#43 - NBA the home stretch

[2/18/24] NBA the home stretch

This won't be a betting guide as much as how I view the current 20 teams vying for play off and play-in spots. I'll tackle the east today and west sometime before Thursday.

I'd appreciate it if this was interactive. Feel free to give me your thoughts and feel free to disagree with me as much as you would like.

I'm going to ignore the teams who have all but eliminated and are going to play different rotations and players the final 7 weeks of the season.

Boston- Easily the best team in the NBA roster wise. I have issues with the Celtics as I'm sure I'm not alone as a bettor.

The C's simply play down to their competition too often. Close end games they become dependent on Tatum and whatever style the other team wants to play they let them dictate and just out talent them. That being said they have the easiest path to the finals that I can recall in 5+ years. Only value in betting them to win it all is in the fade for me.

Cleveland at 36-17 is a testament to Donovan Mitchell and the depth they've built. Now that they're fully healthy and remain a top 3 d efficient squad. Much like Minnesota I do worry about spacing in the playoffs with Mobley and Allen taking up so much floor space but unlike Minnesota both bigs are relentless on defense. Never a easy out for anyone. Like their chances more than most.

The Knicks Loved the move to get a shooter in Bogdanovich. OG is a cheat code on a already great defense. Hartenstein has had a coming out year on defense and the talent and depth has been improved unparallel to anyone else in the league. Concerns- Randles shoulder and inconsistency in postseason, OGs elbow, Robinson's Knee. Thibs reluctance towards playing a fast paced game when needed and they need HCA when you look at their splits. Need them to care about these last 25 and securing a top 4 seed imo. Easy buy if you think they're capable of health and a top 3 or 4 seed going into postseason.

The Bucks I'm uncertain there's been a more puzzling hire mid season in the NBA. Doc Rivers who is notorious for blowing playoff leads and not making the finals was the hire to turn the ship around?? Rivers has slowed the pace, tried to right the ship on defense and after a 10 game sample size we have a 3-7 record with a team who's talent alone shouldn't see at any point this year. Milwaukee has aging stars. Lillard, Lopez, Middleton their window is basically now. It's obvious the direction that ownership wants in playoff defense in game 42 to the end.

Lillard, Beasley is your back court so it's basically asking them to play opposite of who they are. If you think the bucks can turn it around stay in the 3 to 4 seed and turn it on... Your time to buy I believe is now.

Miami Isn't this the same heat story of every season now? They look awful for weeks at a time. Butler is hurt or playing through something. Herro isn't playing defense and they only have Bam as their only cog of consistency. Wait that's not this year though.

Jaquez jr is a true difference maker when Jimmy isn't in. Rozier gives you a versatile scorer, Robinson has found his stroke and they still have a wizard for a coach. Do I think they have a champ run in them? No. Did I think that last year? No. There's a lot worst things to buy than Miami heat futures you're almost certainly never dead.

Orlando Why isn't Mosely in the COY conversation? A 5 game over Orlando squad who wins on defense and has one star player by most standards. They're young, they've bought in and they look on paper like a great playoff team. Hard nosed defense and share the ball incredibly well.

A lack of perimeter scoring holds me back from buying in this year but long term they have real juice if they can keep Franz, Suggs and Banchero together.

Indiana This one is tricky. I'm a fan of Carlisle, Haliburton is my favorite player and their my 2nd most profitable team. That being said I'm not a believer in my heart of hearts. They have to out score you and by alot. Turner's defense has slipped and I felt that's why they went with tempo (that and unreal offensive talent) but also Niesmith and Mathurin are still very young. Siakim is out of place in this system and while it looks great on paper to have a 2nd star it takes minutes away from developing the great young guys. Never will understand trading away Heild in this system of pace and shooters. Still a year maybe 2 away from contending. Try hard team and organization that's a rare combo these days.

Philly All comes down to Joel. They were my pick to win the east prior to the injury. They have the coach, they now have the depth and scoring. They do not have the defense but that could be negated by Joel's dominance.

That's all out the window as he is now even if returning will be playing through pain in both legs and you still have a Tobias efficiency issue. You also now have a glaring hole on defense. Can they make a series interesting without him is really the only question and I don't believe so.

Chicago Play in team. They're the mediocre team that has just enough to play a good stretch but turn around and they've lost 5 close games and Caruso is ?, Drummond is starting and they've never fully embraced White in end games offense which drives me nuts.

Atlanta Why they didn't get something for Capella preseason, deadline is beyond me. Okomgwu has been better than Capela this season and in this system they're better without a true 5. Going nowhere imo with young being a black hole on defense and while Snyder can make life hell for anyone in a series they need to get to a series and even then they have to shoot perfect to test anyone and many nights they're just not capable against better foes. Blow it up in June imo build around Johnson and Murray.

Hope you enjoyed this summary. Please feel free to give me your own thoughts. Thanks, Eddie