NBA finals predictions

[bksballer89]

Lakers over Nets in 7

 

[DJ]

Meh, think it'll take a year before KD and Irving get on the same page before they make it to the Finals....think they lose in the ECF to either Milwaukee or maybe even the Heat.

 

[Black Adam]

another Lakers/Heat final. Lakers in 7...

 

[bksballer89]

Meh, think it'll take a year before KD and Irving get on the same page before they make it to the Finals....think they lose in the ECF to either Milwaukee or maybe even the Heat.

That team is loaded. 1-12. To me they have the best team on paper.

Miami aren't beating them in a 7 game series. It is Milwaukee or nobody. Jrue can give Kyrie problems and same for Giannis with KD

 

[The Nick Man]

Lakers over Milwaukee. Tempted to predict Brooklyn but I'm hesitant about KD's health. Could get very very interesting in the East if a James Harden trade has him ending up in Brooklyn or Philly

 

[tlance]

That team is loaded. 1-12. To me they have the best team on paper.

Miami aren't beating them in a 7 game series. It is Milwaukee or nobody. Jrue can give Kyrie problems and same for Giannis with KD

I think you are greatly underestimating the chemistry component here.

I will believe it when I see it with Brooklyn

 

[bksballer89]

I think you are greatly underestimating the chemistry component here.

I will believe it when I see it with Brookly

Chemistry is the only thing that shoud stop them from making the finals. If they figure that out by early 2nd half of the season then good luck to the rest of the league. That team after KD and Kyrie is loaded. You don't really see teams loaded like when they have 2 stars/superstars.

Dinwiddie
Levert
Allen
Jordan
Harris
Jeff Green
Shamet
Taurean Prince

That's a great 10 man rotation and they still have quality players i failed to mention because those guys will have trouble getting meaningful minutes

 

[tlance]

Chemistry is the only thing that shoud stop them from making the finals. If they figure that out by early 2nd half of the season then good luck to the rest of the league. That team after KD and Kyrie is loaded. You don't really see teams loaded like when they have 2 stars/superstars.

Dinwiddie
Levert
Allen
Jordan
Harris
Jeff Green
Shamet
Taurean Prince

That's a great 10 man rotation and they still have quality players i failed to mention because those guys will have trouble getting meaningful minutes

I agree that they are loaded.

Take Kyrie off the roster and I might actually be more inclined to pick them.

 

[tlance]

If I have to pick a team today, I think I am taking the Celtics. Not sure why. Just think they are being mostly overlooked right now. And they shouldn’t be.

Lakers beat them in 6.

 

[Gman]

If I have to pick a team today, I think I am taking the Celtics.

Has anyone ever told you that you are a genius AND a handsome devil to boot?

 

[Gman]

I agree that the Nets are loaded... if Kyrie wasn't such a well-documented headcase, and if KD getting back to 100% of what he was could be guaranteed... they would be the favorite.

As is... it's a pretty even and coolly competitive field in the East... you could make a case for 4 maybe 5 teams.

 

[trojanfan12]

Not buying the Nets. Not with the leagues biggest head case and the league's most sensitive superstar leading them. They're more likely to be the East version of last years Clippers, only more public.

I think the East will come down to the Celtics and Heat. The West comes down to the Lakers and Clippers.

I think we get Lakers/Celtics to break the 17 championship tie (as we should).

Lakers get #18 in 6 games.

 

[tlance]

Has anyone ever told you that you are a genius AND a handsome devil to boot?

Wow.

First time for everything!

 

[Gman]

As things stand right now... the Celtics got a big ? when it comes to depth... the Boston bench is young and the lack of experience is absolutely jarring...

... might it all work out?... sure. But there is also very real potential that it could undermine this season.

Of course, Ainge has those trade exceptions in his back pocket... so any bench problem could potentially get solved midseason at the trade deadline...

 

[bksballer89]

I agree that the Nets are loaded... if Kyrie wasn't such a well-documented headcase, and if KD getting back to 100% of what he was could be guaranteed... they would be the favorite.

As is... it's a pretty even and coolly competitive field in the East... you could make a case for 4 maybe 5 teams.

Im not worried about KD at all. Kyrie is the question mark

 

[Gman]

Im not worried about KD at all. Kyrie is the question mark

I think the main concern with both players is between their ears... and the bigger concern is Kyrie, absolutely.

With regards to Durant... the issue isn't just KD by himself, it's him having to deal with Kyrie's crazy...

 

[Black Adam]

I think you are greatly underestimating the chemistry component here.

I will believe it when I see it with Brooklyn

 

[trojanfan12]

I think the main concern with both players is between their ears... and the bigger concern is Kyrie, absolutely.

With regards to Durant... the issue isn't just KD by himself, it's him having to deal with Kyrie's crazy...

^^^This^^^

KD is a sensitive dude and gets in his feels way too much. But he generally doesn't allow it to effect his on court play. He's been teammates with guys who can be a bit off/hardheaded in Westbrook and Dray.

But he's never had to deal with Kyrie's kind of crazy.

 

[tlance]

^^^This^^^

KD is a sensitive dude and gets in his feels way too much. But he generally doesn't allow it to effect his on court play. He's been teammates with guys who can be a bit off/hardheaded in Westbrook and Dray.

But he's never had to deal with Kyrie's kind of crazy.

He may be emo, but regardless of how he feels he is going to show up and be 1 of the best players in the NBA.

This team’s ability to reach the potential is almost entirely dependent on how Kyrie executes his role and if he is willing to buy in to a team approach that puts KD as the first option AND still allows guys like Dinwiddie, LeVert, etc to play major roles.

 

[trojanfan12]

He may be emo, but regardless of how he feels he is going to show up and be 1 of the best players in the NBA.

This team’s ability to reach the potential is almost entirely dependent on how Kyrie executes his role and if he is willing to buy in to a team approach that puts KD as the first option AND still allows guys like Dinwiddie, LeVert, etc to play major roles.

Yeah, he's generally done a pretty good job of just keeping out of drama and playing his game. But him getting into a bit of a public spat with Dray, something that I don't remember him doing with Westbrook, makes me think maybe he's reaching a point where he's not going to just stay quiet anymore.

It still may not effect his play on the court, but it could effect the play of those around him.

To me, it would be similar to what we apparently just saw with the Clippers. The Clippers role players were willing to accept the star treatment that Kawhi and PG got as long as they performed on the court. Kawhi, for the most part, did perform. But PG didn't and Kawhi couldn't overcome the overall effect it had on the team.