NBA Official 2026 NBA Playoffs Thread

Unless Rockets-Lakers go seven, that Thunder-LAL series should start before (hopefully) Spurs-MIN/Denver. WCSFs start May 2nd or 3rd (Sat/Sun) at the earliest. Unless Wolves close out in 6 (unlikely), Spurs are looking at a Monday May 4th tipoff for their potential second round. Absolutely need to finish off Blazers on Tuesday.
Really hope the T'Pups have one more win them tbh. Even with a gimpy AG the Nuggets have all they need to win a series against the Spurs, especially if Watson is back and able to play at his mid-season level.
 
Really hope the T'Pups have one more win them tbh. Even with a gimpy AG the Nuggets have all they need to win a series against the Spurs, especially if Watson is back and able to play at his mid-season level.
Would have picked Wolves in 6 if Ant was at least playing that game but think they lose a close one and get blown out in G5 & G7. To be honest, if we lose to this battered Denver team after all the mental midgetry they have shown including Jokic-- who can actually be stopped from being an automatic 35-15-15 guy-- it might be just that we don't belong there and that the healthy T'Wolves were the rightful West Finalists.
 
Nuggets made two 3-1 comebacks in the bubble against good teams.

They can definitely do it against depleted Wolves team without Ant and Donte.
 
If Doncic can't come back for at least another week its in the realm of possibility the Rockets could win four in a row. This has been a flukey series with a lot of Lakers scrubs playing above their heads and Reaves will hurt their defense which is a large reason they're up 3-0. Doubt this Rockets team will even win game 5 but if they do it could get interesting imo.

:st-lol: that said, they could also blow this lead and get swept and I wouldn't bat an eye.
 
Would have picked Wolves in 6 if Ant was at least playing that game but think they lose a close one and get blown out in G5 & G7. To be honest, if we lose to this battered Denver team after all the mental midgetry they have shown including Jokic-- who can actually be stopped from being an automatic 35-15-15 guy-- it might be just that we don't belong there and that the healthy T'Wolves were the rightful West Finalists.
The playoffs are all about matchups. Spurs match up well with OKC but don't against elite 3-pt shooting teams like Denver and Minny. It's why I'm still glad as hell the Spurs got the Guests and not the Suns tbh.
 
If Doncic can't come back for at least another week its in the realm of possibility the Rockets could win four in a row. This has been a flukey series with a lot of Lakers scrubs playing above their heads and Reaves will hurt their defense which is a large reason they're up 3-0. Doubt this Rockets team will even win game 5 but if they do it could get interesting imo.

:st-lol: that said, they could also blow this lead and get swept and I wouldn't bat an eye.
They had that Game 3 won, but if Rockets steal Game 5, watch out butts be tightening. Think they might even rush Luka back if that shit is 3-3 :st-lol:
 
The playoffs are all about matchups. Spurs match up well with OKC but don't against elite 3-pt shooting teams like Denver and Minny. It's why I'm still glad as hell the Spurs got the Guests and not the Suns tbh.
Still, Wemby can't have unanimous DPOY bragging rights if he is going to allow Jokic to style on our asses with effortless 36-17-16 games on 65 TS%. Gobert has proven not only could Jokic be slowed/contained but shutdown frankly. All I'm asking is the first option-- a reduction in his efficiency to discombobulate their offense which includes attacking him relentlessly on defense in order to tire him.
 
Still, Wemby can't have unanimous DPOY bragging rights if he is going to allow Jokic to style on our asses with effortless 36-17-16 games on 65 TS%. Gobert has proven not only Jokic could be slowed/contained but shutdown frankly. All I'm asking is the first option-- a reduction in his efficiency to discombobulate their offense which includes attacking him relentlessly on defense in order to tire him.
Gobert has 20-30 lbs on Wemby and over a decade of experience, including several playoff matchups against Jokic. Wemby has played against Jokic like 3 times.
 
As great of a rim protector and help defender Wemby is, he still isn't the best one-on-one defender imo, especially against talented physical bigs like Jokic and Embiid.
 
I still believe Denver presents a tougher matchup for the Spurs.

McDaniels does an incredible job on Murray. The Spurs don’t have anyone who can suffocate Murray like that. Carter Bryant is the closest but you’re not playing him 30 minutes a night to guard Murray.

Then Gobert has the length and strength to limit Jokic but it’s the swarming of big help defenders like Naz Reid, McDaniels plus the ball hawking of Donte, Dosunmu, Edwards on the perimeter that makes Jokic life tougher.

Spurs are probably the closest team who can replicate that other than maybe OKC, but Minny has so much more experience against the Nuggets they know all their tendencies etc.

It’s not reasonable to expect the Spurs to have similar defensive success against the Nuggets who had the highest or one of the highest offensive ratings in history with Jokic on the floor.
 
I genuinely want to live through another team choking 3-0 series lead so my team wouldn't be the first to experience it. Really surprised it hasn't happened yet. Celtics probably would have done it if Tatum didn't get hurt seconds into ECF'23 Game 7.
 
Nuggets made two 3-1 comebacks in the bubble against good teams.

They can definitely do it against depleted Wolves team without Ant and Donte.
And they were flocked over by LakerRef big time in their other series.
 
And they were flocked over by LakerRef big time in their other series.
Yes but they were also built well to beat Jokic. Big physical C in Dwight to guard him, long 4 in AD to provide help defense, then a bunch of ball hawks to cut off some of his passing lanes (Caruso, KCP, Danny Green etc.).

Quite similar to Minny, OKC.
 
I still believe Denver presents a tougher matchup for the Spurs.

McDaniels does an incredible job on Murray. The Spurs don’t have anyone who can suffocate Murray like that. Carter Bryant is the closest but you’re not playing him 30 minutes a night to guard Murray.

Then Gobert has the length and strength to limit Jokic but it’s the swarming of big help defenders like Naz Reid, McDaniels plus the ball hawking of Donte, Dosunmu, Edwards on the perimeter that makes Jokic life tougher.

Spurs are probably the closest team who can replicate that other than maybe OKC, but Minny has so much more experience against the Nuggets they know all their tendencies etc.

It’s not reasonable to expect the Spurs to have similar defensive success against the Nuggets who had the highest or one of the highest offensive ratings in history with Jokic on the floor.
With Donte and Ant out? That becomes a no brainer, tbh. We all should be rooting for Minny to pull off a miraculous escape in Game 6-- their only real shot at it.
 
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With Donte and Ant out? That becomes a no brainer, tbh. We all should be rooting for Minny to pull off a miraculous escape in Game 6-- their only real shot at it.
I mean both teams fully healthy that Denver is a tougher matchup.

But yeah without Ant it now becomes a no brainer, even with Gordon and Watson hobbled.

I could see Ant coming back in 2 weeks which would be around game 3 and 4 but obviously that’s just speculation without knowing how his body will respond.
 
I mean both teams fully healthy that Denver is a tougher matchup.

But yeah without Ant it now becomes a no brainer, even with Gordon and Watson hobbled.

I could see Ant coming back in 2 weeks which would be around game 3 and 4 but obviously that’s just speculation without knowing how his body will respond.
Ant looked about 60% before his newest injury, and that was to his good knee. Don't think he'll be much of a factor in a potential series even if he does come back tbh.
 
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