[NBA] West Finals

Who ya got?

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    28
  • Poll closed .
one more for Denver. Murray has been big time for them, that bubble Playoff performance was definitely not a flash in the pan.
 
kingsboi said:
one more for Denver. Murray has been big time for them, that bubble Playoff performance was definitely not a flash in the pan.
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This is probably the first full year with MPJ Murray and Jokic healthy. Playoff Murray would be a multi-time all-star as he clearly has another level he taps into.

It feels like it's a down year in terms of the strength of the top end teams but this Nuggets team might have at least a few finals appearances if they stay healthy over the next few years
 
captain bill said:
This is probably the first full year with MPJ Murray and Jokic healthy. Playoff Murray would be a multi-time all-star as he clearly has another level he taps into.

It feels like it's a down year in terms of the strength of the top end teams but this Nuggets team might have at least a few finals appearances if they stay healthy over the next few years
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health absolutely has increased the parity this season but I'm all for it. Some of these aging stars have one foot out the door so it will be time to embrace the new breed of stars and if it more properly dispersed throughout both conferences then the parity will continue past this season and I'm here for it.
 
captain bill said:
It feels like it's a down year in terms of the strength of the top end teams
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Please explain, if you would.

This has been a popular take all season, and I'm not seeing the case for it.

Let's keep the comparisons to the this season and the previous two.

How exactly is the strength of the top teams this season any different than the previous 2 seasons??

In the East, the Bucks, Celtics and Sixers were essentially the same teams they've been.

In the West, the Warriors (who won the title in 2022) had the same core of star players and nearly the same lineup of role players as last year. The Suns, who were in the Finals in 2021, lost Mikal Bridges and Jae Crowder from their core but added Kevin Durant. The LAL two stars were healthier this year, especially come playoff time and are better. And the Nuggets are pretty much the same team they've been for a few years now.

I'm not seeing the drop off. If anything, the drop off was in 2020/2021.
 
KingsFanSince85 said:
Please explain, if you would.

This has been a popular take all season, and I'm not seeing the case for it.

Let's keep the comparisons to the this season and the previous two.

How exactly is the strength of the top teams this season any different than the previous 2 seasons??

In the East, the Bucks, Celtics and Sixers were essentially the same teams they've been.

In the West, the Warriors (who won the title in 2022) had the same core of star players and nearly the same lineup of role players as last year. The Suns, who were in the Finals in 2021, lost Mikal Bridges and Jae Crowder from their core but added Kevin Durant. The LAL two stars were healthier this year, especially come playoff time and are better. And the Nuggets are pretty much the same team they've been for a few years now.

I'm not seeing the drop off. If anything, the drop off was in 2020/2021.
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Yeah I agree 20/21 somewhere around when the dropoff began. I'm referring to the longer view and feel the last couple years have been down.

Like you say with the Warriors, they're good but would've been crushed by the KD Warriors. Then you have CP + Harden all leading top teams when they'd get waxed by the previous Rockets team. Then teams like the Heatles and the Kawhi Spurs and before that the big 3 Celtics. Could this Lakers team hold up against the Heat or any of the Lakers championship teams of the aughts? I doubt it.

Basically I don't think anyone right now could hold a candle to most of the top teams from 2000-2020, and even this year everyone is old or injured. No 60 win teams and only 2 50 win teams in the west when there have been years that 50 wins was the floor to get in. I just can't see this year's finals being remembered for any sort of legendary teams, with the exception of maybe this being the beginning of a very long run for Denver - maybe a turning point as we see bigs re-emerging in more versatile roles
 
captain bill said:
Yeah I agree 20/21 somewhere around when the dropoff began. I'm referring to the longer view and feel the last couple years have been down.

Like you say with the Warriors, they're good but would've been crushed by the KD Warriors. Then you have CP + Harden all leading top teams when they'd get waxed by the previous Rockets team. Then teams like the Heatles and the Kawhi Spurs and before that the big 3 Celtics. Could this Lakers team hold up against the Heat or any of the Lakers championship teams of the aughts? I doubt it.
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This season's Kings would have been crushed by the 2015 and 2016 Warriors,....before Durant was added. Their 2013 and 2014 teams would have been closer to a competitive matchup
 
captain bill said:
Yeah I agree 20/21 somewhere around when the dropoff began. I'm referring to the longer view and feel the last couple years have been down.

Like you say with the Warriors, they're good but would've been crushed by the KD Warriors. Then you have CP + Harden all leading top teams when they'd get waxed by the previous Rockets team. Then teams like the Heatles and the Kawhi Spurs and before that the big 3 Celtics. Could this Lakers team hold up against the Heat or any of the Lakers championship teams of the aughts? I doubt it.

Basically I don't think anyone right now could hold a candle to most of the top teams from 2000-2020, and even this year everyone is old or injured. No 60 win teams and only 2 50 win teams in the west when there have been years that 50 wins was the floor to get in. I just can't see this year's finals being remembered for any sort of legendary teams, with the exception of maybe this being the beginning of a very long run for Denver - maybe a turning point as we see bigs re-emerging in more versatile roles
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Got it. Thanks for clarifying. From that perspective, I agree with you.

I‘ve just been reading all season how this one particular season is down, especially in the West. I don’t see any viable evidence for that. But going back to 2019 and further, sure, there’s been a drop off. At least WRT to a super team or teams.
 
KingsFanSince85 said:
Impossible. Only 3 games have been played.

IDK who "Ky" is, but unless it's Steph Curry or some other super star-ish player, I think the series would look exactly how it does now.

Denver is a far superior team.

The LAL are WAY overhyped. They got extremely lucky with their 1st round matchup facing a Gizzlies team decimated by injuries to their key players and the drama surrounding Ja Morant.

They further got lucky getting an overly fatigued and aging Warriors team pushed to the brink by our KINGS in the 2nd round.

Denver is doing lots of things to LAL, but among them is exposing their weakness in transition, something the KINGS would have done far more of had they been able to face them.

Lastly, despite the officials best efforts to allow the LAL to live at the FT line, they still haven't been able to win a game in this series.

Hopefully the basketball gods have the sweep in store for game 4.
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Kyrie Irving.

Thank you for breaking it down... haha

I said that among my Lakers friends in jest, it's the kind of things they've been saying. When the Nuggets took first game, they talked like they have "found the exploit in Rui Hachimura." Haha
 
Tetsujin said:
https://twitter.com/x/status/1660315117148573696
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reminds me of the current Heat squad too. They've had the same team and replaced maybe a role player or two but kept the same core players together to grow together and continue to gel. This is how successful teams are built. Which is another reason why Suns canning Monty instead of at least playing it out one full season with KD, Book and CP3 isn't a wise approach but time will tell if that is the case.
 
Last edited:
KainLear said:
Kyrie Irving.

Thank you for breaking it down... haha

I said that among my Lakers friends in jest, it's the kind of things they've been saying. When the Nuggets took first game, they talked like they have "found the exploit in Rui Hachimura." Haha
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Oh gotcha.

Honestly, I can’t believe I didn’t figure that out now.

Kyrie Irving is an explosive enough offensive talent to make a difference for sure. It’s just hard to know how he’d fit with this LAL team right now.

I’d agree with your take that he‘d most likely give them more than Russell. But enough to beat DEN? IDK about that. Their offense might be better, but Kyrie Irving doesn’t help fix their transition defense or inability to handle Jamal Murray or Jokić.
 
kingsboi said:
reminds me of the current Heat squad too. They've had the same team and replaced maybe a role player or two but kept the same core players together to grow together and continue to gel. This is how successful teams are built. Which is another reason why Suns canning Monte instead of at least playing it out one full season with KD, Book and CP3 isn't a wise approach but time will tell if that is the case.
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I think bitterness was setting in with Monty. I'm not sure what the players thought of it but there was talk of issues between Monty and Ayton for awhile. Now they might both be gone, lol. The Heat did what the Heat can do, they saved cap and were able to land superstar level talent while keeping everything else together. They timed their rookie deals and cap space right. The Suns were in a different stage where they were already at the point of re-signing their talent, including Paul. This is why Monte McNair has to be aware of where he's at. Cap space like the Heat used to put their team into contender status isn't likely going to happen for him like it did them but he does have a little window this summer perhaps. Not that a Butler type talent is going to come anyway but there's more than one way after all.
 
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