Arena The NBA Thread

It happened again last night!

 

So, I know you were all keyed into Thunder/Lakers last night (Sha played this time, @tom ; no D'Lo, though)... close win (5-points!) for the purple & gold; season series won against OKC, just 1 1/2 games out of 5th & 6th, and hell, 2 out of 4 (why not hope a little?!), and back to .500 for the first time in over a year.












@The Jedi in the Pumas I like that; and cue the "how the mighty have fallen!" snark, potentially.

 

Nah, I have to get up easy coast time, but I did watch the Grizzlies crush Houston. For the first time in a long time the Grizzlies looked like they were having a blast and Ja looked unstoppable. So, fun seeing the hometown crowd celebrate their play-off birth. I'm not really a Memphis fan, but I do like seeing happy people. And I just like the Memphis crew/stadium experience.

You guys my short term achievable goal is to buy an electric car and "guilt free" road trip to as many NBA games as I can. Memphis, Minneapolis and Atlanta are at the top of my list.

 

I was being a little facetious with that opening comment.


If I ever get the means to truly travel, I’d love to visit various NBA arenas/cities as well, as the Lakers make their various road trips in a season. Would be really niiiiice, particularly to see games in NYC, Cleveland, Phoenix, Portland & Sacramento in person. Actually had a dream some months ago where I was at MSG, for instance, for something else, but thinking in said dream ”The ambiance is pretty cool here.”

 

Hoping the next time we hear from Ben Simmons is to announce he is retiring and moving back to Australia. If I ever see that loser again it'll be too soon.

 

On a wide perspective note, I think the end of season disparity between teams having easy versus hard schedules is tweaking my last nerve. I get that for the most part, the ones that have road heavy schedules at the end started the season with home heavy ones, but still. The need for insane numbers of back to backs in late March is ridiculous! If you must, do that in early March. They need to scale back number of games even if they end up in early April IMO, to like 72. It was crowded when they did that in 2021 but the total number was perfect. Fans are happy, players are rested. I believe any revenue they lose with the 10 fewer games could be made up in other ways ... Without sacrificing fan blisses and players being available.

 

• The Mavericks are basically on a free fall, losing twice in a row to the Hornets. Respect to the team from Charlotte, but Dallas should have won these two if they want to get in the playoffs, or even the play-in tournament at this point. It's somewhat absurd that the team was better before Irving joined them, but certainly not inexplicable and not fully unexpected. The dude is bad news for any team he joins at this point.
  
  
• Utah and Oklahoma are in a bad form when it matters the most, so something tells me they won't make it to the playoffs, even if one of them makes the play-in.
  
  
• The Pelicans, the Warriors and the Lakers on the other hand, are playing well now that it matters the most. The Warriors are in better standing right now, but I expect all three of them to make it to the playoffs. The Suns and the Clippers are wildcards at this point. And with tough schedules.
  
  
• Giannis is my MVP for the year. Embiid is impressive and has the numbers but his team is 3rd in the East and he doesn't seem to be as dominant as the other two players. Jokic is essentially the reason why the Nuggets are contenders and might average a triple double for the season, but his team is also underperforming lately, and he scores less than in his two MVP years (but he does a lot more in total, admittedly). Giannis appears to be the most dominant of the three though, and his team will almost certainly finish 1st in the entire NBA. I don't think this would even be a conversation if he had increased his 3P% and his FT%. A very tight race though, I wouldn't be surprised if any of those 3 players gets the award.

I am very excited for the playoffs, both conferences will be very interesting! Albeit, the Eastern Conference might start getting really interesting in the Conference Semifinals, I don't think any of the first 3 teams will be in danger of elimination on the first round. The Cavs VS the Knicks/Heat will be fun though! In the West..... no prediction is safe.

 

Or as we call it, Tuesday

 

Boston running up the score on Milwaukee. Up 44 late in the third. All the starters in, Tatum knocking down one three after another.

 

Antetokounmpo to Blake Griffin, maybe. But not really.

 

I always pictured this as a hard and challenging thing because of the riduculous gauntlet in the schedule but never in my worst speculations did I expect the score to be THAT lopsided. Over the summer I want the Bucks to get someone who can shoot the lights out from three ... Yay!

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As for the MVP poll, Giannis ... natch.

 

Can some more knowledgeable than I am explain a Mid season tournament to me? What’s the point?

 

What a game in Atlanta, they clinched a play-in spot and Dallas lost. Overtime game that went down to the final possession. Dallas really just lost by missing free throws in regulation, lol.

And the Knicks clinched a play-off spot but I couldn't watch because they played the local team.

 

Mavs suck.

 

Surreal any time I see someone take over the top spot of any Cavs list from LeBron

 

Lakers moving on up; so, so close to 6th & 5th... a mere half game!

 

Bucks were convincingly dominant over the Sixers. Giannis made a statement LOL Jrue and Khris and Brook and Bobby are just fantabulous!

 

I’m excited at the opportunity to get the 5th seed…

Not excited about facing the suns…

That being said… think we would pull it off. People are saying the Kings would be an easier matchup, but… im not sure. I’ll just be happy to not to be in the play in

 

The answer to everything, my friend, is MONEY

 

Never a Doubt.

 

Biggest Clippers/Lakers game tomorrow in some time, to say the least.

 

They better ****ing play.

 

I'm certainly not a Clippers fan, but when Russell Westbrook gets a highlight on SportsCenter I still blow him a kiss even when I'm running on the treadmill at a gym where anybody could be wondering what exactly I'm doing. And most of all it's a good morning.

I watched most of the Knicks win last night. Call me crazy but I think they have a chance against Cleveland. I'd really like it if Randall was healthy though.