General NBA thread

[jgb191]

^ Yeah that's always been like that as far as I can remember.  Better regular season record gets home court advantage in the NBA Finals.

Case in point:  let's take you back to the Lakers' three-peat:

In the 2001 NBA Finals, the #3 seeded LA Lakers had home court advantage vs #1 seeded Philadelphia; and same thing the next year, the 2002 NBA Finals the (again) #3 seeded LA Lakers had home court advantage over the #1 seeded NJ Nets.  I considered both 2001 and 2002 as the biggest mismatch in NBA Finals history.

[bing101]

The NBA got its wish of a LA vs SF playoff series; we haven't seen that in a while.  Two major California markets a ratings dream.

The last time the Warriors and Lakers met in the playoffs was 1991. While it may not be nearly as intense as Dodgers vs. Giants, it's really coming close to it, especially with abundant star power on both sides (Splash Brothers vs. King James and The Brow). In fact, don't be surprised if it comes down to a Game 7 again, as it did in the Warriors-Kings series.

True too!

[bing101]

LA Lakers win and beat the Warriors!

[plain]

Well my Sixers are out yet again. Horrible 2nd half.

[jgb191]

At least Joel Embiid got what he really wanted....the league MVP.

I wonder how many more chances Morant is going to get in the league.  He had the opportunity of a lifetime.....all that money, talent, and fame is about to go down the drain if he can't correct his conduct.

[Ted$8roadFan]

Celtics-Heat.  Lakers-Nuggets. Should be good.

[Ted$8roadFan]

San Antonio Spurs win the draft lottery and are likely to draft Victor Wembanyama. They had similar luck with David Robinson (1987) and Tim Duncan (1997).

[Henry]

San Antonio Spurs win the draft lottery and are likely to draft Victor Wembanyama. They had similar luck with David Robinson (1987) and Tim Duncan (1997).

And both big men started a run of five titles in 15 years. Robinson and Duncan were part of the first two championships (1999, 2003), then Duncan won the last three on his own (2005, 2007, 2014). It's rare enough for lightning to strike twice in one place, but will it happen a third time? Only time will tell.

[JayhawkCO]

My Nuggs came back and got the Lakers last night. Lebron is starting to look old. Jokic can't stop getting triple doubles. Murrary just had his 4th 20-point playoff 4th quarter in his career. The only two players with more are MJ and Allen Iverson, and Murray is only 26.

[Ted$8roadFan]

Must win for the Celtics vs. Heat tonight.

[Ted$8roadFan]

Must win for the Celtics vs. Heat tonight.

Annnndddd........now we're down 0-2.

[NWI_Irish96]

If the Finals is Heat-Nuggets, will it be sponsored by Ninja air fryers?

[jgb191]

If Miami ends up winning the Finals next month, the Bucks owe former Coach Mike Bud a major apology for prematurely parting ways.  It just goes to show that come playoff time, seeding and regular season records don't matter (except determining first-round matchups).  All 16 teams begin the playoffs zero and zero.

[Ted$8roadFan]

So much for a Celtics-Lakers finals........

[SectorZ]

The Miami-Denver finals is going to be a ratings bonanza for ABC...

[Max Rockatansky]

How many average basketball fans were actually pining for another Lakers-Celtics final? 

[Stephane Dumas]

It would be cool if the Nuggets win their first NBA championship. That would be big as the first Raptors championship in 2019.

[Rothman]

How many average basketball fans were actually pining for another Lakers-Celtics final?

I just wanted the Celts to win.  Horrific coaching, unfortunately.  Need a seasoned point guard.

Then again, seeing them beat LeBron would have been sweet.

[JayhawkCO]

As a basketball fan, even if I weren't a Nuggets fan, I would be cheering for Nuggets/Heat. Two tough teams that don't back down from anything. And add the "underdog" feel and I think we'll have a great series. They both have big chips on their shoulders.

[jgb191]

Lakers/Celtics would have been so overrated....the rivalry just doesn't exist anymore.  Sure the players today could try to revive the rivalry but that would mean a series of Finals meetings for the next several years and I just don't see that happening.

The Heat has already won NBA Finals, so I'd like to see the Nuggets win their first in franchise history.  Always nice to see one less organization on the ring-less list.

[Henry]

Lakers/Celtics would have been so overrated....the rivalry just doesn't exist anymore.  Sure the players today could try to revive the rivalry but that would mean a series of Finals meetings for the next several years and I just don't see that happening.

The Heat has already won NBA Finals, so I'd like to see the Nuggets win their first in franchise history.  Always nice to see one less organization on the ring-less list.

Seconded on both. It would be nice to see Denver celebrate its first NBA championship, meaning that the Spurs would no longer be the only former ABA team to win one (I hope those five NBA titles were worth it!).

[plain]

First things first: the Heat will have to put the Celtics away tonight, which I believe will happen.

[JayhawkCO]

It's a really long layoff for the Nuggets (and possibly the Heat as well) as the first game of the finals isn't until 6/1.

[Henry]

Funny thing about a potential Denver-Miami Finals: It would match up the two cities that both gained MLB expansion teams 30 years ago, and both cities also have NFL teams that originated in the AFL (competing in the AFC). The last time they contested a championship was 1996, when the Avalanche (who were in their debut season after previously existing as the Quebec Nordiques) swept the Panthers in the Stanley Cup Finals.

[JayhawkCO]

I think another sweep is in order. As long as John Vanbiesbrouck doesn't make too many saves.