AROUND the NBA:

[F Gump]

I really think Utah and Memphis are going to be hard to out tank.   Dallas is awful and has a tough schedule.    I just think it is going to be tough to get ahead of both....maybe either.

I don't think MEM is an issue, just so long as the Mavs lose tonight. The Mavs are already 2 games ahead of MEM in the tank standings. This game is key, and if the Mavs lose, it gives them a HUGE 3-game cushion over MEM (with not that much season remaining). In addition, MEM still has a game left with UT, and one of those teams will have to get a W.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

https://x.com/NBA__Courtside/status/2032037594549072263


Ant Edwards says if Kawhi Leonard is healthy, he's one of the best ever.
Especially after torching them for 45 pts.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

https://x.com/FlyByKnite/status/2031960457523970324

Clippers move above .500 after being 15 games below.

[vfromlmf]

Unfortunately it looks like MEM will be holding out most of their roster tonight and will be playing a bunch of guys you've never heard of. This is going to be a very difficult game to lose even with Klay out and a healthy dose of point-Flagg. I'm hoping Kidd pulls some vets aside for a little conversation. There could be a MLE-type contract for Middleton next year if he plays his cards right tonight. And we need to see if Bagley can stretch the floor. Maybe try some double-bigs with Powell at PF. It would help if Christie extends his shooting slump and Naji works on making plays for others. We know what his floater looks like. What else can Naji do? I'd like to see PJW handle the ball on the perimeter. BWill's season-high for 3pt attempts is 7. That's not enough. This team is only getting up 31 attempts per game. I'm looking for 40+ attempts tonight.

Gafford is going to be a problem though ... unless he tweaks that ankle again, in which case he should sit.

Nembhard better not see the floor. Not a fan of his positive +/-.

[DanSchwartzgan]

I don't think MEM is an issue, just so long as the Mavs lose tonight. The Mavs are already 2 games ahead of MEM in the tank standings. This game is key, and if the Mavs lose, it gives them a HUGE 3-game cushion over MEM (with not that much season remaining). In addition, MEM still has a game left with UT, and one of those teams will have to get a W.

How do you feel if Dallas wins tonight.  That feels fairly likely and makes everything more difficult from here on out.  Dallas is much better positioned to ‘accidentally’ win random games down the stretch.  I’m really pleased NOP passed us.  I see no world in which we catch Utah and see Memphis passing us as a real possibility…especially if we screw the pooch tonight.

[F Gump]

How do you feel if Dallas wins tonight.  That feels fairly likely and makes everything more difficult from here on out.  Dallas is much better positioned to ‘accidentally’ win random games down the stretch.  I’m really pleased NOP passed us.  I see no world in which we catch Utah and see Memphis passing us as a real possibility…especially if we screw the pooch tonight.

I'm not sure why a Mavs win tonight feels "fairly likely." The Mavs have been awful. MEM players will be playing at home, so an opportunity they can play better (remember that players don't play to tank). We'll see what happens, but I'm not jumping on the "we are sure to fail" bandwagon. The Mavs do have a reason to lose just as much as MEM and UT.

That also applies to the rest of the games. If you simply compare the W/L records each game, both MEM and UT have games left to play that they "should" win. Playing against hard tanking teams jostling for the difference between seed 1 and 4 is going to be a very hard game to lose. Meanwhile, every remaining game for DAL will be against teams with a better record than them, with many of them against very good teams trying to nail down a better playoff seed.

[Scott41theMavs]

Unfortunately it looks like MEM will be holding out most of their roster tonight and will be playing a bunch of guys you've never heard of. This is going to be a very difficult game to lose even with Klay out and a healthy dose of point-Flagg. I'm hoping Kidd pulls some vets aside for a little conversation. There could be a MLE-type contract for Middleton next year if he plays his cards right tonight. And we need to see if Bagley can stretch the floor. Maybe try some double-bigs with Powell at PF. It would help if Christie extends his shooting slump and Naji works on making plays for others. We know what his floater looks like. What else can Naji do? I'd like to see PJW handle the ball on the perimeter. BWill's season-high for 3pt attempts is 7. That's not enough. This team is only getting up 31 attempts per game. I'm looking for 40+ attempts tonight.

Gafford is going to be a problem though ... unless he tweaks that ankle again, in which case he should sit.

Nembhard better not see the floor. Not a fan of his positive +/-.

It's time for Point Cisse.

[F Gump]

It's time for Point Cisse.

Yep. On Monday Kidd stated that the games ahead will be subject to experimental lineups, as they try to figure out some things they need to know about the team. (Yeah, right.) But he said it, and I think he was setting the stage for making lineup choices that will help secure a loss vs MEM, as the Mavs have tonight's game penciled in as a "must lose" against a tanking team that threatens them in the draft lottery standings. We'll see.