*** OFFICIAL ** NBA 2024-25 Thread

[Dan Druff]

The NBA can't avoid the accusations when there is no transparency in the drawing. NHL has the powerball type machine on stage.

NBA was more transparent 40 years ago! The ole dinged corner for the Knicks for Ewing.

Yeah that's what they need, at minimum. Full transparency.

This trick was used at the Aria in the late 2010s in order to rig lineups for high stakes games. In order to feign "fairness", when a fish would show up, they would take everyone's names to the back and "draw 8 people" to play, as the list would be very long. Coincidentally, the fish was always one of the 8, and the fish's favorite opponents (and other preferred players) would also coincidentally always win. If you weren't part of the in-crowd and/or didn't tip the floorman big, you weren't getting a seat.

[1dollarboxcar]

Tatum out, torn achilles, already had surgery, will probably miss all of next year...

[Dan Druff]

Tatum out, torn achilles, already had surgery, will probably miss all of next year...

Wow. Now I really would've loved my Indy to win the title pick at 33-1.

Honestly one of the bigger non-bet regrets in my life.

[Sloppy Joe]

Tatum out, torn achilles, already had surgery, will probably miss all of next year...

Wow. Now I really would've loved my Indy to win the title pick at 33-1.

Honestly one of the bigger non-bet regrets in my life.

Would have been a sweat but they'll probably get rolled by whomever comes out of the west.

RIP Celtics, no chance they pay the second apron tax with Tatum sidelined next year.

Shitty look for the NBA that star players are dropping like flies, expect some Knicks will inevitably fall apart in the ECF.

Heard this on a podcast but pretty shit that the last 4-5 champions were basically those teams who faded injuries to key players.

[VaughnP]

The Nuggets are trying their hardest to give this game back to OKC by for some reason forcing awful shots with the lead and running minimal time off the clock.

[VaughnP]

Despite the two 64+ winners, it's become clear there are no truly great teams this year. The Thunder are still the favorite after this game, but barely. This team is maybe just a couple notches above full on sounding the fraud alert alarm.

Denver is a weak team with basically zero depth, they were under .500 post All Star break - everyone is aware of this, but despite that with just even minimal bench production the Thunder would be going home this round. This one has to sting the Warriors. If Curry stays healthy and they advanced, there's no way I'd bet against them. I wouldn't count out the Timberwolves just yet, but unless Edwards decides to play lights out they just don't have the offense to have a chance.

18 combined points out of the Nuggets bench in the last two games has to be historically awful for a second round or later playoff team. Not being able to count on anyone to give just Jokic any rest has been the difference in the series.

[VaughnP]

[Dan Druff]

Yes, this is the most wide open year in a long time.

Actually makes for a good postseason. Most other years it just feels like you're waiting for one of the top two teams in each conference to inevitably make the Finals.

I remember earlier in the season, I expressed some doubts about OKC, and some said I was wrong -- that they were far and away the favorite to take the West. The way this has played out is exactly what I was getting at.

Even the Celtics were choking away leads and getting upset various times this season. I didn't have tremendous confidence in them, either. And I found Cleveland might be another OKC.

I know I keep saying this, but the team which has looked consistently best this postseason has been Indiana. I expect them to take out New York. Whether they can hang with whoever comes out of the West remains to be seen, but so far they've looked like the only team which really has it together.

[VaughnP]

Embedded Tweet

https://twitter.com/NugsGetBuckets/status/1922510274118004979

[Sloppy Joe]

Embedded Tweet

https://twitter.com/NugsGetBuckets/status/1922510274118004979

I concede on the MVP point, both Joker and SGA have had a couple of subpar games in this series but Joker firing on all cylinders (like last night) is as or more dominant than any player I've ever seen.

SGA is probably going to win and in most years his season would be completely uncontroversial but Jokic is far more impactful and it isn't particularly close.

[VaughnP]

For the third straight game the Nuggets have the lead at the end of the 3rd quarter - will this be the third straight game where the deeper team runs them down?

[VaughnP]

They're resting Jokic and no Nugget can get a shot off. Rofl

[VaughnP]

I would root for the Thunder but it's basically impossible with the way the SGA plays. The guy falls down or jumps toward someone every other time he has the ball. The play earlier in the quarter he decided to just sit down in an attempt to get a cheap foul call, and how surprising, now he hit the deck again.

[Kalam]

For the third straight game the Nuggets have the lead at the end of the 3rd quarter - will this be the third straight game where the deeper team runs them down?

No.

[BCR]

Why it’s hard to quantify defense.

For the series, the 5 Nuggets starters when they are on the floor through 6 games.

Gordon +9
MPJ -13
Jokic -17
Murray +3
Braun -13

Murray, Jokic, and Gordon play roughly the same minutes per game. Gordon plays like 2 less. Jokic worst +/- among all starters. The game they lost by 40+ skews all their totals, but not one more than the other. AG -36 that game, Jokic -36, Murray -34.

Jokic used to dominate this stat in the past and his team was infinitely better during his minutes. Not so much this playoffs run.

Jokic is obviously the most dominant offensive player in the world, but Murray and Gordon continue to be really underrated players.

Been a great series. Hope Nuggets can keep it close in game 7.

[Sloppy Joe]

Why it’s hard to quantify defense.

For the series, the 5 Nuggets starters when they are on the floor through 6 games.

Gordon +9
MPJ -13
Jokic -17
Murray +3
Braun -13

Murray, Jokic, and Gordon play roughly the same minutes per game. Gordon plays like 2 less. Jokic worst +/- among all starters. The game they lost by 40+ skews all their totals, but not one more than the other. AG -36 that game, Jokic -36, Murray -34.

Jokic used to dominate this stat in the past and his team was infinitely better during his minutes. Not so much this playoffs run.

Jokic is obviously the most dominant offensive player in the world, but Murray and Gordon continue to be really underrated players.

Been a great series. Hope Nuggets can keep it close in game 7.

Was 'weird' how the officiating approach pivoted entirely in 2Q and OKC started racking up fouls, but the ones that got them into trouble were earned. Went both ways, Jokic got called for a couple.of chickenshit fouls as well.

Great series, tempted to grab points and take Nuggets. Jalen Williams is playing scared and Jokic could easily put up 45-10-7. Like the chances of one of Gordon, Murray, MPJ getting hot over any non-SGA Thunder player.

Probably will pass but gun to head I like Nuggets more.

[BCR]

Why it’s hard to quantify defense.

For the series, the 5 Nuggets starters when they are on the floor through 6 games.

Gordon +9
MPJ -13
Jokic -17
Murray +3
Braun -13

Murray, Jokic, and Gordon play roughly the same minutes per game. Gordon plays like 2 less. Jokic worst +/- among all starters. The game they lost by 40+ skews all their totals, but not one more than the other. AG -36 that game, Jokic -36, Murray -34.

Jokic used to dominate this stat in the past and his team was infinitely better during his minutes. Not so much this playoffs run.

Jokic is obviously the most dominant offensive player in the world, but Murray and Gordon continue to be really underrated players.

Been a great series. Hope Nuggets can keep it close in game 7.

Was 'weird' how the officiating approach pivoted entirely in 2Q and OKC started racking up fouls, but the ones that got them into trouble were earned. Went both ways, Jokic got called for a couple.of chickenshit fouls as well.

Great series, tempted to grab points and take Nuggets. Jalen Williams is playing scared and Jokic could easily put up 45-10-7. Like the chances of one of Gordon, Murray, MPJ getting hot over any non-SGA Thunder player.

Probably will pass but gun to head I like Nuggets more.

Now Gordon might be out. They aren’t deep enough to miss any of their core 3. And it’s a hamstring, so even if he tries, he isn’t going to be himself.

[VaughnP]

Embedded Tweet

https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1924099706130514392

This isn't surprising, but even if they somehow win this game, this really is just turning into another of the "who can dodge injuries" playoffs.

Back to the Nuggets situation - if Jokic puts up 40+ and Murray puts up 25+, with Gordon out where do the points necessary to have any shot at winning come from? I hope it somehow happens, but with him out it feels like the line should be OKC -12 or better. That is already a tough place to play, and in a game 7, I'd bet if there were a decibel meter that this would be among or possibly the loudest modern NBA crowd ever if the game is close.

[lol wow]

im fully suckered in on the denver nuggets getting 8.5 also todge can you change vaughns name to ron please

[VaughnP]

Gordon is playing, but unless his injury has been completely over exaggerated there's no way he's going to be anywhere near as effective as normal.