WC Champ +1200 the week leading up to the deadline. Added Lakers/Heat Final two weeks ago at +1800.didn't you take down some "Lakers Champ" odds at the depths of their despair?
WC Champ +1200 the week leading up to the deadline. Added Lakers/Heat Final two weeks ago at +1800.didn't you take down some "Lakers Champ" odds at the depths of their despair?
Nice work. You were early on the Austin Reaves freight train also. The dude is adept at drawing foulsWC Champ +1200 the week leading up to the deadline. Added Lakers/Heat Final two weeks ago at +1800.
Have fully agreed on how much the Lakers have been under-rated. I'd add that can also see how they're improving on the fly as the new players are integrated in. Ham has been an excellent coach and has been strong on mix and matching among the (now deep) supporting cast depending on situation/opponent. That said, while I picked them over both Memphis and Golden State, Denver is the other under-rated team out of the West. As great as AD is, Jokic is the sort of challenge that is very different. At a minimum, Jokic is so multi-dimensional that even if AD can limit his scoring (which I sort of doubt), I don't see how he limits how great Jokie distributes and sets up for teammates, and AD certainly won't be roaming as he could do vs both Memphis and GS, which is really the X factor that has made LA's defense so great.The Lakers had the better record since the trade deadline and pretty clearly the best team in the WC if not the entire league since that point. Any game played prior to that doesn't represent the team Denver is playing next round. Having said that, Denver will be the (wrongful imo) small favorite in the WC Finals.
Was just coming to look it up. They finished the regular season on a 17-7 run, and are now 8-4 in the playoffs, 25-11 in that stretch. They also finished 9-2, so 17-6 in their last 23. Of those 17 wins, 13 have come against either playoff teams or play-in teams.The Lakers had the best winning percentage in the league in March and April and came into the playoffs playing better than the rest of the field. In the first two rounds of the playoffs they beat two fairly good teams. It feels like they are Finals bound.
After Jokic, Murray/Gordon/Porter Jr/KCP/Brown is pretty stout.The Lakers had the best winning percentage in the league in March and April and came into the playoffs playing better than the rest of the field. In the first two rounds of the playoffs they beat two fairly good teams. It feels like they are Finals bound.
I haven't followed Denver very closely. They steamrolled Minnesota in the first round and a depleted Suns team took them to six games in the second round. Jokic is a magician but he can't play all 48 minutes and I don't know that they have the depth to beat the Lakers.
I have no doubt that you are right. They are the 1 seed for good reason. I am rooting for Denver and regardless of who comes out on top I am hoping for a seven game series.After Jokic, Murray/Gordon/Porter Jr/KCP/Brown is pretty stout.
Agreed. Denver's rotation gives them a lot of flexibility against the Lakers. They have the size/personnel to slow both AD and LeBron and their rotational pieces are going to match up well with Reaves/Russell/Walker. To me, this playoff run is where the Gordon acquisition is paying huge dividends. Gordon is a good player but his fit on Denver amplifies what he does well while minimizing a bunch of his flaws.I can't believe people are still sleeping on denver. Yes the lakers can win but Denver is loaded and Jokic is going to make AD's life hell
Yeah, if a lot of people were sleeping on how good LA were down the stretch, I feel like a similar number overstated how much Denver playing .500 ball since the ASG was a true reflection of their talent level, rather than a team that's a long way clear leaving plenty in the tank for the postseason.I have no doubt that you are right. They are the 1 seed for good reason. I am rooting for Denver and regardless of who comes out on top I am hoping for a seven game series.
Not sure what the exact surgery was for but 4 weeks for a broken shooting hand seems optimistic at best and....well you know the rest of the phrase. Based on what I've seen anyway. Maybe tail end of series?Is Herro going to be back at some point next round? I believe his timeline was 4-6 weeks, and he got hurt on April 16 (it'll be 4 weeks tomorrow).
The Suns weren't depleted until the last 2 games (when Denver rolled them).The Lakers had the best winning percentage in the league in March and April and came into the playoffs playing better than the rest of the field. In the first two rounds of the playoffs they beat two fairly good teams. It feels like they are Finals bound.
I haven't followed Denver very closely. They steamrolled Minnesota in the first round and a depleted Suns team took them to six games in the second round. Jokic is a magician but he can't play all 48 minutes and I don't know that they have the depth to beat the Lakers.
Yeah Booker put together as good a two game playoff stretch of anyone ever (34-43 for 83 points), this easily could have been a sweep. LA can certainly win the series, but Denver has looked nothing short of excellent so far in the first two rounds.The Suns weren't depleted until the last 2 games (when Denver rolled them).
Prior to that, they were a lot of people's pick to make it out of the West, and Denver was clearly better imo, with Phoenix requiring extreme Booker heroball to stay in games.
Fun Jokic porn from these playoffs here:Yeah Booker put together as good a two game playoff stretch of anyone ever (34-43 for 83 points), this easily could have been a sweep. LA can certainly win the series, but Denver has looked nothing short of excellent so far in the first two rounds.
and two last night. definitely could've stretched one of those series an extra day. Like, which series even was it that would've played today? Nuggets-Suns Game 7?No games today? GJGE NBA
Networks call the postseason scheduling. That's why they pay a gazillion dollars.No games today? GJGE NBA
Chris Paul only played in the first two games of the series (both losses which to some extent supports your point). Maybe not having him on the floor is addition by subtraction.The Suns weren't depleted until the last 2 games (when Denver rolled them).
Prior to that, they were a lot of people's pick to make it out of the West, and Denver was clearly better imo, with Phoenix requiring extreme Booker heroball to stay in games.
I get it. Good for them. I don’t get how they can only have 1 game between Saturday and Sunday, with the 1 game being mid afternoon on Mother’s Day. Like I can’t see how that maximizes revenue. But they know what they’re doing. I think.Networks call the postseason scheduling. That's why they pay a gazillion dollars.
I don't know either. I always trust that when it comes to maximizing ratings and advertising revenue they know what they are doing.I get it. Good for them. I don’t get how they can only have 1 game between Saturday and Sunday, with the 1 game being mid afternoon on Mother’s Day. Like I can’t see how that maximizes revenue. But they know what they’re doing. I think.
Seems just related to the series outcomes, no?I get it. Good for them. I don’t get how they can only have 1 game between Saturday and Sunday, with the 1 game being mid afternoon on Mother’s Day. Like I can’t see how that maximizes revenue. But they know what they’re doing. I think.
There were three games scheduled for tomorrow. Two series ended before game 7.I get it. Good for them. I don’t get how they can only have 1 game between Saturday and Sunday, with the 1 game being mid afternoon on Mother’s Day. Like I can’t see how that maximizes revenue. But they know what they’re doing. I think.
Why?I don't know either. I always trust that when it comes to maximizing ratings and advertising revenue they know what they are doing.
Because big money suits jobs are on the line if they aren't following their numbers.Why?
Lebron/AD are also completely different offensive players now than in the bubble. This year they're averaging 23 and 21 points respectively, with TS%'s of .576 and .596. In the 2020 playoffs, they both averaged 28 ppg on TS%'s of .647 and .665. Not that they're bad now, but they were otherworldly in the bubble.Everything runs through Jokic. He will wear AD out if Davis has to play him most of the time. I’d look at seeing if LeBron can body him, a la Grant Williams, with AD as a help defender. Play off Bruce Brown or Aaron Gordon, and dare them to beat you from three.
You can’t let Jokic and Murray pick/roll you to death.
The Lakers should have players to defend it, in AD, Vanderbilt, LeBron.
LeBron and AD outplayed Joker and Murray in the bubble. The Nugs have a better supporting cast, but so do the Lakers. If LA wins one of the first two games in Denver, they will win the series. Denver must run them out of the building in altitude.
Its on the networks as I understand it - not on Silver. Embrace the doghouse!Not having a prime time Sunday game seems strange. I'd think Celts 76ers at 8pm would be a better ratings attraction than a 3:30 tip. Perhaps Adam Silver is a fan of Succession.
....and is up 14-0 lol.Lol were the Celtics pushed because of the XFL championship?
One of these teams is 5-6!
I'd imagine the Grant-role guy here is Hachimura who has been their secondary big defender since the deadline. Like Grant vs Atlanta, his role evaporated in the Warrior series but now it will expand again.Everything runs through Jokic. He will wear AD out if Davis has to play him most of the time. I’d look at seeing if LeBron can body him, a la Grant Williams, with AD as a help defender. Play off Bruce Brown or Aaron Gordon, and dare them to beat you from three.
I was doing a bit and figured in this room Adam Silver would play better than a nameless suit at ABC or Robert Iger. I'd still think an 8pm primetime tip draws better than 330 (12pm west coast) on a nice spring day/mothers day.Its on the networks as I understand it - not on Silver. Embrace the doghouse!
I think 7 would have been perfectI was doing a bit and figured in this room Adam Silver would play better than a nameless suit at ABC or Robert Iger. I'd still think an 8pm primetime tip draws better than 330 (12pm west coast) on a nice spring day/mothers day.
I suspect this is about not cannibalizing Sunday night baseball or the Stanley Cup. Disney will own the sports day from 3pm to post midnight
Yeah I agree with the last paragraph for sure. I don't pretend to have their data but there had to be a good reason and not competing against each other seems to be it.I was doing a bit and figured in this room Adam Silver would play better than a nameless suit at ABC or Robert Iger. I'd still think an 8pm primetime tip draws better than 330 (12pm west coast) on a nice spring day/mothers day.
I suspect this is about not cannibalizing Sunday night baseball or the Stanley Cup. Disney will own the sports day from 3pm to post midnight
Nuggets seem to have the best, 4th best. 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th best players in this seriesI will be really surprised if Denver doesn’t murder these fools
Malone is going to be reminding Denver that this is their year, and don't let up. They seem to listen to him when he does!I will be really surprised if Denver doesn’t murder these fools
Denver is a problem man. We were talking about it somewhere else. They have 4 really good guys. They seem to be bad away from altitude though.Malone is going to be reminding Denver that this is their year, and don't let up. They seem to listen to him when he does!
And why didn't Ale also include #1 best player?
I think Murray is possibly better than the current version of LeBron.. and Reeves? Schroeder, Murray may be somewhere in the top ten players of the series..Nuggets seem to have the best, 4th best. 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th best players in this series
A Celtics/Nuggets series would be very good.. but I think Boston would probably lose.. their size inside/rebounding would be a problem.Denver is a fun team, easy to root for, and I despise the Lakers. On the other hand, I think the Celts would destroy the Lakers and not so sure about the Nuggets. This is confusing.