GAME 6 Playoffs 2024: Oklahoma City Thunder (2-3) vs. Dallas Mavericks (3-2)

[The Jom]

league wants every series to go 7 but the mavs are just too good to allow it imho. mavs are indubitably a top 3 team now based on post trade records, and they're not even 100% with maxi out and luka injured.

I’m 100% with you that the league cheats. But I don’t agree it’s as simplistic as every series to 7 if we can. I think they monitor a million different things, like which series is boosting their average tv ratings (Minny/Denver), and which isn’t (us). I think they go to great lengths to disguise their influence, and the advent of legal gambling gives them even more incentive to obfuscate. I think they help franchises for sale to get a better price. I think they rotate giving favorable whistles to small market teams one year or another to try to keep them from griping too much. I think they create new gimmicks (in-season tourney) so they can cash in again on LeBron marketability without totally delegitimizing the whole season. 

I’m also 100% with you that the Mavs are too good to lose a 7-game series to the Thunder. But I think that makes em 4th best, not top 3. I’ve generally been one of the biggest optimists on this board. So this isn’t like me. But I think we match up very poorly with the teams that are left. I’ll be surprised if we win 2 more games, regardless of opponent. I think we were the 4th best team in 2022. And I think we’re 4th best this year. Although I really, really hope I’m wrong.