2024 NBA Season

[Natalim]

Let's discuss the upcoming games. What are your predictions for these matches?

76ers @ Brooklyn Nets
Kings @ Golden State Warriors
Suns @ LA Clippers

For the first game, I will skip it as I don't trust either team to win. If we based it on the talent of the teams, the 76ers will certainly get the win, but the bets are on the 76ers. So, I have a feeling that an upset will happen, or the home team will cover the spread.

For the second game, it's a no-brainer. The Warriors need to win, with or without Draymond Green.

Regarding the third game, I like the home team as they are +2.5 underdogs, and we should take the moneyline.

[1715589575]

1715589575

[inthelongrun]

That Lakers game was terrible. No Ja Morant and they still got spanked. Once again LeBron James led the team with a worst +/- of -17. I hate to even think it, but maybe old age is starting to get to Bron. I don’t see how his team can win games if he has the worst +/- of anyone else in the game. Not even sure how to explain it.

Well, I've seen Memphis in the past making winning streaks without Ja Morant. So I cannot really count them out since they are a very talented young team even if they are playing without Brandon Clarke and Adams this season. Without Ja Morant maybe Bane or Jackson Jr. become All-Stars. Anyways, props to the defense of Memphis, especially Jackson. Lebron at this age is still great but he cannot carry the whole team alone. The Lakers are still a little ahead since they stole a home game from Memphis but I really believe Memphis without Ja Morant can beat them.

What is annoying to me is Miami Heat's defeat to Gianisless Milwaukee.

[Yamifoud]

The Suns vs LA Clippers game is more fun to watch, as these two teams are very well-matched. I wouldn't be surprised if this game goes to game 7. The kind of defense the Suns have may not be enough to stop Leonard, and now that the Clippers are playing in front of their home crowd, I expect them to play better. Perhaps they will win game 3, and if the Suns try to even the series, they'll have to win game 4.

[Oasisman]

That Lakers game was terrible. No Ja Morant and they still got spanked. Once again LeBron James led the team with a worst +/- of -17. I hate to even think it, but maybe old age is starting to get to Bron. I don’t see how his team can win games if he has the worst +/- of anyone else in the game. Not even sure how to explain it.

That's obviously because he's ageing. Not to mention he's becoming lazy in the defensive end, several plays down the stretch where he just totally gave up defensively.
Well, I also hate to say this, but I think they'll need to run their offense through Reeves or DLo if LeBron is playing terribly, he just lost his ability to lead a team like those days in Cleveland or Miami. AD needs to lessen his off nights and be more efficient. However, this are just one of those very bad losses they had and will have all throughout this playoff run, let's see if they can figure things out and bounce back at home.   

[AHOYBRAUSE]

Timberwolves and Nuggets game of the night.  The other 2 were terrible.  Wolves played like crap in the first half down almost 20 going into the half and now up 2 going into the 4th.  That third quarter was amazing.  And even though they gave up the leave at the end Nuggets started tearing it up.  One thing I found out is Jamal Murray is completely back from that terrible injury.  Dude can't be covered.  Gonna be a sick 4th.  Sitting on a wolves +8.5 bet.  Will give me a 3 for 3 night.  House money at this point.  Gotta believe the 4th will be even better than the 3rd was.

Well at least the Twolfes made it interesting tonight, repeating such an effortless performance like in game 1 would be really sad.
Can't say they didn't have chances. After their big comeback in the 3rd quarter it felt like they used all their energy to close the gap but didn't have enough in the tank for the last minutes.

Getting the lead 1 final time midway through the 4th quarter they were in it but then it was all Denver down the stretch.

Edwards really performed in this one, too bad KAT had kind of an off day shooting wise. If he performed on a normal level this series could have moved to Minnesota with a 1:1 .

Now with their backs on the wall I think the Wolfes will only win 1 game at home and Denver will close it out at home to win the series 4:1.

[ajanwalker]

Los Angeles Lakers lost 103-93 away to Memphis in the match played tonight, but they took the field advantage as they won 128-112 in the match played on April 16. On April 23-25, 2 matches will be played in Los Angeles and with 2 wins, it will provide a great advantage for the play-offs.

[cryptomaniac_xxx]

That Lakers game was terrible. No Ja Morant and they still got spanked. Once again LeBron James led the team with a worst +/- of -17. I hate to even think it, but maybe old age is starting to get to Bron. I don’t see how his team can win games if he has the worst +/- of anyone else in the game. Not even sure how to explain it.

Everyone had their bad games here, Lebron, AD and even Austin Reaves who I think is just waiting for the 4th quarter to explode. He did try his best, unfortunately the shots is not falling as compare to game 1.

And it was their big men who contributed in this game specially Tillman who looks like a all star caliber player here, with double double performance and really out rebounded Davis in this game. But it shifts to Lakers know, I wanna see how Dillon Brooks will handle the pressure at Crypto.com. No reports of Ja Morant suited for game 3 as of this time.

[carlisle1]

The Suns vs LA Clippers game is more fun to watch, as these two teams are very well-matched. I wouldn't be surprised if this game goes to game 7. The kind of defense the Suns have may not be enough to stop Leonard, and now that the Clippers are playing in front of their home crowd, I expect them to play better. Perhaps they will win game 3, and if the Suns try to even the series, they'll have to win game 4.

Pretty sure it will be a tough series for the Suns,

with Leonard playing like this, and the way WB really determines to bring the competitions to its best.
I would love to see both teams to set all the adjustments that they need.

Possible to see a game 7 here, if the same competitiveness between these two opposing teams it's really
hard to predict which team will advance to the next round.

[Jating]

The Suns vs LA Clippers game is more fun to watch, as these two teams are very well-matched. I wouldn't be surprised if this game goes to game 7. The kind of defense the Suns have may not be enough to stop Leonard, and now that the Clippers are playing in front of their home crowd, I expect them to play better. Perhaps they will win game 3, and if the Suns try to even the series, they'll have to win game 4.

Pretty sure it will be a tough series for the Suns,

with Leonard playing like this, and the way WB really determines to bring the competitions to its best.
I would love to see both teams to set all the adjustments that they need.

Possible to see a game 7 here, if the same competitiveness between these two opposing teams it's really
hard to predict which team will advance to the next round.

Yeah, the series is like evenly match up up to this point. And we are seeing Paul George practicing already, so I have a hunch that he might start to play in this series if the Clippers are going to be like 3-1 down in this series, so let's see.

Kawhi though has been checked in the fourth quarter and wasn't able to explode as he used to be. There was one violation called upon when when the tries to fake Ayton who has 5 fouls already. It was just one road lost though, as they go back to their homecourt, I'm expecting that Leonard will be back with a good 30+ points performance.

[AHOYBRAUSE]

The Suns vs LA Clippers game is more fun to watch, as these two teams are very well-matched. I wouldn't be surprised if this game goes to game 7. The kind of defense the Suns have may not be enough to stop Leonard, and now that the Clippers are playing in front of their home crowd, I expect them to play better. Perhaps they will win game 3, and if the Suns try to even the series, they'll have to win game 4.

Pretty sure it will be a tough series for the Suns,

with Leonard playing like this, and the way WB really determines to bring the competitions to its best.
I would love to see both teams to set all the adjustments that they need.

Possible to see a game 7 here, if the same competitiveness between these two opposing teams it's really
hard to predict which team will advance to the next round.

Yeah, the series is like evenly match up up to this point. And we are seeing Paul George practicing already, so I have a hunch that he might start to play in this series if the Clippers are going to be like 3-1 down in this series, so let's see.

Kawhi though has been checked in the fourth quarter and wasn't able to explode as he used to be. There was one violation called upon when when the tries to fake Ayton who has 5 fouls already. It was just one road lost though, as they go back to their homecourt, I'm expecting that Leonard will be back with a good 30+ points performance.

Yeah if Paul George is coming back there would be a chance but according to media insiders he is unlikely to return for a game in the first round of the playoffs.

Even with home court advantage now I don't see the Clippers beating the Suns because Phoenix just has too many offensive weapons. There is only 1 Kawhi but 2 crazy shooters to defend with KD and Book. My prediction for this series is Suns in 6 but I would also be happy with an upset, not a fan of super team chasing Kevin Durant anymore.

[Kelvinid]

Yeah if Paul George is coming back there would be a chance but according to media insiders he is unlikely to return for a game in the first round of the playoffs.

Even with home court advantage now I don't see the Clippers beating the Suns because Phoenix just has too many offensive weapons. There is only 1 Kawhi but 2 crazy shooters to defend with KD and Book. My prediction for this series is Suns in 6 but I would also be happy with an upset, not a fan of super team chasing Kevin Durant anymore.

It would be okay if he does not return in the first half, as based on what I'm seeing, the Clippers really have a decent chance of winning due to the great chemistry of Westbrook and Leonard. Sometimes, two superstars are better than having a big 3, as there are only two options on the team to carry the load.

Game 3 is tomorrow, and we will see if the Clippers will be able to take advantage of their home court. Winning tomorrow will give them a good lead in the series, as the next game will also be on the same venue.

[Baofeng]

That Lakers game was terrible. No Ja Morant and they still got spanked. Once again LeBron James led the team with a worst +/- of -17. I hate to even think it, but maybe old age is starting to get to Bron. I don’t see how his team can win games if he has the worst +/- of anyone else in the game. Not even sure how to explain it.

Well, I've seen Memphis in the past making winning streaks without Ja Morant. So I cannot really count them out since they are a very talented young team even if they are playing without Brandon Clarke and Adams this season. Without Ja Morant maybe Bane or Jackson Jr. become All-Stars. Anyways, props to the defense of Memphis, especially Jackson. Lebron at this age is still great but he cannot carry the whole team alone. The Lakers are still a little ahead since they stole a home game from Memphis but I really believe Memphis without Ja Morant can beat them.

What is annoying to me is Miami Heat's defeat to Gianisless Milwaukee.

The Grizzlies can get back that homecourt in game 3 from the Lakers. But yes, they have their own winning streak in the regular season without Ja Morant, maybe the last game was just a surprised for them as Morant went down and they were not able to get back at the game as the Lakers is shooting hot with Hachimura and Austin Reaves.

But just like any great basketball team, they have adjusted in the second game, Jackson proven himself as the DPOY with a tough match up against Anthony Davis and limiting him. And then Tillman trying to grab every rebounds he can and has a great shooting % in free throws. So it's for the Lakers to make the necessary adjustments in game 3 and I'm still seeing Lebron James having a good game scoring maybe above his average in the next game to keep their hopes alive in the series and had that home court advantage because it's very important.

[yazher]

The Grizzlies can get back that homecourt in game 3 from the Lakers. But yes, they have their own winning streak in the regular season without Ja Morant, maybe the last game was just a surprised for them as Morant went down and they were not able to get back at the game as the Lakers is shooting hot with Hachimura and Austin Reaves.

They quickly adjusted and filled the gap about their lack in the last game and the result was really excellent now that they have found their rhythms even without Ja Morant, the Laker's chance to get through this round is in jeopardy. Let's see how they can quickly adjust to what they have been lacking in their next game and if they can take the win in their homecourt then I guess this round will not be an easy one for the Grizzlies and they cannot underestimate the Lakers anymore.

[danherbias07]

Let's discuss the upcoming games. What are your predictions for these matches?

76ers @ Brooklyn Nets
Kings @ Golden State Warriors
Suns @ LA Clippers

For the first game, I will skip it as I don't trust either team to win. If we based it on the talent of the teams, the 76ers will certainly get the win, but the bets are on the 76ers. So, I have a feeling that an upset will happen, or the home team will cover the spread.

For the second game, it's a no-brainer. The Warriors need to win, with or without Draymond Green.

Regarding the third game, I like the home team as they are +2.5 underdogs, and we should take the moneyline.

Let's do! 

I doubt the Brooklyn Nets will ever win a game against the 76ers if they will, it's not game 3 but most probably game 4 while the 76ers are trying to rest and just want to win the series at home. It's not that I see the Nets as a weak team, it's the consistency and the right leader. I doubt they will pick one as all of them are roleplayers in that roster.

2nd game. True. The Warriors definitely need a win and the fans are on their side. But I am in kind of a dilemma on how things will work out without Draymond's playmaking style. I mean, I know they are trained to make the plays without him but we all know it all starts with him. I want to see Kuminga taking the seat that Draymond left but he needs to be patient and wise in making decisions.

This third game is actually the game that I want to skip when it comes to betting. The Clippers did a great job at stealing one game at Suns' homecourt and I bet the Suns want to get it back in LA and be on the lead in the series.
Kawhi is special but who else is going to help him in the offense? WB could provide their defense but the options of the Suns are too wide with KD, CP3, Ayton, and Booker. It actually looks unfair on paper.

[Pamadar]

Yeah if Paul George is coming back there would be a chance but according to media insiders he is unlikely to return for a game in the first round of the playoffs.

Even with home court advantage now I don't see the Clippers beating the Suns because Phoenix just has too many offensive weapons. There is only 1 Kawhi but 2 crazy shooters to defend with KD and Book. My prediction for this series is Suns in 6 but I would also be happy with an upset, not a fan of super team chasing Kevin Durant anymore.

It would be okay if he does not return in the first half, as based on what I'm seeing, the Clippers really have a decent chance of winning due to the great chemistry of Westbrook and Leonard. Sometimes, two superstars are better than having a big 3, as there are only two options on the team to carry the load.

Game 3 is tomorrow, and we will see if the Clippers will be able to take advantage of their home court. Winning tomorrow will give them a good lead in the series, as the next game will also be on the same venue.

If PG will be added to their squad and with how they are respecting each other, I don't see any problem with the chemistry. It will be a good additional two-way star that will add to their squad.

Game 3 inside LA, very interesting if how Suns will try to bring the advantage in their side while Clippers will
do their best to have that edge.

[Eternad]

What is annoying to me is Miami Heat's defeat to Gianisless Milwaukee.

This is funny but the reason why Bucks win without Giannis is because play as a team and not relying to a single player to do most of the team job such as scoring and defense. Bucks has a lot of strong players including their bench that is not being utilized properly because Giannis is a monster that can handle most of the role.

This is the difference between playing as team and playing with core player that plays mostly rotate on single person. Miami Heat is same balance team that even Butler is not dominating much the game. Bucks is easy to counter when the enemy can lockdown Giannis compared when they are playing without a known attack point. I believe adjustment will be made with Heat and they can solve this on the next game. They just got surprised on Bucks balance performance.

[Vaculin]

Too much money coming in on the Lakers.  Vegas never loses, I'm taking the home town Grizzlies here.  With or without Ja I'm taking them.  Ja playing will just be a bonus.  I'm still not convinced the Lakers can keep this up.  I could be wrong.  But betting on a home team as a pickem in the playoffs can never be a bad bet.

I hope you really did pushed through this bet mate because the Memphis Grizzlies won the game even without Ja Morant and I guess many bettors lost this bet because I assume most of them wagered in favor of the Lakers because why not, they've got the advantage and the Grizzlies are without their star and big man. But that's not what happened because Jackson and Tilman well covered the paint, it was a well coordinated game for the team and that's all it takes to defeat the healthy Lakers.

[Japinat]

Maybe it was the defense of Jackson on him, or the shoulder injury he got from the first game that's bothering him.
In any case, as you have said, the better team won tonight.

Jackson's defense is undeniable, he won the DPOY, there's no doubt about that.

I think it was both, AD was still figuring things out while carrying his injured shoulder that is why he was listed as questionable the day before their 2nd game happened. But as long as there is no major injury, they don't have much of a choice but to play because without AD, the team will surely have a hard time battling against the Grizzlies. And even with AD, they still lost against the starless grizz.

Huge factor on that loss was Tilman making good contribution especially in the first half and then there's the DPOY, Jackson, guarding the Lakers big man. Overall, the Lakers may have underestimated the Grizz or they just don't have what it takes to take control of the game while their opponent got a handicap. Series is now tied.

[Maslate]

That Lakers game was terrible. No Ja Morant and they still got spanked. Once again LeBron James led the team with a worst +/- of -17. I hate to even think it, but maybe old age is starting to get to Bron. I don’t see how his team can win games if he has the worst +/- of anyone else in the game. Not even sure how to explain it.

Well, I've seen Memphis in the past making winning streaks without Ja Morant. So I cannot really count them out since they are a very talented young team even if they are playing without Brandon Clarke and Adams this season. Without Ja Morant maybe Bane or Jackson Jr. become All-Stars. Anyways, props to the defense of Memphis, especially Jackson. Lebron at this age is still great but he cannot carry the whole team alone. The Lakers are still a little ahead since they stole a home game from Memphis but I really believe Memphis without Ja Morant can beat them.

What is annoying to me is Miami Heat's defeat to Gianisless Milwaukee.

The Grizzlies can get back that homecourt in game 3 from the Lakers. But yes, they have their own winning streak in the regular season without Ja Morant, maybe the last game was just a surprised for them as Morant went down and they were not able to get back at the game as the Lakers is shooting hot with Hachimura and Austin Reaves.

Everything is possible and certainly, the Grizzlies can't be underestimated easily because even without Morant just like in the regular season, the team still managed to held their ground while their star is away. Many of us expected that they will start to crumble after that incident but we are surprised that they didn't.
And so I think the reason why they lost the 1st game was because of the unfortunate incident, they weren't prepared by it and so they had a hard time adjusting in the floor because the time wasn't on their side as well and aside from that, there was the pressure of the hot Lakers.

[el kaka22]

We gotta remember Lakers is the 7th seed, and Memphis is the 2nd seed in the west right now. I can understand why many people want to see Lakers winning and even odds showing that but remember odds are done based on your bets, so if you bet on Lakers to win all the time, and most people do, then the odds would be better for them to win, doesn't mean they are the favorites.

I still think that Lakers may end up losing this series, after all the seed should mean something and yes upsets happen but they are not the common one. How many 7 seeds have won against 2nd seed and how many 2nd seeds won those series? I bet most of the time 2nd seed ends up winning the series, and there is no reason why it should be any different now.