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Post by Miege22 on Apr 4, 2021 22:15:35 GMT -5
EAST: Tampa Bay vs. BostonHow They Got HereTampa Bay is the #1 seed at 12-2. They won the Southeast Division.Boston enters the postseason as the #4 seed, finishing 8-6. They finished second in the North Division.Postseason HistoryThis is the Bull Sharks' 10th 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: 13-6 Finals Record: 3-0 Titles: 3 (2012, 2015, 2016)The Celtics are making their 4th playoff appearance in franchise history. This is their third consecutive year in the playoffs, as well as the third year in a row they've played the Bull Sharks. They have never faced another opponent in the postseason All-Time Playoff Record: 0-3 Finals Record: 0-0 Titles: 0Regular Season Meeting(s)The Celtics and Bull Sharks played in week 7 (Feb. 1-7). The Celtics won 6-3.Statistical Rankings Among Playoff TeamsTampa Bay FG %: 1st (2nd overall) FT %: 8th (17th) 3PTM: 2nd (2nd) REBS: 1st (1st) ASTS: 1st (1st) STLS: 2nd (2nd) BLKS: 2nd (2nd) TOS: 8th (20th) PTS: 2nd (2nd)Boston FG %: 4th (9th) FT %: 3rd (5th) 3PTM: 5th (7th) REBS: 5th (6th) ASTS: 7th (11th) STLS: 6th (7th) BLKS: 7th (16th) TOS: 3rd (14th) PTS: 5th (6th)KEY INJURIESTampa Bay -LeBron James (ankle - out); Domantas Sabonis (ankle – DTD); Jarrett Allen (concussion – DTD)Boston – Gordon Hayward (foot - out); Eric Gordon (groin - out); Darius Bazley (shoulder – out)Series Notes-The #1 seed in the East is 8-3 all-time in their first playoff matchup -The Celtics' all-time franchise record is 67-123 (regular season) -The Bull Sharks' all-time franchise record is 123-67 (regular season) -Like a bizarre version of Groundhog day, the Celtics and Bull Sharks meet for the third consecutive season in the first round. Is Tampa rolling or are they ROLLING?Winners of seven straight entering the playoffs, the Bull Sharks are ROLLING rolling. Not content to rest on their laurels, the Bulls Sharks went all in, trading their remaining picks for Chris Paul, Thad Young and Alec Burks at the deadline. They should have more than enough firepower to withstand LeBron’s absence over the next couple of weeks.Did Boston trade away their best shot?Well, that depends on who you ask. It’s hard to believe, but just two months ago, the Celtics were putting on the finish touches of a dominant performance against these very Bull Sharks. The win gave them the inside track to clinch the #1 seed. Then Joel Embiid got hurt. And Eric Gordon got hurt. And Darius Bazley went down. With three major injuries, and poor play across the board, Boston decided to sell and play for next year. Ironically, they find themselves in the exact same spot they were in last year: practically DOA against Tampa Bay.Tampa Bay's highlight of the season... week 11 vs. MiamiI think most people, when they see this question, would jump to Tampa Bay’s thrilling win against Western Conference powerhouse Seattle in week 6. However, their win late in the season against Miami is really what set in motion the chain of events opening up the East for the Bull Sharks. They throttled Miami to the point that the Heat decided to sell… and Tampa Bay was one of the beneficiaries of that teardown, landing Chris Paul for a future pick.Boston's highlight of the season... week 4 vs. SeattleBoston had a number of big wins, Tampa Bay and Miami come to mind, but their season-saving win against Seattle has to be the choice here. Staring down a 1-3 start with Utah, Tampa and Miami up next, the Celtics pulled out a giant win over a top-notch Seattle team. At that point, the Celtics looked like a formidable threat to Tampa Bay.Who to keep an eye on for Tampa Bay... Thaddeus YoungYoung was borderline untradeable until getting inserted into the starting lineup for the (real life) Bulls. The Bull Sharks jumped on him ahead of the deadline, and he’s paid major dividends filling the stat sheet. One of the rare players capable of a 5x5, he’s yet another all-around threat on this Bull Sharks roster. Who to keep an eye on for Boston... Gordon HaywardIf the Celtics are going to have any shot at pulling off this upset, they’re going to need Hayward to snap out of the recent funk he’s been in. The Celtics surprisingly grabbed Hayward in the off-season on a solid two-year deal, and he’s lived up to whatever expectations people had for him. Still, Boston is not starting from a place of strength here, so they need Hayward to channel his fantasy superstar past to keep them in it.Tampa Bay's X-Factor: Jamal MurrayBy far the hardest “star” to pin down. Murray is just as likely to drop 40 as he is 4, and that kind of variability can make owners very nervous. Fortunately, Tampa Bay has the reinforcements necessary to protect against bad Murray outings, and good Murray makes them basically unstoppable.Boston's X-Factor: Bojan BogdanovicBojan burst onto the scene last year after getting (real life) traded to the Jazz. He’s not been nearly as good this year, though, and it’s part of the reason Boston found themselves selling at the deadline. That said, there’s still a lights out shooter in there, and if he catches fire, look out.Tampa Bay's Reason for Hope... they’re stackedThis is one of the deepest teams in recent history, right up there with last year’s Nets and Sonics, and this year’s Rockets. It’s hard to point to any one player as being their reason for “hope,” but I guess you could point to their dominance in the absence of LeBron James.Boston's Reason for Hope... hard to sayThey sold at the deadline, and Embiid is likely out this whole match-up. In the context of this playoff run, it’s hard to be hopeful about anything. I'm a neutral observer, why should I root for Tampa Bay?There are actually some fun storylines here. The Bull Sharks haven’t won a title since 2016. The only player left from that team still on the roster is Zach LaVine (and he even took a minor detour before Tampa Bay got him back via trade). Of course, one can’t forget Chris Paul, one of the inaugural Bull Sharks and a member of the first title team. These two are the threads that connect this franchise from it’s present to it’s past, and in LaVine, likely it’s future. I'm a neutral observer, why should I root for Boston?Honestly, I’m just going to repeat what I said last year… “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 ROSTERSTampa Bay Allen, Jarrett Burks, Alec Fox, De’Aaron Green, Danny Holiday, Justin James, LeBron LaVine, Zach Morris, Marcus Murray, Jamal Paul, Chris Poeltl, Jakob Sabonis, Domantas Towns, Karl-Anthony Young, ThaddeusBoston Allen, Grayson Bazely, Darius Bogdanovic, Bojan Caldwell-Pope, Kentavious Embiid, Joel Gay, Rudy Gordon, Eric – IR Hayward, Gordon Kanter, Enes Looney, Kevon Nesmith, Aaron – D-League Payne, Cam Powell, Norman Simmons, Ben Tillman, Xavier
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Post by Miege22 on Apr 4, 2021 22:17:29 GMT -5
EAST: Miami vs. ChicagoHow They Got HereMiami is the #2 seed. They finished 11-3 and were 2nd in the Southeast Division.Chicago enters as the #3 seed. They finished 8-6 and were 2nd in the North Division.Postseason HistoryThis is the Heat’s 7th playoff appearance, though their first in Miami. Their previous six appearances occurred when the team was in Portland. They lost last year to the Seattle Supersonics in the Western Conference Finals. All-Time Playoff Record: 4-5 Finals Record: 0-1 Titles: 0The Bulls are back in the playoffs for the 4th time in their franchise’s history; it's their third straight appearance. They played the Nets in the first round last year. All-Time Playoff Record: 0-3 Finals Record: N/A Titles: 0Regular Season Meeting(s)The Heat and Bulls played in week 7 (Feb. 1-7). The Heat won 7-2.Statistical Rankings Among Playoff TeamsMiami FG %: 6th (15th) FT %: 6th (11th) 3PTM: 4th (5th) REBS: 6th (8th) ASTS: 4th (5th) STLS: 5th (6th) BLKS: 6th (12th) TOS: 2nd (12th) PTS: 7th (8th)Chicago FG %: 7th (16th) FT %: 2nd (2nd) 3PTM: 3rd (3rd) REBS: 3rd (3rd) ASTS: 6th (8th) STLS: 7th (11th) BLKS: 8th (19th) TOS: 5th (16th) PTS: 3rd (3rd)KEY INJURIESMiami – TJ Warren (foot - out); John Collins (ankle - out); Kira Lewis (calf – DTD)Chicago – D’Angelo Russell (knee – DTD); Rui Hachimura (shoulder – DTD); Isaiah Roby (concussion - DTD)Series Notes- The #2 seed in the East is 9-2 all-time in their first playoff matchup -The Heat's all-time franchise record is 101-89 (regular season) -The Bulls' all-time franchise record is 63-127 (regular season) -The Heat are attempting to become the first team in league history to make the Finals in both conferences. Chicago will be looking to get out of the first round for the first time ever. Miami is the underdog here, right?Almost definitely. One could argue that the Heat, had they kept the roster intact, would have been a formidable opponent in the conference finals. Alas, we will never find out if that was true. Of course, given they’ve shipped off pieces to Tampa, Houston and Seattle, you could say that someone from the Heat is winning a title this year. Is this the year for Chicago?If the goal is to get out of the first round, it just might be. Last season, the Bulls came incredibly close to upsetting the undefeated Nets in the first round, but a day of missed lineups ultimately cost them an historic victory. With the season then getting shutdown due to COVID, it’s hard to feel like we were robbed of anything. This time, though, the Bulls are back and won’t have the Nets standing in their way.Miami's highlight of the season... week 9 vs. Kansas CityBoth the Heat and Kings figured to be in the middle of the pack in their respective conferences when the season started, so when the two faced off in the second half of the year both firmly in second place? It was a surprise. The Heat left no doubt about who was better, trouncing the Kings and all but wrapping up a playoff spot.Chicago's highlight of the season... week 3 vs. BostonThe Bulls were unfairly maligned before the season, but a series of shrewd moves paid massive dividends. None of those were more obvious than their trade for Julius Randle prior to their week 3 game against Boston. The Celtics moved Randle to their conference rival, then proceeded to watch as he and the rest of the Bulls bullied them into submission. It was quite the coming out party for Chicago, as they announced that they were here to stay.Who to keep an eye on for Miami... Kira Lewis Jr.Lewis has seen more playing time recently, and while he isn’t likely to make a major difference in this series, he’s one of the young pieces Miami will be building around. If he performs well, the Heat will undoubtedly be happy.Who to keep an eye on for Chicago... Isaiah RobyNews of Al Horford’s deactivation wasn’t just a boon for Moses Brown fantasy owners. Roby figures to get increased playing time and opportunities with Horford out of the picture, and the Bulls are going to need it to get to the next round.Miami's X-Factor: Duncan RobinsonThe former D-III flamethrower hasn’t been quite as good as last year, but he’s been pretty damn close. He’s still capable of getting hot and winning a category all by himself.Chicago's X-Factor: Patrick WilliamsAfter bursting onto the scene, Williams has cooled off considerably of late. That said, he’s still capable of contributing in every category, and if he turns in those young “Kawhi-like” performances, then Chicago is a tough out.Miami's Reason for Hope... honestly, there is noneMuch like the Celtics, the Heat enter the playoffs playing for next year. From that perspective, it’s hard to find a reason to be hopeful about their title chances. Chicago's Reason for Hope... Miami folded up shopFor once, it’s the Bulls benefiting from another team playing for the future. Chicago is also loaded with stars, and that’s one of the most important factors when trying to find the next champion. Combine that with what should be a walkover in the first round, and Chicago will just be looking for good health heading into the conference finals.I'm a neutral observer, why should I root for Miami?Can we cheat and copy the same thing from the Boston section? Winning the title would be an extraordinary feat that we would not be able to put into words. It would take breaks of biblical proportions to pull off. It’s not happening.I'm a neutral observer, why should I root for Chicago?After bringing in a new owner, the Bulls immediately swung for the fences. They traded all their picks to bring in Middleton, Randle and Hachimura. They picked up rookies Pat Will and Avdija. They’ve done just about everything right since joining the league, and winning the first title in franchise history would be an amazing accomplishment.POSTSEASON ROSTERSMiami Barnes, Harrison Bazemore, Kent Bertans, Davis Carter Jr., Wendell Carter-Williams, Michael Collins, John Fournier, Evan Harrell, Montrezl Hayes, Killian Huerter, Kevin Lewis Jr., Kira Oubre Jr., Kelly Robinson, Duncan Warren, TJ Chicago Avdija, Deni Bacon, Dwayne Hachimura, Rui Herro, Tyler Middleton, Khris Mitchell, Donovan O’Neale, Royce Pritchard, Payton Randle, Julius Roby, Isaiah Russell, D'Angelo Satoransky, Tomas Vucevic, Nikola Williams, Patrick
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Post by Miege22 on Apr 4, 2021 22:19:11 GMT -5
WEST: Houston vs. PortlandHow They Got HereHouston is the #1 seed after going 12-2. The Rockets finished first in the Midwest Division, and they come in having won 12 of their last 13.Portland comes in as the #4 seed in the Western Conference, finishing at 10-4. They were second in the Pacific Division.Postseason HistoryThis is Houston's 7th playoff appearance. They last made the playoffs in 2019, losing the Kansas City Kings in round 1. All-Time Playoff Record: 7-5 Finals Record: 1-1 Titles: 1 (2017)This is the 4th playoff appearance for the Blazers, though their first since moving from Cleveland. They last made the playoffs as the Cavaliers in 2012.All-Time Playoff Record: 3-3 Finals Record: 0-1 Titles: 0 Regular Season Meeting(s)These two played in week 2 (Dec. 28 – Jan. 3). The Trailblazers won, 5-4.Statistical Rankings Among Playoff TeamsHouston FG %: 3rd (7th) FT %: 1st (1st) 3PTM: 1st (1st) REBS: 4th (4th) ASTS: 2nd (2nd) STLS: 1st (1st) BLKS: 5th (10th) TOS: 7th (19th) PTS: 1st (1st)PortlandFG %: 4th (9th) FT %: 4th (6th) 3PTM: 7th (9th) REBS: 8th (11th) ASTS: 3rd (4th) STLS: 8th (13th) BLKS: 3rd (3rd) TOS: 6th (17th) PTS: 4th (4th)KEY INJURIESHouston -Kyle Lowry (foot – out); Zion Williamson (thumb – DTD); Malik Beasley (hamstring – DTD)Portland – Kevin Durant (hamstring – DTD); John Wall (knee – DTD); Dylan Windler (knee – out) Series Notes-Houston's all-time record is 122-68 -Portland’s all-time record is 100-90 -The #1 seed in the West is 9-2 in first round match-ups. Last year’s #1 seed, the Kansas City Kings, became just the second top seed to lose in round one. -This is the third time in the last six years the Rockets have played a Portland Trailblazers team. The first two match-ups came against the now Miami Heat, a series that the two teams split. The Rockets have never played this version of the Blazers in the playoffs. Did you say that this team has Steph Curry AND Damian Lillard? Yes, yes we did. Arguably the two most lethal shooters in the history of the league have teamed up to form the greatest point guard duo this league has ever seen. Frankly, the Rockets really went all in on shooting and guard/wing play, as they also boast Jaylen Brown, Kawhi Leonard, Kyle Lowry, Malik Beasley, Jordan Clarkson and Gary Trent Jr. It’s what makes this team so fascinating. Can they shoot their way to a second title? Is Kevin Durant ever coming back?That’s the $64,000 question right there. When the Blazers upset Houston early in the season, it was Kevin Durant that led the charge. The refrain out of Portland has long been to simply wait for Kevin Durant. With Durant back, Portland can beat anyone. The problem, of course, is that Durant hasn’t come back. Will he finally return in time to save Portland’s title hopes? Houston's highlight of the season... week 11 vs. Minnesota The dream of a perfect season was dashed early, as the Rockets lost to these Blazers in week 2. What followed that loss was an incredible stretch of dominance not tested until the match-up against Minnesota. As luck would have it, the Rockets got the Wolves on the all-star break slot, which gave them a couple extra days. Those extra days proved to be the crucial difference between continuing this streak or not. Portland’s highlight of the season... week 12 vs. HoustonIf the highlight of the week is to find a team at it’s most dangerous, then week 2 is it for this Blazers team. Paul George was a monster, racking up 105 points, 20 threes, 27 rebounds, 20 assists and 10 steals. Throw in KD playing at an all-world level, and it’s easy to see why people were so high on Portland early in the season. Who to keep an eye on for Houston... Malik BeasleyHe was lighting it up early in the season before getting knocked out for 12 games because of a suspension. In that time, the (real life) Wolves saw Anthony Edwards start to come on, and now one has to wonder if the same touches will be there for Beasley when he returns. Who to keep an eye on for Portland... RJ BarrettThe 2nd year southpaw has been fantastic over the last couple of weeks, and Portland is absolutely going to need him to keep it up if they want to have any hope of staying with the incredible guard depth in Houston. Houston's X-Factor: Draymond GreenThe Rockets have a lot riding on Green, who they are counting on big-time to get them the classic big man stats. At this point in his career, Green really isn’t a scorer (frankly, he hardly shoots), so picking up boards, steals and blocks is going to be crucial to Houston’s success.Portland's X-Factor: Mikal BridgesHe can knock down threes and contribute big defensive numbers. He’s also still fairly young, and consistency is not yet his strong suit. If Portland is going to pull this upset, Bridges needs to put up numbers. Houston's Reason for Hope... they might be the most talented team everSteph, Dame, Brown, Kawhi, Lowry, Draymond, ZION.. somehow, someway, we’ve made it all the way through this preview and we’re JUST NOW mentioning Zion. That’s how good Portland is. Speaking of Zion, he’s shooting an unfathomable 63% from the floor on 16 shots per game. Goodness gracious.Portland's Reason for Hope... they’ve beaten HoustonOnly one team has managed to take down these Rockets, and that’s this Blazers team. If KD can come back and be the KD we all know, there’s absolutely no reason that Portland can’t do it again. I'm a neutral observer, why should I root for Houston?After injuries derailed them last season, the Rockets are back in the playoffs where they’ve gotten quite comfortable. It’s been a long four years, but they’re back as the favorites, and they’re on a collision course for a rematch with the Bull Sharks. If you’ll remember, the last time Tampa Bay won the Finals, they defeated Houston. The following year, we all expected to get the rematch, but Washington crashed the party. Perhaps this year we will finally get that second showdown.I'm a neutral observer, why should I root for Portland?This team hasn’t been to the playoffs since 2012! That should be reason enough to root for this club. More specifically, the Blazers showed a great blend of patience and risk-taking. They traded for Kevin Durant and signed John Wall last year, and they waited for both to get healthy and contribute this year (they have). They struck gold in the trade market this past summer, landing Paul George. They’ve done things the right way. POSTSEASON ROSTERS Houston Barton, Will Beasley, Malik Brown, Jaylen Clarkson, Jordan Curry, Stephen DiVincenzo, Donte Green, Draymond Griffin, Blake Leonard, Kawhi Lillard, Damian Lowry, Kyle Trent Jr., Gary Washington, PJ Williamson, ZionPortlandAnthony, Carmelo Barrett, RJ Bledsoe, Eric Bridges, Mikal Conley, Mike Durant, Kevin Gasol, Marc George, Paul Holmes, Richaun Jordan, DeAndre Kleber, Maxi Okogie, Josh Wall, John Windler, Dylan Young, Trae
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Post by Miege22 on Apr 4, 2021 22:20:34 GMT -5
WEST: Kansas City vs. SeattleHow They Got HereKansas City comes in as the #2 seed in the Western Conference, finishing at 11-3. They finished second in the Midwest Division.Seattle is the #3 seed after going 10-4. They won the Pacific Division for the first time in franchise history.Postseason HistoryThis is the 7th playoff appearance for the Kings. They made the playoffs last year as the #1 seed, losing the Soncis in round one. All-Time Playoff Record: 4-6 Finals Record: N/A Titles: 0This is Seattle's third playoff appearance. Last year they defeated the Kings and Blazers to reach the Finals. The Finals were canceled due to COVID. All-Time Playoff Record: 3-1 Finals Record: N/A Titles: 0Regular Season Meeting(s)These two played in week 13 (March 22-28). The Kings won, 6-3.Statistical Rankings Among Playoff TeamsKansas City FG %: 8th (16th) FT %: 7th (12th) 3PTM: 8th (11th) REBS: 7th (9th) ASTS: 8th (12th) STLS: 4th (5th) BLKS: 4th (7th) TOS: 1st (6th) PTS: 8th (12th)Seattle FG %: 2nd (6th) FT %: 5th (7th) 3PTM: 6th (8th) REBS: 2nd (2nd) ASTS: 5th (6th) STLS: 3rd (3rd) BLKS: 1st (1st) TOS: 4th (15th) PTS: 6th (7th)KEY INJURIESKansas City – Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (foot – out); Josh Hart (thumb – out)Seattle – Lonzo Ball (hip – DTD); Bradley Beal (foot – DTD); James Harden (hamstring – DTD)Series Notes-Kansas City's all-time record is 108-82 (regular season) -Seattle's all-time record is 72-118 (regular season) -The #2 seed in the West has not been a great landing spot lately. The #2 seed has lost each of the last two first round match-ups. -More playoff match-up oddities: Seattle has now made the playoffs three times, and they’ve faced the Kings in the first round each time. Wait a minute… didn’t the Kings very publicly announce a rebuild?That they did. In fact, they almost wouldn’t shut up about it. However, because they didn’t own their pick, the Kings couldn’t enter a full teardown. They had to remain competitive, but not many people would have predicted this kind of season for them. Every time they looked dead and buried, they rose up to pull off another incredible win. Oh, and just in case you didn’t think things could get any better? They own Memphis and OKC’s picks in the upcoming draft. Things really did come up all Poopy.Is this the same Sonics team we saw last postseason?Not quite, but they’re not far off. Their trade for TJ Warren went bust, but they were able to rebound at the deadline to pick up Dennis Schroder. This is still a team that boasts Bradley Beal, Bam Adebayo, Rudy Gobert and James Harden. Kevin Porter Jr. is back and producing, as is Dejounte Murray. This team is just as dangerous as ever.Kansas City's highlight of the season... week 13 vs. SeattleIn a season full of memorable and surprising wins, it had to be the playoff clincher. The Kings got a little good fortune on the injury front, and Seattle not setting lineups allowed them to celebrate on Sunday rather than sweat it out. However, even if lineups had been set, KC still would have won, only reinforcing that this team was, actually, good this season.Seattle's highlight of the season... week 5 vs. Brooklyn OK, so there was no real significance behind this win, nor was this outcome ever in doubt (even before it started). But we can’t help but lament the lost Finals of last year. The match-up that could have ended up in the pantheon of Finals. Brooklyn tore things down to the studs, so surely victory was not as sweet as it could have been… and that’s really the point, I think. Who to keep an eye on for Kansas City... Caris LeVertAs if Poopy’s season this year in and of itself wasn’t enough of a feel good story, there’s the saga of Caris LeVert. Typically, a trade isn’t something to rejoice over. This time, though, a trade saved a life. In the midst of the physical, a cancerous mass was discovered on LeVert’s kidney. He was immediately sent into surgery where the mass was removed, and he’s made a full recovery. He’s now back and helping lead the Kings to the playoffs. It’s truly a remarkable story, and if it doesn’t make one see the glass as half-full, I don’t know what will. Who to keep an eye on for Seattle... Lonzo BallBall was starting to absolutely light it up before missing a few games late in the season because of a bum hip. If he can get back to form, he gives Seattle yet another player that can wreak havoc on both sides of the ball. Kansas City's X-Factor: Kyle KuzmaKuz has been magnificent over the last month, averaging 16-8, and it’s a big reason Kansas City has continued to find ways to win. Amazingly, the Kings were able to nab him for just a little cash. Makes one wonder what Brooklyn could have gotten for him had they held him just a tad longer.Seattle's X-Factor: Kevin Porter Jr.One of the cool things about this Seattle team is all the home grown talent (more on that later), and Kevin Porter Jr. is the realization of a lot of late nights scouting. The (real life) Rockets have put the ball in his hands to create for himself and others, and he has not disappointed. KPJ is capable of putting up superstar-type numbers, and if Seattle wins the title, he figures to be one of the primary drivers.Kansas City's Reason for Hope... they just can’t stop winningHonestly, winning a title would be like the fourth most insane thing to happen to this team this year. We’ve already gone over LeVert, the two unexpected lotto picks and the Kuzma steal. But how about landing Nerlens and benefiting from a second Mitch Rob injury? What about picking up Terrence Ross and watching the (real life) Magic finally tear things down? So much craziness has happened to get to them to this point. What’s a little bit more?Seattle's Reason for Hope... they’ve done it beforeEven though it ended up getting canceled, the Sonics have won in the playoffs. They’ve beaten these Kings. They’ve made the Finals. This is no longer new ground for them. They’re going to be at a significant talent advantage against KC, and over the course of two-week match-up, those things typically win out. After that, it’s just about playing to their potential.I'm a neutral observer, why should I root for Kansas City?In just the past year, Sir Poopy has gone from league disruptor, to by the book mod, to the fantasy basketball joker. All while leading his team to the playoffs once again. You root for Kansas City because you want to introduce a little anarchy into the system. See what happens.I'm a neutral observer, why should I root for Seattle?This is the most Seattle team ever. KPJ, Dejounte Murray and Jaden McDaniels are all Seattle kids. Isaiah Stewart, their D-League signee, is a UW grad. I don’t care who you are, that’s just flat out cool. Beyond that, it would be a fitting end to a story that was unfairly cut short last season.POSTSEASON ROSTERS Kansas City Birch, Khem Caruso, Alex Clarke, Brandon Ennis, James Finney-Smith, Dorian Gilgeous-Alexander, Shai – IR Hart, Josh Kuzma, Kyle LeVert, Caris McCollum, CJ Noel, Nerlens Portis, Bobby Ross, Terrence Walker, Kemba Wright, DelonSeattle Adebayo, Bam Ball, Lonzo Beal, Bradley Covington, Robert Crowder, Jae Gobert, Rudy Green, JaMychal Harden, James Lee, Saben Lopez, Brook McDaniels, Jaden Murray, Dejounte Porter Jr., Kevin Schroder, Dennis Stewart, Isaiah – D-League
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Tampa Bay Bull Sharks
Moderator
2012 NBA Champions, 2015 NBA Champions, 2016 NBA Champions, 2024 GM League Cup Champions
Posts: 2,922
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Post by Tampa Bay Bull Sharks on Apr 5, 2021 5:52:19 GMT -5
Miege - GREAT job with these breakdowns! The graphics are dope too. Fantastic work
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Post by fernans (MIAMI HEAT) on Apr 5, 2021 8:22:33 GMT -5
you’ve outdone yourself here sir 👏🏽
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Post by teefbe on Apr 5, 2021 10:34:00 GMT -5
Outstanding work
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