Everything Playoffs

[inthepaint]

There's a lot out there this year...from superstars to quasi stars to quality role players to buyouts for the bench...I too expect something, there's a few passengers on board right now and a few guys playing a few too many minutes

My to-do list for Masai is this:

1. Go hard after Anthony Davis. Kitchen sink hard.
2. Failing that, get at least 2 of Jrue, Etwan Moore and Mirotic

[G__Deane]

To me there's 100% chance Masai does at least something. Can you imagine if this team with Kawhi gets bounced in the first or second round , maybe even the third if he stands pat? He'd deserve to be fired and he knows it.

Go Masai, I believe

[Raptor Jesus]

I really don't follow. If there is one grinding series, wouldn't it be best to have it as early as possible, so you get some easier games and maybe some rest with a shorter ECF series before the Finals? The alternatives being examined are a) 7 game series in R2 and an easier ECF opponent, or b) easier R2 opponent and 7 game series in ECF. Not seeing the obvious advantage to either.

I'm just working off the proposal that the Celtics are the one team the Raptors should avoid. If the other teams are not as big a concern, I don't see how the order matters, unless you care how early you lose. My opinion is that the Raptors can take any of these teams and as such don't care who they face in each round. And my far stronger opinion is that even if that is not true, then the team will lose to whoever they face in the ECF after getting two easy opponents in the first two rounds.

Other than the P/BEDMAS in their math, they are suggesting the idea that in a close game a bias is more likely to take affect. Mil/Bos beating themselves to a pulp increases the chances our matchup with them is more lopsided. To the extent that a bad whistle has lesser effect.

[Demographic Shift]

The top rated drama that is the NBA never fails to add twists and turns to any season.
How long before they jump the shark is anyone's guess... but in the last few days who could have called any of these major plot twists in sports top rated viewing drama ?

Anthony Davis .. who despite being rated as one of the leagues best 5 players wants out of New Orleans. OK. No problem. If you don't like the prospects of your company and want a change go for it. Yet Davis.. despite being labelled a franchise changing talent.. hasn't been able to lift the Pelyturds to playoff status out west despite good outside shooting from Mirotic and Moore and a very good PG in Holiday. Is he worth it ? yeah for sure.. yet there has to be some thinking on the tangent if he is so damn good why is his team out of the playoffs ?

Kyrie Flat Earth Irving... has doubled back on his claim he will resign with the Chowders if the fans will have him. It was a grandstanding pretty thick proclamation then and in the here and now it really looks like a piece of crap claim. Irving is not even close to a slam dunk re-up with the Chowders. This fucks up beyond belief the Chowders plans. With a for sure I'm resigning Irving the Chowders can empty the clip to get Davis .. without him.. well not so much. Giving up Rozier and Tatum and possibly Smart or Brown and a couple of this years picks in the teens and 20's to overlap Horford and Baynes is overplaying your hand. Couldn't happen to nicer bunch of peckerheads.

#LukeWatch is back on in LA. The fast sinking Lakers now in 10th place are facing Luke vs Lebron drama yet again. Micheal Beasly .. who is as replaceable as double AA batteries at the dollar store is challenging Walton publicly after they got drilled in SanFran and are now a cumulative 7 and 12 since Lebrons injury. This type of high school stuff just adds fuel to fire that no one really wants to play with Lebron. However Irving and Davis may be trying to make their way LA. Tyronne Lue is available. and has LA roots. You can't write this stuff.

For all the hope I had that the the Knicks would resurface as a team to be reconed with in the East by employing patient cogent moves by a patient front office emploiying high draft picks and smart low risk FA signings.... it all goes out the door with a knee jerk trade of the Zinger to Dallas for cap space and the bet that players will come cuz its NYC and guy who knows a guy who knows the agents of KD and Irving says they are coming. Wow. Best of luck to the fans who buy the tickets at MSG. If no one come to NYC .. that trade sets the franchise back 5 years. Just so NY Knicks.

A week to go to the trade deadline..and a few more days after that sees guys cut adrift via buyouts which will shift the landscape and the narrative yet again.

The NBA is like no other sports league .. the NHL. MLB, the NFL or even the EPL has high school level drama that emanates from the offices of the NBA.

Go Raps.

[Demographic Shift]

Killing time between now and the Super Bowl and the Raps watching the Celts vs Thunder and watched this unfold as to Irving is a conundrum for Boston........

Kyrie just made a circus shot in the lane that drew ooohs and awwws from the crowd.. it was that good.. .and inside of 2 seconds.. his guy on defence made a three as Irving lay on the ground in the paint...

You gotta wonder..

[Demographic Shift]

Trade deadline is 72 hours away and there is no shortage of rumours and candidates on the block. The Raps could do something BIG or nothing at at all. They could go through the bargain bin March 1 when players can be bought out. Time will tell.

It would seem the latent charm of Boston is lost on Anthony Davis as reports indicate it’s not on his preferred destination list. It won’t matter in the long run but rumours are the lifeblood of the NBA and if Demps can amp up pressure for a Nets like deal for Davis from LA inside of 72 hours it won’t matter what Boston could offer. Or.Dempsey just sits till the draft where he can likely get his best offers.

Irving has been making noises he isn’t the slam dunk to resign that he was not 5 months ago and if Davis does go elsewhere maybe Irving follows. The last of the draft picks are going to have to be used or traded this year. It’s looking like none of those picks will be higher than 9. Trader Danny is on the clock. Its showtime in Boston and the pressure is on.

And the team that is really up against it..is the LA Lakers.
With 29 games left the Lakers are in 10th. ...2 games out of the last playoff spot and 3 back of 7th.
Of those 29..18 are against current playoff teams and 16 are on the road.
The coach seems to be on the outs and most of the day to day talk is on who is on the trade block chasing what could be another empty dream crusade.
Lebron is coming back off a groin injury and while he did play against the Warriors he woke up sore and sat out the next game.

If Lebron can drag this crew of misfit toys under these circumstances to the playoffs he is the MVP regardless of who gets the award.

[slaw]

Re Celtics, there is, of course, a chance Davis ends up there via trade but I'm not sure how many times this needs to be said: black NBA stars do not want to play in Boston. Garnett only relented to a trade after McHale convinced him and they had Allen in the chute. Kyrie will be gone after this season. Horford was a decent free agent signing but it's not as though they got him at a discount.

Now, it's obviously a generality - not all players have the same views on every issue and I'm sure a few don't care - but it's priced into the Boston market. I'm convinced that one of the reasons Ainge has been unable to land a big name in a trade is that most are nearing free agency and he knows that he probably can't keep them, so he doesn't want to lose his young players that he can retain.

[Demographic Shift]

Re Celtics, there is, of course, a chance Davis ends up there via trade but I'm not sure how many times this needs to be said: black NBA stars do not want to play in Boston. Garnett only relented to a trade after McHale convinced him and they had Allen in the chute. Kyrie will be gone after this season. Horford was a decent free agent signing but it's not as though they got him at a discount.

Now, it's obviously a generality - not all players have the same views on every issue and I'm sure a few don't care - but it's priced into the Boston market. I'm convinced that one of the reasons Ainge has been unable to land a big name in a trade is that most are nearing free agency and he knows that he probably can't keep them, so he doesn't want to lose his young players that he can retain.

Yeah Boston has generally not been viewed by black athletes as a preferred destination.

Irving may stay in Chowdertown and sign for serious money regardless of what he blurted out last week but if Davis does get dealt before the trade deadline the odds of that outcome lengthen considerably. Losing a player of his calibre and impact will be very difficult to replace. I suppose Danny could swallow hard and offer Kemba Walker big money. I don't think Jordan will pay a max deal to Walker so he can continue to pay exponentially more and still have a fringe playoff team. He will be available. He is good but he isn't Irving.

Then the bleat goes on about the huge trove of draft assests. hFor the life of me I just don't get how the MSM continues to pump the tires on Bostons "treasure trove" of draft picks. These picks aren't the Brooklyn picks which were all pretty much top 3 picks.

They have theirs.. which looks to be high or mid 20's. Say 25.

IF it conveys they get Memphis's pick which would be 9th at best. Not chicken shit by any means but its not top 3. But with Memphis raising the white flag and putting both Gasol and Connley on the trade block thinking this pick stays with Memphis this year. Next year its protected again but 1-6. Could the Grizz be that bad if they move Connoley and Gasol for futures ? If they are smart it could be.

IF it conveys they get the Clips pick which at best is 15.

They will get the Kings pick which could be anywhere from 12 to 14.

SO this year they have 2 in the 12 to 16 range and a 25. Quantity for sure.. Quality.. not so much. ANd heres why Dannys collar is tightening... He can't defer them. They have to be used. On a team thats already pretty deep your adding another 3 young players at the expense of letting go last years or the year befores players who were selected in the same range. Its Jack Welch syndrome where you churn the bottom 10% for the sake of turning over personnel. It was dumb then and its still dumb now.

No.. Danny is going to make a bigger deal between now and draft day and he is going to do it blind if he doesn't have a handle on what Irving is likely to do. Is Rozier a better option than Walker ? Is Hayward going to come around ? How do they manufacture more playing time for Tatum and Brown when your paying Hayward 30M a year ? Are teams reticent to trade with Ainge as the dirt from the Isiah Thomas trade is still fresh in folks minds ?

Couldn't happen to a nicer guy.

[Demographic Shift]

the green goblins treasure trove of draft picks may have been devalued further...

Still have their own at 25-26.

The Clips pick likely stays with LA this year as they sold off their go to guy for a big return and will prolly misss the playoffs. It can defer for one more year with 1-14 protections but if doesn't convey for another year.. it turns into 2 second rounders ... Ouch

Memphis pick plays out the same... Its likely staying with Memphis as they go full Panzer this year and prolly next.

And the Kings pick could be a few ticks out of the lottery between 16 and 18 if the Kings make the playoffs with the Clips looking to fall and the Lakers wondering WTF happened on the slam dunk Davis trade...

So the treasurey is looking like it has 2 picks this year... 13 to 17 range and 24 to 27 range.

[Puffer]

The Green Mob used to be my team back in the days when you could only catch basketball games on Canadian TV after Christmas when they would start appearing on weekends. Typically it was the Celtics, with Bill Russell, frequently Philadelphia I think, with Wilt, and I can't remember who else. Loved the Celtics then.

But that was then. Now, I'm glad to see them struggle. Not exactly sure how it happened, but I think it started with Paul Piece's grumbles that he was the better rookie when Carter took the prize, then grew when Garnett and Allen moved to Boston. I was glad to see those two finally get their rings, but didn't care for how it happened.

At any rate, your unabating hate for them warms the cockles of my heart. Never stop.

[G__Deane]

The Green Mob used to be my team back in the days when you could only catch basketball games on Canadian TV after Christmas when they would start appearing on weekends. Typically it was the Celtics, with Bill Russell, frequently Philadelphia I think, with Wilt, and I can't remember who else. Loved the Celtics then.

But that was then. Now, I'm glad to see them struggle. Not exactly sure how it happened, but I think it started with Paul Piece's grumbles that he was the better rookie when Carter took the prize, then grew when Garnett and Allen moved to Boston. I was glad to see those two finally get their rings, but didn't care for how it happened.

At any rate, your unabating hate for them warms the cockles of my heart. Never stop.

Nothing like a warm cockle ....

[Zainab]

The Raptors, Bucks, Sixers, and Celtics: pic.twitter.com/mlwv8NC26R

— Grant Goldberg (@GrantGoldberg) February 7, 2019

[bertarapsfan]

where's demo? we Need a breakdown of how all the trades effect the playoff race!!

[Zainab]

NBA Championship updated

Warriors 2/5
Celtics 10/1
Raptors 10/1
76ers 10/1
Bucks 10/1
Rockets 12/1
Thunder 16/1
Nuggets 30/1
Jazz 40/1
Lakers 40/1
Spurs 60/1
Trail Blazers 200/1
Pacers 300/1
Heat 500/1
Timberwolves 500/1
Pelicans 500/1
Hornets 500/1
Nets 500/1
Kings 1000/1

— Jeff Sherman (@golfodds) February 7, 2019

[KeonClark]

where's demo? we Need a breakdown of how all the trades effect the playoff race!!

A live look at Demographic Shift working on todays DS report