Good morning, let’s talk about the NBA playoffs
The seeds are set, the schedule’s out and the playoffs are (almost) here.
Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports
Good morning. Let’s basketball.
WHAT IT IS: Here’s all eight playoff series separated by which day they begin. Full schedule that has been released right here. Home team first.
SATURDAY
Raptors vs. Nets
Clippers vs. Warriors
Pacers vs. Hawks
Thunder vs. Grizzlies
SUNDAY
Spurs vs. Mavericks
Heat vs. Bobcats
Bulls vs. Wizards
Rockets vs. Blazers
That’s right: the Charlotte Bobcats in a prime Sunday afternoon ABC slot. What a world!
ONE FINAL BANGER: Fitting that the West Deathrace ended with a one-point overtime win for the Grizz over the Mavs. Good gravy. This game also caused Peak Popovich.
SMOOTH JAZZ: The Utah Jazz basically stabbed their fans' hearts by beating the Wolves in double overtime to ... fall into a lottery tie with the Celtics. A loss would have given the Jazz the fourth-worst record and an 11.9 percent chance of landing No. 1 overall. Now, depending on a coin flip, Utah will have a 10.3 or 10.4 percent chance at No. 1. It's the little things that count.
MORE LITTLE THINGS: The Pistons darn near beat the Thunder, which could have hurt their lottery odds. The Lakers beat the Spurs handily, but as Boston loss it was of no matter. The Cavaliers won only after the Pelicans had shot themselves in the foot with a win. If these teams are all trying to tank, THEY ARE HORRIBLE AT IT.
BOSTON STRONG: Rajon Rondo’s sneakers for the season finale paid honor to the Boston Marathon bombing victims.
GLITCHES: Before the season, the brilliant Kevin Pelton used his SCHOENE prediction sytem to project that the Knicks would win 37 games. The Knicks scoffed at it in comments to the New York Post. Carmelo Anthony said that “sometimes computers have glitches.”
STARTED FROM THE BOTTOM: Now they are the subject of a brilliant longform profile by James Herbert. (We’re talking about the Raptors.)
THE GREATNESS OF HERB KOHL: When Bucks owner Herb Kohl said he wanted to ensure the team stayed in Milwaukee when he sold it, he wasn’t messing around. He made staying in Milwaukee a condition of the sale, and contributed $100 million of his own proceeds to the project. The new owners (Marc Lasry and Wesley Edens) have committed $100 million as well after buying the Bucks at a record $550 million valuation.
Brew Hoop has full coverage, including the all-important answer to the question “who the hell are Marc Lasry and Wesley Edens?“
BASICALLY PERFECT: The NBA Championship Belt ended up with the Knicks. Of course it did.
NO UNCERTAIN TERMS: Kyrie Irving emphatically states that he wants to remain in Cleveland. He’ll have a chance to sign a max extension on July 1.
THE REAL MVP: Dan On Fire makes the case for Kobe Bryant. The Daily Win also offers a rundown on all of the awards.
PROGRAMMING NOTE, TV EDITION: Bad Boys, a documentary on the championship-era Pistons, premieres at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN today. Watch it. Here’s The Sports Fan Journal’s review.
PROGRAMMING NOTE, WEB EDITION: Our playoff previews will be landing throughout the next two days. Be sure to check SBNation.com/NBA and follow @SBNationNBA to see it all.
Happy playoffs. See you next time.
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