OFFICIAL AROUND THE NBA: MARCH 2024

Ayton getting some love.

https://sports.yahoo.com/the-5-most-interesting-things-about-the-nbas-worst-teams-181111100.html

Excerpt: "After his rocky end to his tenure in the Valley, Ayton got off to a rocky start in the Pacific Northwest, averaging a whisper-quiet 13.1 points per game on underwhelming efficiency during a first few months that, as Jason Quick of The Athletic reported, “were defined by tardiness and tantrums, according to team sources.” (And apparently, among other things, by a suboptimal sleeping environment.) But after missing 15 games with an extended bout of right knee soreness — well, most of them were about the knee, anyway — Ayton’s gotten ramped back up again, averaging better than 20 points and 12 rebounds per game on 63% shooting."

There are several paragraphs and it goes into some depth on Ayton, Avdija, Brandon Miller, Wemby and Cade Cunningham.

 

Little bit more from that: The Simons-Henderson lineups that have been vomitous on the whole? They just about break even with Ayton on the floor. A Blazers defense that ranks 24th in points allowed per possession this season? It’s been about league-average in Ayton’s minutes, and elite in the limited minutes when he’s shared the court with hyperactive wings Camara and Matisse Thybulle.

 

Wax on! Wax off!

 

looking elsewhere than Portland's lottery chances, the races in the west are pretty interesting

only 1 game difference between the top-3 teams and the #1 seed:



* OKC has won season series against Denver 3-1
* Denver and Minny are tied 1-1 with 2 games left, both in Denver
* OKC & Minny are tied 2-2 in season series; right now OKC owns the 2nd tiebreker (Division record), They have a 12-4 division record so they are done with division play. Minny has an 11-3 record in division so they could pass OKC and win the division. They have 2 road games left at Denver. If they only win one of those games, they would still likely win the division (and possibly #1 seed) because of better conference records
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the next race is for 4th seed and HCA between the Pelicans and Clippers



Clippers have a half game lead but the Pels own the tiebreaker having won season series 3-1. LAC appears to have the easier remaining schedule
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the race for 6th seed and a playoff bye is tight between 3 teams:



* Phoenix has a 1/2 game lead but they have the toughest remaining SOS; it's a real gauntlet. They have already lost the tie-breaker with Dallas because of a 1-2 series record. And they have lost the tie-breaker with the Kings because of division record

* the Kings lead the season series against Dallas, 2-0. But they play twice more this week, both games in Sacramento. It's B2B but there are, strangely, 3 days between games
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and of interest here, is the race for 10th seed and the final play-in spot between Warriors and Rockets:



a 1 game lead for the Warriors, but it's essentially a 2 game lead because the Warriors own the tie-breaker. They play once more, at Houston. The Warriors are 4-6 over the last 10 games while Houston has won 10 of their last 11 and 8 in a row. So the Rockets have a lot of momentum

the Blazers can play a role in this race....they play the Rockets twice and the Warriors once

 

compared to the Blazers in-season Tournament court, this design is eye candy

 

Scoot has a lot to work on but I think his assist numbers will pop a bit more when guys around him start hitting their open looks. the blazers were down to that shell of a denver team by only a handful of points and were something like 0-13 from 3 in the first half. that's insane.

 

#'s 1,2,3 All in the Blazers Division.

 

I think they will try to lose all three games. I just wonder if the Warriors really want that 10th spot?

 

'unintentionally metal' is the new 'accidental renaissance.'

 

Does anyone have more information regarding this claim? Is it valid?

This is the first I have heard of this being a concern with Ayton in Portland.... I know he had some issues in Phoenix, but I was under the impression that he was much better behaved in Portland.

 

jason quick is the original reporter of that tidbit. other beat writers had intimated similar things about ayton re: breaking up with his girlfriend and not being in a great place mentally but quick was the one to put a finer point on it. oddly enough by the time he reported it a handful of weeks had passed (iirc a lot of it went down in december).

 

I don't follow. Do you think they might prefer the 10th spot over the 9th spot? Either way, they play the Lakers and the Lakers play way better at home. So I would think in a 1 game do or die game GS would prefer to play at home....even if their Home/Away record is somewhat similar.

Unless you think the Lakers will pass the Mavs or Kings in the last 12 games (Possible)

And since they are unlikely to get their own lottery pick, they definitely want to make the playoffs.

 

This is what I'm talking about really. They might want to make the play-in? Maybe? They don't own the pick so it matters very little this is true. Unless they luck out and get a huge lottery bump.
I guess they could want the extra game or two? Maybe they want to try to get into the playoffs? It just doesn't seem like that team is playing that way right now. They simply don't have the team this year to make a run. The one factor is money. The team does make money getting into a playoff series. Another issue is they have veterans that can get hot. Probably should never count a guy like Curry out until he is truly out.

 

So some people here know this guy. I wonder if he knows if Portland has a bad looking court.

 

You lost us at "jason quick".

 

Will go out of my way to have our cameras shoot the key to look for scuffs for you guys for sure.

 

Be careful. I do not want you to do anything that would put your position at risk.
It might be best of you just let this issue alone.

 

It would be pretty lucky. Right now they have about a 93% chance of getting the 13th pick, and an 86% chance for the 12 spot if Houston passes them. But it is possible.