*~*~* 2022 PLAY-IN GAMES THREAD *~*~*

it wouldve been funnier to watch the lakers lose a playin game to the pelicans

spurs denying the lakers the play-in was our highlight of the year besides pop's wi record

you mean highlight of the year so far

this new orleans team is cool. they could really use some zion in that jaxson hayes slot. cj/herb/ingram/zion/valencunias is a pretty sweet starting 5.

feels like the west is gonna be back loaded next year. houston & OKC will be the only teams not trying to make the playoffs. dame back in portland, full season of sabonis in sacramento, zion back and full season of CJ there, kawhi back, murray back, lakers can’t possibly be worse. utah is the one team where it feels like it could go either way depending on how the next month plays out

re: hornets there have been persistent rumours that they are interested in myles turner. just finding any top level rim protector would go a long way to improving their defense, at least in the regular season.

haywards contract sucks but he has two fewer years left than gobert so maybe that would make some sort of sense for the jazz if they blow it up

People dumping on the hornets too much, they’ve got a lot of talent and were 4 games over .500

i like them a lot but theyve def got some work to do filling out the roster

lamelo and bridges are like 2/3 of a very good core. a non-plumlee big would go a long way

the hornets were 4 games over .500 but have also lost play in games by 29 points and 27 points in back to back years. doesn't speak very highly of their chances to make noise in the playoffs should they actually get there one day. idk if you can win anything of substance if you play defense like that.

i'm not sure they have "a lot of talent" ... they have two great core young pieces, which is definitely something. it should give them a certain floor for the next half decade. the hurdle is that they're gonna be drafting in the middle of the first round at best moving forward, they aren't a FA destination unless they wildly overpay, and they're not a franchise that is exactly known for its shrewd GMing around the margins of its roster. i would love to see them cycle out the rozier/oubre/washington part of their roster for guys who better balance out lamelo and bridges.

myles turner is a great idea for them. maybe the hayward-indiana reunion finally happens?

New for @TheAthleticNBA - No, Charlotte's train isn't stuck on the tracks, but are we sure it's moving in the right direction?https://t.co/6qqzAVUdb0

— John Hollinger (@johnhollinger) April 14, 2022

guess the worst case scenario for them is lamelo future laker

they should have lamelo there for a while... feel like the worst case scenario is that it's an anthony davis, karl towns situation where the transcendent talent can't actually transcend the historical shittiness of the franchise

welp

Luka Doncic is expected to miss Game 1 of the Mavs vs. Jazz series on Saturday due to a strained calf.

(via @ShamsCharania) pic.twitter.com/e1HSDg71RJ

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) April 14, 2022

BREAKING: Ben Simmons is targeting Game 4,5 and 6 of series with Celtics for his Nets debut, via ESPN.

Here we go. 👀 pic.twitter.com/An7jRxOTdt

— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) April 14, 2022

thats cool hell be able to play one game this year

why is there no hoop ball tonight again the nba messed up with this scheduling

yeah they couldve staggered the conferences

wonder if there'll at some point be a player who plays their only nba minutes in the play-in games and thus has no record of ever existing

this simmons stuff is just a disaster what the hell man

a complete mess

its funny to me an avid follower of "the nets" basketball team

I want Simmons to play long enough this series to shatter whatever false bravado he built up the last 12 months.

Like maybe KD grabbing the ball angrily from him following a late Gm 7 FT miss and pointing to the bench.

i've heard ppl on podcasts be like "well even if he can't do anything on offense, you can at least put him out there for 15 mins a game to guard tatum" and i'm like..... are we sure about that? the guy hasn't played competitive basketball in a full year

it makes no sense to me at all. someone is trying to save face.

yeah doesnt make sense bet he doesnt play

maybe if they get down bad in the series they throw him out there cos why not

“no pressure, simmo”

love the idea that theyre just gonna throw him at tatum he hasnt played in a year hes never played for this team he got an injection into his spine a month ago

my unbiased opinion is they should do it

if i remember nothing else from my time with musecage it's that all bends to The Arc and thus simmo must play

$30k swear jar lol

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/33737982/minnesota-timberwolves-patrick-beverley-fined-30k-egregious-use-profanity

how minnesotan of them

RIP clippers

Clippers star Paul George has entered health and safety protocols and will miss tonight's Play-in game vs. New Orleans, sources tell @TimBontemps and me.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 15, 2022

Aw that sucks.

altho i guess lue is used to this team withouth pg. still woudnt be surprised by a clippers win

Dude is the “Belichick” of bball coaches apparently 😀

Sources: 2x Finals MVP, Kawhi Leonard is unlikely to play in the NBA Playoffs. Kawhi’s camp and the Clippers’ brass are in disagreement as to Leonard’s availability for the playoffs. This has led to growing frustration from both sides. pic.twitter.com/XHeNvIDmiC

— Jack Settleman (@jacksettleman) April 15, 2022

I'm in a quandry. I can't root for the Clips, because they are so unlikable. I like the Pellies, but can't root for them because if they win then the Blazers don't get the Pellies' lottery pick in this year's draft. I just have to sit on my hands.

i guess it's different when you can see the medicals or whatever but the clippers are insane if they ever thought that kawhi was going to play this year incl the playoffs. we've already seen him go thru this and we know what his deal is

Ugh if any Wolves come down with Covid

idk who the fuck jack settleman is

haha i didnt even check the source i had just seen wojs tweet about PG and figured it was legit

jack settleman will tell you and anybody else who'll listen that he is "CEO and founder of #snapback_sports"!!!

Nash with the Simmons update:

Was Simmons able to do any more today?

Nash: "He hasn't done anything yet, so no."

— Nick Friedell (@NickFriedell) April 15, 2022

Major return: Cavaliers All-Star Jarrett Allen (fractured finger) will play tonight vs. Hawks in elimination Play-In Tournament game, barring setback in warmups, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 15, 2022

i wonder if he's even shot a basketball in the last 10 months xp

there was footage of him playing pickup in some gym during the season