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Post by Miege22 on Feb 9, 2020 21:43:22 GMT -5
EAST: Brooklyn vs. Chicago
How They Got Here Brooklyn is the #1 seed at 16-0. They finished 1st in the North Division. This is the 2nd time Brooklyn has finished the regular season unbeaten, the fourth season it has happened in league history.
Chicago enters as the #4 seed. They finished 9-7 and were 3rd in the North Division.
Postseason History This is the Nets' 10th playoff appearance. They are the two-time defending NBA Champions, defeating Chicago, Tampa Bay and Memphis last year to win their 4th title. All-Time Playoff Record: 16-5 Finals Record: 4-1 Titles: 4 (2013, 2014, 2018, 2019)
The Bulls are back in the playoffs for the third time in their franchise history; it's their second straight appearance. They played the Nets in the first round last year. All-Time Playoff Record: 0-2 Finals Record: N/A Titles: 0
Regular Season Meeting(s) The Nets and Bulls played in week 16 (Feb. 3-9). The Nets won 5-4.
Statistical Rankings Among Playoff Teams Brooklyn FG %: 3rd (4th) FT %: 5th (11th) 3PTM: 2nd (2nd) REBS: 2nd (2nd) ASTS: 1st (1st) STLS: 2nd (2nd) BLKS: 4th (4th) TOS: 7th (19th) PTS: 1st (1st)
Chicago FG %: 6th (10th) FT %: 8th (17th) 3PTM: 7th (13th) REBS: 6th (6th) ASTS: 8th (15th) STLS: 5th (5th) BLKS: 5th (6th) TOS: 2nd (11th) PTS: 6th (7th)
KEY INJURIES Brooklyn - Clint Capela (foot - out); Wendell Carter Jr. (ankle - out)
Chicago - Skal Labissiere (knee - out); Alex Len (hip - out); Tyler Herro (foot - out)
Series Notes -The #1 seed in the East is 7-3 all-time in their first playoff match-up
-The Nets' all-time franchise record is 139-37 (regular season)
-The Bulls' all-time franchise record is 55-121 (regular season)
-The Nets are looking to become the first team in league history to win three straight titles. This will also be the second consecutive season the Nets and Bulls have played in the playoffs
So what's happened in Brooklyn? Not much... they just turned over darn near their entire roster... again. Going into the playoffs, the only two players remaining from last year's team are LeBron James and Pascal Siakam. They seemingly pushed all their chips to the center of the table in an effort to win yet another title, and the result, thus far, is an unbeaten season. LeBron James is leading the league in assists. Damian Lillard is in the midst of the best stretch of his career. And Paul George appears to be back to 100% after missing most of the homestretch.
And what about Chicago? The Bulls brought back most of their roster, though they've made some really interesting signings to shore up their bench. Christian Wood has hit. Isaiah Hartenstein mostly hasn't. They took a chance that Juan Hernangomez would be worth it in a new environment, and his first game didn't disappoint. Meanwhile, TJ Warren and Derrick Jones Jr. have looked great. Of course, this team will go as far as their core four (Russell, Drummond, Vucevic and Mitchell) will take them.
Brooklyn's highlight of the season... week 7 vs. Kansas City Based on match-ups alone, it was probably their win over Seattle late in the season. However, from a pure entertainment standpoint, it had to be their demolition of the Kansas City Kings. The Kings, like the Nets, came into the week unbeaten, making it the latest in the season the league has had two unbeaten teams play each other. To add even more intrigue, the Kings owner has claimed, without merit or evidence, that the Nets owner is corrupt and colluding with several other owners to win another championship. With that as the backdrop, the Nets took the Kings behind the woodshed and dominated, 7-2. None of the categories were close.
Chicago's highlight of the season... week 8 vs. OKC Last year, the Bulls hit gut-check time in week 10. They were reeling, in danger of falling out of the playoff race, and facing a strong Houston team. They used an incredible Sunday comeback to escape with a win and get just enough momentum to jump into third in the East. This year, that point hi in week 8 against another strong Western Conference opponent, the OKC Thunder. The Bulls entered 3-4, having lost three straight games. With OKC and Memphis upcoming, they couldn't afford another loss (or two) that early in the year. The Bulls responded by holding off the Thunder, in a nailbiting, 5-3-1 finish. They'd go on to beat Memphis and establish themselves as the fourth playoff team out East.
Who to keep an eye on for Brooklyn... Dorian Finney-Smith and Donte DiVincenzo DFS and Donte are probably the 12th and 13th men on this roster, but with Butler and Capela banged up, they're going to be called upon to perform in the playoffs. They also both provide stats that the Nets need, namely blocks and steals. They're both capable of getting hot and turning in performances of players a level or two above them.
Who to keep an eye on for Chicago... Christian Wood With Andre Drummond getting moved to Cleveland (in real life), Christian Wood has an opportunity to get as many shots as he wants for (real life) Detroit. That bodes well for the Bulls, who could use another guy in their frontcourt to take it to a (center) depleted Nets team.
Brooklyn's X-Factor: Paul George Maybe this is too simple, but if Paul George plays like an MVP-candidate, the Nets aren't likely to lose. He, more than anyone else on this roster save LeBron, is capable of putting up crooked numbers in every category.
Chicago's X-Factor: Donovan Mitchell He was the X-factor last year, and with both teams playing again in the playoffs, we see no reason to change this. Like Brooklyn's Paul George, Donovan Mitchell is the guy Chicago will need to put up crooked numbers.
Brooklyn's Reason for Hope... they're insanely talented The Nets might not have the deepest team in the playoffs, but they probably have the most talent. When healthy, guys like Jaylen Brown, Wendell Carter Jr. and DeAndre Jordan don't even crack the top-7.
Chicago's Reason for Hope... the Nets are banged up If both teams were at full strength, it's hard to see Chicago coming close. With the Nets' top-2 centers on ice, the Bulls have a chance to own the categories traditionally won by big men. Do that, and we could see a first round upset.
I'm a neutral observer, why should I root for Brooklyn? You grew up in the 90's as a fan of the Bulls, Cowboys, Yankees and Duke Blue Devils. You either suck as fan, or you're a coward that likes to "witness greatness." The Nets have had more success than any other team in the league. If they win the title this year, it'll be the SECOND time they've gone undefeated in league history. There's honestly no good reason to "root" for this team.
I'm a neutral observer, why should I root for Chicago? We're going to repeat much of what we said last year, but this team has been slowly building through the draft and free agency for years now. They also have last year's first round to avenge, and a win would be the biggest upset in league history. There's no reason NOT to root for them here.
POSTSEASON ROSTERS Brooklyn Brown, Jaylen Butler, Jimmy Capela, Clint Carter Jr., Wendell DiVincenzo, Donte Finney-Smith, Dorian Garland, Darius George, Paul Ingles, Joe James, LeBron Jordan, DeAndre Lillard, Damian McLemore, Ben Reid, Naz (D-League) Siakam, Pascal VanVleet, Fred
Chicago Drummond, Andre Hartenstein, Isaiah Hernangomez, Juan Herro, Tyler Labissiere, Skal Jones Jr., Derrick Len, Alex McRae, Jordan Mitchell, Donovan Russell, D'Angelo Smart, Marcus Vucevic, Nikola Walker IV, Lonnie Warren, TJ Wood, Christian
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Post by Miege22 on Feb 10, 2020 0:14:48 GMT -5
EAST: Tampa Bay vs. Boston
How They Got Here Tampa Bay is the #2 seed at 13-3. They won the Southeast Division.
Boston enters the postseason as the #3 seed, finishing 10-6. They finished second in the North Division.
Postseason History This is the Bull Sharks' 9th playoff appearance. They defeated Boston in the first round last year before losing to the Nets in the Eastern Conference Finals All-Time Playoff Record: 12-5 Finals Record: 3-0 Titles: 3 (2012, 2015, 2016)
The Celtics are making their third playoff appearance in franchise history. This is the second consecutive year in the playoffs, and the third time they've played the Bull Sharks All-Time Playoff Record: 0-2 Finals Record: 0-0 Titles: 0
Regular Season Meeting(s) The Celtics and Bull Sharks played in week 5 (Nov. 18-24). The Celtics won 4-3-2.
Statistical Rankings Among Playoff Teams Tampa Bay FG %: 7th (12th) FT %: 3rd (8th) 3PTM: 1st (1st) REBS: 4th (4th) ASTS: 2nd (2nd) STLS: 3rd (3rd) BLKS: 6th (7th) TOS: 8th (20th) PTS: 2nd (2nd)
Boston FG %: 5th (8th) FT %: 4th (10th) 3PTM: 6th (12th) REBS: 8th (10th) ASTS: 6th (7th) STLS: 7th (9th) BLKS: 8th (13th) TOS: 3rd (14th) PTS: 7th (8th)
KEY INJURIES Tampa Bay - Patrick Beverly (groin - DTD); Eric Gordon (leg - DTD)
Boston - Norman Powell (finger - out); Jabari Parker (shoulder - DTD)
Series Notes -The #2 seed in the East is 8-2 all-time in their first playoff matchup
-The Celtics' all-time franchise record is 59-117 (regular season)
-The Bull Sharks' all-time franchise record is 111-65 (regular season)
-Like the Nets-Bulls match-up on the other side of the bracket, this is also a rematch. Oddly enough, Boston has yet to play anyone else in the postseason in their three trips.
How should we feel about Tampa Bay right now? I'd say pretty good. They've got KAT back. After trying like hell to trade Russ, they found no takers, and Russ is now playing his best ball of the year. They recently signed Dewayne Dedmon, who's got a chance to significantly contribute to this team. DeVonte Graham and Davis Bertans have been the two best signings, arguably, of the off-season. They're playing as well as they could have hoped, and Boston was probably an easier match-up than Chicago.
What's going on with Boston? Well, it's likely to be a short trip for the Celtics. After getting ransacked by injuries a few weeks ago, they decided to move DeMar DeRozan and Blake Griffin to try and recoup some assets. They were still good enough to get into the postseason, but they probably don't have the horses to hang with Tampa Bay.
Tampa Bay's highlight of the season... week 12 vs. Utah The East has gotten a lot of flak this year for being far weaker than the West, and, from top to bottom, that's true. However, the Nets are undefeated and the Bull Sharks have the second best record in the league. They also won every single one of their match-ups with the western conference, including their week 12 win against Utah which wrapped up a 7-0 record.
Boston's highlight of the season... week 5 vs. Tampa Bay It's been a mixed bag the last 6 weeks of the season, but that doesn't mean it was all bad. And their week 5 win was decidedly awesome. They managed to tie two categories to preserve the win, and it set off five straight wins, basically clinching their playoff spot.
Who to keep an eye on for Tampa Bay... Marcus Morris He was looking like a top-30 fantasy player until the real trade deadline sent him to the Clippers. He'll suddenly drop from first option to about 5th, but he's still capable of catching fire.
Who to keep an eye on for Boston... Tim Hardaway Jr. THJ has looked surprisingly good for most of the season. In the last few games, he's picked up his non-scoring stats, which he will absolutely need to do to keep this Celtics team in the series.
Tampa Bay's X-Factor: Dwight Howard How about Dwight Howard? He's resurrected his career as the rebounder and shot-blocker we all wanted him to be, and now he can contribute, once again, to a fantasy title contender. Don't forget that he led the OKC Thunder to their only title back in 2011.
Boston's X-Factor: Joel Embiid Yeah, I know, star players can't be X-Factors... but with Embiid's injury history and recent struggles, he's definitely the X-Factor. He missed games down the stretch in this series that cost Boston the series. Had he played, they would have made the ECF. They'll need him every game this time around.
Tampa Bay's Reason for Hope... KAT is back Tampa Bay lost Karl-Anthony Towns for 6 weeks in the regular season, and they didn't miss a beat winning every game. Now, he's back, and the team looks better than ever. With Brooklyn having some injury issues, this could be Tampa's time to strike whether Brooklyn is there or not.
Boston's Reason for Hope... Embiid and Simmons are healthy Their behind the 8-ball, as we've said several times, but Embiid and Simmons look to be totally healthy. Those two turning in two weeks of star performances may not be enough, but you've gotta start somewhere.
I'm a neutral observer, why should I root for Tampa Bay? They aren't Brooklyn. Really, that's about the only reason. Had it not been for the Nets and their unbeaten season, the Bull Sharks would have been the heavy favorite in the East. They've also won three titles, second most in league history. We used this comparison last year, but it would kind of be like rooting for the Steelers over the last two decades with the Pats always in the playoffs.
I'm a neutral observer, why should I root for Boston? Bottom line: this would be an INCREDIBLE story. If the Celtics, THIS Celtics, somehow managed to win the Finals, then several players will have played the greatest six weeks of basketball of their lives. There's really no other way to explain how big an underdog run this would be.
POSTSEASON ROSTERS Tampa Bay Bertans, Davis Beverly, Pat Dedmon, Dewayne Gordon, Eric Graham, DeVonte Howard, Dwight LaVine, Zach Middleton, Khris Morris, Marcus Sabonis, Domantas Teague, Jeff Thompson, Tristan Towns, Karl-Anthony Westbrook, Russell
Boston Dieng, Gorgui Embiid, Joel Gay, Rudy Hardaway Jr., Tim Kleber, Maxi Parker, Jabari Portis, Bobby Powell, Norman Redick, JJ Rondo, Rajon Shamet, Landry Simmons, Ben Thomas, Isaiah Wagner, Moe
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Post by Miege22 on Feb 10, 2020 0:14:58 GMT -5
WEST: Kansas City vs. Seattle
How They Got Here Kansas City comes in as the #1 seed in the Western Conference, finishing at 13-3. They are the winners of the Midwest Division.
Seattle is the #4 seed after going 11-5. They finished second in the Pacific Division.
Postseason History This is the 6th playoff appearance for the Kings. They made the playoffs last year as the #3 seed, beating Houston then losing to Memphis in the WCF. All-Time Playoff Record: 4-5 Finals Record: N/A Titles: 0
This is Seattle's second playoff appearance. They last made the playoffs in 2010, beating the Denver Nuggets before losing to Cleveland. All-Time Playoff Record: 1-1 Finals Record: N/A Titles: 0
Regular Season Meeting(s) These two played in week 5 (Nov. 18-24). The Kings won, 5-4.
Statistical Rankings Among Playoff Teams Kansas City FG %: 8th (14th) FT %: 1st (1st) 3PTM: 3rd (3rd) REBS: 5th (5th) ASTS: 5th (6th) STLS: 8th (15th) BLKS: 3rd (3rd) TOS: 4th (15th) PTS: 4th (4th)
Seattle FG %: 2nd (3rd) FT %: 7th (14th) 3PTM: 5th (5th) REBS: 1st (1st) ASTS: 4th (5th) STLS: 1st (1st) BLKS: 1st (1st) TOS: 6th (18th) PTS: 5th (6th)
KEY INJURIES Kansas City - none
Seattle - none
Series Notes -Kansas City's all-time record is 97-79 (regular season)
-Seattle's all-time record is 62-114 (regular season)
-With the 7-game winning streak to end last season, the Kings are now 20-3 in their last 23 regular season games.
-Seattle held on to the fourth seed despite losing their season finale due to their head-to-head win over Utah. They actually played Kansas City in their last trip to the playoffs, however, the Kings were in Denver at the time.
Do the Kings have the stars to pull this thing off? That's the million dollar question hanging over the Western Conference. The Kings have been the most consistent of any of the four playoff teams, yet you'd be hard-pressed to find any top-25 fantasy players on their roster. However, what they do have is depth. Loads and loads of depth. Kevin Love, DeMar DeRozan, LaMarcus Aldridge, CJ McCollum, SGA, Buddy Hield, Lou Williams, Miles Bridges, Mike Conley, and Brandon Clarke make up their top 10. Fittingly, this team has loads of #2 options. In the past, quality has beaten quantity in this league. We'll see if Kansas City can buck the trend.
Should we be concerned about Seattle's finish? The Sonics ended the season losing two of their last three. After a fantastic start, they've gone 3-3 in the last six weeks. They're healthy, and they just a made a blockbuster move to land Bradley Beal, but is there something going on below the surface we should be worried about? It's hard to say. The Sonics are still putting up bonkers steal and block totals, and guys seem to be playing up to their normal standards. This may just be a case of running into a tough closing schedule. Their three losses in the last six weeks came against Brooklyn (undefeated), Memphis (healthy for seemingly the only week of the season), and Portland (hadn't lost since early December). It's been a common refrain that you just need to get into the playoffs, and anything can happen, so we'll say don't fret over the .500 finish.
Kansas City's highlight of the season... week 1 vs. Memphis The Kings own wins against fellow playoff teams Portland and Seattle. They won 13 games, their most in franchise history. Since none of those wins stand out the way a few of last year's did, we're going to go all the way back to the beginning. The Kings talked a big game over the summer, and they made a number of moves to try and win a championship. Their season started against the team that knocked them out of the playoffs last year, the defending Western Conference champion Memphis Grizzlies. After talking the talk, the Kings more than walked the walk, dominating the Grizzlies from start to finish. It was their way of staking claim to the mantle of conference favorite.
Seattle's highlight of the season... the Harden trade The Sonics had been accumulating young talent for years, and for a stretch last season, it looked like it would pay off earlier than anyone expected. Unfortunately, the wheels fell off, and Seattle came up just short of the playoffs. That led to an ownership change and a bold move: trading for James Harden. The Beard was coming off the best season of his career, winning the MVP, Finals MVP and capturing his fourth title. It seemed unlikely that Brooklyn would move him, but Seattle ponied up an offer they couldn't refuse. With that, Seattle cemented themselves as a formidable challenger in a loaded Western Conference.
Who to keep an eye on for Kansas City... Alec Burks Burks was putting up great numbers before the real deadline, when he got shipped to Philadelphia. It remains to be seen if he will continue to be a contributor. If he is, it will almost certainly be at a lesser level than when he was in Golden State. He's definitely a player to watch for the Kings.
Who to keep an eye on for Seattle... PJ Tucker Tucker was part of a deadline deal that landed Bradley Beal, but he should not be overlooked as the playoffs start. He's been thrust into a center role, giving the Sonics yet another player at that position, yet he fills up categories that are traditionally dominated by wings. The extra position of eligibility should help keep Seattle flexible.
Kansas City's X-Factor: Mike Conley Conley has been a disappointment for basically the entire season. He started out the year playing absolutely ghastly basketball. Then he got hurt and missed several months. He's been back in the lineup for almost a month now, and he's been... not bad, actually. Over the past two weeks, he's averaged 17-4-4 and shot the ball well. The Kings will likely need him to keep playing like this to get through this minefield.
Seattle's X-Factor: Dejounte Murray It's been an underwhelming season for Murray. He was acquired in the Harden deal, and Seattle undoubtedly had high hopes for him. When the season started, it looked like he was going to live up to those hopes, as he was a triple-double threat every night. Then he just kind of... disappeared. He's been hit or miss since, alternating great games with total duds.
Kansas City's Reason for Hope... they're healthy This is actually the same reason we used last year, and it bears repeating this season. The Kings are remarkably healthy. Not one player on their roster is banged up, and those coming off injury have been back long enough that a maintenance day would be unexpected. Since the Kings' strength is their depth, they cannot afford to miss games.
Seattle's Reason for Hope... they have the two best players Not only are the Sonics healthy and deep, but they easily have the two best players in Harden and Beal. Frankly, those two are likely to be the two best players in any Western Conference match-up, so they should maintain boatloads of confidence.
I'm a neutral observer, why should I root for Kansas City? At this point, Poopy's... enthusiasm... is well known. He's loud, he's eccentric, he exhibits sociopathic tendencies, and he may or may not be keeping a dossier on all his friends in an effort to break them psychologically. All of that could be true, but don't let that distract you from the fact that he's a solid fantasy owner. Over the course of the last year, starting in the summer, he managed to turn an injured Kevin Durant, Kemba Walker and a future pick into Kevin Love, LaMarcus Aldridge, Mike Conley, Buddy Hield, DeMar DeRozan and Alec Burks. He wisely selected Brandon Clarke with a mid-first round pick, and he swapped out Marvin Bagley for SGA. He's made some great moves, and his team has earned their top spot. Of course, you root for them to see what Poopy does next.
I'm a neutral observer, why should I root for Seattle? I think it's getting lost just how far away Seattle has been over the last decade. They made the playoffs in the inaugural season of this league. That was back when 6 teams from each conference made it, and Seattle got in as the 6th seed with a hilariously bad 7-13 record. Since then, the best they've finished is .500, which they've done twice (most recently last year). This has been, historically, the worst team in the Western Conference since the league's inception. Every other team in the league, save Colorado, has made the playoffs since the last time Seattle was here. There's literally no history to fall back on here. Even real life teams like the Cavs and Raptors had fleeting moments of success before they hit it big. I've got nothing. Seattle winning it all would literally be unprecedented.
POSTSEASON ROSTERS Kansas City Aldridge, LaMarcus Bridges, Miles Burks, Alec Clarke, Brandon Conley, Mike DeRozan, DeMar Gilgeous-Alexander, Shai Hield, Buddy Jones, Tyus Love, Kevin McCollum, CJ McGee, JaVale Temple, Garrett Williams, Lou
Seattle Adebayo, Bam Allen, Jarrett Ariza, Trevor Ball, Lonzo Beal, Bradley Bjelica, Nemanja Covington, Robert Gobert, Rudy Green, Danny Harden, James Lopez, Brook Murray, Dejounte Satoransky, Tomas Tucker, PJ
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Post by Miege22 on Feb 10, 2020 13:12:31 GMT -5
WEST: Minnesota vs. Portland
How They Got Here Minnesota is the #2 seed, finishing at 12-4. They finished 2nd in the Midwest Division and come in on a 7-game winning streak.
The Portland Trailblazers are the #3 seed, having gone 12-4. They won the Pacific Division for the 2nd time in 3 years, and they are on an 8-game winning streak.
Postseason History This is Minnesota's 2nd playoff appearance. They last made the playoffs in 2012, beating Cleveland but losing to Utah in the WCF. All-Time Playoff Record: 1-1 Finals Record: N/A Titles: 0
This is the 6th playoff appearance for the Trailblazers. They last made the playoffs in 2018, advancing to the NBA Finals before falling to the Brooklyn Nets. All-Time Playoff Record: 3-4 Finals Record: 0-1 Titles: 0
Regular Season Meeting(s) These two played in week 8 (Dec. 9-15). The Timberwolves won, 5-4.
Statistical Rankings Among Playoff Teams Minnesota FG %: 1st (2nd) FT %: 2nd (3rd) 3PTM: 8th (13th) REBS: 7th (9th) ASTS: 5th (6th) STLS: 6th (7th) BLKS: 7th (8th) TOS: 1st (8th) PTS: 8th (11th)
Portland FG %: 4th (5th) FT %: 8th (15th) 3PTM: 4th (4th) REBS: 3rd (3rd) ASTS: 3rd (3rd) STLS: 4th (4th) BLKS: 2nd (2nd) TOS: 5th (16th) PTS: 3rd (3rd)
KEY INJURIES Minnesota - none
Portland - Derrick Rose (hip - DTD)
Series Notes -Minnesota's all-time record is 68-108 (regular season)
-Portland's all-time record is 90-86
-A match-up of the two hottest teams in the league, as these two have combined to win their last 15 match-ups
-This is one of the rare playoff series where the lower seeded team might actually be the favorite
Wait a minute. Did you say Minnesota was the TWO seed? Indeed I did. It's been a remarkable season up north. After jumping out to a 6-3 record in 2019, and looking like a playoff team, the Wolves proceeded to lose 6 straight and miss the playoffs. That led to a teardown, as they traded away Blake Griffin, Zach LaVine and Chris Paul in the summer. Then, something unusual happened. The Houston Rockets failed to re-sign Nikola Jokic, making him a free agent. The Wolves sprung into action. They already had loads of cap space, but rather than get dragged into a bidding war, they moved multiple picks to ensure they'd have more cap space than any other team. They threw a mammoth one-year offer at Jokic, and, suddenly, they had a star. It was a little shaky initially, and things looked grim after losing to Orlando in week 5 to fall to 2-3. But they rebounded to win 11 of their final 12 games, and now, they're finally back in the postseason.
Is Portland not the best team in the West right now? You could certainly argue that case, and it would be really hard to disagree. They've been virtually unstoppable since bringing in Hassan Whiteside. Draymond Green has probably been their worst player, and much of that has to do with the fact that he's missed so many games. Chris Paul's been great. Melo has hit. John Collins has been a double-double machine since coming back from suspension. This is basically a supercharged version of the 2018 team that went to the Finals. Their schedule also appears to be backloaded as well, and they will play a TON of games in this first round match-up. They may have lost to Minnesota earlier this season, but this is a far different, far better team.
Minnesota's highlight of the season... week 14 vs. Kansas City Despite their winning streak, and their head-to-head wins over both Seattle and Portland, the Wolves were no lock for the playoffs entering their week 14 match-up against the West's top team. With KC and Memphis still on the schedule, a 10-6 finish was not out of the question. Even an 11-5 finish wouldn't guarantee a playoff spot. The only way for the Wolves to guarantee themselves a bid, would be to win out. Heading into the final day of their match-up with KC, the Wolves trailed, 5-4. Thanks to Nikola Jokic and Bruno Fernando, the Wolves were able to flip rebounds, secure the win, and kickstart their final sprint to the finish line.
Portland's highlight of the season... week 16 vs. Seattle It's got to be the Pacific Division championship game, right? Heading into the final week, it seemed likely that both Seattle and Portland would make the playoffs, regardless of their outcome. That doesn't mean it lost significance. Seeding was still to be determined and, for both teams, bragging rights. The Sonics were scuffling a bit, but they had just traded for Bradley Beal. Portland came in red hot, determined to prove they were the best team in the Pacific Northwest. The match-up did not disappoint as Portland rallied on Saturday and Sunday to flip free throws and the match-up, 5-4.
Who to keep an eye on for Minnesota... Matisse Thybulle The rookie D-Leaguer has been an absolute thief for Minnesota, and he's basically been on the active roster for most of the second half of the season. He'll only be able to play in two of three potential playoff match-ups, but Minnesota will definitely need him in this round. Steals are a category they can win, and he'll play a big role.
Who to keep an eye on for Portland... Duncan Robinson Robinson is the shooter on this team, capable of winning threes by himself. Portland isn't wanting for three-pointers, but if Robinson goes cold, they could have some issues in that category.
Minnesota's X-Factor: Larry Nance Jr. Nance is the rare big capable of contributing everywhere, and they'll need a big series from him to advance. It remains to be seen what kind of role he has in Cleveland's now crowded front court.
Portland's X-Factor: Dennis Schroder He was the X-Factor for Houston last year, so it only seems right he is the X-Factor for Portland this year. If he plays well, Minnesota won't stand a chance. Maybe that's too reductive, but he's the third best PG on this roster behind CP3 and Dinwiddie.
Minnesota's Reason for Hope... they're capable in areas playoff teams sometimes struggle They shoot it well, take care of the ball, and they have defensive talent. The Wolves are likely going to have a tough time in the counting offensive categories (points, threes, assists). The Blazers just have so much firepower. However, the Wolves do have a number of guys that can rebound, shoot it well from both the floor and the line, and rack up steals and blocks. If there's a path to victory, that's it.
Portland's Reason for Hope... they've been the best team in the league for 8 weeks The Trailblazers have dispatched everyone in their path with relative ease for the 2nd half of the season. Guys they gambled on (Paul, Melo, Whiteside, Schroder, Harrell) have all looked great and show no signs of slowing down. As mentioned previously, they will have a boatload of games during this series (no word on a potential conference finals of Finals schedule). And they owe Minnesota a bit of revenge for their last loss.
I'm a neutral observer, why should I root for Minnesota? What's not to like here? The Wolves are the best example to show an owner if they question whether or not they can make the playoffs from scratch. They saw an opportunity, they pounced on it, and they haven't looked back. They also have almost no playoff history to fall back on, and, from a talent standpoint, will be at a huge disadvantage basically every round they're in. Amazingly, only three players on this team score more than 19 ppg. They may be the two seed, but a win would be an upset. It would also be great for the league for some new blood to advance.
I'm a neutral observer, why should I root for Portland? They're out for a measure of redemption after 2018's crushing loss in the Finals to Brooklyn. After getting crushed by injuries last year, falling just a rebound short of getting back in the playoffs, Portland left no doubt about their abilities. They also deserve a lot of credit for trading for Chris Paul despite his uncertainty last summer (ironically enough, they got him from Minnesota). That move has worked out beautifully, as has the trade for Whiteside and the signing of Melo. This is just a fun team with a bunch of likable dudes, if we're being honest. It's hard to root against them. This could also be their revenge tour with potential match-ups against KC and Brooklyn/Tampa looming. It's also the last year in PDX, as the team will be moving to Miami and competing in the East starting next season.
POSTSEASON ROSTERS Minnesota Bamba, Mo Brogdon, Malcolm Brown Jr., Troy Caboclo, Bruno Exum, Dante Fernando, Bruno Gallinari, Danilo Hart, Josh Jokic, Nikola Morris, Monte Nance Jr., Larry Napier, Shabazz Robinson, Mitchell Sexton, Collin Thybulle, Matisse (D-League)
Portland Anthony, Carmelo Collins, John Dinwiddie, Spencer Green, Draymond Harrell, Montrezl Harris, Tobias Huerter, Kevin Oubre Jr., Kelly Paul, Chris Robinson, Duncan Rose, Derrick Schroder, Dennis Theis, Daniel Whiteside, Hassan
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Sir Poopy, Duke of Poop
Owner
Chief Justice Sir Poopy
I am the ruler of chaos and I am here to disobey rules!!!
Posts: 1,360
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Post by Sir Poopy, Duke of Poop on Feb 11, 2020 10:19:39 GMT -5
WEST: Kansas City vs. SeattleHow They Got HereKansas City comes in as the #1 seed in the Western Conference, finishing at 13-3. They are the winners of the Midwest Division.Seattle is the #4 seed after going 11-5. They finished second in the Pacific Division.Postseason HistoryThis is the 6th playoff appearance for the Kings. They made the playoffs last year as the #3 seed, beating Houston then losing to Memphis in the WCF. All-Time Playoff Record: 4-5 Finals Record: N/A Titles: 0This is Seattle's second playoff appearance. They last made the playoffs in 2010, beating the Denver Nuggets before losing to Cleveland. All-Time Playoff Record: 1-1 Finals Record: N/A Titles: 0Regular Season Meeting(s)These two played in week 5 (Nov. 18-24). The Kings won, 5-4.Statistical Rankings Among Playoff TeamsKansas City FG %: 8th (14th) FT %: 1st (1st) 3PTM: 3rd (3rd) REBS: 5th (5th) ASTS: 5th (6th) STLS: 8th (15th) BLKS: 3rd (3rd) TOS: 4th (15th) PTS: 4th (4th)Seattle FG %: 2nd (3rd) FT %: 7th (14th) 3PTM: 5th (5th) REBS: 1st (1st) ASTS: 4th (5th) STLS: 1st (1st) BLKS: 1st (1st) TOS: 6th (18th) PTS: 5th (6th)KEY INJURIESKansas City - noneSeattle - noneSeries Notes-Kansas City's all-time record is 97-79 (regular season) -Seattle's all-time record is 62-114 (regular season) -With the 7-game winning streak to end last season, the Kings are now 20-3 in their last 23 regular season games. -Seattle held on to the fourth seed despite losing their season finale due to their head-to-head win over Utah. They actually played Kansas City in their last trip to the playoffs, however, the Kings were in Denver at the time. Do the Kings have the stars to pull this thing off?That's the million dollar question hanging over the Western Conference. The Kings have been the most consistent of any of the four playoff teams, yet you'd be hard-pressed to find any top-25 fantasy players on their roster. However, what they do have is depth. Loads and loads of depth. Kevin Love, DeMar DeRozan, LaMarcus Aldridge, CJ McCollum, SGA, Buddy Hield, Lou Williams, Miles Bridges, Mike Conley, and Brandon Clarke make up their top 10. Fittingly, this team has loads of #2 options. In the past, quality has beaten quantity in this league. We'll see if Kansas City can buck the trend.Should we be concerned about Seattle's finish?The Sonics ended the season losing two of their last three. After a fantastic start, they've gone 3-3 in the last six weeks. They're healthy, and they just a made a blockbuster move to land Bradley Beal, but is there something going on below the surface we should be worried about? It's hard to say. The Sonics are still putting up bonkers steal and block totals, and guys seem to be playing up to their normal standards. This may just be a case of running into a tough closing schedule. Their three losses in the last six weeks came against Brooklyn (undefeated), Memphis (healthy for seemingly the only week of the season), and Portland (hadn't lost since early December). It's been a common refrain that you just need to get into the playoffs, and anything can happen, so we'll say don't fret over the .500 finish.Kansas City's highlight of the season... week 1 vs. MemphisThe Kings own wins against fellow playoff teams Portland and Seattle. They won 13 games, their most in franchise history. Since none of those wins stand out the way a few of last year's did, we're going to go all the way back to the beginning. The Kings talked a big game over the summer, and they made a number of moves to try and win a championship. Their season started against the team that knocked them out of the playoffs last year, the defending Western Conference champion Memphis Grizzlies. After talking the talk, the Kings more than walked the walk, dominating the Grizzlies from start to finish. It was their way of staking claim to the mantle of conference favorite.Seattle's highlight of the season... the Harden trade The Sonics had been accumulating young talent for years, and for a stretch last season, it looked like it would pay off earlier than anyone expected. Unfortunately, the wheels fell off, and Seattle came up just short of the playoffs. That led to an ownership change and a bold move: trading for James Harden. The Beard was coming off the best season of his career, winning the MVP, Finals MVP and capturing his fourth title. It seemed unlikely that Brooklyn would move him, but Seattle ponied up an offer they couldn't refuse. With that, Seattle cemented themselves as a formidable challenger in a loaded Western Conference. Who to keep an eye on for Kansas City... Alec BurksBurks was putting up great numbers before the real deadline, when he got shipped to Philadelphia. It remains to be seen if he will continue to be a contributor. If he is, it will almost certainly be at a lesser level than when he was in Golden State. He's definitely a player to watch for the Kings. Who to keep an eye on for Seattle... PJ TuckerTucker was part of a deadline deal that landed Bradley Beal, but he should not be overlooked as the playoffs start. He's been thrust into a center role, giving the Sonics yet another player at that position, yet he fills up categories that are traditionally dominated by wings. The extra position of eligibility should help keep Seattle flexible. Kansas City's X-Factor: Mike ConleyConley has been a disappointment for basically the entire season. He started out the year playing absolutely ghastly basketball. Then he got hurt and missed several months. He's been back in the lineup for almost a month now, and he's been... not bad, actually. Over the past two weeks, he's averaged 17-4-4 and shot the ball well. The Kings will likely need him to keep playing like this to get through this minefield.Seattle's X-Factor: Dejounte MurrayIt's been an underwhelming season for Murray. He was acquired in the Harden deal, and Seattle undoubtedly had high hopes for him. When the season started, it looked like he was going to live up to those hopes, as he was a triple-double threat every night. Then he just kind of... disappeared. He's been hit or miss since, alternating great games with total duds.Kansas City's Reason for Hope... they're healthyThis is actually the same reason we used last year, and it bears repeating this season. The Kings are remarkably healthy. Not one player on their roster is banged up, and those coming off injury have been back long enough that a maintenance day would be unexpected. Since the Kings' strength is their depth, they cannot afford to miss games.Seattle's Reason for Hope... they have the two best playersNot only are the Sonics healthy and deep, but they easily have the two best players in Harden and Beal. Frankly, those two are likely to be the two best players in any Western Conference match-up, so they should maintain boatloads of confidence.I'm a neutral observer, why should I root for Kansas City?At this point, Poopy's... enthusiasm... is well known. He's loud, he's eccentric, he exhibits sociopathic tendencies, and he may or may not be keeping a dossier on all his friends in an effort to break them psychologically. All of that could be true, but don't let that distract you from the fact that he's a solid fantasy owner. Over the course of the last year, starting in the summer, he managed to turn an injured Kevin Durant, Kemba Walker and a future pick into Kevin Love, LaMarcus Aldridge, Mike Conley, Buddy Hield, DeMar DeRozan and Alec Burks. He wisely selected Brandon Clarke with a mid-first round pick, and he swapped out Marvin Bagley for SGA. He's made some great moves, and his team has earned their top spot. Of course, you root for them to see what Poopy does next.I'm a neutral observer, why should I root for Seattle?I think it's getting lost just how far away Seattle has been over the last decade. They made the playoffs in the inaugural season of this league. That was back when 6 teams from each conference made it, and Seattle got in as the 6th seed with a hilariously bad 7-13 record. Since then, the best they've finished is .500, which they've done twice (most recently last year). This has been, historically, the worst team in the Western Conference since the league's inception. Every other team in the league, save Colorado, has made the playoffs since the last time Seattle was here. There's literally no history to fall back on here. Even real life teams like the Cavs and Raptors had fleeting moments of success before they hit it big. I've got nothing. Seattle winning it all would literally be unprecedented.POSTSEASON ROSTERS Kansas City Aldridge, LaMarcus Bridges, Miles Burks, Alec Clarke, Brandon Conley, Mike DeRozan, DeMar Gilgeous-Alexander, Shai Hield, Buddy Jones, Tyus Love, Kevin McCollum, CJ McGee, JaVale Temple, Garrett Williams, LouSeattle Adebayo, Bam Allen, Jarrett Ariza, Trevor Ball, Lonzo Beal, Bradley Bjelica, Nemanja Covington, Robert Gobert, Rudy Green, Danny Harden, James Lopez, Brook Murray, Dejounte Satoransky, Tomas Tucker, PJ The corruption is unreal! You mention my healthy team and then both Conley and derozan sit! You jinxed me! Corrupt and witch I tell you!!
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Post by Miege22 on Feb 12, 2020 22:18:43 GMT -5
Welp, Dame just popped his groin. Was a fun regular season everyone.
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Post by Miege22 on Feb 13, 2020 18:48:04 GMT -5
I tell you what, Chicago is getting more playoff time injury bumps than I can remember.
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Sir Poopy, Duke of Poop
Owner
Chief Justice Sir Poopy
I am the ruler of chaos and I am here to disobey rules!!!
Posts: 1,360
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Post by Sir Poopy, Duke of Poop on Feb 13, 2020 20:34:58 GMT -5
I tell you what, Chicago is getting more playoff time injury bumps than I can remember. Um last time I checked you used your voodoo witch magic to injury Love, Conley and Derozan! Also my sources have confirmed that you have an insider with the Spurs to make sure Derozan was rested! Your corruption never ends does it!
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Post by Miege22 on Feb 13, 2020 20:37:43 GMT -5
Dame likely out the rest of the series. And PG playing like absolute garbage.
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Post by Miege22 on Feb 13, 2020 21:54:10 GMT -5
Man, trading Jrue for PG is going to go down as the worst trade I've ever made. Never felt good about it either.
Also, this series should be exhibit A for any team thinking they should play for the lottery instead of the playoffs. As we've seen over and over again, once you get in, anything can happen.
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Post by fernans (MIAMI HEAT) on Feb 13, 2020 22:43:37 GMT -5
Man, trading Jrue for PG is going to go down as the worst trade I've ever made. Never felt good about it either. Also, this series should be exhibit A for any team thinking they should play for the lottery instead of the playoffs. As we've seen over and over again, once you get in, anything can happen. join the club man. i traded caris 🤦🏽♂️🤦🏽♂️🤦🏽♂️🤦🏽♂️
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Post by Miege22 on Feb 19, 2020 15:18:37 GMT -5
Woo boy... Clint officially out for this round (and next), WCJ not coming back tomorrow, Dame likely out the rest of this series, PG banged up... I think we're going to see the biggest upset ever.
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Post by Miege22 on Feb 20, 2020 9:51:20 GMT -5
I guess I'm the only one intrigued right now?
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Post by moltreszwarriors on Feb 20, 2020 13:01:07 GMT -5
I'll believe it when I see it.
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Sir Poopy, Duke of Poop
Owner
Chief Justice Sir Poopy
I am the ruler of chaos and I am here to disobey rules!!!
Posts: 1,360
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Post by Sir Poopy, Duke of Poop on Feb 20, 2020 15:31:24 GMT -5
I guess I'm the only one intrigued right now? Well when the entire league is corrupted and you have corrupted all the mods in order for you to win... people tend to not care about your corruption and witch craft!
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