NBA: ***Official 2019 NBA Playoffs Thread***

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jbindm

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Dec 2, 2010
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There's the Blazers' big opportunity. Steal Game 1 or 2 on the road and try to hold serve back in Portland. There is a pretty good chance that the Warriors get KD and Cousins back at some point in the conference finals, so Portland will have to steal at least one early.
 

CyJack13

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May 21, 2010
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There's the Blazers' big opportunity. Steal Game 1 or 2 on the road and try to hold serve back in Portland. There is a pretty good chance that the Warriors get KD and Cousins back at some point in the conference finals, so Portland will have to steal at least one early.

The Warriors getting Cousins back isn't necessarily a bad thing for Portland. The Warriors lineups with a healthy Cousins were struggling defensively, with a rushed back from injury version of Cousins it might be unplayable. The Blazers will hunt him out in pick and rolls, and getting Cousins and Steph in a pick and roll is best case scenario for Portland.
 
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jbindm

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The Warriors getting Cousins back isn't necessarily a bad thing for Portland. The Warriors lineups with a healthy Cousins were struggling defensively, with a rushed back from injury version of Cousins it might be unplayable. The Blazers will hunt him out in pick and rolls, and getting Cousins and Steph in a pick and roll is best case scenario for Portland.

True, but Portland doesn't have anyone who can handle Cousins on the other end. Kanter has been battling but he's a poor defensive player. He'll eat up Meyers Leonard and Zach Collins.
 

CyJack13

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True, but Portland doesn't have anyone who can handle Cousins on the other end. Kanter has been battling but he's a poor defensive player. He'll eat up Meyers Leonard and Zach Collins.

If I was a Blazer fan, I would still take the Warriors trying to go to Cousins on offense rather than have Kanter get stuck trying to guard Draymond and get pick and rolled to death. I'd live with all of those guys trying to guard Cousins in the post over the alternative of Golden St going small and having them having to guard in space. Portland is not going to stop Golden St, it just comes down to what's the least bad defensive scenario they can find themselves in.

And Collins isn't ready to stop Cousins, but he's showed a lot in these playoffs for a 21 year old, he might be a real interesting piece in a couple of years. He has the potential to be the perfect big man for the current NBA, can protect the rim on one end and space the floor on the other end.
 
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jbindm

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If I was a Blazer fan, I would still take the Warriors trying to go to Cousins on offense rather than have Kanter get stuck trying to guard Draymond and get pick and rolled to death. I'd live with all of those guys trying to guard Cousins in the post over the alternative of Golden St going small and having them having to guard in space. Portland is not going to stop Golden St, it just comes down to what's the least bad defensive scenario they can find themselves in.

And Collins isn't ready to stop Cousins, but he's showed a lot in these playoffs for a 21 year old, he might be a real interesting piece in a couple of years. He has the potential to be the perfect big man for the current NBA, can protect the rim on one end and space the floor on the other end.

Agreed on Collins. He might be the ideal big for the modern NBA, and he gives the team a little bit of attitude and physicality.
 

jbindm

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Draft lottery tonight. The Knicks, Suns, and Cavs have the best odds of getting the top pick.

The Hawks own the Mavs' first rounder if it falls outside of the top five.

The Celtics could potentially land two top ten picks if the Grizzlies land outside of the top eight and the Kings don't land the top pick. The Grizzlies pick is top eight protected this year, top 6 protected next year, and then unprotected after that.
 

Halincandenza

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Draft lottery tonight. The Knicks, Suns, and Cavs have the best odds of getting the top pick.

The Hawks own the Mavs' first rounder if it falls outside of the top five.

The Celtics could potentially land two top ten picks if the Grizzlies land outside of the top eight and the Kings don't land the top pick. The Grizzlies pick is top eight protected this year, top 6 protected next year, and then unprotected after that.

The the Kings pick has a chance, low chance but still a chance, to get interesting. Celtics get their pick if it lands at 2, 3 or 4, Sixers get it if they land at 1.
 

jdoggivjc

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They forced him into an off the dribble fadeway corner three over Embiid, that's a shot you can live with. If there was any doubt about Toronto making the right move to go after Kwahi, even if it's only for a single season, this series should have erased it. It's really hard to win this time of year with a team full of good players, and no great ones. You almost always need those true superstars to get to the conference finals and beyond. Siakam and Lowry wanted no part of this game for most of the second half, even if Leonard didn't have a great shooting game, he was willing to drag and volume shoot the Raptors into the next round.

It's probably still unlikely, but I've been hearing rumors that the Raptors have really been selling Toronto to Kawhi. Perhaps he decides to stick around. The Lakers being a total cluster**** can only help their cause.

There's the Blazers' big opportunity. Steal Game 1 or 2 on the road and try to hold serve back in Portland. There is a pretty good chance that the Warriors get KD and Cousins back at some point in the conference finals, so Portland will have to steal at least one early.

The Blazers had better steal both games, although the national media is trying to sell the idea that Warriors missing KD is an even greater mismatch against the Blazers.
 

IASTATE07

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Haha the Knicks with the third pick. I hope they miss out on free agents too.
 

jbindm

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The Pels screwed up with one generational talent, so of course they get rewarded with another one. Can't wait to see Zion force his way out of New Orleans.
 
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mb7299

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New Orleans would have a shot at dethroning the Warriors if AD stays there. That team would be loaded with 3 studs that could compete with any team.
 
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CyJack13

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The Pels screwed up with one generational talent, so of course they get rewarded with another one. Can't wait to see Zion force his way out of New Orleans.

Wow and not only the Pelicans winning but Memphis getting up to number two too. Totally changes the outlook for both of those teams. Memphis suddenly has a Morant-Jackson duo to build around, New Orleans can go a lot of different ways. Does this make AD reconsider leaving? Even if he still wants out, New Orleans could have a real quick rebuild now, Holiday, ZIon, whatever they get for AD and possibly a lot of cap space too. Did not expect either one of these teams to be at the top tonight.
 
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awd4cy

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Zion sure isn’t excited how that shook out, haha. Will be interesting to see where mike Conley ends up after Memphis takes Morant. Not sure how much his value is really at this point.
 

CyJack13

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Zion sure isn’t excited how that shook out, haha. Will be interesting to see where mike Conley ends up after Memphis takes Morant. Not sure how much his value is really at this point.

They were close to moving him, supposedly to the Pacers before Oladipo got hurt, but I doubt they get a big return for him with his contract. They might be better off to just go with a Conley-Morant backcourt, especially since they owe either their '20 (top 6 protected) or '21 (unprotected) pick to Boston, they don't have a ton of incentive to tank. They could take Barrett too, he's a better positional fit but I wouldn't pass on Morant here.
 

CyArob

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Apr 22, 2011
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Zion is AD's replacement. The league must have felt bad for New Orleans.