Nba 2013/14

[ABs2011]

So almost half way through the season and I'm wondering how people are feeling about it??

I'm a betting man so don't tend to side with any team in particular but to date here are my thoughts:

EAST
To be fair this is simply a two horse race IMHO and I really like the Pacers and have backed them to win the East and the Championship accordingly. I've also got a few bob on Miami as well as you just can't go past a team with LJ and Wade. Can they stay healthy enough though? Not sure....

WEST
This is a different kettle of fish with heaps of chances. I started off the season backing OKC then loaded up on SA and Portland (just as they were making their early season run - got them at $80 to win the championship and $50 to win the west. They are probably still a year away from being a serious challenger but the odds were just way too good to overlook!) Since then I've been backing OKC more and more! I'm happy to back all three but fear that teams such as Houston, GS, LAC could all pose serious challenges. Wondering what peoples thoughts are??

So overall I'm expecting a Pacers to beat Miami in the Eastern finals and OKC to beat SA in the west.

Then Pacers to beat OKC in 7

Love to hear what others are thinking!!

I've loaded up quite a bit on the 5 teams I've outlined and will make a tidy profit should one of them win, however stand to lose quite a bit if someone outside those teams comes through. Does anyone think I'm gonna get stung by another team??

Love to hear your thoughts.

Cheers.

 

[Amobokoboko]

I just occasionally try to watch a game. This season I'm following the Pacers, Knicks (Mello), Clippers and GSW. I saw some pretty decent games but I reckon the Pacers and the Heat should be ***le contenders.

 

[Big Ewis]

thank GOD there's NBA AllStar weekend this weekend. I hate when there's a big two week break from a big tournament like the 6N...
Eager to watch the Slam Dunk contest personally, AS games have got lamer and lamer...

 

[Rich Taff]

thank GOD there's NBA AllStar weekend this weekend. I hate when there's a big two week break from a big tournament like the 6N...
Eager to watch the Slam Dunk contest personally, AS games have got lamer and lamer...

Ah, so that's why none of my players in my fantasy league are playing. I don't watch the game, but find it fun to beat people who do, just by using statistics

 

[Big Ewis]

ah...you're a stat guy are ya ? Put it here pal. Love meh stats mehself...but you gotta watch the ASG though man, wtf...until they exponentially suck more every year passing, I won't stop watching. It's the fkn ASG. IT's true though less and less ppl watch it.....

 

[ABs2011]

Quite a few interesting results in the first round of the playoffs so far with a lot of home teams (and favs) going down I the first game).

East Matchups:
Indy v Atlanta (Atlanta went in and upset the Pacers at home to lead the series 1 zip)
Chicago v Washington (Another upset here as the Bulls offense looked pretty average in the second half and went down to the Wizards - Wizards lead 1 - 0)
Toronto v Brooklyn (Tough road win and minor upset as Brooklyn lead the series 1 - 0)
Miami v Charlotte (Miami got pushed for most of the first half but then cruised in the end to win comfortably - lead the series 1 - 0)

West Matchups:
LAC v GS (Big upset here as GS get the win - lead series 1 - 0)
Houston v Portland (Another road win as Aldridge was pretty much unstoppable with 467 points and 18 boards in an OT win - Portland lead series 1 - 0)
OKC v Memphis (OKC too good)
SA v Dallas (SA win at home)

The most interesting series now for me is whether the Pacers get a rocket up them or whether their season is all but over? The next game will be a massive one for them to see how they rebound. They couldn't stop Teague and I hear Paul George has asked for the assignment of guarding him in game two.

The other two series that I think look like they should be really fun is the GS LAC series and the Hou Port series. Both home teams must hit back and win game two and I expect they will but either way if GS and Port now both have HCA and I can see both these series being great viewing. I'm hoping GS and Port come out on top.

Other than that, the Championship caliber teams seemed to shine - Miami OKC and SA - looks to me the winners will come from these three!

 

[Big Ewis]

I still have an erection over Atlanta taking game 1 in Indiana, not a fan of the former but rather a hater of the latter.
My team, Portland, managed something great.
San Antonio won, one step closer to the chip. Pop got the award this year, brilliant unfolding so far this post-season...
And "Frenchman" Joakim Noah got DPOY.
I do hate GS although I like coach Jackson, so I'm really piissed off about G.1 but I'm drooling over the result of G.2.

I'm a happy Big Ewis so far in the P.O's, but things can go awry real quick in the P.O's...

 

[ABs2011]

You think Indy will turn things around? Im a little concerned to be honest!

 

[Big Ewis]

hhahaha, please ! Life is tender and sexy atm, but dreams are only dreams and have a defined limit of time. The Hawks have already lost this series. Look at how the Warriors took G.1 at the very buzzer and the very last play in L.A. and got annihilated beyond human comprehension in a way that shook most of the known universe in G.2.

Atlanta will get a beatdown in G.2, lose G.3 at home, take G.4 to knot the series up. It'll be a good fight, but Indiana will bring out the serious business and that'll have been that. Next round and ECSF vs ??...Bulls, Wizards ???? I pray to GOD it's the Bulls. Hate John Wall and the Wiz by extension...

A real concern for me is the Thunder losing to the Grizzlies....AGAIN....and with Westbrook this time...I don't want to see that happen, because ppl will immediately start arguing against Durant being a basketball legend already. I don't love him, but he deserves the status, to be perfectly objective.

So who's your team ?

 

[ABs2011]

hhahaha, please ! Life is tender and sexy atm, but dreams are only dreams and have a defined limit of time. The Hawks have already lost this series. Look at how the Warriors took G.1 at the very buzzer and the very last play in L.A. and got annihilated beyond human comprehension in a way that shook most of the known universe in G.2.

Atlanta will get a beatdown in G.2, lose G.3 at home, take G.4 to knot the series up. It'll be a good fight, but Indiana will bring out the serious business and that'll have been that. Next round and ECSF vs ??...Bulls, Wizards ???? I pray to GOD it's the Bulls. Hate John Wall and the Wiz by extension...

A real concern for me is the Thunder losing to the Grizzlies....AGAIN....and with Westbrook this time...I don't want to see that happen, because ppl will immediately start arguing against Durant being a basketball legend already. I don't love him, but he deserves the status, to be perfectly objective.

So who's your team ?

I've been a betting man for quite some time, so "my team" is dictated by that in general.

So from that perspective I stand to win quite a lot IF the Spurs, Trail Blazers or OKC win the west and if Indy win the East. I also have all those teams to win the ***le as well and would make even more if they do. I have Miami as a hedge to break even.

In terms of"my team" with betting aside. Well I'd have to say as a kid I was keen on the Lakers, and since then I'm about to get married to someone from S California so I'd have to say them. I also like OKC, mainly cause that is where our loan Kiwi plays. Finally I'd have to say I have a soft spot for Portland, mainly just because they are a fun team to watch and are playing a bit ahead of themselves this year. I really hope they knock out Houston as Im not a fan of Harden and Howard, and Harden mocked OKC for signing Steven Adams (who was effectively part of the package OKC got when they traded him away). He seems lie a bit of a douche!

So your team is Portland? How far do you think they can progress? Seems to me IF they get the bounce of the ball they could beat Houston, but my sense is their depth will haunt them in the playoffs. Thoughts?

 

[Big Ewis]

been a fan of RIP City since I started watching, back around '99.
You said it. Bench much better than last year but still not enough. I fkn hate Harden, I dislike Howard quite a bit and that Pat Beverley guy can suck my dick and balls simultaneously.
I thought Rockets in 6 before, now I still think they'll beat us but maybe it'll have to just go to 7
I really, really, really, really want Portland to win, and it's beyond just being a fan. It's the right thing, the just thing.

 

[LittleGuy]

Quite a few interesting results in the first round of the playoffs so far with a lot of home teams (and favs) going down I the first game).

East Matchups:
Indy v Atlanta (Atlanta went in and upset the Pacers at home to lead the series 1 zip)
Chicago v Washington (Another upset here as the Bulls offense looked pretty average in the second half and went down to the Wizards - Wizards lead 1 - 0)
Toronto v Brooklyn (Tough road win and minor upset as Brooklyn lead the series 1 - 0)
Miami v Charlotte (Miami got pushed for most of the first half but then cruised in the end to win comfortably - lead the series 1 - 0)

West Matchups:
LAC v GS (Big upset here as GS get the win - lead series 1 - 0)
Houston v Portland (Another road win as Aldridge was pretty much unstoppable with 467 points and 18 boards in an OT win - Portland lead series 1 - 0)
OKC v Memphis (OKC too good)
SA v Dallas (SA win at home)

The most interesting series now for me is whether the Pacers get a rocket up them or whether their season is all but over? The next game will be a massive one for them to see how they rebound. They couldn't stop Teague and I hear Paul George has asked for the assignment of guarding him in game two.

The other two series that I think look like they should be really fun is the GS LAC series and the Hou Port series. Both home teams must hit back and win game two and I expect they will but either way if GS and Port now both have HCA and I can see both these series being great viewing. I'm hoping GS and Port come out on top.

Other than that, the Championship caliber teams seemed to shine - Miami OKC and SA - looks to me the winners will come from these three!

Lot's of NBA experts and fans actually favour the Nets in this series perhaps evena a majority though it could go either way, game two in about an hour or so and I might actually watch the whole game which is rare for me and basketball.

 

[Big Ewis]

Oh I had the Nets before reading up on previews and predictions or even that G.1 victory away. That's what they got those old decrepit superstars for, not the regular season.

Ah Little Guy, you just can't help it can ya...hockey is the Canadian basketball, you just can't have both !

 

[ABs2011]

Lot's of NBA experts and fans actually favour the Nets in this series perhaps evena a majority though it could go either way, game two in about an hour or so and I might actually watch the whole game which is rare for me and basketball.

Yeah I've heard a bit of chatter about the Nets (NZ sports radio flicks over to US sports radio after 12 each night so I keep up with a bit that way). To be honest my sense is they are getting a mention mainly because for pretty much all of the year (once D Rose went out for the season) all the pundits had said the East was a 2 horse race. But now with Indy playing pretty average and also given the Nets swept Miami 4 zip in the regular season the Nets are now the obvious choice for an outsider to come through. I do think they are really just an outsiders chance, and while Indy may not be as serious a contender as once thought I simply can not see Brooklyn getting past Miami. Its nice to see a few teams coming through though. Toronto and Washington have been pretty fun to watch this year and its always good to see KG, Pierce, Johnson, and Williams on the court together.

I still stand by a Miami SA finals series

 

[LittleGuy]

Oh I had the Nets before reading up on previews and predictions or even that G.1 victory away. That's what they got those old decrepit superstars for, not the regular season.

Ah Little Guy, you just can't help it can ya...hockey is the Canadian basketball, you just can't have both !

Yeah the sports calenders are very similar and Hockey is pretty king here, though the Raptors and basketball in general have a decent niche especially in large cities. I'm more of a rugby, gridiron and baseball guy. Hockey I'm not as passionate about as I was a decade ago.

 

[ABs2011]

hhahaha, please ! Life is tender and sexy atm, but dreams are only dreams and have a defined limit of time. The Hawks have already lost this series. Look at how the Warriors took G.1 at the very buzzer and the very last play in L.A. and got annihilated beyond human comprehension in a way that shook most of the known universe in G.2.

Atlanta will get a beatdown in G.2, lose G.3 at home, take G.4 to knot the series up. It'll be a good fight, but Indiana will bring out the serious business and that'll have been that. Next round and ECSF vs ??...Bulls, Wizards ???? I pray to GOD it's the Bulls. Hate John Wall and the Wiz by extension...

A real concern for me is the Thunder losing to the Grizzlies....AGAIN....and with Westbrook this time...I don't want to see that happen, because ppl will immediately start arguing against Durant being a basketball legend already. I don't love him, but he deserves the status, to be perfectly objective.

So who's your team ?

You still so confident?

I just watched the first half (on and off to be fair) and Atlanta look very much in this series. As you say, it would have been no surprise if Indy came out and did an LAC on Atlanta in game 2 but Indy are still struggling to contain Teague and Milsap, but more worrying seems to be their strategy to get Hibbert the ball offensively (he's 1 of 6 so far). Lucky for Indy Scola has picked up a bit of slack for them off the bench and George is looking like he means business. Otherwise Indy would be down even more (currently 52 - 48 to Atlanta at half time) and Indy's season would be half way to being over.

I suspect Indy will come out and win this game, but to be honest I don't share your confidence that this series is a done deal already. Indy are not looking like a championship team these days and I suspect their is some stuff going on behind closed doors which is really hurting this team.

 

[ABs2011]

Well that Q may have hanged things huh? the Pacers looked like a different team coming out of half time - won that Q by 18 points!

 

[LittleGuy]

Craptors WIN!!!! Craptors WIN!!!!

 

[ABs2011]

Craptors WIN!!!! Craptors WIN!!!!

Was a good game aye! Now time to see if they can grab back home court advantage!

Indy looked MUCH better in the second half. Looks like Big Ewis was on the money (at least in game two anyway). Here's hoping his prediction is good for the rest of the series as well!!

 

[ABs2011]

Thought I throw this one out there as I watch Chicago capitulating again at home to Washington - Why on earth does Noah handle the ball so much in offence? He has made so many errors toady 5 TOs, but more than that, the offence just seems to stall once he gets the ball in hand. Chicago just look clueless at times. I haven't watched them much this season, but they just seem god awful at the moment and have completely blown this game which they absolutely should have won as they were up by plenty with little time left on the clock in the 4th.