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NBA Conference Finals PICKS

by @TheGM 🏀  NBA Free ⚡

Friends in fast breaks,

The Semis served up a bit of everything.

  • Easy 5 game series? Check! (sorry CLE)
  • 6 game series with half the games decided by 4 points or less? Check! 
  • 7 game series marred by an obscene number of injuries? Check!
  • 7 game series with back and forth blowouts and no clue what's gonna happen? Check!

More games and more glory is all I want - Teams pushed to the limit to prove they deserve to be there! Let's hope the Conference Finals serve up more of the same.


Conference Finals PICKS


PICK STATS


Conference Semifinals Review

  • This was the round of the DOGS, with our underdogs taking 3/4 series
  • DAL took the win over OKC in 6 games
    • The series ended on ~5 minutes of back-and-forth battling
    • Despite losing, OKC has to feel good about their first playoff excursion
    • DAL was our underdog, picked by 36.4% of players
  • MIN won over DEN in 7 games
    • Impressive work pushing the defending champs to 7
    • MORE impressive to come back from a 20 point deficit to finish it
    • MIN was our underdog, picked by 30.4% of players
  • IND outlived NYK in 7 games
    • NYK was just physically decimated
    • But respect to the young IND squad and the endless offense
    • IND was our underdog, picked by 28.5% of players
  • BOS dominated CLE in 5 games
    • BOS has just outmatched their opponents so far, even without KP
    • They've been resting for nearly a week ahead of tonight's game
    • BOS was the favorite, picked by 97.0% of players


Conference Finals

  • DAL vs MIN
    • We've got 67.6% on MIN
    • Newly-anointed (again) DPOY Rudy has hushed a lot of "played off the floor" narratives
    • Ant was been a bit hot and cold, same can be said for Kyrie
  • BOS vs IND
    • We all knew what way this was going to lean, right?
    • 79.1% of user are taking BOS to win
    • They've been picked at 99%, 96%, and now 79%
      • You could call them the favorites in the East, if you feel bold
      • Make sure you read that last point slathered in sarcasm
    • IND for comparison: 59.4%, 28.5%, and now 21%
      • Come on Hali, show us some more underdog spirit!
  • Pick Combos
    • BOS | MIN - 56.8%
    • BOS | DAL - 22.3%
    • IND | MIN - 10.8%
    • DAL | IND - 10.1%
    • Taking both favorites is the safe play, but won't help you scale the standings 
    • Respect to the Double-Doggers!
  • Standings
    • @JoshAllenLooksGoodInShorts stands atop the leaderboard with a pool-best 15-1 record so far and 1,523 points
      • OKC last round being their only miss so far (and it was a close one)
    • @Jass0010 is in second with a 14-2 record and 1,427 points
    • The top 5 is rouned out with a three-way tie for third for @brendonhebble, @BleedButlerBlue, and @yjcc
      • They're all ALSO at 14-2, but with 1,423 points
      • Remember our points bias for later rounds - Getting the more important games right will push you ahead of the same record but with earlier round losses
    • Top 20 places win, and with 3 games left there's plenty of jostling to finish out


BEST PICK COMMENTS


@Sooser21 (Mavs, Pacers): "Hally yes, brah!!!"
GM says: A double-dogger in the wild! All hail @Sooser@21!

@Trentoff (Mavs, Pacers): "Keep it simple, taking the best coaches"
GM says: More DOUBLE-DOGGERS! Bravo @Trentoff!

@kbanaian (Mavs, Celtics): "A Celtics fan who's lived in Minnesota for 40 years, I am pained to think we would not get my dream matchup that I mentioned to people in November. But I am having trouble seeing how Wolves matchup on a two-guard offense like Dallas. My heart says Minny but my head says Mavs in 6."
GM says: No matter Head or Heart, we all know the clicking finger is doing the picking!

@LasLiLo1432 (T'Wolves, Celtics): "Who does KG root for in these conference championship clashes?"
GM says: Better yet, which jersey does he rock if your picks come true?

@YikesVikes (T'Wolves, Celtics): "THEN: George Mikan is considered the first superstar of the NBA and is a big name in the history of the Minneapolis Lakers. Mikan was 6'10" and played for the Lakers, winning six championships in three different leagues. He led the team to five NBA titles from 1949 to 1954, and was a three-time scoring champion. Mikan is also known for his Mikan Drill, which involves standing in front of the basket, shooting the ball off the backboard, catching it, and then putting up the same shot with the other hand. This routine helped grow the sport of basketball. NOW: Throughout this season, the 22-year-old Edwards has been, despite his youth, Minnesota's unquestioned leader on the court and off, Mikan may have gotten people to watch and grow the sport, but Edwards may just enhance the sport even more. Edwards Jordon like logo ☄️"
GM says: *annoying voice* George Mikan. Just ANOTHER big star running to the Lakers to win titles 🙄

@pheezy42 (T'Wolves, Celtics): "I have no idea who's going to win, but I predict we will all be drunk from the amount of whine we'll consume watching Luka against the Wolves defense. "
GM says: Lovely potpourri on this batch, it's from the Ljubljana region of Slovenia

@Salroc_ (Mavs, Celtics): "derrick jones JR FTW"
GM says: "Airplane Mode" is such a dope nickname

@Johnson67 (T'Wolves, Celtics): "GOOOOO WOLVES!!!!!!!"
GM says: AWOOOOOO 🐺🐺🐺

@RedEd4 (T'Wolves, Celtics): "Boston against ARod for all the marbles...I mean I think it's ARod. Does he own the team yet? You have to in order to fly everywhere to watch them right. I mean why would anyone in their right mind CHOOSE to be in Minnesota. It's cold! "
GM says: Hey @TheCommish, can you remind me why anyone would choose to be in Minnesota?

 

 

Yours in Roundball Rock,
The GM

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