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Charles Curtis Here, Happy Monday and Happy Start Everyone to the NBA Playoffs!!!
Normally, I’d save my playoff predictions for my NBA group chats rather than broadcast them in-universe, but whatever. I’m giving you every prediction I’ve got, and I’m not going to try to explain them, because of how much fun it would be and how long it would take to even read this newsletter.
therefore:
West:
The Timberwolves (7 seeds) and Clippers (8 seeds) win the play-in.
The Sons Sweep the Clips (and Kawhi Leonard doesn’t surprise us all). The Grizzlies defeated the T-Wolves. The Mavericks beat the Jazz (Utah totally blew it in the off-season!) and the Warriors narrowly beat the Nuggets.
Sons over on Mavs in 5. Dubs on Grizz in 7. Phoenix went back to the NBA Finals!
east:
The Nets (7 seeds) and Hawks (8 seeds) win the play-in.
The Heat beat the Hawks, the Celtics get hard against the Nets, the Bucks sweep the Bulls and the Sixers allow the Raptors to win a game in Toronto (no Matisse Thibouille!).
The Sixers took the Heat down to seven (this might be my boldest move?) and the Bucks beat the Celtics.
The Bucks beat the Sixers in six.
Final: Chris Paul finally received his first ring at age 37, with the Suns avenging the previous year, in a difficult seven-game series.
That’s it. On to other stuff!
tip-off
Some NBA goodness from USA Today Sports Network.
( Associated Press Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Yes, the Lakers fired Frank Vogel (though he doesn’t really deserve the blame!) but the fact that it was before journalists knew about it made for an extremely awkward postgame press conference.
For Vin’s Brian Kalbrowski:
So when Vogel was asked for comment, he told reporters: “I haven’t been told [expletitve],
It was a massively awkward conversation, and a terrifying situation for the Lakers to have their championship-winning coach in the middle. Especially considering so many people to blame for this disastrous weather, it feels especially bad.
To ensure!
one to see
(All odds via Tipico.)
Clippers (+125) vs. Timberwolves (-3.5, -155), o/u 230.5, 9:30 PM ET Tuesday Night
David Birding – USA TODAY SPORTS
I know, this game is tomorrow. But this is what I am most excited about as PG is facing CAT. And I agree with BetFTW’s Prince Games, which has the Clippers as its underdog pick in its play-in betting guide. I’ll take those 3.5 points, thanks.
Who is inside and outside?
, net: Seth Curry said he would play in Tuesday’s play-in match despite an ankle injury.
, Cavaliers: Jarrett Allen back? JB Bickerstaff plans to be without her on Tuesday, per one report.
shootaround
( Associated Press Photo/Young Kwak)
– Here’s Rookie Wire’s latest NBA mock draft.
—Some weird things always happen on the last day of the season, and Cole Huff of BetFTW breaks down all the amazing performances from Sunday.
— How Jure Holiday earned $360,000 by playing just eight seconds on Sunday.
Play-in starts tomorrow!!
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