NBA 2019-20: Who wins the bubble?
Before the end of this thread, we should have a champion. Yet, before that, of the eight teams that just got eliminated, who are you most bullish on for next season?
The choices are:
Indiana
Philadelphia
Brooklyn
Orlando
Oklahoma City
Utah
Dallas
Portland
On paper, Brooklyn should be very good, but I suspect it's a soap opera waiting to happen. I like Dallas to figure out how to take the leap forward. That's also because I think they've got the best player in Luka.
Re: NBA 2019-20: Who wins the bubble?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
M2
Before the end of this thread, we should have a champion. Yet, before that, of the eight teams that just got eliminated, who are you most bullish on for next season?
The choices are:
Indiana
Philadelphia
Brooklyn
Orlando
Oklahoma City
Utah
Dallas
Portland
On paper, Brooklyn should be very good, but I suspect it's a soap opera waiting to happen. I like Dallas to figure out how to take the leap forward. That's also because I think they've got the best player in Luka.
That's a tough one. Still lots up in the air for some of these teams.
You'd have to put Brooklyn near the top just on star power alone. I'm very intrigued to see who the Sixers hire. If they bring in the right guy, that's a Eastern favorite. I'm not especially optimistic given the rumors about high-up dysfunction and meddling owners. The sky is the limit for the Mavs. There's no limit to where Luka can take them, especially if they can keep Porzingis healthy.
I don't know that they have the highest ceiling for next year, but I'm probably most intrigued by OKC. Presti's one of the best in the business. I like Billy Donovan a lot. Chris Paul looks like he has more gas in the tank. And they have all the draft capital in the world (they have 10 first round picks in the next five drafts and 15 first round picks over the next seven drafts). Outside of Paul's contract (and Adams to a lesser extent), their salary situation isn't too bad. I love SGA. I like Bazely more than I should. And, most important, Dort is signed for three more seasons at less than $2 million/season!
Re: NBA 2019-20: Who wins the bubble?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
M2
Before the end of this thread, we should have a champion. Yet, before that, of the eight teams that just got eliminated, who are you most bullish on for next season?
The choices are:
Indiana
Philadelphia
Brooklyn
Orlando
Oklahoma City
Utah
Dallas
Portland
On paper, Brooklyn should be very good, but I suspect it's a soap opera waiting to happen. I like Dallas to figure out how to take the leap forward. That's also because I think they've got the best player in Luka.
Portland, of course. They showed what they could do in the bubble, going 8-2 against in an intense playoff atmosphere in all 10 of those games before running out of bodies from injuries once again. Once healthy, they should get back to where they were tracking before the injuries, winning the Western Conference playoffs and getting back to the Finals.
Re: NBA 2019-20: Who wins the bubble?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Kingspoint
Portland, of course. They showed what they could do in the bubble, going 8-2 against in an intense playoff atmosphere in all 10 of those games before running out of bodies from injuries once again. Once healthy, they should get back to where they were tracking before the injuries, winning the Western Conference playoffs and getting back to the Finals.
They showed they could get steamrolled by the Lakers.
Re: NBA 2019-20: Who wins the bubble?
Dallas without hesitation. Yes I know about Durant returning, and I also know that Kyrie will join him which is why I am not bullish on the Nets. There is a real chance if Luka takes another step, he is the best playing the NBA and so easy to build around.
(btw, I was a guy that had reservations about Luka during his draft...so he has already made me look silly)
Re: NBA 2019-20: Who wins the bubble?
@M2....my reference to Vaughn in the previous thread was when he took over as HC of the Magic after being an end of the bench assistant for the Spurs for less than 2 years. He was not ready back then, and I think it scarred his image which he has had to build back up. I was suggesting I think everyone takes that Magic job if you are Vaughn, but it probably hurt his overall career trajectory to a degree. I think Nash could be walking into a similar situation....with better talent, but still learning on the job...and if it goes bad, it could be a mark on his high image.
Re: NBA 2019-20: Who wins the bubble?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
adkindo
Dallas without hesitation. Yes I know about Durant returning, and I also know that Kyrie will join him which is why I am not bullish on the Nets. There is a real chance if Luka takes another step, he is the best playing the NBA and so easy to build around.
(btw, I was a guy that had reservations about Luka during his draft...so he has already made me look silly)
I thought Luka should have been #1 with a bullet in that draft and I'm still stunned by how good he is. Dallas should be thinking big.
Re: NBA 2019-20: Who wins the bubble?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
M2
They showed they could get steamrolled by the Lakers.
They were devastated by injuries going into the series. That was the most lopsided officiating in the history of the NBA. You're blind as a bat and living in la-la-land if you can't see that.
Re: NBA 2019-20: Who wins the bubble?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Kingspoint
They were devastated by injuries going into the series. That was the most lopsided officiating in the history of the NBA. You're blind as a bat and living in la-la-land if you can't see that.
You thought they were going to go undefeated and roll to the NBA title. They got stomped out. Maybe quit while you're behind.
Re: NBA 2019-20: Who wins the bubble?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
M2
Before the end of this thread, we should have a champion. Yet, before that, of the eight teams that just got eliminated, who are you most bullish on for next season?
The choices are:
Indiana
Philadelphia
Brooklyn
Orlando
Oklahoma City
Utah
Dallas
Portland
On paper, Brooklyn should be very good, but I suspect it's a soap opera waiting to happen. I like Dallas to figure out how to take the leap forward. That's also because I think they've got the best player in Luka.
Hard to not vote Brooklyn assuming Durant is at least 90% of Golden State Durant and he should be.
I’m not sure what Dallas can do to get Luka another piece and without that I’m not sure how they get that much better other than just Luka continuing to improve.
Utah if healthy and adding a MLE guy will be good. They will have to prove they can be more than regular season good and be a playoff contender.
Indiana and OKC kinda seem like they are what they are.
I think Philly is in trouble. They are still a playoff team, but they have a lot of money in Harris and Horford and Simmons and Embiid don’t work.
Orlando and Portland seem like teams that could miss the playoffs next year, particularly Portland with Golden State back in the fold and just how deep the West will be.
Re: NBA 2019-20: Who wins the bubble?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
BuckeyeRed27
I’m not sure what Dallas can do to get Luka another piece and without that I’m not sure how they get that much better other than just Luka continuing to improve.
I'm thinking they're in permanent pounce mode, possibly with Porzingis on the table in the right deal. For instance, if the rumors about Sabonis agitating for a deal out of Indiana are true, Dallas would make a ton of sense. If Sacramento suffers brain freeze and gives away Buddy Hield, be in on that. If Houston blows apart and James Harden can be had, get the Beard. I don't know how, but I'm thinking the Mavericks come back next season with their Kill Arthur Dent team.
Re: NBA 2019-20: Who wins the bubble?
OG Anunoby with a season-saving shot for the Raps. Give Nick Nurse credit because it looks like that's exactly how they drew it up. Ballsy call to put it all in Anunoby's hands.
Re: NBA 2019-20: Who wins the bubble?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
M2
Ballsy call to put it all in Anunoby's hands.
it is only called "ballsy" if it goes in....if he misses, there would be many different types of descriptions for the decision :)
Re: NBA 2019-20: Who wins the bubble?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
BuckeyeRed27
Utah if healthy and adding a MLE guy will be good. They will have to prove they can be more than regular season good and be a playoff contender.
I like Quin Snyder, but I'm getting a Nate McMillan vibe from him. Holds players accountable, gets defensive buy-in but has a ceiling on what he can achieve. Good regular season teams, never really a threat in the playoffs. It's a solid roster, but unless Donovan Mitchell goes supernova next season, I think it's another first-round exit for them.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
BuckeyeRed27
Orlando and Portland seem like teams that could miss the playoffs next year, particularly Portland with Golden State back in the fold and just how deep the West will be.
Coming from a Blazers fan, but I'd pretty shocked--assuming good health--they didn't make the playoffs this year. They're not a contender or anything, but I'd put them in the second tier with the Nuggets, Jazz, Mavs and maybe OKC. People forget how decimated they were by injuries this year.
Re: NBA 2019-20: Who wins the bubble?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
BillDoran
I like Quin Snyder, but I'm getting a Nate McMillan vibe from him. Holds players accountable, gets defensive buy-in but has a ceiling on what he can achieve. Good regular season teams, never really a threat in the playoffs. It's a solid roster, but unless Donovan Mitchell goes supernova next season, I think it's another first-round exit for them.
Coming from a Blazers fan, but I'd pretty shocked--assuming good health--they didn't make the playoffs this year. They're not a contender or anything, but I'd put them in the second tier with the Nuggets, Jazz, Mavs and maybe OKC. People forget how decimated they were by injuries this year.
I just hope Utah gets through the season healthy. I like Quin Snyder a lot, I think he's one of the better coaches in the league. If they have their starting 5 and can add to Clarkson and Ingles off the bench with one more reliable piece, I think they are much more than just a playoff team.
I'm not discounting Portland's injuries this year and obviously having Lillard is huge, but they are pretty weak on the wings without any real way to improve that substantially. I'm not saying Portland will be bad next year, but Golden State is going to be a playoff team, so someone is going to miss out and teams like Phoenix, Memphis and Sacramento are going to be right in that playoff fight too. If I had to choose 2 teams that made the West playoffs this year that aren't going to next year I'd choose Portland and OKC.