Around the League: Week 22 (3/14 - 3/20)

[Mori Chu]

Nationally televised games (courtesy of SportsMediaWatch):

Monday, March 14
TIME ET GAME TV
7:30p Nuggets – Sixers ESPN
10:00p Bucks – Jazz ESPN

Tuesday, March 15
TIME ET GAME TV
8:00p Suns – Pelicans NBA TV

Wednesday, March 16
TIME ET GAME TV
7:30p Mavericks – Nets ESPN
10:00p Celtics – Warriors ESPN

Thursday, March 17
TIME ET GAME TV
7:00p Pistons – Magic NBA TV

Friday, March 18
TIME ET GAME TV
7:30p Grizzlies – Hawks NBA TV
10:00p Bulls – Suns NBA TV

Saturday, March 19
TIME ET GAME TV
7:00p Mavericks – Hornets NBA TV

Sunday, March 20
TIME ET GAME TV
6:00p Thunder – Magic NBA TV

https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/nba-tv-schedule/

News from around the league:

KAT drops NBA-season-best 60 points in Wolves win:
https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/335 ... onio-spurs

Popovich breaks all-time coaching wins record; does any active coach have a chance to eventually break it?
https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/can- ... ble-shots/

Nets fined $50k for letting Kyrie Irving enter locker room during home game:
https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/335 ... -home-game

Draymond Green returns to Warriors:
https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/dray ... ldnt-have/

Tyreke Evans signing with Bucks G-League affiliate (oof):
https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/tyre ... er-report/

[bajanguy008]

The Raptors length and physicality was formidable in our matchup (especially when refs left them play ) so no surprise that Lakers weren't gonna be about that life smh lol

Still to get down 20pts in the first quarter back to back nights is some accomplishment

[bajanguy008]

One way to spend time when on the Injured List
Sheeeesh lol

[Mori Chu]

The Raptors length and physicality was formidable in our matchup (especially when refs left them play ) so no surprise that Lakers weren't gonna be about that life smh lol

Still to get down 20pts in the first quarter back to back nights is some accomplishment

LMAO @ Lakers. You gotta love it. It's too bad that the Blazers are openly tanking, because I'd love to see the Pelicans and one other team pass the 9th place Lakers and make them miss the play-in altogether. That would be sweet. Could the Spurs string together a few wins at the end of the year? Hmm.

[In2ition]

The Raptors length and physicality was formidable in our matchup (especially when refs left them play ) so no surprise that Lakers weren't gonna be about that life smh lol

Still to get down 20pts in the first quarter back to back nights is some accomplishment

LMAO @ Lakers. You gotta love it. It's too bad that the Blazers are openly tanking, because I'd love to see the Pelicans and one other team pass the 9th place Lakers and make them miss the play-in altogether. That would be sweet. Could the Spurs string together a few wins at the end of the year? Hmm.

You would think with an All-Star on their squad as a PG and a young Olympian, the Spurs would make a run, but it doesn't seem like they are interested in getting to the 10th seed.

[bajanguy008]

So KAT went crazy last night

The fact these were the circumstances....

[bajanguy008]

[In2ition]

Nick is not a believer in the Suns, because...?

[bajanguy008]

Know me
Always throwing shade at the networks

Do you actually listen to his opinion ?!?

Not even opening the link bro

[In2ition]

I don't think you need to click on a link to go anywhere, it's literally just a video.

I don't listen to Nick Wright's opinion, because he just makes stuff up to try to validate his bad opinion on the Suns for the last 3 yrs.

I just thought it was funny.

[Split T]

A lot of media are just bored by the suns…we’re not a particularly interesting story. I thought Chris Paul would spark some of that, but he’s really not that guy. We don’t have a lot of flashy plays, highlight dunks, long 3’s, etc. We just play great defense, execute at an extremely high level, and don’t make mistakes. We are literally a reincarnation of the spurs..and no one was ever that excited about the spurs.

Nick Wright spent the whole time talking about individual players and not teams. He sees it as Ja and Luka beating Steph and CP3…he barely even mentioned the suns at all in the video. The thing about the media is they are just entertainment most of the time too, say something controversial or bold and people will watch. Almost all their opinions are highly biased.

Why would anyone pick the suns? That’s the safe and boring pick and nobody will care. I just hope we just blow our way through the west beating all these teams talking heads like to prop up.

Give me LeBron and the Lakers in the first with AD healthy and watch the suns treat them like they did Denver last year with a sweep.

Then Luka and Dallas in round 2 after he put up like 40/12/12 to beat the Jazz in round 1. Suns win in 5 as Luka shoots like 40% because Mikal locks him up all series.

Then give me whoever wins out of Memphis/GS…I really think we might sweep Memphis as I just don’t think they’re that good. I’m assuming it’s GS though and I’d love to take them out in 5 or less after they cruise through the first 2 rounds.

Then give me the Bucks or Nets in the Finals.

I really think it’s possible the suns could go into each round of the playoffs with a lot of talking heads picking them to lose. The other team will almost certainly have the more exciting star in any matchup we get(unless it’s Utah) and people will think they’re making a clever upset only to see the Suns trounce them each time because the suns have pretty easily the most complete team in the league.

[Nodack]

LeBron James goes on F-bomb rant as Lakers get blown out again
https://nypost.com/2022/03/15/lebron-ja ... o-raptors/

[Indy]

A lot of media are just bored by the suns…we’re not a particularly interesting story. I thought Chris Paul would spark some of that, but he’s really not that guy. We don’t have a lot of flashy plays, highlight dunks, long 3’s, etc. We just play great defense, execute at an extremely high level, and don’t make mistakes. We are literally a reincarnation of the spurs..and no one was ever that excited about the spurs.

The Spurs were a dynasty and nobody ever really talks about them as such.

[In2ition]

I can hear it now, "Everyone knows that in the NBA the bigger star wins in the playoffs. The ****** has a bigger star and star power wins. I'm going with ******* over the Suns."

[Split T]

A lot of media are just bored by the suns…we’re not a particularly interesting story. I thought Chris Paul would spark some of that, but he’s really not that guy. We don’t have a lot of flashy plays, highlight dunks, long 3’s, etc. We just play great defense, execute at an extremely high level, and don’t make mistakes. We are literally a reincarnation of the spurs..and no one was ever that excited about the spurs.

The Spurs were a dynasty and nobody ever really talks about them as such.

During Duncan’s time in SA, the Spurs won 35 playoff series and lost 14…they made the playoffs 19 years in a row and made the 2nd round in 15 of those years. The exceptions:
2000 - Loss to the suns in round 1 and Duncan didn’t play
2009 - Loss to Dallas
2011 - Loss to Memphis
2015 - Loss to LAC

Their worst regular season record was 2009-10 when they went 50-32..they only won 37 in ‘99 but if they had played a full schedule, they played at a 60 win pace.

Teams they beat in the playoffs over that time:

The Kobe/Shaq lakers in 03 coming off a 3-peat.
The 7SOL Suns(3 times)
LeBron on the Cavs
Early Curry/Klay/Draymond Warriors
LeBron/Wade/Bosh Heat(nearly twice)
The KD MVP season Thunder
Harden Rockets

They won 71% of their games over 19 years. That’s a 58+ win pace per year.
Duncan is 3rd all time(LeBron and Derek Fisher) with 157 career playoff wins.

All in a non-glamour market…I hated the Spurs, but what they did in the Pop/Duncan era is maybe the most impressive team oriented accomplishment in NBA history.

[Indy]

A lot of media are just bored by the suns…we’re not a particularly interesting story. I thought Chris Paul would spark some of that, but he’s really not that guy. We don’t have a lot of flashy plays, highlight dunks, long 3’s, etc. We just play great defense, execute at an extremely high level, and don’t make mistakes. We are literally a reincarnation of the spurs..and no one was ever that excited about the spurs.

The Spurs were a dynasty and nobody ever really talks about them as such.

During Duncan’s time in SA, the Spurs won 35 playoff series and lost 14…they made the playoffs 19 years in a row and made the 2nd round in 15 of those years. The exceptions:
2000 - Loss to the suns in round 1 and Duncan didn’t play
2009 - Loss to Dallas
2011 - Loss to Memphis
2015 - Loss to LAC

Their worst regular season record was 2009-10 when they went 50-32..they only won 37 in ‘99 but if they had played a full schedule, they played at a 60 win pace.

Teams they beat in the playoffs over that time:

The Kobe/Shaq lakers in 03 coming off a 3-peat.
The 7SOL Suns(3 times)
LeBron on the Cavs
Early Curry/Klay/Draymond Warriors
LeBron/Wade/Bosh Heat(nearly twice)
The KD MVP season Thunder
Harden Rockets

They won 71% of their games over 19 years. That’s a 58+ win pace per year.
Duncan is 3rd all time(LeBron and Derek Fisher) with 157 career playoff wins.

All in a non-glamour market…I hated the Spurs, but what they did in the Pop/Duncan era is maybe the most impressive team oriented accomplishment in NBA history.

It is probably up there all-time, and likely #1 in the last 25 years.

[Nodack]

If they did that in LA or NY they would have gotten better press.

[Superbone]

LeBron James goes on F-bomb rant as Lakers get blown out again
https://nypost.com/2022/03/15/lebron-ja ... o-raptors/

Aw... Poor guy.

"James — who continues play at an elite level, and put up 50 points last Friday..."

Yeah, that defense he plays is UNBELIEVABLE!

[Mori Chu]

All in a non-glamour market…I hated the Spurs, but what they did in the Pop/Duncan era is maybe the most impressive team oriented accomplishment in NBA history.

It's way high on the list. But I would point to the ancient Celtics' 11 titles in 13 years or whatever it was, that's probably never going to be topped. The league is too much stronger now. The Bulls' 6 titles in 8 years in the '90s is also right up there. The Lakers in the '80s. There are some other nasty teams that deserve consideration.

[Shabazz]

2nd time in a day Book’s 70 has been challenged.