The team looks awesome right now (top 5 baby!), but we’ve had LuKai operating at their best and role players stepping up when we needed them. I think most of us would agree that there’s a path to the championship, but what needs to happen and who needs to step up?
Luka: Our boy has historically been a menace in the playoffs. As long as he’s healthy and going strong, we will always have a chance.
Kyrie: This year has been one of his healthiest seasons in the league. Can he stay that way through the playoffs? When LuKai both give us 20+ points, we are usually in a winning position.
Kidd: This is his year to prove himself as a coach. Our outcome this year will likely label 2022 as a fluke forever, or Kidd will earn everyone’s respect officially. He seems to be focused on culture and trust, and it looks good right now. But when we lose and he’s trusting the guys that make us lose, it looks bad.
Lively and Gafford: These guys are possibly our biggest X factor this year. They’ve blown away expectations this season, but can they hold up against big men on the biggest stage? Can they keep get momentum swinging buckets against playoff competitors? Should we be worried about Lively’s injury outlook?
THJ: Love him or hate him, he’s still a big factor in our success and I think that’s why Kidd and the team seemed okay losing a few games to try and get him hot for the end of the season. We’re lucky, though, because Exum and some of these other guys are proving to be better than we expected, which is taking some pressure of Tim and allowing him to find a new role. Before, we lived and died by his 3s. Now he can stop shooting and we still can win. But, if he’s shooting well, we almost always win. So let’s hope he gets hot.
PJ: If this guy can limit the scoring of other stars through the playoffs, his role will already be huge. If he can efficiently score 20-30 points regularly, I don’t know who can stop us.
Exum: Love this guy’s story this season. If he can stay healthy he could be a highlight of our post season. Hopefully his 3s keep falling.
DJJ: I’ll admit I’m not super familiar with his role right now. He seems to be a solid all around role player. Does he have a next level? What are we hoping for from him?
Green and Hardy: These are young guys that show sparks, but also can be pretty quiet. If one of these guys takes a leap in the playoffs, I don’t know if opposing teams will have a good game plan against us. However, I think the expectation is for them play their role solidly.
Dwight and Maxi: If we’re lucky, these guys don’t get too much play time. I think Kidd still wants Maxi to have a role, but hopefully he’ll make him earn it for playoff minutes. But he had some huge moments in the 2022 run. If he can hit some clutch 3s, he could still be a decent piece.
Obviously this is all a bit premature and we still need to finish the season. I think, and hope, that the team is focused on the upcoming games and securing a 5th or 6th seed, but as a fan I’m just curious what our distant forecast really looks like in such a competitive conference. It increasingly looks like we will get the Clippers in round 1. Who needs to step up in that matchup? What needs to happen if we end up facing what seems to be our scariest matchups in Denver or Boston?
Photo by NBAE via Getty Images
by MrBrookman
34 Comments
THJ has to step up, because if he doesn’t and especially if you consider the amount of minutes he’ll get. If he doesn’t help the team in a more consistent basis he will be the death of us come playoffs.
Honestly Luka (not that he hasn’t been amazing) if we want to win the chip and beat the Celtics or nuggets, Lukas gonna have to go playoff mode which we know we can
Jason Kidd has to be consistent.
Everyone. Its a team sport.
THJ is the easy answer. If he can hit open threes and play average defense, this team will be borderline unstoppable. He’s gonna get looks from the blitzes that Luka sees but if he can just hit a consistent mark we will be perfect.
If pj, Djj, and thj shoot above 30% from deep we’ll have a good chance at making a run
PJ, Maxi, DJJ & Tim averaging at least a total of 10 3s on 40% for the whole run
Health. We have to have luck with health. And his our open 3s
THJ
Jason Kidd
All we’re missing is consistent shooting on a night to night basis. As long as the threes are falling we making the finals
If THJ can be 75% Jason Terry with some consistency coming off the bench. Fuggetaboutit
The role players. But they’re not as good as the nuggets role players.
Tim and Maxi considering the minutes Kidd is going to give ‘em… if PJ can keep his shooting up, we’ll be dangerous regardless. If Exum stays cool as ice when it matters, fuck ‘em all!
PJ and Maxi. Especially if we face the Clips in round 1. If they ball out we can make a run
I know we gripe about him but it’s got to be THJ. Kidd is gonna keep playing him and if we are going far he is going to have to hit his shots. Anytime he’s on the floor in the playoffs he needs to make a positive impact and the best way for him to do that is be a threat from 3.
1. Health is the first priority, need DLive and Green back, and Maxi and Luka at 100%.
2. Shooting from the role players. If they each can get to 35%, the spacing will improve and scoring will go up, as well as put less pressure on the defense.
3. Kidd. No dumb rotation descions. No delayed descions that come too late.
1. Health is the first priority, need DLive and Green back, and Maxi and Luka at 100%.
2. Shooting from the role players. If they each can get to 35%, the spacing will improve and scoring will go up, as well as put less pressure on the defense.
3. Kidd. No dumb rotation descions. No delayed descions that come too late.
My copout answer is that everyone needs to step up!
My other is PJ, Gafford, and Lively. PJ and Gafford haven’t exactly been on teams with winning expectations or serious playoff games in the nba. And obviously, Lively is a rookie and will be coming off this knee thing. How will he look?
If Jason Kidd can make the right adjustments and coach well, we will reach our max potential and will reach at least conference finals.
Jason Kidd is your answer, individuals shine up to a point in playoffs. Coaches start cooking hard in conference finals at the very least
Role players and stay healthy.
Lively’s health and Hardaway’s shooting slump are my biggest concerns right now.
THJ and Maxi. Because of the pressure opposing defenses bring on Kyrie and Luka, one of these dudes will always be open if they’re in the rotation. If they hit at LEAST 38% of their wide open looks, we might as well hang up the banner now.
Everyone that is supposed to hit wide open 3s generated by Luka and Kyrie
josh
Gafford and Lively both have to stay healthy.
No one needs to step up, they can just be themself, enjoy the game, and later… enjoy the parade.
When Tim and Maxi play well, even in limited minutes, it makes a huge difference for the team. If those two can hit open shots and make good decisions, that’s a huge benefit.
PJ THJ DJJ gotta make threes simple as
From the starting side, PJ. He’s the key that can unlock the door for this team to be a real contender. Dante Exum on the occasional starter/bench side, while it’s THJ from the pure bench side. If they can step up their game consistently while the other smaller and bigger pieces do their thing, it’ll be so hard to stop us.
It’s PJ. If he consistently hits open shots, that changes the ceiling of this team this year. He also might be a better small ball center option than Maxi.
Maxi. He’s getting playing time with Lively injured. He needs to step up and not be afraid to shoot and drive.
THJ