NBA 2018 NBA Playoffs

[tony d]

I didn't think the Raptors would win but I didn't expect a sweep. Disappointing result. Also I think you'll see Casey let go by the Raptors as well.

 

[Stylizer1]

Against Indiana with the Pacers playing the way they did vs Cleveland, there's no way Toronto would have beaten them.

This Raptors team just isn't very good, and something happens to DeRozan once the playoffs begin. He turns into a useless volume shooter and often shoots his team right out of games.

I said a couple of years ago that this team should move on from Kyle Lowry because they can't win with him but I'm realizing that it's not just Lowry, it's DeRozan and maybe even moreso DeRozan. At least Lowry somewhat showed up in this series.

At the end of the day, Raptors fans never should have been optimistic. This is what LeBron wanted. Everyone and their mother knew the Cavs would beat Toronto.

Granted, but now I'm wondering if these Raps would have even made it past the Pacers.

Mental fortitude of a wet sponge.

This is why Washington was so adamant that They could beat Toronto.

 

[c9777666]

We thought the Caps had the mental fortitude of a wet sponge. If they can overcome their playoff demons, the Raptors should not blow it up.

 

[Avs_19]

The Point God has taken over and is carrying the Rockets right now. The talk of him never getting past the second round can now stop.

 

[c9777666]

Ovechkin and Chris Paul all within a 24-hour span finally make it to round 3!

 

[Del Preston]

Who is this jabroni filling in for Ernie tonight?

 

[c9777666]

Who is this jabroni filling in for Ernie tonight?

Casey Stern. Ernie is at the Sports Emmy Awards.

 

[dahrougem2]

We thought the Caps had the mental fortitude of a wet sponge. If they can overcome their playoff demons, the Raptors should not blow it up.

Not even remotely similar

 

[Vamos Rafa]

Ovechkin and Chris Paul all within a 24-hour span finally make it to round 2!

I think you mean round 3

 

[EpochLink]

Rockets/Warriors will be an epic WCF

 

[La Masse]

Rockets/Warriors will be an epic WCF

I don’t think it will be that great tbh. Warriors will handle them pretty easily in 5

 

[Duke33]

Rockets/Warriors will be an epic WCF

Yeah the Rockets have been talking about that matchup all season. Hope they can bring it. Adding Paul, overhauling the defense, we'll see if it works. They took two of three during the season and have the home court, so confidence shouldn't be an issue. I'll say Rockets in 7 just for the heck of it. Can't ask for a better challenge.

The winner of course will annihilate whoever comes out of the East even if it's Cleveland. I knew Toronto offered nothing as usual and Boston might be too banged up to do anything but with their coaching who knows, Steven is great.

 

[Jack Straw]

GSW over Rockets in 6

 

[La Masse]

Warriors defense is quite better then Houston’s. Who the heck is going to cover KD?

 

[Duke33]

Warriors defense is quite better then Houston’s. Who the heck is going to cover KD?

See that's what a lot of people are saying/have said without realizing Houston's defense has improved a great deal this season with their additions, not just Paul.

In the regular season, Houston actually had the better overall defense, ranked #6, (they were like 19th the year before) the Warriors were #9. In the postseason, the Warriors are #1, the Rockets #2. So the argument that GS has a much better defense really isn't the same as the last two meetings.

Each team has a bunch of guys to throw at each other's scorers, but both are so good offensively too. The scores of all three matchups during the season were high.

Golden State is still by far the favorite, but it wouldn't shock me one bit to see Houston make them work for it at least.

 

[Hadoop]

Little consolation for Raps fans, but this is a fun article with some reasons for Love and Korver's resurgence against Toronto. Lowe: Love and Korver aren't just watching LeBron

 

[darko]

GSW in 7.

 

[La Masse]

See that's what a lot of people are saying/have said without realizing Houston's defense has improved a great deal this season with their additions, not just Paul.

In the regular season, Houston actually had the better overall defense, ranked #6, (they were like 19th the year before) the Warriors were #9. In the postseason, the Warriors are #1, the Rockets #2. So the argument that GS has a much better defense really isn't the same as the last two meetings.

Each team has a bunch of guys to throw at each other's scorers, but both are so good offensively too. The scores of all three matchups during the season were high.

Golden State is still by far the favorite, but it wouldn't shock me one bit to see Houston make them work for it at least.

Head to head matchups dont mean much especially in the regular season but other that ya I agree the Rockets will be the toughest test for the Warriors in a little while

 

[tony d]

Houston/Golden State should be fun and could be the real final. Rockets in 7.

 

[dahrougem2]

Houston/Golden State is the real NBA Finals. I think Warriors take the series in 6 games.

 

[Duke33]

Head to head matchups dont mean much especially in the regular season but other that ya I agree the Rockets will be the toughest test for the Warriors in a little while

Head to head is small sample for sure. But my point was overall Houston's defense has improved tremendously this year. And the Rockets offense will be a big step up from a toothless Spurs team and one dimensional Pelicans.

On the flip side, Utah had the best defense in the league this year. The Rockets overall went 8-1 vs. them with an average margin of victory of 16 points and scoring an average of 112 pts.

Now, all that is great, but does it mean they can beat GS in 4 of 7? Who knows. But they don't have the garbage defense of even a couple years ago anymore. Hopefully they'll at least make the Warriors sweat.

 

[Dr Pepper]

A Celtics-Rockets final would be pretty sweet.

Change it up a bit, why not?

This is of course assuming Boston snuffs out that comeback and takes care of Philly.

 

[Virtanen18]

Warriors defense is quite better then Houston’s. Who the heck is going to cover KD?

Ariza? Tucker? LRMaM? Paul?

Who can ever guard KD? But they have enough guys who can make it a little uncomfortable.

 

[Cassano]

No one in the league can guard KD lol.

 

[StreetHawk]

Houston/Golden State is the real NBA Finals. I think Warriors take the series in 6 games.

I also take GSW in 6.

All about how each team matches up to their opponents.

Expect KD to take over a game or 2 in this series.