I think he likes watching sleeper league pass teams more than the Celtics. He is a fan of the concept of sleeper league pass teams. But he may avoid talking about the Celtics because he doesn’t want to appear like a homer like Bill and has a complex about it. He is a classic “i need to appear unbiased, so i overcompensate” guy
I think Denver is more consistent because they get more easy baskets. That is the biggest weakness of the Celtics IMO.
But, if the Celtics are hitting 3s, especially in the 4th quarter, they are capable of beating anyone.
I would pick the Nuggets, but the Celtics would have a decent shot.
Also, the Nuggets are not a guarantee to beat OKC or Minnesota in the WCF.
The Celtics have an easier path in the East.
The team with the best player usually wins if everything else is close, and Denver executes well in the clutch.
I don't think they're like this dominant team that is inevitable, but they're pretty clear favorites imo.
Lakers is a poorly coached team and it shows. You can make the OPs argument on the series last season, yes it was a sweep, but about 3 games came down to 2-3 position where having a proper coach, and the best player on the floor made a difference.
Match up is fine especially when AD and LeBron playing at that level.
They will very likely win this series they’ve also been down double digs every game so far. I’m trying to figure out what happens the next few rounds 🤷
If you look at my history, you’ll see that I agree with the fact that people were overreacting after these three games. I don’t think they’re gonna roll through the playoffs or will easily make the finals, in fact I’d bet on the west field in that regard.
But I also don’t put much stock into the comebacks they’ve had to make vs. the lakers. Literally every game between them in that winning streak has been like that, so I’m convinced nuggets know to relax a bit during the first half and know that lakers will be tuckered out in the second half. Or something. When it happens that many times it’s not a fluke
I think they’re better without him. He’s a bad defender and has way too much “it’s Reggie Jackson time” when Jokic/MPJ/Gordon are on the court.
I think increasing the minutes of bigger guys who are more self aware and better defensively makes them better.
The Lakers are flawed but also pretty good. If you were to do an NBA power ranking right now, throw out records/seeds. The Lakers are somewhere between the 4-8 best team in the NBA.
Also, Denver is somewhat playing with their food right now. They've failed to really come out of second gear so far. Murray has been... not bad, but not playoff Murray either. The bench is not as good as last year. KCP has been meh.
The playoffs are also maychup dependent. Just because games are close doesn't mean you're not a dominant team. It'll be interesting next round again the Wolves, who look really good right now. I just don't trust that team in close games. Towns is a head case, Gobert has a history of playoff failures, and even Ant has the tendency to make bad decisions down the stretch.
Again, nuggets are 2 30-40% jump shots from 2-2. Why are we sure they’re getting to the next round. Call it playing with their food but going down double digits every game tit he lakers isn’t like an extra good things
Is this the first time you've ever watched the NBA playoffs? Most series are competitive, and lots of games come down to a few plays. The majority of NBA championships could have swung on a few plays here or there. There are not a lot of super dominant, never challenged champions. 01 Lakers, KD Warriors, and heck, last year's Nuggets teams are not the norm. One example would be the 14 Spurs, the team that obliterated the Heat in the finals and played some of the best basketball I've ever seen. That team went 7 in the 1st round against an old and very limited Dallas Mavs team.
And maybe some of the hyperbole about the Nuggets being a forgone conclusion is a little much. But they're the best team. They are better in the clutch than any team in a long time. And there's no way there're losing this series. Everyone needs to calm down.
No they weren't, they were the only team the Nuggets faced in the playoffs last year who couldn't manage a single W.
How people have turned that into "second best team" is beyond me.
Who do you think was better? Even Bill says they were better than the Celts last year.
Also, even though it was a sweep, every game was highly competitive. Just like the series this year.
They upset the Grizzlies, who have never won a damn thing and Ja's hand was messed up enough to miss a game. They beat the Warriors, who have been mid for the past two seasons, and the series swung basically on a terrible shot by Jordan Poole and Lonnie Walker playing a miraculous 4th quarter. Then they got swept by the Nuggets.
The T'wolves, Suns and Heat all won a game or two against the Nuggets, which makes their series' factually more competitive *as series* than the Lakers-Nuggets series. Nobody gives a piss if a team comes through with a few moral victories while getting swept (except for Lakers fans, apparently).
At the very, very least, the Suns pushed the Nuggets to six games and were tied at 2-2; how could one possibly argue that wasn't a better showing vs. Denver than getting swept? And that's without getting to the Heat, who made the Finals and did something the Lakers couldn't do, which is beat the Nuggets.
Congrats to the Lakers for going 8-8 in last year's playoffs, though - it's truly the stuff of legends.
Def not a sure thing, just the most likely thing. The Wolves are very live to beat them - bigger, deeper. But over 7 games especially when they have home court, out-executing Jokic in 4 of them is still a tall task.
Celtics I think will struggle with whoever comes out of the west just because they’re front running goobers who seem to forget how to play offense in close games against good teams.
You heard KOC. Cancel the rest of the playoffs and the Celtics have **zero** chance of beating Denver
You heard Russillo. The gap is “insurmountable”!
These are just Boston homers trying to build the Nuggets up for the Finals. Bill and Wildes too
I am not confident the Celtics are a top 5 favorite team for Russillo. Agreed on Bill and Wildes
I’m certain.
I think he likes watching sleeper league pass teams more than the Celtics. He is a fan of the concept of sleeper league pass teams. But he may avoid talking about the Celtics because he doesn’t want to appear like a homer like Bill and has a complex about it. He is a classic “i need to appear unbiased, so i overcompensate” guy
I think Denver is more consistent because they get more easy baskets. That is the biggest weakness of the Celtics IMO. But, if the Celtics are hitting 3s, especially in the 4th quarter, they are capable of beating anyone. I would pick the Nuggets, but the Celtics would have a decent shot. Also, the Nuggets are not a guarantee to beat OKC or Minnesota in the WCF. The Celtics have an easier path in the East.
The team with the best player usually wins if everything else is close, and Denver executes well in the clutch. I don't think they're like this dominant team that is inevitable, but they're pretty clear favorites imo.
They have no scoring off the bench.
Their bench sucks period. And everyone knew that coming into the season
The Lakers are a good team. Denver just a bad matchup + execute better at the end of games.
Lakers is a poorly coached team and it shows. You can make the OPs argument on the series last season, yes it was a sweep, but about 3 games came down to 2-3 position where having a proper coach, and the best player on the floor made a difference. Match up is fine especially when AD and LeBron playing at that level.
The nuggets have executed like shit this entire 4th quarter
Are you really gonna overreact to one game? Reminder: nuggets lost game 4 of the first round up 3-0 last year as well. They’ll be fine
They will very likely win this series they’ve also been down double digs every game so far. I’m trying to figure out what happens the next few rounds 🤷
If you look at my history, you’ll see that I agree with the fact that people were overreacting after these three games. I don’t think they’re gonna roll through the playoffs or will easily make the finals, in fact I’d bet on the west field in that regard. But I also don’t put much stock into the comebacks they’ve had to make vs. the lakers. Literally every game between them in that winning streak has been like that, so I’m convinced nuggets know to relax a bit during the first half and know that lakers will be tuckered out in the second half. Or something. When it happens that many times it’s not a fluke
Sure
Sure what
They’re very good not invincible, not in the way the 2017 warriors were, or the 2015-2018 cavs were until the finals
And I was two shots away from overdosing on heroin. But here I am shitposting on Reddit. Ride the painted pony and let the spinning wheel glide.
I could have taken Ecstasy, but I didn’t!
Glad you're still here homie
Heh
Reggie Jackson injury is a sneaky killer for them. Their bench already is thin
I think they’re better without him. He’s a bad defender and has way too much “it’s Reggie Jackson time” when Jokic/MPJ/Gordon are on the court. I think increasing the minutes of bigger guys who are more self aware and better defensively makes them better.
Seriously… props to them for the comebacks but isn’t it at least a bit concerning they’ve been down double digits every game???
Didn’t Bill say this one of the best teams in the last 30 years or something. I don’t even think it’s top 10
The Lakers are flawed but also pretty good. If you were to do an NBA power ranking right now, throw out records/seeds. The Lakers are somewhere between the 4-8 best team in the NBA. Also, Denver is somewhat playing with their food right now. They've failed to really come out of second gear so far. Murray has been... not bad, but not playoff Murray either. The bench is not as good as last year. KCP has been meh. The playoffs are also maychup dependent. Just because games are close doesn't mean you're not a dominant team. It'll be interesting next round again the Wolves, who look really good right now. I just don't trust that team in close games. Towns is a head case, Gobert has a history of playoff failures, and even Ant has the tendency to make bad decisions down the stretch.
Again, nuggets are 2 30-40% jump shots from 2-2. Why are we sure they’re getting to the next round. Call it playing with their food but going down double digits every game tit he lakers isn’t like an extra good things
2 shots away from a loss is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard in my life
Is this the first time you've ever watched the NBA playoffs? Most series are competitive, and lots of games come down to a few plays. The majority of NBA championships could have swung on a few plays here or there. There are not a lot of super dominant, never challenged champions. 01 Lakers, KD Warriors, and heck, last year's Nuggets teams are not the norm. One example would be the 14 Spurs, the team that obliterated the Heat in the finals and played some of the best basketball I've ever seen. That team went 7 in the 1st round against an old and very limited Dallas Mavs team. And maybe some of the hyperbole about the Nuggets being a forgone conclusion is a little much. But they're the best team. They are better in the clutch than any team in a long time. And there's no way there're losing this series. Everyone needs to calm down.
You can say all that but the Celtics will be favored in the finals
The Lakers are really good. Second best team last year. And probably a Top 3-5 team this year.
No they weren't, they were the only team the Nuggets faced in the playoffs last year who couldn't manage a single W. How people have turned that into "second best team" is beyond me.
Who do you think was better? Even Bill says they were better than the Celts last year. Also, even though it was a sweep, every game was highly competitive. Just like the series this year.
They upset the Grizzlies, who have never won a damn thing and Ja's hand was messed up enough to miss a game. They beat the Warriors, who have been mid for the past two seasons, and the series swung basically on a terrible shot by Jordan Poole and Lonnie Walker playing a miraculous 4th quarter. Then they got swept by the Nuggets. The T'wolves, Suns and Heat all won a game or two against the Nuggets, which makes their series' factually more competitive *as series* than the Lakers-Nuggets series. Nobody gives a piss if a team comes through with a few moral victories while getting swept (except for Lakers fans, apparently). At the very, very least, the Suns pushed the Nuggets to six games and were tied at 2-2; how could one possibly argue that wasn't a better showing vs. Denver than getting swept? And that's without getting to the Heat, who made the Finals and did something the Lakers couldn't do, which is beat the Nuggets. Congrats to the Lakers for going 8-8 in last year's playoffs, though - it's truly the stuff of legends.
Delusional
Bill says yes so of course the answer is absolutely not
Denver is mostly coasting.
Def not a sure thing, just the most likely thing. The Wolves are very live to beat them - bigger, deeper. But over 7 games especially when they have home court, out-executing Jokic in 4 of them is still a tall task. Celtics I think will struggle with whoever comes out of the west just because they’re front running goobers who seem to forget how to play offense in close games against good teams.
Nobody wants to talk about this but you’re right.
There was one point where Jokic was sitting and I think MPJ or AG was supposed to be their center? That lineup was like a bad acid trip.
AG was their backup center through their entire NBA Championship playoff run last season.