Around the NBA: Week 23 (3/24 - 2/30)

[ShelC]

Nationally televised games this week
Tuesday, March 25th
Warriors @ Heat at 7:30PM EST on TNT/truTV/Max
Thunder @ Kings at 10:00PM EST on TNT/truTV/Max

Wednesday, March 26th
Lakers @ Pacers at 7:30PM EST on ESPN
Celtics @ Suns at 10:00PM EST on ESPN


NBA News
2025 NBA Playoffs: Standings, bracket and clinching updates
https://www.nba.com/news/2025-nba-playo ... et-updates

Can the NBA fix tanking? Why it's worse this season, plus 5 solutions
https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/443 ... -solutions

[Mori Chu]

Thanks much for the threads, Shel!

As for that article: IS tanking actually worse this year? I feel like lately tanking is less of a thing. Very few teams seem to be doing it, and those who do it aren't rewarded very well.

[Carno]

Yeah, I don't get that article. Usually there are 4-5 teams clearly tanking. Right now, it only looks like Utah, Washington, and maybe Charlotte. New Orleans is down there too, but they just suck. They other lottery teams are trying to win but also just suck.

[Split T]

Toronto and Philly have fully pulled the plug and are tanking now.

[Split T]

Brooklyn is too.

[Mori Chu]

Yeah but is it really that big of a problem? Those teams weren't tanking until now, very close to the end of the season, and there still aren't very many of them. It used to be way worse. To me tanking is a mostly solved problem. The appeal of tanking is greatly reduced by the one-two punch of the play-in (almost every team tries to win because they have a puncher's chance of getting to the 10 seed) and the draft lottery (even having a bad record doesn't really give you a great chance of getting the best picks). In past eras, teams like this year's Suns, Blazers, Heat, Bulls would be in full tank mode by now, since they would not be likely to get to the 8 seed.

[Split T]

Problem is less for sure…but it does still annoy me that it’s a sound strategy. Utah has been pretty egregious all year.

[Uncle_Gene]

Need Brooklyn to be at Dallas tonight.

And of course Anthony Davis is back in the lineup.

[ShelC]

[Kryptonic]

That’s rough and hope he can still make it back this season.

[Mori Chu]

Blood clots are scary and serious. An unfortunately placed blood clot led Chris Bosh to an early retirement. Hope Dame will be okay.

[TOO]

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/444 ... steve-nash

Former Suns great Steven Q Nash will be the new host for season 2.

[Cap]

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/444 ... steve-nash

Former Suns great Steven Q Nash will be the new host for season 2.

Steven Q?

[TOO]

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/444 ... steve-nash

Former Suns great Steven Q Nash will be the new host for season 2.

Steven Q?

Someone didn't watch TGIF

[JeremyG]

Of course he has to brag about how he has “never been traded” while trying to empathize.

[Split T]

I don’t know that it’s bragging to state a fact that is relevant to the discussion.

[Cap]

Other long-time players who have never been traded: Steph, Klay, Dray, Haslem… I’m running out of ideas.

[Superbone]

Other long-time players who have never been traded: Steph, Klay, Dray, Haslem… I’m running out of ideas.

There's a guy that plays for the Suns that a lot of people talk about named Devin Booker. You may have heard of him.

[rhylek]

Blood clots are scary and serious. An unfortunately placed blood clot led Chris Bosh to an early retirement. Hope Dame will be okay.

One of the things I'm dealing with, not great indeed.

[Cap]

Other long-time players who have never been traded: Steph, Klay, Dray, Haslem… I’m running out of ideas.

There's a guy that plays for the Suns that a lot of people talk about named Devin Booker. You may have heard of him.

He’s 28.