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ztejas

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On 4/8/2022 at 7:57 PM, ztejas said:

Yeah... like I already posted, this isn't true and I'm not sure why everyone and their mom's have been reporting it. 

He is still eligible he just gets docked for not playing 58 and has to use 58 as his divisor - so he'll finish with an eligible average of 29.2 ppg (which won't win the scoring title).

Well NBA.com doesn't have LJ listed in the top 50, so?

https://www.nba.com/stats/leaders/

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Will be interesting to see how Boston plays it. The Bucks play early in the day, so Boston will at least know that outcome.
 
If the Bucks win, Boston will try to win to ensure they stay matched with Chicago.
If the Bucks lose, Boston is in a trickier spot because Philly tips at the same time. If Boston loses to avoid Brooklyn but Philly wins, Boston falls to 4 to play Toronto, a much harder matchup than Chicago. 

So what happens if Brooklyn and Cleveland lose plus Atlanta Charlotte win? All 4 pi teams will have identical records
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NBA Playoff Picture & Scenarios for the Game 82

The final day of the NBA regular season is here and Matt Moore is breaking down the NBA playoff picture and scenarios.

Matt Moore        April 10, 2022 8:17 AM

Quote

Here’s a guide to what we know, and what we’ll find out on Sunday.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

1: MIAMI HEAT

The Heat have clinched the 1-seed and homecourt advantage throughout the Eastern Conference playoffs. They will face the winner of the last Eastern Conference play-in game between the loser of the 7-8 matchup and the winner of the 9-10 matchup. Miami is probably fine with any result that doesn’t include the Brooklyn Nets.

2/3/4: MILWAUKEE BUCKS/BOSTON CELTICS/PHILADELPHIA 76ERS

This is super complicated, bear with me. Here’s how this works.

If the Bucks win, they finish with a better overall record than any other team, and they will clinch the 2-seed.

If the Bucks lose, and the Celtics win, those two teams tie. Here are the tiebreakers:

Head to head record: split 2-2.

Conference record: would finish tied at 33-19.

The next tiebreaker is record vs. conference playoff teams. I emailed the NBA to see whether that means the top-six teams in the conference, the top-six teams in the conference, or the top-10 including the teams in the play-in. The NBA let me know it is all teams in the playoffs or play-in.

Under those conditions, the Celtics will finish with a 20-13 record, the Bucks with a 17-15 record, and so the Celtics clinch the tiebreaker.

So, if the Celtics win and the Bucks lose, the Celtics get the 2-seed and the Bucks get the 3-seed and will face the Bulls.

You might be asking “what if the Sixers win and tie them if the Bucks lose and the Celtics win?”

In a three-way tie involving division winners, the first thing you have to do is sort out division winners. So Boston beats the Sixers by having division-record tiebreaker, and the Bucks and Celtics go to 2 and 3 and then are sorted out by the above long-winded tiebreaker.

The Sixers cannot move up to the 2-seed thanks to the Bucks’ win Friday. The Bucks have tiebreaker over the Sixers 2-1 in head-to-head and won their division, so no matter what, the Bucks will finish ahead of the Sixers.

The Sixers can pass the Celtics, however.

If the Celtics lose, and the Sixers win, the Sixers will get the 3-seed outright (regardless of what happens with the Bucks) and the Celtics will fall to the 4-seed.

If all three teams win, the Bucks win outright on record, the Celtics beat the Sixers for 3rd with tiebreaker, and the Sixers wind up 4th.

The Bucks play the Cavs, who are looking to regain control of the 7-seed and homecourt in the first play-in game. Milwaukee has listed most of its starters on the injury report as doubtful or questionable; it’s likely the Bucks rest, given that they cannot slide to 4th.

The Celtics play the Grizzlies, who have nothing to play for, but that hasn’t stopped them from wreaking havoc over the last two weeks.

The Sixers play the Pistons, who are likely maneuvering for draft position.

The most likely outcome:

  • Celtics
  • Bucks
  • Sixers

5: TORONTO RAPTORS

The Raptors have clinched the 5-seed with their win Thurday over the Sixers and the Sixers’ win Saturday vs. the Pacers. They’ll face either the Boston Celtics or Philadelphia 76ers in a first-round series.

6: CHICAGO BULLS

The Bulls have clinched the 6th seed and will play either the Milwaukee Bucks, Boston Celtics, or Philadelphia 76ers in the first round and will be heavy, heavy underdogs in any of those series. What an unfortunate finish to the season for such a fun and bright Bulls team through the first four months of the season.

7: BROOKLYN NETS/CLEVELAND CAVALIERS/ATLANTA HAWKS/CHARLOTTE HORNETS

Oh, boy. OK, buckle up, get a drink, whatever you need to do.

The Nets are tied with the Cavs and own tiebreaker and are one game up on the Hornets and Hawks.

If the Nets win on Sunday vs. the Pacers, they’re the 7-seed, no matter what else happens. Win and they’re in the 7-spot, hosting the play-in games with two shots at a playoff spot.

If the Nets lose and the Cavs win, the Cavs slip by them and win the 7-seed. The Cavs face the (likely resting) Bucks Sunday.

If both the Nets and Cavs win, it stays the same as it is currently with the Nets in the 7-spot and the Cavs in 8th, visiting the Nets on Tuesday for the play-in game for the 7-seed.

Let’s go through the aftermath of both of those outcomes.

If the Nets win and the Cavs lose:

The Hawks and Hornets have tiebreaker over the Cavs. The Hornets have tiebreaker over the Hawks.

So if the Cavs lose and the Hawks and Hornets both tie them, it goes to cumulative record between the two. The Hornets take that (despite the Hawks having tiebreaker over the Hornets directly) and move into the 8th spot to face Brooklyn, the Hawks would be 9th, and the Cavs slide all the way to 10th.

  • Hornets
  • Hawks
  • Cavs

If the Cavs lose and the Hawks win and the Hornets lose:

  • Hawks
  • Cavs
  • Hornets

If the Cavs lose and the Hawks lose and the Hornets win:

  • Hornets
  • Cavs
  • Hawks

Now, if the Cavs win and the Nets lose, putting the Cavs in 7th and dropping the Nets into tiebreaker, it all gets switched up.

If the Nets lose and the Hawks and Hornets both win, it’s a three-way tie. The Hornets are 4-3 vs. those teams, the Nets 4-4 and the Hawks 3-4. So…

  • Hornets
  • Nets
  • Hawks

If the Nets lose, and the Hawks win, and the Hornets lose, the Nets have tiebreaker over the Hawks, so…

  • Nets
  • Hawks
  • Hornets

If the Nets lose and the Hawks lose and the Hornets win, the Hornets hold the tiebreaker over the Nets:

  • Hornets
  • Nets
  • Hawks.

If the Nets and Cavs both lose, and the Hawks and Hornets both win, we’ve got a four-way tie! Here’s how that shakes out by cumulative record betwixt the teams:

  • Nets 6-4
  • Hawks 6-5
  • Hornets 6-5
  • Cavs 4-8

So the Nets get 7, the Cavs get 10th, and the Hawks’ head-to-head tiebreaker over the Hornets gets them 9th.

  • Nets
  • Hawks
  • Hornets
  • Cavs

If the Nets and Cavs lose, and the Hawks win, and the Hornets lose:

  • Nets
  • Hawks
  • Cavs
  • Hornets

If the Nets and Cavs lose, and the Hawks lose, and the Hornets win:

  • Hornets
  • Nets
  • Cavs
  • Hawks

Finally, if the Cavs and Nets win (with the Nets 7 and the Cavs 8), and the Hawks and Hornets both win:

  • Nets
  • Cavs
  • Hawks
  • Hornets.

Get it? Got it? Good.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

1: PHOENIX SUNS

The Suns locked the 1-seed several weeks ago and will have homecourt advantage throughout the playoffs all the way through the Finals, if they reach them.

2: MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES

The Grizzlies are locked into the 2-seed and will have homecourt in the first-two rounds (should they advance).

3: GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS/DALLAS MAVERICKS

The Warriors lead by one game, and the Mavericks have the tiebreaker, so this one’s pretty simple.

If the Warriors beat the Pelicans, they are the 3-seed. If the Mavericks lose to the Spurs, the Warriors are the 3-seed. If the Warriors lose and the Mavericks win, the Mavs are 3rd and the Warriors are 4th.

Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images. Pictured: Stephen Curry (left) and Klay Thompson.

If you’re wondering what the motivations are, the Mavericks have a lot of incentive to win. If they can get a win and a Warriors loss, that moves them into a 3-6 matchup against likely Denver, a team they won the season series with who is extremely shorthanded and exhausted. The Mavs would then in the second round play the Grizzlies, a team they have owned the last three years.

Dallas would also stay out of Phoenix’ side of the bracket until the conference finals.

The Warriors, likewise, are probably trying to avoid playing the Suns in the second round, but the Warriors also tend to prioritize rest above all else. Both the Warriors and Mavs play teams with nothing left to play for who are locked into their seeds.

5/6: UTAH JAZZ/DENVER NUGGETS

The Jazz and Nuggets are tied, but the Jazz have tiebreaker after sweeping the season series.

If the Jazz win, they’re the 5-seed. If the Nuggets lose, the Jazz are 5 and the Nuggets are 6.

If the Jazz lose and the Nuggets win, the Nuggets are the 5 and the Jazz are the 6.

The Jazz play the Portland Trail Blazers tomorrow, and, honestly, I don’t know if it’s possible for any team to out-tank the Blazers right now. The Nuggets play the Lakers without their stars, and the Nuggets have already indicated they’ll rest their starters in that game.

Bart Young/NBAE via Getty Images. Pictured: Nikola Jokic high-fives Monte Morris and Aaron Gordon.

Denver likely wants to lose its game to the Lakers. They get the 6th seed and stay out of Phoenix’s side of the bracket. There’s honestly not much of a difference between the Warriors and Mavericks for Denver. The Warriors are a better team but also a better matchup for Denver, and the Mavericks are a worse team but a tougher matchup for Denver.

The Nuggets will be heavy dogs in either series.

7: MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES

The Wolves are locked into the 7th seed and will host the Los Angeles Clippers Tuesday for the 7-seed.

8: LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS

The Clippers are locked into the 8th seed and will head to Minnesota to face the Wolves for the first play-in game.

9: NEW ORLEANS PELICANS

The Pelicans are locked into the 9th seed and will host the Spurs on Wednesday. The winner faces the loser of Wolves-Clippers for the 8th seed.

10: SAN ANTONIO SPURS

The Spurs are locked into the 10th seed and will have to win two road games to make the playoffs as the 8th seed, first against the Pelicans and then against the loser of Wolves-Clippers.

MOTIVATIONS:

The Warriors and Mavericks both want to win to get the 3-seed.

The Nets, Cavs, Hornets, and Hawks all want to win to try and move up or secure best play-in spot possible.

The Jazz and Nuggets both are likely passive about their playoff position.

The Celtics, Bucks, and Sixers all have questionable motivation. A 2-seed for Boston or Milwaukee risks a first-round series with Brooklyn, but they haven’t acted scared of the Nets at all, or they would have lost on Friday.

The Sixers might want to move into the 3-seed for a matchup with the Bulls instead of the Raptors, but that means their second-round opponent is the Bucks or, possibly, the Nets.

(It’s also possible the Cavs, Hornets, or Hawks win the 7th seed, and the Nets win the 8th, which would make the 4th seed’s path to the conference Finals: Toronto, then the winner of Heat-Nets. The 2-3-6 bracket might not be bad.)

 

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22 minutes ago, MNLonghornFUKM said:


So what happens if Brooklyn and Cleveland lose plus Atlanta Charlotte win? All 4 pi teams will have identical records

If the Nets and Cavs both lose, and the Hawks and Hornets both win, we’ve got a four-way tie! Here’s how that shakes out by cumulative record betwixt the teams:

7.   Nets 6-4

8.  Hawks 6-5

9.   Hornets 6-5

10.  Cavs 4-8

So the Nets get 7, the Cavs get 10th, and the Hawks’ head-to-head tiebreaker over the Hornets gets them 9th.

 

Edited by LTtxfan
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4 hours ago, Reynolds Woodcock said:

Will be interesting to see how Boston plays it. The Bucks play early in the day, so Boston will at least know that outcome.
 

If the Bucks win, Boston will try to win to ensure they stay matched with Chicago.

If the Bucks lose, Boston is in a trickier spot because Philly tips at the same time. If Boston loses to avoid Brooklyn but Philly wins, Boston falls to 4 to play Toronto, a much harder matchup than Chicago. 

Yeah but then you avoid Milwaukee Brooklyn in round 2 probably and get Miami instead. I would prefer the 4 seed to the 3 seed in the East by far. 
Toronto then Miami would be preferable to me compared to Chicago then Brooklyn/Milwaukee if I’m Philly or Boston and my goal is to get as far as possible in the playoffs. 

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5 minutes ago, Wulaw Horn said:

Yeah but then you avoid Milwaukee Brooklyn in round 2 probably and get Miami instead. I would prefer the 4 seed to the 3 seed in the East by far. 
Toronto then Miami would be preferable to me compared to Chicago then Brooklyn/Milwaukee if I’m Philly or Boston and my goal is to get as far as possible in the playoffs. 

That’s probably right, although I can see an argument for wanting to catch Brooklyn or Milwaukee before you’ve been beat up by the Raptors and Heat over 2 rounds. 
 

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1 minute ago, Reynolds Woodcock said:

That’s probably right, although I can see an argument for wanting to catch Brooklyn or Milwaukee before you’ve been beat up by the Raptors and Heat over 2 rounds. 
 

Yeah- but round 3 could have injuries either way. Call it known unknowns. I think I’d just as soon avoid Brooklyn/Milwaukee as long as possible figuring my only chance at beating either is injury to a main guy for them. 

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Boston and Nets are hoping not to play Raptors at any point due to the Canadian vaccination rules.  Last I read, both Boston and the Nets have players that can't play in Canada.  

 

5: TORONTO RAPTORS

The Raptors have clinched the 5-seed with their win Thurday over the Sixers and the Sixers’ win Saturday vs. the Pacers. 

If Toronto wins 1st Rd, they'll probably play Miami in 2nd Rd of playoffs.  I'm sure ESPN/TNT folks hoping Raptors don't make Eastern Conference Finals...

 

Edited by LTtxfan
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I really don't understand MIL losing today or BOS potentially throwing it. You might avoid the Nets but you're potentially handing HCA to the other team in the semis. BKN may not even be the 7. 

Unless you figure Brooklyn will beat whoever they draw. 

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https://heavy.com/sports/los-angeles-lakers/players-texting-in-game-frank-vogel/

 

Quote

The Lakers were several weeks into the season and several miles down their road to perdition. They spoke of hope to the outside world, and, true enough, the wheels hadn’t fully disengaged.

But the players knew.

 

Quote

On this night as the game was in progress, a friend working for another NBA team texted a Laker about getting together afterward. At halftime, something strange happened. The player texted back. The friend was even more stunned when he was told that coach Frank Vogel was standing in front of him.

“I couldn’t believe it. And later when we met up, he said he wasn’t the only motherf***** texting other people,” the employee told Heavy.

 

Quote

“He said it was nothing against Vogel. The players liked Frank and thought he knew what he was doing. They saw him as a good guy and a good basketball guy, but Frank had been marginalized too much. The Rambis component, the LeBron checking out component — it all served to sort of undermine Frank Vogel.”
 

 

Spoiler

Lakers’ Woes Went Beyond Injuries

There was the belief that if the Lakers could get healthy and stay that way long enough, they could work out the issues of their elderly, mismatched roster and ride LeBron James and Anthony Davis back to prominence. Yet they didn’t even make the play-in tournament. Injuries aside, there were too many self-inflicted wounds.

There were too many questions of who was in charge. Rob Pelinka is the general manager, but former player and coach Kurt Rambis is listed below him on the Laker organizational chart as Director, Basketball Operations. And there is the obvious influence of James and his agents at Klutch Sports.

“The players didn’t know who they were answering to, and I think Vogel took the brunt of that because he was the guy they saw every day,” said a league source. “It wasn’t fair. On a regular basis, Rambis would get on Vogel in front of staff and players — in practices, in the hallway where everybody can see it. He wasn’t taking it behind closed doors and laying it out. And what position does Rambis have? What’s his title? His title is friend of (team governor) Jeanie Buss.

“Trust me, Frank Vogel would have been happy to have been fired from that mess.”

Sympathy for Vogel

Another league executive also had sympathy for Vogel and the fact he was the one out front each day answering for the organization that had put the roster together.

“That had to be so hard. You can’t even be an apologist for yourself,” he said. “You have to simply take the harshness of, ‘We’re not getting it done. That’s on me. That’s on the coaching staff, the players. It’s on us.’ And you don’t necessarily have to identify, you say, ‘It’s on all of us.’

“And it is for the most part. Most failures are not coach-driven. Most failures are front office-driven in this league, because we fail to think it through. What we do is many of us try to play rotisserie basketball. We’re just trying to put together talent. We don’t actually understand that these guys are some sort of larger unit that relates to their interactions. And if you don’t think of chemistry, cohesion, compatibility, you’re lost.

“If your locker room isn’t good, you’re going to struggle,” the veteran exec continued. “And most front office guys don’t even know how to give the locker room much regard. They really don’t. And so as a result you put together this, this sort of mishmash of a group and they don’t get along.”

He then went a little deeper.

“Basketball is the most chemical game,” he said. “How many times do you actually call plays or sets in an NBA game? Not very often. You play, and you play off of each other, and you play off of each other because you’ve decided to play off each other. And you read each other, and you read the game, and you read the reactions, and that’s how you play. Well, if you don’t think it’s important for us to have a certain mutual respect for each other as competitors, then you’ve missed it. And that’s why most situations fall apart.”

With more than $82 million committed to James and Davis next season and Russell Westbrook certain to pick up his $47 million player option, the Lakers are weighed down and have little draft capital to use. A report from veteran reporter Marc Stein this week suggests that Westbrook could be bought out, which would represent a huge waste of cap space.

“They’ve got no options,” said a league source. “They got no draft picks. The most they’ll ever have is a couple of exceptions. Anybody that does this knows you have to have one week plan, a one month plan, a one season plan, a one year plan, a three year plan, five year plan, seven year plan. They didn’t have any of those on the back end. Two seasons. They got their championship in the bubble, and that’s it.”

According to a Western Conference source, Magic Johnson left the organization because he couldn’t navigate the dysfunction. And this week Johnson revealed he’d been told by DeMar DeRozan’s agent that his client wanted to play for the Lakers. But, Magic said, LeBron pushed for the far more expensive Westbrook.

“Magic knew what he was doing,” the source said. “I’m not sure who else there does.”

 

 

 

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23 minutes ago, Francisco 2.0 said:

https://heavy.com/sports/los-angeles-lakers/players-texting-in-game-frank-vogel/

Laker players texting during games... 😂😂😂😂😂

 

  Hide contents

Lakers’ Woes Went Beyond Injuries

There was the belief that if the Lakers could get healthy and stay that way long enough, they could work out the issues of their elderly, mismatched roster and ride LeBron James and Anthony Davis back to prominence. Yet they didn’t even make the play-in tournament. Injuries aside, there were too many self-inflicted wounds.

There were too many questions of who was in charge. Rob Pelinka is the general manager, but former player and coach Kurt Rambis is listed below him on the Laker organizational chart as Director, Basketball Operations. And there is the obvious influence of James and his agents at Klutch Sports.

“The players didn’t know who they were answering to, and I think Vogel took the brunt of that because he was the guy they saw every day,” said a league source. “It wasn’t fair. On a regular basis, Rambis would get on Vogel in front of staff and players — in practices, in the hallway where everybody can see it. He wasn’t taking it behind closed doors and laying it out. And what position does Rambis have? What’s his title? His title is friend of (team governor) Jeanie Buss.

“Trust me, Frank Vogel would have been happy to have been fired from that mess.”

Sympathy for Vogel

Another league executive also had sympathy for Vogel and the fact he was the one out front each day answering for the organization that had put the roster together.

“That had to be so hard. You can’t even be an apologist for yourself,” he said. “You have to simply take the harshness of, ‘We’re not getting it done. That’s on me. That’s on the coaching staff, the players. It’s on us.’ And you don’t necessarily have to identify, you say, ‘It’s on all of us.’

“And it is for the most part. Most failures are not coach-driven. Most failures are front office-driven in this league, because we fail to think it through. What we do is many of us try to play rotisserie basketball. We’re just trying to put together talent. We don’t actually understand that these guys are some sort of larger unit that relates to their interactions. And if you don’t think of chemistry, cohesion, compatibility, you’re lost.

“If your locker room isn’t good, you’re going to struggle,” the veteran exec continued. “And most front office guys don’t even know how to give the locker room much regard. They really don’t. And so as a result you put together this, this sort of mishmash of a group and they don’t get along.”

He then went a little deeper.

“Basketball is the most chemical game,” he said. “How many times do you actually call plays or sets in an NBA game? Not very often. You play, and you play off of each other, and you play off of each other because you’ve decided to play off each other. And you read each other, and you read the game, and you read the reactions, and that’s how you play. Well, if you don’t think it’s important for us to have a certain mutual respect for each other as competitors, then you’ve missed it. And that’s why most situations fall apart.”

With more than $82 million committed to James and Davis next season and Russell Westbrook certain to pick up his $47 million player option, the Lakers are weighed down and have little draft capital to use. A report from veteran reporter Marc Stein this week suggests that Westbrook could be bought out, which would represent a huge waste of cap space.

“They’ve got no options,” said a league source. “They got no draft picks. The most they’ll ever have is a couple of exceptions. Anybody that does this knows you have to have one week plan, a one month plan, a one season plan, a one year plan, a three year plan, five year plan, seven year plan. They didn’t have any of those on the back end. Two seasons. They got their championship in the bubble, and that’s it.”

According to a Western Conference source, Magic Johnson left the organization because he couldn’t navigate the dysfunction. And this week Johnson revealed he’d been told by DeMar DeRozan’s agent that his client wanted to play for the Lakers. But, Magic said, LeBron pushed for the far more expensive Westbrook.

“Magic knew what he was doing,” the source said. “I’m not sure who else there does.”

 

 

 

 

LAKERS a mess...  HaHaHaHa !!! 😋

giphy.gif

 

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1 hour ago, ztejas said:

I really don't understand MIL losing today or BOS potentially throwing it. You might avoid the Nets but you're potentially handing HCA to the other team in the semis. BKN may not even be the 7. 

Unless you figure Brooklyn will beat whoever they draw. 

 

One rumor is Boston (and Nets) don't want to be in the bracket with Toronto due to vaccine concerns...

Quote

The Raptors have won 14 of their last 17 games, helping them get out of the play-in to clinch a playoff spot. Not only are the Raptors are a tougher team, but the Celtics could also be without a key player if they were to face them. Due to Canada’s vaccine mandate, players who aren’t fully vaccinated cannot play in games in Toronto. The Celtics had three healthy players sit out (Tatum, Horford, and Jaylen Brown) their game in Toronto in March, leading some to question if they were fully vaccinated or not. Horford confirmed that he is fully vaccinated and Tatum has already said he’s vaccinated. Brown refused to say earlier in April if he was vaccinated or not, citing his role on the NBPA board as his reason why.

 

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2 minutes ago, LTtxfan said:

 

One rumor is Boston (and Nets) don't want to be in the bracket with Toronto due to vaccine concerns...

 

2 and 3 are both opposite Toronto. Not sure who has tiebreakers if MIL/BOS/PHI all finish tied. Think you may have posted it up thread.

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3 hours ago, LTtxfan said:

One rumor is Boston (and Nets) don't want to be in the bracket with Toronto due to vaccine concerns...

 

 

And Philly already has a vaccine problem...

Guard Matisse Thybulle, not fully vaccinated, ineligible to play for Philadelphia 76ers when first-round series shifts to Toronto

9:58 PM CT      ESPN News Services

PHILADELPHIA -- The Philadelphia 76ers will take on the Toronto Raptors in the first round of the NBA playoffs, and defensive specialist Matisse Thybulle will only be able to play in the series' home games.

Unvaccinated foreign nationals are currently prohibited from entering Canada, and Thybulle is not fully vaccinated. Limited exemptions to the rule no longer apply to professional athletes, and as such, coach Doc Rivers said Sunday that Thybulle would be "ineligible" for Games 3 and 4.

Thybulle, after the 76ers' 118-106 victory over the Detroit Pistons Sunday, said he was raised in a "holistic household" and declined to become fully vaccinated. He said he did feel the need to get one shot last season but did not go through with any more, saying "I felt like I had a solid foundation of medical resources that could serve me beyond what this vaccine could do for me."

"It was not the outcome that I wanted," he said. "It's always hard to not be available."

Thybulle said he's accepted that his decision could hurt the Sixers, his reputation and future earnings, but he did not see any benefits he could get from trying "alternative medicine."

"I made this choice and thought I could keep it to myself, I could keep it quiet," Thybulle said.

Thybulle's situation is not new Rivers and the Sixers, who finished with the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference and seemed headed to a postseason date with Toronto for a while.

"We pretty much knew it going into the game," Rivers said Sunday. "So we'll be ready."

As for the regular-season finale, Joel Embiid and James Harden sat out, leaving Shake Milton and Tyrese Maxey to take lead roles in the 12-point victory.

Rivers will give the Sixers a day off Monday and use Tuesday for film before running playoff practices.

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The Lakers beat the Thunder the other night.  (Yes, the “Lakers beat the Supersonics.”)  Clippers beating them tonight.  Okie City only played six guys both games.  Two of them were from the G League and the others were all 10 day contract guys.  The other players on the active roster were told before the game they’d only play in an emergency.  One of the guys is a 6'0" point guard whose go to move is, yes, the sky hook.

They were told to lose in a loud and grotesque manner and they did.

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1 hour ago, OB3 said:

Fuck you Boston. Now Chicago matched up with the Bucks. Not that they would’ve won in the first round, but it would’ve been a little more competitive against someone else

Fuck Covid.  Boston didn't want Raptors matchup because at least one player on their team can't play in Canada...

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Looking at the Lakers trades over the last few years.  It really is incredible.  They got rid of all their young, cheap (at the time) depth and replaced it with dinosaurs. 

Here is who they have lost in the last 5 years and what they did this year (my ranking):

  • Brandon Ingram (24 yrs old) - 22.7 pts, 5.8 reb, 5.6 ast 
  • Lonzo Ball (24 yrs old) - 13.0 pts, 5.4 reb, 5.1 ast, 1.8 stl, All Defense Potential
  • Julius Randle (27 yrs old) - 20.1 pts, 9.9 reb, 5.1 ast  (in a bad year)
  • Kyle Kuzma (26 yrs old) - 17.1 pts, 8.5 reb, 3.5 ast 
  • Josh Hart (26 yrs old) - 19.9 pts, 5.4 reb, 4.3 ast
  • D'Angelo Russell (25 yrs old) - 18.1 pts, 3.3 reb, 7.1 ast
  • Alex Caruso (27 yrs old) - 7.4 pts, 3.6 reb, 4.0 ast, 1.7 stl, All Defense Potential
  • Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (28 yrs old) - 13.2 pts, 3.4 reb, 1.9 ast, 1.1 stl
  • Montrezl Harrell (28 yrs old) - 11.4 pts, 4.9 reb, 2.0 ast
  • De'Andre Hunter (24 yrs old) - 13.3 pts, 3.3 reb, 1.3 ast
  • Isaiah Jackson (20 yrs old) - 8.3 pts, 4.1 reb, 0.3 ast
  • 2022 1st Round Pick - ???

So many of those guys have skills that are special / unique.  Lonzo is a big well rounded guard who can defend and distribute. Hart is a plus rebounder from the guard position. Caruso is a game-changing defensive specialist.  Kuzma is an elite rebounder from the SF position. Randle is a handful on the offensive end. And you have Ingram who is still just 24 and doing his best Durant impersonation in NO.  This isn't even counting the huge number of picks they have given up (which could be extremely valuable now that they suck).

It is unbelievable. 

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26 minutes ago, HookEm said:

Looking at the Lakers trades over the last few years.  It really is incredible.  They got rid of all their young, cheap (at the time) depth and replaced it with dinosaurs. 

Here is who they have lost in the last 5 years and what they did this year (my ranking):

  • Brandon Ingram (24 yrs old) - 22.7 pts, 5.8 reb, 5.6 ast 
  • Lonzo Ball (24 yrs old) - 13.0 pts, 5.4 reb, 5.1 ast, 1.8 stl, All Defense Potential
  • Julius Randle (27 yrs old) - 20.1 pts, 9.9 reb, 5.1 ast  (in a bad year)
  • Kyle Kuzma (26 yrs old) - 17.1 pts, 8.5 reb, 3.5 ast 
  • Josh Hart (26 yrs old) - 19.9 pts, 5.4 reb, 4.3 ast
  • D'Angelo Russell (25 yrs old) - 18.1 pts, 3.3 reb, 7.1 ast
  • Alex Caruso (27 yrs old) - 7.4 pts, 3.6 reb, 4.0 ast, 1.7 stl, All Defense Potential
  • Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (28 yrs old) - 13.2 pts, 3.4 reb, 1.9 ast, 1.1 stl
  • Montrezl Harrell (28 yrs old) - 11.4 pts, 4.9 reb, 2.0 ast
  • De'Andre Hunter (24 yrs old) - 13.3 pts, 3.3 reb, 1.3 ast
  • Isaiah Jackson (20 yrs old) - 8.3 pts, 4.1 reb, 0.3 ast
  • 2022 1st Round Pick - ???

So many of those guys have skills that are special / unique.  Lonzo is a big well rounded guard who can defend and distribute. Hart is a plus rebounder from the guard position. Caruso is a game-changing defensive specialist.  Kuzma is an elite rebounder from the SF position. Randle is a handful on the offensive end. And you have Ingram who is still just 24 and doing his best Durant impersonation in NO.  This isn't even counting the huge number of picks they have given up (which could be extremely valuable now that they suck).

It is unbelievable. 

It's going to be fun to point and laugh at them for the next 3-5 years, no doubt.  But, and this is a huge but, if I, as a Rockets fan, was offered one title, 1 disappointing first round playoff loss, this disaster of a year and three to five more shitty years for a title I would mash the button down in 0.7 seconds and take that deal.  Titles are really hard to get.  The Mavs are still dining off that title in 2011.  The Cavs have one title, ever in 2016.  The Celtics have won what- one title since 1986?  I'd make that deal with the devil every time if I were the Lakers.  Look at the Nets, you think they wouldn't have considered a title last year worth it for everything?  What if you told 76ers that they could have a title this year, but they'd have to give Harden the biggest contract ever and he'd show up weighing 300 pounds the 5 years of the deal and Embiid was going to get out of there- you think they'd take it?  I would in a heartbeat if I were them.  

I see some talent that has gotten out the door for the Lakers.  
I also see these salaries:

  • Brandon Ingram (24 yrs old) - 31.6
  • Lonzo Ball (24 yrs old) - 21 million
  • Julius Randle (27 yrs old) - 20 million
  • Kyle Kuzma (26 yrs old) -  13 million
  • Josh Hart (26 yrs old) - 13 million
  • D'Angelo Russell (25 yrs old) - 29 million
  • Alex Caruso (27 yrs old) - 9 million
  • Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (28 yrs old) - 13 million
  • Montrezl Harrell (28 yrs old) - 9.5 million
  • De'Andre Hunter (24 yrs old) - 8 million
  • Isaiah Jackson (20 yrs old) - Nothing
  • 2022 1st Round Pick - 4-10 million (lets say they pick 8th- their spot- 5 million.

That's 171.5 into the luxury tax for a team that's probably what- likely to get beat by Phoenix in the Western Conference Semi-finals?  I mean, there's a shit load more optionality, but I don't see that core ever winning a title- do you?  I see 3 guys that could be lowest tier all stars, some good role players and some potential. It's not a team I would pick to make the conference finals.  I know that's not necessarily how they'd have rolled it out there- but do you think Julius brings something good to a title team? I don't. I think Ball and Ingrahm could play winning parts on a winning team but I don't see either as bell cow guys.  I think Russell is a cancer in the same way Julius is.  I like Caruso, Hart, KCP, Harrell and Hunter as rotation guys on a really good team.  I mean- yeah- you'd take that team 10 times out of 10 over what the Lakers currently have going forward, but I'd take the title in the bag over the potential of that team every day.  

Total salary

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43 minutes ago, HookEm said:

Looking at the Lakers trades over the last few years.  It really is incredible.  They got rid of all their young, cheap (at the time) depth and replaced it with dinosaurs. 

Here is who they have lost in the last 5 years and what they did this year (my ranking):

  • Brandon Ingram (24 yrs old) - 22.7 pts, 5.8 reb, 5.6 ast 
  • Lonzo Ball (24 yrs old) - 13.0 pts, 5.4 reb, 5.1 ast, 1.8 stl, All Defense Potential
  • Julius Randle (27 yrs old) - 20.1 pts, 9.9 reb, 5.1 ast  (in a bad year)
  • Kyle Kuzma (26 yrs old) - 17.1 pts, 8.5 reb, 3.5 ast 
  • Josh Hart (26 yrs old) - 19.9 pts, 5.4 reb, 4.3 ast
  • D'Angelo Russell (25 yrs old) - 18.1 pts, 3.3 reb, 7.1 ast
  • Alex Caruso (27 yrs old) - 7.4 pts, 3.6 reb, 4.0 ast, 1.7 stl, All Defense Potential
  • Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (28 yrs old) - 13.2 pts, 3.4 reb, 1.9 ast, 1.1 stl
  • Montrezl Harrell (28 yrs old) - 11.4 pts, 4.9 reb, 2.0 ast
  • De'Andre Hunter (24 yrs old) - 13.3 pts, 3.3 reb, 1.3 ast
  • Isaiah Jackson (20 yrs old) - 8.3 pts, 4.1 reb, 0.3 ast
  • 2022 1st Round Pick - ???

So many of those guys have skills that are special / unique.  Lonzo is a big well rounded guard who can defend and distribute. Hart is a plus rebounder from the guard position. Caruso is a game-changing defensive specialist.  Kuzma is an elite rebounder from the SF position. Randle is a handful on the offensive end. And you have Ingram who is still just 24 and doing his best Durant impersonation in NO.  This isn't even counting the huge number of picks they have given up (which could be extremely valuable now that they suck).

It is unbelievable. 

fireworks GIF

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16 minutes ago, Wulaw Horn said:

But, and this is a huge but, if I, as a Rockets fan, was offered one title, 1 disappointing first round playoff loss, this disaster of a year and three to five more shitty years for a title I would mash the button down in 0.7 seconds and take that deal.  Titles are really hard to get.  The Mavs are still dining off that title in 2011. 

our (mavs) championship in 2011 was special b/c of the makeup of the team, who we beat, and the travails of 05 and 06.  i'm not trading a bubble title and several years of absolute failure for whatever the lakers gave up in young talent.  perhaps you being willing to trade that, as a rox fan (and probably astros fan too right?), speaks to the quality of your titles*.

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30 minutes ago, gsoda3 said:

our (mavs) championship in 2011 was special b/c of the makeup of the team, who we beat, and the travails of 05 and 06.  i'm not trading a bubble title and several years of absolute failure for whatever the lakers gave up in young talent.  perhaps you being willing to trade that, as a rox fan (and probably astros fan too right?), speaks to the quality of your titles*.

So, you'd want to pay that roster 175 million and not have a title in your back pocket then?  To each his own, I suppose, but I bet the vast majority of fan bases would trade 1 title and 1 shitty first round exit and 5 years of shit for whatever their particular 7 year course ends up being.  I'm putting the over under on Luka titles at 0.5 and betting the under on Dallas. And that's not a knock on Luka or the Mavs. I actually really like Cuban and wish he was our owner, and think that Luka is great.  Titles are just really really really hard to win.  It makes it a lot easier to win them when you are a destination team.  I think we have conclusive evidence that's not Dallas as Cuban has been swinging and missing for going on a decade in the FA world (so have the Rockets). There are very very very few destination markets and teams. The Lakers are one of them.  That will help them get back to good once they have their cap sheet cleaned out.  

Honestly, they should just bite the bullet on Westbrook, trade LBJ and AD for future assets, and go into 2023 offseason with a clean cap and future assets and cobble together whatever they can.  I know that's not typically the Lakers way, but them with a clean cap sheet is more dangerous than anyone in the league with a clean cap sheet, other than maybe Miami.

Destination teams:

Lakers, Heat, Warriors, Clippers, Nets (Knicks would be if Dolan ever sold).  

The next tier down (just market- ignoring ownership that might be a drag) is: Dallas, Phoenix, Houston, Philly, Boston, Chicago

Everyone else is pray your superstar likes it there and is magnetic enough to pull other people to them.  

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our (mavs) championship in 2011 was special b/c of the makeup of the team, who we beat, and the travails of 05 and 06.  i'm not trading a bubble title and several years of absolute failure for whatever the lakers gave up in young talent.  perhaps you being willing to trade that, as a rox fan (and probably astros fan too right?), speaks to the quality of your titles*.
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38 minutes ago, gsoda3 said:

our (mavs) championship in 2011 was special b/c of the makeup of the team, who we beat, and the travails of 05 and 06.  i'm not trading a bubble title and several years of absolute failure for whatever the lakers gave up in young talent.  perhaps you being willing to trade that, as a rox fan (and probably astros fan too right?), speaks to the quality of your titles*.

Ah yes, Dallas fans clearly have a more measured approach to sports success and quality of titles what all of the recent titles from the Cowboys, Stars, and Rangers.

You play to win the game. The bubble title was legit - any of the teams who would have won that would be happy to have that in their trophy room and the fans would have loved the parade. If you have a chance to get that ring then you take it. You think Georgia was happy with being in the college football playoffs before they just won?

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17 minutes ago, Wulaw Horn said:

So, you'd want to pay that roster 175 million and not have a title in your back pocket then? 

i thought the question was whether in hindsight you'd want

 

what happened in LA with lebron 

vs

running with the team they had in 18 and never signing lebron.

 

i'd select the second option.  even with that title they won.  yeah it's a championship and my friends and family who are lakers fans are glad they have it but they don't really value it (or lebron).  and i see their point.  they were interested for a couple years in the team but it's been a lot of frustration since then and there's still more pain coming.  

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