2024 Play-In and Playoffs Predictions.

[nuraman00]

Eastern Conference
Miami Heat at Philadelphia 76ers

Miami went 3-1 in the regular season, but both teams were missing players in several games.

Miami is having an even better defensive season than last year.

Miami's best chance to win is if fouls aren't called. Can't put Embiid and Maxey on the foul line.

Miami is 24 - 17 on the road. They struggled at home more.

Philadelphia is 11 - 23 in winner take all games, including losing 5 in a row.

Miami is 8 - 8 in winner take all games. Ok I guess this isn't a winner take all game, but just providing some reference points.

I'm struggling with this one. Individually, I trust Maxey more than Jimmy Butler. As a team, I trust Miami, their defense, and their history in playoffs type games, more than Philadelphia. And their road record.

I think I will go with Miami, because I think there will be one more surprising result out of the first four games, and this is the one.

No, nevermind. There will be a later chance to make a less obvious pick.

Pick: Philadelphia 76ers


Atlanta Hawks at Chicago Bulls

Hawks are small, don't defend, and struggle with rebounding. Vucevic could score 21+.

Pick: Chicago Bulls


Western Conference
L.A. Lakers at New Orleans Pelicans

Pelicans won't play as bad as they did a few days ago. Even in the playoffs, teams sometimes lose by 30 one game, then win the next, on the same court.

My one reluctance is that I think I pick the Pelicans a lot the past few years, and they don't win. I guess I will pick them again, partly because McCollum has been playing pretty well.

Jose Alvarado will need to make an impact for the Pelicans. Like a 2 steal game.

Pick: New Orleans Pelicans


Golden State Warriors at Sacramento Kings

If the Kings get a lead, they'll blow it. If they don't get a lead, I doubt they get it to within 6, once they're down by 12 or 13. It's rare to see 3 good quarters from the Kings.

Sacramento is 6 - 12 in winner take all games, including 3 - 3 at home, going back to the Rochester days. The Rochester era actually includes 2 home wins. And the Cincinnati era has the other win.

Pick: Golden State Warriors

 

[DrewScott]

Knicks-Nuggets finals. Knicks in 6. Isaiah Hartenstein out Jokics Jokic. Him and Brunson win co-mvp's.

 

[nuraman00]

Knicks-Nuggets finals. Knicks in 6. Isaiah Hartenstein out Jokics Jokic. Him and Brunson win co-mvp's.

Do you want to give a game order for that Finals? As in, which team will win each game.

 

[nuraman00]

Why don't Pelicans fans boo Davis every time he touches the ball?

 

[nuraman00]

@MHSL82, get your predictions in.

 

[nuraman00]

Don't like the Pelicans not playing Valanciunas.

 

[DrewScott]

Do you want to give a game order for that Finals? As in, which team will win each game.

ok, sure. First i have to chat gpt what the 7 game format is this year and i see it's 2-2-1-1-1. So the Nuggets will have homecourt. Knicks will steal game one. Every then assumes that Denver will tie up the series in game two, but the Knicks hang around and hit a buzzzer beater 3, stunning the Nuggets in game two and going up 2-0 in the series. Then back to NYC we go for game 3. A desperate Denver team wins game 3 as Knicks dissapointedly play a sloppy and somewhat overconfident game. Game 4 , Knicks win in a blowout, Brunson and Divicenzo raining 3's from all over.Knicks up 3-1 in the series. Back to Denver for game 5 which the Nuggets take in a Nuggs blowout. Knicks up 3-2. Game 6 in Denver, Thibs read the KNicks the riot act in the 2nd half of a back and forth game, and the knicks open it up in the 4th, then hold on as Denver makes a late run, but too little too late for Denver, as the Knicks hold on for a stunning 6 game series championship and bring the NBA Trophy back to NYC for the first time since 1973. Canyon of Heroes parade scheduled for 2 days later.

 

[nuraman00]

The Pelicans are passing like it's a preseason game.

 

[nuraman00]

ok, sure. First i have to chat gpt what the 7 game format is this year and i see it's 2-2-1-1-1. So the Nuggets will have homecourt. Knicks will steal game one. Every then assumes that Denver will tie up the series in game two, but the Knicks hang around and hit a buzzzer beater 3, stunning the Nuggets in game two and going up 2-0 in the series. Then back to NYC we go for game 3. A desperate Denver team wins game 3 as Knicks dissapointedly play a sloppy and somewhat overconfident game. Game 4 , Knicks win in a blowout, Brunson and Divicenzo raining 3's from all over.Knicks up 3-1 in the series. Back to Denver for game 5 which the Nuggets take in a Nuggs blowout. Knicks up 3-2. Game 6 in Denver, Thibs read the KNicks the riot act in the 2nd half of a back and forth game, and the knicks open it up in the 4th, then hold on as Denver makes a late run, but too little too late for Denver, as the Knicks hold on for a stunning 6 game series championship and bring the NBA Trophy back to NYC for the first time since 1973. Canyon of Heroes parade scheduled for 2 days later.

Love it. I just learned what the Canyon Of Heroes is.

Loved your breakdown of each game.

BTW, Chat GPT is wrong sometimes.

For example, it gave this answer, which is flat out wrong.

 

[DrewScott]

Love it. I just learned what the Canyon Of Heroes is.

Loved your breakdown of each game.

BTW, Chat GPT is wrong sometimes.

For example, it gave this answer, which is flat out wrong.

chat gpt and

Finding out that chat GPT and AI is sometimes wrong has rocked me to the core. If I can't believe what my computer is telling me, what or who can I believe?

 

[nuraman00]

Finding out that chat GPT and AI is sometimes wrong has rocked me to the core. If I can't believe what my computer is telling me, what or who can I believe?

Saul Goodman.


As Kim said to Lalo:

If you don't trust your men with your money, you have bigger problems than if you trust Saul Goodman.

And for the record, he doesn't lie, not to me, not to his clients.

He's telling you the truth. But next time you have a bunch of money and no one you can trust, leave him out of it, okay?

Try a... a wire transfer. Try a... a shell company or... or...You've heard of the Cayman Islands, right?

Jesus.

Get your shit together and stop torturing the one man who went through hell to save your ass.

 

[DrewScott]

Saul Goodman.


As Kim said to Lalo:

Nice!! Lalo was such a great character. I still check under the bed at night, just in case he's hiding there.

 

[nuraman00]

The Warriors made this shirt after Klay scored 37 in a quarter against the Kings on 100% shooting.

Yes, it bothers me that the shirt doesn't say 2/2 on FTs, since that is a part of the record.

i.imgur.com/M62Wwv7.png

The Kings now need to do the reverse for Klay, based on this play-in game.

First game of his career where he scored 0 points with at least 12 minutes.

It took more than 9 years for the Kings to finally get one on Klay.

 

[nuraman00]

Nice!! Lalo was such a great character. I still check under the bed at night, just in case he's hiding there.

I have the Blu Ray box set. I also listened to every Insiders Podcast for every episode, and made notes on reddit for each podcast episode, based on the interesting stuff they said.

I also made this post about every single Easter egg I could find on the Blu Rays:



I have not listened to the audio commentaries yet. That's what I'm going to do on my next rewatch. Listen to the audio commentary for each episode. Some episodes have 2 different audio commentaries, based on different cast or crew members.

Yes, Lalo and Nacho were great characters.

 

[nuraman00]

@MHSL82 Yes, I think 0 points with at least 12 minutes played is kind of a fake record.

Just tell me all of the games he scored 0 points, even with less than 12 minutes.

 

[nuraman00]

So, are the Beastie Boys Knicks or Nets fans?

What about the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles?

 

[nuraman00]

Miami Heat - Philadelphia 76ers:

22 at the end of the first.

Oops, I thought the games started at 4:40 PM, not 4:10 PST.

 

[nuraman00]

You know the Heat are going to be upset to live through a "Batum Bonanza".

 

[nuraman00]

I think I spent about 70 minutes, maybe more, agonizing over this pick. Looking up data.

Even if I'm wrong about the result, I think I was justified in thinking that hard about it. Given how close this game is.

It would be worse if I spent that much time, and I made the wrong pick in a blowout loss.

 

[nuraman00]

Eastern Conference
Chicago Bulls at Miami Heat

Butler is hurt. Adebayo and Jamie Jaquez Jr. could keep it close. But Chicago should win.

Pick: Chicago Bulls

Western Conference
Sacramento Kings at New Orleans Pelicans

Here's a list of teams that won a playoffs series after being swept by that team in the regular season:

1989 Bulls vs Cavs (3-2) playoffs, 0-6 regular season.

1998 Bulls vs Jazz (4-2) playoffs, 0-2 regular season.

2009 Lakers vs Magic (4-1) playoffs, 0-2 regular season.

2011 Heat vs Bulls (4-1) playoffs, 0-3 regular season.

2014 Heat vs Nets (4-1) playoffs, 0-4 regular season.

2015 Washington vs Raptors (4-0) playoffs, 0-4 regular season.

2016 Cavs vs Warriors (4-3) playoffs, 0-2 regular season.

2019 Blazers vs OKC (4-1) playoffs, 0-4 regular season.

2023 Mavericks vs Suns (4-3) playoffs, 0-3 regular season.


Kings lost a game at home by 33 points without Zion Williamson.

New Orleans is not a good home team, and Kings are better on the road.

New Orleans won 28 on the road, 21 at home. Memphis is another team with huge splits. 18 wins on the road, 9 at home.

I think the Kings will finally limit CJ McCollum. Although the Kings also lost by 36 without CJ McCollum too.

Pick: Sacramento Kings