Who Do I Got? S50 Playoff Predictions: Round One (with gifs)
Posted: Thu Mar 04, 2021 7:59 pm
I think it goes without saying who I got winning the whole thing, but before we get too far ahead of ourselves (fun as it is to feel the disappointment from it if I’m wrong), we have a bunch of fun series ahead capping S50, the first season following the latest conference and division realignment.
Alpha
#1 Chicago Bulls (71 - 11) BYE
#2 Sacramento Kings (60 - 22) vs #7 Houston Rockets (40 - 42)
Season series 3-2 Kings
TL;DR Kings
I recall writing about the Rockets playoff berth last season and I’m not sure that I would say much differently this season. Like the Little Enginge That Could, the Rockets have made it back to the big stage but probably will not venture much further. They definitely have talent from a more fully formed Isaiah Stewart (compared to his earlier years where he only had potential) and Norrin Radd, who, while twilighting, still has his moments of greatness. I also thought that Elisha Davis had All Star potential, much like Ballsohard when he signed this 5 yr deal and probably like 78# when he got him in a trade. Paired with Stewart I think this is a solid front court but it probably will not stand up to Jame Hector and..
Jame Hector. Jame Hector may have been NOLa’s missing link. Pulling together a 60 win season, the Sacramento Kings are realizing their full potential. Any team with the great Jonathan Lewis should be a deep playoff contender and it’s been a mystery to me that they have not been there yet. Hector’s strength and defense in the front court, though, should get them through to the semis at a minimum. Rounding out their star power is Killian Hayes who, while not at full strength, is beginning to pull a lot of weight at PG in a league devoid of good ones. Don Sanchez might be the more effective pure PG at this point in Hayes’s career, but this only means that NOLa has options before him if he does not like the way things are going during the playoffs. This is a versatile team that is bound to give any team in the Alpha playoffs a fit, if not a loss.
#3 Minnesota Timberwolves (60 - 22) vs #6 Denver Nuggets (46 - 36)
Season series 3-1 Wolves
TL;DR Wolves I think?
Not sure what to make of these Nuggets (said no hippie ever). It’s almost like, at 46 - 36, Syndicate purposefully flew under the radar. The last Nuggets that won a ring was an unlikely bunch in my opinion, but they got it done. Syndicate has a way of getting it done. He did it six times (that’s it - that’s his tweet). But alright, let’s look at the current lineup more closely. There’s a lot of yellow, but the breakthrough blues pack a punch. We used to laugh at Zeke Nnaji for getting winded walking across the street, but he’s playing almost 30 minutes per game, and he’s pulling almost 20 points and over 2 blocks a game. Paired with Danny Campbell, the Nuggs have a slick and efficient smaller front court ready to slap your layup into the stands before dunking on you on the other end. Jerry West is still g/g and good and the real weight pulled on this squad is Justin Rodriquez who has been one of the best in the league for several seasons now even though he’s been passed around like a hot potato. If anyone is poised for an upset, it’s always Syndicate.
But the Timberwolves share the record with the #2 team. They’re one division away from facing the Rockets instead of the Nuggets. I don’t know if there is a historical rivalry here or not but it would not surprise me (and honestly, I hope there is some smack talk here). On paper the Twolves win no question. In reality I’m not sure that The JNR is as invested in his squad as he could be. Mitchell Robinson and OG Anunoby are a monster front court and I think even JNR appreciates Odell Raspberry’s PG qualities by now, after being besmirched for several seasons. Wolfgang also carries a P in his potential now and the highest +/- on the roster. So why wouldn’t the Timberwolves win?
A third paragraph is in order.
Syndicate is cunning. I know it - I’ve been on the wrong end of it. I know JNR has the qualities to dig deep too but he’s been rebuilding the vast majority of my time here in the PBSL. I think it’s the perfect opportunity for The JNR to prove his team’s merit, but I’m skeptical. I don’t know what he will do when he sees a lopsided result. Will he fold? Will he excel? Time will tell. I actually think this is the most exciting match up in the 1st round, and I think it’s The JNR’s to lose.
#4 San Antonio Spurs (51 - 31) vs #5 Orlando Magic (47 - 35)
Season series 3-1 Spurs
TL; DR Magic
Rounding out Omega are two teams in the middle-top of Alpha with GMs who have a tendency to lowball their teams’ strengths. I started admiring false9’s implementation of Matthew O’Connor in chat this year while Jules Harms was also there ready to wreak havoc and he, ever so politely, asked me to shut the fry up. Sorry I’m not sorry - the evidence is right there for the Magic to be a frontrunner out of Alpha this year, but false wants to play coy and I’m not going to let him! No longer with Richard Hunt, the Magic have tagged Tex Harrison to run their offense and Ronnie Reynolds to execute it (or false could do this if he wanted to). The Magic have proven that they will do just fine with Tex scoring most of their buckets and Roderick Pastor not far behind. Did I mention yet that they also have Dominick Cobb in their starting 5?? Bruh, you’re not fooling any of us. Unleash your worst on these Spurs and smash your way in to the semis to steal a few games from the Bulls.
Not to diminish the qualities of the S50 Spurs, but they have a tough road ahead with Douglas Harris’s injury. Dan Yandell belongs in the MVP conversation with Delmar but unfortunately he’s in the same league as Delmar. Ernest Long has smashed up their front court this season and, even though the Spurs thought they had kissed their current title dreams goodbye when shipping off Lewis to the Kings, Dorian Whitley stepped up and said not so fast. I’m not sure what this team is going to do in this series, but I do know they’re hobbled. Will Yandell, Whitley and Long step up and shock us all? I would not rule out this possibility. They’ve bested the Magic all season long, and if they hold their home court advantage through game 4, the Magic will have to dig deep to get back on top. It’s not impossible, but the Spurs do carry a markedly better road record than the Magic. Will this matter come playoff time...?
Omega
#1 Los Angeles Lakers (64 - 18) BYE
#2 Philadelphia 76ers (59 - 23) vs #7 Washington Wizards (44 - 38)
Season series 2-2 tied
TL;DR Wizards
I don’t actually think the Wizards are going to win this series, but I’m rooting for them. I mean, they split the regular season series and, while they didn’t steal any in Philadelphia, Philly didn’t win in DC, either. This will be a rough series with Tasmin Mitchell sidelined due to injury, and also Xist is running with a completely different crew this year after maintaining a core around Quintin Kidd and Tony Cucone for most of the last decade. Missing a piece like Mitchell is such a bummer when you’re also looking across the court at Mike Burnham and James freaking Wiseman. I mean, Xist can get creative with some of his DC’s and still see K100 put Wiseman at, like, the 1, and give Xist fits.
Wiseman is not even fair, and not even at full strength, either. You cannot ask for more from Burnham at the 5, either, smashing opponents’ attempts to be offensive, offending their offense disrespectfully before stealing any opponents’ offensive rebound potential and sticking his tongue out then handing the ball to Wiseman to do whatever he wants on offense with great success. I really hate this team. I really hope someone handles them before I have to, but if I have to?
Oh, I will. With a vengeance. THIS IS NOT YOUR YEAR K100
#3 Los Angeles Clippers (57 - 25) vs #6 Utah Jazz (47 - 35)
Season series 4-1 Clippers
TL;DR Clippers
The real story here is: what kind of a GM is Darth Vegito in 2040?? Sure he’s one of the greats and ran the entire show back in the day, but how does that experience hold up in today’s PBSL? He made all the right moves to get to the top in the offseason: nab a great scorer, buy the best PG, work with Xist to grab one of the league’s all time great defensive players. But has it paid off? Making moves like these and finishing 6th in the conference has to be a blow to the ol’ ego. And then you look across the floor and see Gary Loredo and his .668 TS% and must think, “why’d I sign back up for this?” I don’t think the narrative will play out like this, exactly. I think the Jazz might be the threat in the shadow that no one saw coming. You read who he signed this year, right? Right. How does the team with Jordan Johnson, Quintin Kidd and Chadwick Dangerfield not make it out of the 1st round??
Well, you meet Mamba in the 1st round. Like greeple, Mamba turned a team of losers into a team of winners in under 10 seasons. He one-upped greeple and swept him in the playoffs, too. How did he do that? He loaded up his team with talent, and looking at Mamba’s Clippers in this S50, the last song I can think of is Coldplay’s “Yellow.” This is a murderer’s row of talent, fronted by none other than Gary Loredo. When you can take players like Stoll and Blakemore off the bench, you’re in pretty good shape. Mamba’s primary weakness has to be the front court, but does Darth have the power there to take Mamba down? I’m leaning towards no. And Loredo is a problem to which Darth, without Kidd, has no answer.
All that said, I would love to see a vet GM flex on a new GM (not named greeple) and pull out the upset.
#4 Indiana Pacers (52 - 30) vs #5 Oklahoma City Thunder (50 - 32)
Season series 3-2 Thunder
TL;DR Pacers
I made it here quicker than I thought! But I also have less to say about this matchup because, truthfully, I will not be surprised by either team emerging from this round. Mamba noted in the GMOY nominations what AB has done for the Thunder this year, and it has been remarkable. Though they did hit Rd 2 of the playoffs last year, I think they proved they were a team to fear this year. Even with Zaire Wade out, this is a good team. Zaire Wade was out a bunch last year two and AB still made it to the semis. One must consider the emerging talent in Brooks Jackson, the vet expertise of RJ Barrett and the rapid growth of Makur Maker to fully appreciate this squad, and I think their talent is therefore more spread out than Pauly’s Pacers.
But Mamadi Diakite has yet to disappoint. If I were simply glancing at rosters and noted that Mamadi, Leonard Washington and an aging Ja Morant are going to the semis over AB’s Thunder, I’d giggle. I did, actually. I’ve underestimated this iteration of the Pacers so consistently that when I finally beat them by 14 points in April I surprised myself. Until Pauly decides to sell, which may be soon, these Pacers are a problem, and I like this series more than any other hitting game 7.
That’s it. That’s the post. Over 2000 words, where muh points?
Alpha
#1 Chicago Bulls (71 - 11) BYE
#2 Sacramento Kings (60 - 22) vs #7 Houston Rockets (40 - 42)
Season series 3-2 Kings
TL;DR Kings
I recall writing about the Rockets playoff berth last season and I’m not sure that I would say much differently this season. Like the Little Enginge That Could, the Rockets have made it back to the big stage but probably will not venture much further. They definitely have talent from a more fully formed Isaiah Stewart (compared to his earlier years where he only had potential) and Norrin Radd, who, while twilighting, still has his moments of greatness. I also thought that Elisha Davis had All Star potential, much like Ballsohard when he signed this 5 yr deal and probably like 78# when he got him in a trade. Paired with Stewart I think this is a solid front court but it probably will not stand up to Jame Hector and..
Jame Hector. Jame Hector may have been NOLa’s missing link. Pulling together a 60 win season, the Sacramento Kings are realizing their full potential. Any team with the great Jonathan Lewis should be a deep playoff contender and it’s been a mystery to me that they have not been there yet. Hector’s strength and defense in the front court, though, should get them through to the semis at a minimum. Rounding out their star power is Killian Hayes who, while not at full strength, is beginning to pull a lot of weight at PG in a league devoid of good ones. Don Sanchez might be the more effective pure PG at this point in Hayes’s career, but this only means that NOLa has options before him if he does not like the way things are going during the playoffs. This is a versatile team that is bound to give any team in the Alpha playoffs a fit, if not a loss.
#3 Minnesota Timberwolves (60 - 22) vs #6 Denver Nuggets (46 - 36)
Season series 3-1 Wolves
TL;DR Wolves I think?
Not sure what to make of these Nuggets (said no hippie ever). It’s almost like, at 46 - 36, Syndicate purposefully flew under the radar. The last Nuggets that won a ring was an unlikely bunch in my opinion, but they got it done. Syndicate has a way of getting it done. He did it six times (that’s it - that’s his tweet). But alright, let’s look at the current lineup more closely. There’s a lot of yellow, but the breakthrough blues pack a punch. We used to laugh at Zeke Nnaji for getting winded walking across the street, but he’s playing almost 30 minutes per game, and he’s pulling almost 20 points and over 2 blocks a game. Paired with Danny Campbell, the Nuggs have a slick and efficient smaller front court ready to slap your layup into the stands before dunking on you on the other end. Jerry West is still g/g and good and the real weight pulled on this squad is Justin Rodriquez who has been one of the best in the league for several seasons now even though he’s been passed around like a hot potato. If anyone is poised for an upset, it’s always Syndicate.
But the Timberwolves share the record with the #2 team. They’re one division away from facing the Rockets instead of the Nuggets. I don’t know if there is a historical rivalry here or not but it would not surprise me (and honestly, I hope there is some smack talk here). On paper the Twolves win no question. In reality I’m not sure that The JNR is as invested in his squad as he could be. Mitchell Robinson and OG Anunoby are a monster front court and I think even JNR appreciates Odell Raspberry’s PG qualities by now, after being besmirched for several seasons. Wolfgang also carries a P in his potential now and the highest +/- on the roster. So why wouldn’t the Timberwolves win?
A third paragraph is in order.
Syndicate is cunning. I know it - I’ve been on the wrong end of it. I know JNR has the qualities to dig deep too but he’s been rebuilding the vast majority of my time here in the PBSL. I think it’s the perfect opportunity for The JNR to prove his team’s merit, but I’m skeptical. I don’t know what he will do when he sees a lopsided result. Will he fold? Will he excel? Time will tell. I actually think this is the most exciting match up in the 1st round, and I think it’s The JNR’s to lose.
#4 San Antonio Spurs (51 - 31) vs #5 Orlando Magic (47 - 35)
Season series 3-1 Spurs
TL; DR Magic
Rounding out Omega are two teams in the middle-top of Alpha with GMs who have a tendency to lowball their teams’ strengths. I started admiring false9’s implementation of Matthew O’Connor in chat this year while Jules Harms was also there ready to wreak havoc and he, ever so politely, asked me to shut the fry up. Sorry I’m not sorry - the evidence is right there for the Magic to be a frontrunner out of Alpha this year, but false wants to play coy and I’m not going to let him! No longer with Richard Hunt, the Magic have tagged Tex Harrison to run their offense and Ronnie Reynolds to execute it (or false could do this if he wanted to). The Magic have proven that they will do just fine with Tex scoring most of their buckets and Roderick Pastor not far behind. Did I mention yet that they also have Dominick Cobb in their starting 5?? Bruh, you’re not fooling any of us. Unleash your worst on these Spurs and smash your way in to the semis to steal a few games from the Bulls.
Not to diminish the qualities of the S50 Spurs, but they have a tough road ahead with Douglas Harris’s injury. Dan Yandell belongs in the MVP conversation with Delmar but unfortunately he’s in the same league as Delmar. Ernest Long has smashed up their front court this season and, even though the Spurs thought they had kissed their current title dreams goodbye when shipping off Lewis to the Kings, Dorian Whitley stepped up and said not so fast. I’m not sure what this team is going to do in this series, but I do know they’re hobbled. Will Yandell, Whitley and Long step up and shock us all? I would not rule out this possibility. They’ve bested the Magic all season long, and if they hold their home court advantage through game 4, the Magic will have to dig deep to get back on top. It’s not impossible, but the Spurs do carry a markedly better road record than the Magic. Will this matter come playoff time...?
Omega
#1 Los Angeles Lakers (64 - 18) BYE
#2 Philadelphia 76ers (59 - 23) vs #7 Washington Wizards (44 - 38)
Season series 2-2 tied
TL;DR Wizards
I don’t actually think the Wizards are going to win this series, but I’m rooting for them. I mean, they split the regular season series and, while they didn’t steal any in Philadelphia, Philly didn’t win in DC, either. This will be a rough series with Tasmin Mitchell sidelined due to injury, and also Xist is running with a completely different crew this year after maintaining a core around Quintin Kidd and Tony Cucone for most of the last decade. Missing a piece like Mitchell is such a bummer when you’re also looking across the court at Mike Burnham and James freaking Wiseman. I mean, Xist can get creative with some of his DC’s and still see K100 put Wiseman at, like, the 1, and give Xist fits.
Wiseman is not even fair, and not even at full strength, either. You cannot ask for more from Burnham at the 5, either, smashing opponents’ attempts to be offensive, offending their offense disrespectfully before stealing any opponents’ offensive rebound potential and sticking his tongue out then handing the ball to Wiseman to do whatever he wants on offense with great success. I really hate this team. I really hope someone handles them before I have to, but if I have to?
Oh, I will. With a vengeance. THIS IS NOT YOUR YEAR K100
#3 Los Angeles Clippers (57 - 25) vs #6 Utah Jazz (47 - 35)
Season series 4-1 Clippers
TL;DR Clippers
The real story here is: what kind of a GM is Darth Vegito in 2040?? Sure he’s one of the greats and ran the entire show back in the day, but how does that experience hold up in today’s PBSL? He made all the right moves to get to the top in the offseason: nab a great scorer, buy the best PG, work with Xist to grab one of the league’s all time great defensive players. But has it paid off? Making moves like these and finishing 6th in the conference has to be a blow to the ol’ ego. And then you look across the floor and see Gary Loredo and his .668 TS% and must think, “why’d I sign back up for this?” I don’t think the narrative will play out like this, exactly. I think the Jazz might be the threat in the shadow that no one saw coming. You read who he signed this year, right? Right. How does the team with Jordan Johnson, Quintin Kidd and Chadwick Dangerfield not make it out of the 1st round??
Well, you meet Mamba in the 1st round. Like greeple, Mamba turned a team of losers into a team of winners in under 10 seasons. He one-upped greeple and swept him in the playoffs, too. How did he do that? He loaded up his team with talent, and looking at Mamba’s Clippers in this S50, the last song I can think of is Coldplay’s “Yellow.” This is a murderer’s row of talent, fronted by none other than Gary Loredo. When you can take players like Stoll and Blakemore off the bench, you’re in pretty good shape. Mamba’s primary weakness has to be the front court, but does Darth have the power there to take Mamba down? I’m leaning towards no. And Loredo is a problem to which Darth, without Kidd, has no answer.
All that said, I would love to see a vet GM flex on a new GM (not named greeple) and pull out the upset.
#4 Indiana Pacers (52 - 30) vs #5 Oklahoma City Thunder (50 - 32)
Season series 3-2 Thunder
TL;DR Pacers
I made it here quicker than I thought! But I also have less to say about this matchup because, truthfully, I will not be surprised by either team emerging from this round. Mamba noted in the GMOY nominations what AB has done for the Thunder this year, and it has been remarkable. Though they did hit Rd 2 of the playoffs last year, I think they proved they were a team to fear this year. Even with Zaire Wade out, this is a good team. Zaire Wade was out a bunch last year two and AB still made it to the semis. One must consider the emerging talent in Brooks Jackson, the vet expertise of RJ Barrett and the rapid growth of Makur Maker to fully appreciate this squad, and I think their talent is therefore more spread out than Pauly’s Pacers.
But Mamadi Diakite has yet to disappoint. If I were simply glancing at rosters and noted that Mamadi, Leonard Washington and an aging Ja Morant are going to the semis over AB’s Thunder, I’d giggle. I did, actually. I’ve underestimated this iteration of the Pacers so consistently that when I finally beat them by 14 points in April I surprised myself. Until Pauly decides to sell, which may be soon, these Pacers are a problem, and I like this series more than any other hitting game 7.
That’s it. That’s the post. Over 2000 words, where muh points?