Now we’ve basically got two paths in front of us: the Lakers-then-OKC route, or the Timberwolves-and-SAS route. Do you guys think we can actually beat Minnesota in a series if it comes to that? Honestly, I’m torn. The Lakers path feels more emotional and maybe more gettable, but if you survive that and carry momentum, OKC is waiting right there. On the other hand, the Wolves path might look cleaner on paper, but Minnesota is still a tough, physical matchup and definitely not a free pass. What do you all think? Should we chase Denver for 3rd, or stay where we are and take our chances with the bracket? Don’t forget, OKC is the defending champ, and they’ve got that problem named SGA. If we don’t see them until a potential Western Conference Finals matchup, that probably gives us a better shot overall. As for Wemby, that last Denver game showed he can still look helpless against Jokic at times. He really had no answer for those high-arcing mid-range shots. And against SAS, we’ve got our own “Baby Jokic” type of guy, plus a KD whose mid-range jumper I trust a lot and who really needs to start showing up in clutch moments.
I didn’t know turkey was once part of Yugoslavia, anyway, it looks pretty sure we will play the lakers and I’m okay with that.
I’m sure Slovenia and Croatia would beg to differ and let’s not get start with the Hellenic influence on Anatolia …
To me, if you have Durant on your team, anything short of a Championship is an absolute failure. They can't beat OKC, San Antonio or Denver in a 7 game series so whether it's a first round knock out or a Finals knock out you traded for one of the greatest scores in the history of the game and couldn't get it done? Fail. Period.
Give me crippled Laker team - they're going nowhere without Luka and Reeves We're losing in the 2nd round regardless of who we play so at least put LeFraud out of his misery
Don't underestimate the ability of Denver to tank harder than OKC and SAS care to underperform in their upcoming matchups, all for the privilege of a first round warm-up series against the Lakers as opposed to what is almost certainly to be a 7 game slugfest against Minnesota where the war of attrition means that whoever emerges victorious will just be a patsy for the Spurs in round 2. I'd still give us a 50% chance or better of becoming the 3 seed and going against Minnesota.
Kosovo was conquered in 1389, Istanbul in 1453.my family are Balkan-origin , and trust me, there are a whole lot of us over there too.
Oh I got no dog in the fight, I am for everybody …my wife’s father was from Kosovo and her mother is Croatian, I know the deal and love the balkans.
I love anybody who rocks with the Rockets too, my guy. I first got into them during the Harden era, but once Alperen showed up, me and Houston really started having a little something going on. There’s also this running joke over here: if the Ottoman Empire never fell apart, just imagine rolling into EuroBasket with a Jokic-Giannis-Alperen trio. That would’ve been straight-up unfair lmao. I would’ve loved to see them go up against prime Team USA from 2010. That would’ve been fun as hell to watch.
Wow just all kinds of sunshine in this thread.... lol! idgaf who we play bc we've shown that we can beat anybody if its clicking on all gears for us! Rest of yall can keep on with your emotional hedging or whatever, so IF we lose you can wrap yourselves in the knowledge that u expected it - good for u! enjoy the post season... smh
If you’re asking from a pure logic standpoint, then LA, OKC because we are obviously more likely to get out of the first round that way. Have to win the first round if you’re going to win it all, can’t think too far ahead. I would love the 4 seed to host La in the first round.
Luka got the PRP injection, and some people are saying he could be back by Game 3. If we’re looking at a realistic Luka-return scenario, I’d much rather go up 2-0 in Los Angeles without him and have him waiting for us at Toyota Center than deal with a version of him coming back in L.A. after two games already played in Houston. That’s exactly why I think we need to factor in even the possibility of Luka returning and make sure we’d be the team facing him in Houston. With the home crowd behind us, I really think we could sweep them 4-0. But if we finish 4th and they finish 5th, then Luka could end up coming back to his own building with momentum already swinging his way, and that’s a much more dangerous setup.
I've very skeptical Luka can make it back for round 1 at all, but if he does I very much doubt it would be game 3. I think the series would likely have to go to 6 or 7 games for there to even be a chance of that. Could be wrong though, medical science has come a long way and you never know.
