October 29, 2024

NBA Pickem Week 2: Paolo in the Zone: There's a TNT doubleheader tonight of Mavs/Wolves and Pelicans/Warriors to start the NBA national broadcast week. Former rookie of the year Paolo Banchero of the Magic dropped 50 on the Pacers Monday and has a game on ESPN tomorrow. I'm in first in the pickem after scoring 66 and hitting five locks. Fortune favors the bold.

posted by rcade to basketball at 09:43 AM - 7 comments

Current Standings

posted by rcade at 09:44 AM on October 29, 2024

My picks:

Timberwolves by 8
Pelicans by 3
Celtics by 13 (slam dunk)
Thunder by 9 (slam dunk)
Magic by 3
Timberwolves by 5

The Celtics are going to be a problem for everybody else all season long.

posted by rcade at 09:47 AM on October 29, 2024

My picks:

Mavericks by 6
Pelicans by 5
Celtics by 11
Thunder by 13 (slam dunk)
Cavaliers by 8
Timberwolves by 8 (slam dunk)

I like Paolo quite a bit, but I think you owe Wemby a Je m'excuse, rcade.

I'm trying to picture any game that I wouldn't pick a healthy Celtics squad. At OKC is the only edge-case at the moment, but even then I'd have to think about it real hard. I likened their performance on opening night to "watching a fucking video game". They are ridiculous when they get rolling.

posted by Ufez Jones at 01:23 PM on October 29, 2024

My picks:

Mavericks by 6
Pelicans by 5
Celtics by 6
Thunder by 8
Cavaliers by 7
Timberwolves by 11 (slam dunk)

posted by NoMich at 01:35 PM on October 29, 2024

Can't believe I overlooked Wembanyama. He's hard to miss.

posted by rcade at 07:47 PM on October 29, 2024

My picks:

Celtics by 11 (slam dunk)
Thunder by 15 (slam dunk)
Cavaliers by 6
Nuggets by 9

Missed yesterday's games. Right now have lots of things going on. Truck transmission shot, renovation work going on in the house, rounding up cats to go to the vet. Didn't look at email until late last night. Probably would have missed them anyway.

posted by Howard_T at 02:31 PM on October 30, 2024

I have watched the Celtics in person for 3 games (1 pre-season), and on TV for the other 2. They really are scary, but they can be beaten. It will take a mistake-free game by a team that shoots better than on an average night, and that might still not be enough unless at least one of the Celtics has a bad night. The first half against the Bucks serves as an example. Both Brown and Tatum were not shooting well, and all that kept Celtics in the game was rebounds and Peyton Pritchard. Bucks began to run out of gas in the latter part of the 3rd quarter, Brown decided to take over, and Mr. Pritchard did what he does so well, draining a 3 with 0.4 left in the period. After the game, Doc Rivers said that he had warned his players about Pritchard, and told them that he liked to come up the right side to shoot the late 3. There's a video of the play that shows Rivers standing bent over with his hands on his knees and head down in frustration.

Don't forget that this Celtics team remained almost entirely intact over the break, thus have no need to establish lineups and substitution patterns. In short, they hit the ground running. The latter part of the season will very likely see the better teams gel into more solid groups and become more competitive. Of course, the Celtics will have Porzingis returning, so they will be even more frightening. There's a better than even chance that I will see the final game for Banner 19, and watch it take its spot in the rafters.

posted by Howard_T at 03:25 PM on October 30, 2024

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