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Riverwalk2021 wrote:1. Celtics 50%. Would be higher if Porzingis wasn't made of glass.
2. Wolves 30%. Could see them taking down the Celtics if Tatum bottles it again.
3. Mavs 20%. Could see them getting to the Finals but think the Celtics are a very bad matchup for them.
4. Pacers have no chance.
Yuri36 wrote:Chuck Everett wrote:I'm cool with whoever wins. Dallas winning would be funny because RealGM would have to give Kidd and Kyrie credit.
Not to mention that they would have to recognize that Luka's monocentric style of play can bring you a ring contrary to what happened with Harden.
Yuri36 wrote:Riverwalk2021 wrote:1. Celtics 50%. Would be higher if Porzingis wasn't made of glass.
2. Wolves 30%. Could see them taking down the Celtics if Tatum bottles it again.
3. Mavs 20%. Could see them getting to the Finals but think the Celtics are a very bad matchup for them.
4. Pacers have no chance.
How so?
Riverwalk2021 wrote:Yuri36 wrote:Riverwalk2021 wrote:1. Celtics 50%. Would be higher if Porzingis wasn't made of glass.
2. Wolves 30%. Could see them taking down the Celtics if Tatum bottles it again.
3. Mavs 20%. Could see them getting to the Finals but think the Celtics are a very bad matchup for them.
4. Pacers have no chance.
How so?
I used Scott Steiner math to calculate the above percentages but I think the Celtics' strongest part of their defense (White, Holiday, Tatum) can really disrupt Luka/Kryie on offense. I also question what Luka will have left in the tank after a very tough and physical series although I'm picking the Mavs in 7 in the WCF.
Warspite wrote:Billups was a horrible scorer who could only score with an open corner 3 or a FT.
Sealab2024 wrote:Riverwalk2021 wrote:Yuri36 wrote:
How so?
I used Scott Steiner math to calculate the above percentages but I think the Celtics' strongest part of their defense (White, Holiday, Tatum) can really disrupt Luka/Kryie on offense. I also question what Luka will have left in the tank after a very tough and physical series although I'm picking the Mavs in 7 in the WCF.
Steiner math is good but I prefer Steiner Astrology.
"You see my freaks don't have to wait for the earth to rotate on a 47° axis so the stars can set the sky and create an equilax so they can see the Big Dipper. I got the big dipper".
One_and_Done wrote:Indiana has too many votes.
thinktank wrote:Jaqua92 wrote:thinktank wrote:
It was RS but Wolves beat Celts and then took Celts to OT with our stars hurt and Celtics healthy.
I don’t think it’s the Celtics ring to lose, especially when this team has never won the chip and the Wolves just beat the champs. Also, Zinger doesn’t look healthy.
A few things.
1. Wolves beat a beaten down, depleted version of the champs. Murray was injured. And their bench died. The team that won the championship last year beats this year's Denver team in 5.
2. For whatever reason, and I saw this back in November, Wolves fans didn't even realize the Celtics were missing their primary ball handler in Derrick White. Sure, you can say the Wolves showed out by pushing Boston to OT on a back to back. But you can also say the Celtics showed out by pushing Minnesota to OT when they were missing Derrick White, who is a 16/5/6 player, and our best defensive guard.
Regular season is meaningless and the Celtics are just a nightmare matchup. Minnesota's defense will give them problems. The issue for Minnesota is that this Boston defense (and offense for that matter) has a lot of post season expeirence BEING that agressive defense and playing against it.
Denver's defense kept Minnesota to 103ppg. What's Boston's defense going to do?
The Wolves will need to keep Boston nearly 15 points below their typical offense to win this, AND the Wolves offense, which can struggle, will have the toughest defense they've faced all post season.
The posters are right. This is Boston's to lose.
There are 3 things that can happen to swing this in Minnesota's favor.
1. Historic 3 point shooting
2. Celtics slacking off
3. Celtics tightening up and getting themselves frazzled
4. Celtics injury.
That's it. Healthy vs healthy, effort vs effort, Celtics should win in 5 or 6.
The fact is, there is nothing that could convince you this isn’t “Boston’s series to lose.” Even though the Wolves defense is historically good.
Right? Right.
Good. That’s what the Wolves want.
We want you completely overlooking the Pacers, as you are now.
And then completely overlooking us and Dallas, as you are now.
Love it!
NOTE: The poll is close, so most people do t agree with you.
Harry Garris wrote:If the Celtics stay healthy and simply play smart basketball they should win the title. They're more talented than either of Dallas and Minnesota, and when playing their peak basketball they are a better team. The crazy thing is though even though Boston at least so far this postseason seems to have improved their energy and focus on a night to night basis from the absolute disaster that was the ECF last year, I still don't 100% trust them.
This Boston Celtics team frequently takes possessions off. Sometimes they even take longer stretches of games off. Twice this postseason so far they've even taken an entire game off. Against their competition in the eastern conference this hasn't mattered one bit, they can do their thing where they play super passively on offense and just cast up a bunch of bad 3 point shots and throw away a game and still easily win the series. But if they do that against the Mavs or the Wolves they're leaving the door open to lose the title.
Statlanta wrote:Minnesota. Finch breaking his leg made them a team of destiny.
They have more depth than Dallas and are more battle tested than Boston.
Jaqua92 wrote:thinktank wrote:Jaqua92 wrote:
A few things.
1. Wolves beat a beaten down, depleted version of the champs. Murray was injured. And their bench died. The team that won the championship last year beats this year's Denver team in 5.
2. For whatever reason, and I saw this back in November, Wolves fans didn't even realize the Celtics were missing their primary ball handler in Derrick White. Sure, you can say the Wolves showed out by pushing Boston to OT on a back to back. But you can also say the Celtics showed out by pushing Minnesota to OT when they were missing Derrick White, who is a 16/5/6 player, and our best defensive guard.
Regular season is meaningless and the Celtics are just a nightmare matchup. Minnesota's defense will give them problems. The issue for Minnesota is that this Boston defense (and offense for that matter) has a lot of post season expeirence BEING that agressive defense and playing against it.
Denver's defense kept Minnesota to 103ppg. What's Boston's defense going to do?
The Wolves will need to keep Boston nearly 15 points below their typical offense to win this, AND the Wolves offense, which can struggle, will have the toughest defense they've faced all post season.
The posters are right. This is Boston's to lose.
There are 3 things that can happen to swing this in Minnesota's favor.
1. Historic 3 point shooting
2. Celtics slacking off
3. Celtics tightening up and getting themselves frazzled
4. Celtics injury.
That's it. Healthy vs healthy, effort vs effort, Celtics should win in 5 or 6.
The fact is, there is nothing that could convince you this isn’t “Boston’s series to lose.” Even though the Wolves defense is historically good.
Right? Right.
Good. That’s what the Wolves want.
We want you completely overlooking the Pacers, as you are now.
And then completely overlooking us and Dallas, as you are now.
Love it!
NOTE: The poll is close, so most people do t agree with you.
Spoken like a team who hasn't been there yet.
You guys barley got through a broken Denver team who trailed for 75% of the LA series. Celtics are the favorites
Pole agrees with me
MaxwellSmart wrote:I hate to say this, but Go Lakers....
