CTMagicUK

Thread for all discussions on the playoffs and the play-ins across the league now the regular season is over. What are people's predictions? The West looks an absolute bloodbath. I'm thinking a Nuggets/Clippers WCF and a Nuggets/Celtics finals. Struggling to pick the other East finalist, Philly maybe?

Disclaimer: this is not a reflection of where we are as a team or me giving up on the season or anything like that I just like talking about draft prospects. NCAA season has started so thought we could start to use this. Because I expected us to be better this year I haven't gotten a jump on draft prospects as early as I usually would. Learning as I go but trying not to focus in on the top guys. Last few years we've been looking at top draft guys. Top 5, top 10 etc. Have a feeling we'll be more in that 14-20 range this coming year (or maybe we even trade the pick? Who knows?) Looking in that range I'm really looking at guys who fit. For me guys that fit this team (i.e. fit with Paolo and Franz) are: big guard or wing shooters, stretch bigs or mobile rim protecting bigs. Jakobe Walter, freshman from Baylor, caught my eye yesterday: https://youtu.be/3VNZPAdy3ZU?si=nTaOpYONElbvyqP9 Clearly not a shot creator but he looks to have incredible touch and can shoot the 3 off of movement. Givony has him at #16 at ESPN early on. Another guy I like (don't have any highlights from this year yet) is Trevon Brazile, stood out to me at times watching AB film last season at Arkansas but only played a handful of games due to injury. 6'10, super athlete, mobile on defense and his 3 point jumper looks good. (He's currently at #25 on ESPN) But there are loads of other guys I'm interested in seeing, some guys we shouldn't be in a position to draft and some we might be, playing in College, overseas and for G League Ignite.

Here's some hype stat I just saw posted elsewhere (haven't confirmed it myself hoping it's legit): Out of 192 available minutes against the Cavs this season, Isaac only played 32 of them. During which we were +25.

With Jimmy Butler injured Miami might actually lose the 8/9 game.

New Givony ESPN mock has us getting Tristan Da Silva. I hope so.

Nah you're good man that comment wasn't aimed at you specifically just everyone, I've been discussing it too lol

Also what does this have to do with the NBA Draft?

Grant Hill probably discussed with Paolo that he'd be a part of the FIBA team but likely not make the Olympic team this soon when he approached him to play for team USA. Worth noting Italy haven't yet qualified for the Olympics so it's not like Paolo was guaranteed to be their if he went with Italy.

Random thought somewhat related to guard free agency: if Gary Harris plays awesome defense like he did on Lillard in the Bucks game on Garland/Mitchell and shoots 40% from 3 in this series against the Cavs he's likely going to be very in demand this summer and we've been very good with him in the starting lineup. Might need to pay him to keep him.

ESPN reported yesterday Kawhi is getting it.

I think there's a world where Klay works out here. Joe Ingles has spoken about how moving here has reinvigorated him with the youthful energy of the team and Klay feels like he needs the change of scenery big style to carry on his career. He feels like he's burdened with being part of that "big 3" even though he's declining. That being said I just think Russell is a better proposition, younger, a lot more juice off the bounce, still a very good shooter, obviously has experience playing off a ball handling forward and I think he's probably a comparable (possibly just outright better) defensive player to Klay who's kind of aged out of being good on that end.

He is not.

That Klay game (0 points, 0/10 FG, 0/6 3P in an elimination game) doesn't exactly scream "yea let's give that guy a big contract in the summmer" to me. Meanwhile D'Angelo Russell had 21 points, 6 assists, a steal and a block on 7/14 FG, 5/11 3P. Both are free agents in the summer, Russell is 6 years younger... I'm not even like super high on Russell but it seems to me whatever you're thinking about offering Klay (if you are) you should stick an extra 3-5mil a season on it and offer it Russell instead.

I think Mark Pope is a solid hire. Won a National Championship there as a player and has done a pretty good job with BYU making it to the tournament twice. Just whether he can handle the brighter lights of the big job following Cal I suppose. There was always going to be an exodus of talent though. If I was him I'd be a little relieved to be honest, Bradshaw, Ivisic and Wagner were hardly winning players as freshman, maybe they make a leap but he could probably find a couple of transfers that could eat up those minutes and be just as impactful if not more. And Kentucky was always going to lose Dillingham, Edwards and (probably, since he hasn't yet officially declared) Sheppard. The incoming freshmen is kinda tough to lose but again they probably expected it given Cal recruited those kids to play in his one and done factory.

We'll see game 1. Franz has been pretty bad against Cleveland his whole career so I'm slightly concerned about him in this matchup. I think it's the rim protection more so than the individual defense that causes his struggles.

I thought they'd start Strus. But then maybe they start Okoro to guard Franz? If anything I think that's preferable for us on defense. Okoro is much less threatening off ball so you can hide Paolo on him and Franz on Mobley then any actions with Mobley as the screener you probably feel ok switching Franz onto a guard and scram switching behind to get Harris/Jalen off of Mobley. Cavs can counter with using Okoro as the screener but he's less natural at it whereby I think I'd be ok playing Paolo at the level and not switching and just living with a rolling/popping Okoro trying to beat us. When they play Okoro I think that could also open up some jumbo lineups for us with Franz/Paolo/Isaac/WCJ all on the floor at the same time. For everything I just mentioned I'll be surprised if it's not Strus starting. He's a different proposition, you need someone quick footed to chase Strus around screens so he doesn't get open at all times. I think that could open up Markelle minutes because I've been impressed with him guarding off ball shooters at times this year and when you're playing Markelle at essentially the 3 (with either Gary or Franz at the 2) you can switch a lot of actions with Strus as the screener. Just whether Markelle can offer enough offensively to stay on the floor.

Grayson Allen just signed a 4 year 70mil extension. One shooter off the board in the summer.

Game 1 is April 20th. Then I expect Game 2 will be 3-5 days later.

TMF any chance of game threads for our playoff games? I was planning on making them myself but I wouldn't do it with the same care and effort you would.

The Lakers winning last night was kinda good for us. Pushed us into a 4 way tie for 16th-19th pick rather than a 3 way tie for 17th-19th and gave us a chance at pick 16.

I think you play Suggs on Mitchell, Harris on Garland, Franz on Strus, Paolo on Mobley and JI on Allen. The reason you play JI on Allen is because Allen has no post game so you can switch a Mitchell/Allen pick and roll then so long as you can box Allen out you take him out of the game on offense. It could also work with Franz on Allen. See this video for in depth breakdown of what I'm talking about: https://youtu.be/Y-Eq5WvTq30?si=erY2blSPnJKO7vCu

Seeing people say Cleveland threw their game tonight to avoid Miami/Philly and get us in round 1. Use that as motivation.

Very true.

I think Coby White is a cautionary tale on giving up on young guys. Took him until year 5 to really figure it out.

Do we know when Game 1 is?