Author Topic: NBA Thread: Brought To You By The Tampa Bay Raptors Of Toronto  (Read 674814 times)

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Offline broodwars

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Re: NBA Thread: Brought To You By The Tampa Bay Raptors Of Toronto
« Reply #2750 on: June 03, 2021, 06:18:36 PM »
Well, now that the Sixers, Hawks, Jazz and Nets have all completed their gentleman's sweeps, how do we see the rest of round one turning out?

Dame turned out one helluva (wasted) performance on Tuesday night.
Lebron ain't carrying the same Lakers that played Tuesday anywhere but to the nearest dumpster (aka trading block).
Mavs v Clippers really could go either way depending on which way the wind is blowing... Or the shots are falling...

Wouldn't be surprised to see a Gm7 between Clips and Mavs, and the Blazers v Nuggets.

Personally I think the Lakers are just done. Pressure too much for Kuz and the Tradeables.

Well, I guess the Clips could still win this series with the Mavs, but after watching the remainder of the game after last night's Jazz game ended, I have to say I'm not impressed with either team. The Clippers can't execute a play worth a damn, and the Mavericks can't shoot. It's just ugly basketball. I'm not convinced the Clips are going to win Game 6, not after how badly they threw away Game 5. The Mavs were score-less for, like, 5 minutes in the 4th, and they couldn't do better than draw even from a 3 possession deficit.

As for Blazers-Nuggets, the Nuggets are the better team. This could go to 7, but the Nuggets will win it in the end.

The Lakers are done if AD isn't back for Game 6 and Chris Paul's injury wasn't as bad as it looked. If it goes to 7 games, I think the Lakers probably edge out a tough win since AD will be back by then.
« Last Edit: June 03, 2021, 06:21:40 PM by broodwars »
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Offline Adrock

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Re: NBA Thread: Brought To You By The Tampa Bay Raptors Of Toronto
« Reply #2751 on: June 03, 2021, 06:24:01 PM »
Oh yeah, the Lakers are toast. The hope was that they could get back to playing shape as the playoffs marched on, but they just got more injured. Easy come, easy go. No one is going to feel bad for them. Even if they got past the Suns, they weren’t going to get past anyone else with everyone banged up. I think there’s a possibility the Lakers win tonight with or without Davis. The one thing I’m dreading is all the Lakers stans coming out of the woodwork with **** takes like “If Anthony Davis didn’t get injured, the Lakers would have won the series.” Well, that didn’t happen so GTFOH. Personally, if they’re going to get eliminated, best to happen in the first round. Get some rest, get healthy, and hopefully come back next year with a sense of purpose, hungry and angry (hangry?), and the determination to take the title back from the Nets, whichever team wins this year.

I think the Nuggets advance. Game 5 was pivotal. Damian Lillard dragged that entire Blazers team to a second overtime and he outscored them 17-2. He simply is not getting the help he needs. The overtime periods were embarrassing; the other Blazers were straight up clown shoes. C.J. McCollum with that J.R. Smith nonsense, just fucking stepped out of bounds. This may be the tipping point. I would not be surprised if Lillard finally requests a trade in the off-season. *insert Sam Presti joke here*

I could go either way with the Mavericks/Clippers. Regardless of what happens, Luka Dončić exposed the Clippers, straight up turned them into nephews. They can’t contain one guy?! Even if the Clippers crawl out of this series, they’d get f-ing draaaaaaaaaagged by the Jazz. That said, if I was the Jazz, I wouldn’t want any of Playoff Luka’s smoke (I’d still pick the Jazz to win). I’d rather face the team that is the collective embodiment of the shrug emoji right now.
« Last Edit: June 03, 2021, 06:29:30 PM by Adrock »

Offline broodwars

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Re: NBA Thread: Brought To You By The Tampa Bay Raptors Of Toronto
« Reply #2752 on: June 03, 2021, 07:13:17 PM »
I could go either way with the Mavericks/Clippers. Regardless of what happens, Luka Dončić exposed the Clippers, straight up turned them into nephews. They can’t contain one guy?! Even if the Clippers crawl out of this series, they’d get f-ing draaaaaaaaaagged by the Jazz. That said, if I was the Jazz, I wouldn’t want any of Playoff Luka’s smoke (I’d still pick the Jazz to win). I’d rather face the team that is the collective embodiment of the shrug emoji right now.

I'd rather take the Mavs, even if they are a harder match-up than the Clippers hypothetically. If there's one thing that Jazz-Memphis Game 1 should have taught the Jazz, it's that they couldn't just sleepwalk their way against an allegedly inferior opponent. Memphis gave them a bloody nose & made them work for 3 out of their 4 wins. The Mavs are similar in that Luka will give the Jazz a workout, but they're still a very beatable team.

I'd rather the Jazz get into proper playoff shape now against beatable teams that will make them work for it so they are ready and battle-tested for the likes of the Suns & the Nets later on. The Suns swept us this year, and the Nets will have the complete backing of Adam Silver's referees. The Jazz need to play better than they did in the Memphis series.

On a side note, I'm just relishing the thought of an NBA playoffs 2nd round where the Warriors; Knicks; Heat; and both LA teams have been eliminated. It would be even better if the Bucks could knock off the Nets and make it not only a small market playoffs, but one where IIRC none of the teams remaining have won a championship before. With as much disdain as the league seems to have for small market teams, I just love the idea of Adam Silver being on suicide watch with no big market teams to shill.  :P
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Offline BlackNMild2k1

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Re: NBA Thread: Brought To You By The Tampa Bay Raptors Of Toronto
« Reply #2753 on: June 03, 2021, 10:26:36 PM »
4 minutes left and the Blazers down 9....

Does Dame bother knowing he gotta do it all himself?
I mean it's win or got home for the Blazers, but after last games 2xOT showdown w/ not only no help, but his own team working against him... does he bother passing the ball down the stretch if Dame Time kicks in in the last 2 minutes?

Offline Adrock

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Re: NBA Thread: Brought To You By The Tampa Bay Raptors Of Toronto
« Reply #2754 on: June 03, 2021, 10:59:32 PM »
Get Anthony Davis off the floor. I get that this is an elimination game, but he isn’t moving well. Player health > losing later in the playoffs.

I hope the Lakers lose this game. Just stop doing **** like this. Not worth it, not your year.

EDIT: There he goes. Good.
« Last Edit: June 03, 2021, 11:01:25 PM by Adrock »

Offline BlackNMild2k1

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Re: NBA Thread: Brought To You By The Tampa Bay Raptors Of Toronto
« Reply #2755 on: June 03, 2021, 11:02:18 PM »
Who's idea was it for AD to play with a groin strain 2-3 days later?
Is he looking for a more serious injury just because the season is on the line?

He certainly shouldn't have been trying too hard to defend, but really there's no way he was ready to come back yet... 1-2 weeks minimum for a groin strain right?

I wonder if LBJ convinced him to get out there on the floor or join the garbage bin as he gets traded for Giannis or Zion or something. LOL

Offline Adrock

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Re: NBA Thread: Brought To You By The Tampa Bay Raptors Of Toronto
« Reply #2756 on: June 03, 2021, 11:08:13 PM »
Who's idea was it for AD to play with a groin strain 2-3 days later?
Is he looking for a more serious injury just because the season is on the line?
1. Anthony Davis. The medical staff cleared him, stating he couldn’t make it worse.

2. Apparently, it isn’t the type of injury you can aggravate more than it already is. I’m not a doctor. I guess it isn’t connected to anything that can lead to a worse injury like how a calf strain can lead to an achilles tear.

EDIT: Davis is questionable to return. I’m surprised he isn’t ruled out.
« Last Edit: June 03, 2021, 11:43:07 PM by Adrock »

Offline Adrock

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Re: NBA Thread: Brought To You By The Tampa Bay Raptors Of Toronto
« Reply #2757 on: June 04, 2021, 12:51:09 AM »
Alex Caruso is ruled out with an ankle sprain. Another Lakers injury is about right.

If LeBron made that three pointer at the end of the third quarter, I would have been a believer.

Offline Adrock

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Re: NBA Thread: Brought To You By The Tampa Bay Raptors Of Toronto
« Reply #2758 on: June 04, 2021, 01:12:08 AM »
And that's a wrap. See you next season, fellas.

Offline Adrock

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Re: NBA Thread: Brought To You By The Tampa Bay Raptors Of Toronto
« Reply #2759 on: June 04, 2021, 01:48:32 AM »
One more thing. Enjoy this Tweet.

Offline BlackNMild2k1

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Re: NBA Thread: Brought To You By The Tampa Bay Raptors Of Toronto
« Reply #2760 on: June 04, 2021, 11:55:08 AM »
One more thing. Enjoy this Tweet.

Gave me chills 🤣

Now we just need the Mavs to finish the Clips, and we will be on to our lowest rated playoff in probably the last decade. Adam Silver must be sweating 🤣🤣🤣

That Nets v Bucks conference final gonna be lit though.
That Jazz v Suns conference final gonna be fun too


Offline Adrock

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Re: NBA Thread: Brought To You By The Tampa Bay Raptors Of Toronto
« Reply #2761 on: June 04, 2021, 03:38:51 PM »
Now we just need the Mavs to finish the Clips, and we will be on to our lowest rated playoff in probably the last decade. Adam Silver must be sweating 🤣🤣🤣
I feel like I’m missing the joke here. Why do we want low ratings/why does this matter? Did Adam Silver take someone’s mother out for a nice seafood dinner and never called her again? There are very specific reasons I’ll root against a team that normally do not carry over from season to season (e.g. Cavs 2015-2018 because #fuckDanGilbert), but the league itself? As professional basketball fans, shouldn’t we want the league to thrive?

We all have our teams we arbitrarily follow, but none of us have any real stakes in those teams, right? We don’t own stock or anything. Personally, I don’t care that much who’s in the Finals. For the season, they’re the best two teams so that’s the basketball I’m going to watch.

Offline broodwars

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Re: NBA Thread: Brought To You By The Tampa Bay Raptors Of Toronto
« Reply #2762 on: June 04, 2021, 04:54:19 PM »
Now we just need the Mavs to finish the Clips, and we will be on to our lowest rated playoff in probably the last decade. Adam Silver must be sweating 🤣🤣🤣
I feel like I’m missing the joke here. Why do we want low ratings/why does this matter? Did Adam Silver take someone’s mother out for a nice seafood dinner and never called her again? There are very specific reasons I’ll root against a team that normally do not carry over from season to season (e.g. Cavs 2015-2018 because #fuckDanGilbert), but the league itself? As professional basketball fans, shouldn’t we want the league to thrive?

We all have our teams we arbitrarily follow, but none of us have any real stakes in those teams, right? We don’t own stock or anything. Personally, I don’t care that much who’s in the Finals. For the season, they’re the best two teams so that’s the basketball I’m going to watch.

Can't speak for Black since he's a Warriors fan, but I can tell you that fans of Small Market teams (like myself and some friends of mine that are Pelicans fans) generally have disdain for the League Leadership. The League historically does not support small market teams, making it harder for us to acquire AND keep big name talent and to get national exposure on TV. This isn't specific to Silver. It's been an issue since at least the Jordan years.

For reasons I may go into at a later time when I'm not on a phone, let's just say that there's a reason Jazz fans are known for being so vocal and passionate about our team, so when we feel the team gets disrespected, we tend to take it somewhat personally.

The joke about Adam Silver is that just about the only teams left are our teams, the ones the League has so much indifference/borderline disdain for. The League has no choice but to give a **** about us now.

I imagine anyone playing the Nets going forward is going to be playing 5 on 8, since they will be the only Big Market team left after tonight.
« Last Edit: June 04, 2021, 05:07:17 PM by broodwars »
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Offline Adrock

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Re: NBA Thread: Brought To You By The Tampa Bay Raptors Of Toronto
« Reply #2763 on: June 04, 2021, 05:32:16 PM »
The League historically does not support small market teams, making it harder for us to acquire AND keep big name talent and to get national exposure on TV. This isn't specific to Silver. It's been an issue since at least the Jordan years.
Okay, but how? Every team is under the same CBA rules. And I’ll have to look up specifics, but I believe most new CBAs introduce more rules that help small market teams such as the more punitive tiered luxury tax (used to be $1 to $1), the supermax etc.

The last ridiculous thing I heard small market teams complaining about was after Blake Griffin was bought out. They floated the idea of more compensation when buying out players which is fucking absurd. Y’all signed or traded for these players, notably don’t have to buy anybody out, and only do so because the player gives back money. Griffin, for example, gave up like $13 million. They already got something back. Just seems to me that some of these small market teams don’t want to take responsibility for being **** at running a professional sports organization.

It behooves the league to build up small market teams. Ideally, it’d have every market just raking in cash hand over fist. The league just wants more people watching wherever they can. This goes back to something I mentioned a few pages back:
Quote
Owning a professional sports team is a privilege, and if you’re going to run it poorly, maybe you shouldn’t own one.
I look at new Jazz owner, Ryan Smith. He certainly sounds like he’s going to do whatever it takes to keep the team competitive. That’s what talent wants to see. That’s what will keep them in those markets in many cases. In others, sometimes the players just want to play for their hometown (e.g. Kawhi).

And as for national exposure on TV, don’t the networks choose those games? They pay the league for the rights to broadcast the games and hopefully make back what was spent on advertising. I guess the league could pressure ESPN and TNT to show more Magic or Timberwolves games, but it’d likely have to give something back like maybe the networks get a discount to broadcast those games because they won’t make as much on advertising.

Offline nickmitch

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Re: NBA Thread: Brought To You By The Tampa Bay Raptors Of Toronto
« Reply #2764 on: June 04, 2021, 05:55:19 PM »
I'm a firm believer in the NBA Draft being rigged, and I think both times New Orleans got the #1 pick, there was a concerted effort to get a star to New Orleans to keep a team there for reasons.

I say that to say that I think the NBA knows what it's doing when trying to grow "the brand".  But I don't think they've done a good job with these young stars.  I refer back to the jokes people made re:Jazz/Grizzlies, but that ended up having some of the best games of this round.  And Dame forced two overtimes from NBA TV (not that he's particularly young, but you know).

I think the NBA might have more leverage in TV negotiations than you give them credit for, and it's possible they're just not pushing to have certain matchups on prime time TV the way the could.
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Offline NWR_insanolord

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Re: NBA Thread: Brought To You By The Tampa Bay Raptors Of Toronto
« Reply #2765 on: June 04, 2021, 06:15:42 PM »
It's not just an NBA thing, if you look at the national broadcast schedule in every sports league there's usually a handful of teams that show up way more often than the rest. The networks think certain teams get more viewership, so they prioritize those, even though that can kind of become sort of a self-fulfilling prophecy.
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Offline broodwars

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Re: NBA Thread: Brought To You By The Tampa Bay Raptors Of Toronto
« Reply #2766 on: June 04, 2021, 06:32:21 PM »
The League historically does not support small market teams, making it harder for us to acquire AND keep big name talent and to get national exposure on TV. This isn't specific to Silver. It's been an issue since at least the Jordan years.
Okay, but how? Every team is under the same CBA rules. And I’ll have to look up specifics, but I believe most new CBAs introduce more rules that help small market teams such as the more punitive tiered luxury tax (used to be $1 to $1), the supermax etc.

The basic problem with the current CBA is that it strongly empowers players to the extent that it's very difficult for small market teams to pay high talent players while keeping the rest of the team competitive in regards to the salary cap. Players can also just refuse to play and demand trades to big market teams now, as was recently the case with Anthony Davis and James Harden.

As for the Supermax contracts...they may have been intended to help small market teams, but they certainly have their issues.

https://www.insider.com/have-nba-supermax-contracts-giannis-worked-2020-12

The league does not promote small market teams. Hell, it seems to barely even acknowledge them at times, as seen in this year's playoffs where the league had every team on TNT & ESPN for the first few games, and then small market teams got pushed onto NBA TV. There is an active push in the media for big name players on small market teams to abandon them for big market teams (especially so-called "Super Teams" like the current Nets), and the league does nothing to push against that or to prevent trades that will severely unbalance the league.

And yes, saying the Draft and Officiating are suspect at best at times is putting it lightly. The term "Superstar calls" exists for a reason.
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Offline BlackNMild2k1

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Re: NBA Thread: Brought To You By The Tampa Bay Raptors Of Toronto
« Reply #2767 on: June 04, 2021, 08:12:02 PM »
Now we just need the Mavs to finish the Clips, and we will be on to our lowest rated playoff in probably the last decade. Adam Silver must be sweating 🤣🤣🤣
I feel like I’m missing the joke here. Why do we want low ratings/why does this matter? Did Adam Silver take someone’s mother out for a nice seafood dinner and never called her again?

The only teams I'm still rooting against that's left in the playoff are the Clips and the Nets.
Everyone else, I'm happy to see shine, and looking forward to seeing who comes out on top, especially if it's at the expense of The Nets.
Looking at Suns or Jazz v the Bucks... that would be ideal.

as for the low rating joke and Adam Silver... I think it was covered sufficiently already, but the league thrives on the TV contracts, and if the only team left (after tonight) that gets a national tv buy for regular ass games is the Nets, then the networks may be nervous about getting their money back in viewership which may affect the next round of negotiations... therefore Adam Silver must be sweating knowing that the golden ticket Lakers are out in the first round.... the Warriors got Play'd-out in the Play-in (as I'm sure wasn't expected*), the Knicks blipped into the wrong reality for a brief moment (and then snapped back out), the Clips about to join the Lakergirls in having no one to root for this off-season, and all that's left are the Nets.

This is the first play-off in over a decade that will not have Steph and/or Lebron in finals.
and * Warriors season ending run, if I read correctly, was the highest TV draw for the whole season so far. For Adam Silver... this isn't going as planned.
For me, I like the drama, and even though I would have loved to see Steph's run continue, I have no doubt Warriors would've got bounced in the first round regardless of if it was Suns or Jazz.

I'm hoping the smaller markets get their spotlight, but there's no doubt viewership will be down as almost all the larger market teams have already been eliminated. So unless something crazy is happening, like Dame going into double OT, most people are passively watching at best.

Everyone loves to "hate" watch Lebron in hopes he loses, and everyone loves to watch Steph just make crazy shots. you have them both in playoffs and that equals guaranteed ratings.
We eliminate them and you lose alot of the passive watchers and the big market fans too. that's just the reality.

Offline broodwars

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Re: NBA Thread: Brought To You By The Tampa Bay Raptors Of Toronto
« Reply #2768 on: June 04, 2021, 11:44:15 PM »
Well, we have our first 7 game series, as the Mavs-Clippers series continues to get more pathetic with each passing day. Neither team has won on their own home court.

Meanwhile, the Jazz will get an extra few days or rest, so I can't complain there. Apparently, Mike Conley really needed that.
« Last Edit: June 04, 2021, 11:45:52 PM by broodwars »
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Offline BlackNMild2k1

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Re: NBA Thread: Brought To You By The Tampa Bay Raptors Of Toronto
« Reply #2769 on: June 04, 2021, 11:52:00 PM »
I was just coming in here to say that the Clips are taking it back to LA to lose infront of the home crowd.

Neither of these teams go the distance. It's not even a matchup thing as some would expect, I just think neither team has that killer instinct to get it done.

Offline broodwars

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Re: NBA Thread: Brought To You By The Tampa Bay Raptors Of Toronto
« Reply #2770 on: June 04, 2021, 11:58:31 PM »
I was just coming in here to say that the Clips are taking it back to LA to lose infront of the home crowd.

Neither of these teams go the distance. It's not even a matchup thing as some would expect, I just think neither team has that killer instinct to get it done.

What home crowd in LA? From what I saw in Game 5, the Clippers have so few fans that they had to place cardboard cutouts in the Staples Center stands to make the Clippers feel better.  ;)

(Yes, I know why those are actually there, but I find it amusing that those cutouts weren't in the stands in last night's Lakers game)
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Offline BlackNMild2k1

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Re: NBA Thread: Brought To You By The Tampa Bay Raptors Of Toronto
« Reply #2771 on: June 05, 2021, 12:36:42 AM »
I was just coming in here to say that the Clips are taking it back to LA to lose infront of the home crowd.

Neither of these teams go the distance. It's not even a matchup thing as some would expect, I just think neither team has that killer instinct to get it done.

What home crowd in LA? From what I saw in Game 5, the Clippers have so few fans that they had to place cardboard cutouts in the Staples Center stands to make the Clippers feel better.  ;)

(Yes, I know why those are actually there, but I find it amusing that those cutouts weren't in the stands in last night's Lakers game)



apparently crowd was the wrong word. LOL

the Home gathering of friends and family....?

Offline nickmitch

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Re: NBA Thread: Brought To You By The Tampa Bay Raptors Of Toronto
« Reply #2772 on: June 05, 2021, 09:25:55 AM »
It's not just an NBA thing, if you look at the national broadcast schedule in every sports league there's usually a handful of teams that show up way more often than the rest. The networks think certain teams get more viewership, so they prioritize those, even though that can kind of become sort of a self-fulfilling prophecy.

The NFL pisses me off with that to an extreme degree. Cowboys and Steelers can freaking lead the league in prime time games after failing to make the playoffs in the previous season some years. It’s wild.
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Offline BlackNMild2k1

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Re: NBA Thread: Brought To You By The Tampa Bay Raptors Of Toronto
« Reply #2773 on: June 05, 2021, 03:57:36 PM »
Bucks v Nets Game 1  (today at 4:30 - in 3.5 hrs)

PLACE YOUR BETS!!!

Bucks v Nets Series Winner (and in how many games?)

PLACE YOUR BETS!!!

Offline broodwars

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Re: NBA Thread: Brought To You By The Tampa Bay Raptors Of Toronto
« Reply #2774 on: June 05, 2021, 05:32:09 PM »
Bucks v Nets Game 1  (today at 4:30 - in 3.5 hrs)

PLACE YOUR BETS!!!

Bucks v Nets Series Winner (and in how many games?)

PLACE YOUR BETS!!!

Hmm...I think the Bucks give the Nets a bloody nose tonight and take Game 1.

As for the series...I think it goes at least 6 games, and probably ends in a Nets victory but I hope to see the Bucks win it.
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