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Post by Miege22 on Dec 13, 2021 17:17:18 GMT -5
Gonna have to wait until tomorrow for all this. Today really got away from me.
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Post by Miege22 on Dec 14, 2021 17:27:42 GMT -5
Woo buddy, conference play is HERE. Things started off with a bang as multiple unbeaten teams went down, and several match-ups came down to the wire. When the dust settled, the playoff picture in both conference looked even more muddled than it did when the week started. Let's get right to it... Seattle Supersonics (6-2) over Houston Rockets (7-1), 6-3Talk about making a statement. The Sonics left non-conference play looking wobbly. Bam was going to be out a while. Kevin Porter was banged up. Saben Lee wasn't playing. Even at 5-2, things looked bleak. One week later, and this team looks like they could make another run at the Finals. Somehow, without Bam and KPJ, the Sonics came from behind to knock off the Rockets... and that was with James Harden sitting the last game. The Sonics actually entered the final day clinging to a 5-4 lead, needing to hold assists... and by golly, Saben Lee made an appearance and dished out 6 of em. He also grabbed 3 steals, contributing to the incredible 13 steals Seattle swiped that day to flip that category. It was a borderline heroic performance, but it doesn't let up out there; Phoenix is next. On the Houston end, they're probably kicking themselves that Dame missed all but the last game. Fortunately, that's where going undefeated is a nice little boost, because it still keeps them in the driver's seat. And they can help themselves even more in week 9 against Portland. Tampa Bay Bull Sharks (5-3) over Washington Wizards (0-8), 8-1To be honest, this one wasn't all that exciting. Tampa mopped the floor with Washington. Jarrett Allen continued his All-Star level play, as he put up 20-10 and 2 blocks per game on the week. One thing to watch out for: Zach LaVine has entered COVID protocols. It looks like this season could once again be impacted by the virus (it's already cost teams a few match-ups). Tampa gets Toronto. Washington faces Miami in a toilet bowl match-up. Once again, they have to be thrilled about Desmond Bane. That's about it. Orlando Magic (2-6) over Toronto Raptors (0-8), 5-2-2In a sneaky exciting match-up, the Orlando Magic held off the Toronto Raptors, who were so close to their first win on the season. That the Magic did it without Terry Rozier was fairly impressive. This team now finds themselves in the playoff race, believe it or not. That's right, 2-6 gets you dreaming of the playoffs in the East. They're tied for 5th, but a winning streak seems unlikely with New York up next. The Raptors, along with the Gamblers, are one of the most banged up teams in the league, but they've gotten good production out of Jarred Vanderbilt. And Kevin Knox is finally playing. They won't go winless... but the first win won't come this week against Tampa. New York (6-2) over Miami Heat (0-8), 8-1I'm not sure why all these crappy East match-ups are one after another, but here we are. New York had a massive minutes advantage, and Embiid (30-10), LeBron (28-7-8), and Mitchell (29 ppg on 51% FG) all played like stars. When their big three is clicking like that, not many teams can match up with them. The Knicks, at this point, look to have the inside track on the top seed. Could this finally be their year? Miami, on the other hand, has just about waved the white flag with their recent trade of Kelly Oubre. Atlanta Hawks (4-4) over Brooklyn Nets (3-5), 4-4-1The battle for the three seed came down to the final game, and two late threes and a steal of D'Angelo Russell flipped this one in favor of the Hawks. One has to wonder if the Nets are kicking themselves for not waiting a day to trade Nickeil Alexander-Walker. In the end, Atlanta was probably the deserving winner in this one as they are just flat out deeper (they played 160 more minutes). The Hawks actually have a tough one with Chicago next, so that three seed may not quite be a lock. On the Brooklyn side, they get Memphis in a game that will go a long way in determining if they make the playoffs. OKC Thunder (5-3) over Golden State Warriors (7-1), 8-1Another unbeaten goes down, and this was a massive win for OKC. A season-saving win, quite frankly. Now just a game back for the 5th spot, and a tiebreaking win in their back pocket, the Thunder have to feel like they're suddenly back in it. At the same time, there has to be some concern about Luka Doncic's ankle. It just can't quite seem to get right. If he's gone for an extended stretch, their season is over anyway. Utah is next. The Warriors have been hit at the top by the injury/COVID bug, and it surely has to bring back bad memories of last year. Jimmy Butler missed most of this match-up, Devin Booker missed all of it, and now Vuc is going to lose two games because the real life Bulls got hammered by COVID. Picking up Kemba Walker, who's not playing, was an interesting move for a team that will have to treat every game as a playoff game from here on out. The Swannies are next in what is likely a must-win for Colorado. Kansas City Kings (8-0) over Utah Jazz (2-6), 7-2The King poopies stayed unbeaten, but it wasn't without a dose of bad news: Jerami Grant tore ligaments in his thumb and is likely going to be out the rest of (this league's) regular season. It's a devastating blow to a Kings team that had come to rely heavily on his ability to contribute almost everywhere. Grant had been having a great season, and now it might not even end with a playoff appearance. Fortunately, the Kings get one more tune-up before entering the thick of it; Vegas is next. Utah made a bold move trading a pick for Buddy Hield. This team is shaping up to be formidable again once Thomas Bryant and Jamal Murray return from injuries. We may not see it play out until next year, but the West looks like it's only getting stronger. Portland Trailblazers (8-0) over Colorado Swannies (6-2), 6-3This one was actually closer than the final score would indicate, and it has to sting that Colorado couldn't take advantage of a massive minutes advantage. They lost AD and LaMelo for multiple games, but Portland wasn't without their injuries. Kevin Durant was incredible on the final day to seal the win (51-7-9-1-2), and what he's doing after a torn achilles is honestly insane. He might be the MVP leader at this point; he's at least in the top-2 with Steph... and we'll get that match-up in week 9. As mentioned above, the Swannies are now in a must win against Golden State. Chicago Bulls (2-6) over Memphis Grizzlies (1-7), 5-4DA BULLS! For a while there, it looked like Memphis was going to get this win and compete for the playoff spot. But every time the Grizz tried to make inroads on a comeback after Chicago took the lead, the Bulls shut them down. Now, the three seed might just be there for Chicago, and they can make a run at it if they beat Atlanta. For Memphis, the playoffs have become a long shot, unless they can upset Brooklyn. Given their injury situation, that looks like it's asking a lot. Phoenix Suns (6-2) over Las Vegas Gamblers (2-6), 7-2Again, this one was never close. The Gamblers roster situation is bordering on the absurd. I think only Cade and Tristan Thompson are left available at this point. Oh, Cam Johnson and Jusuf Nurkic are there. Still... woof. This is all about week 9 for the Suns and their huge game against Seattle.
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Post by Miege22 on Dec 14, 2021 17:31:24 GMT -5
This one has somehow taken on even more significance in the wake of last week. Colorado has now dropped two in a row, while the Dubs are no longer undefeated. With Seattle and Phoenix both winning to get to 6-2, and OKC now at 5-3 after securing the tiebreaking win over Golden State, a loss here for either team could suddenly put them in a rather precarious position. It's no secret that one, two, maybe even three teams that miss out in the West are going to feel royally cheesed, and this game looks like it's going to matter significantly when we get to the last couple of weeks. (Shout out to Seattle/Phoenix, Houston/Portland, and Atlanta/Chicago)
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Post by Miege22 on Dec 20, 2021 10:47:52 GMT -5
Man... that kind of sucked, didn't it? COVID is running rampant throughout the league, throwing players into health and safety protocols, postponing games, and otherwise wreaking havoc on a season that, to this point, had been wildly interesting. Things are still pretty interesting, but it is a bummer that so many teams are getting hamstrung by absences. Maybe the tankers were right to skip this year. Oh well, hopefully things get cleared up in a couple of weeks and don't impact the playoffs. In the meantime, our game of the week more than lived up to the billing... Golden State Warriors (8-1) over Colorado Swannies (6-3), 5-4In what turned out to be a war of attrition, a late Nikola Vucevic bucket gave the Warriors a two point lead on the Swannies. It was enough to survive the last second Melo three, and the Warriors escaped with their 8th win in 9 games. It's a win that may have locked up a playoff spot for the Dubs (though that OKC loss could loom large down the stretch if things come to that point). The good news for Golden State is Devin Booker is back... also holy crap Kemba Walker scored 29 points?? He was forced back into the rotation due to injuries and COVID absences, but it seems like he may have just locked down a rotation spot moving forward. The downside for GS is they're still dealing with the Butler injury and multiple COVID absences. A big game against Phoenix awaits. Colorado's season might be on life support. In addition to their own COVID issues, Anthony Davis is set to miss at least a month with an MCL sprain. The upshot is the schedule isn't terrible: a beat up Seattle team, Vegas, and Utah. Win all three, and they're still in it. Lose one... and it'll get real tough. Houston Rockets (8-1) over Portland Trailblazers (8-1), 5-4Speaking of COVID/injury issues, Portland is going through it right now. Drummond, KD, Pat Bev, Trae Young, and RJ Barrett are all in COVID protocols. Brook Lopez, Richaun Holmes, Paul George, and Derrick Rose are all either out or struggling with injuries. It's rough over there. And yet, they almost pulled out a win over the Rockets. If their injured players make it back, they should be favored against the unbeaten Kings. If not, it could be an uphill battle. Houston seems like the contender least impacted by COVID right now... but they've still got Wiggins, DiVincenzo, and Trent in protocols, and those three are key pieces. Fortunately for them, Dame is back, and they get Utah. Tampa Bay Bull Sharks (6-3) over Toronto Raptors (0-9), 8-1This bloodbath is almost not worth talking about, but shoutouts to Jarred Vanderbilt and Jonathan Kuminga for Toronto, both of whom had some nice games. The real story here, again, is COVID, as Zach LaVine, Jarrett Allen, DeAaron Fox, and Marcus Morris are now all in protocols for Tampa Bay. Now, the thing about the protocols this year is they're not necessarily a guarantee that a player will be out an extended period of time. After all, Russ tested out of protocols in two days. That said, three of those guys are heavy hitters, and the fourth is a solid role player. A week without those four is tough for anyone, and Brooklyn is looking a little feisty right now. Toronto plays a toilet bowl match-up against Miami, with the loser dropping to bottom of the league. Phoenix Suns (7-2) over Seattle Supersonics (6-3), 5-4Was I the only one that wrote this match-up off on, like, Tuesday, only to check the score on Sunday and see it was somehow 5-4? Because that's exactly what happened. Somehow Seattle managed to make it respectable despite playing almost 200 fewer minutes. They get a tough one with Colorado next. Meanwhile, Phoenix is looking dangerous, and I'm sure they've got to be feeling dangerous at this point. With the teams above them all dealing with injuries, the Suns welcomed back OG and got big games from Evan Fournier (maybe he's coming around?). It would not be a surprise to see Phoenix at the top of the standings when we get to week 16, but they'll have to beat Golden State this week to do it. Chicago Bulls (3-6) over Atlanta Hawks (4-5), 6-3Say it with me one time... DA BULLS! They're officially back. A massive win over Atlanta suddenly puts Chicago in the running for the three seed. We've been saying for a while now that this team just needed to get healthy, and that's exactly what happened. Dillon Brooks is back. Jaylen Brown is back. And they won despite playing 130 fewer minutes. Now, they still have to keep an eye on Cole Anthony's health, but a repeat Finals run is still on the table for this group. Barring some shocking collapses, one would expect this team to make the playoffs. A massive game against Orlando awaits. The Hawks, on the other hand, have a tough rebound game against the Knicks. They're probably also out of the running for the top seed, and much like a lot of the other teams that lost, they can lay a lot of the blame at the feet of COVID. Washington Wizards (1-8) over Miami Heat (0-9), 8-1The Washington Wizards WILL NOT go winless this year. Somehow, someway, they played over 200 more minutes than Miami, despite playing fewer than 700 themselves. This was the ultimate unintentional tank fest. That last part is true. Both of these teams tried, it's just that the world was conspiring against both of them. It conspired against Miami more, and they may have lost WCJ for an extended period of time. Just not a fun week for either side, if we're being honest. We know Miami gets Toronto, well, Washington can climb the standings again with Memphis up next. Kansas City Kings (9-0) over Las Vegas Gamblers (2-7), 7-2The Kings, that's right, the Kings, are once again the last remaining unbeaten team in the league. If they pull out a win against the Trailblazers this week, we'll have to run some numbers on their last few years because it's been pretty remarkable. They also haven't really been hit all that hard by COVID (only Bobby Portis and Terrence Ross are in protocols), but that likely means it's coming. The Gamblers are a MASH unit. They only had 6 players eligible to play, and one of them went into protocols before the week was out. They'll probably be a walkover for OKC. New York Knicks (7-2) over Orlando Magic (2-7), 8-1The Knicks are hitting their stride, and it looks scary. This team legitimately goes 10 deep, and the only that will prevent them from being the favorite in the playoffs out East is injuries. With AD out, LeBron James should see an even bigger uptick in production, and they have to be delighted with what they're getting out of Norman Powell. It would not be surprising to see them end the season 14-2. Orlando is currently getting swamped by COVID, so their match-up with Chicago may be anticlimactic. Brooklyn Nets (4-5) over Memphis Grizzlies (1-8), 6-3The Nets' win over a depleted Memphis squad should go a long way toward getting this team to the playoffs. They also totally revamped their roster, trading Mike Conley, KCP, and Buddy Hield. It will interested to see what Brooklyn does the rest of the season since they've pretty much moved their assets already. A win this week against Tampa likely clinches a playoff spot, for all intents and purposes. Memphis' playoff hopes are on life support, and they'll almost certainly be pronounced dead with a loss against Washington. However, if Giannis and Middleton miss a few more games, Jrue Holiday might just carry them to a win by himself. OKC Thunder (6-3) over Utah Jazz (2-7), 5-4This might just be Utah's fate this year. Close loss after close loss. Well, to be fair to OKC, they won this without Luka and only got one game from Anthony Edwards. Those two play, and this isn't close. It's a good thing they've got Vegas this week as it gives those two a chance to come back for a game that actually matters. Utah has to fee pretty good about their Buddy Hield trade. The man poured in 19 threes. They're frisky, and you do not want to catch them on the wrong week. Could that be this week against Houston?
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Post by Miege22 on Dec 20, 2021 11:29:51 GMT -5
We're taking a break from the West for a week to feature what might be the last key game in the East playoff race. No, seriously, if Orlando loses this one, there's a good chance the five East playoff teams are all but locked in. It would require Brooklyn upsetting Tampa Bay and Atlanta doing the same to New York, but hey, stranger things have happened. It's going to be an uphill climb for Orlando, what with four of the top-8 in COVID protocols, but they can do it if enough things break their way. For the Bulls, a win would be their third in a row and would really springboard their season into high gear.
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Post by Miege22 on Dec 28, 2021 9:48:05 GMT -5
COVID continues to run rampant, and it is showing no signs of slowing down. Thus, things have gotten weird. It's getting harder and harder to predict who will win what match-up which, on the one hand, can be exciting... but not being able to plan literally a day in advance can be overwhelmingly frustrating. Case in point? Colorado/Seattle this past week. We'll get to that and more in this week's round-up. Chicago Bulls (4-6) over Orlando Magic (2-8), 7-2The Magic, already a young, developing roster, got pummeled by COVID. As a result, they logged only 391 minutes against Chicago in a match-up that was pretty much over before it started. The Bulls have to be thrilled that Jaylen Brown is finally back and healthy. He averaged nearly 30 ppg last week. Of course, now the Bulls are getting hit by a combination of injuries (Cole Anthony) and COVID (Naz Reid, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, Darius Bazley, Dillon Brooks, Malachi Flynn). In the end, it probably won't matter too much since the next two games are against the almost comically depleted Miami Heat and the Toronto Raptors. It's looking increasingly likely that just 6 wins will probably be good enough to land a playoff spot in the East, and the Bulls already have wins over Atlanta, Memphis, and Orlando. At this point for the Eastern Conference playoff hopefuls, it's all about being healthy for the playoffs. Orlando faces the Nets next just as the Nets started prepping for next year and are now getting hit with COVID, so the Magic might not be out of this thing yet. Kansas City Kings (10-0) over Portland Trailblazers (8-2), 7-1-1Speaking of teams decimated by COVID and injuries, the Portland Trailblazers only had 7 players play last week, and not all of them played every game. They ended up getting their doors blown off by the Kings, who are probably about to get hit by the COVID wave going through Washington (Harrell is now out), Orlando (Ross), Boston (Schroder is now out), Memphis (Anderson not yet hit), OKC (SGA not yet hit), Houston (Brooks and Wood not yet hit), Phoenix (McGee not yet hit). At some point, the Kings are going to get hit by COVID... the good news for them is they've won every game to this point and are the last remaining unbeaten team. They get the absolutely devastated Seattle Supersonics up next, and another win might just seal a playoff spot. Of course, we said last week in this space that if the Kings won again, we'd have to do some number-crunching, so here you go. In the 2018-2019 season, the Kings started 4-5. Since then, they have gone 41-6 in 47 regular season games. That is, far and away, the best record of any team in the league. The Kings haven't quite figured out how to win in the playoffs, but they've locked down the regular season. The Blazers find themselves in a precarious position with both Colorado and OKC winning to get to 7-3. The good(?) news is that their next opponent, OKC, looks like they'll be without Tatum, Luka, and Anthony Edwards due to COVID. Miami Heat (1-9) over Toronto Raptors (0-10), 5-4To the surprise of basically everyone, the Miami Heat somehow won a game in which they played, essentially, four players. Sure, Moses Moody and Alex Caruso got into the lineup, but they played a combined 19 minutes across three games. Now, they were only able to do it because Toronto had seven players, but still. What is there really to even say about this one? We're probably just better off moving on, no offense to either the Heat or Raptors. Colorado Swannies (7-3) over Seattle Supersonics (6-4), 8-1It honestly seemed like Seattle had this one in the bag... until Sunday, when Bradley Beal, Dejounte Murray, and Lonzo Ball all got popped with COVID. In one fell swoop, Seattle's entire lineup (save JaMychal Green) was wiped out, and Colorado was able to flip four categories. We may look back on this one at the end of the season and realize this was the game that got Swannies to the playoffs and eliminated Seattle. Or neither of these teams will come close and it won't matter. Either way, this is what we referred to at the top as being overwhelmingly frustrating. There's simply no way to plan for these things. Not only are teams at the mercy of COVID, but they're at the mercy of testing as well, and with testing ramping up on the 26th, it's probably only going to get worse before it gets better. The Swannies have had their own COVID issues, though they're no doubt waiting for Myles Turner and Darius Garland to get popped (and right on cue, Josh Giddey is in protocols). Fortunately, their next two games are Vegas and Utah. Win both and the stretch run gets interesting. OKC Thunder (7-3) over Las Vegas Gamblers (2-8), 7-2This was a walkover before it started and then Cade Cunningham got COVID. A more pressing concern for OKC right now is their own COVID outbreak. On Christmas, it looked like they would be able to make a move against Portland the following week. Then Jae Crowder got popped. Then Jayson Tatum did. Now the team is without Luka, Edwards, Tatum, Crowder, Mitchell, and Okongwu. Oh, and Marcus Smart hurt his hand. Suddenly, the Thunder seem too banged up again to factor into the Western Conference playoff race. Though most of their key games come in the final quarter of the season, so all hope is certainly not lost yet. Memphis Grizzlies (2-8) over Washington Wizards (1-9), 4-3-2Another sign of the COVID-times, Memphis played five players and played more minutes than Washington, holding onto a win with two categories tied. Now one of those five players (DeAndre Ayton) heads into COVID protocols. Happy holidays everyone! Memphis heads into their match-up with Toronto with just four players who aren't injured and don't have COVID. By comparison, the Wizards are weirdly healthy and might make their match-up with Atlanta pretty tough. We'll wait and see there. If Memphis loses to Toronto, that will probably do it for any playoff hopes. Houston Rockets (9-1) over Utah Jazz (2-8), 5-4The Utah Jazz were this close to upsetting the Rockets, and the match-up went back and forth in the final game of the week. Unfortunately for Utah, Eric Bledsoe missed what would have been a game-sealing layup, and Houston was able to hold on and avoid the 8-2 mash-up just below them. Steph Curry was amazing, averaging 36 points per game and knocking down 17 threes. He might just be wrapping up his first MVP (that's right, Steph has never won MVP in our league). A showdown with the Warriors awaits. New York Knicks (8-2) over Atlanta Hawks (4-6), 6-3Speaking of the MVP race, LeBron is charging like a freight train up those rankings. He put up 36/8/5/2/1 this week, while knocking down 7 threes and shooting 60% from the floor and 86% from the line. He and Joel Embiid are carrying this Knicks team to the top of the conference, and they're now two games ahead of Tampa Bay (with the Bull Sharks on deck). 13 wins seems likely for this bunch, and 14 is not out of the question. Does 14-2 and another Finals appearance swing the MVP back to LeBron? It just might. Atlanta has now lost 5 of 6, and they were a tiebreaker away from it being 6 straight. If they lose to Washington this week, they could be in danger of falling into the play-in. Brooklyn Nets (5-5) over Tampa Bay Bull Sharks (6-4), 5-4In what might have been the game of the week, the Tampa Bay Bull Sharks nearly overcame COVID decimation to beat the Nets on the final day. In fact, they had taken the lead and it looked solid, until Ivica Zubac missed two free throws late and flipped things back to Brooklyn. For the Bull Sharks, it's not a loss that figures to make much of a difference seeding-wise. The Knicks were always going to be tough to beat to the top, and no one below them appears a serious threat to the 2-seed. Even this Nets team sold off Chris Paul to the Bull Sharks after the match-up. The big question for Tampa is will they be healthy because that's what did them in in the conference finals last season, and a rematch on the Bulls could be on the horizon. Phoenix Suns (8-2) over Golden State Warriors (8-2), 5-4Last but certainly not least, the Suns managed to hold off the Warriors by just one shot. That Golden State even managed to get this close despite playing 140 fewer minutes is a feat in itself. If anything, one may come away from this feeling pretty great about the Warriors, since they look like they'll be a force once their COVID-guys return. Their bets on the much-maligned Kevin Love and Kemba Walker have already paid massive dividends, and if those guys continue to play at this level, this will be a tough team to beat. On the Phoenix side, there is probably some concern that COVID could cost them a win against a Utah team they absolutely should beat. OG, Bridges, and KCP are all out, and Malcolm Brogdon is dealing with an achilles injury. DeMar DeRozan has been on a mission since returning for the Jazz, and their near-win against Houston has them thinking bigger.
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Post by Miege22 on Dec 28, 2021 10:15:38 GMT -5
There are big games this week, but there is no bigger game than the one taking place in the Pacific Northwest. This is, simply put, an elimination game for the Seattle Supersonics. They absolutely, positively, cannot afford to drop to 6-5. Sure, they still have Vegas and Utah on the schedule, but a loss caps their ceiling at 11 wins. The Kings would already be there. Not only would they have to run the table, but they'd need help to get in. That is just not a position any team would want to be in. It won't be easy. The Sonics are without Lonzo Ball, Dejounte Murray, Isaiah Stewart, Saben Lee, Kenyon Martin Jr., and Robert Covington because of COVID. Bam is out with the thumb injury, and both Kevin Porter Jr. and Bradley Beal's statuses are up in the air. The odds are seemingly insurmountable, but all it takes is one break, and in this season, that can happen at any time. Will it be this week?
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Post by Miege22 on Jan 3, 2022 10:14:25 GMT -5
A wild week 11 kind of turned the playoff race on it's head, at least out West. Utah scored a massive upset of Phoenix (with the unfortunate help of our deadbeat houseguest, COVID). Golden State thoroughly dominated Houston, sending a message to the rest of the West. Seattle may have been eliminated, and OKC is suddenly looking spry again. And in case you thought nothing happened in the East, Washington upset Atlanta, Brooklyn jumped to the 2nd spot, and New York became the first team to clinch a playoff berth. Let's get to it. Kansas City Kings (11-0) over Seattle Supersonics (6-5), 5-4We start, as always, with our game of the week, and it turned into something of a somber affair. The Sonics were behind the 8-ball coming in, thanks to their injuries and COVID absences, but they almost pulled it off with late appearances from Bradley Beal and Kenyon Martin Jr. Still, the nearly 400 minute discrepancy was too tough to make up. To make matters worse, Kevin Porter Jr. straight up left their last game at halftime. No, seriously, he just left the arena and drove home. He'll be suspended for a game, but the Sonics have Vegas next, so they won't really need him. That now leaves Seattle in a tough spot. They are going to have to win out if they want any shot at the playoffs, and they'll probably need some help. The good news for them, if you can call it good news, is they shouldn't have to worry about COVID the rest of the year, and Kenyon Martin Jr. looks like a player. There's still hope, but it's waning. On the KC side, it was a bittersweet victory. Late in the fourth in one of the best games of his career, Ricky Rubio tore the ACL in his left knee. He will be out for the year. It had been a banner year for Rubio, maybe the best of his career, and he was a huge reason why the Kings have been able to get this far unscathed. Now, with Rubio, McCollum, and Grant all on the shelf, and COVID finally coming for them (SGA, LeVert, Trez, McGee, Brooks, Anderson), this week's match-up against OKC looks like a guaranteed L. The closing schedule is a monster for the Kings, but if they can just sneak out one more win, they should be in good shape. The playoffs, though, are going to be brutal yet again. OKC Thunder (8-3) over Portland Trailblazers (8-3), 6-3Well, well, well, how the turntables.... after the Blazers got obliterated by COVID and injuries against KC, they rebounded, somewhat, to match the Thunder in minutes this week. It didn't matter. OKC has now ripped off four straight wins to start conference play, and they suddenly find themselves in great position to make the playoffs. They own tiebreakers against both Golden State and Portland, and they'll soon own one against KC. Whether or not that last one comes into play remains to be seen, but they've made it through their COVID wave unscathed, and all their big guns are healthy. The Thunder may just be the best team in the West. Portland, on the other hand, is reeling. Three straight losses, combined with injuries and COVID, suddenly put them in a very precarious situation. Now, they do still have the Jazz and Gamblers on the schedule, so they should at least get to 10 wins (though the Jazz are no pushover), but first they head into, arguably, their biggest game of the season against Golden State. And they'll do it without Paul George, Derrick Rose, Brook Lopez, and Richaun Holmes. Chicago Bulls (5-6) over Miami Heat (1-10), 7-2OK, before we get into this one, the Heat may have just set a record. They only had THREE eligible players last week. THREE! COVID and injuries, man... anyway, the East is not without it's own intrigue. The five playoff spots have basically been decided, but seeding is going to be wildly important. Right now, the Knicks look like the class of the East, so avoid the play-in game becomes even more important (and not just because the play-in game is a one-week crapshoot). The Bulls are looking more and more formidable, and that point was driven home with gusto by Jaylen Brown's 50-point, 11-rebound masterpiece to close the week. Brown averaged 32.5 points and 10 rebounds, and looked truly great with Tatum sidelined. If the Bulls can get through Toronto next week, they should be almost fully healthy for their showdown with the Bull Sharks. The Heat continue this brutal stretch (by East standards) against Brooklyn (they follow it up with Atlanta and Tampa... yeah, four straight playoff teams), but they'll get reinforcements - er - reinforceMENT with the return of Kyrie Irving. Colorado Swannies (8-3) over Las Vegas Gamblers (2-9), 7-2It seemed like ages ago that the Swannies looked dead in the water after three straight gut-wrenching losses and the injury to Anthony Davis, and yet, they've rebounded to win three straight and are right in the thick of it. It's kind of pointless to talk about this one, since Vegas is so depleted... unless you want to spend the rest of that time talking about Josh Giddey's 17-point, 13-rebounds, 14-assist triple-double (with 4 steals to boot!). Giddey has been really good this season, and he should absolutely garner some ROY votes. In fact, the rookie class being as deep as it is should probably get us thinking about an All-Rookie team, but that's a discussion for another day. First, Colorado has to take care of business against a frisky Jazz team. Do that, and then they get a COVID-rattled Kings. The playoff path is still there. The Gamblers are another MASH unit, but they may have found something in Damian Jones (11-9.5). Utah Jazz (3-8) over Phoenix Suns (8-3), 7-2The UTAH JAZZ, ladies and gentlemen! Now that's what I call playing spoiler. Utah had a minutes advantage of 310 minutes, and they made sure it did not go to waste, upsetting the Phoenix Suns. DeMar DeRozan completely dominated, averaging 28/5/7, and knocking down back-to-back, game-winning, buzzer-beating three pointers. It was a true team effort for Utah, and they now have to be taken seriously by the rest of the contenders. This team is going to ruin some postseason plans, and they may have already started. On the bright side for Phoenix (no pun intended), Aaron Wiggins looks like an absolute steal. OG is also back and has looked solid in his two games since returning from his hip injury and COVID. They'll get a Houston team somewhat reeling from COVID and injuries in one of the biggest games of the season. Toronto Raptors (1-10) over Memphis Grizzlies (2-9), 6-3The Raptors finally got a win, and it's been a long time coming. Ja Morant was amazing, averaged 35/7/5. Jalen Green chipped 23 ppg, and Tyrese Haliburton averaged 10.5 assists. The three of them are forming quite the three-headed guard monster. Unfortunately, it was not all good news. The owner of the Toronto Raptors, one our longest tenured members, elected to step down this week due to time constraints. The search is on for a new owner, and we don't anticipate the team being owner-less for very long. Memphis continues to chug along in the face of numerous COVID and injury-related absences. They'll likely have to grit their teeth through another tough loss against Atlanta. New York Knicks (9-2) over Tampa Bay Bull Sharks (6-5), 5-4The Bull Sharks were this close to knocking off the Knicks, and if they'd remembered to get Jarrett Allen in the lineup on Friday, they would have won. Alas, it will go down as a loss, and now Tampa Bay will need to fight to stay on the other side of the bracket. Though, with how close they were to taking down the Knicks, there isn't likely to be any fear in that match-up. The addition of Chris Paul makes this Bull Sharks team legitimately dangerous. Of course, it wasn't enough to take down LeBron James, and it seems he may have vaulted himself to the top of the MVP standings with just five weeks to go. James was simply ridiculous this week. He averaged 34.5 points, 11 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals, 1.8 blocks, knocked down 19 threes, shot 55% from the floor, and 76% from the line. For a guy in year 19, his numbers are staggering. He's second in the league in scoring. He's currently on pace to average a career high in blocks per game. He's averaging his most steals per game since his Miami days. He's been a menace on both ends. He'd have my vote if the season ended today. The Knicks get the Wizards next. Washington Wizards (2-9) over Atlanta Hawks (4-7), 6-3Hey, speaking of the Wizards, they're still technically alive for the playoff race. The Hawks were without D'Angelo Russell, but it has to be a tad bit concerning that they lost despite playing roughly the same number of minutes. Giannis was the best player on either team, and it showed, as he averaged 32/11/7/1/1. Giannis would be another addition to the MVP race if the Wizards were any good. If they sneak into the playoffs, he might just be a worthy candidate. Malik Monk has come on strong for Atlanta, averaged 20 ppg last week to go with 11 three-pointers. With their next four games, the Hawks should be a lock for the playoffs, though it is wild to think they're a couple late threes from seven straight losses... and should still be a lock lol. Golden State Warriors (9-2) over Houston Rockets (9-2), 9-0And now for today's statement game... wow. WOW. This was a beatdown of epic proportions. Sure, the Warriors had a 300+ minutes advantage, but still, 9-0. Some of these lines... woo-wee. Jimmy Butler: 28/5/7. Pascal Siakam: 24/13/7. Devin Booker: 28.5/5.5/4. Nikola Vucevic: 19/16/3. Fred Van Vleet: 33/4.5/7. SHEESH. Oh, wait, I forgot my favorite... KEVIN LOVE: 26/8.5/3. Kev also tossed in 21 threes. Remember what we said above about OKC being the best team? Not so fast, my friend. The Warriors are coming for that title. They're deep. They're well-rounded. They're through COVID. They've got legitimate star power. They are a damn scary sight. It's hard to say they're the odds-on title favorite, just because of how deep the West is, but they're knocking on that door. Oh, and they still haven't played Vegas and Utah. 11 wins looks like the floor for this crew. What a fun story. Houston, meanwhile, had been teetering on the edge for a few weeks. After losing to Seattle, they beat Portland by three blocks, and Utah by one make. It came to a head against the Warriors, and now they'll try and bounce back against a tough Phoenix squad. There's hardly any weeks off in this conference. Brooklyn Nets (6-5) over Orlando Magic (2-9), 6-3We wrap things up in Orlando, where the Brooklyn Nets clinched a third straight win (and, likely, a playoff berth). There are two individual games to shout out here: Facu Campazzo's 22/4/12/5/2 masterpiece on Saturday, and Robert Williams' 10/11/10/2/5 monster the day before. Otherwise, the big story here is Evan Mobley, the leader in the clubhouse for ROY. Mobley averaged 21/7/3 and blocked 5 shots over four games. If the Nets keep it up, we could get that Brooklyn/Tampa match-up in the playoffs that always seems to pay off. Orlando got an incredible week from Hamidou Diallo (32.5/13.5/4/5/1), who appeared to be extra motivated to beat his former team, but it wasn't quite enough. (New signee Jalen Smith looks really good, though. Keep an eye on him.)
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Post by Miege22 on Jan 3, 2022 16:42:44 GMT -5
With apologies to Houston/Phoenix, there is no game bigger this week than Portland/Golden State. It's almost a de facto division championship. The Suns hold the tiebreaker with Golden State, but a win by the Warriors would put them two ahead of Portland with four to play. And with two of those four coming against Vegas and Utah, it would effectively eliminate the Blazers from the division race (unless we ended up with a three-way tie with Phoenix, then it would get messy). The Warriors come into this game playing their best ball of the season. They thoroughly dominated the Rockets to get within two games of the Kings for the top seed. Meanwhile, it's been a struggle for the Blazers, having lost three in a row and dealing with multiple injuries. This isn't quite a last stand for them, but losing tiebreakers to the Warriors, Rockets, Kings, and Thunder would make life exceedingly tough.
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Post by Miege22 on Jan 10, 2022 9:43:30 GMT -5
It was a wild week 12 that showed that, at least in the East, anything is still possible. Washington's win single-handedly stopped Tampa and Brooklyn from clinching playoffs spots, and Toronto's upset of Chicago kicked the door wide open for that to be the 2-3 match-up, if things break like they should (don't expect that, just fyi). Out West, the Kings finally went down, coming up short after getting battered by COVID. The most surprising thing is probably that it wasn't a blowout. The Warriors also firmly announced themselves as the team to beat, and history was made in Phoenix (I think). Golden State Warriors (10-2) over Portland Trailblazers (8-4), 6-3Portland came out firing in this one, leading at the midway point. However, Golden State's depth simply overwhelmed them, even with Jimmy Butler going down, as the Warriors ended up with a nearly +300 minutes advantage (officially 299). This week it was Fred VanVleet who led the way for the Warriors, as he averaged 30/5/8, knocked down 24 threes and picked up 8 steals. The Warriors currently have 5 guys playing like top-50 fantasy players, and it's tough to beat a team with that kind of production. At 10 wins, and with games left against Vegas and Utah, the Warriors have to feel pretty good about their playoff chances. Seattle is next. For the Blazers, there's simply not much more that Kevin Durant can do. He averaged 30.5/6/8, picked up 6 steals and 7 blocks, made 28 of 29 free throws and shot 50% from the floor. The injuries are starting to take their toll. You have to wonder if they'll move on from Rose and Lopez, since they're not going to help these last four weeks or, potentially, in the playoffs, and they really need bodies at this point. If they don't, it might mean they've thrown in the towel. They've got Utah this week, but the Jazz aren't a pushover. Tampa Bay Bull Sharks (7-5) over Orlando Magic (2-10), 7-2Tampa snapped their two-game losing streak with an easy win over the Magic, but something still feels kind of off with this team. The Magic were in this game for most of the week, only really losing touch towards the weekend. The top-end talent is still there, so this is probably still the best challenger to the Knicks, but that depends on the Bull Sharks putting it all together. The good news is there are still four weeks left to get a rhythm, and a playoff spot is all but assured. A potential playoff showdown with the Bulls is on deck. Orlando has been feistier, really, than they have any right to be, and Shahrom is doing down there what he did in Chicago. Look out for this team, maybe as soon as next year. A key draft lotto match-up takes place against Memphis this week. Seattle Supersonics (7-5) over Las Vegas Gamblers (2-10), 7-2This one was pretty much DOA, so we won't spend a ton of time here. The Sonics are still behind the 8-ball, trailing the last playoff spot in the West by two games with four to go. That said, Houston's loss was helpful in that regard since the Rockets own the tiebreaker against them (and basically no one else, at this point). The Sonics are just about healthy, they're waiting for Rudy Gobert to get out of health and safety protocols, and they're still a very dangerous team. They're schedule down the stretch is not easy, but it includes a number of games against teams they'd need the tiebreaker against anyway. Not much to say about Vegas, but there were signs of life from THT this week (18 ppg, 4 apg). This team is still going to be hard-pressed to pull any upsets given their injury situation and lack of depth. Houston is up next. Brooklyn Nets (7-5) over Miami Heat (1-11), 7-2Are the Nets... good? Brooklyn basically sold off their vets about halfway through the season, yet they're now riding a four-game winning streak, and it would be six if not for a late tiebreaker. Sure, the Heat aren't good, but the Nets would have beaten a number of teams this week (New York, Chicago, Houston, Colorado, Seattle). They could be this year's "good" bad team. If they can beat Washington this week, and Tampa beats Chicago, they'll essentially have a top-3 seed locked up. The Heat started to get guys back this week. Kyrie finally played, though he still can't play home games, and Rui made his debut. Miami still probably lacks depth to take down the likes of Atlanta and Tampa Bay, but the last two against Orlando and Memphis could be winnable. Colorado Swannies (9-3) over Utah Jazz (3-9), 7-2Well, well, well... look who's now tied for third in the West. Colorado took care of business against the Jazz, thanks in no small part to Kyle Kuzma (27/14/3), and they now get the Kings still reeling from COVID. The big news for the Swannies came off the floor, as they welcomed back Josh Green and bought out Gary Harris. Both moves appeared to be more in the realm of long-term planning, though Green has started to come on lately. This is still a team with a roster spot available, and it will be fascinating to see who they target. At the same time, Saturday marks the four week date for Anthony Davis. Given his history, an on-schedule return seems unlikely, but who knows. The Jazz were doomed by some really poor shooting. Gallinari, Hield, Bagley, and Bledsoe all shot below 40% from the floor, and DeMar DeRozan was a wildly uncharacteristic 14/23 from the line. This is still an improving team, though, and Portland cannot take them lightly. OKC Thunder (9-3) over Kansas City Kings (11-1), 5-3-1The league's last unbeaten finally went down, falling to the Thunder (and COVID). Kansas City's schedule down the stretch is a bear, but if they're through the worst of their COVID stretch, they've got to feel ok about their chances. That, and it's unlikely that SGA has a worse week than this past week (12/3/5, 28% FG). The Kings should be ok. This one was all about OKC, as the Thunder have now won five straight and head into their biggest game of the season against Phoenix. That's the good news. The bad news is they may be doing it without Derrick White, Devin Vassell, and Clint Capela. The latter has two days off before his next game, so you'd hope he'd be back. The former two are probably missing at least the first two games of their match-up. With how tight the West playoff race is, that could be a deciding factor. Washington Wizards (3-9) over New York Knicks (9-3), 5-4HUZZAH! The Wizards pulled off THE upset of the season, taking down a Knicks team that looked poised to run the table on their remaining schedule. It really does nothing for the Knicks, they've already clinched a playoff spot and will very likely be the #1 seed, but it does keep the Wizards alive for the post-season, however slim those chances may be. This was a ridiculously close match-up going into the final day; New York was clinging to a lead by, essentially, one made field goal. With LeBron James set to go on Sunday, the Wizards probably had to play just about everyone... so they did, and Jalen Brunson, Desmond Bane, and Daniel Gafford lit it up. Those three combined to shoot 23/31 from the floor, sealing the victory (and it was all necessary too, with LeBron going 14/19). Just an incredibly impressive performance from a Wizards team that will look to win two straight with Brooklyn next. As we've said, this does nothing to the Knicks, and LeBron only continued his incredible play (33/7/7, 4 more blocks and steals, 13/14 from the line, 7 threes, 56% shooting). He's got to be the MVP front-runner right now. They have a get right against Toronto this week. Atlanta Hawks (5-7) over Memphis Grizzlies (2-10), 8-1After a bumpy start to conference play, the Hawks throttled the Grizzlies. Malik Monk averaged 20 points per game, and JJJ had 16 blocks! It's going to take a lot for the Hawks to avoid the play-in, but they've got the schedule to do it, and they do own the tiebreaker against Brooklyn. It is possible, and Miami is up next. The Grizz were severely outgunned yet again, and there really isn't much to say that hasn't already been said. Barnes had a rookie week, Holiday, Ayton, Shake, and Dort all missed games. This will not be a game the Grizz write home about. Phoenix Suns (9-3) over Houston Rockets (9-3), 9-0Ladies and gentlemen, I believe we have just witnessed history. This is unverified, and it might be a while before it does get verified (if it ever does), but this appears to be the first time a team has ever been shut out in back-to-back weeks. This is absolutely the best team to ever get shut out in back-to-back weeks. The Rockets have to be licking their chops to play Vegas, because these last two weeks have been an abject disaster. And to think they're a missed Eric Bledsoe layup from three straight losses. Hell, a missed layup and one more missed free throw from five straight losses. With the news that Dame Lillard was scratched for the next two weeks, and a tough finishing kick ahead of them, things are getting interesting in Houston. The Suns, meanwhile, bounced back quite nicely from their Utah loss, and they only stand to gain from the Lillard injury since Anfernee Simons has been on a tear with him out (29/7 last week). Only tough games left for Phoenix, but they're looking mighty dangerous out in the desert. Toronto Raptors (2-10) over Chicago Bulls (5-7), 5-4Last but not least, another upset in the East as the Raptors took down the Bulls. The loss snapped Chicago's four-game winning streak, and started a Raptors win streak (two games, but still). Ja Morant was fantastic again (25-6-7), and he may be leading the way for Most Improved. The Raptors are starting to get healthy, and they could be major spoilers down the stretch. The loss puts the Bulls squarely in the play-in game, and their next two (Tampa, Brooklyn) will almost surely decide their fate. Their hopes of getting Simmons back are fading by the day, and they just lost Dillon Brooks for the rest of the regular season (and potentially the play-in).
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Post by Miege22 on Jan 10, 2022 9:43:43 GMT -5
Oh wow, I never wrote a preview for this. Apologies, guys. If I could go back in time for a minute... No match-up this week is bigger than OKC/PHX. The Thunder are on a ridiculous hot streak, and enter this week having upset the Kansas City Kings, ending their unbeaten season. Meanwhile, the Suns are fresh off their 9-0 drubbing of the Houston Rockets. The winner of this one will have the inside track on a playoff spot, while the loser will enter into some perilous waters.
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Post by Miege22 on Jan 17, 2022 12:07:16 GMT -5
Each of the last two weeks have been labeled as "wild," so let's change things up a bit. Week 13 wasn't wild, nor was it wacky. Frankly, it was somewhat normal. We do have a lot to get to though, so let's get down to business. Phoenix Suns (10-3) over Oklahoma City Thunder (9-4), 8-1Our match-up of the week was over before it started, as the Thunder found out they'd be without Derrick White and Devin Vassell for most of the week. Then Clint Capela and Marcus Smart went down. The Thunder were already staring down the barrel of a schedule loss, and losing all those game didn't help. All in all, Phoenix played an additional 300+ minutes. It also didn't help that Anfernee Simons is now a top-10 point guard, or something? When did that happen? He averaged 27-11 this week, and it could have been even more had he not missed a game due to personal reasons. Nikola Jokic is still playing at an elite level (21/12/10.5), and if Simons is now... this... then the Suns might just be the best team in the conference. They've got a banged up Portland next. For OKC, they'll have a chance to regroup and solidify their playoff hopes against a Swannies team coming off a tough loss to the Kings. Both OKC and Colorado are tied at 9-4 for the final playoff spot in the West, so this could be a loser leaves town match. New York Knicks (10-3) over Toronto Raptors (2-11), 5-4The Knicks barely squeaked by the Raptors thanks to several missed free throws from Jonathan Kuminga. Something is up in New York. That's three straight games that have come down to the wire. Winning close against Tampa Bay is one thing. Losing to Washington and nearly losing to Toronto is another one entirely. LeBron struggled from the floor and the line, and he only played two games (collecting no steals), and the Knicks were at a rare minutes disadvantage. It's possible injuries have just been rough over this stretch, so 2-1 is commendable. Smart money is still on them to run the table and go 13-3, but they'll need to get their act together for the postseason. Memphis is next. Toronto may have lost, but they have to be excited about what they've seen lately. The Raps are percentage points away from a four game winning streak, and they're seeing signs of life from Jonathan Kuminga (20-6). They still don't shoot the ball well (what happens when your team is that young), but the next owner of this team is going to have a lot to work with. They'll try and bounce back against the Wizards. Atlanta Hawks (6-7) over Miami Heat (1-11), 8-1Don't overlook the role injuries have played in Atlanta's recent rough stretch. They're finally healthy and looking dangerous. JJJ averaged 8 boards and 3 blocks per game this week. Gordon Hayward shot over 60%(!), on his way to averaging 21 ppg. The Hawks would have beaten darn near every team this past week (including the Suns). Health has always been a huge determining factor with this team, and if they're healthy, they can beat anyone. They get a frisky Orlando team in week 14. The Heat... man, I don't know. I guess it's cool that Rui is back? Still curious as to why he was out so long. Lonnie Walker averaged double figure scoring on the week. It was... it was bleak. Tampa Bay is on deck. Houston Rockets (10-3) over Las Vegas Gamblers (2-10), 7-2This one was actually somewhat close going into the weekend, weirdly. Ultimately, the Rockets were just too deep, and they pulled away. It's still a tad concerning it wasn't a bigger blowout. Steph has really slowed down and averaged less than 20 ppg for the week. He's also shooting in the low-40s, and the MVP race may be passing him by (though with KD's injury, top-3 is still there). De'Anthony Melton has seen his playing time slashed. Julius Randle is not playing well. Donte DiVincenzo shot 15% from the floor. There are a lot of warning signs here, and we'll see if they hold up against the Kings. Vegas was, well, Vegas. Some interesting things happening though. Ziaire Williams turned in a really nice game. Cade has really come on (19/4/5). Klay Thompson is back. It's unlikely the Gamblers knock anyone off, but another high pick added to this group could make them frisky. Tampa Bay Bull Sharks (8-5) over Chicago Bulls (5-8), 7-2This is the Bull Sharks team we were expecting. With a nearly 500 minutes advantage, the Bull Sharks laid the smack down on the Bulls, clearly taking out some pent up frustration after last year's playoff upset. The scary thing for Tampa was Zach LaVine going down, but, fortunately, an MRI revealed no structural damage. Now the question is, will he be back in time for the final game of the season against Atlanta? That game could be a must-win, as it would very likely knock the Hawks into the play-in game, and give Tampa a more favorable match-up in round one. First they get Miami, which should be an easy W. Chicago, meanwhile, is reeling. That's two straight losses, and the Nets on deck. Fortunately for them, the schedule lines up quite favorably, and they should be able to beat the Nets. However, a date in the play-in game seems all but assured at this point. Brooklyn Nets (8-5) over Washington Wizards (3-9), 6-3The Nets were almost a victim to overthinking on Saturday, as they sat everyone except Mobley and Williams. As it turns out, it wouldn't have mattered if they'd played everyone or not, as they won rather comfortably. Speaking of Mobley and Williams, they were both fantastic in the win over Washington. Williams went for 11/12/2.5/1/1.8 on 71/92 splits. Mobley put up 17/7/4/1.5 on 58% shooting. It was exactly what the Nets had in mind when putting together their frontcourt. The backcourt is still completely unsettled, and they'll have to figure that out this summer, but the frontcourt is set. Washington got another great week from Giannis (29/10/8), and both Chris Boucher and Desmond Bane were solid, but there's still a lot of work to be done here. Orlando Magic (3-10) over Memphis Grizzlies (2-11), 5-4While the Magic were certainly interested in winning this one to keep their playoff hopes alive, the real interested parties here were the Grizzlies and Heat. Memphis currently has Orlando's pick, so a win would have been doubly helpful. Meanwhile, Miami has the Grizzlies' pick, so they were certainly keeping an eye on this one. In the end, it all came up South Beach, as Orlando held off the severely undermanned Grizzlies. Orlando took control of this one and never let go, getting a good week from Terry Rozer (23/6/5), and officially welcoming back De'Andre Hunter. At full strength, this Magic team is not bad. They could give Atlanta some problems. We've kind of said the same thing over and over for the Grizzlies, but it just gets tough when a team only has 6 or 7 players available each week. There was some hope Kawhi could come back early, but that wouldn't impact our season. There's still no word on Isaac or Oladipo. With just three weeks left, they're kind of playing out the string. Golden State Warriors (11-2) over Seattle Supersonics (7-6), 6-3This one looked like anyone's game heading into the final day, but the Warriors held on going up against a full Seattle lineup. Ultimately, it was Jimmy Butler's return that proved to be the difference. He dished out 19 assists and hit 15/16 free throws, and without those two things, Golden State loses... and they were this close to sending Jimmy to floating IR. What a call by crossover. With the win, the Warriors have all but ended their playoff drought (they may have done it officially, I have to game it out a bit to see. Find out in the stretch run update). They seem to be peaking at the right time, and their regular season finale against Kansas City looks like it will be for the top seed. With Vegas and Utah next, the Dubs should be streaking. For Seattle, this could be it. It is very unlikely that 10 wins will be good enough to get into the postseason. There's no doubting that this was one of the most talented teams in the league, but injuries and COVID (plus a lack of depth) took them down. It will be interesting to see what path they take in the off-season to try and get back on top. Kansas City Kings (12-1) over Colorado Swannies (9-4), 6-3There you have it. The Kansas City Kings are the first team in the Western Conference to clinch a playoff spot. Once again, Sir Poopy will be in the postseason. I'm still not really sure how they came back to win this one, but they did, and now they wait to see what happens. Well, that's not entirely true, they have to play out the rest of the schedule, but if all goes well for them, they should be sitting in one of the top-3 seeds. A win against Houston this week would guarantee it, though it looks like the schedule favors the Rockets, so we shall see. Colorado is obviously not out of the hunt, but a win against KC would have gone such a long way toward getting them in. It's yet another tough loss in a season that has produced only tough losses. OKC is next in what is, undoubtedly, the game of the year for both teams. Utah Jazz (4-9) over Portland Trailblazers (8-5), 6-3Last but not least, we have the Jazz playing spoiler yet again, upsetting the Blazers and likely sending them into a wildly depressing summer. No offense to Utah, but this is going to be about the Blazers, a team that looked so dominant in the first half of the season, only to see injuries spoil everything. They lost Brook Lopez early, but they weathered that. Then it all just seemed to come one after another. Derrick Rose, Paul George, Richaun Holmes, Draymond Green, Kelly Oubre. Then, finally, the kicker. Kevin Durant with an MCL sprain, knocking him out of the rest of our season. Sure, there's still a chance Portland can make the playoffs, but do you even want to at that point? Yes, the answer is still yes because both KD and PG could be back in time for a first round match-up, but it's going to be a grind to get there. They likely just won't have enough to make it through that grind, and it's a shame, because this is most definitely a playoff team if fully healthy. Pour one out for the Blazers. In Utah they're looking round say, "uh, wait a minute, have you seen how competitive we've been?" The Jazz are giving every team a run for their money, and they intend to make life difficult for both Seattle and Golden State as we close the season.
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Post by Miege22 on Jan 17, 2022 13:19:17 GMT -5
Most people would probably look at the schedule and think, "oh, Colorado/OKC is easily the most important game of the week," and, well, they'd probably be right. But we're not going with those two. We all know what's at stake there. But how many people realize what's at stake in Toronto/Washington? This is a TRUE loser leaves down match. If Toronto loses, they're officially eliminated from playoff contention. If Washington loses (and Chicago wins), they're officially done as well. Get excited for the East!
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Post by Miege22 on Jan 24, 2022 15:07:39 GMT -5
The playoff field is almost set! The five teams in the East have been determined, all that's left is match-ups. Meanwhile, the top-two teams in the West have clinched, and the Suns might have clinched, but we'll have to run some projections (check into the stretch run update for confirmation on that). The last two spots are likely to be determined by the OKC/Colorado vs. Houston match-ups, with Seattle and, somehow, Portland still lurking. Toronto Raptors (3-11) over Washington Wizards (3-11), 5-4The Raptors won our game of the week, though they were still eliminated with the Bulls' win over Brooklyn. A lot to be excited for in Toronto. Ja is a superstar. Their cadre of young talent looks really good (shout out to Goga Bitadze - 12/7/2/1.5 last week), and they have a fresh new owner. They don't have their own pick, but they have a chance to really annoy both Atlanta and Brooklyn, as they play both to end the season. They were also one three and a handful of free throws from being 5-9 and being right in the thick of this thing despite being so young and having a ton of injuries. It's been an admirable season, and they have a chance to really make waves the last two weeks. Washington saw their slim playoff hopes dashed this week, though it really ended last week against Brooklyn. Washington has their own pick this year, so we'll see how invested they are to end the year against Chicago and Orlando. Chicago Bulls (6-8) over Brooklyn Nets (8-6), 5-4The Nets didn't have quite enough to get over the hump against the Bulls, and now Chicago is looking at a slim chance to jump into the three spot. Cole Anthony had 21 big assists to help Chicago win the category by 4 and win the game. Of course, the Nets also got bit by the rookie turnovers (20 between Mobley and Suggs). This was not really a confidence boosting win from the Bulls, as one would expect a little more of a cushion against a Nets team that got just two bad games from Brandon Ingram. In order to jump into the 3-seed, the Bulls will have to win out, which requires beating New York. The Nets probably aren't a threat to make a run in the playoffs, but they got 15-6-6 from Jalen Suggs and 15-9 from Evan Mobley, so they're probably excited. They get the Knicks next. Golden State Warriors (12-2) over Las Vegas Gamblers (2-12), 7-2The Golden State Warriors are BACK in the playoffs. For the first time since 2017, the Warriors are going to the postseason. And, even better, they are avoiding the play-in game. The fact they were dominant even with their best players shooting horrendously has to bode well for them (FVV, Butler, and Vuc all shot below 40%). Even if the shooting is bad, this team still figures out a way to contribute, and that is the mark of a champion. There's still a very good chance for the Warriors to land the the one-seed. If they win out, they will be the number 1 seed. The Gamblers season is done, but Cade looks good, so that's what they'll take away from this year. Kansas City Kings (13-1) over Houston Rockets (10-4), 6-3The Kings took down Houston, clinched the division, and locked up a top-3 playoff seed all in one week. It was a weird week for the Kings. They looked really good to start things off, and they built a big lead... but then Trez saw his minutes cut to end the week, Schroder the same, LeVert got hurt, Ross got hurt, and Anderson missed the whole week with COVID. At full strength, this team can beat anyone, but if they aren't, they'll be an easy out. They've got Phoenix next, and a win locks up a top-2 seed (a win and a Warriors loss wraps the #1 seed). Houston... boy, I don't know where we start. This team really needs big man depth. It should be clear, at this point, that Zion is not coming back. Horrific is too strong a word for it, but Randle has taken a pretty serious step back. PJ Washington has been a disappointment. Alperen Sengun is just a rookie. It just doesn't seem like this team is well-rounded enough to pull off (likely) four straight wins. Their game against Colorado this week is huge. Tampa Bay Bull Sharks (9-5) over Miami Heat (1-13), 7-2The Bull Sharks may have clinched a top-3 seed, again, check the stretch run thread for those updates, and they looked dominant. (Stephen A. voice*) HOWEVAH... Zach LaVine is still out. Domantas Sabonis is out. De'Aaron Fox is out. Danny Green is hurt. Joe Ingles is hurt. Now, it looks like all of those guys should be fine by the time the playoffs start, and a win against Memphis locks up the division. Still, you'd rather not have your guys dealing with little nagging injuries at this point in the year. Miami benefited a lot from Kyrie playing all road games this week (28/5/6), but they just don't have enough to be an actual problem. On the bright side, they might have the top-2 lotto odds this summer. Phoenix Suns (11-3) over Portland Trailblazers (8-6), 7-2Again, we'll have to run the numbers to see if Phoenix clinched a top-3 seed, but what we do know is that they've all but ended Portland's season. Not only is Portland going to need to win out, but they're going to need a lot of help. This looked like a tough match-up to start the week, but the minutes ended up severely favoring the Suns by Sunday (almost +400 advantage). Nikola Jokic is trying his hardest to win back-to-back MVPs (36/11/10/2/1 this week), and he just might do it. The Suns finally welcomed back Kelly Olynyk... and he promptly went into health and safety protocols, so that's fun. Miles Bridges might have locked up MIP (25/10/3). One more win, and this team should be a top-3 seed. Portland... just a bummer of a finish, and it was all outside of their control. They'll win this week to keep their playoff chances on life support, but it seems really unlikely they'll beat Seattle to end the year. We've said it before, but it's hard to believe that one won't even determine 2nd place in the division, let alone the winner. New York Knicks (11-3) over Memphis Grizzlies (2-12), 6-3If Jokic isn't winning back-to-back MVPs, then it's probably LeBron. He put up 29/9/5 this week and helped the Knicks wrap up the top seed in the Eastern Conference. There wasn't a ton to take away from this one. The Grizzlies are done for the year, and the Knicks are now just trying to rack up wins. The more interesting thing is New York trying to send Brooklyn to the play-in game. Atlanta Hawks (7-7) over Orlando Magic (3-11), 7-2Orlando made this interesting for a while, but the Hawks ultimately had too much. How about Jaren Jackson with 13 blocks(!) in just 4 games. Khris Middleton also had a dynamite week (28/7.5/5.5). The end of Atlanta's season is fascinating. If they win out, there's a very good chance they will be the three seed. It feels like that, while the ceiling is high on this team, the floor is pretty low. If they beat Toronto this week, then it sets up a fantastic final week. Orlando is officially eliminated, but props to this team because they never stop fighting. You can bet they'll do everything they can to win these last two games. OKC Thunder (10-4) over Colorado Swannies (9-5), 9-0Tough loss for Colorado, but this was pretty much over as soon as it started. They just didn't have the horses to keep up, and of course Jayson Tatum dropped 51 to end the week. Tatum was awesome. Luka was awesome. That was honestly enough this week. That said, the Thunder are not out of the woods yet, because a loss to Seattle could end up sinking them. If Edwards misses this week, it could be tough. If the Thunder do win, they should clinch. Colorado heads into a season-defining match-up with the Rockets... and AD might be coming back. If AD comes back and helps push the Swannies into the playoffs, it would be one hell of a story. Seattle Supersonics (8-6) over Utah Jazz (4-10), 6-3Don't look now, but the Sonics are still alive. If they win out, things get convoluted. They absolutely crushed the Jazz, and we're sure they're happy that Bam is back, though maybe they would have preferred him coming back a week sooner. Colorado/Houston might be the game of the week... though all eyes are probably on OKC/Seattle. Spoiler alert, that's going to be the game of the week. Utah had another great week from DeRozan, but they really had no shot in this one with the minutes disadvantage.
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Post by Miege22 on Jan 25, 2022 15:33:41 GMT -5
The last stand for the Seattle Supersonics. In what has been a trying, injury-filled, COVID-plagued season, the Sonics still, somehow, have a shot to sneak into the playoffs. They still need a lot to go their way, and it starts this week with this game against the OKC Thunder. Lose this game, and they're officially done. Waiting until next season. Win this game, and there's suddenly hope. They'd still need another win, OKC loss, and two Colorado losses, but the path would be there. For the Thunder, they got a massive victory against Colorado last week, but they aren't out of the woods yet. If Colorado wins out, and they lose out, they are out of the playoffs. A win locks up a playoff spot.
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