Clippers or Rockets

[Kawhitstorm]

It reminds me of the pre '13 playoffs Thunder. It all evened out for them in the next 2 years.

The difference is, with the acquisition of Durant, even if it begins to even out for the Warriors, they could probably sustain an injury to one of their big 4 (with the possible exception of Green, considering their other bigs) and still at least make the Finals. Even 2 and they'd still have a legit chance, so long as they still had at least one of Curry or Durant.

If Dominos get injured, they can just start Iggy. If Gaymond gets injured, they would have to start D-Worst

[r0drig0lac]

people afraid of rockets

[TD 21]

If Dominos get injured, they can just start Iggy. If Gaymond gets injured, they would have to start D-Worst

Nah, they'd probably start McCaw, keep the 2nd unit intact and just slide Durant up to power forward, since Kerr is adverse to playing a single meaningful second without a four that can space to three.

Like the Heat's big three, for a team that loves to play small, they're inexplicably overloaded with bigs, but unlike them, the imbalance doesn't come into play because of their absurd luck with injuries for/against.

[BillMc]

people afraid of rockets

This. 5 games max

[spursistan]

The Clippers would foolish if they don't tank out of Golden State bracket..

At this point, it is no brainer a Rockets/Spurs path even without HC is easier than Jazz/GSW..if LAC are healthy, i could see them take out the former two teams in 6/5 games respectively..

[Kawhitstorm]

The Clippers would foolish if they don't tank out of Golden State bracket..

At this point, it is no brainer a Rockets/Spurs path even without HC is easier than Jazz/GSW..if LAC are healthy, i could see them take out the former two teams in 6/5 games respectively..

Cripples are playing as bad as they could possible play but they are still have a 2.5 game cushion over the Grizz who are the only team that could realistically overtake them for the 5th seed. Unless the Grizz go on a hot streak, I don't see the Cripples tanking when they need to get their mojo back once Choke-P3 returns.

If anything, they might try to overtake the Rockets & get homecourt for the first 2 rds which should help the Spurs cause since they are most likely not catching the Rockets who got lucky that their struggles coincided w/ the Cripples' injuries so still have a 3.5 game cushion.

[spursistan]

Cripples are playing as bad as they could possible play but they are still have a 2.5 game cushion over the Grizz who are the only team that could realistically overtake them for the 5th seed. Unless the Grizz go on a hot streak, I don't see the Cripples tanking when they need to get their mojo back once Choke-P3 returns.

If anything, they might try to overtake the Rockets & get homecourt for the first 2 rds which should help the Spurs cause since they are most likely not catching the Rockets who got lucky that their struggles coincided w/ the Cripples' injuries so still have a 3.5 game cushion.

Yep..Rockets have lucked out big time with CP3 injury. they have been steadily regressing to the team who we thought they were..As long as the Clippers are within reach of that 3rd seed, they won't tank all the way to bottom 4 seeds. That may not even be an option since OKC are about to implode themselves with Kanter out for next month and half..

[TXstbobcat]

As it stands now it would be OKC in the 1st round and Rockets in the 2nd round. Spurs would take care of OKC and get revenge for last year it should take care of Houston in five games To get the WCF matchup with GS.

[BillMc]

As it stands now it would be OKC in the 1st round and Rockets in the 2nd round. Spurs would take care of OKC and get revenge for last year it should take care of Houston in five games To get the WCF matchup with GS.

This.

[spursistan]

Impressive win by the Clips in Utah...It looks like they are going to stay afloat for 4th-5th seed finish. There is no chance for them to fall to 7th seed unless CP3/Blake are out for the season and equally very remote one to catch Houston for the 3rd seed short of + 1 month-injury layoff to Harden..

So far the playoff brackets is a best case scenario from a Spurs perspective; it is about time they start to lock in and gear up for the postseason..This team, as a whole, hasn't played consistent good basketball in 2017..

[HarlemHeat37]

Houston has the same offensive flaws as the Spurs, but to an even higher degree, which is why I find it funny that some posters on the Spurs but act like Houston is a juggernaut..it's Harden + role players, no other shot-creator outside of a shaky Eric Gordon(Aldridge in a bad offensive season is still far better than anybody Houston has outside of Harden)..it's essentially Harden + a team full of Danny Greens and Dedmons..

Clippers will always be scary, especially since it appears that Griffin is back in form..Re looks off, though, but that could just be a product of Chris Paul being out(he's not going to get looks playing off Austin Rivers)..

[spursistan]

Houston has the same offensive flaws as the Spurs, but to an even higher degree, which is why I find it funny that some posters on the Spurs but act like Houston is a juggernaut..it's Harden + role players, no other shot-creator outside of a shaky Eric Gordon(Aldridge in a bad offensive season is still far better than anybody Houston has outside of Harden)..it's essentially Harden + a team full of Danny Greens and Dedmons..

Clippers will always be scary, especially since it appears that Griffin is back in form..Re looks off, though, but that could just be a product of Chris Paul being out(he's not going to get looks playing off Austin Rivers)..

The Clippers weirdly scare the out of me more than the the Cavs ...Glad they are likely going to run into Golden State, tbh..So far doesn't seem like Doc is tanking to get out of their way..

[HarlemHeat37]

The Clippers weirdly scare the out of me more than the the Cavs ...Glad they are likely going to run into Golden State, tbh..So far doesn't seem like Doc is tanking to get out of their way..

Ya, I don't think Clippers would get past Memphis and probably wouldn't beat Houston, either..

They wouldn't have any problems vs. Utah in a 4-5 matchup, though, but ya, like you said, they'll get destroyed vs. Golden State..

[lebomb]

Which team would be a worse matchup in the second round the rockets or the clippers I could also see the jazz facing us in the second round but I wouldn't mind that

Clippers

[TD 21]

The difference between the Spurs and Rockets offensively is, while they both might be heavily reliant on one player, their one is a far better play maker for others. Don't get me wrong, overall I'd rather have Leonard; but if an offense is tied so heavily to one player, I'd rather it be someone who's both a dynamic scorer and play maker.

Luckily, even though you wouldn't know it based on much of this season, the Spurs could still potentially be more than that offensively; the Rockets can't.

The Clippers weirdly scare the out of me more than the the Cavs ...Glad they are likely going to run into Golden State, tbh..So far doesn't seem like Doc is tanking to get out of their way..

It's not weird at all. I'm not trying to diminish their feat, which was still highly impressive, but the Cavaliers are overrated because a bunch of things conspired simultaneously and they won the championship last season. They were still the 4th best team then and they probably are now, though I'd still give them better championship odds than the Spurs, because they're far more likely to be in the Finals and until proven otherwise, have a player with a gear like no other.

It's looking good for the Clippers being out of the Spurs bracket, which means aside from significant injury, there's no good reason for this team to not make the Western Conference Final.

[spursistan]

The difference between the Spurs and Rockets offensively is, while they both might be heavily reliant on one player, their one is a far better play maker for others. Don't get me wrong, overall I'd rather have Leonard; but if an offense is tied so heavily to one player, I'd rather it be someone who's both a dynamic scorer and play maker.

Luckily, even though you wouldn't know it based on much of this season, the Spurs could still potentially be more than that offensively; the Rockets can't.



It's not weird at all. I'm not trying to diminish their feat, which was still highly impressive, but the Cavaliers are overrated because a bunch of things conspired simultaneously and they won the championship last season. They were still the 4th best team then and they probably are now, though I'd still give them better championship odds than the Spurs, because they're far more likely to be in the Finals and until proven otherwise, have a player with a gear like no other.

It's looking good for the Clippers being out of the Spurs bracket, which means aside from significant injury, there's no good reason for this team to not make the Western Conference Final.

Yeah I said that in a thread downstairs: the Clippers has a "sleeping giant" potential who is due in terms of playoff lucky breaks going their way for once..Let Golden State deal with that punch..It's looking good for us so far bracket-wise: A Western Conference Finals in Year 1 post-Timmy would be deemed a succees..

My current summary appraisal of the league balance power:

Regular season Power rankings:

1- Warriors

2- Spurs

3- Cavs
4- Houston

5- Celtics
6- Clippers
7- Jazz
8- Wizards


9- Raptors
10- Grizzlies


Playoff Ceiling:

1- Warriors ( le favorites despite looking thin and bully-able in the interior + question marks about their mental for ude (KD)/stability (Raymond)

2- Cavs ('Bron is the best in the game until further notice..the regression of their role players and defense is very concerning..same for Love/Kyrie health)
3- Clippers (sleeping giants, when healthy, who are "due".but that gaping hole in SF position is going to kill them)
4- Spurs (guard play, PnR D, and Playoff Pop are mortal flaws)

5 - Wizards (they have the talent and their core is lowkey playoff-tested from previous runs)
6- Houston (they probably have the least translatable basketball style to the playoffs of any other teams)
7- Boston (haven't done in playoffs, and good luck banking on 5'9" PG to carry you there)
8- Memphis (proven, rugged and more versatile..pencil them in for seven-game series in 1st round)

9- Jazz ("Det core" first rodeo..Don't think they have enough offense to win a series especially against a healthy Clippers team)
10- Raptors (short of trade to address their ty front court; they will be a potential 1st round fodder)

[dabom]

Could the Cavs beat OKC, Houston, Warriors, then Spurs? If they switched conference?

Let's be realistic here.

[TD 21]

Yeah I said that in a thread downstairs: the Clippers has a "sleeping giant" potential who is due in terms of playoff lucky breaks going their way for once..Let Golden State deal with that punch..It's looking good for us so far bracket-wise: A Western Conference Finals in Year 1 post-Timmy would be deemed a succees..

My current summary appraisal of the league balance power:

I've been calling it since the off season. Even though their psyche is clearly fractured versus the Warriors, I still think that if they're healthy, they'll give them a difficult series. Even if it doesn't go that long, the Warriors aren't going to be able to beat them in cruise control.

Agree with your summary appraisal.

[spursistan]

Damn, the Clippers are not completely out of it..Watch him sit out vs the Warriors and play the second game of the B2B against us..

[DenialTwist]

Expecting another Spurs blowout loss to the Clippers, just like last season around this time. CP3 is going to roast TP, Griffin will get the best of LMA, and Mbah will play good defense on Kawhi. Clippers just have the Spurs number.

[gambit1990]

i've been wondering if cp3 would be available to play against us. i hope he is.

[TheGreatYacht]

I think the Rockets are the tougher matchup now, and it's not really close.

They have the coaching advantage in the playoffs. Their bench has two 6MOY candidates compared to our defensive liabilities in Mills/Ginobili. They average 40.0 3PA/game compared to the Spurs 22.5 3PA/game. They lead the league in free throw attempts and get away with blatant flopping. Harden will get to rest defensively when he hides on Danny Green. Any chance of MVParker showing up with get stomped by Patrick Beverley. They have Ariza guarding Kawhi...

[Chinook]

The Rockets may not make it out of the first round. They are set to play a smart veteran team with good defensive guards. I anticipate that being the closest out of every series in the first round.

[DPG21920]

It will be interesting to see if the Clippers bounce back when healthy. They just "feel" like a team to me that is on thin ice. Lot's of trade rumors, injuries, getting completely owned and bullied by GS. LAC seems like a talented but fragile team on the verge of realizing their "run" never really materialized.

[Chinook]

It will be interesting to see if the Clippers bounce back when healthy. They just "feel" like a team to me that is on thin ice. Lot's of trade rumors, injuries, getting completely owned and bullied by GS. LAC seems like a talented but fragile team on the verge of realizing their "run" never really materialized.

I don't think they're about to realize anything. All three of their pending FAs have reportedly committed to re-up for huge deals already.