2023 NBA Finals Predictions.

Cons of Denver:

• Murray has been known to be inconsistent.

• Porter Jr. can devolve into a perimeter bricker who stands and ball watches on both ends of the floor.

Cons of Miami:

• Can Caleb Martin continue to be part of a big 3? It's unproven so far.

• Have to go back 7 games to find last Miami win.

• Adebayo has not been great in the playoffs.

I like Miami's defense, and the way they understand their roles on offense.

I like Jokic doing what he does for Denver.

I'd be surprised if this series is less than 6 games. I think this will be a good series.

Denver

Miami

Denver

Miami

Denver

Denver

Denver in 6.

MVP: Jokic

The only thing exciting about my pick is that I have Denver winning the first road game. I'm thinking Herro will need a few games before he has a good game, so I'm aiming for a good Herro game 4.

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2096255-nikola-jokic-nba-draft-2014-highlights-scouting-report-and-more

https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nba/news/nikola-jokic-draft-scouting-reports-proved-experts-wrong/l8ofma2jt2huy5b53gooxrkr

Maybe the Miami games will look different outside of the altitude. They missed a ton of wide-open gimme jumpers.

Playoff level intensity is a different animal, so it makes sense why the Heat's shots were all over the place Gm 1.

But this years Finals has been rough looking. I feel like Miami needs a miracle to not get swept off the floor.

I hope I'm wrong because this year as a whole has been unusual... and I'd like to see more of the same.

Depending on how Game 3 goes, it's either Denver in 5.... or just an ugly sweep. Hope I'm wrong.

I thought game 2 was great.

So do the Heat have 3 different color options for the paint? Today it's yellow.

Are black and red the other ones they also do?

I love what the Nuggets are doing. Seeing a team from a mid sized, tough to navigate market just one win from the title is a great thing. When I say "tough to navigate", I mean that the NBA is a distant 2nd at best and arguably the 4th wheel in a 4 sport city that really isn't big enough to be a 4 sport city but gets it done due to having a pro sports friendly political climate.

It's not a market that attracts free agents. You have to do it organically and through wise trades. Jokic in the 2nd round is probably the all time greatest draft day steal while Murray at #7 and MPJ at the end of the lottery are good value. If you do those drafts over again, both guys go higher

The Gordon trade and KCP trade to fill out the starting lineup made sense and took a financial commitment from ownership being that it would put them in luxury tax territory. They weren't total giveaways either. Gary Harris' defense against Donovan Mitchell is what brought them back from 3-1 down against Utah before our epic collapse against them the next round so it's not like they got Gordon for nothing

They actually traded 2 players in their rotation for just one when they dealt Barton and Monte Morris for KCP and Ish. Ish never plays while Barton and Morris were 2 of their top 6 players. Just two smart, calculated and well thought out trades that you have to do whereas that team across the hall can just dial up the agent of choice and have them threaten and bully some poor small market GM into a lopsided deal in order to appease his royal highness

It's not over yet. They need to keep their eye on the prize. But the fact that they've come this far should be a good sign for the league in general. You don't have to bully your way to a large market or leave at the first chance you get. Dirk, Dame, the Freak and Joker have shown us that there's another way, a way that works for everyone, not just fans of that team across the hall or the 2016-2019 back door crew up state

Well Dame hasn't shown us yet, since Portland has only made one conference finals in his tenure, and 0 NBA Finals.

But in general, yes, it is possible, using a combination of draft, trades, and free agent moves. The latter are needed to fill out the roster with good players.

(Or sign and trades).

They need to get good two way players for those roles.

If Denver wins a championship, Jokic should go to Taco Bell's competitor, and make fun of Taco Bell, for prioritizing a defunct quesarito over him.

I guess that might be Del Taco, but I have never liked the quality of Del Taco.

Not El Pollo Loco, since they're not national.

I want to say Green Burrito, but for some reason, I can't find their locations online. I know I still see them. And I see the availability to order from them online.

Can you help me figure out why I can't find a way to find all Green Burrito locations online?

I could have said Chipotle, but I have mixed feelings about their food. Plus, it's dumb that they are named chipotle, yet don't have a single item on their menu that uses chipotle peppers.

So I can't think of a competitor to Taco Bell at the moment.

Haha! Great post

Del Taco is basically their competitor. If you notice, they took a name that rhymes with Taco Bell then flipped it around. I'm pretty sure that was done on purpose and you're right about the quality. They always get rid of their best stuff like the smothered burrito and the tamales although I think the tamales are seasonal

You can find Green Burrito but I think you have to type in "Carl's Jr" before green burrito since they are all merged together. I know the one on Fairfax and Olympic as well as 7th and Alvarado near where I live. They used to have a bunch in the valley but I can only think of one on Winnetka right now but at the end of the day, Del Taco would be the competitor

Great point about Chipotle. I never thought of that

Your comment about Del Taco getting rid of good stuff, is another thing I hate about any store or restaurant.

The other issue I have with Chipotle is that they don't seem to wrap their burritos that well. Stuff comes out when I start eating it. It's happened at multiple locations.

Plus, I don't think their food is better than that at a taqueria. Here in California we have a lot of taqueria options, unlike other parts of the USA.

I use the same reasoning to stay away from Taco Bell. But in Taco Bell's case, they've also gotten rid of items I've liked, such as the Grilled Stuft Burrito; XXL Chalupa; the Enchrito.

They did bring back the Mexican Pizza last year, but it wasn't as good as it was before.

I don't think I've been to a Green Burrito since college. I think I'm going to try going to one this summer. I remember liking their food. It felt like taqueria style food, which is what I prefer.

Plus, for the sake of this discussion, since they are linked to several Carls Jr. locations, they would also be somewhat national. Apparently there's also something called "Red Burrito", also under Carls Jr. It's too frustrating to try and find where those are located, since trying to find Green Burrito was hard enough. I wonder if it may be an east coast thing, but who knows.

Ironically, I went to Chipotle last night and it wasn't so much that they didn't wrap the burrito well but that some of the stuff that you request that they put when order on the app, they put very little of to the point where you barely notice that it's there. I'm contemplating going back to just ordering in person and watching them do it so I can request more of what they're shorting me on. I started using the app during the pandemic because of spacing issues but now that we're more or less out of it, I'm considering my options

I went to TB for the first time in a long time 2 weeks ago and believe it or not, they actually have the enchirito back but in limited time so it's there now but may not be there if you go in a few weeks

Correct on the taqueria thing. While SoCal blows away Norcal in overall Mexican food consumption, I still believe the best taqueria is still "Gordo Taqueria". The original is in suburban Albany between Richmond and Oakland while there's 2 in the city (SF) and another near the Berkeley/Oakland border

"An early Avalanche here in Denver".

That was a really good line, considering there's a hockey team named the Colorado Avalanche.

Heat take the lead.

I want to get excited, but I believe Miami has also had late 1st quarter leads in several previous games in this series, only to lose.

Heat with a 10 point lead.

39 - 29.

​39 - 34.

Bad job, Miami, after a Denver timeout.

Do you think Love and Adebayo are playing more combined minutes this game, than other games? (Or on pace to do so?)

Porter Jr. just missed a 1 on 0 pull up 3.

He always does this on fast breaks.

Don't agree with them continuing to put Butler on Jokic, like they have been doing, this series.

Tie game 60.

Oh noes.

71 - 70, end of the 3rd.

Stop it Miami.

Keep the lead. Don't keep losing it.

89 - 92, 24.7 seconds left.

I don't get the automatic booing of Adam Silver.

It's not like the Nuggets have been screwed by many calls in their playoffs history.

So who does Pamela Anderson choose to congratulate first?

Jamal Murray, because he's Canadian, like herself?

Or Nikola Jokic, because he's the best player?

Ties are not allowed.

I don't recall a narrated montage by Mike Breen before.

I recall broadcast ending montages for the champions, but don't think they were narrated like this.

The guy(Reggie Jackson), most of our folks coveted on our team, is not even on the Nuggets rotation! That’s the difference between us and the other teams in building a championship team!

David Stern got it worse than any commissioner in any sport

Murray. Canadian and it looks like Joker is taken already

There's even a pool for Anderson to habitat in. The pool, and pool attire, seem to be a natural place for Anderson to be.

https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1668473367798722562

Haha. As tall as Jokic is, I'm glad he didn't hit his head on the side of the pool

You're right. We can't see how long the pool is, since part of it is off camera. But it might not be very long either.

I think that's probably a jacuzzi and not a pool, which means it might not be that deep either.

I could be wrong, maybe that's a normal depth pool.

If you watch to the end, you can see Jokic at the far end with the top of his torso and head above water level. It's a pretty small pool. Glad nobody got hurt but that was kind of a dangerous maneuver. Murray was still holding a bottle of alcohol in his hand. I wonder if he was tipping a little too much lol

On NBA TV, after game 5, one of the hosts asks Jamal Murray how he's feeling. Knowing the kind of celebration that went on.

He doesn't answer.

I might be able to try them this summer.

What do you recommend there?

I see they don't have nachos. One of the first things I like to try are nachos. I like nachos with fajita meat, or carnitas, not with shredded chicken. It may be less authentic, but I think it tastes better that way.

One of my favorite places, that closed, put mole on their nachos. It gave them a distinct good flavor.

Do they have their own salsa bar?

I'm glad they have separate options for grilled and shredded chicken, so I can get my preferred grilled.

Why do you consider this the best?

Super burrito. Grilled or shredded broiled chicken are great with me.

The crispy tacos are great. What I like about the super burritos and crispy tacos is that they melt the cheese into the tortilla or corn taco shell. You don't get the melted cheese with the smaller regular sized burrito

I also like that they seem to broil or cook the meat to perfection. Like chipotle, you watch them as they make your food so you can request more or less of what additions they put on.

The quesadillas are decent. You can get meat filled or if you like it plain, you can get that as it's cheaper. I think it's called the "appetizer" quesadila

You're right about there being no nachos. They don't have a salsa bar either although they have a few type of salsas that you can request although they charge which is unfortunate as well. The salsa does come with chips though so it's not a total ripoff

All in all, the burritos and crispy tacos make it worthwhile. The top rate nature of the burritos outweigh the lack of nachos and a do it yourself salsa bar

Thanks for the explanation.

Thanks for the explanation.

Are you going to the bay area soon?

This will never get old.

Former Sacramento Kings GM and President of Basketball Operations Vlade Divac leaked his draft board, so he could announce the signing of Gabe Vincent.

Future NBA Finals starting PG Gabe Vincent, who would soon be cut by the Kings.

The Kings didn't know what they had. Both with Vlade Divac, which is why they kept him for so long. And with Vincent, when they cut him so quickly.

The article details what was leaked, with more pictures.

https://www.yahoo.com/video/twitter-photo-might-leaked-insider-information-sacramento-kings-182112972.html

https://twitter.com/Joe_Pasternack/status/1047536475955294208