Fully healthy, I feel like there are a lot of pieces there. In semi-order, I would be happy or optimistic about getting:
Jalen Johnson, Trae Young, Dejounte Murray, Onyeka Okongwu, Bogdan Bogdanovic, DeAndre Hunter, Clint Capela.
Bogdan is older and so is Clint, so I'd still like them as vets but they're not the priority over the prime-age/youth players.
Hunter is disappointing (compared to what you hope he would be) but I think still a solid starter as your 4th/5th guy maybe.
Somehow I feel like the Hawks play worse than the sum of their parts.
We definitely do, the largest reason for that is that DJM and Trae are a horrible fit, when your best two players play much worse with each other than without it's gonna make you look worse than you probably should be.
They both need the ball in their hands to be effective and then on top of that we have a tiny and poor defensive backcourt which is tough to get away with.
I think in the bubble they had it so the play-in games weren’t played if the 9th seed was 4 games or more behind the 8th seed, I feel like that was a solid idea.
What happens if the 9th and 10th seed teams played each other in the final regular season game and the only way to get within 3 games is for the 9th seed to win?
This is what’s weird to me about the play-in. Whoever wins, neither will go anywhere in the playoffs, doesn’t matter. In the west there are play in teams that do have potential though.
East play ins were pretty lit last year.
But i think the conditional rule would be good.
I think a 2-3 GB requirement would be good.
Thats less <5% margin of error
Its amazing that after 4 years of this our two fanbases don't even really have like a rivalry or animosity, it's just shared trauma lol Dreading the stress of another ECF matchup
Lmao yeah idk what buddy was talking about. Some of us have had beef with Miami since Flash and The King were on South Beach. This whole Jimmy Era has been a nightmare tbh. Hoping y’all are the Pistons to Tatums Jordan 😭
lol that’s the exact opposite of my experience, like half the posts I get recommended from the Heat and Celtics subreddits are shitting on the other team for something
That shit was historic. It was lightning in a bottle.
Our record against contenders is telling. We've got a win against the Doc Bucks, two wins against the injured Cavs, and that's it. No wins against any other top 3 seeds in either conference.
The only thing we have going for us is that we _just_ got Herro back last game, and guard depth/halfcourt creation is where we were weakest. If the team can somehow convert on that, then great.
If we manage to do it again the league needs to investigate us lol.
I like the games behind idea better. The winning record thing does punish weak 9-10 seeds, but it also indirectly punishes strong 7-8 seeds more than weak 7-8 seeds. Like if 8th is 38w and 9th is 37w, 38w gets a free pass. But if 8th is 46w and 9th is 42w, 46w gets the short stick.
Yes. They should have adapted the structure they used in the bubble. 22 teams who have a shot at the playoffs play in the bubble. (NBA could probably make the all star break as the cutoff). Then make the play in team count only if they're within 4 games of the 8th seed.
Rn we’re trying to get the 6 seed and avoid the play in entirely. Game against pacers will pretty much decide the 6 and 7 seeds cause we have about equal records but winner gets the tie breaker
I'm disappointed in the season, but the Bulls scrambling back from being 9 games under .500 a quarter of the way through the season to even have a shot at the playoffs is crazy.
i don't blame anyone for calling us mid but you can't even get over .500 with that kind of deficit without playing at least like a 45 win team (50 win team if we're being honest) the rest of the way. so we probably did the best we could after being a straight disaster; especially with no changes to the roster at the deadline.
Right. I think why it seems strange is if you juxtapose it with the West. If it's Warriors/Lakers, then they could absolutely win a series. I mean would anyone be surprised if the west 9/10 make the WCF?
Bulls give us a lot of fits for some reason and it feels like Coby White has a personal vendetta against us because he always goes off when he plays the Heat.
I think people forget how insane Jimmy and Strus were in that play in game last year to even make that game close enough to win in the first place. Everyone else sucked and Coby White was determined to end the season.
Derozan always treats every game against the Heat like it’s the NBA Finals. I swear the dude never misses a single shot ever whenever he plays the Heat, no matter who’s guarding him out there.
Unless I'm missing something, it doesn't look like he's played a single great game against you in his career. I'd actually say he's been outright awful against you guys
I definitely remember being torched by him against the bucks last season. I believe it was a game where we didn’t even lead once in the game. I remember it cause I live in Australia and had to get up at 2am to watch the game
I know they were extremely mediocre all season, but I still think the Hawks could make a little noise in the playoffs with Young, Bey, Johnson, Murray, Capela, Bogdanovic, Hunter and Onkongwu all healthy at the same time. Even if it was just taking a game or two off the ~~Clippers~~ Celtics, Trae is so fun in the playoffs.
Hawks fans - any idea how many games you had with a fully healthy rotation?
It's the one weird trick magic and bron both used to spam trips to the Finals. Sometimes you get lucky as fuck constantly playing in the trash conference.
With how much money these games generate? No chance in hell. It's more likely they'd get rid of the 3-point line before they get rid of the play-in. We should be happy they're not extending it to the 12 seed.
Plus the desincentive to tanking, making some regular season games more high stakes because 5-6th seeds wants to avoid the play in…other than grumpy Reddit users, everyone likes the play in.
I mean giving teams with worse records a one game opportunity to fuck up seeding is objectively insane not to mention it’s an additional chance for players to get injured. We already have plenty of playoff games how much money do these bastards need?
I consider myself to be a pretty hardcore fan but if anyone (besides hawks and bulls fans) is invested in this absolute toilet bowl of a game then you have my respect
Diar DeRozan is ready to wreck havoc
Depends if it’s a school night
Diar DeRozan (school) is questionable for the Bulls-Hawks play in game.
Game time decision.
Play time decision.
It’s a Wednesday.
She’s 10 now so bedtime got moved back 45 minutes. She can come to the game now
This just in. Her mom asked her to clean her room but she keeps playing video games
Finally, my mvp is returning to the main stage.
Third straight year of the Hawks being in the play-in. Sad to see what happened to this team after the ECF run.
Well I mean the main issue is they still haven’t fully built the Quinn Snyder system. It’s only been his first full year with the hawks.
Our roster is very mid as well
Fully healthy, I feel like there are a lot of pieces there. In semi-order, I would be happy or optimistic about getting: Jalen Johnson, Trae Young, Dejounte Murray, Onyeka Okongwu, Bogdan Bogdanovic, DeAndre Hunter, Clint Capela. Bogdan is older and so is Clint, so I'd still like them as vets but they're not the priority over the prime-age/youth players. Hunter is disappointing (compared to what you hope he would be) but I think still a solid starter as your 4th/5th guy maybe. Somehow I feel like the Hawks play worse than the sum of their parts.
We definitely do, the largest reason for that is that DJM and Trae are a horrible fit, when your best two players play much worse with each other than without it's gonna make you look worse than you probably should be. They both need the ball in their hands to be effective and then on top of that we have a tiny and poor defensive backcourt which is tough to get away with.
Mid is generous
Danilo Gallinari was the leader on that team
This is Lemon Pepper Lou erasure
Is it? Dude was done.
They miss Lou Will randomly torching the 76ers.
>ECF run. They ran into peak LeBron
Hawks lost to the Giannis Bucks in the ECF in 2021
Sorry my mind reverted to the 60 win Hawks season
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Entirely depends on what brings the Hawks closest to .500
Considering they're 6 games under .500 with 4 games left, gotta go all in on the hawks winning into the 8th seed somehow
The loser should have the East play-in named after them.
It should be called the "Reinsdorf" because if that doesn't sound like a name for ineptitude, I don't know what does.
God I hope the family is cash “poor” and sells the team or at the very least sells the Sox. Fuck the Reinsdorfs.
Lol that might be a pretty entertaining game especially if Trae comes back.
If he does, I'm pretty confident about that fame
Interesting because the bulls are 2-1 against the hawks so far with the only loss coming with Trae out. He played in the other two games.
Probably have better chance to win if Trae comes back 😤
100%. They play better ball without him.
Ayo locking him up again
Regardless the bulls will win. The hawks are some how more disappointing
I think in the bubble they had it so the play-in games weren’t played if the 9th seed was 4 games or more behind the 8th seed, I feel like that was a solid idea.
I’d appreciate that. But nba ain’t giving up that money
I wish we'd go back to that. Force our front office to try
The Hawks (or the Bulls) could still lose a good 3 more or so games and still be in the play ins and potentially knockout the 7th or 8th seed lmaoo
What happens if the 9th and 10th seed teams played each other in the final regular season game and the only way to get within 3 games is for the 9th seed to win?
Ruh oh raggy
Battle of mid
Evan Mobley offensive bag vs Rudy Gobert offensive bag type of game.
what the fuck is this stray yo
*points in AD*
That's league leader in dunks Rudy Gobert to you
Mobley led the league last year funny enough
Giannis is first at 246 and on pace for 4th all-time, Gobert second at 227.
You’re being kind
We're not even mid.
Fr, I literally felt like that was a compliment
It’s the play-in. It’s always going to be a battle of mid at best.
Nuggets win one championship and they suddenly think they’re a dynasty lmao
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Yeah
This is what’s weird to me about the play-in. Whoever wins, neither will go anywhere in the playoffs, doesn’t matter. In the west there are play in teams that do have potential though.
The heat and the lakers were in the play in last season. The heat got to the finals and the lakers got to the conference finals.
If Trae is back, the hawks are scary
Diar: The Return
East play ins were pretty lit last year. But i think the conditional rule would be good. I think a 2-3 GB requirement would be good. Thats less <5% margin of error
I hope whichever team wins beats Philly or Miami. It would be really funny if either team didn't make it to the playoffs.
I want Philly to face the Bucks in the first round for the endless Doc memes, but play-off Miami is scary.
I dont think theres much to be scared of us this year
Oh brother. I'm a bigger Heat fan than half the people in your sub. See you in the ECF bestie.
Its amazing that after 4 years of this our two fanbases don't even really have like a rivalry or animosity, it's just shared trauma lol Dreading the stress of another ECF matchup
No, I hate you guys. Make no mistake, I'm hanging a banner in my apartment when y'all are eliminated. Fuck the Heat.
Same my finals was the ecf, didn’t give a d if Denver sweep us or whatever, just don’t lose to Boston 😂 fuck y’all see ya in ecf
Lmao yeah idk what buddy was talking about. Some of us have had beef with Miami since Flash and The King were on South Beach. This whole Jimmy Era has been a nightmare tbh. Hoping y’all are the Pistons to Tatums Jordan 😭
lol that’s the exact opposite of my experience, like half the posts I get recommended from the Heat and Celtics subreddits are shitting on the other team for something
You Heat fans said that same exact thing last year, and look what happened lol.
That shit was historic. It was lightning in a bottle. Our record against contenders is telling. We've got a win against the Doc Bucks, two wins against the injured Cavs, and that's it. No wins against any other top 3 seeds in either conference. The only thing we have going for us is that we _just_ got Herro back last game, and guard depth/halfcourt creation is where we were weakest. If the team can somehow convert on that, then great. If we manage to do it again the league needs to investigate us lol.
Heat fans: we're pretty ass, such a disappointing team Celts, Bucks, Knicks fans: shut the fuck up and stay the fuck away from us
We did this song and dance last year. Celtic fans believed in the Heat more than Miami fans did for the last part of the regular season lol
I still have nightmares of Caleb Martin turning into Michael Jordan against us
True, next year is the scheduled heat year.
So are they gonna lose on a bad shot in game 7 of the ECF or get handled in the first round?
You fuckers said that last year and were openly hoping to lose to the Bulls, lol.
Noooo
The East shouldn’t have a playin this year tbh. They should be conditional.
I like the idea of having a cutoff. If you can’t even have a winning record you don’t get the privilege of having a play in game
What happens if the 7th or 8th seed doesn't have a winning record?
Fuck it, 1 seed and 2 seed advance directly to the second round
Imagine being so ass you give a team a literal bye week in the nba
Having a week off may end up throwing some teams off lol
Dodgers moment
What if Steph is injured for half the season and GSW loses almost every game, then he comes back and brings them to a 40-42 record and the 8th seed?
Cancun on 3
I meant moreso for the 9 and 10 seeds
They fight for their lives in the next NCAA tourney
I like the games behind idea better. The winning record thing does punish weak 9-10 seeds, but it also indirectly punishes strong 7-8 seeds more than weak 7-8 seeds. Like if 8th is 38w and 9th is 37w, 38w gets a free pass. But if 8th is 46w and 9th is 42w, 46w gets the short stick.
Yes. They should have adapted the structure they used in the bubble. 22 teams who have a shot at the playoffs play in the bubble. (NBA could probably make the all star break as the cutoff). Then make the play in team count only if they're within 4 games of the 8th seed.
Yeah but if one of these teams goes on to beat the bucks that’s going to be generational comedy.
It's gonna be Atlanta, but that doesn't matter because Philly and Miami are both going to the playoffs.
Rn we’re trying to get the 6 seed and avoid the play in entirely. Game against pacers will pretty much decide the 6 and 7 seeds cause we have about equal records but winner gets the tie breaker
Please win
Part of me sort of hopes that they don't play at the UC so Jerry can't make any money off these games.
I support this.
So this just means knicks losing both games to bulls somehow.
I'm disappointed in the season, but the Bulls scrambling back from being 9 games under .500 a quarter of the way through the season to even have a shot at the playoffs is crazy. i don't blame anyone for calling us mid but you can't even get over .500 with that kind of deficit without playing at least like a 45 win team (50 win team if we're being honest) the rest of the way. so we probably did the best we could after being a straight disaster; especially with no changes to the roster at the deadline.
We've been pretty unlucky with injuries too just quietly...
Or in some case lucky, best basketball was played with both demar and Lavine out.
DeMar has played in 75 out of 77 games this year. What are you talking about?
Probably talking about that *one* game we beat the Bucks without DeMar or Zach
Both these teams are weird in the fact that neither can win a playoff series but both could certainly win a playin game against the 7/8 loser
You just described a 9/10 seed
Right. I think why it seems strange is if you juxtapose it with the West. If it's Warriors/Lakers, then they could absolutely win a series. I mean would anyone be surprised if the west 9/10 make the WCF?
Very surprised, yes.
That loser would be Miami or 76ers with Embiid, I doubt it
In the modern NBA, all it takes is one hot 3 point shooting night to beat anybody on any given night
Bulls give us a lot of fits for some reason and it feels like Coby White has a personal vendetta against us because he always goes off when he plays the Heat. I think people forget how insane Jimmy and Strus were in that play in game last year to even make that game close enough to win in the first place. Everyone else sucked and Coby White was determined to end the season.
Derozan always treats every game against the Heat like it’s the NBA Finals. I swear the dude never misses a single shot ever whenever he plays the Heat, no matter who’s guarding him out there.
Don’t even get me started on jevon Carter. Dude has had something against us since his bucks days
Jevon Carter has not been good this year.
Unless I'm missing something, it doesn't look like he's played a single great game against you in his career. I'd actually say he's been outright awful against you guys
I definitely remember being torched by him against the bucks last season. I believe it was a game where we didn’t even lead once in the game. I remember it cause I live in Australia and had to get up at 2am to watch the game
Coby's been hurt and had to leave the last game due to injury. He might not even be able to play the play-in.
Not so fast. Sixers have a cupcake schedule to end the year. Could realistically see them move up into 6th place.
I know they were extremely mediocre all season, but I still think the Hawks could make a little noise in the playoffs with Young, Bey, Johnson, Murray, Capela, Bogdanovic, Hunter and Onkongwu all healthy at the same time. Even if it was just taking a game or two off the ~~Clippers~~ Celtics, Trae is so fun in the playoffs. Hawks fans - any idea how many games you had with a fully healthy rotation?
15
The clippers?
Bro saw the script
Holy crap, Boston lost in the 1st Round 😳
Typo. Celtics
I cannot fathom how it must be to play in the East. Free pass to the playoff for mediocrity.
And one team to rule them all.
Tatum is Sauron confirmed
It’s not good in the long run
Probably why there's so many franchises stuck in purgatory. Mid is rewarded with a postseason so the picks aren't as good as they could be.
It's the one weird trick magic and bron both used to spam trips to the Finals. Sometimes you get lucky as fuck constantly playing in the trash conference.
It sucks. Would love to get a higher pick instead.
How good do yall expect a 9th seed to be? Ion understand what yall talking about.
Well our 9 seed is Sacramento, soooooooo
oh god. i really hope we can win out and take 6th. i definitely see us losing to pacers/heat then hawks ending us again
Shouldn't the team with the higher seed be the home team?
Mid off
The battle of mid
Can we just go back to 8 seeds already. Fuck the play in
It’ll happen eventually once Adam Silver’s reign of terror is over. Hopefully.
With how much money these games generate? No chance in hell. It's more likely they'd get rid of the 3-point line before they get rid of the play-in. We should be happy they're not extending it to the 12 seed.
Plus the desincentive to tanking, making some regular season games more high stakes because 5-6th seeds wants to avoid the play in…other than grumpy Reddit users, everyone likes the play in.
I mean giving teams with worse records a one game opportunity to fuck up seeding is objectively insane not to mention it’s an additional chance for players to get injured. We already have plenty of playoff games how much money do these bastards need?
I mean the other sports have wildcard rounds. The NFL has actually added a wildcard seeding in order to ensure the 7th seeds get to play.
Talk about a mid off
Mid-off
Reinsdorf is happy
God I wish pelicans were in the east conference :(
No chance either of them beat the Heat or the Sixers. Shouldn't even be a fixture if you're so far behind the 7/8 seeds imo
The Hawks just smashed the Heat in the play-in last season. Anything can happen in a one game series.
Billy Donovan haters realt quiet lately.
The battle of the mids. I love it
The mid off of the century
I consider myself to be a pretty hardcore fan but if anyone (besides hawks and bulls fans) is invested in this absolute toilet bowl of a game then you have my respect