Aloha,
I checked the score of the Pacers, Mavs game and found the Mav’s up by 20. Haliburton, Turner and Buddy are not playing. While the play in has kept teams from tanking early, who they play, once a team surrenders has big implications on the teams still in the running. The Trailblazers has shut down Dame and I doubt we will see Grant back now either. Teams are now jockeying for ping pong balls. This will also be true for the good teams that have a spot locked up. It could help us win games. If the Jazz are out of it when they play us, who will suit up for them? Will we see KD, Booker and Paul if the Suns have nothing to play for. The flip side of that is teams we need to lose might not face the best players on certain teams they play either. It puts even more emphasis on winning because the teams we are competing with may not lose as well.
Very good assessment, Michael. I completely agree.
I was just now looking at the injury reports. Blazers have also shut down Anfernee Simons and Nurkic. That squad is making vacation plans so they probably won’t beat a contender the rest of the way. Towns is out for the T-wolves tonight on a back-to-back so they probably get smoked by the Kings…which helps us. I think the Suns will play everyone just because they don’t have many games under their belts with KD. I’m not sure if Utah will tank; they brought Markkanen back tonight but their schedule is super tough. They’ve had a good season and Ainge might let them ride it out; tanking leaves a stench that’s hard to get rid of and I’m not sure their lottery odds would get a whole lot better…. Lakers just need to worry about what’s in front of them and what they can actually control. 4-3 might get us in but 5-2 would be alot better.
Honestly…I fear the team’s resting dudes as much as the healthy squads. This team takes it’s foot off the gas at the faintest whisper, they don’t need more reasons to lay an egg.