The Unlikely Path to NBA Glory

Ready to have your mind blown by some NBA debates? We'll break down the Conference Semi-Finals and Finals matchups and predict who will emerge victoriously. Join us as we discuss the Denver Nuggets' unexpected rise to championship pick status, despite all the doubts, and the Phoenix Suns' disappointing tendency to falter in crucial moments.

But wait, there's more! We'll also examine the potential outcomes for the Philadelphia 76ers and the Boston Celtics in the second round of the playoffs, and what the future holds for the Knicks and the Miami Heat. We'll explore the trade value of Joel Embiid and the NBA Finals showdown between the Denver Nuggets and the Miami Heat. Don't miss our in-depth analysis, predictions, and more in this episode of Nothin But Net!

https://www.youtube.com/@NothinButNetPodcast

Transcript

NBA Conference Finals Analysis

Speaker 1 0:00

Hello everyone and welcome back to Notha Manette where we talk all things and everything basketball. I'm Ritham. I'm Cole, i'm Kaia And I'm Daniel, And today we're going to be talking about the NBA second round in conference finals. So let's talk about the western conference first. The 1-4 matchup the Nuggets and the Suns This to me, this to me, solidified the Nuggets as my championship picks. I didn't think it beforehand, but now I definitely know the Denver Nuggets are your 2023 NBA champions.

Speaker 2 0:45

Yeah, that's what I'm saying now, Like I think that's a bit far I don't think it's far.

Speaker 1 0:51

I don't think it's far.

Speaker 3 0:51

I think it's far, it's too far I don't think it is Honestly, there are four wins away from the title. Yes, But at the same time Phoenix imploded again.

Speaker 1 1:03

Yeah, but everybody.

Speaker 2 1:04

But at the same time, we keep doubting Denver, exactly, exactly what Mike Malone is saying People were saying that the Lakers would beat the Nuggets in like in game seven And then Nuggets just swept them. Exactly. I mean, I actually called it from the beginning Nuggets. I didn't think they would sweep them, I think I thought that the Nuggets would beat them And they did.

Speaker 1 1:24

Last captain. No, i did, no, i did. I swear You did not call I swear, i feel like that it's not that it's the Nuggets.

Speaker 3 1:32

It's that like, oh, because they beat the Phoenix Suns, their championship contender, it's that the Phoenix Suns are not a good team. I wouldn't say that. I'm saying that because this is the second year in a row where they blew like, where they lost by more than 25 points at home in the elimination game, where they were going up against a team that everyone said they would beat.

Speaker 4 1:57

They're not clutch, but you can't say they're not a good playoff team.

Speaker 1 2:00

I mean I can admit I think they just need time.

Speaker 3 2:03

This is the second year in a row that this exact situation has happened last year, I can admit.

Speaker 1 2:09

I can admit the last year was embarrassing Last year was embarrassing for the Suns. This year was not embarrassing because the like last year, the maps just completely demolished the Suns and then got, like gentlemen, swept by the Warriors. But this year the Nuggets are going to the finals and they're probably going to win the championship. It's two different teams.

Speaker 3 2:28

It's two different teams, yes, but at the same time we had the Suns making the finals, and so did a lot of other people. They were like consensus Again the best team in the Western.

Speaker 1 2:39

Conference.

Speaker 3 2:40

Yes, but that's just because Aten sucks and Chris Paul sucks also, but like Katie and Booker are like insane, yeah, but if Katie and Booker can't carry them and they're going to be stuck with them because CP3 is not going to get better and Aten is not going to get better because they just need benched up.

Speaker 4 2:56

Yeah.

Speaker 3 2:57

Like you already, they already fired their coach, so we don't even know who the coach is going to be from. Nick Nair's probably probably, but, like you know, there's so much uncertainty with this team that I'm not trusting them anymore. I don't think they're winning a championship with Katie and Booker.

Speaker 1 3:14

I don't know, they just need. they just need depth.

Speaker 2 3:17

I think they will.

Speaker 1 3:18

They traded the winner In just like two years.

Speaker 2 3:22

I think they could make it to the finals.

Speaker 1 3:24

Yeah, maybe I don't know. I mean like if they, if they like, get like bench pieces for Aten and maybe Chris Paul, like they're going to trade Aten, they have to trade Aten. But like Yeah, i mean like they could win the championship.

Speaker 3 3:39

I I don't think they're gonna win the championship because How it's gonna take a lot to get that bench back that they lost with. Yeah, trading for KD. I mean, I guess mainly because it's camp Johnson's in the kill bridges. We're really good for so as you can get those Too bad you cannot get those two back. Make over, just no, i'm not like those two, like physical, like actual players, like players, like three and D.

Speaker 1 4:06

Yes, basically you're saying three and D. Yes, okay, i see it. I don't know it's gonna be all we know that it's gonna be. It's gonna be a crazy offseason for the Phoenix Suns, definitely, yeah. But yeah, i'm just gonna say the nuggets are winning the title. That's what I'm gonna say.

Speaker 4 4:23

I mean you all kind of write on that cuz, even if Miami wins, even if Boston wins, i mean let's be honest, none of them really have a chance. Yeah, i mean they can play about fight. They could really put up a fight like yeah but I don't think they have a chance of winning.

Speaker 1 4:38

Yeah, next in the West is Lakers Warriors.

Speaker 4 4:42

Okay.

Speaker 1 4:43

I mean it's. The Warriors dynasty is over. Since 2014, they had never lost to a Western conference team in the playoffs, and yeah, yes the LeBron ruined it.

Speaker 4 4:55

Poetic, 38 year old LeBron, ruined that that's poetic though.

Speaker 1 4:59

That LeBron Yeah. And everybody thought, like the corgi. Who remembers the corgi brah? I'm feeling lonely. Yeah, bro, that was like the corgi. I mean he predicted the whole thing would go up 3-1 and then, like They just, he predicted that the Warriors would come back from the 3-1 lead, but the Lakers finished it off in five Yeah there were a bunch of conspiracies about how, like Steve Kerr did this on purpose, like just to prove like the Warriors could could like take a 3-1 lead, like just like in 2016.

Speaker 1 5:36

Yeah, the Steph, curry and yeah the Steve Kerr went down 3-1 on purpose. Yeah, they could like come back. Yeah, but that was just Warriors fans making theories to like they're trying to make themselves feel better. Yeah, exactly Yeah.

Speaker 4 5:50

But they had a pretty good run.

Speaker 1 5:51

Yeah, hooray, it's, it's finally next Let's go to the 8-5 matchup in the east the heat versus the Knicks. So The heat smoked them in six. But Jaylen Brunson is really good.

Speaker 3 6:04

There are the better team Yeah.

Speaker 1 6:06

Dylan Brunson is really good.

Speaker 4 6:07

Jaylen Brunson really put up a fight but you know Miami just had to take the dub on that cuz. Jimmy J Playoff. Jimmy Butler was like going crazy this season.

Speaker 3 6:18

Yeah, it's still surprising me how Bro is really him.

Speaker 1 6:21

Well, not it, not in this Boston series, i mean he was good for the first few games.

Speaker 3 6:26

Yeah and also Miami won in six Yeah.

Speaker 1 6:30

But Next I just have to say that Julius Rando was borderline unplayable in the playoffs and the Knicks need to figure out something about him.

Speaker 4 6:40

Yeah.

Speaker 3 6:40

I feel like that the Knicks are a good team Because you know they beat the cast and the cast need to figure out what they're gonna do now. But at the same time the Knicks also need to figure out what they're going to do, because you have Jaylen Brunson, who's a really good player, and He's like the only reason why the Knicks are where the fives need to made it to the second round. But then you have Archie Barrett who's up becoming heat. You can keep him around. And then you have Julius Randall. It was good in the first round but like he laid an egg in the second round.

Speaker 1 7:12

Yeah, i mean, i Just cuz I Be stuck in purgatory for the next 10 years, because they're not gonna be better than the heat, the Celtics, the box. They're not gonna be better than those teams, but they're just gonna be like the five seed. They're not gonna get good lottery picks, so are they just gonna be stuck?

Speaker 4 7:29

in.

Speaker 1 7:31

Yeah, honestly I think now, but the mellow era. They were like the two seed in the one seed.

Speaker 3 7:35

So they have a like they didn't really win anything. Yeah, but this was the Knicks meeting the cast was their first playoffs. You're just one since 2013.

Speaker 1 7:43

I mean yeah, but Jalen Brunson is a superstar. I mean I, he's a star, he's not a superstar.

Speaker 4 7:49

But yeah, that's all I gotta say about it. Yeah, Jalen Brunson is really good.

Speaker 1 7:54

But what do the Knicks do?

Speaker 3 7:55

Yeah, I feel like it's not time to Julius Randall.

Speaker 1 7:58

I feel like it's not time to panic, but it's time to think about panic.

Speaker 3 8:02

If you, yeah, don't make it past the second round Two years to blow it up? No, what I would, i think at least, like not like blow it up, blow it up, but like blow it up and like you, get rid of Julius Randall.

Speaker 4 8:12

Like move your piece around. Yes, yeah.

Speaker 3 8:15

Make small changes. Build more around JW Praxton.

NBA Offseason Strategy and Predictions

Speaker 1 8:18

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Um. Next is next is the second round matchup the two, three matchup the Sixers and the Celtics. Man, oh man, oh man, the trust, the process of elimination. What do the Sixers do now?

Speaker 3 8:34

Wait.

Speaker 4 8:35

I mean, like I mean honestly, they have like a bunch of good pieces, but I don't think James Harden's just staying Philly.

Speaker 1 8:41

Yeah, but what do they get in return for They can't do anything.

Speaker 4 8:43

That's like that's the only problem They can't walk for nothing.

Speaker 3 8:45

They can't, yeah, but like I don't think they can do anything because, yes, they can maybe sign and trade him, but I don't think James Harden would want that.

Speaker 1 8:56

I don't know, man Like what would they get in return? Kevin Porter's union and stuff.

Speaker 3 9:00

People just want to go where he wants to and get a max contract there. because he doesn't, i don't think he wants to stay in Philly, so Philly just has to.

Speaker 1 9:07

He wants to go to Houston, but like I don't know about that, I don't know about that.

Speaker 4 9:11

Like what would Philly get out of that?

Speaker 1 9:13

Yeah, what would Philly get?

Speaker 3 9:14

That's what I'm saying I don't think Philly's going to get anything, Yeah, but then like, I mean like, they kind of have to let him walk because he's an unrestricted free agent. Yeah, I mean, I don't know He doesn't want to come back, but at the same time, if he's in Philly, have the same offer. I think he's going to go back to Philly.

Speaker 1 9:33

No Houston.

Speaker 3 9:34

I think he's going to go back to Philly.

Speaker 1 9:37

Why Philly? It's already been confirmed that he wants to go back to Houston.

Speaker 3 9:40

I just feel like that Philly is a better fit for him. For In the short term.

Speaker 1 9:45

For Harden.

Speaker 3 9:46

For Harden in the short term.

Speaker 1 9:47

Honestly Because.

Speaker 3 9:48

Houston is still a rebuilding team, honestly, i would just.

Speaker 1 9:50

I don't think.

Speaker 3 9:51

Harden would want to be with a rebuilding team for who knows how long, because his career is going to end in the next five to six years.

Speaker 1 9:59

I'm going to disagree with that because. But then what?

Speaker 4 10:01

would happen in the next five years if he stayed in Philly Exactly.

Speaker 3 10:05

He's not going to stay in Philly for five years. Yes, but like I don't think he wants to.

Speaker 4 10:09

But how would that benefit Philly or Harden?

Speaker 3 10:11

Exactly, i feel like he's going. He might want to come back to Philly, but only if they give him another max contract.

Speaker 1 10:21

If I was Harden, i would rather go to a team that's going to be really good in two years and be that vet leader for them when they're 35, with the head coach that just went to the finals, over a team that's lost in the second round every year since 2018. I would That's what I would do if I was Houston, but all the signs are saying go to Houston.

Speaker 3 10:41

I would If I were to intern. I would stick with the team because the team is changing.

Speaker 1 10:47

I don't know.

Speaker 3 10:49

Depending on who they hire for head coach, the team is changing.

Speaker 1 10:53

Do the six years.

Speaker 3 10:54

Yeah, i don't know.

Speaker 1 10:56

Should they just blow it up or something?

Speaker 3 10:58

No, i think, if it depends what they do after James Harden, i feel like if James Harden leaves you heavily consider blowing it up and getting rid of Embiid.

Speaker 1 11:08

What would you get back for him, though?

Speaker 3 11:10

Picks players.

Speaker 1 11:12

Chat home group. That would be crazy, that would be crazy. Chat home group.

Speaker 4 11:15

I mean like.

Speaker 1 11:19

Because I think Embiid's trade value had gone down, because he's borderline unplayable in the playoffs.

Speaker 4 11:24

Yeah.

Speaker 3 11:27

I feel, like I would tell him during that series. The game say one was when.

Speaker 1 11:33

Harden went off.

Speaker 3 11:34

Yeah, but I feel like that, philly, if they can somehow, i don't think they're going to. but if they can somehow take the number one pick from San Antonio, i don't think it's going to happen. That's not going to happen. If they could and be for women, yama, but anyway, i feel like if I was Philly I would be listening to trade offers.

Speaker 1 12:00

For.

Speaker 3 12:00

Embiid Yes I would also I wouldn't take them, but I would listen to them. And it's something amazing comes out.

Speaker 1 12:07

I would, i would, i would, i would, i would agree with that also. But what was I going to say? If they hire, like, a money, williams as their next head coach, like, then he can turn their franchise around Mean, if they like, give maxi the keys. You never know what could happen. But, yeah, again. Like the Sun's, the Sixers have a lot of changes to do in this offseason.

Speaker 3 12:37

I feel like that, going back to Arden, if, even if he doesn't come out, you have maxi.

Speaker 1 12:42

Yeah, yeah you're fine either way but like, if you're hard and it's a really big piece, yeah, arden's a really big piece, might feel like maxi could fill that yeah.

Speaker 4 12:50

But if you like, like honestly, if Harden leaves and they don't and like feel it doesn't get someone good in exchange, i think you can still build off a Tyrese and like and bead because They're like you could also.

Speaker 1 13:02

Yeah, but it's not impossible.

Speaker 4 13:06

It's like it can, it can, like you can still build off those two players. It's just you need. So you need like to benefit off of losing, or someone like Harden.

Speaker 1 13:14

Yeah, you do. You need to get some value back, is what you say.

Speaker 2 13:17

Yeah, I was just losing a valuable player to the team for nothing.

Speaker 1 13:21

But I think if Harden's leaving, he's going to Houston. I don't think there's any other options. But how would that affect? like Aemon Thompson's development, because if the Rockets draft Aemon Thompson, then, how would that affect his development? I mean, what if the Rockets trade the fourth pick For Harden? that would be a horrible trade for the Rockets, but I mean because they get just signed.

Speaker 3 13:41

That could benefit Yeah.

Speaker 1 13:42

I guess we'll just see, we'll see. But yeah, we'll see what happens. Now Let's go to the conference finals. In the West, the Nuggets sweep the Lakers. They're going on the finals. The Nuggets are winning the championship.

Speaker 4 13:54

I'm gonna say that honestly, i did not see the Lakers going to the finals at all, so, like Denver, denver beating LA wasn't really a surprise to me really well.

Speaker 2 14:03

What was a surprise was that Lakers didn't get a win in the bag. That is because For oh like people had high expectations for the Lakers. They were saying how like Lakers, lakers in seven because they had a LeBron ad like you'll get, you're to stand a chance against them.

Speaker 3 14:21

Yeah.

Speaker 4 14:23

Yeah yeah, but the thing is like the lion LeBron too much, so like yeah, this isn't?

Speaker 1 14:30

Dilo was put up a stinker this series, but he was horrible like yeah. Dilo was what happened to him. But I'm gonna just say this this Lakers season was a success. Yeah, going too intense to go into the Western Conference finals. I don't care if people say he they got swept. This Lakers season was a success in my books.

Speaker 4 14:50

I'm gonna say they're really building a team right now.

Speaker 1 14:53

Yes, but they're probably gonna trade it off for Kyrie everything, something.

Speaker 4 14:55

But I don't know.

Speaker 1 14:57

But the Lakers are also very are a very expensive team, so they also have many changes to do in the offseason because who knows if they can bring back Hachi Mura, all their bench, to have Hachi Mura, bees leave, vanderbilt, dilo, all these guys you know like We don't know if they can bring all of them back. So we'll just see what they do in this offseason. But overall I think it was a successful, successful season.

Speaker 4 15:20

This is a great season for the Lakers, honestly, yeah.

Speaker 1 15:23

Um, and now the next one. It's right now. Three two Miami Boston. Tonight is the game, and this episode will probably be posted after the game. So after the game, you will know if there will be a game seven or if, or, by the time this episode is out, you will know if you There will be a game seven or if miami is going to the finals.

Speaker 3 15:45

This game is kind of miami is going to win game six and they're going to win the finals.

Speaker 2 15:50

I don't know Jimmy Butler played 34 minutes uh, thursday, thursday's game And he got 14 points. Yeah, I mean like that's a very big disappointment for Playoff, jim but like this goes 97 to 110.

Speaker 3 16:07

I thought he was just gonna be boston but, I think boston my actually I think boston is not gonna come back.

Speaker 4 16:14

I don't think I'm gonna lose tonight and miami.

Speaker 2 16:16

I think they're gonna win tonight.

Speaker 1 16:18

I don't think boston has, and then miami's gonna win next game, yeah, but miami's not winning game seven, if I think if boston wins this game, boston wins the series. If miami wins this game, miami wins the series. But it would be so embarrassing Nobody would ever call jimmy butler playoff jimmy ever again if they blew it.

Speaker 4 16:37

I know this series is getting me like so mad because like how can you like, if they blow this 3o lead, that's gonna be like It's gonna be.

Speaker 1 16:46

It's gonna damage everybody on the roster.

Speaker 3 16:49

They ball it up.

Speaker 1 16:50

I think, yeah, i mean they over exceeded expectations this year and I.

Speaker 3 16:57

Heavily over exceeded Expectations. Yeah.

Speaker 1 17:00

I, i just kind of I don't want the Celtics to win this series because I want brown to go to Atlanta, but I I don't want the heat to go to the finals, because if the heat will go to the fight, if the heat win the finals, i mean then pat Riley's just gonna run it back and they're.

Speaker 2 17:15

They can't run it back. If miami Loses against boston, boston advances to the finals. I still think it was is a very it was a very good run for heat.

Speaker 1 17:26

They blew a 3o lead, though I mean, i don't know.

Speaker 3 17:28

Yeah but, okay, let's.

Speaker 4 17:30

Don't forget the first series.

Speaker 2 17:31

Let's look all the way back to the first round, miami against milwaukee. It surprised everyone that watches basketball How miami, miami beat the onesie, like miami beat milwaukee 4o and that's almost a sweep.

Speaker 1 17:44

And they add yonest too, Yes so I mean yeah, it was a successful season, but successful season.

Speaker 3 17:50

Yeah, but at the same time, i feel like at this point you. Its finals are bust.

Speaker 1 17:55

It's still a disappointment, even if they lose if miami doesn't make the finals, it's a disappointment. Yeah but miami season has been successful.

Speaker 3 18:03

I feel like I'm gonna say this again I think miami is gonna win the championship.

Speaker 4 18:07

The championship Yep The champions, the nuggets, the nuggets, yeah, but the nice Tell me what but jimmy.

Speaker 1 18:15

But jimmy's been border, jimmy's been horrible, by that logic then, Jamal Murray, jamal Murray. Those are taken yo kids jamal Murray, macaporto, junior, yo kids jamal Murray, macaporto junior, and gordon.

Speaker 3 18:28

Yes, but at the same time Jimmy has gone off and the team has not let him down that much.

Speaker 1 18:35

Yeah, but the nuggets bro.

Speaker 3 18:37

I understand that the nuggets are like an amazing team, but I feel like that wait, okay.

Speaker 1 18:44

Do you think that the this might not be like? Uh, you think that the heat are gonna win the finals? Do you think that the nuggets are a better team than the heat, or do you think that the heat are a better team than the nuggets?

Speaker 3 18:58

I feel like, i feel like that The heat are going to win the finals, yes, and I feel like that they're that the nuggets have better but death. Okay but who's the?

Speaker 1 19:10

better team.

Speaker 3 19:13

I would say there should be a simple question.

Speaker 1 19:16

One team was the one seed. One seed with one team was the eight seed.

Speaker 3 19:19

And in the regular season the nuggets, but in the playoffs the heat to sing the heat are a better team in the playoffs.

Speaker 1 19:25

That's where we ended, folks. Oh my god, bro, what. Okay, I feel like no, i'm saying I'm saying that like you are overrating playoff jimmy.

Speaker 3 19:36

Yeah, you are.

Speaker 2 19:37

I mean like, just like how warriors fans were overrating game six clay when you went to st.

Speaker 3 19:42

Clay, Yeah, when he was six percent clay but at the same time I feel like that.

Speaker 1 19:49

Okay, cool, can you change? do you change your mind?

Speaker 3 19:53

Yes, nuggets are better team of the year, so I'm gonna win the championship.

Speaker 1 19:56

Okay, i can, i can see that I can get by that. I can get by that.

Speaker 3 19:59

I can see he's because jimmy is just Good and the team. If it depends on everybody else, jimmy butler can go off as much as he wanted, but that doesn't change anything.

Speaker 4 20:10

I can't heat up.

Speaker 3 20:11

if he goes off and score 60 But the team does nothing to help him, they're not gonna win the championship.

Speaker 1 20:16

Yeah.

Speaker 4 20:18

I can agree with core on the fact that he might win the championship, but I don't like Like I can see that he winning the championship but like I'll be surprised if they do.

Speaker 1 20:29

Yeah, I mean. I mean like The nuggets are just so good man.

Speaker 2 20:36

Like let's, let's just go through our championship.

Speaker 1 20:38

Pick Danny, who you got.

Speaker 2 20:40

I think nuggets are gonna win the championship.

Speaker 1 20:42

Yeah, I think that the nuggets are gonna win the title also.

Speaker 4 20:45

I hate. I have nuggets as well.

Speaker 1 20:47

Yeah, i mean, it's just no competition outlier here Yeah but I mean. I'll guess we'll see game six tonight.

Speaker 3 20:55

We will see all the heat have to do is get white hot.

Speaker 4 20:58

Yeah but if it was Celtics, celtics Denver, what do you guys think would happen?

Speaker 3 21:03

like nuggets are winning. Nuggets are winning. The Celtics are, you don't think, the soldier put a fight.

Speaker 1 21:07

The subject will put a fight.

Speaker 2 21:08

I would but I still, i think they.

Speaker 1 21:12

Yeah, I mean.

Speaker 4 21:13

If it got to a 3-3, 3-3 finals, finals, game seven. What are you thinking?

Speaker 1 21:18

The nuggets because they're at home and the nuggets haven't lost a game at home this entire playoffs.

Speaker 4 21:25

Okay, i see that, i see that, i see that bye.