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Post by Miege22 on Feb 3, 2019 18:31:33 GMT -5
WEST: Memphis vs. Utah
How They Got Here Memphis is the #1 seed in the Western Conference, finishing 15-1. They were first in the Midwest Division. They come in having won 14 straight.
Utah is the #4 seed in the Western Conference, finishing 10-6. They were first in the Pacific Division. The Jazz made the playoffs by winning in week 15 by 1 shot and week 16 by 1 rebound.
Postseason History This is Memphis' fourth trip to the playoffs. They lost to Portland in the WCF last year. This is the third straight year they've played the Jazz in the first round. All-Time Playoff Record: 1-3 Finals Record: N/A Titles: 0
Utah is in the postseason for the tenth time in franchise history. They've made the playoffs every year of the league's existence. They lost to Memphis in the first round last year. All-Time playoff record: 9-9 Finals Record: 0-3 Titles: 0
Regular Season Meeting(s) These two played in week 2 (Oct. 22-Oct. 28). The Jazz won, 5-4.
Statistical Rankings Among Playoff Teams Memphis FG %: 7th (17th) FT %: 5th (5th) 3PTM: 1st (1st) REBS: 5th (9th) ASTS: 4th (4th) STLS: 1st (1st) BLKS: 3rd (6th) TOS: 3rd (14th) PTS: 4th (4th)
Utah FG % - 8th (18th) FT % - 4th (4th) 3PTM - 5th (5th) REBS - 8th (15th) ASTS - 2nd (2nd) STLS - 7th (14th) BLKS - 7th (16th) TOS - 2nd (13th) PTS - 6th (6th)
KEY INJURIES Memphis - Markelle Fultz (shoulder - out); Victor Oladipo (quad - out); Jeff Teague (foot - DTD)
Utah - Elfrid Payton (ankle - DTD)
Series Notes -This will be the rubber match between these two. Two years ago, the #4 seeded Jazz upset Memphis in round 1 by one shot. Last year, Memphis returned the favor in a blowout.
-Memphis' all-time record is 77-83
-Utah's all-time record is 127-33
-Utah is the only team in league history to make the playoffs in every season. Meanwhile, the Grizzlies are in the midst of the best three-season run in league history, going 46-2 in the regular season.
Memphis' highlight of the season... week 6 vs. Atlanta The Grizzlies may have ended up 15-1, but it wasn't all smooth sailing. They started the year with Bogdan Bogdanovic and Dirk Nowitzki on the bench, lost Oladipo for the year late in the season, and had numerous injuries throughout the season. In week 6, they welcomed in the undefeated Atlanta Hawks, a team that looked poised to get back to the postseason. Despite having no Dirk or Dipo, and with Fultz playing just 7 minutes, the Grizzlies managed to hold off the Hawks in a nailbiter, winning boards by 1, blocks by 2, turnovers by 4 and points by 4. The win was the fourth in the row for the Grizzlies, and it reasserted their position as the team to beat.
Utah's highlight of the season... week 16 vs. OKC Is there any other answer? The Jazz entered the last two weeks in a wildly precarious position, needing to win out and have Portland lose at least one game. The Jazz went into week 15 against a red hot Bulls team, and it looked as if Utah would miss the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. Then they got a monster Sunday against Chicago and watched as Dragan Bender was benched in the 2nd half of the final game, cementing their one shot win. A win against OKC looked like a much easier situation than the previous week against the Bulls, given OKC's injuries, but, again, it came down to the final game of the week. With four minutes left, the Thunder needed one rebound by OG Anunoby to knock the Jazz out of the playoffs. It didn't happen. Utah is now in the playoffs for the tenth consecutive season, making it by the SLIMMEST of margins.
Who to keep an eye on for Memphis... Jeff Teague, Derrick Rose and Al Horford Both Teague and Rose have been banged up this season, so if they manage to play, it will be a big boon for the Grizzlies. Al Horford is here because he is one of the more well-rounded bigs in the league. He's capable of performing in every category, and if he does, the Grizzlies will be tough to beat.
Who to keep an eye on for Utah... Marc Gasol and Mike Conley This seems obvious, but the real story for these two is if they get traded. If either or both are traded, then they will surely miss important games.
Memphis' X-Factor: PJ Tucker You know what you're going to get from guys like Paul George and KAT, but PJ is definitely the swing guy here. Capable of good defensive stats and threes, if Tucker is playing well, Memphis probably wins in a blowout.
Utah's X-Factor: Trevor Ariza Ariza has stepped up his all-around game since the real life Wall went down, and the Jazz are going to need that to continue if they want to have a chance.
Memphis' Reason for Hope... their overall talent level Look, Memphis may have taken a small step back after last year, but this is still one of the two most talented teams in the entire league. There's a reason they were able to go 15-1 despite all the injuries. If they play to their abilities, they should win.
Utah's Reason for Hope... they've already beaten Memphis this year It may have been all the way back in week 2, but the only team to actually beat Memphis this year is this Utah team. They're going to be behind the 8-ball, but it is possible, and they've proven it already this year.
I'm a neutral observer, why should I root for Memphis? The Grizzlies have been the class of the league for three years now, and the last two seasons have ended in absolutely heartbreaking fashion. Without Joel Embiid against Utah two years ago, they lost by just one shot. Last year, after forgetting to set their lineup on the opening day of the conference finals, they fell to Portland by two rebounds. It's hard to find a real life comparison for this Grizzlies team, as there are very few real life teams that have been as dominant in the regular season as this Grizzlies team. 46 wins in 48 tries is a record that will likely never be broken. Literally the only thing left to do is win a title.
I'm a neutral observer, why should I root for Utah? Everything that you just read about Memphis? Imagine that three-year stretch being ten years. It's hard to say a team that has been in the playoffs ten times is snake-bitten, but, at the same time, one would expect a team that makes ten playoffs to win at least one title. The Jazz have been to the finals three times, losing all three years. They've somehow managed to remake their team time and time again, and still make it here. Winning it all, especially with this team, would be the crowning achievement for the most successful franchise in the entire league. Winning the title this year would be somewhat reminiscent of the 2011 Dallas Mavericks winning the title.
POSTSEASON ROSTERS Memphis Beal, Bradley Bogdanovic, Bogdan Fultz, Markelle (OUT) George, Paul Horford, Al Nowitzki, Dirk Oladipo, Victor (OUT) Porter Jr., Otto Prince, Taurean Rose, Derrick Teague, Jeff Towns, Karl-Anthony Tucker, PJ Williams, Marvin
Utah Aldridge, LaMarcus Ariza, Trevor Bertans, Davis Conley, Mike Gasol, Marc Gortat, Marcin Green, JaMychal Iguodala, Andre Johnson, Tyler Matthews, Wes Morris, Markieff (OUT) Payton, Elfrid Redick, JJ Turner, Evan Wade, Dwyane
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Post by Miege22 on Feb 3, 2019 19:45:48 GMT -5
WEST: Houston vs. Kansas City
How They Got Here Houston is the #2 seed after going 12-4. The Rockets finished second in the Midwest Division.
Kansas City comes in as the #3 seed in the Western Conference, finishing at 11-5. They were third in the Midwest and come in on a 7-game winning streak.
Postseason History This is Houston's sixth playoff appearance. They lost to the Portland Trailblazers in the first round last year. All-Time Playoff Record: 7-4 Finals Record: 1-1 Titles: 1 (2017)
This is the 5th playoff appearance for the Kings. They last made the playoffs in 2014, when they lost to Utah in the WCF. All-Time Playoff Record: 3-4 Finals Record: N/A Titles: 0
Regular Season Meeting(s) These two played in week 7 (Nov. 26-Dec. 2). The Rockets won 6-2-1.
Statistical Rankings Among Playoff Teams Houston FG %: 2nd (5th) FT %: 2nd (2nd) 3PTM: 3rd (3rd) REBS: 3rd (4th) ASTS: 1st (1st) STLS: 4th (5th) BLKS: 8th (17th) TOS: 8th (20th) PTS: 1st (1st)
Kansas City FG %: 5th (12th) FT %: 3rd (3rd) 3PTM: 7th (10th) REBS: 7th (11th) ASTS: 3rd (3rd) STLS: 5th (12th) BLKS: 5th (11th) TOS: 4th (16th) PTS: 5th (5th)
KEY INJURIES Houston - Dante Exum (ankle - out); Emmanuel Mudiay (shoulder - out); Julius Randle (ankle - DTD)
Kansas City - none
Series Notes -Houston's all-time record is 105-55
-Kansas City's all-time record is 84-76
-Had it not been for the run Memphis is on, we'd be talking a lot more about Houston's last five years. Over the last five seasons, Houston is 64-16 with two finals appearances and one title.
-Believe it or not, the Kings used to be one of the premier franchises in this league. They went to back-to-back WCFs in 2013 and 2014, losing to the Utah Jazz both times.
Houston's highlight of the season... week 8 vs. Boston Much like Memphis' highlight, the Rockets had gotten off to a solid start when they prepared to take on a surprise out East. Boston entered the match-up 6-1 and looked to prove themselves against one of the league's best. It... did not go well for the Celtics. The Rockets throttled the Celtics en route to an 8-1 win. Nikola Jokic averaged a triple-double and both Kawhi and DeMar were fantastic. This was also the same week that the Rockets pulled off a surprise trade with the Wizards, sending out Jrue Holiday and bringing in Schroder and Julius Randle.
Kansas City's highlight of the season... week 15 vs. Portland You can point to their comeback win over Seattle that kickstarted their current win streak. You can talk about their late season comeback win over Colorado. Hell, you could maybe even say their early season win over Utah was the highlight. But we'll go with their thrilling come from behind and playoff clinching win over Portland. It was covered extensively in the weekly recap for week 15, so we won't rehash here. Suffice it to say, it's a perfect encapsulation of their season.
Who to keep an eye on for Houston... Malik Beasley It looked like this D-League signee was going to take a backseat come playoff time with the real life Nuggets getting healthy. However, he's played so well that they can't keep him off the floor. Beasley will enter the playoffs with three straight 20+ point games, including a career high 35 on Friday.
Who to keep an eye on for Kansas City... Tomas Satoransky, Iman Shumpert and Will Barton Pretty simple here, Sato is capable of putting up triple-doubles, and the Kings moved a first round pick late for Shump and Barton.
Houston's X-Factor: Dennis Schroder The Rockets have an incredible top-4, and even though Schroder isn't a real life starter, he is extremely productive off the bench. If he can provide consistent production, the Rockets are a tough out.
Kansas City's X-Factor: Andrew Wiggins Could it be anyone else? You never really know what you're going to get from Wiggins. He might drop 40 points and grab 10 boards, or he will shoot 3-18 and score 10 points while doing nothing else. If Kansas City is going to pull off the upset, Wiggins has to turn in superstar performances. We've seen him do it before, in Tampa Bay's 2015 title run.
Houston's Reason for Hope... the ceiling of their top-7 Steph, Jokic, Kawhi, DeMar, Randle (if healthy), Gordon, and Schroder form maybe the best top-7 in the entire league. No other team in the league, save maybe Memphis, can match the firepower of this group. If they're playing well, Houston is almost impossible to beat.
Kansas City's Reason for Hope... they're healthy The Kings enter the playoffs as the healthiest team in the entire league. It's not very often you see a team make it this far without even one player a little dinged up. That doesn't mean they won't have a guy miss a game here and there, but it's a comforting notion.
I'm a neutral observer, why should I root for Houston? Because you like to see the best teams win. The Rockets are also looking to bounce back after Kawhi missed the playoffs last year, derailing their shot at back-to-back titles. We also might get to see Memphis and Houston face each other in the conference finals for the first time ever. The Rockets are also looking to become the third team in league history to win multiple titles, but I'm going to come back to the Memphis point. The Rockets and Grizzlies have been the two best teams in the league over the last 3 years, and we still haven't seen them play each other in the playoffs. We need a conference finals with these two titans.
I'm a neutral observer, why should I root for Kansas City? Well, I could talk about how it would be redemption for a franchise that has fallen on hard times, but let's be real here. The reason to root for Kansas City is to see what their owner would say after winning. He's not always around, but when he does show up, he throws out some incredible quotes. He traded for Kevin Durant then attempted to change his team name to the "bitchass cupcakes" threatening to quit the league if it was denied. He had a multi-post rant about winning the loser's bracket title (not a thing). He, for some reason, approves and denies trades on a whim, despite having no actual mod powers, usually throwing in cryptic comments for the hell of it. He's called Kyrie Irving a "dumb poopy head," cornvan a "scallywag," and Lonzo Ball "Lobster Ball" (that may have been a typo). Upon making a trade with the Nets, he immediately decried it as collusion. You never quite know if he's rebuilding or trying to win. He also promised to win 36 straight championships starting this year. If the Kings were to win the title... one can only imagine the absolute insanity we're in for.
POSTSEASON ROSTERS Houston Beasley, Malik Curry, Stephen DeRozan, DeMar Exum, Dante (OUT) Gay, Rudy Gordon, Eric Hollis-Jefferson, Rondae Jokic, Nikola Leonard, Kawhi Mudiay, Emmanuel (OUT) Olynyk, Kelly Parker, Jabari Poeltl, Jakob Randle, Julius Schroder, Dennis
Kansas City Bagley III, Marvin Barton, Will Bridges, Miles Davis, Ed Durant, Kevin Hill, George Jackson, Reggie Nance Jr., Larry Plumlee, Mason Satoransky, Tomas Shumpert, Iman Walker, Kemba Wiggins, Andrew Williams, Lou
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Post by Miege22 on Feb 3, 2019 22:01:55 GMT -5
EAST: Boston vs. Tampa Bay
How They Got Here Boston enters the postseason as the #1 seed, finishing 12-4. They won the North Division and have won five straight.
Tampa Bay is the #4 seed at 9-7. They won the Southeast Division.
Postseason History The Celtics are making their second playoff appearance in franchise history. They last made the playoffs in 2015, losing to the Tampa Bay Bull Sharks in the first round All-Time Playoff Record: 0-1 Finals Record: 0-0 Titles: 0
This is the Bull Sharks' 8th playoff appearance. They last made the playoffs in 2017, losing to the Washington Wizards in the ECF. All-Time Playoff Record: 11-4 Finals Record: 3-0 Titles: 3 (2012, 2015, 2016)
Regular Season Meeting(s) The Celtics and Bull Sharks played in week 11 (Dec. 24-Dec. 30). The Bull Sharks won 5-4.
Statistical Rankings Among Playoff Teams Boston FG %: 4th (11th) FT %: 1st (1st) 3PTM: 2nd (2nd) REBS: 6th (10th) ASTS: 8th (17th) STLS: 8th (18th) BLKS: 4th (8th) TOS: 1st (8th) PTS: 3rd (3rd)
Tampa Bay FG %: 3rd (9th) FT %: 7th (12th) 3PTM: 8th (16th) REBS: 2nd (3rd) ASTS: 5th (5th) STLS: 6th (13th) BLKS: 6th (14th) TOS: 6th (18th) PTS: 8th (13th)
KEY INJURIES Boston - Danilo Gallinari (back - DTD); Nikola Mirotic (calf - DTD)
Tampa Bay - Allen Crabbe (knee - out); Kyle Lowry (back - DTD); Gary Harris (groin - DTD)
Series Notes -The #1 seed in the East is 7-2 all-time in their first playoff matchup
-The Celtics' all-time franchise record is 49-111
-The Bull Sharks' all-time franchise record is 98-62
-Boston is returning to the playoffs just two years after going 3-13. Their two year turnaround has been nothing short of remarkable.
Boston's highlight of the season... the Ben Simmons trade For most teams, the best part of their season is clinching a playoff spot, or beating a rival. But there's no doubt here that landing Ben Simmons a week before the trade deadline was THE moment of the year. The Celtics were on their way to the top seed when they pulled this off, but the had to watch as both Tampa Bay and Brooklyn made moves to shore up their roster. The Simmons trade was as close to a Woj Bomb as you can get in this league. Simmons wasn't listed on the block, Boston wasn't a lock to make the finals, so moving the Toronto pick seemed risky. But moving it for a guy like Simmons? Well, that's a no-brainer. Suddenly, the Celtics weren't just the top seed. They were the favorites.
Tampa Bay's highlight of the season... week 8 vs. Atlanta Flashback to December 2nd: the Bull Sharks are finishing up their 5th loss in 7 games, this one at the hands of Colorado in a game that really wasn't that close. They're four games back of the Hawks, multiple games out of the playoffs, and they don't have their pick. The situation looked dire, to say the least. The Bull Sharks absolutely had to win this game, as a massive underdog, if they wanted to keep their playoff hopes alive. And win is what they did... easily. Westbrook averaged 21-13-12, and the Bull Sharks had no issue with the Hawks. Tampa Bay proceeded to win 6 straight to get back into the playoff picture.
Who to keep an eye on for Boston... Danillo Gallinari and Nikola Mirotic Normally we don't like to point out injured players because they've been covered in the section above, but these two are massive for the Celtics. Three point shooting is one area that Boston has a distinct advantage. A big reason for that is because of Gallo and Mirotic. Without those guys, Boston's advantage in that area gets a little bit slimmer.
Who to keep an eye on for Tampa Bay... DeAndre Ayton There was a stretch there that it looked like Ayton would battle Luka for Rookie of the Year. Well, Ayton got hurt and Luka took off. Still, Ayton projects to be back for the playoffs, and he gives Tampa a much needed rim presence.
Boston's X-Factor: Brook Lopez Capable of knocking down 5 threes and picking up 5 blocks in the same game, there's just no big quite like Brook Lopez right now. If he plays well, the Celtics are tough to beat.
Tampa Bay's X-Factor: Kyle Lowry If he's healthy, Lowry gives Tampa a second triple-double threat. If he's not, the Bull Sharks are in trouble.
Boston's Reason for Hope... offensive firepower The Celtics have had a consistent formula: shoot it well, and take care of the ball. They've proven to be remarkably consistent when it comes to those aspects of the game, and there's no reason to expect it not to continue.
Tampa Bay's Reason for Hope... supreme depth The Bull Sharks went all in before the deadline adding Jusuf Nurkic, Joe Ingles, Kyle Lowry and Khris Middleton. The Celtics may have added the best player at the deadline, but the Bull Sharks easily added the best collection of talent.
I'm a neutral observer, why should I root for Boston? Because their owner took over a team with NOTHING, not even their own pick, and managed to turn them into the best team in the East in two years. They flipped Capela into a true superstar in Joel Embiid and found great signings in free agency. This is the Saints trading for Drew Brees and turning into a perennial playoff team territory. Plus, it would be nice to see some new blood win the East. The Nets and Bull Sharks have combined for 6 titles in 9 years, and they've represented the East 7 times. Not only would it be a great story for Boston to go from the bottom to the top in 2 years, but it would probably just be flat out good for the league.
I'm a neutral observer, why should I root for Tampa Bay? Tampa Bay has been one of the best franchises, historically, but this is still a team that was flat out bad last season. They won just 2 games last season, and they're looking to go from bottom 5 to title for the second time in franchise history. Also, maybe you like the Steelers. They seem like an apt comparison, accomplishment-wise for this Bull Sharks team.
POSTSEASON ROSTERS Boston Augustin, DJ Bogdanovic, Bojan Bradley, Avery Clarkson, Jordan Embiid, Joel Gallinari, Danilo Gibson, Taj Green, Jeff Lopez, Brook Mirotic, Nikola Morris, Monte O'Neale, Royce Powell, Norman Simmons, Ben
Tampa Bay Ayton, DeAndre Batum, Nicolas Burks, Alec Crabbe, Allen (OUT) Harris, Gary Ibaka, Serge Ingles, Joe Joseph, Cory Lowry, Kyle Middleton, Khris Morris, Marcus Nurkic, Jusuf Sabonis, Domantas Westbrook, Russell Winslow, Justise
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Post by Miege22 on Feb 3, 2019 23:11:27 GMT -5
EAST: Brooklyn vs. Chicago
How They Got Here Brooklyn is the #2 seed at 11-5. They finished 2nd in the North Division.
Chicago enters as the #3 seed. They finished 9-7 and were 3rd in the North Division.
Postseason History This is the Nets' 9th playoff appearance. They are the defending NBA Champions, defeating Orlando, Washington and Portland to win their third title. All-Time Playoff Record: 13-5 Finals Record: 3-1 Titles: 3 (2013, 2014, 2018)
The Bulls are back in the playoffs for the second time in their franchise history. They last made the playoffs in 2017, losing to Tampa Bay in the first round All-Time Playoff Record: 0-1 Finals Record: N/A Titles: 0
Regular Season Meeting(s) The Nets and Bulls played in week 12 (Dec. 31-Jan. 6). The Nets won 5-4.
Statistical Rankings Among Playoff Teams Brooklyn FG %: 1st (4th) FT %: 6th (10th) 3PTM: 4th (4th) REBS: 4th (8th) ASTS: 6th (7th) STLS: 3rd (3rd) BLKS: 1st (3rd) TOS: 7th (19th) PTS: 2nd (2nd)
Chicago FG %: 6th (15th) FT %: 8th (20th) 3PTM: 6th (8th) REBS: 1st (1st) ASTS: 7th (9th) STLS: 2nd (2nd) BLKS: 2nd (4th) TOS: 5th (17th) PTS: 7th (7th)
KEY INJURIES Brooklyn - De'Anthony Melton (ankle - out); Cedi Osman (ankle - DTD); Mo Bamba (leg - DTD)
Chicago - TJ Warren (ankle - out); Derrick Jones Jr. (knee - out)
Series Notes -The #2 seed in the East is 7-2 all-time in their first playoff matchup
-The Nets' all-time franchise record is 123-37
-The Bulls' all-time franchise record is 46-114
-The Nets have played in more playoff series than any other franchise in the league, but this will be the first time they have faced the Bulls in the postseason
Brooklyn's highlight of the season... week 10 vs. Boston The Nets are the defending NBA champions, and yet, they came into this season with a completely revamped roster. They entered their match-up with the Celtics looking to win the division for the 9th time in 10 years. In one of the more thrilling games of the season, they managed to come from behind on the final day thanks to Jaren Jackson Jr. and LeBron James to move to 8-2 and take the inside track on the division. They ended up struggling down the stretch thanks to LeBron's injury, losing the division by a game, but their week 10 win is a reminder of how dangerous this team can be.
Chicago's highlight of the season... week 10 vs. Houston While the Nets were in the midst of a first place showdown, the Bulls were on the verge of falling to 4-6 against one of the top teams in the Western Conference. The Bulls trailed heading into the final day, but they managed to flip assists and pull off the shocking win. It was exactly the jump start the Bulls needed to get back in the playoff race. The next week, they crushed the Swannies to put themselves in prime position.
Who to keep an eye on for Brooklyn... Cedi Osman and Ante Zizic Osman looked like he started to put it together over the last week and a half, so his ankle injury looms large. Ante Zizic barely played all season, but he started to get minutes over the last two weeks and he's been a walking double-double. If those two are playing, they give the Nets two key additions.
Who to keep an eye on for Chicago... Mario Hezonja, Noah Vonleh and DeAndre Bembry The biggest reason to keep an eye on these three is playing time. With the real life Knicks adding Wes Matthews and DeAndre Jordan, it will be interesting to see what happens with Hezonja and Vonleh. And will Bembry's playing time be impacted by Bazemore's return? Bembry and Vonleh, especially, have been key contributors for this Bulls team.
Brooklyn's X-Factor: Jaren Jackson Jr. Some days he looks like the best player from the 2018 draft. Other days, he can't stay on the floor because of foul trouble. Capable of a 5x5 or 5 and 5. If Jaren brings his A-game, Brooklyn will win.
Chicago's X-Factor: Donovan Mitchell Spida Mitchell struggled to start the year, but he has come on strong the last month. He only plays six games in this match-up, so Chicago will need all-star effort every time out.
Brooklyn's Reason for Hope... last year The Nets were unproven last year and terribly banged up going into the finals, yet they managed to win the title.
Chicago's Reason for Hope... schedule breaks The Bulls are going to get 8 games this round from Nikola Vucevic, who is in the running for most improved player. If he continues his all-star level play, it will be tough for the Nets' bigs to keep pace.
I'm a neutral observer, why should I root for Brooklyn? The obvious answer is you're a front runner. The classic "Warriors, Patriots, Duke" fan. In all seriousness, the Nets are trying to become the first team to win back-to-back titles two different times, and they're trying to win this year with an entirely different team. The only three players on this year's team that were on the roster last year are James Harden, LeBron James and Cedi Osman. The Nets also appear to be set up for long-term success with all the young talent on this team, so winning this year could be the start of something special.
I'm a neutral observer, why should I root for Chicago? The Bulls have been building and building, and they finally look ready to capitalize. They've also made 1 trade in the last three years, which is borderline incredible. They've built solely through the draft and free agency, which doesn't really seem possible. Also, much like Boston, they would be some fresh blood for the conference. A Boston-Chicago conference finals would be a lot of fun, both from a match-up standpoint and because it would guarantee a first time finals opponent.
POSTSEASON ROSTERS Brooklyn Bamba, Mo Brogdon, Malcolm Favors, Derrick Gilgeous-Alexander, Shai Harden, James Harrell, Montrezl Jackson Jr., Jaren James, LeBron Knox, Kevin McCollum, CJ Melton, De'Anthony (OUT) Osman, Cedi Portis, Bobby Siakam, Pascal Zizic, Ante
Chicago Bembry, DeAndre Bender, Dragan Beverly, Patrick Drummond, Andre Hezonja, Mario Jones Jr., Derrick (OUT) Len, Alex Mitchell, Donovan Russell, D'Angelo Smart, Marcus Vonleh, Noah Vucevic, Nikola Walker IV, Lonnie Warren, TJ (OUT)
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Post by Miege22 on Feb 3, 2019 23:32:52 GMT -5
I may have gotten too into the playoffs this year, ha
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Tampa Bay Bull Sharks
Moderator
2012 NBA Champions, 2015 NBA Champions, 2016 NBA Champions, 2024 GM League Cup Champions
Posts: 2,921
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Post by Tampa Bay Bull Sharks on Feb 4, 2019 11:01:23 GMT -5
These are great!! I mean, I hope I win, but damn if I am not cheering for Utah given the path it took to get here.
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Post by teefbe on Feb 4, 2019 11:15:25 GMT -5
Amazing work Miege!!
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Post by Miege22 on Feb 4, 2019 11:50:19 GMT -5
Thanks, guys. With it being the 10th year, I figured these previews should be fleshed out a little more than they have been in the past.
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Post by fernans (MIAMI HEAT) on Feb 4, 2019 12:50:35 GMT -5
These are great!! I mean, I hope I win, but damn if I am not cheering for Utah given the path it took to get here. That and that they have gone to the playoffs every year and never won the entire thing. Didnt realize that before. Pulling for them.
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Post by Miege22 on Feb 14, 2019 22:45:14 GMT -5
We've reached the All-Star Break, which means there are just 4 games left. Let's check in on the playoffs...
MEMPHIS vs. UTAH This one is about over, and, unfortunately for the Jazz, it was over fairly quickly. The trade deadline laid waste to the Jazz, as Marc Gasol, Tyler Johnson, Wes Matthews and JaMychal Green were all moved. Matthews was subsequently let go, costing the Jazz even more games. Injuries took Conley, Payton and Redick off the floor for at least a game each. And Marcin Gortat was waived. They really had no chance. But, to be honest, they probably wouldn't have had a chance even if healthy. The Grizz are basically totally healthy (sans Dipo and Fultz, neither of whom is expected back this season), and they are pouring it on. They'd be beating every team in the playoffs right now. They will be moving on to the WCF for the 2nd straight year.
HOUSTON vs. KANSAS CITY The Kings jumped out to a MASSIVE lead in the first 4 days of the series, but the Rockets have been slowly walking them down. It's now a total toss-up. The Kings lead 5-4, but 8 of the 9 categories are in play. The only category either team can feel good about is probably assists, which the Kings currently lead by 41. Otherwise? Houston leads points by 20, FG % by .001%, FT % by 0.17%, and steals by 11. The Kings lead threes by 4, rebounds by 14, blocks by 10, and turnovers by 4. Assuming neither team loses any players to injury, the Rockets will have a 25-22 advantage over the last four days.
BOSTON vs. TAMPA BAY The Celtics have held a lead in this series almost from the start, despite getting dominated on the glass and in assists. The Celtics can feel confident in points, threes and free throw %. Assuming Mirotic and Harris are back for Boston and Tampa Bay, respectively, both teams have 23 games remaining. As long as Boston keeps doing what they're doing, they'll be moving on to their first ECF in franchise history. Tampa Bay is going to need to find some blocks from players that don't normally block shots. That, and they're going to need to shoot it well. That's probably their most realistic path to victory here.
BROOKLYN vs. CHICAGO This one has been going back and forth, and Chicago has done quite a bit of work making this one a toss-up. They trailed by 7% in FG % going into Saturday, but they managed to come all the way back and briefly take the lead in the category before Brooklyn regained the lead the last couple of days. They also came back from 15 assists down to take the lead before Brooklyn came back and went up 12 going into the ASB. They did the same for blocks, and they cut a 16 steal deficit down to 5 over the last two nights. The Bulls have rebounds and turnovers in the bag, while the Nets have threes and points locked up. The Nets will have a 24-23 game lead, assuming no new injuries.
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Post by Miege22 on Feb 18, 2019 15:56:23 GMT -5
The week long gap they have now during the all-star break always drags this thing out. Feels like we haven't had a game in a month.
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Post by teefbe on Feb 20, 2019 13:57:45 GMT -5
Embiid out for who knows how long...ffs
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Post by teefbe on Feb 20, 2019 14:19:29 GMT -5
Embiid out for who knows how long...ffs OK its not that bad but still, hes out for the reminder of the Tampa matchup... I could really use his blocks smh
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Post by Miege22 on Feb 20, 2019 16:26:32 GMT -5
All these injuries popping up after the all-star break are... weird. Usually it's the other way around, like with Niko.
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Post by teefbe on Feb 21, 2019 20:30:26 GMT -5
Ben Simmons is tanking. Tampa closing in on blocks and slowly in point too. This is a toss up now.
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