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2023 NBA Playoffs 1st Round: Cavs vs. Knicks

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What will the series result be?

  • Total voters
    142
  • Poll closed .
Wham with the Right Hand said:
I like having two days off after each of the first two games. It means the Cavs' starters can play 42 minutes and still have two days to recover. Great - we can protect the bench, which is where the Knicks have their biggest advantage IMO.

I was listening to JJ Reddick and he made the point that the Cavs have had problems closing out games this year whereas Brunson has been outstanding in crunch time. He seems to think the Knicks will have the edge if it comes down to a close game in the final minutes (and I agree). I have not been impressed with Garland in those situations this year.
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Um, we also have Donovan who's a great closer. Everyone defers to him in crunch time. He's better than Brunson. We have a better defense than the Knicks. Cavs in 5.
 
ice cream man said:
I know we have "play-in" experience, but I'm a little worried about the physicality adjustment that some of our guys will have to make. Especially Garland and Allen. Sometimes they make some ugly moves when they're expecting a call and it doesn't come. Happened often enough in the regular season for me to be worried about it in Game 1.
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if garland toughens up, doesn't pout, and continue to play heads up basketball in the final minutes of a close game, anything is possible.
 
I think randle will miss games, won’t be fully himself when he does play, and that will decide the series

Don’t know who I’d pick if Randle was fully healthy
 
Knicks are tough!
I feel sorry for 'em.
 
What happens next season if the Knicks pick up Jimmy Butler? I still take Mitchell/Mobley/Garland/Allen over Randle/Butler/Brunson. But not by much.
 
Cassity14 said:
If Evan Mobley is the DPOY we think he is, he needs to shut off Randle’s water. I believe he will.

Need Okoro to be healthy for Brunson and I’ll be extremely confident in the matchups.
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Randle shot like 30% in his last post season, I know he’s a different beast now but still not like he’s ever had a good post season in 9 years in the league. More worried about Brunson
 
I am worred that Immanuel Quickley is going to play out of his mind this series...we really need to do a good job on him because when he gets going he can be very tough to cool down
 
Peacedog said:
What happens next season if the Knicks pick up Jimmy Butler? I still take Mitchell/Mobley/Garland/Allen over Randle/Butler/Brunson. But not by much.
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How would they get Jimmy Butler? He's under contract in Miami until 2026.
 
Derek said:
How would they get Jimmy Butler? He's under contract in Miami until 2026.
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Probably move Barrett, boatload of picks, etc.

I actually had a similar thought after watching the Heat lose. Who are the teams with an abundance of assets and how do they move forward? Knicks check the box. I have to imagine they'll swing the fence after being put out in the 1st round.

Good news is, Jimmy, Brunson & Randle are all ineffective without the ball in their hands.
 
bigfoot5415 said:
Probably move Barrett, boatload of picks, etc.

I actually had a similar thought after watching the Heat lose. Who are the teams with an abundance of assets and how do they move forward? Knicks check the box. I have to imagine they'll swing the fence after being put out in the 1st round.

Good news is, Jimmy, Brunson & Randle are all ineffective without the ball in their hands.
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Can't imagine the Heat would want Barrett on his contract. Also, Butler makes twice as much as Barrett.

Still, if the Knicks are able to acquire him, I'm ok with them paying $150 million and sending out a bunch of assets for 34-35-36 year old Jimmy Butler.
 
theathletic.com

NBA playoff predictions: Anonymous scout, coach, exec pick 2023's 1st-round winners

Experts tell us who'll win the Celtics-Hawks, 76ers-Nets, Cavaliers-Knicks, Grizzlies-Lakers, Kings-Warriors and Suns-Clippers series?
theathletic.com theathletic.com

No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. No. 5 New York Knicks​

Scout’s outlook: “I think a lot of this series depends on Julius Randle. Is he really going to be at full strength? I guess they’re not even sure he’s going to be back, but even if he does come back, he probably won’t be, at least initially, at full strength. … They absolutely need him to be at peak level. … Can Jalen Brunson really carry the load in the absence of a fully functioning Randle? …​
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“You’ve got Jarrett Allen there and you’ve got Evan Mobley there (for the Cavaliers). That’s as long and as effective a defensive front line (as there is) in the league. So if the Knicks are really relying on Brunson, the Cavs can neutralize his offensive potency, because he’s going to have to take jump shots. …”​
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Coach’s outlook: “(This is) probably one of the most interesting first-round matchups. Bigs are back in business in this series. New York plays two bigs, (Julius) Randle and Mitchell (Robinson). And Cleveland plays its two bigs; they start big in (Jarrett) Allen and (Evan) Mobley, so it’s kind of a throwback series.”​
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Executive’s outlook: “Cleveland. I love their rim protection, with their four/five combination. Both (players) protect the rim. (Third-year Cavs wing Isaac) Okoro (who missed the last six games of the regular season with a back problem) — they’re gonna miss him, because they need that other defender, that real tough, hard-nosed defender.​
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“But (Cleveland) has a really good frontline and an All-Star backcourt offensively. I think that’s a good combination. I have respect for New York. It’s not that the Knicks can’t win the series — they could. But I like Cleveland. The only reason I’d give New York a little edge at all is the coaching factor. If you’re gonna match up a series and have (J.B.) Bickerstaff versus (Tom) Thibodeau, I’ll take Thibodeau. But I’ll go with Cleveland. I’m gonna say it’ll be a seven-game series. I think it’s that close. I think that’s one of the most interesting first-round series in the entire league. I’m assuming (Randle) is good (to play). If he’s not good, then it’s not much of a series, I don’t think. He has to be right.”​
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Scout’s pick: Cavaliers in six
Coach’s pick: Cavaliers in six
Executive’s pick: Cavaliers in seven
Unanimous pick: Cavaliers​
 
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