[lakerboy]

Thoughts on this series?

[MinnesotaFats]

If Embib plays Philly is the better team, no???

[lakerboy]

If Embib plays Philly is the better team, no???

They are?

[jjgold]

Take a stab at the Philadelphia 76ers

[thetrinity]

feels like this is torontos time, said that last year and they got the broom in the 2nd round

[MinnesotaFats]

They are?

Yeah, with inside game, rebounds and height/ length I'd say they're better.

Certainly better than +200 dictates

[DOM-Ganador]

Will be cheering for Sixers.
IF the Celts win, Toronto gives them way more trouble.

[thomorino]

I make Toronto -220, Philadelphia has had defensive issues all year and their bench sucks, they aren't a good road team, they matched up better with Milwaukee because Embiid can limit Giannis in the paint. I would have bet Toronto hard at anything below -190

[lakerboy]

I make Toronto -220, Philadelphia has had defensive issues all year and their bench sucks, they aren't a good road team, they matched up better with Milwaukee because Embiid can limit Giannis in the paint. I would have bet Toronto hard at anything below -190

Great analysis

[2daBank]

I feel like both the east favs a bit overpriced. Milw more so than Toronto tho. Can’t believe Boston that big of dogs.

[lakerboy]

I feel like both the east favs a bit overpriced. Milw more so than Toronto tho. Can’t believe Boston that big of dogs.

Books in love with the bucks. They are getting the Toronto treatment from last year vs Cavs. I always thought the NBA was a league where you had to learn the hard way instead of just getting to the finals.

Bucks are +116 to win the east at pinnacle.

[Goat Milk]

Simmons = Lowry
Reddick = Green
Butler < Kawaii
Tobias < Siakam
Embiid > Gasol

TJ Mcconal, Mike Scott, Ennis, Boban < Ibaka, Vanvleet, Powell, Lin

Matchupwise, I don't see how Philly's bench is gonna matchup with Powell Ibaka and Vanvleet specifically. I think those guys will do whatever they want. The staring 5 on each side is kind of a wash. Some games Philly will play better, some games Toronto.

Philly's defense is susceptible -- both units -- and I don't think anyone on that time is gonna be diving for loose balls save for Jimmy Butler and perhaps Reddick. Philly is a bit too Hollywood and I think the Raptors should beat them in 6/7.

[thomorino]

Simmons = Lowry
Reddick = Green
Butler < Kawaii
Tobias < Siakam
Embiid > Gasol

TJ Mcconal, Mike Scott, Ennis, Boban < Ibaka, Vanvleet, Powell, Lin

Matchupwise, I don't see how Philly's bench is gonna matchup with Powell Ibaka and Vanvleet specifically. I think those guys will do whatever they want. The staring 5 on each side is kind of a wash. Some games Philly will play better, some games Toronto.

Philly's defense is susceptible -- both units -- and I don't think anyone on that time is gonna be diving for loose balls save for Jimmy Butler and perhaps Reddick. Philly is a bit too Hollywood and I think the Raptors should beat them in 6/7.

Siakam is not better than Harris, Harris is shooting nearly 40% from the 3 point line this year.

[thomorino]

Leonard has dominated Simmons, the big issue though will be officiating, the NBA sees Simmons and Embiid as possible future faces of the league, Philadelphia will get some calls.

[Goat Milk]

Siakam is not better than Harris, Harris is shooting nearly 40% from the 3 point line this year.

Siakam is the better player to me. Harris is a one trick pony. He's a good shooter and excellent at the 2 dribble pullup from midrange. He's a slow-footed defender and also can't make plays for his teammates. He also can't push the fast break. Siakam puses the fast break, is a better defender, can guard 3s and 4s, grabs assists, can score 25 any given night, can grab 15 rebounds any given night, and also does the little things -- he's kind of an unknown/underdog, so he dives for balls, he plays 42 minutes when needed, etc. Siakam is the better player.

[krk1030]

If anyone can slow down embiid its Toronto. Three bigs they can throw on him to give diffrrent looks.

[bryant81]

Raptors are a matchup nightmare for Philly. Marc Gasol is one of the best post defenders in the league and gives Embiid trouble. Embiid has literally never scored more than 15 points in a game against Marc Gasol. That will change, but it's telling.

Kawhi is Ben Simmon's kryptonite. Raptors and Philly played 4 times this season. The one time Kawhi didn't play, Simmons has 1 turnover. In the other 3, he combined for 24 (!) turnovers.

Raptors can limit their two best players and still have Danny Green on Jimmy and Siakam on Tobias.

On top of all that, Philly has spacing issues and Marc Gasol can patrol the paint defensively to gum up the works.

On the other side, the Raptors start 5 shooters and Embiid will have to leave the paint and defend the perimeter against the Raptors, opening up the lane for the rest of the team.

I would be very surprised if Philly won this series. Toronto and Boston just own Philly. IMO, the Raptors are the worst matchup in the league for Philly. GSW obviously the tougher opponent, but at least they have a size advantage against them. Against the Raptors, they really don't have many matchup advantages.

[thomorino]

Siakam is the better player to me. Harris is a one trick pony. He's a good shooter and excellent at the 2 dribble pullup from midrange. He's a slow-footed defender and also can't make plays for his teammates. He also can't push the fast break. Siakam puses the fast break, is a better defender, can guard 3s and 4s, grabs assists, can score 25 any given night, can grab 15 rebounds any given night, and also does the little things -- he's kind of an unknown/underdog, so he dives for balls, he plays 42 minutes when needed, etc. Siakam is the better player.

Harris can finish at the rim and is a great shooter, he's a far better shooter than Siakiam and its a shooters league, Siakam is slightly better defensively because of his length but Harris's offensive game is much better.

[jjgold]

Phila looks real good

They win in 6

[lakerboy]

Phila looks real good

They win in 6

Lol

[bryant81]

Harris can finish at the rim and is a great shooter, he's a far better shooter than Siakiam and its a shooters league, Siakam is slightly better defensively because of his length but Harris's offensive game is much better.

"Slightly better defensively" lol. Siakam is a great defender and Tobias is a poor one. They are not even comparable.

[mikeya2k]

Philly has NO SHOT

[mikeya2k]

They cannot defend them should have been 2-2 against Nets at the least after 4 games.

[thomorino]

"Slightly better defensively" lol. Siakam is a great defender and Tobias is a poor one. They are not even comparable.

Harris is not a bad defender and Siakam isn't that strong defensively against smaller players, harris is the far better offensive player, Reddick has been the big issue defensively for Philadelphia not Harris, and their chemistry defensively isn't strong.

[shocka1212]

Milwaukee going to wipe the floor with either or em really...

[2daBank]

Books in love with the bucks. They are getting the Toronto treatment from last year vs Cavs. I always thought the NBA was a league where you had to learn the hard way instead of just getting to the finals.

Bucks are +116 to win the east at pinnacle.

Yea that what I’m thinking. Not so sure Bucks just cakewalking into finals. Whipping pistons didn’t prove much. Interested to see what happens when they get into a dog fight which I absolutely think this Boston series will be. Just feels like a lot more being made of regular season here than should be.

[Goat Milk]

Harris can finish at the rim and is a great shooter, he's a far better shooter than Siakiam and its a shooters league, Siakam is slightly better defensively because of his length but Harris's offensive game is much better.

Not if you factor in that Siakam can lead the break and also get assists. You don't really see Tobias doing that very often if at all. Tobias is a 1 on 1 player. Siakam is more of a team player and chamelleon. He can adapt wherever you put him. He's a championship type player. He's better than Draymond Green. I think you're going to see Siakam blossom into a star these playoffs.

[Goat Milk]

Milwaukee going to wipe the floor with either or em really...

Who's gonna guard Irving on Mlkwakee? Bledsoe? 0% chance. They don't have a single guy on that roster who can check Kyrie or matchup with him. Irving is still the 2nd best player in the Eastern Conference after Kawaii leonard unless Giannis proves otherwise, which he never has in his career. Bucks are not gonna be steamrolling any of these remaining teams. They may win, but it won't be convincingly.

[2daBank]

Who's gonna guard Irving on Mlkwakee? Bledsoe? 0% chance. They don't have a single guy on that roster who can check Kyrie or matchup with him. Irving is still the 2nd best player in the Eastern Conference after Kawaii leonard unless Giannis proves otherwise, which he never has in his career. Bucks are not gonna be steamrolling any of these remaining teams. They may win, but it won't be convincingly.

I have serious doubts they can get past Boston bro.

[packerd_00]

Normally on paper id say Raptors, but they just never seem to be able to get it done in the playoffs. Maybe Leonard can turn their fortunes around here.

[thomorino]

THere's no question Milwaukee is overrated, even money to win the East, their coach and best player have never won anything in the playoffs,but the NBA wants Giannis to be the face of the league, and if they calls fouls every time someone touches him Milwaukee will be tough to beat at home.

[kingdom]

Raptors are a matchup nightmare for Philly. Marc Gasol is one of the best post defenders in the league and gives Embiid trouble. Embiid has literally never scored more than 15 points in a game against Marc Gasol. That will change, but it's telling.

Kawhi is Ben Simmon's kryptonite. Raptors and Philly played 4 times this season. The one time Kawhi didn't play, Simmons has 1 turnover. In the other 3, he combined for 24 (!) turnovers.

Raptors can limit their two best players and still have Danny Green on Jimmy and Siakam on Tobias.

On top of all that, Philly has spacing issues and Marc Gasol can patrol the paint defensively to gum up the works.

On the other side, the Raptors start 5 shooters and Embiid will have to leave the paint and defend the perimeter against the Raptors, opening up the lane for the rest of the team.

I would be very surprised if Philly won this series. Toronto and Boston just own Philly. IMO, the Raptors are the worst matchup in the league for Philly. GSW obviously the tougher opponent, but at least they have a size advantage against them. Against the Raptors, they really don't have many matchup advantages.

its been kind of obvious philly is not in the same sphere as milw and toronto. they can put up a fight against celts but probably can't beat them either. they are often in conversation with other 3 teams, but they are inconsistent and not really a playoff threat. boston inconsistent as well, but have so many pieces if they could put it together, they would be a great team.

[JIBBBY]

Philly still a work in progress.. Raptors take them. Leonard gonna be to much. Raptors big men will keep Embid in check also.

[magpie878]

I have serious doubts they can get past Boston bro.

Normally on paper id say Raptors, but they just never seem to be able to get it done in the playoffs. Maybe Leonard can turn their fortunes around here.

Many posts to potentially quote, just chose two. And purely playing devil's advocate here, though my leanings are towards the two favorites.

Not sure why'd there'd be serious doubt about why the Bucks can't get past Boston, though statistically, it should be close. #1 defense efficiency vs #6. Bucks #1 scoring team vs #15. Bucks 2-1 vs Boston this year, winning home and away. Indiana was a highly ranked defense as well, and without its best player, didn't score much. Boston themselves didn't score much either, only topping 100 in two of the four games. I'd be very surprised if Milwaukee loses the series, let alone doesn't win in 6.

Only one season to go by (last year), but the Sixers haven't accomplished anything in playoffs either. Crappy Heat team, then getting bombed and swept in a series they were favorites in. Looked clueless a lot of the time. Both teams made changes. Toronto still has the Sixers number this season. Even in the win yesterday, I watched the first half, and Brooklyn had PLENTY of good looks, just couldn't hit a shot for their lives early and never recovered. Sixers better figure out how to win IN Toronto, let alone at home.. play better defense (vs Toronto's #9 offense AND #4 defense), and stop Embiid from taking 3's. I'd love to see the Sixers win, but they haven't shown much vs Toronto, nor did the Brooklyn series convince me they've stepped up their game THAT much from last year's humiliating exit.

[thomorino]

<br>
<br>

Many posts to potentially quote, just chose two. And purely playing devil's advocate here, though my leanings are towards the two favorites.

Not sure why'd there'd be serious doubt about why the Bucks can't get past Boston, though statistically, it should be close. #1 defense efficiency vs #6. Bucks #1 scoring team vs #15. Bucks 2-1 vs Boston this year, winning home and away. Indiana was a highly ranked defense as well, and without its best player, didn't score much. Boston themselves didn't score much either, only topping 100 in two of the four games. I'd be very surprised if Milwaukee loses the series, let alone doesn't win in 6.

Only one season to go by (last year), but the Sixers haven't accomplished anything in playoffs either. Crappy Heat team, then getting bombed and swept in a series they were favorites in. Looked clueless a lot of the time. Both teams made changes. Toronto still has the Sixers number this season. Even in the win yesterday, I watched the first half, and Brooklyn had PLENTY of good looks, just couldn't hit a shot for their lives early and never recovered. Sixers better figure out how to win IN Toronto, let alone at home.. play better defense (vs Toronto's #9 offense AND #4 defense), and stop Embiid from taking 3's. I'd love to see the Sixers win, but they haven't shown much vs Toronto, nor did the Brooklyn series convince me they've stepped up their game THAT much from last year's humiliating exit.

Boston is much better than the 15th ranked offense, you can't look at regular season stats at face value. Irving rested many games, Heyward came on late in the year, Boston should win at least 2 games in Boston, the question is if they can win on the road, Stevens did a great job on Giannis in the playoffs last time these teams met.