For the Clippers to make the post-season after trading away Paul, DJ, Griffin and also after trading Tobias Harris this season... the Lakers should be absolutely ashamed. Absolute embarrassment.
yeah, that's a nice path. i actually think houston might have ended up getting what they want, too. playing gs before the heavy playoff minutes might get to harden and paul. meanwhile, curry's already nursing his annual minor playoff injury. i wanted to see houston/okc in the first round, but it wouldn't be surprising if that's the conference finals now.
Just wanted to take a minute to appreciate the end of the magnificent career of Dirk Nowitzki. I don't like Mark Cuban at all, so I can't care much about the Mavs, but Dirk Nowitzki is different story. I consider him one of the classiest superstars the NBA had during its career, and save for the last couple of years where he was kinda done, he had an incredibly solid career, became most definitely the best european in NBA history (and I honestly consider in basketball history too, with all due respect to some incredible players that didn't play that much in the NBA). I had the pleasure of talking to Dirk years ago, and I felt he was exactly the good guy I felt he was while watching him play. And of course, he was a beast as a player. He was one of the best scorers of his generation, he knew how to adapt his game as he grew older and was one of the first guys I'd give a final shot in the NBA. His 2011 Playoffs run was outstanding, and while, again, I didn't really like the Mavs, I always felt Dirk himself was a guy that was very easy to root for. An outstanding shooting big man who came in an era when shooting big men was not a thing at all, and brought one of the most unguardable fadeaway shots in NBA history. This is one of the many guys I'll miss, and the second to last guy remaining that actually played in the 90s (last one standing is Vince). Also, I will always respect a lot the fact that he stayed with the Mavs his whole career. We had the same honor with Kobe, and it's something I feel that's very special. He stayed with them all the time, and made Dallas a relevant team for the whole decade (and a bit more). So yeah, I just wanted a minute and a few words to appreciate Dirk Werner Nowitzki. A great guy, a great career.
hear hear. definitely my favorite sports personality, maybe ever. classy, thoughtful, competitive, great teammate, great in the community, genuinely humble, and of course a great basketball player. it's hard to find this combination of attributes simultaneously in a superstar athlete. dallas was lucky to have him. can't think of a current analog, tbh. sadly, the closes thing might be...paul george? and he's not close. most other star-level players are j******es on or off the court in some way, including our beloved kobe. magic may be another historical analog, but again, nobody else right now.
the breaking of the lotto ties at 7/8/9 and 12/13/14 happen today, and i think it's televised. i think they split the balls (pause), but a coin flip (or i guess a series of coin flips?) determines the order should none of them jump. why this matters: dallas/NO/memphis are tied right now. if memphis ends up 9, they convey their pick to boston. if not, they keep it, and their pick goes to top-6, then unprotected. they'd rather give it up because they're going to be bad for a while and this is a weak draft. boston doesn't want it for the same reasons. our preferred outcome: dallas/NO/memphis in that order. the 12/13/14 one is less interesting, but can also annoy boston because they own sac's pick regardless. our preferred outcome: sac gets 14th. so, really, boston is who cares, but they suck so i care. they could end up with 9, 14, 19, and 21 in a draft where players at each of those spots seem fairly interchangeable to many scouts at this point. it would also signify the end of the "treasure chest" era, wherein boston dominates all trade conversations due to its vast draft wealth (which is and has been overstated).
OH WOW. Wasn't sure how to work this so hit Reset first a couple times. But then my very first push of the Sim Lottery button ..... the Lakers jumped into the number 1 position. Sheeeeooooot!!!! Back to real life subsequent attempts.
Favorite Nowitzki memory... In their Finals match, James and Wade mocking him in the tunnel by coughing because reports that he was sick. The Diggler lights them up the next game turning the series around.
This is kinda interesting. Blake Griffin taking friendlier Media tact at end of season and getting props compared to Westbrook's (George too[?] .... I don't know) surly behavior. https://www.yahoo.com/sports/blake-...kes-hands-and-wishes-them-well-040456176.html
i was talking about this with someone the other day: griffin has improved on almost all of his weak spots on the court, has cut down on the stupid antics and bravado, and seems to have matured. the only problem is that his teams can't seem to win. what gives? is it simply that it's hard for a player with his profile to lead a winning team in the current nba?
Injuries with Clippers to key players in playoffs always and not good enough roster in Detroit? (no idea about the latter)
John Havlicek just passed away at 79. He was a complete nightmare for us and one of the very big reasons Boston still has one more title than us, yet I'm sad for his passing. He was an incredible player that somehow gets kinda lost between the Bird/Russell narrative in Boston, but Havlicek was also an amazing player. https://www.usatoday.com/story/spor...icek-dies-79-boston-C Bags-legend/3582307002/
I have no idea, because I thought you had to have a heart to have one. (I’m kidding, glad he’s alright)
