2021-22 Play-In Games

[Split T]

We are heavy favorites

[Superbone]

Wow, what a game! It was a game of runs. So funny reading you guys so sure it would be the Pels and then for a whole page so sure it would be the Clippers. Bring it! Glad to see some new blood in the playoffs rather than the Clippers again. Pandemic P did his damage once again.

[Indy]

I love this tournament

[Charlie Smithy!]

I love this tournament

And the tournament loves you!!

[carey]

My worst nightmare guys!

[DesertcoastPartDeux]

.... game 1 on Sunday. They'll be flying high, Suns might be rusty as hell.

^^this
Suns need to show up and NOT look like a team that's had a week off.
Bridges guarding Ingram should be a good matchup.

[Indy]

.... game 1 on Sunday. They'll be flying high, Suns might be rusty as hell.

^^this
Suns need to show up and NOT look like a team that's had a week off.
Bridges guarding Ingram should be a good matchup.

I think he is too long and strong for him. A rare bad match up for Mikal.

[Split T]

Ya put Mikal on CJ…he can make life difficult for CJ and take one of their guys out. Ingram will probably have a big series, but if we just limit it to him, we should be just fine.

[Split T]

[ShelC]

Glad the Pels won. They're at least likeable and easy to root for (until the series starts). They're a dangerous 8 seed so we shouldn't sleep on them and make it a tougher series than it needs to be.

I wonder how much longer the Clips have. PG and Kawhi are locked in but both are on the wrong side of 30 with all their injuries. Jackson is 32 and a FA after next year, Morris is 32, Batum is 33 with a PO this summer. The current group will have next year to try and get it together but beyond that they'll probably need to reload.

I'm kind of bummed the Cavs lost because I like those young guys and the 3 big lineup they run. Hope they make a leap next year.

[JeremyG]

Now the narrative will be: Pels didn’t have Zion, Suns are just a fluke.

[Split T]

Stupid if that’s the case…players that missed the whole season don’t get to be brought up

[dragickingdom]

I still think if we had Dario for the entire finals, the outcome would have been different then it was. Just imagine if we had McGee last year in the finals. I'm sure he knew he would have pushed us over the top. Frank the Tank was not exactly a bruiser.

[Mori Chu]

I still think if we had Dario for the entire finals, the outcome would have been different then it was. Just imagine if we had McGee last year in the finals. I'm sure he knew he would have pushed us over the top. Frank the Tank was not exactly a bruiser.

I certainly think there's a strong argument to be made that we are better than we were last playoffs. Our bench depth in particular is much improved. We have not one but two legitimate backup centers, we have a better bench guard rotation, and a lot of our guys throughout the roster are a year older and wiser and have made improvements in their games. Mikal has some new offensive moves and Ayton has expanded his repertoire of hooks and shots close to the basket, for example. And Booker is a man possessed this year; he's clearly better than his already impressive level from last season IMO.

By contrast, if we meet the Bucks in the Finals, is there an argument that they are better? They have the confidence that comes from having won the trophy last year, but is their roster any better? They added... Grayson Allen? Wes Matthews? Ibaka? I'm not scared of any of those guys. I still think a Finals against them would be very tough, but I think the margin was already razor thin last year, and this year we would have just enough to overcome them.

[Split T]

I’m more worried about the Warriors than the Bucks. I think we win the finals if we beat GS. No one in the east worries me that much. Of course if Giannis can just run into people and get every call, then that’s tough

[Mori Chu]

I’m more worried about the Warriors than the Bucks. I think we win the finals if we beat GS. No one in the east worries me that much. Of course if Giannis can just run into people and get every call, then that’s tough

That's just it, though. He can and he will. It's almost like saying, "I'm not scared of the Warriors, unless Steph gets hot and starts hitting 10 3s a game." Because he just might.

I think the Bucks and Warriors are the two teams that scare me. Anybody else, bring it on. But we'll probably have to go through both if we want a title this year.

[Nodack]

They have to go through us.

[Superbone]

I certainly think there's a strong argument to be made that we are better than we were last playoffs.

I don't think there's any argument. I think it's a fact.

[Nodack]

The Suns Achilles’ heel last year (Center depth) is now one of their strengths. That alone is huge.

[JeremyG]

I'd rather face the Clippers. The Suns have several matchup advantages against them.

The Pels on the other hand.. Jonas generally eats Ayton's lunch and they have two elite scorers. They also tend to run more complex offensive sets while the Clippers lean on more isolation, drive and kick 3's.

Your hatin' on Ayton is getting hilarious.

In the two games Ayton missed, Jonas scored 23 points and 25 points. In the two games Ayton played, he outscored Jonas 20 to 18 and 18 to 17.

You realize they've played against each other before this season, right?

You realize Ayton has improved every year he's been in the league and that he takes his game up a level in important games, right?

Jonas: 1-5 FG, 6 points, 11 rebounds.

Ayton: 13-20 FG, 28 points, 17 rebounds.

Who's eating whose lunch?