"One problem with people who have no vices is that they're pretty sure to have some annoying virtues."
“The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane.”― Marcus Aurelius
adkindo (04-19-2021)
All kinds of playoff races going on right now. The 6, 8 and 10 slots are all in play in both conferences. Anyone got any definitive thoughts on those races? I'm thinking Golden State is going to reel in Memphis for that #8 slot in the West. I'm also thinking Steph is going to get serious MVP consideration along with Jokic and Embiid.
I'm not a system player. I am a system.
In the West, I think they'll end up largely the way they are currently. The Nuggets might slip below the Lakers in the 4/5 matchup if AD and LeBron come back healthy and strong. (Losing Murray hasn't seemed to hurt Denver yet, though, so who knows?)
I definitely wouldn't want to play Golden State in the play-in games, but San Antonio is really struggling right now. Memphis is a cypher. Dallas should be better than they are, but just can't seem to stop anyone.
In the East, the top seven have separated themselves a bit. I keep waiting on Miami to get hot again and look like the team that went to the finals last year. No dice so far. I also await the eventual bubble to burst in NYC. (Noel's block today-- after his block v. Dallas a few nights ago-- was unreal. He's got a case for an All-Defense team spot, IMO.) In the Everyone Is Hurt portion of the East, Charlotte is fading-- Indiana might catch them. Chicago, Washington, and Toronto all have a puncher's chance at not only getting into the playoffs, but moving on to play either Philadelphia or Brooklyn.
How much do injuries matter?
Embiid's been the best player in the East-- when healthy. But he's only played 38 of 55 Philadelphia's games. That's not enough.
Right now, I've got Jokic (MVP pretty convingly), Lillard, Curry, Embiid, and Doncic on my first team. (And in that order for MVP consideration.)
Second team is Zion, Tatum, Giannis, Mitchell, and Booker.
Third team is Leonard, LaVine, Gobert, and some combination of two of LeBron, Harden, Fox, Paul George, and Chris Paul.
Portland blows a game they kind of needed, losing to an undermanned Charlotte team. No Graham, no Hayward, no Ball, no problem.
That drops the Blazers 2.5 behind the Lakers with LeBron and AD about a week away.
"One problem with people who have no vices is that they're pretty sure to have some annoying virtues."
A little off topic, but I saw the news today that the estate of Kobe Bryant and Nike failed to reach an agreement and the contract expired. The article suggested that if they do not re-enter negotiations, another shoe company could compete to take over making a Kobe Bryant line of shoes.
I find this situation very complex. Clearly the "estate" has to look out for the best interest of the Bryant family and should seek an optimal financial arrangement. I have no idea what Nike offered or what even would be a fair offer. Still, how does another brand label their shoe with Kobe Bryant....a shoe that Kobe will never wear or endorse? Also, Kobe was a "company man" when it came to Nike to the point of acknowledging his original deal with Adidas was a mistake and even refusing to sign non Nike gear for teammates and friends around the NBA. He would go out of his way to make his opinion known that Nike was the only option for a basketball shoe.
In the end, the shoe is still one of Nike's top sellers and most profitable branded lines.....which makes me think both parties need each other with little other legitimate alternative options. As someone with no knowledge of the negotiations, from an outside perspective I would think it would be more important to the Bryant family to ensure that shoe continues to get made to keep his legacy alive in that market than it would be to try to get another $10 or even $20 Million with the assumption that his estate is easily worth in excess of $500 Million. That said, I understand it is not place to make someone else's financial decisions.
“The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane.”― Marcus Aurelius
Steph went for 49 tonight as the Warriors beat the 76ers. Jokic also had a monster night (47-15-8), but Steph's making a serious run at him.
I'm not a system player. I am a system.
Been a while since i've watched Steph and last night he did not disappoint. You realize how otherworldly a superstar can be when you see the reactions of the opposing teams, the "what are we supposed to do?" looks are the best, especially when it was his own brother just shaking his head, dagger after dagger.
Simmons and Harris were resting so it's hard to take anything away from this except that Curry is playing out of his mind right now.
(And that Golden State needs each and every point.)
Curry could play until he's 50, I suspect. He can shoot from just about anywhere near half court in. Once he's old, he could end up playing a decade as a short minute per 36 god. SGA is another guy who could play until he's middle-aged. LeBron could as well, if he can accept being a back-up center/ PF for 15 - 20 mpg a night. It'll be interesting to see which NBA gods are willing to chase championships as backups.
Last edited by Bourgeois Zee; 04-20-2021 at 10:07 AM.
For those out there who are wondering what the ignorant play-in game scenario is going to be:
What a clusterf***.The teams with the seventh- and eighth-highest winning percentages in each conference will each have two opportunities to win one game to earn a playoff spot.
-The teams with the ninth- and 10th-highest winning percentages in each conference will each have to win two consecutive games to earn a playoff spot.
-At the end of the regular season, the team with the seventh-highest winning percentage in the conference will host the team with the eighth-highest winning percentage in the conference in a “Seven-Eight Game” to determine the No. 7 in the playoffs in each conference.
-The team with the ninth-highest winning percentage in each conference will host the team with the 10th-highest winning percentage in the conference in a “Nine-Ten Game.”
-The loser of the “Seven-Eight Game” will host the winner of the “Nine-Ten Game” in a play-in game. The winner of that game will be the No. 8 seed in the playoffs for its conference.
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