Good morning. Let’s basketball.
Good morning. The NBA has a nutshot problem.
That and much more in Monday’s NBA newsletter. SUBSCRIBE!
A COMPELLING TRAINWRECK: The Sunday Shootaround focused in on the three-ring circus at the bottom of the East playoff bracket, with a bevy of head-to-head matchups in the past week. (They continued Sunday, when the Pacers crushed the Heat in Paul George’s return.) Paul Flannery also drops his unofficial MVP ballot and more. Enjoy.
REVENGE OF CP3: Chris Paul has been the victim in a few recent highlight Vines. He’s also been a self-made victim in a couple of infamous flop Vines. So he took his frustration out on Carlos Boozer and the Lakers with a killer open court nutmeg.
THIS WEEKEND IN LOW BLOWS: Shaun Livingston played some interesting post defense on Dirk Nowitzki (and received a 1-game suspension). Goran Dragic tapped David West, too. (Flagrant-1.) They saw CP3 get away with it last week and took advantage.
THE PLAYOFF RACES: The Pelicans control their own destiny in the West after the weekend shake-out. They have the tiebreaker over OKC, so they just need to finish with the same record to win No. 8. Meanwhile, the race higher up the table is crazy tight: two games separate the No. 2 seed from the No. 6 seed (with Portland, the No. 4, another half-game back).
The bottom of the East remains a mess. The Nets currently hold No. 7 and the Celtics hold No. 8. That’d mean Miami would miss the playoffs. But everything is still in flux. Meanwhile, the Bulls are a game ahead of the Raptors for No. 3.
GOT ME AN MVP, TOO: Kawhi Leonard reminds Stephen Curry who already has hardware.
YOUR NEW DUNK OF THE YEAR: Jeff Green with the hammer on Kevin Seraphin. This is good. This is real, real good.
THE CAVALIERS ARE BEATING BUZZERS: First J.R. Smith and then Kyrie Irving!
JOAKIM NOAH HAS OPINIONS ON LEBRON’S ANATOMY: And they are not very kind.
THIS WEEKEND IN TWITTER BEEF: The Harden trade got dredged up again, and Bill Simmons was debating it on Twitter, and Kevin Durant told him to “let it go.”
PRESIDENT STEVENS: Brad Stevens might be an *actual* genius, not just a basketball genius. Look at the play he drew up to beat the Raptors.
HOW SIM BHULLAR MADE IT: 7’5 Indian-Canadian Sim Bhullar joined the Kings on Friday. Les Carpenter wrote an excellent piece on his fight to drop enough weight to be a professional basketball player. Great story.
WHAT A TEASE: Phil Jackson told fans he knows who he’d take No. 1 overall but isn’t sharing that info.
SCIENCE PROJECT REQUEST: If you play pickup basketball with any regularity, fill out this form and you’ll be entered to win a sincere thank you.
Happy Monday. Get after it this week! See you next time.
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