Good morning. The Blazers aren’t going anywhere.

Good morning. Let’s basketball.

BATTLES OF THE WEST: We had two major results out West as the Blazers beat the Rockets to earn a crucial tiebreak while the Clippers knocked back the Thunder, giving the idle Pelicans a half-game lead for No. 8. The Grizzlies also did that trick where they play down to their competition, losing to the Celtics. Plus, there was a major upset of the East’s best team! Check out the rest of the results from the 10-game slate at our NBA Scores hub.

WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND: This is what happens to people who kick other people in the groin. Lesson learned, Bearded One.

OH DEAR, OH DEAR, OH DEAR: This must be a Charlotte thing. Another errant Hornets pass pegged a woman right in the dome. That slow-motion shot is just -- something. In the previous case in 2013, the woman was walking back to her seat when she got nailed. This woman was being shown something on a phone by what appears to be her adult daughter. I hope it was something wonderful. Like, perhaps, the previous Charlotte ball-to-head Vine.

THIS MORNING IN SNOT: Cool snotrocket, Glen.

CURRY GOT CURRIED: Spencer Dinwiddie crossed up Chef Curry and banked a three in his face. HOW DOES IT FEEL STEPHEN? (The Warriors won.)

GOOD NEWS FOR EVERYONE BUT EVERYONE IN THE WEST: Kevin Durant is expected to return in 1-2 weeks.

THIS IS BAD: A man was stabbed during Celtics-Grizzlies at TD Garden. Believed to be okay.

WOW: I am legitimately astounded at how good this piece on Syracuse, Jim Boeheim and the NBA Draft by old friend Jonathan Tjarks is. I feel like I understand the Syracuse issue (they are usually overrated in the draft) much more fully.

SIR FOSTER ALERT: Sarah Kogod on how a broke musician became sports’ best organist.

PRETTY MUCH: The problem with Rudy Gay in one screenshot.

THE D-LEAGUE KEYSTONE: Superagent Arn Tellem pens a thoughtful, smart plan to revoke the age minimum, raise D-League salaries and allow teams and players to help boost domestic player development without the NCAA. As someone who published a similar plan last week, I am fully in favor!

BOWLING TRIP ALERT! The Wizards are desperate enough to give it a shot.

SPEAKING OF WHICH: A defensive Randy Wittman tells critics to “pull up the Internet.” Consider it done!

ON WIGGINS’ DEFENSE: Fantastic breakdown by Zach Harper.

SOUNDS ABOUT RIGHT: Kirk Goldsberry determines that Chris Paul is the NBA’s deadliest mid-range shooter.

OH GOOD: The NBA players’ union has officially rejected the league’s cap smoothing proposal, meaning the cap will explode for the 2016-17 season. I, for one, can’t wait. We also received a small detail on the league’s offer. The salary cap would have gone up more gradually, but any excess money due to players under the labor agreement would have been given to the union to distribute among players. That ... seems like it was a smart idea!

LET’S MOCK: Chad Ford’s updated mock has Karl Towns going No. 1 in some scenarios. I think I’d want Towns over Jahlil Okafor, to be honest.

WELL ... Howard Beck writes about the idea of the Knicks trading their pick, which should be very high, for a star due to the Carmelo Timeline. I’d point to the Sunken Cost Fallacy and the 2016 salary cap bonanza as strong reasons not to do this.

A PICTURE OF HAPPINESS: Kobe and friends don’t look terribly proud or pleased to be in the official 2014-15 Lakers team photo.

[NODDING]: Tim Cato has a great pulse on the Mavericks. He says that the current version has some serious problems.

THAT WAS PLEASANTLY FAST: Joel Embiid’s walking boot has already been removed.

PRAY 4 PRAY 4 D-ROSE: Some disrespectful people, possibly Pistons fans, have destroyed the touching Derrick Rose memorial in Chicago.

Happy Thursday. See you next time.