the pistons should be a tough out in the playoffs

Tough team for me to read. I really didn’t like their offseason but they have a ton of internal improvement potential with Thompson, Duren, Ivey, and Holland. I could be wrong but I think those guys are a year away.

I’m quite happy they didn’t maneuver to sign Julius Randle. I thought he would have been a great fit there.

Orlando is young and probably mistake-prone. They probably need to season another year, but sure, they have lots of length and talent and added Bane for elite shooting. I could see them being a very tough playoff out, but I could also see them losing in the first round.

You came back around on your own.

I didn’t, though.

That’s what I’m talking about.

You said “you play one opponent in the playoffs” and we should load up to stop them. I said there’s actually four opponents so you shouldn’t do that because you need flexibility.

The Cavs are not the final boss of this season. In fact I wouldn’t be surprised if they got knocked off by Donnie’s Orlando Magic.

honestly though, IF embiid and george stay healthy for most the season (hit that 65 game mark), they should be sitting at around 45 wins or so…

they should have a good young backcourt filled with several guys who can play…

they’re definitely weaker this year at power forward (ha ha we snatched yabu from them)…

So unlikely everyone will be healthy – but if they are, are they better than us? Maybe.

Honestly, the same can be said of Jalen Suggs. If he can string together a 100 game health streak the Magic will win the east. But, like Embiid, increasingly unlikely…

Philly is another story. So unlikely everyone will be healthy – but if they are, are they better than us? Maybe.

As to the rest:
-DET is good and might make some moves and re-acquire Beasley. I still see them as a first round exit but they have loads of internal development upside.
-ATL and PHI might be two of the biggest sleepers in the NBA if they can stay healthy (huge ifs!)
-Obviously Cleveland and Orlando are the biggest threats out there to us making the ECFs, but this Knicks team would be ill-advised to look past anyone.

But hey, I’m not even gonna think seriously about the playoffs and strategies/lineups/vulnerabilities until like December, maybe later.
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hate to say it, but I like the moves the hawks have made over the last year or so…

they have to be better this year, don’t they?

But to beat those two we need the Mitch/Kat starting backcourt with Hart coming of the bench. This lineup has the highest probabaility to beat evertyone in the EC, – so we must go with that one and make Mitch a major part of four our identity.

It’s the least common denominator and therefore a no brainer. Hope Brown doesn’t overthink it and just listens to Rosas and Leon.