2023-2024 Playoffs: March Toward _______?

[eChameleon]

If he can take us to the ECF he would deserve to keep his job. Don’t think it’s happening tho :-(

I actually agree. If we make the ECF, run it back with everyone uninjured and let's see what happens.

 

[Wham with the Right Hand]

Knicks record is 1-4 against Boston this year and the Sixers are 1-3… Sixers are 1-1 with Embiid this year, and Knicks are 1-0 with that game coming on April 11 (a game with little incentive for Boston)..

Not discounting what the current rosters are, just thought it was interesting the Cavs and Magic of all teams have had the most success of any Eastern Conference team the last two seasons — who would have thought that?

The Knicks are 1-0 against Boston since they traded for Anunoby, but as you stated, they needed that game a lot more than Boston.

Since getting OG the Knicks beat Philly by 26 and 36 points (without Embiid), Minnesota by 6, Denver by 38, Miami by 16, and Milwaukee by 13. They also have Mitch Robinson back now and he's got 10 games under his belt. He played 25 minutes against Brooklyn on Friday with 15 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 blocks.

I think that Knicks-Sixers series is going to be a bloodbath. Since Embiid returned the Sixers are 5-0 having beaten OKC (#1 seed in the West), Miami, and Orlando. Joel is averaging 30.4 points and 9.2 rebounds in those five games. He's also shooting 48% on 3's since returning, indicating he shot a lot of 3's while waiting for his knee to fully recover. For the season he's shooting 39%.

That reminds me of Evan Mobley, who was 2-for-10 on 3's before his knee surgery and 20-for-49 (41%) since.

The Knicks with Anunoby and Robinson along with the Sixers with Embiid are really, really, good teams. That series is going to be intense. Boston-Miami could get interesting. In their last game Boston won by 6 points in Miami with Butler out. But the Heat are just 33-27 with Butler, who is 34 years old. In his last three games he scored 12, 14, and 15 points. He has not been taking a lot of shots, and having to play Wednesday and also Friday (if they lose to Philly Wednesday) will not help since the Celtics will be resting all week. But Butler is the kind of player who can rise to the occasion, so we'll see what happens if Miami gets that 8th seed.

 

[Wham with the Right Hand]

The Cavs are not going to be competitive against the Celtics in the 2nd round. Regular season does not translate to playoff results

Yeah, I don't see how they stop Brown and Tatum. White has been outstanding as well. Also, if the Celtics sweep the first round while the Cavs win in 6 or 7 games the Celtics will be more rested.

Not having Dean Wade to defend Tatum and Brown is going to hurt. When Allen is out and Mobley moves to center or when Mobley sits they will have to guard Tatum with Niang or Morris. OMG.

JBB will have to have Mobley on the floor whenever Tatum is in the game, so we'll need TT or Jones to be the backup center. Without Wade there are no good options.

But we might have almost three weeks until the second round starts (if we even get there), so I'm hoping Wade can be available if we make it past Orlando.

 

[B Mac]

Yeah, I don't see how they stop Brown and Tatum. White has been outstanding as well. Also, if the Celtics sweep the first round while the Cavs win in 6 or 7 games the Celtics will be more rested.

Not having Dean Wade to defend Tatum and Brown is going to hurt. When Allen is out and Mobley moves to center or when Mobley sits they will have to guard Tatum with Niang or Morris. OMG.

JBB will have to have Mobley on the floor whenever Tatum is in the game, so we'll need TT or Jones to be the backup center. Without Wade there are no good options.

But we might have almost three weeks until the second round starts (if we even get there), so I'm hoping Wade can be available if we make it past Orlando.

Yep. It pains me to say this, but Dean Wade coming back healthy is the key to the Cavs winning 1 game instead of getting swept by Boston.... assuming we get there.

 

[RonG]

There's no way in hell they fire him if he makes the conference finals, they'd be the laughing stock of the NBA as no one thinks this is the 2nd best team in the East and there won't be a single person outside of Cleveland picking them against Boston.
I think he's probably safe as long as they get past this round. Again, few expect us to even be competitive with the Celtics,

Plenty of examples of coaches being fired who had decent play off runs but teams determined the coach wasn't the right guy to make them legit contenders to actually win.

 

[RonG]

If he makes the finals he keeps his job, anything less i think he isgone

Possibly, depends how much pressure is applied internally, Mitchell has a lot of control on how this plays out as well.

 

[Lee]

There's no way in hell they fire him if he makes the conference finals, they'd be the laughing stock of the NBA as no one thinks this is the 2nd best team in the East and there won't be a single person outside of Cleveland picking them against Boston.
I think he's probably safe as long as they get past this round. Again, few expect us to even be competitive with the Celtics,

You are probably right

 

[American Hero]

I'm as negative on JB as anyone but if he makes the ECF and beats the Celtics, he's 100% staying. Even if he plays a competitive 6 or 7 game series he's probably coming back. Extremely unlikely the Cavs don't get stomped by Boston assuming they make it past Orlando

 

[Smooth]

I'm as negative on JB as anyone but if he makes the ECF and beats the Celtics, he's 100% staying. Even if he plays a competitive 6 or 7 game series he's probably coming back. Extremely unlikely the Cavs don't get stomped by Boston assuming they make it past Orlando

If JBB makes the ECF, I'd consider him an American Hero and buy out inventory of his entire Fairview Park Crumbl Cookie location...

 

[dms]

Plenty of examples of coaches being fired who had decent play off runs but teams determined the coach wasn't the right guy to make them legit contenders to actually win.

There's a big difference between having a decent playoff run and having an unexpectedly good playoff run. If you are a team that's expected to compete for a championship and fail badly in the conference finals, you can be fired. Teams that shock the world with good playoff runs don't fire their coach. If JB has this team even competitive against the Celts, he's safe as that's way more than expected. No one outside of a few nuts thinks there's currently championship level talent on the team and that's what it will take to beat Boston.

 

[mds]

I'd say Boston is due for some injuries.

 

[MikeOC33]

I'd say Boston is due for some injuries.

I'd feel better about this statement if it was signed by Tonya Harding.

 

[Futuredome]

There's a big difference between having a decent playoff run and having an unexpectedly good playoff run. If you are a team that's expected to compete for a championship and fail badly in the conference finals, you can be fired. Teams that shock the world with good playoff runs don't fire their coach. If JB has this team even competitive against the Celts, he's safe as that's way more than expected. No one outside of a few nuts thinks there's currently championship level talent on the team and that's what it will take to beat Boston.

More likely championship talent than coaching. JB's patterns are pretty well noted.

 

[Wham with the Right Hand]

I'd say Boston is due for some injuries.

They've been the luckiest team in avoiding injuries so far, that's for sure. This seems to be their year.

 

[Wham with the Right Hand]

Well, 82 games are in the books. Now JBB has to decide how to play it. Does he roll with two non-shooting bigs, two small guards, and Strus/Okoro? Or does he start that unit just to satisfy egos and quickly switch to a one big unit for the rest of the game?

Against Orlando's big front line I think they need to have Allen and Mobley on the floor as much as possible. Mobley is going to have to knock down some 3's and Allen needs to keep making that push shot from the foul line.

The Cavs are much better with Mitchell, LeVert, or Strus attacking the rim than Garland, IMO. I would have Garland playing off ball a lot; he's been knocking down 3's. He can also fake the 3 and blow by his defender for a floater or a lob to a big. Just no more layups in traffic, please.