Like everyone else who loves the NBA Playoffs… I’m just chillin’ and taking in the NBA Play-In Tournament on Prime. All four of the first round games in the tournament have been excellent with very competitive games mixed with controversy and then a touch of Steph Curry Magic to close out the first round.
Okay…so I hope I have this right…Philly will be our No. 7 seed in the East and will take on Boston without Joel Embiid. Charlotte which should have had LaMelo Ball ejected with a Flagrant 2 vs. the Miami Heat will need to beat the Orlando Magic to play the 60-win Detroit Pistons.
As far as the Ball deal where his cheap play removed Miam’s best player Bam Adebayo from the game in the first half…it sucks for NBA fans. Because Spoelstra’s team would have added some interest perhaps to the East where a Detroit vs. Miami first round matchup could have been insightful to see how legit the Pistons will be in the upcoming days and weeks.
But it is what it is…although it’s unfathomable to me given how much time NBA refs waste with frivolous reviews that this crew DID NOT REVIEW THIS PLAY.
So now it’s Orlando vs.Charlotte for the right to play Cade Cunningham and the Pistons.
Portland somewhat surprised Phoenix and will now face the Spurs in the first round. Golden State came back from a 12-point fourth quarter deficit to beat the Clippers and advance to a winner take all game versus the Suns in Phoenix.
I know Steve Ballmer has more money than any human would ever need, but damn it would suck to be the owner of the LA Clippers. They always find a way to lose even with new players like Darius Garland and Ben Mathurin.
Kawhi has one year remaing on his deal so maybe with those three guys the Clippers can end the Steve Ballmer curse and do something of tangible consequence next season. So when you’re praying for our broken country…pray for the cursed LA Clippers as well. That 4th quarter up close of him late was brutal…like something you’d see from Suzie Wiles after a late night of Donald Trump social posting.
Given the way Steph, Draymond, Porzingus, Santos, Melton, and the ageless Al Horton performed in the fourth quarter…I would have say I’m picking the Warriors to win at Phoenix and punch their ticket for the right to play the defending champ Oklahoma City Thunder.
I’m not in any way going to think about an OKC-Golden State possible matchup until I see the Warriors win at Phoenix though.
I actually like the Play-In Tournament because it gives teams a chance for redemption if they were ravaged by injury in the regular season to get into the playoffs with two wins. And that premise is squarely in play for Steph, Draymond, and Porzingus as they rest in preparation for their game in Phoenix on Friday night which will be must see NBA Prime television.
In closing, having written all the above..I still only have six teams in my mind who can win the NBA Championship once we get down to sixteen teams. My top six goes in this order…1 OKC Thunder, 2 Denver Nuggets, 3 Boston Celtics, 4 San Antonio Spurs, 5 New York Knicks, and 6 the Detroit Pistons. My No. 7 wildcard is Minnesota. Can Anthony Edwards finally do it and figure some things out?
Me having the Spurs at No. 4 is something I’ll probably twist with a bit. We’ll see how it goes given it’s the first time in the playoffs for these youthful Spurs.
Hope you’re luvin’ the NBA post-season life ballin’ on Prime like Mikey J. is doing.
Eternal love,
MJ