2013-14 NBA Thread part 1

Dan Gilbert just got excited and doesn't know why:

http://www.creativepro.com/article/comic-neue-comic-sans-reborn

In other news, we're close to having an Eastern Conference playoffs with:

3, Toronto
6, Charlotte
7, Washington
8, Atlanta

I watched patches of the Hawks-C's game last night at the Omni 2.0, which was 10% filled. Oy. Such bad basketball. Hawks looked like they'd blow the C's out of the water early but Boston took the lead late in the 3rd. Hawks came back to win by 7 or 8. They're such dogs. The doggest dogs in the NBA the last 10 years.

Also, Jared Sullinger is carrying around 100 pounds of lard in his ass. Dude got chunky but vowed to get in great shape more than the summer.

 

After the bullshit of the Pacers' collapse, Frank Vogel benches all his starters at Milwaukee and basically waves the white flag on getting the top seed in the East.

So, of course, the JV Pacers win, and Miami loses its second straight, which means that going into Friday's Pacers-Heat game, Indiana is the top seed in the East -- and controls most tiebreakers even if it loses (the season series would be 2-2, but at this point Indiana has a better conference record). Unbelievable.

Of course, it helps that the Heat are struggling almost as much as Indiana. The Pacers are 10-12 since March 1, but Miami is only 12-11. Yet they're still seven games up on anyone else with seven five to play.

 

If Indiana loses to Miami, then Miami is back in the driver's seat. The Heat would be a game up in the loss column. Then again, if Toronto finishes third, the road to the ECF is probably much easier as the 2nd seed - not having to face either the physicality of Chicago or the matchup issues on the Nets.

 

The road for the East's first seed (assuming Indiana or Miami wins the first two series) is vs. Atlanta, then against Chicago or Brooklyn. Even with the egg Indiana laid against the Hawks the other night, either Indiana or Miami should be able to dispatch the Hawks. Chicago has won six straight is loose as hell, which is dangerous. Miami definitely doesn't want to play Brooklyn, which is 4-0 against the Heat, while Indiana is 4-0 against Brooklyn. Both teams are 2-2 vs. Chicago, with the home team winning each time.

The second seed would be vs. Washington, then against Toronto or Charlotte. Washington is eminently beatable. Miami has lost to neither Toronto nor Charlotte. Indiana is 2-1 vs. Charlotte (including a stinker there in March), and 2-2 (each team winning at home) against Toronto.

 

Bulls and Raptors are tied (with the Raptors obviously holding the tiebreaker) so that could all flip pretty easily. Both teams have easy schedules, though, so it wouldn't surprise me if they each win out.

 

Atlanta, at 37-44, makes the playoffs, while Phoenix, 47-34, stays home.

They ought to put in a rule that if any team qualifying for the playoffs has a record 10 games worse than a non-qualifier in the opposite conference, the two teams meet in a one-game playoff on the home court of the better-record team.

The winner assumes the No. 8 seed previously held by the bottom qualifier.


It would lead to some weird series, like Phoenix-Indiana if it were done this year, but that would rarely last more than one round since 'play-in qualifiers' would probably lose 90% of their 8 vs. 1 series.

 

After all the collapse and bullshit, Indiana remains the No. 1 seed in the East, what with Miami waving the white flag after the Pacers beat Oklahoma City. I guess somebody had to be the No. 1 seed.

Meanwhile, the West is even and tough enough that top-seeded San Antonio could win the NBA title -- yet it wouldn't be a shock if Memphis knocked out the Spurs in the first round.

 

"It's a black league" Stephen A Smith. Michael Wilbon.

 

"It's about friggin' time." Pistons fans on Joe Dumars exiting presidency of the franchise.

 

For all of the things one might consider amazing this season -- Raptors winning the division and being 15 over .500, Bullets making the playoffs, Lakers becoming old-Clippers-like, Clippers becoming Showtime-like, and a few other things -- I might be most amazed by the Spurs.

They've put together the quietest 62-win season (maybe 63) you'll ever hear about.

It's amazing because even though they have some young blood, they're old.

 

Anyone who wants to appreciate basketball should watch the Spurs. It's Fundamentals Porn. The passing and off-the-ball movement are amazing.

 

and thats why you practice