NBA 2021: 3rd Time's the Charm

[Kingspoint]

Probably won't win tonight as Nurkic's injuries continue to take their toll. He has a knee issue that ruled him out for tonight's very important game. Blazers are a completely different team without him. Blazers have to avoid getting blown out and keep it within 10 with five minutes to go. Do that and they have a chance. With Nurkic, they had a 50-50 chance. Without him, only a 20% chance. Maybe Giles can get an opportunity and help Portland on the boards.

[Kingspoint]

You said they'd be 30-18, multiple times. Look, here's one:



Only way they could have gotten to 30-18 was by beating the Bucks. Do you ever get tired of these whiffs?

Again, you are making stuff up. WOW!!!

I never said they would beat MIL. Nice try. I had their record wrong just like when I said they'd be 30-16 (how conveniently you forgot that, but go ahead and try to twist the facts to suit your narratives as you always do). I said they'd go 4-0 on their road trip, which they did, and LA won one more game than I thought they would (they've played good Defense even without A.D. and LeBron) and DEN won one more game than I thought they would.

But, go ahead and make things up (or change the narrative). Seems to work well for you.

Didn't expect wins against MIL, LAC or UTA, but I thought they had a great chance @ LAC, but not now without Nurk. Too many Offensive Rebounds will be given up while there will be a number of Defensive issues without Nurkic.

[M2]

Again, you are making stuff up. WOW!!!

I never said they would beat MIL. Nice try. I had their record wrong just like when I said they'd be 30-16 (how conveniently you forgot that, but go ahead and try to twist the facts to suit your narratives as you always do). I said they'd go 4-0 on their road trip, which they did, and LA won one more game than I thought they would (they've played good Defense even without A.D. and LeBron) and DEN won one more game than I thought they would.

But, go ahead and make things up (or change the narrative). Seems to work well for you.

Didn't expect wins against MIL, LAC or UTA, but I thought they had a great chance @ LAC, but not now without Nurk. Too many Offensive Rebounds will be given up while there will be a number of Defensive issues without Nurkic.

How were they supposed to get to 30-18 if they didn't beat Milwaukee? They were 29-18 going into that game.

And if you're retreating to "they won't do so well against really good teams," I agree.

[Kingspoint]

There's no retreating to they won't do well against really good teams. Without Nurk, C.J., and time for Nurk, C.J., RoCo, Dame and whoever to play a month together, the only games they could win was against the non-elite teams, though they managed to sweep PHI, even dominating them without Dame due to an uncharacteristically great team effort Defensively, but they are blowout candidates against BKN, UTA, PHO, LAC, LAL (with LeBron and A.D.), MIL, DEN and PHI. Tonight, Powell and C.J. make a difference, but no Nurkic takes Kanter off the 2nd Unit, and RoCo has to carry the team Defensively on his back again. Derrick Jones, Jr.'s Defense is needed against Kawhi and PG. Would help if we had Hollis-Jefferson, who is still waiting to pass six COVID tests. Kanter goes back to Starting at Center with RoCo backing him up. Stotts has to decide who to start at SF, where DJJ would be the best move against Leonard with Powell and Melo first off the bench.

[M2]

Blah, blah, blah. You were on this kick about how the Blazers were surging to 30-18, and the only way for that to happen was by beating the Bucks. If you're going to make these silly predictions at least have the decency to admit to them after the fact.

[Bourgeois Zee]

30-18 will be there [their-- ie, Portland's]record. Lakers will have 19 losses and Denver 20 losses by next Wednesday.

It's Wednesday. Portland now has 20 losses.

Denver still has 18, and the Lakers have 19.

So one out of 3...?

They're in the same position as they were when this was written, except Dallas has come on strong to whittle the Portland lead for the sixth spot in the west to one loss and a couple of wins. If the Clippers remain the third seed in the playoffs, I'm not sure if I wouldn't prefer to play two-seed Phoenix. That would necessitate coming out of the 7 - 10 seed play-in games, though.

Which would you rather face, RedsZone-- Phoenix (with the play-in games) or the Clips straight up?

[M2]

It's Wednesday. Portland now has 20 losses.

Denver still has 18, and the Lakers have 19.

So one out of 3...?

They're in the same position as they were when this was written, except Dallas has come on strong to whittle the Portland lead for the sixth spot in the west to one loss and a couple of wins. If the Clippers remain the third seed in the playoffs, I'm not sure if I wouldn't prefer to play two-seed Phoenix. That would necessitate coming out of the 7 - 10 seed play-in games, though.

Which would you rather face, RedsZone-- Phoenix (with the play-in games) or the Clips straight up?

I'd rather mess with Phoenix, just because they haven't been there. If Dallas/Portland/Lakers end up in the #7 slot, I'm thinking they might be favored over Phoenix.

[Bourgeois Zee]

I'd rather mess with Phoenix, just because they haven't been there. If Dallas/Portland/Lakers end up in the #7 slot, I'm thinking they might be favored over Phoenix.

So you'd be willing to gamble with going into the play-in tourney?

[M2]

So you'd be willing to gamble with going into the play-in tourney?

I wouldn't aim for it, but I think Phoenix would make for an easier first round after surviving the threat of instant elimination. Mind you, given the remaining strength of schedule, I also wouldn't be shocked to see Phoenix drop to 4th.

[15fan]

Last night, Hawks 11 for 11 on 3s in 3rd quarter.

That’s silly.

[Kingspoint]

JAZZ-SUNS tonight.

[Kingspoint]

It's not likely that MIN finishes out of the Bottom-3, therefore losing their 1st Round pick to the GSW, so with that pick, who do the T-Wolves add,...Jalen Suggs, Cade Cunningham, Jalen Green, Davion Mitchell or someone else?

[Betterread]

The lottery odds are only 14% each for the bottom three teams. Those are far from strong odds to stay in the bottom 3 after the lottery. The Twolves have had bad luck historically with the lottery so I am pessimistic that they will keep the pick.
Anyway, we need T J McConnell more than any talented youngster. He played another nearly perfect fourth quarter for Indiana in their win over the Twolves.

[texasdave]

Each of the bottom 3 teams has about a 40% chance of picking in the top three. So, obviously, that means each has approximately a 60% chance of picking 4th or worse.

http://www.tankathon.com/pick_odds <---2021 lottery odds

[Kingspoint]

Each of the bottom 3 teams has about a 40% chance of picking in the top three. So, obviously, that means each has approximately a 60% chance of picking 4th or worse.

http://www.tankathon.com/pick_odds <---2021 lottery odds

Totally forgot about the lottery.

GSW has a great shot here, then.