2024 NBA Season

[Maslate]

You could see the Celtics give up in that game vs the Heat. I think they lose the next one and call it a year. For some reason I haven’t counted the Lakers out yet, but after what I saw tonight the Celtics are as good as done for the year. Quite possible the Lakers only have one game left this year though so don’t miss it tomorrow.

They give up easily. I guess there's a problem within the team, and it's possible that their coach is not happy and is simply blaming the players. The Celtics were considered favorites after the Bucks were eliminated, but it seems like they won't be making a comeback to the NBA Finals this year. Both the Warriors and the Celtics are out, so let's hope that the teams playing in the NBA Finals will provide more entertaining games.

I'm speculating that it could be the Heat versus the Nuggets in the 2023 NBA Finals and the Nuggets will be a heavy favorite.

Your prediction is actually not that far from happening because by the looks of it, it seems that the Denver Nuggets and Miami Heat will indeed win from their respective conferences and will face each other in the Finals as they both have a 3-0 standing which is quite an advantage and statistically, there's no team that has bounced back from having a 0-3 deficit. So it's kind of safe to assume the outcome already even if their series are not yet finished.

[wheelz1200]

Miami Heat is leading by three nill right now. It really does not feel like Celtics will actually be able to recover.

Heat just proven that ESPN's analytics is just another analytics but not the actuality of what can happen into the game and match ups.

Celtics has already gone even before this game started. It's like more of formality that they'll be seen on the game 4 and they should have just conceded to allow the win to Heat but I don't know if this is allowed as per NBA ruling.

I will also say that Miami Heat and Nuggets are going to be the finalists.

You're not the only one that sees that, most of us have it in our minds that these two will be the ones playing the NBA finals.

No ypu can't just concede a game and in the world we live in if it was even remotely determined they threw the game it would cause an earthquake in sports.  Being down 0-3 is not optimal but why wouldn't you think they wouldn't try.  I means it's for the right to go to the finals.  I'm throwing money on the Celtics it's tough to get a straight sweep in the playoffs.

[fuguebtc]

Miami Heat is leading by three nill right now. It really does not feel like Celtics will actually be able to recover.

Heat just proven that ESPN's analytics is just another analytics but not the actuality of what can happen into the game and match ups.
Celtics has already gone even before this game started. It's like more of formality that they'll be seen on the game 4 and they should have just conceded to allow the win to Heat but I don't know if this is allowed as per NBA ruling.

I will also say that Miami Heat and Nuggets are going to be the finalists.

You're not the only one that sees that, most of us have it in our minds that these two will be the ones playing the NBA finals.

No ypu can't just concede a game and in the world we live in if it was even remotely determined they threw the game it would cause an earthquake in sports.  Being down 0-3 is not optimal but why wouldn't you think they wouldn't try.  I means it's for the right to go to the finals.  I'm throwing money on the Celtics it's tough to get a straight sweep in the playoffs.

@livingfree,
Actually, I was a little disappointed, to be honest with the performance that the Lakers have shown.
At the start, I really did not think that these two are actually going to be the finalist.
That's why I am genuinely a little surprised.

@wheelz1200,
I really don't think it is going to be a good idea. Celtics really look down and out.
It is not going to be a good idea to trust them right now. I did not think that Miami Heat is going to have such success.
But it seems like I was certainly wrong.

[barbara44]

Butler is wise. He just simply playing the game with a great wisdom, attacking the defense then throw the pass outside for an open
3-point shot, just so happens that each player is ready to take and got a decent percentage to hit it.

If there's no trust between Boston's players, then there's nothing they can do now to win these series, a big chance for Miami to advance just like
how the Nuggets are taking the charge.

Let see what will happen in their next game, if Miami will finish it at home or Boston will win and try to extend the games.

It's such a great story that he became like this. Back when he was at Bulls, he was consider a great defensive helper to Rose, and then he grew up to become one of the best players in the entire league, that's a great story to basically watch as he grows older.

He is playing so mature and he is doing all the right things, not just on the floor as a player but as a leader for that team as well. He became a person who could inspire his teammates, and lead them to victory all together as well. I believe the pieces they have is also very important, between lowry to adebayo to shooters and so forth, they built a team that would be going against anyone, not based on just talent, but they have right style of players in every position based on their gameplay.

[jossiel]

Anyway, there's a breaking news just now and it's Carmelo Anthony.

Former All-Star Carmelo Anthony announces his retirement

Another era has passed, rest and enjoy the retirement Melo. I still remember that time when he's struggling with his last seasons that no team wants to take him in.

Does anybody still remember this taunt by Al Horford? Now Butler did this in front of him, and Horford seems angry because of what Butler did to him. I did watch a video of the taunting, and I can't help myself not to laugh. Karma really strikes harder.

Jimmy is sending the message to Horford that you don't do this to them and as well as to MJ's son. 

[ChiBitCTy]

Miami Heat is leading by three nill right now. It really does not feel like Celtics will actually be able to recover.

Heat just proven that ESPN's analytics is just another analytics but not the actuality of what can happen into the game and match ups.

Celtics has already gone even before this game started. It's like more of formality that they'll be seen on the game 4 and they should have just conceded to allow the win to Heat but I don't know if this is allowed as per NBA ruling.

I will also say that Miami Heat and Nuggets are going to be the finalists.

You're not the only one that sees that, most of us have it in our minds that these two will be the ones playing the NBA finals.

No ypu can't just concede a game and in the world we live in if it was even remotely determined they threw the game it would cause an earthquake in sports.  Being down 0-3 is not optimal but why wouldn't you think they wouldn't try.  I means it's for the right to go to the finals.  I'm throwing money on the Celtics it's tough to get a straight sweep in the playoffs.

Sure you can, I see teams just saying "nah you guys got it" in conference championship series all the time

Really sucks that I got caught up in what I was watching on TV as well as paying attention to my fantasy baseball leagues and a really tight match yesterday (which of course I tied and didn't end up winning) and totally forgot to bet the Heat at +5.5, which was just a no brainer bet too.  Damnt!

[jakelyson]

You could see the Celtics give up in that game vs the Heat. I think they lose the next one and call it a year. For some reason I haven’t counted the Lakers out yet, but after what I saw tonight the Celtics are as good as done for the year. Quite possible the Lakers only have one game left this year though so don’t miss it tomorrow.

They give up easily. I guess there's a problem within the team, and it's possible that their coach is not happy and is simply blaming the players. The Celtics were considered favorites after the Bucks were eliminated, but it seems like they won't be making a comeback to the NBA Finals this year. Both the Warriors and the Celtics are out, so let's hope that the teams playing in the NBA Finals will provide more entertaining games.

I'm speculating that it could be the Heat versus the Nuggets in the 2023 NBA Finals and the Nuggets will be a heavy favorite.

I am not sure as well what is the problem with the Celtics. I am sure the players are not lacking since they have played well in the first two games of the series. Maybe this is just the difference between the two coaches. This is just the first year of Joe Mazzulla coaching versus a veteran coach, Erik Spoelstra. I did not expect the Celtics to have this performance after a very exciting series they had against Philadelphia. Very uncharacteristic for the Celtics to lose this bad.

Anyway, stats will tell us that it will be the Nuggets vs the Heat in the Finals. I hope, Jimmy Butler still has a lot on his tank because the Nuggets will be a huge undertaking. They are healthy and they have very strong bench players. I think if Bam and Jimmy will stay healthy, they can give a good fight, but it will still be Nugget's year.

Yeah and it's all their undrafted players again who really contribute in this big win, now they are comfortable at 3-0 and they will make in to the finals again in the last 3 years if I'm not mistaken.

This is what is great for this team. We should give credit to the coach for bringing out the best out of their undrafted players. They contributed a lot in getting the Heat this far in the playoffs. Key players are out because of injuries but the bench players are playing like they are an all-star.

[livingfree]

Heat just proven that ESPN's analytics is just another analytics but not the actuality of what can happen into the game and match ups.

Celtics has already gone even before this game started. It's like more of formality that they'll be seen on the game 4 and they should have just conceded to allow the win to Heat but I don't know if this is allowed as per NBA ruling.

I will also say that Miami Heat and Nuggets are going to be the finalists.

You're not the only one that sees that, most of us have it in our minds that these two will be the ones playing the NBA finals.

No ypu can't just concede a game and in the world we live in if it was even remotely determined they threw the game it would cause an earthquake in sports.  Being down 0-3 is not optimal but why wouldn't you think they wouldn't try.  I means it's for the right to go to the finals.  I'm throwing money on the Celtics it's tough to get a straight sweep in the playoffs.

When their ego and morale is down and it's been seen like there's a hint that they just want to end it up. I thought that by just not showing up to the game and they'll just give the win to the opponent by default is like the quickest way to do it. But I get the point and this is pro-basketball and as long as there's a chance, it should be played.

@livingfree,
Actually, I was a little disappointed, to be honest with the performance that the Lakers have shown.
At the start, I really did not think that these two are actually going to be the finalist.
That's why I am genuinely a little surprised.

When they're down by two, everyone expected by third game it will be theirs but we're all wrong with that expectation and that goes to show that we have the idea where this is going.

[Questat]

When they're down by two, everyone expected by third game it will be theirs but we're all wrong with that expectation and that goes to show that we have the idea where this is going.

Because they are playing on their home court, it's expected that they will win. However, we are now in Game 4 where the Lakers are 0-3. Even if the Lakers win, it's challenging to defy history as no team has ever come back from a 0-3 deficit. Currently, they are leading and having a great start, but the question remains: Can it last?

[harizen]

What an insane performance by LeBron James just in the first half, 31 Points on 11/13 FGA with a perfect 4/4 FGA at the rainbow area in 21 minutes of playing. The Lakers are also currently showing a good percentage in the 3-point area nailing 7 3's out of 11 attempts. On the other hand, Denver Nuggets are still finding their rhythm in the rainbow area and struggling to nail some of their shots (only nailed 8 3's out of 22 attempts).

Game 4 Halftime: Lakers 73 | Nuggets 58

For the Lakers:
- will LeBron James be able to continue his hot shooting streak in the second half?
- can the Lakers maintain their lead until the final buzzer?

For the Nuggets:
- will they be able to repeat a late rally again like what they did last game?
- will they be able to improve their worst shooting in the second half??

[Hypnosis00]

The king is taking over. He has already scored 31 points in the first half, shooting an impressive 11-13 from the field and making all four of his three-point attempts. It's evident that this is shaping up to be his night. However, it is important to hope that the Nuggets won't spoil it in the second half. The current score stands at 58-73. Given the Nuggets' ability to stage comebacks, it is crucial for the team to maintain a strong and relentless performance as if there's no tomorrow. Considering that LeBron has played the full first half,  he might experience some fatigue in the final quarter.

[Fundamentals Of]

The king is taking over. He has already scored 31 points in the first half, shooting an impressive 11-13 from the field and making all four of his three-point attempts. It's evident that this is shaping up to be his night. However, it is important to hope that the Nuggets won't spoil it in the second half. The current score stands at 58-73. Given the Nuggets' ability to stage comebacks, it is crucial for the team to maintain a strong and relentless performance as if there's no tomorrow. Considering that LeBron has played the full first half,  he might experience some fatigue in the final quarter.

And here's the end of the third quarter. The deficit of Nuggets is already fully recovered. They are now ahead by 5 points. That was very fast of them to do that. The threes are all helping. The assists of Jokic are also giving much needed help. This is now getting hard for the Lakers.

Fatigue should not be a reason. This is a do or die game for them. They feel weakened, this game will be a sweep in favor of the Nuggets.

[TravelMug]

The king is taking over. He has already scored 31 points in the first half, shooting an impressive 11-13 from the field and making all four of his three-point attempts. It's evident that this is shaping up to be his night. However, it is important to hope that the Nuggets won't spoil it in the second half. The current score stands at 58-73. Given the Nuggets' ability to stage comebacks, it is crucial for the team to maintain a strong and relentless performance as if there's no tomorrow. Considering that LeBron has played the full first half,  he might experience some fatigue in the final quarter.

And here's the end of the third quarter. The deficit of Nuggets is already fully recovered. They are now ahead by 5 points. That was very fast of them to do that. The threes are all helping. The assists of Jokic are also giving much needed help. This is now getting hard for the Lakers.

Fatigue should not be a reason. This is a do or die game for them. They feel weakened, this game will be a sweep in favor of the Nuggets.

Yeah, it's not 4th quarter and let's see if Lebron has still some in this gas tank to win this game. At least one so that they won't be sweep in the Western conference finals.

And it's the same problem though, Nuggets becoming the 3rd quarter team. But let's see how it goes, plenty of time for the Lakers to make a run.

The lead is cut to 2 points now, 10 minutes to go.

Edit: 5-0 run at the start of the 4th, scored is tied.

[Yogee]

It's a sweep! I thought this was going to overtime but Gordon had other plans hehe. He also redeemd himself with that block after missing crucial free throws.

What do you think of LA's final play? I was thinking the coach should give it to AD to tie the game during the last timeout.

[Fundamentals Of]

The king is taking over. He has already scored 31 points in the first half, shooting an impressive 11-13 from the field and making all four of his three-point attempts. It's evident that this is shaping up to be his night. However, it is important to hope that the Nuggets won't spoil it in the second half. The current score stands at 58-73. Given the Nuggets' ability to stage comebacks, it is crucial for the team to maintain a strong and relentless performance as if there's no tomorrow. Considering that LeBron has played the full first half,  he might experience some fatigue in the final quarter.

And here's the end of the third quarter. The deficit of Nuggets is already fully recovered. They are now ahead by 5 points. That was very fast of them to do that. The threes are all helping. The assists of Jokic are also giving much needed help. This is now getting hard for the Lakers.

Fatigue should not be a reason. This is a do or die game for them. They feel weakened, this game will be a sweep in favor of the Nuggets.

Yeah, it's not 4th quarter and let's see if Lebron has still some in this gas tank to win this game. At least one so that they won't be sweep in the Western conference finals.

And it's the same problem though, Nuggets becoming the 3rd quarter team. But let's see how it goes, plenty of time for the Lakers to make a run.

The lead is cut to 2 points now, 10 minutes to go.

Edit: 5-0 run at the start of the 4th, scored is tied.

And there's the sweep. Zero is real. Great job to the Nuggets for playing the most unselfish basketball I've ever seen. They really deserve to become the Western Conference champion. They've already made history. They will probably make more in the next days.

On the other hand, Lebron missed the two most crucial possessions. That was how they lost. I understand he is already fatigued for playing long enough. I saw Murray holding that ball and I thought a strong Lebron could have easily overpowered him and have taken that ball to the basket and score.

[Oasisman]

It's a sweep! I thought this was going to overtime but Gordon had other plans hehe. He also redeemd himself with that block after missing crucial free throws.

What do you think of LA's final play? I was thinking the coach should give it to AD to tie the game during the last timeout.

The Nuggets anticipated that play, they knew it's going to end up with LeBron forcing the lane because Jokic have 5 fouls and they have a better chances in winning if they have sent it to overtime. But then again the Nuggets knew it so it wasn't so surprising how Murray had a perfect help defense in the last play, because that was the defensive play they have designed.
Jokic and the whole Nuggets squad is spectacular this whole playoff run so they really deserved the WCF champions!

On the other hand, the Heat also had a great run from being a play-in team to 1 win away from their another finals appearance. It's such interesting to see two teams who fairly deserves to be the champ this year.

[Reid]

It's a sweep! I thought this was going to overtime but Gordon had other plans hehe. He also redeemd himself with that block after missing crucial free throws.

What do you think of LA's final play? I was thinking the coach should give it to AD to tie the game during the last timeout.

Yes! From the looks of it, my Denver Nuggets might really win the championship. They are super strong with Nikola Jokic around and Murray, the roleplayers like Gordon, MPJ, KCP, and Bruce Brown are also doing great. Embiid may have taken the season MVP but Jokic might get two MVP's if ever they win the championship.
The Lakers changed their rotation by inserting Tristan Thompson but it's still not enough to win. They should've made that decision sooner and gave him the opportunity to defend Jokic. Lakers will probably stick with what they have now because they are actually creating a good chemistry.

[Yogee]

What do you think of LA's final play? I was thinking the coach should give it to AD to tie the game during the last timeout.

The Nuggets anticipated that play, they knew it's going to end up with LeBron forcing the lane because Jokic have 5 fouls and they have a better chances in winning if they have sent it to overtime. But then again the Nuggets knew it so it wasn't so surprising how Murray had a perfect help defense in the last play, because that was the defensive play they have designed.

That was a great anticipation play. Murray already had his eyes on Lebron before the ball was inbounded. I thought that should have been the cue to kick the ball out to AD who was unguarded. There should be plenty of time for him to take a two or three. I guess Malone outcoached his counterpart again. It will be a nice battle between him and Spo should Heat finish off Celtics.

[.....]
Lakers will probably stick with what they have now because they are actually creating a good chemistry.

They actually still look good with their roster but they will probably let go of Russell. Keep Reaves.

[Natalim]

They actually still look good with their roster but they will probably let go of Russell. Keep Reaves.

That's the best thing they have to do. Russell is a highly paid player, so they can find someone who is more consistent than him. It doesn't need to be an NBA star; they need someone who can allow the organization to develop their game and who loves to play defense, unlike Russell, who isn't good at defense. Reaves is probably the most consistent player on the Lakers roster, aside from LeBron, as he can really contribute on a nightly basis

[Russlenat]

So the Nuggets will have a nine-day rest before going to the NBA Finals, where they have the home court advantage.

The Miami Heat need to finish the series tomorrow so they can also rest and both teams can prepare for the NBA Finals. Based on the betting odds I saw, the Nuggets are the favorites, but that doesn't guarantee they will win, right?

What are your speculations, guys, for a possible Heat vs Nuggets matchup in the Finals? What team do you think will win?