Celtics or Thunder: Who is the NBA title favorite this year?
Jason breaks down his NBA contender tiers, starting with the two favorites the Boston Celtics and Oklahoma City Thunder. He discusses how Boston’s versatility behind Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis gives them a slight edge on the young but talented Thunder with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren.
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25 Comments
Jason – Idea to fix NBA regular season – would need tweaking and alternating schedule for home court advantage but simply put:
Baseball like format and play teams in 3 game series BUT every series is important because standings and team records would be based off the series record. Brings meaning to every game every night *More of an "EVENT" style as you & Colin have said – Plus it even accommodates the "load management" and "player development" for young guys. Win the first two games of the series, you win the series, and you can rest the stars and play the young guys in Game 3. (However, have tie breakers based on overall records, so it doesn't encourage that too often.)
Would make for so many more meaningful games if you're going into multiple "Game 3's" tied at 1-1 (would feel like a bunch of mini "Game 7s") It seems inevitable that this style would help players not only be more motivated to win but get more experience in high pressure situations (playoff style basketball year around).
Each team plays 25 three game series and add two "Super Series" throughout the year that are 5 game series and focus on having marquee matchups (i.e. Lakers vs Celtics) making the middle of the season extra fun and playoff type atmosphere.
WIN WIN WIN for the League, Players, and Fans = few extra games, more meaning to games, more money. Ratings would explode. How much more fun would it be for devout NBA fans each night asking, "What game is it tonight?" Every game matters.
Would love to hear what you think!
The Celtics are not the favorite to win the title this year, they are the favorite to win the title every year!
Cavs do not get any respect! Thunder just need to win one and they will be a favorite every season for the next 5 years!
Top teams in the east >> Top teams in the west.
Only real threat in the west to OKC are Denver imo, while Cavs and the Knicks are really difficult teams to beat as well.
Thunder are vets now you gonna see them win this year Celtics are overrated
Beantown in 5
If KP stays basically healthy for the rest of the season, I feel very good about Boston. He is a real big asset against the Cavs and OKC. Their 2nd, 3rd and 4ths string bigs are pretty solid on D (Horford, Kornett and Queta), but the offensive versatility of KP is a cheat code. He is the best shot-effecter on the team as well.
Celtics/Thunder will be a great finals. I have a ton of respect for the Cavs, and think they would do pretty well against OKC, too. I just see Boston as being a slightly more talented team that knows what it takes. Spider is an X factor if he goes nuclear though.
The Celtics!! Go Celtics!!
Cavs lol
Thunder may win close to 70 games and I still think they're underdogs heading to a Finals matchup against the Cs. If Boston has at least 1 or 2 games where they shoot below 30% from three, OKC has a chance.
4:54 I disagree Jason.
Love the videos but I disagree. Do you want Dort defending anyone 1-5 or would you rather have Jrue Holiday?
I’d go Jrue when healthy. Jrue just is a bit smarter, he’s a champ, insane lateral quickness and defensive reaction, a tad more athletic, and just as strong.
I’d go Jrue over Dort as the better weapon defensively
The Cleveland Cavaliers.
the thunder and sga are everyone's darling regardless of sga's lack of success, recent rise to "darlinghood", and clear inferiority to jokic for mvp.
Cavs
“Tatum got better and matched Shai” just admit when you’re wrong. Shai was taking free throws in the all star game. Tatums game has ALWAYS translated to winning more than any player in the league
OKC has a great chance…… Depends how they match up in the Finals. Their defensive rating is 105, and that's without Holmgren blocking and altering shots for over 3 and half months now
Cavs vs Nuggets 😂🎉
The Celtics or more complete they don’t have one specific score they technically have three. While Okc, heavily relies on Shai.
If you can lock him down, then it’s the same experience as with the Mavericks the rest of the team just can’t do enough
The Thunder are legit but the Cavs are a joke! I'd favor the Celtics 4-1 if every game was in Cleveland lol
Bro said Tatum has matched SGA's level. SGA has had 2 good seasons, and this is his 3rd good season. Tatum has been performing since he has entered the league. SGA does nothing better than Tatum. Tatum passes better than him, defends better than him, can rebound better than him, and shoots better than SGA. The only thing I give SGA is his mid-range, but Tatum has a deeper bag. Tbh, he can post up, shoot the three, and get downhill. Yeah, SGA averages 30, but Tatum can do that & has proven he can. He just plays in a system where he doesn’t need to & still averages 27. That’s only a 3-point difference.
Its the celtics, unless anyone else dethrone them. Until then its all speculations and hype!
If Chet gets back to form, the Thunder have the better team. Heck they are almost on pace to win 70 games without Chet for most of the season. This team is way better than they were last year. No team this young has ever been this good. They learned a lot from last year’s playoffs. Hartenstein was such a key addition. And Caruso adds more defense. Causing a historically great defense.
Don't forget the coaching advantage Boston has, Psycho Joe will find your weakness and put it under a magnifying glass, then find your strength and bury it in a deep hole (Example Luka's defense and the lobs to Gafford and Lively in the finals)
NBA MAILBAG: Can you address this horrible take that no kids want to be JT please? I understand he isnt as flashy as other players but hes 1st team all nba, hes a good father and role model whos jersey sales top 3 every year and sells millions of shoes, just feel like he gets blasted by the media for a being a good person and leader and its unfair.