Consider this your open thread for the weekend (Saturday April 26, Sunday April 27). We’ve got a ton of NBA action and for those who enjoy prolate spheroid balls, the NFL draft. The Shedeur Sanders saga is as compelling as most of these first round series.
Saturday:
Cleveland Cavaliers @ Miami Heat – 10:00 AM PT, 1:00 PM ET
- Cleveland leads the series 2-0
Oklahoma City Thunder @ Memphis Grizzlies – 12:30 AM PT, 3:30 PM ET
- OKC leads the series 3-0
Denver Nuggets @ Los Angeles Clippers – 3:00 PM PT, 6:00 PM ET
- Clippers lead the series 2-1
Houston Rockets @ Golden State Warriors – 5:30 PM PT, 8:30 PM ET
- Series tied 1-1
Sunday:
New York Knicks @ Detroit Pistons – 10:00 AM PT, 1:00 PM ET
- Knicks lead the series 1-0
Los Angeles Lakers @ Minnesota Timberwolves – 12:30 PM PT, 3:30 PM ET
- Timberwolves lead the series 2-1
Boston Celtics @ Orlando Magic – 4:00 PM PT, 7:00 PM ET
- Boston leads the series 2-1
Indiana Pacers @ Milwaukee Bucks – 6:30 PM PT, 9:30 PM ET
- Pacers lead the series 2-1
Seeing the #1 seeds currently completely roll the #8 seeds it just reaffirms my opinion that the play-in is an absolute joke. Watching a 64 win Cavs team beat down a 37 win Heat team in round 1 is pointless. Does anyone really think a #9 or #10 stand a chance against a #1?
After seeing four(?) years of the play-in, I definitely wish they would do away with them. But as long as more games = more money, it probably will be here for a while.
It also keeps teams playing competitively throughout the entire season to make sure they are top 6 and avoid the play-in…in years past, this last stretch of games is where most vets were generally given a week off.
I also think having two other “maybe-playoff” spots gives teams a better chance of making the most of the trade deadline which means teams are more incentivized to be active at the TD which then encourages player-movement which gives more teams a chance at making the PIs/POs and I think that is good the for league as a whole when the only real downside is that the well-rested #1 seed might steamroll a #7-10 seed (which just rewards the best team for winning, I don’t have an issue with this).
Personally, I think the play-in should remain AND the first round should go back to best of 5…this gives the underdogs a real chance and makes for some real compelling upsets or close-games.
The other slight fix would be for the first round to return to a 5 game series. Of course, again that’s less games and less money so the NBA would never go for it.
Amazing what a top coach can do with a player that needs only to be used correctly . Davion Mitchell is playing like the point guard the Kings need .
Well, at least the Kings didn’t have to get swept this year in the first round. 😉
So did Scotty Pippen Jr. just get Ja Moran traded? The Grizz could quite a pick/prospect haul to go with their youth movement. It would be a very Ainge like move to sell on Morant like the Jazz did with Mitchell.
I’m beginning to feel this is going to be quite the entertaining summer with a lot of stars on the move. Suns may move Durant and/or Booker, Denver may blow it up,Giannis may want out, and Ja is most likely on the block.
I’m just curious to see if Marvin Bagley will still be in the league next season.
Maybe they’ll deal Ja for Zach LaVine and some nothing first round picks.
Finger guns to celebrate!
Not nearly as toxic as Jason Williams’ pretend machine gun.
The Kings are going to have to make an extremely risky move at some point like trading for Ja or Zion. This status mediocre quo is depressing.
The Bucks are going to be interesting.
Dame out all year next season, he’ll be making almost 60 million the year after that. They don’t control any of their firsts down the line so trading Freak and bottoming out doesn’t quite work. It’s a conundrum.
TWolves running a really bad trap defense that keeps resulting in open corner 3s for LA, feels Kangz-esque in its execution and effectiveness
Woooo! Lakers trail 1-3!
Detroit got robbed, that was a really bad “no-call”.
Ooof. Rough for Damian Lillard if this ends up being true.
https://bsky.app/profile/chrisbhaynes.bsky.social/post/3lntpgemmsk2w
The Bucks are absolutely fooooked.
How long before Doc Rivers abandons ship. He can’t be expected to stick around with a team that has no prospects.
Badge Legend