Around the League - '23-24 Season

[Q-is-here]

Nice help from the Spurs tonight!

What an unexpected surprise! 3 out of 4 of OKC's latest losses have been to Detroit, Utah, and San Antonio. We aren't the only ones that come up flat occasionally against inferior opponents. And as I have mentioned a bunch on here, OKC basically plays at full strength every single game, so it's not like any of these losses were due to key guys being out.

[FNG]

Nice help from the Spurs tonight!

What an unexpected surprise! 3 out of 4 of OKC's latest losses have been to Detroit, Utah, and San Antonio. We aren't the only ones that come up flat occasionally against inferior opponents. And as I have mentioned a bunch on here, OKC basically plays at full strength every single game, so it's not like any of these losses were due to key guys being out.

Yeah, big loss. After a quick 2-game west coast trip, OkC plays 8 consecutive games where they are likely to be favored. So if they can avoid laying a turd like they did against the Spurs, they very likely might be in first place in three weeks. But a 5-game road trip against top Eastern teams (except Charlotte, although they are playing better too) in early April is going to be their death knell.

[Q-is-here]

Nice help from the Spurs tonight!

What an unexpected surprise! 3 out of 4 of OKC's latest losses have been to Detroit, Utah, and San Antonio. We aren't the only ones that come up flat occasionally against inferior opponents. And as I have mentioned a bunch on here, OKC basically plays at full strength every single game, so it's not like any of these losses were due to key guys being out.

Yeah, big loss. After a quick 2-game west coast trip, OkC plays 8 consecutive games where they are likely to be favored. So if they can avoid laying a turd like they did against the Spurs, they very likely might be in first place in three weeks. But a 5-game road trip against top Eastern teams (except Charlotte, although they are playing better too) in early April is going to be their death knell.

I see their next two games are @ Phoenix and @LAL, both of whom are playing well of late, so it's very possible they lose both those games before the "easy" 8-game stretch, which includes home games against Miami, Indiana, and Dallas. One or more of those could be losses too.

In fact, I'm kind of counting on this upcoming stretch of 11 games just mentioned to be the thing that puts a dent in their chances of the #1 seed. That 5-game east coast trip may be easier than you think. Philly may still be without Embiid, the Knicks have been dinged up of late; and Boston may have such a huge lead in the East that they start resting guys at that point. And then there is Charlotte.

[Coolbreeze44]

https://twitter.com/i/status/1763794141266215012

How many fouls would Jaden McDaniels have been called for during this sequence?

[FNG]

I'm shocked, shocked to learn that Ben "the Iron Horse" Simmons is out for the season again with back issues.

Now excuse me while I go back and delete any takes where I advocated trading for him.

[Coolbreeze44]

I'm shocked, shocked to learn that Ben "the Iron Horse" Simmons is out for the season again with back issues.

Now excuse me while I go back and delete any takes where I advocated trading for him.

Who would have been his Wally Pipp?

[FNG]

I'm shocked, shocked to learn that Ben "the Iron Horse" Simmons is out for the season again with back issues.

Now excuse me while I go back and delete any takes where I advocated trading for him.

Who would have been his Wally Pipp?

Ha, you can choose from several options...

[Q-is-here]

Bucks lose at home to the Grizzlies, yet remain in 2nd place in the East, 13 games back from Boston. The East is pathetic! I really have to wonder if Boston can win the Finals with the total lack of real competition they've had in most regular season games. They've lost both games to Denver and split with us and OKC, so they are now 2-4 against the top 3 teams in the West.

Meanwhile, the Wolves have gone through the gauntlet and after 76 games find ourselves atop the West with 10 other VERY competitive teams below us.

[FNG]

Bucks lose at home to the Grizzlies, yet remain in 2nd place in the East, 13 games back from Boston. The East is pathetic! I really have to wonder if Boston can win the Finals with the total lack of real competition they've had in most regular season games. They've lost both games to Denver and split with us and OKC, so they are now 2-4 against the top 3 teams in the West.

Meanwhile, the Wolves have gone through the gauntlet and after 76 games find ourselves atop the West with 10 other VERY competitive teams below us.

Yeah, I've been thinking the same thing. Boston has had a terrific season, but their record is inflated by getting to play so many games against bad teams. Don't get me wrong...they're good. I just don't think they are as good as the Nuggets.

Here's one way to look at the difference in strength between the two conferences. The Wolves likely ended any dreams of Houston making the playoffs this year with their win this week. But I would take Houston straight up on a neutral court against most of the teams in the East.

The West is currently 62 games over .500, and that will probably be 64 at the end of the night with the Kings beating the Knicks and the Mavericks beating the Hawks. I don't think the conferences have ever been this unbalanced.

[davemang]

It would be pretty wild if embiid rounds back into the insane more-points-than-minutes form just as the sixers get the 8th seed and the sixers beat Boston in the first round. As much as I'm not a huge embiid fan, my dislike of ESPN is far higher and they're basically a mouthpiece for new england spots. Although, a fully healthy embiid like we saw earlier this season is probably that scariest player the wolves have gone against, so the heat or someone knocking the sixers out in the second round would work .