MJ.

The team that instantly pops to mind is the 76-77 Blazers which won the title. Lucas, Walton and Hollins were all really young and they had not made the playoffs until that season.

Modern NBA, I'm having trouble. The Rose-led Bulls made an ECF run with a pretty young corps. The Cavs went to the Finals early in Lebron's career but that was a veteran team outside of James. Probably that OKC team referenced above would be the prime example in recent history?

[Mitch P]

Okay, I'm not all that reassured about Philly. The other concern to me about them is that they are "a story". If Cleveland goes down (which they could if the fragile Love is out or they hit a cold streak with threes) Philly would be very attractive to the media and the NBA. If the refs blow the whistle every time someone touches Embiid he could score a Shaq like 40 or 50 and/or force so many doubles that the 3 point percentage of their shooters will go up to 50%. At someone's (one of you guys) suggestion I picked up the Tim Donaghy book, Personal Foul. He and his criminal partners were getting 80% wins betting the spread based on the referees who were working particular games and on "league directives". The league might pass on "watch Poeltl on the moving screens" but not mention that Embiid is prone to travel....etc. But as others have said here if you worry too much about this stuff you start to think of the NBA like wrestling and it wouldn't be worth watching. Mind you....I've felt that way a few times this year.

[3inthekeon]

Philly has been better with the additions of Ilyasova and Belinelli ( and only garbage time minutes for that scrub Luwawu ).

[golden]

The team that instantly pops to mind is the 76-77 Blazers which won the title. Lucas, Walton and Hollins were all really young and they had not made the playoffs until that season.

Modern NBA, I'm having trouble. The Rose-led Bulls made an ECF run with a pretty young corps. The Cavs went to the Finals early in Lebron's career but that was a veteran team outside of James. Probably that OKC team referenced above would be the prime example in recent history?

Shaq & Penny?

[JimiCliff]

Shaq & Penny?

Per Wikipedia:

In his first playoff series, O'Neal averaged 20.7 points and 13.3 rebounds in a losing effort as the Magic lost every game to the Indiana Pacers.

Shaq was in his second year, Penny was in his first.

[JimiCliff]

It just seems that in the NBA, you have to get roughed up in the postseason at least once before you make your run.

[KeonClark]

It just seems that in the NBA, you have to get roughed up in the postseason at least once before you make your run.

Same thing in hockey. Gretzky crawled before he ran as did lemieux and Crosby. Wait your turn rooks.

[slaw]

Shaq & Penny?

Yeah, I mean even the all-time greats like Shaq. NBA playoffs are a strange beast. I was thinking of Magic, of course, but that Lakers team would have been great even without him. It took Jordan four years to win a round. Kobe is N/A on this and so is Bird. Lebron is probably the closest.

I'm not saying Philly can't make a run. I don't think any of their potential first round opponents are a Finals quality Pacers team (in Shaq's case) but getting by the top 3: Raps, Celts and Cavs, is a very different story than beating the Pacers or Wizards.