Playoffs! First round series with OKC thread

[P_B_&_G]

This was all part of the plan. Except the injury to Zion. The plan was to secure the 8 seed and ensure road court advantage throughout the playoffs.

Prove me wrong.

People were saying the Lakers would tank against us to avoid Denver in the first round. Maybe the way things worked out will benefit us.

Anyone think the lack of playoff experience that OKC has will give us a slight edge? We don't have a ton of playoff experience as a group but we have quite a bit with guys like CJ and Jonas.

[msusousaphone]

The odds are against us so I think it's a tall task for us to win this series down Zion but I definitely think OKC is one of the weakest 1 seeds to come out in over a decade (in the West at least)......so it's not as stacked against us as last year. We just need two or three young role players to ball out.

[Pelicanidae]

The odds are against us so I think it's a tall task for us to win this series down Zion but I definitely think OKC is one of the weakest 1 seeds to come out in over a decade (in the West at least)......so it's not as stacked against us as last year. We just need two or three young role players to ball out.

I think for me it all depends on how the refs are.

If they yank the whistle on SGA, the Thunder are gonna have a bad time. If they continue with it, they'll look great.

[msusousaphone]

I think for me it all depends on how the refs are.

If they yank the whistle on SGA, the Thunder are gonna have a bad time. If they continue with it, they'll look great.

Agreed.

I might be getting too old for my heart to handle playoff officiating. Maybe OKC won't get those calls.

[RaisingTheBar]

If Zion was healthy I’d seriously pick us to win in 7. I wanted lakers to beat us in play in so we would get OKC instead of nuggets first round. But no Zion it will be difficult.

[Pelicanidae]

If Zion was healthy I’d seriously pick us to win in 7. I wanted lakers to beat us in play in so we would get OKC instead of nuggets first round. But no Zion it will be difficult.

I'm hoping we can just stay in things long enough for Zion to get back. Luckily games are a little more spaced in the playoffs, so if we can just avoid getting swept there's some chance of a Zion return.

I'm being very optimistic there, of course - there's every chance that the two week suggestion ends up being optimistic in itself and he won't be ready until the finals are over, in which case scratch all of that.

But if it's not THAT bad (which, maybe it isn't, overall) he could be back in a week or 10 days and then there's a chance.

[RaisingTheBar]

The fact he was testing it against team doctors pregame vs the kings tells me Zion thinks it’s not 2 weeks away. But that has yet to be seen. Hopefully they are just ice cold from 3 and shai doesn’t get to the FT line 20 times once and we can sneak one. But the realist in me says it could easily be a sweep without Z.

[msusousaphone]

I just want to say before this all starts how much I hate Josh Giddey. Every era of the Pels has that one average guy that turns into an all-star when they play and that seems to be this goofy *** trust fund baby looking donut.

I hope that by me posting this I curse him.

[P_B_&_G]

I just want to say before this all starts how much I hate Josh Giddey. Every era of the Pels has that one average guy that turns into an all-star when they play and that seems to be this goofy *** trust fund baby looking donut.

I hope that by me posting this I curse him.

Don't hold back. Tell us how you really feel lol!

[6warddude]

its about willie lineups....i want to see jonas and nance together for some mins......zeller and nance together for some mins....okc will have length on the floor majority of the game and will have an advantage on the boards and second chance points because willie will only use jonas or nance just at center or go small and okc will counter with 6'9+ players and kill us on the boards and inside scoring...

and we have to stop the PNR with chet....

[Pelicanidae]

The fact he was testing it against team doctors pregame vs the kings tells me Zion thinks it’s not 2 weeks away. But that has yet to be seen. Hopefully they are just ice cold from 3 and shai doesn’t get to the FT line 20 times once and we can sneak one. But the realist in me says it could easily be a sweep without Z.

Apparently when he left the arena after the injury he was walking normally and wasn't wearing any wraps or anything on his leg, so I'm hopeful that it's not nearly as bad as last year's injury. If it's just a bad tweak that could recover with some physio and a week's worth of rest, well, it's been 5 days since the injury happened already.

Fingers crossed that he's able to return by game 3 in NOLA, maybe.

[JJackisangry]

Apparently when he left the arena after the injury he was walking normally and wasn't wearing any wraps or anything on his leg, so I'm hopeful that it's not nearly as bad as last year's injury. If it's just a bad tweak that could recover with some physio and a week's worth of rest, well, it's been 5 days since the injury happened already.

Fingers crossed that he's able to return by game 3 in NOLA, maybe.

Hammy’s are just too tricky. It’s probably very minor but even a minor injury can explode into a massive tear. I would think he is perfectly okay and they are just being extra cautious.

[P_B_&_G]

Apparently when he left the arena after the injury he was walking normally and wasn't wearing any wraps or anything on his leg, so I'm hopeful that it's not nearly as bad as last year's injury. If it's just a bad tweak that could recover with some physio and a week's worth of rest, well, it's been 5 days since the injury happened already.

Fingers crossed that he's able to return by game 3 in NOLA, maybe.

This would be spectacular. If he's back by game 3 we have a real chance to steal this series. I think we have a chance even if he's back by game 5 as long as it isn't 3 -1.