Playoff predictor

[Wolvesfan21]

A week ago Zach Harper predicted the first round matchups, and had us beating the Lakers in the first round. Well, things have changed with the 2 big Laker injuries, and he now has us playing the Nuggets in the first round in a 3/6 matchup. (By the way, if Portland could have held on to a 17 point 4th quarter lead last night, the matchup with the Lakers would have been likely again. So anything can happen). But Harper has us winning the series with the Nuggets 4-3. He cites the injuries the Nuggets have had, but doesn't mention Ant and Jaden. I'm not as confident if we end up playing Denver.

I think with the combination of injuries and the way the team (we) are playing, Denver wins and it might be a blowout.

Who here thinks we can just flip a switch?

[AbeVigodaLive]

A week ago Zach Harper predicted the first round matchups, and had us beating the Lakers in the first round. Well, things have changed with the 2 big Laker injuries, and he now has us playing the Nuggets in the first round in a 3/6 matchup. (By the way, if Portland could have held on to a 17 point 4th quarter lead last night, the matchup with the Lakers would have been likely again. So anything can happen). But Harper has us winning the series with the Nuggets 4-3. He cites the injuries the Nuggets have had, but doesn't mention Ant and Jaden. I'm not as confident if we end up playing Denver.

I think with the combination of injuries and the way the team (we) are playing, Denver wins and it might be a blowout.

Who here thinks we can just flip a switch?

I think the Wolves are one of the few teams capable of flipping a switch.

Problem is that it should never be expected, no matter how much Wolves players discuss it. (And they've mentioned it often.)

Eventually, there's no switch there... and it's time to try something different. Or, in basketball terms... change things up and move on from previously important pieces.

[FNG]

A week ago Zach Harper predicted the first round matchups, and had us beating the Lakers in the first round. Well, things have changed with the 2 big Laker injuries, and he now has us playing the Nuggets in the first round in a 3/6 matchup. (By the way, if Portland could have held on to a 17 point 4th quarter lead last night, the matchup with the Lakers would have been likely again. So anything can happen). But Harper has us winning the series with the Nuggets 4-3. He cites the injuries the Nuggets have had, but doesn't mention Ant and Jaden. I'm not as confident if we end up playing Denver.

I think with the combination of injuries and the way the team (we) are playing, Denver wins and it might be a blowout.

Who here thinks we can just flip a switch?

I think the Wolves are one of the few teams capable of flipping a switch.

Problem is that it should never be expected, no matter how much Wolves players discuss it. (And they've mentioned it often.)

Eventually, there's no switch there... and it's time to try something different. Or, in basketball terms... change things up and move on from previously important pieces.

Yeah, I agree that they have shown an ability to flip a switch, so Harper may be correct that we would be competitive with Denver. But I think we can all agree there's no switch to flip if Ant and Jaden aren't both healthy, and there's no certainty they will be.

[Q-is-here]

I think a fully healthy Denver team > fully healthy Wolves team. It's not just Gordon that has gotten better since two years ago, it's the emergence of Peyton Watson as being much more than just a bench wing defender with a shaky jump shot.

Their big three of Jokic/Murray/Gordon are better than Ant/Randle/Rudy. DDV and Jaden are > Cam Johnson and Christian Braun, but OK, that's 3 out of 5 starters they have the edge on.

Once you get to the bench it's close to a wash IMO or may be even an edge to Denver given how Naz Reid is slumping toward the playoffs.

So it comes down to Denver being less healthy than us I guess!

[Wolvesfan21]

A week ago Zach Harper predicted the first round matchups, and had us beating the Lakers in the first round. Well, things have changed with the 2 big Laker injuries, and he now has us playing the Nuggets in the first round in a 3/6 matchup. (By the way, if Portland could have held on to a 17 point 4th quarter lead last night, the matchup with the Lakers would have been likely again. So anything can happen). But Harper has us winning the series with the Nuggets 4-3. He cites the injuries the Nuggets have had, but doesn't mention Ant and Jaden. I'm not as confident if we end up playing Denver.

I think with the combination of injuries and the way the team (we) are playing, Denver wins and it might be a blowout.

Who here thinks we can just flip a switch?

I think the Wolves are one of the few teams capable of flipping a switch.

Problem is that it should never be expected, no matter how much Wolves players discuss it. (And they've mentioned it often.)

Eventually, there's no switch there... and it's time to try something different. Or, in basketball terms... change things up and move on from previously important pieces.

I've doubted us in the past and we've come thorough but this year looks like the switch is even bigger to flip. So we'll see. If I were to bet right now, I say we lose in round 1. With the injuries and guys playing like poo, seems tough.

[Coolbreeze44]

I think a fully healthy Denver team > fully healthy Wolves team. It's not just Gordon that has gotten better since two years ago, it's the emergence of Peyton Watson as being much more than just a bench wing defender with a shaky jump shot.

Their big three of Jokic/Murray/Gordon are better than Ant/Randle/Rudy. DDV and Jaden are > Cam Johnson and Christian Braun, but OK, that's 3 out of 5 starters they have the edge on.

Once you get to the bench it's close to a wash IMO or may be even an edge to Denver given how Naz Reid is slumping toward the playoffs.

So it comes down to Denver being less healthy than us I guess!

You don't think Jaden is one of our best 3 starters? His inclusion in the top 3 changes the whole premise you just made. We have to have Ant and Jaden healthy of course, but I would take our group over Denver's.

[AbeVigodaLive]

I think with the combination of injuries and the way the team (we) are playing, Denver wins and it might be a blowout.

Who here thinks we can just flip a switch?

I think the Wolves are one of the few teams capable of flipping a switch.

Problem is that it should never be expected, no matter how much Wolves players discuss it. (And they've mentioned it often.)

Eventually, there's no switch there... and it's time to try something different. Or, in basketball terms... change things up and move on from previously important pieces.

I've doubted us in the past and we've come thorough but this year looks like the switch is even bigger to flip. So we'll see. If I were to bet right now, I say we lose in round 1. With the injuries and guys playing like poo, seems tough.

It's been a slog lately, so this take is very likely skewed...

... but I think losing in 5 games is as likely as winning the series.

I look at teams like Denver, OKC, Boston, LA, et al... and think that they know how to play around the margins just enough to make the difference in big games. Heck, last night, Joncic knew exactly what he was doing and how he'd be officiated, and he grabbed hold of his defender at the most opportune moment to trick officials into the foul call. Denver came back to win the game. NOBODY on the Wolves is capable of that.

Ethical hoops? Nope. Winning hoops? Yep. So, the Wolves are playing the best player in the world... a guy who has gone for a 60-point triple double against them... and he knows all the tricks, too.

Meanwhile, the Wolves are limping into the playoffs both figuratively and literally. It can't be a confident bunch right now.

[FNG]

While the dream of playing a wounded Lakers team is all but gone, there remains one albeit unlikely scenario by which it still could happen: LeBron rises to the occasion and leads his team to victories in its final 3 games (they may be favored in all three except for tonight at Golden State) and the Nuggets lose their final game of the year in San Antonio. Yeah, I know...unlikely.

Further, our likely first round opponent Denver is showing us just how good they are by toying with lesser opponents and teasing us into thinking they might lose a game...they gave us some false hope by trailing Portland and Memphis in the second half in their last two games. It sets up a scenario where we start out game one of the playoffs hot and the GDT is positively giddy, only to have the Nuggets blow us away in the second half to break our hearts.

I don't like the way this has played out...

[Coolbreeze44]

While the dream of playing a wounded Lakers team is all but gone, there remains one albeit unlikely scenario by which it still could happen: LeBron rises to the occasion and leads his team to victories in its final 3 games (they may be favored in all three except for tonight at Golden State) and the Nuggets lose their final game of the year in San Antonio. Yeah, I know...unlikely.

Further, our likely first round opponent Denver is showing us just how good they are by toying with lesser opponents and teasing us into thinking they might lose a game...they gave us some false hope by trailing Portland and Memphis in the second half in their last two games. It sets up a scenario where we start out game one of the playoffs hot and the GDT is positively giddy, only to have the Nuggets blow us away in the second half to break our hearts.

I don't like the way this has played out...

My friend, the goal isn't to win one round of playoffs, It's to come out of the West. Whoever we face, bring them on.

[Phenom]

I would love to see the Wolves beat Denver again. A large portion of NBA followers want to see Denver advance and play the Spurs and/or Thunder. It would be sweet for the Wolves to rain on their parade.

I also won't be depressed if the Wolves did play LA. Beating LA is always a good time. Let's see how the Lakers/Warriors game goes tonight.