Official Around the NBA April 2019 Playoff Edition

OKC is trash lol. Why is everyone so afraid of them. Westbrook will throw up trash shots when he gets angry. George is their only truly elite player.

They swept us bc our energy was low and Westbrook was playing like a crack head. Our energy isn’t gonna be low in the playoffs.

 

Oh boy we’ve reached that awkward moment where I get to defend the blazers from all the people saying I’m a blazer-hater or something.

I think we win any first round matchup. Nurk was obviously a huge loss, but before Nurk went down we were a legit contender. We have enough depth without Nurk to win any first round series at home - assuming our passion is there, and judging by the last couple of games that’s not a given.

A lot will ride on Lillard’s leadership. He should be able to take us passed the first round if he doesn’t treat this as a lost year and pouts bc of Nurk (which is somewhat understandable).

 

Also recall that one loss vs OKC was due to complete bullshit: I.e. No ejection on Westbrook for body checking Nurkic, but Nurkic got ejected for nothing / a pseudo “head butt”. Not to mention a number of other missed calls (Nurkic elbowed in face, etc). Yet we still only lost by like 1 in OT.

 

I think they were headed to the WCF with Nurk, which maybe would have convinced guys like Hood and Kanter to stay on the cheap for another year, especially if KD left GS.

 

I think with Nurk they were a legit "fringe" contender. Like one of those teams that hey they could go on a run and if things go right for them maybe it could be their year. Without him, I think winning a 1st round series is gonna be seriously tough no matter who they play.

 

averaging a triple double three consecutive seasons is elite by anyones standards.

Lets not forget steven adams. With no nurk, if he gets kanter into foul trouble????

If i was okc, i would pound it inside to adams to get the fouls on kanter and we are in trouble.

Meyers isnt getting us past okc. Sorry @swish3

 

Well....we all wanted the Pelicans last year (i know i did!)..
This year, and I'm sick to say this again, but w/o Nurk, I don't think it matters who they play.
Lillard averaging 40 is their only hope to win a series.
Last night it tool EVERYTHING they had to beat am undermanned Nuggetts team most of us feel won't do very well in the post season.

 

I think the Blazers with a healthy Nurkic were conference finals contenders. I don't think they had any chance against the Warriors even fully healthy. As it stands now, I think they're likely to draw a rough opponent in the Jazz. If they do, I think they get eliminated in the first round. If they draw the Thunder, Spurs or Clippers, I think they have a good chance to make the second round.

 

I dissagree, jazz have a very good defense, but no star power and a average offense, they improved their offense in the past two moths by playing against crappier opponents. If we play OKC, we would have no one who could stop their two superstars, Paul George would average 40 and westbrook between 25-30, you saw what they did to us in the regular Season and especially in that overtime game with Kanter on the floor, hard pass on OKC from my side. I like our chances against Clippers, Spurs or Utah much more

 

Yup. The lesson that was learned is that, even in a favorable match-up we're at a huge disadvantage because Terry shits the bed in the POs. Will this be the season he finally has a counter to the Dame double-team? Not holding my breath!

 

Portland matched up with GS as good as anyone with #27 as they have no one to guard him.
His loss cannot be overstated.

 

Are you going on record by saying that Russell Westbrook is NOT and elite player? What in the fuck?

 

I wouldn't want to build a team around him, considering how inefficient he is as a volume scorer, his mediocre-to-poor defense and the fact that a few of his rebounds each game tend to be at the expense of teammates. He's still an elite rebounder for his position and a pretty good play-maker for others when dialed into doing so. He's heavily overrated by virtue of his monstrous stat lines, though, in my opinion.

 

You're Trippin. We can beat the Jazz.

 

The greatest thing is that OKC had Kevin Durant, James Harden and Russel Westbrook - and through their commitments to RW - managed to lose the 2 more influential players that had on that team.

Everyone is always going on about Portland's disaster of a draft of Oden over KD - but OKC had years of data and knowledge of all 3 players - and have basically made their bed by not extending JH and trying to trade RW - which with time lead to KD leaving too.