2024 NBA Playoffs: First Round

[CBBI]

Embiid is nowhere near 100% and Tobias Harris sucks. They really don’t have a big or any rebounder at all outside of Joel.

Rebounding has been the area where Embiid's lack of lift and bounce coming off the knee injury has been the most noticeable by far.

He's a really good shooter and one of the best players in the league at drawing fouls. And he's still so big and tall and long that he can impact the game defensively. Even on one leg he can impact things in a big way offensively and defensively still.

But rebounding at a high level just requires more short-area quickness and explosiveness than he has in his legs right now. And the Knicks are taking advantage in a huge way.

 

[MirORich]

Just watching the heart that Jalen Brunson has just makes my disgust and disdain grow for Darius Garland.

It’s interesting too because they both grew up as wealthy sons of NBA players.

Yet Brunson plays with an edge and physicality that Garland has never come close to

 

[KevinLoveFan]

"This Harden" will exist for a small subset of games, then fade out or get injured as he always does. Mavs will win this series. If (Big IF!) Harden stays healthy and they beat the Mavs, I still think LAC lose to OKC, Denver and T-Wolves. So... in my book they are, at best, the 4th best team in the west, maybe 5th.


Just for clarity - Are you arguing that Mitchell is better than Irving right now?

I caught a little bit of the end of the game. Very curious to see whom OKC will face of those two teams.

I originally had the Clippers facing the Nuggets in the WCF as my prediction awhile back, when the Clippers were having a nice run during the regular season. But this will be a tough semis. I could see it going either way now, and possibly a 7 game series.

I'm not really sure who the Thunder match up better against, but I honestly am not sure OKC could handle either team. I said OKC would likely get bounced in the second round, and I still think that's a very distinct possibility. But of course I'd love to be wrong, and if you're right and the Clippers lose to them, I'd be thrilled, lol.

 

[bushwick_bill]

Fuck the Suns but people making this content need to be honest about the difference between and owed pick and a pick swap.

The Suns will absolutely have a first round pick every other year during that period. It’s just a question of whether it’s their owns or another teams.

Same as the Cavs with Utah. We didn’t trade them 5 consecutive firsts, leaving us with zero firsts.

We have our own first this year + either our first or Utah’s first in 2026 and 2028

No tanks: Suns surrender control of all NBA Draft picks until 2031

So what does that mean for the Suns future? No tanking.

www.brightsideofthesun.com

 

[Deezus]

I caught a little bit of the end of the game. Very curious to see whom OKC will face of those two teams.

I originally had the Clippers facing the Nuggets in the WCF as my prediction awhile back, when the Clippers were having a nice run during the regular season. But this will be a tough semis. I could see it going either way now, and possibly a 7 game series.

I'm not really sure who the Thunder match up better against, but I honestly am not sure OKC could handle either team. I said OKC would likely get bounced in the second round, and I still think that's a very distinct possibility. But of course I'd love to be wrong, and if you're right and the Clippers lose to them, I'd be thrilled, lol.

I have become a closet OKC fan the last few months! SGA, Chet, and their depth is downright scary. If only I could never see that cringey "What a Pro Wants" commercial again, I'd be all-in (Cavs withstanding, obviously)

 

[Tlyons]

I have become a closet OKC fan the last few months! SGA, Chet, and their depth is downright scary. If only I could never see that cringey "What a Pro Wants" commercial again, I'd be all-in (Cavs withstanding, obviously)

That commercial feels like a war crime.

 

[Jscc]

Edwards has such a fast first step. Damn.

 

[daddywags]

No tanks: Suns surrender control of all NBA Draft picks until 2031

So what does that mean for the Suns future? No tanking.

www.brightsideofthesun.com

Yes, the fact that they, and we, have given up pick swaps makes really difficult to just say "screw it," trade everybody, and bottom out.

 

[TxBuckeye]

It's kind of crazy that New York is shooting just 43.0% for the series so far and is still up 3-1.

The Knicks have just absolutely murdered Philly all series long on the offensive glass. 61 offensive rebounds in 4 games is just an absurd total.

Not so crazy. It's how they won all year long. +

 

[MirORich]

No tanks: Suns surrender control of all NBA Draft picks until 2031

So what does that mean for the Suns future? No tanking.

www.brightsideofthesun.com

Not having control is not the same as not having a pick, for those 4 pick swaps due to the Stepien rule, the Suns will still own a 1st round pick that they have to make in 2024, 2026, 2028, 2030

So the 2024 swap for example, they’ll keep their pick because the teams that control the swap have top10 picks and obviously wouldn’t want to exercise their right to swap with the Suns at 22

Bottom line the Suns will be making a first round selection that they can keep if they want in 2024, 2026, 2028, and 2030

Just as the Cavs will be making and having the option to keep their first round picks in 2024, 2026, and 2028. The only picks the Cavs outright have given away moving forward at 2025, 2027, and 2029 and regardless of our stress and consternation with the team right now, there’s no guarantee any of those three picks will be lotto picks

 

[TxBuckeye]

Embiid is nowhere near 100% and Tobias Harris sucks. They really don’t have a big or any rebounder at all outside of Joel.

And the Knicks don't have Randle. How much more of a rebounding margin would they have with him?

 

[bushwick_bill]

 

[Bob_The_Cat]

How many of the stars in the NBA aren't?

They always have been, there just wasn’t social media to talk about it and put up clips, or all the cameras that catch everything during games. I find it funny that a lot of people seem to think complaining to refs started in the 00’s

 

[Bob_The_Cat]

I would give away Garland, Okoro, LeVert and Wade for Brunson in a matter of the blink.

Really going out on a big limb there buddy.

 

[TxBuckeye]

Tatum is up there as well... Scottie Barnes takes the cake for me and then Luka...

Luka is easily the biggest crybaby in the NBA. Even the local talk shows here in Dallas talk about it all the time.