2023-24 NBA Thread

[WilyWestbrook0]

The Minnesota Timberwolves have forced game 7 against the defending champs with the biggest margin of victory since the 1950s playoffs with the Minneapolis Lakers! Truly incredible. As in some of the previous Ls, the Denver bench was practically nonexistent, and Jamal Murray was completely shut down. Even if Minnesota loses game 7, they've exceeded all expectations. Great young ball club. Ant is a beast.

[pwaldo]

I agree whatever opponent the Celtics end up with they would have had a really really really easy route because of injuries for the other side. Yes they should have an edge because they are the #1 seed but they are just too untested for me to say that they could beat the Wolves in the NBA Finals right now. The Celtics at this point could still be frauds as hard as that is to believe.

[pwaldo]

As in some of the previous Ls, the Denver bench was practically nonexistent, and Jamal Murray was completely shut down. Even if Minnesota loses game 7, they've exceeded all expectations. Great young ball club. Ant is a beast.

I think the whole bench is nonexistent and I think the whole roster is pretty weak outside of Joker. I don't want to hear people whine about how they need a second superstar to win a NBA title when Jokic did it with one of the worst supporting casts of all time last year. And they went through the West to boot.

[WilyWestbrook0]

My Thunder were eliminated tonight in a real nail-biter of a game, losing by just one point to the Mavs.

I predicted they would make and lose the Semis, so not too disappointed. But it was still a bit tough to watch something so close slip away at the end like that.

I really hope Presti goes after a big who can play physical and rebound. Richard Jefferson tonight mentioned the Thunder are a big man away from contending. Dereck Lively of the Mavs really killed them tonight, and the Thunder had problems all season with rebounding and physical teams. Presti is pretty stubborn about wanting bigs who can also shoot the three. In a sense, I understand, because you need to space the floor to an extent to allow guys like SGA and JDub to operate. But it can be hard to find a piece who can do all those things. I'd even accept someone like Jarrett Allen if the Cavs decide to move him, though I've heard he's more likely to end up in New Orleans (the Cavs will likely move on from him and Darius Garland, who may end up in San Antonio).

[pwaldo]

My Thunder were eliminated tonight in a real nail-biter of a game, losing by just one point to the Mavs.

I predicted they would make and lose the Semis, so not too disappointed. But it was still a bit tough to watch something so close slip away at the end like that.

I really hope Presti goes after a big who can play physical and rebound. Richard Jefferson tonight mentioned the Thunder are a big man away from contending. Dereck Lively of the Mavs really killed them tonight, and the Thunder had problems all season with rebounding and physical teams. Presti is pretty stubborn about wanting bigs who can also shoot the three. In a sense, I understand, because you need to space the floor to an extent to allow guys like SGA and JDub to operate. But it can be hard to find a piece who can do all those things. I'd even accept someone like Jarrett Allen if the Cavs decide to move him, though I've heard he's more likely to end up in New Orleans (the Cavs will likely move on from him and Darius Garland, who may end up in San Antonio).

To be honest the Thunder had a weak roster for a #1 seed and they were seemingly built or more suited for the regular season than postseason success. SGA is MVP level so no issues there but Chet is suppose to be the #2? He either hit a wall playing all those games after that injury or that injruy has lowered his ceiling a lot because he just looked like a #3 scorer out there who couldn't rebound which is insane for a guy that tall. Giddey at times in the regular season looked like an All Star with his play but he fell apart in the playoffs completely disappearing at the end. I mean worse than bench guy level. All the mid season deals and players on the bench looked gassed and were playing like trash. Either they don't belong in the league or they need to retire. A weak roster if Chet and Giddey don't give SGA support.

Though they have a very good young core and a ton of assets like 1st round picks to trade for a good #2 for SGA in the offseason but it just seems like they basically wasted this season to make a deep playoff run and to at least gain some valuable playoff experience if they didn't win it all this year. There really wasn't much competition this year if you could stay healthy in the playoffs so I think a lot of teams are going to be looking at this year after we see who wins a championship and kicking themselves for not going harder and all in more this year. You can't let these things slip by as the chances don't come up that often.

[WilyWestbrook0]

To be honest the Thunder had a weak roster for a #1 seed and they were seemingly built or more suited for the regular season than postseason success. SGA is MVP level so no issues there but Chet is suppose to be the #2? He either hit a wall playing all those games after that injury or that injruy has lowered his ceiling a lot because he just looked like a #3 scorer out there who couldn't rebound which is insane for a guy that tall. Giddey at times in the regular season looked like an All Star with his play but he fell apart in the playoffs completely disappearing at the end. I mean worse than bench guy level. All the mid season deals and players on the bench looked gassed and were playing like trash. Either they don't belong in the league or they need to retire. A weak roster if Chet and Giddey don't give SGA support.

Though they have a very good young core and a ton of assets like 1st round picks to trade for a good #2 for SGA in the offseason but it just seems like they basically wasted this season to make a deep playoff run and to at least gain some valuable playoff experience if they didn't win it all this year. There really wasn't much competition this year if you could stay healthy in the playoffs so I think a lot of teams are going to be looking at this year after we see who wins a championship and kicking themselves for not going harder and all in more this year. You can't let these things slip by as the chances don't come up that often.

Chet isn't ready to be the #2 yet; that was JDub for most of the season and playoffs. Chet is indeed a weak rebounder for his size; he obviously lacks strength and also isn't good at boxing out, so that's why he kind of sucks at rebounding despite his height. He also shot from the three poorly in the final playoff game. He has a tendency to lean in on some of his bad misses. I still like Chet, but as with much of the team, he's young and still needs to work on a lot of things.

I think they need to move Giddey for a big. Giddey just isn't enough of an off the ball player or shooter to fit the roster. He needs the ball in his hands like a point guard, but SGA is the PG, so Giddey is the odd man out.

Also, Gordon Hayward was absolute trash. He even slammed the team on his way out today, feeling they didn't give him the opportunities he wanted, while acknowledging he played too passive. He may have played himself out of the league with how slow and timid he was.

As for the going all-in, I've seen a few fans say they should have, but Presti said that was never his MO this season. It should be next season, though.

[pwaldo]

As for the going all-in, I've seen a few fans say they should have, but Presti said that was never his MO this season. It should be next season, though.

I wasn't thinking them so much with the comment because they should still be heavy contenders the next couple of years. I think of it more as something the Warriors, Lakers, Clippers, or Suns will look back on and go "man we should have won THAT year. How did we not" type thing. It isn't like those teams were knocking each other out of the playoffs they just kinda struggled all year. I know people were downplaying the Suns late season and into the playoffs but if you go back to the start of the season almost everyone was very high on them and they somehow did worse with Durant/Beal and minus Ayton.

[WilyWestbrook0]

What an amazing comeback by the Minnesota Timberwolves! Very glad I got to watch that one!