2020-2021 AROUND the NBA: Archived

[Kammrath]

Timberwolves beat Mavs.
Lakers beat Pelicans.
Clippers beat Thunder.
Trail Blazers beat the Nuggets.
RESULT:  #3 Clippers (48-24), #4 Nuggets (47-25), #5 Mavs (42-30, with Division Champ 3-way tie-breaker), #6 Blazers (42-30, with tie-breaker vs. Lakers), #7 Lakers (42-30)


Timberwolves beat Mavs.
Lakers beat Pelicans.
Thunder beat Clippers.
Trail Blazers beat the Nuggets.
RESULT:  #3 Nuggets (47-25, with tie-breaker vs. Clippers), #4 Clippers (47-25), #5 Mavs (42-30, with Division Champ 3-way tie-breaker), #6 Blazers (42-30, with tie-breaker vs. Lakers), #7 Lakers (42-30)



The most likely scenarios right now?

[Kammrath]

I am curious if the Lakers will rest Lebron and AD once they realize the Blazers aren't losing....that could knock the Mavs to #6.

[Hogmelon]

I am curious if the Lakers will rest Lebron and AD once they realize the Blazers aren't losing....that could knock the Mavs to #6.

Yeah, and then (assuming Mavs lose, Nuggets lose, and Lakers lose) the Mavs will be matched up with the Nuggets if the Clippers lose tonight, and the Mavs will be matched up with the Clippers if the Clippers win tonight.

[Hogmelon]

Timberwolves beat Mavs.
Lakers beat Pelicans.
Clippers beat Thunder.
Trail Blazers beat the Nuggets.
RESULT:  #3 Clippers (48-24), #4 Nuggets (47-25), #5 Mavs (42-30, with Division Champ 3-way tie-breaker), #6 Blazers (42-30, with tie-breaker vs. Lakers), #7 Lakers (42-30)


Timberwolves beat Mavs.
Lakers beat Pelicans.
Thunder beat Clippers.
Trail Blazers beat the Nuggets.
RESULT:  #3 Nuggets (47-25, with tie-breaker vs. Clippers), #4 Clippers (47-25), #5 Mavs (42-30, with Division Champ 3-way tie-breaker), #6 Blazers (42-30, with tie-breaker vs. Lakers), #7 Lakers (42-30)



The most likely scenarios right now?

Yeah, it looks that way at this moment.  But ... who knows what weirdness will happen in all the second halves?

[TurkishMFFL]

The Lakers have just built enough of a gap to win the game. Even if they sit all the starters it will be too hard to lose.

[Kammrath]

Timberwolves beat Mavs.
Lakers beat Pelicans.
Clippers beat Thunder.
Trail Blazers beat the Nuggets.
RESULT:  #3 Clippers (48-24), #4 Nuggets (47-25), #5 Mavs (42-30, with Division Champ 3-way tie-breaker), #6 Blazers (42-30, with tie-breaker vs. Lakers), #7 Lakers (42-30)


Timberwolves beat Mavs.
Lakers beat Pelicans.
Thunder beat Clippers.
Trail Blazers beat the Nuggets.
RESULT:  #3 Nuggets (47-25, with tie-breaker vs. Clippers), #4 Clippers (47-25), #5 Mavs (42-30, with Division Champ 3-way tie-breaker), #6 Blazers (42-30, with tie-breaker vs. Lakers), #7 Lakers (42-30)


The scenarios....

[Hogmelon]

Timberwolves beat Mavs.
Lakers beat Pelicans.
Clippers beat Thunder.
Trail Blazers beat the Nuggets.
RESULT:  #3 Clippers (48-24), #4 Nuggets (47-25), #5 Mavs (42-30, with Division Champ 3-way tie-breaker), #6 Blazers (42-30, with tie-breaker vs. Lakers), #7 Lakers (42-30)


Timberwolves beat Mavs.
Lakers beat Pelicans.
Thunder beat Clippers.
Trail Blazers beat the Nuggets.
RESULT:  #3 Nuggets (47-25, with tie-breaker vs. Clippers), #4 Clippers (47-25), #5 Mavs (42-30, with Division Champ 3-way tie-breaker), #6 Blazers (42-30, with tie-breaker vs. Lakers), #7 Lakers (42-30)


The scenarios....

Frickin' brain-dead Thunder.

[dirkfansince1998]

Frickin' brain-dead Thunder.

I don´t blame them. The Clippers are running the entire offense through a guy that is named Jay Scrubb. That´s next level tanking.

[Hogmelon]

Timberwolves beat Mavs.
Lakers beat Pelicans.
Clippers beat Thunder.
Trail Blazers beat the Nuggets.
RESULT:  #3 Clippers (48-24), #4 Nuggets (47-25), #5 Mavs (42-30, with Division Champ 3-way tie-breaker), #6 Blazers (42-30, with tie-breaker vs. Lakers), #7 Lakers (42-30)


Timberwolves beat Mavs.
Lakers beat Pelicans.
Thunder beat Clippers.
Trail Blazers beat the Nuggets.
RESULT:  #3 Nuggets (47-25, with tie-breaker vs. Clippers), #4 Clippers (47-25), #5 Mavs (42-30, with Division Champ 3-way tie-breaker), #6 Blazers (42-30, with tie-breaker vs. Lakers), #7 Lakers (42-30)


The scenarios....

Well ... that's that (unless the Pelicans make a big comeback):

Timberwolves beat Mavs.
Lakers beat Pelicans.
Thunder beat Clippers.
Trail Blazers beat the Nuggets.
RESULT:  #3 Nuggets (47-25, with tie-breaker vs. Clippers), #4 Clippers (47-25), #5 Mavs (42-30, with Division Champ 3-way tie-breaker), #6 Blazers (42-30, with tie-breaker vs. Lakers), #7 Lakers (42-30)

[DanSchwartzgan]

Well ... that's that:

Timberwolves beat Mavs.
Lakers beat Pelicans.
Thunder beat Clippers.
Trail Blazers beat the Nuggets.
RESULT:  #3 Nuggets (47-25, with tie-breaker vs. Clippers), #4 Clippers (47-25), #5 Mavs (42-30, with Division Champ 3-way tie-breaker), #6 Blazers (42-30, with tie-breaker vs. Lakers), #7 Lakers (42-30)

Thanks for all the work you put in keeping us up to date as this progressed

[Hogmelon]

I don´t blame them. The Clippers are running the entire offense through a guy that is named Jay Scrubb. That´s next level tanking.

OKC had a real reason to tank tonight.  (By winning, OKC eliminated the possibility of having the best draft lottery odds.)

What reason did the Clippers have to tank tonight?  (The Clippers' supertanker effort against the Rockets two nights ago already eliminated the possibility of a first-round match-up versus the Lakers.)

[Kammrath]

https://twitter.com/espn_macmahon/status...6204204037

[Hogmelon]

Thanks for all the work you put in keeping us up to date as this progressed

You're welcome, sir.

Now ... bring on the damned Clippers!!!

[Kammrath]

[Hypermav]

https://twitter.com/Tjonesonthenba/statu...72448?s=20

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https://twitter.com/Tjonesonthenba/statu...48928?s=20

[Hypermav]

https://twitter.com/PAKA_FLOCKA/status/1...29600?s=20

[ClutchDirk]

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1000...nce-finals

[Hogmelon]

https://twitter.com/PAKA_FLOCKA/status/1...29600?s=20

Somebody should explain to Parker Fleming that the OKC game had absolutely ZILCH to do with the Clippers' desire "to dodge the Lake Show," with that objective already accomplished on Friday, May 14, thanks to the Clippers' supertanking performance against the hapless Houston Rockets.

OKC made their own bed, and now they can sleep in it.

[Hogmelon]

IF ... "the Lakers win out" (i.e., Lakers defeat Pacers on Saturday, AND Lakers defeat Pelicans on Sunday), ...

AND the Suns defeat the Trail Blazers tonight, ...

AND the Mavs defeat the Raptors tomorrow night, ...

THEN the Mavs will absolutely, positively  be the #5 SEED, ...

REGARDLESS of the outcome of the Mavs vs. Timberwolves game on Sunday night AND  REGARDLESS of the outcome of the Trail Blazers vs. Nuggets game on Sunday night.

Step 1:  Done!!!

Step 2:  Done!!!

Step 3:  Done!!!

Step 4:  Done!!!

So ... OK ... what was the point of all that????            

[HanspardsShowerVoice]

OKC had a real reason to tank tonight.  (By winning, OKC eliminated the possibility of having the best draft lottery odds.)

What reason did the Clippers have to tank tonight?  (The Clippers' supertanker effort against the Rockets two nights ago already eliminated the possibility of a first-round match-up versus the Lakers.)

They're on the opposite end of the bracket from the Lakers now.  They won't have to face the Lakers until the Conference Finals.   I also think they specifically wanted the Mavs and  the Jazz in the first two rounds. 

Might be too cute by half, and maybe doesn't send the best message to their players (they're basically admitting they're are terrified of the Lakers), but that's the reasoning imho.