2021-2022 NBA Playoff Predictions

Discussion of the league and of our favorite team.
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Mori Chu
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Re: 2021-2022 NBA Playoff Predictions

Post by Mori Chu »

Let's goooooooo!

WEST ROUND 1
Suns vs Pels: Suns in 4
Mavs vs Jazz: Jazz in 6
Warriors vs Nuggets: Warriors in 5
Grizz vs Wolves: Grizzlies in 5

WEST CONFERENCE SEMIS
Suns vs Jazz: Suns in 5
Warriors vs Grizz: Grizzlies in 7

WEST FINALS
Suns vs Grizzlies: Suns in 6

EAST ROUND 1
Heat vs Hawks: Heat in 4
76ers vs Raptors: 76ers in 7
Bucks vs Bulls: Bucks in 4
Celtics vs Nets: Celtics in 6

EAST CONFERENCE SEMIS
Heat vs 76ers: Heat in 7
Bucks vs Celtics: Bucks in 7

EAST FINALS
Heat vs Bucks: Bucks in 6

NBA FINALS
Suns vs Bucks (THE REMATCH): Suns in 7

Various thoughts:

- I think Luka's injury is going to doom the Mavs in the 1st round. Everybody hates on the Jazz, but they are still a solid team, and without Luka the Mavs will be extremely vulnerable and will have a dreadful time scoring against the Jazz defense.

- The hardest first-round series to me to predict are in the East, 76ers/Raptors and Celtics/Nets. I think the Raptors will be really tough for the Sixers to vanquish, but ultimately I'm going to go with playoff experience and "best player on the floor" as the 76ers' edge. For Celtics/Nets I think the Nets have a steep hill to climb out of, and the Celtics are playing amazingly well. KD and Kyrie are amazing, but the Celtics have good defenders, and I don't think I believe in Brooklyn's depth and durability. Wouldn't be surprised to see another KD injury.

- Going into further rounds, I am not sure how well the Heat will fare. They have a great team on paper, but they had a real mid-season lull. I don't think I can picture them going all the way to the NBA Finals. But when I look at them vs the Sixers, I do think they have enough depth and great defense and shooting that they'll be victorious. I feel like they'll have ways to neutralize fat Harden in that series.

- Looking at the later rounds in the West, I do think a Grizzlies / Warriors series will be really interesting. I bet almost everybody would pick the Warriors. The Grizz don't have the experience of going deep on a playoff run. But they have a ton of talent and depth and energy; they're actually a really scary team. And I think the Warriors are running on fumes to some degree. I went back and forth on this one but I'm ultimately going to go with the new blood and my belief in the ascendancy of Ja Morant. They'll be a tough WCF opponent but I think we're ultimately the better team.

- I think it's super likely that the NBA Finals will be a Suns/Bucks rematch. It's a bit bumpy to see the Bucks coming out of the East, but when I look at each series I just like the Bucks more. It'd be really interesting to see these two teams face off again. It could be the start of a real rivalry between us. I think we're much hungrier and want revenge for last year, but meanwhile they have the confidence boost that comes from having won it before; they know they can beat us. It would be really scary to face them again. But I want another crack at them. I think we can beat them if we're healthy. This really could be our year.

GO SUNS!

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SunsRIt
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Re: 2021-2022 NBA Playoff Predictions

Post by SunsRIt »

WEST ROUND 1
Suns vs Pelicans: Suns in 5 games
Mavs vs Jazz: Jazz in 6 games
Warriors vs Nuggets: Warriors in 6 games
Grizz vs Wolves: Grizzlies in 5 games

WEST CONFERENCE SEMIS
Suns vs Jazz: Suns in 5 games
Warriors vs Grizzlies: Warriors in 7 games

WEST FINALS
Suns vs Warriors: Suns in 6 games

EAST ROUND 1
Heat vs Hawks: Heat in 7 games
76ers vs Raptors: 76ers in 5 games
Bucks vs Bulls: Bucks in 6 games
Celtics vs Nets: Celtics in 6 games

EAST CONFERENCE SEMIS
Heat vs 76ers: 76ers in 6 games
Bucks vs Celtics: Bucks in 6 games

EAST FINALs
76ers vs Bucks: Bucks in 7 games

NBA FINALS
Suns

VS

Bucks

Suns in 6 games

SUNS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS!!!

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Superbone
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Re: 2021-2022 NBA Playoff Predictions

Post by Superbone »

Split T wrote:
Fri Apr 15, 2022 11:12 pm
Already made my picks, can’t and wouldn’t change, ha
Seriously though, just like the Suns themselves, why would any of us think they're not going to win it all this year? They beat the field in a landslide and they are deep at every position. We feel like we acquired the personnel to take on the Bucks. Of course, anything can happen but all we know is what happened consistently throughout the season.
"Be Legendary."

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Split T
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Re: 2021-2022 NBA Playoff Predictions

Post by Split T »

I’m kinda wishing I picked Dallas…if Luka comes back soon I think they take this

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Wally_West
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Re: 2021-2022 NBA Playoff Predictions

Post by Wally_West »

WEST ROUND 1
Suns vs Pelicans: Suns in 5
Mavericks vs Jazz: Jazz in 6
Warriors vs Nuggets: Warriors in 4
Grizzlies vs Timberwolves: Grizzlies in 6

WEST CONFERENCE SEMIS
Suns vs Jazz: Suns in 5
Warriors vs Grizz: Warriors in 6

WEST FINALS
Suns vs Warriors: Suns in 6

EAST ROUND 1
Heat vs Hawks: Heat in 5
76ers vs Raptors: 76ers in 6
Bucks vs Bulls: Bucks in 5
Celtics vs Nets: Nets in 6

EAST CONFERENCE SEMIS
Heat vs 76ers: Heat in 6
Bucks vs Nets: Bucks in 7

EAST FINALS
Heat vs Bucks: Bucks in 6

NBA FINALS
Suns vs Bucks: Suns in 5!!! Yeah I said it.

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Indy
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Re: 2021-2022 NBA Playoff Predictions

Post by Indy »

We are EXTREMELY like-minded on the West, a little less so on the East. Will everyone check theirs below so I can make sure my spreadsheet is accurate?

Code: Select all

Series		BKinSJC		Indy		LVSunsFan	Mori		Split		SunsRIt		Superbone	Wally_West
West 1-8	Suns in 5	Suns in 5	Suns in 4	Suns in 4	Suns in 4	Suns in 5	Suns in 5	Suns in 5
West 4-5	Jazz in 6	Jazz in 7	Jazz in 5	Jazz in 6	Jazz in 6	Jazz in 6	Jazz in 5	Jazz in 6
West 3-6	Warriors in 6	Warriors in 6	Warriors in 7	Warriors in 5	Warriors in 5	Warriors in 6	Warriors in 6	Warriors in 4
West 2-7	Grizzlies in 5	Grizzlies in 7	Grizzlies in 5	Grizzlies in 5	Grizzlies in 7	Grizzlies in 5	Grizzlies in 6	Grizzlies in 6
West Semis 1	Suns in 5	Suns in 5	Suns in 5	Suns in 5	Suns in 5	Suns in 5	Suns in 5	Suns in 5
West Semis 2	Grizzlies in 7	Warriors in 5	Warriors in 6	Grizzlies in 7	Warriors in 6	Warriors in 7	Grizzlies in 6	Warriors in 6
West Finals	Suns in 7	Suns in 7	Suns in 5	Suns in 6	Suns in 7	Suns in 6	Suns in 6	Suns in 6
East 1-8	Heat in 5	Heat in 5	Heat in 5	Heat in 4	Heat in 6	Heat in 7	Heat in 6	Heat in 5
East 4-5	Raptors in 6	Raptors in 6	76ers in 6	76ers in 7	Raptors in 6	76ers in 5	76ers in 6	76ers in 6
East 3-6	Bucks in 4	Bucks in 5	Bucks in 4	Bucks in 4	Bucks in 4	Bucks in 6	Bucks in 5	Bucks in 5
East 2-7	Celtics in 6	Nets in 7	Nets in 6	Celtics in 6	Celtics in 6	Celtics in 6	Nets in 7	Nets in 6
East Semis 1	Heat in 7	Raptors in 7	76ers in 7	Heat in 7	Heat in 7	76ers in 6	76ers in 7	Heat in 6
East Semis 2	Bucks in 6	Nets in 6	Bucks in 6	Bucks in 7	Bucks in 7	Bucks in 6	Bucks in 7	Bucks in 7
East Finals	Bucks in 5	Nets in 5	Bucks in 6	Bucks in 6	Bucks in 6	Bucks in 7	Bucks in 6	Bucks in 6
NBA Finals	Suns in 6	Suns in 6	Suns in 5	Suns in 7	Suns in 6	Suns in 6	Suns in 6	Suns in 5


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Split T
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Re: 2021-2022 NBA Playoff Predictions

Post by Split T »

Looks good from my end Indy

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Indy
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Re: 2021-2022 NBA Playoff Predictions

Post by Indy »

Thanks Split. I will make it look prettier once I hear back from everyone.

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SunsRIt
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Re: 2021-2022 NBA Playoff Predictions

Post by SunsRIt »

Looks great.

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BKinSJC
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Re: 2021-2022 NBA Playoff Predictions

Post by BKinSJC »

Mine's correct, thanks Indy.

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Superbone
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Re: 2021-2022 NBA Playoff Predictions

Post by Superbone »

I think you got mine.
"Be Legendary."

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Mori Chu
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Re: 2021-2022 NBA Playoff Predictions

Post by Mori Chu »

Anybody already regretting any of their picks? :-) I picked Grizz in 5, so they'll have to win 4-in-a-row to prove me right.

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Split T
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Re: 2021-2022 NBA Playoff Predictions

Post by Split T »

Mori Chu wrote:
Sun Apr 17, 2022 7:47 am
Anybody already regretting any of their picks? :-) I picked Grizz in 5, so they'll have to win 4-in-a-row to prove me right.
Regretting my Raptors pick

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Mori Chu
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Re: 2021-2022 NBA Playoff Predictions

Post by Mori Chu »

Split T wrote:
Sun Apr 17, 2022 8:01 am
Regretting my Raptors pick
They were a sexy sleeper pick this week, but I resisted the urge. I think two teams everybody wants to prematurely pronounce dead are Philly and Utah. Neither is likely to win the title, but both are better than the national media folks seem to think. Philly is probably going to win a round or two before they're out, and I think Utah will beat a Luka-less Mavs team. Utah will eventually run into the Phoenix Suns buzzsaw, and Philly may even give Miami a tough series in the second round. How exactly is Miami going to stop Embiid? If the game is close at the end, isn't Philly going to just dump the ball to Embiid every time and get easy baskets?

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Split T
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Re: 2021-2022 NBA Playoff Predictions

Post by Split T »

Mori Chu wrote:
Sun Apr 17, 2022 8:24 am
Split T wrote:
Sun Apr 17, 2022 8:01 am
Regretting my Raptors pick
They were a sexy sleeper pick this week, but I resisted the urge. I think two teams everybody wants to prematurely pronounce dead are Philly and Utah. Neither is likely to win the title, but both are better than the national media folks seem to think. Philly is probably going to win a round or two before they're out, and I think Utah will beat a Luka-less Mavs team. Utah will eventually run into the Phoenix Suns buzzsaw, and Philly may even give Miami a tough series in the second round. How exactly is Miami going to stop Embiid? If the game is close at the end, isn't Philly going to just dump the ball to Embiid every time and get easy baskets?
Utah did not look great yesterday, I think if Luka comes back and is himself by game 3, Dallas will still win that series.

As for Miami defending Embiid. Bam will be the primary guy, but they’ll double him for sure. Miami has a great defense and they’ll figure it out. They won’t just let Embiid go 1 on 1 over and over.

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Superbone
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Re: 2021-2022 NBA Playoff Predictions

Post by Superbone »

Mori Chu wrote:
Sun Apr 17, 2022 7:47 am
Anybody already regretting any of their picks? :-) I picked Grizz in 5, so they'll have to win 4-in-a-row to prove me right.
We all picked the Grizzlies. At least I had them in 6. A few have them in 7.
"Be Legendary."

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Split T
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Re: 2021-2022 NBA Playoff Predictions

Post by Split T »

I wanted to pick the Wolves, I thought they were a tough matchup for Memphis, but I do still think Memphis takes it. I did say 7 I believe.

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LVSunsFAN
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Re: 2021-2022 NBA Playoff Predictions

Post by LVSunsFAN »

Image

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Indy
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Re: 2021-2022 NBA Playoff Predictions

Post by Indy »

Update since we had a couple series completions. BK in the lead so far thanks to his picking the number of games right for the Heat.


Image

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Mori Chu
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Re: 2021-2022 NBA Playoff Predictions

Post by Mori Chu »

That's a really nice display, Indy. Thanks for compiling the data. LOL, we all picked the Jazz; that one may come back to bite us. None of us picked the Suns to lose more than 1 game to the Pels, but to be fair, we didn't know Book would pull his hamstring.

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