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Scores and ATS Results
Charlotte 76 – Atlanta 103 (Atlanta -8.5)
Oklahoma City 100 – Minnesota 98 (Minnesota +8)
Denver 109 – Dallas 91 (Denver +2)
New Orleans 96 – LA Lakers 108 (LA Lakers -2.5)
Phoenix 104 – Sacramento 129 (Sacramento-4)
Have A Night Buddy Heild
Big… Massive… YUUUUUGE month coming up for the Sacramento Kings. While the Lakers, who I’ll get to in a little bit, probably have the most to gain/lose from the lottery drawing next month, this is gonna be a pretty massive swing for Sacramento. Balls bounce the right way and they could be looking at two picks in the top six or seven. Balls bounce the wrong way and they could be left with nothing.
There’s a lot of arguments to be made each and every way when it comes to the Boogie trade. And of course this lottery will greatly affect how we view the trade a few years down the road. But I think we’ve seen enough from Buddy this last month and enough of the Pelicans looking awful that we can at east say this wasn’t a complete and total disaster. Buddy can play. Is Buddy your number one guy? No. Number two guy? No. But if you get these two picks in the draft and end up with a point guard and a three… say, Fox and Isaac… to throw with Buddy, Skal (who’s looked awesome since the trade), and Willie? I mean… that’s one hell of a young starting five. There might not be a superstar in there… but Fox and Isaac both have a chance.
Have A Night Victor Oladipo
Maybe this is just me trying to further talk myself into this Thunder Conference Finals run. But maybe this spurs on a little Vic Oladipo playoff run. I don’t know, I mean, is that crazy? First game he gets without Russ all year – Puts up 20. Offense goes through him. Hits the game winner.
Russ may be a cyborg. But he still can’t play 48 minutes in the playoffs. There’s going to be 8-10 minutes a game where the Thunder are without him. So far all we’ve seen is OKC crumble in those 8-10 minutes. But if you can get Oladipo out there to lead the offense and keep things afloat? That’s a huge, huge difference maker. Maybe this was the game and the moment he needed to really boost his confidence before the playoffs. I mean sure, it was a meaningless game winner in a meaningless game against a team that probably should be trying to lose. But a game winner is a game winner. I hit a game winner in a pick up game and I’m walking around like Ric Flair til next Tuesday. That’s gotta could for something right?
Have A Night Los Angeles Lakers
Five straight wins for the Lakers, who played themselves out of the number two lottery slot and down to three. The ramifications are, of course, losing their pick to Philly if it falls outside the top three, AND losing their 2019 first rounder to Orlando along with that. So yes, it’s a pretty big deal that the Lakers have played themselves into the 3rd spot. If one team… ONE TEAM jumps them and that’s it. This years pick gone. 2019 pick gone. Paul George signs an extension in Indy. Luke Walton leaves to coach the Knicks. Jim Buss wins in court against Jeanie and gets the team back. Then moves it to Seattle. Disaster all around.
But the thing is… that’s not gonna happen. The Lakers are not losing their pick. Why? Because it’s rigged? No, the lottery is not rigged. It’s because karma. Teams that win despite all the incentive to lose tend to have things work. The Knicks won their last two games in 2015 and got my large adult son Kristaps out of it. And the Lakers inexplicably winning their last five games, and making it six tonight against a nothing-to-play-for Warriors team, will result in them keeping their pick. Shit, they might even leap-frog Phoenix and end up at number two.
Things work out when karma is on your side. Which is why I’m totally fine with the Knicks beating Philly tonight and falling to seventh in the lottery and missing out on De’Aaron Fox by one pick. Totally fine with that. I definitely will not lock my door and cry in the shower in my Ewing jersey for the entire night. No siree. Karma, guys – remember?
Weird quick other Lakers thought… I’m still on the Brandon Ingram bandwagon. I’m here for your, Brandon.
I think he’s going to be good. Like, really good. And him being 25 pounds too light and probably a year away from being physically ready for the NBA doesn’t change that.
Schedule for Wednesday, April 12th:
Minnesota – Houston (-8) 8:00
Dallas – Memphis (-8) 8:00
Denver – Oklahoma City (-4.5) 8:00
Toronto – Cleveland (+3.5) 8:00
Atlanta – Indiana (-12.5) 8:00 ESPN
Milwaukee – Boston (-14) 8:00
Detroit – Orlando (-2) 8:00
Philadelphia – New York (+2) 8:00
Washington – Miami (-9.5) 8:00
Brooklyn – Chicago (-13.5) 8:00
San Antonio – Utah (-4) 9:00
New Orleans – Portland (-10.5) 10:30 ESPN
LA Lakers – Golden State (-13) 10:30
Sacramento – LA Clippers (-15.5) 10:30
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