2024 NBA Playoff Thread

[Jeffx]

Matchups all set
East:
(1)Boston Celtics vs (8)Miami Heat
(2)New York Knicks vs (7)Philadelphia 76ers
(3)Milwaukee Bucks vs (6)Indiana Pacers
(4)Cleveland Cavaliers vs (5)Orlando Magic

West:
(1)Oklahoma City Thunder vs (8)New Orleans Pelicans
(2)Denver Nuggets vs (7)Los Angeles Lakers
(3)Minnesota Timberwolves vs (6)Phoenix Suns
(4)Los Angeles Clippers vs (5)Dallas Mavericks

Welcome to playoff basketball, folks....tough, physical and gritty Game 1 at the Garden. What an effort by the Knicks, especially by Josh Hart. How about his hustle on the boards and hitting those clutch 3s. Got to show love to Mitchell Robinson too, doing all he could against Embiid. Plus he nailed those crucial free throws late in regulation. This is going to be a long series. I could see Philly getting a split on Monday.

[Jeffx]

I have a feeling this Knicks/Pacers series will be tied at 2 coming back to MSG. Not feeling confident without OG.

[Jeffx]

Knicks have nothing to be ashamed of. Despite all the injuries, they didn't make excuses and gave us all they had.

I'd like for them to beef up the bench and add another star wing player, someone who can buckets anytime, anywhere on the court.

[Andrew]

Agreed, a tremendous effort given the constant bad luck with injuries. Brunson being bitten by the injury bug is the cherry on top of that undesirable sundae; if not for that, if been able to go off for 40, 50 points, maybe they get through. Still, they exceeded expectations given that they were the walking wounded. As you said, nothing to be ashamed of. With Brunson and a healthy lineup, another scorer if they can swing a deal as you said, the future looks brighter than it has in a long time.

[Andrew]

"Playoff experience" is one of those things that's become a cliched talking point, but seeing the Pacers commit some terrible turnovers in the fourth quarter and overtime of Game 1 against the Celtics, there's definitely something to be said for veteran poise. Can't count them out, but stealing Game 1 would've been huge. Wild finish.

Meanwhile, it was surprising to see the Nuggets bounced like that in the second round, giving up a 20-point lead in Game 7. Minnesota going all the way would be something.

Indeed, with these final four teams, I'm liking pretty much every scenario we could get: the Celtics standing alone as 18-time champions, the Timberwolves winning their first title and becoming the second late 80s expansion team to become champions, the Pacers winning their NBA first championship to go along with three ABA titles (and thus becoming the third former ABA team to win an NBA championship), or the Mavericks winning their second ever title led by Doncic, who of course played his rookie year with Dirk who led Dallas to their first championship.

Then you've got Rick Carlisle coaching the Pacers against the team he played for and won a championship with, and potentially coaching against the team he guided to a title if the Pacers face the Mavericks. There's Kyrie Irving's close-out game winning streak. A couple of stars can further solidify their status as the faces of today's NBA. If the Timberwolves and Pacers meet, we're guaranteed a first-time NBA champion. If the Celtics and Timberwolves meet, Boston will play an NBA Finals game in Minneapolis for the first time since 1959. The list goes on with historical connections, and historically significant possibilities.

Gotta love the Playoffs!

[Andrew]

Another spectacular performance from Luka.

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Maybe switching isn't always a good idea.