Your Official Eastern Conference Playoffs Thread - MORE STAT PADIN. Vale Pacers, Bucks

[Drummer_19]

Big day for Aus basketball today. Delly, Thon, Patty, Exum, Jingles all in action.

 

[djrossie16]

Across the season the Bucks have slowly built. They look pretty well rounded now.
Had a feeling this cavs indy series was going to be tough. Cavs in 6 was my tip. Could go 7. Cavs are out of form and Indy are solid enough.

 

[VitalDread]

Bulls in 6

 

[djrossie16]

Big day for Aus basketball today. Delly, Thon, Patty, Exum, Jingles all in action.

Thon is an x factor those blocks he does really galvanise the team. Great to watch his development.

 

[Drummer_19]

Thon is an x factor those blocks he does really galvanise the team. Great to watch his development.

Also has me salivating at Simmons/Thon pick n roll in 2020.

 

[Burningleviathan]

Memphis v spurs has been a pretty entertaining first half. Marc Gasol is lit.

 

[peternorth]

Memphis v spurs has been a pretty entertaining first half. Marc Gasol is lit.

the western conference thread is that a way

 

[fidstar]

Memphis v spurs has been a pretty entertaining first half. Marc Gasol is lit.

******* stat chaser....

 

[Burningleviathan]

the western conference thread is that a way

Lol. Oops. I thought it seemed a bit quiet

 

[stewie griffen]

Solid op

Impartial as always that Stewie guy

 

[nahnah]

Playoff Lowry showed up

 

[nahnah]

Memphis v spurs has been a pretty entertaining first half. Marc Gasol is lit.

Did Kevin Garnett teach you to speak like that

 

[Son of Skeletor]

By the numbers

Record: Wizards 49-33 (9th), Hawks 43-49 (t. 11th)

Off Rating: Wizards 111.2 (7th), Hawks 104.9 (27th)

Def Rating: Wizards 109.3 (20th), Hawks 105.8 (4th)

Pace: Wizards 97.3 (11th), Hawks 97.4 (10th)


FG%: Wizards 47.5% (3rd), Hawks 45.1% (18th)
3Pt%: Wizards 37.2% (8th), Hawks 34.1% (23rd)
eFG%: Wizards 52.8% (6th), Hawks 50.4% (19th)
Assists: Wizards 23.9 (6th), Hawks 23.6 (10th)
T/O%: Wizards 12.8% (17th), Hawks 14.2% (28th)
OReb%: Wizards 24.0% (13th), Hawks 23.7% (15th)

DFG%: Wizards 46.6% (24th), Hawks 44.4% (5th)
D3Pt%: Wizards 36.4% (19th), Hawks 35.7% (16th)
DeFG%: Wizards 52.4% (24th), Hawks 50.7% (8th)
Def T/O%: Wizards 13.8% (3rd), Hawks 13.9% (2nd)
DReb%: Wizards 75.5% (24th), Hawks 76.1% (19th)


Head to Head

Wizards lead series 3-1

27/10/16: Wizards 99 @ Hawks 114
4/11/16: Hawks 92 @ Wizards 95
27/1/17: Wizards 112 @ Hawks 86
22/3/17: Hawks 100 @ Wizards 104


Screw the numbers, give me words

Two years is a long time in basketball.

You may vaguely recall the Hawks and the Wiz meeting in the second round of the 2015 playoffs. Back then Atlanta were wowing everyone with their wonderfully spaced and unselfish offence, while Washington was a gritty defensive team replete with Randy Wittman's infamous clogged toilet offensive "system".

Well, the times they are a changin'. It turns out Scott Brooks must have been doing something on the OKC bench all those years, because he's taken Washington's broken system and given it a complete overhaul. In 2015 the Wizards sported the league's 22nd best offence and the potentially dynamic Wall/Beal backcourt averaged all of 32ppg combined. This year the Wizards rank 7th in putting up buckets and Wall and Beal produce a whopping 46 ppg between them. Washington play with pace, share the ball and shoot it well. The toilet has finally been flushed; that's progress folks.

Scott Brooks coaches the Wizards


Meanwhile down south in ATL, the Hawks still try to share the ball... but their shooting charts are about as pretty as Dennis Schroeder's hairdo. Frankly it's a minor miracle that a team with with league's 4th worst offence can even make the playoffs, so yeah. Let's hear it for the Eastern Conference, eh?

It's not all bad news though - the questionable decision to sign Dwight Howard might have cost Atlanta all semblance of offensive cohesion, but the upside is that the Hawks sport a pretty damn mean defence. They're particularly effective in the paint, where Dwight and Millsap in particular ensure that opponents shoot a below average percentage while avoiding cheap fouls.

Coincidentally enough, defence is now an area of concern for the Wizards. Their starting five are fairly solid, but that bench... sheesh! Washington will hope that the oft-injured Mahinmi can at least hold down the paint for the second unit.

Do you believe in Magic? Two NBA centres and not a post move in sight.


The Big Question

Speaking of benches, the reserve battle in this series will be something of a curiousity. To say that Washington's bench was holding them back for much of the season is an understatement. Adding Bogdanovic, Mahinmi and Jennings to should bolster them a little in theory, although until they've actually received their playoff baptism of fire it'll remain just that - a theory.

Atlanta's reserves have been no great shakes either, although Ilyasova's addition does give them a little more offensive punch. It'll be interesting to see if Hardaway Jr. starts or is retained as 6th man; God knows the Hawks need offence from wherever they can get it.

In soccer parlance, would both coaches accept a 0-0 draw from the cripple fight known as the battle of these benches? I'm betting "yes".


Prediction

Washington's suave uniforms win a unanimous decision from fashion judges over whatever the hell it is that Atlanta insists upon wearing.

Given the Hawks' propensity to lock down the paint, the Wizards will need to lean upon Brad Beal's ability to create his own shot more than ever. If previous playoff performances are any guide, he'll be up to the challenge - Wiz in six.

 

[stewie griffen]

Wall ballin


Sent from my SM-J500Y using Tapatalk

 

[stewie griffen]

Sent from my SM-J500Y using Tapatalk

 

[stewie griffen]

CJ on fiiiiiiiiire

 

[Son of Skeletor]

CJ on fiiiiiiiiire

Mods please card this noob.

Imagine the infractions if we'd had eight separate threads, there would be nobody left except peternorth ... he could have as many Upton threads as his heart desired.

 

[peternorth]

Mods please card this noob.

Imagine the infractions if we'd had eight separate threads, there would be nobody left except peternorth ... he could have as many Upton threads as his heart desired.

I remember those days...

 

[peternorth]

Bradley Stevens is leaving it upto IT to decide if he plays or not today.
ESPN note that IT is in the building.

I reckon he'll play.

 

[Son of Skeletor]

I remember those days...

I bet Mrs. North remembers those days too.

She must have wondered what it was about modding a basketball forum that had our esteemed overlord feeling his oats so frequently

 

[peternorth]

I bet Mrs. North remembers those days too.

She must have wondered what it was about modding a basketball forum that had our esteemed overlord feeling his oats so frequently

If I recall, I wasnt a mod then! Just an average joe

 

[Mazza12346]

Is IT gonna play today?

 

[peternorth]

I reckon he'll play

 

[stewie griffen]

Is IT gonna play today?

Does it matter?

They dont need him to beat us

But yeah he will

 

[stewie griffen]

Chuck....

Man