05-16-21 NBA Blog Train Sunday - Moderation, Lois
There is a fantastic old Family Guy episode “Friends of Peter G.” that we are quite fond of.
You might remember this as the Mr. Booze episode, where Peter and Brian have to go to AA meetings for a month, their punishment for getting drunk at the movies and damaging private property (the movie screen).
At the end of the episode, Peter gets home and walks into the kitchen with a 6-pack.
His wife, Lois, is not happy.
Lois: “Oh, for God’s sake, Petah, didn’t you learn anything from this?!”
Peter: “Yes, I did, Lois. These are going in the gah-bage.”
*Peter tosses half of the 6-pack in the trash*
Peter: “But these, I’m keeping for myself. Moderation, Lois. From now on, half of every 6-pack I buy is going in the trash.”
Every single time that the word “moderation” has been mentioned in real life since that episode, this scene immediately comes to mind.
Moderation, Lois.
It was about time that Basketballin dot net started taking some advice from old Peter G.
The Blog Train stopped leaving the station over the last month.
It wasn’t because we had reached the End of Line. It was because we needed to take a step back and view the game through a different lens. We had become too embedded in the lines. To let go for a while was a breath of fresh air, focusing on other areas of the game and life is necessary for finding that right balance of moderation required to truly prosper.
But with FIFTEEN games on the last day of the regular season — a Sunday filled with matinee hoops and important ball games to decide the seeding and play-in — we couldn’t help but dust off the tracks one last time and let the Blog Train loose.
ALL ABOARD!!!
Hornets +6.5 at Wizards Under 230.5
We had to take our beloved Hornets for one last go for old time’s sake. Getting in at +7 once the news broke that Beal was starting felt like enough points in what would surely be a close game.
The Hornets got out to a rollicking start. Eric Collins was shouting, “It’s raining triples in D.C.!”
P.J. Washington and Devonte’ Graham were connecting, five quick 3’s in the 1st quarter.
The Hornets were up 36-22 after the first quarter and still led by 15 late in the 3rd.
But it was the same old story for our beloved Hornets lately, they fell apart in the 4th quarter like a 3-dollar suitcase.
Blue Panda was hampered and hobbled by his hammy the entire game, but it didn’t stop him from doing what he does (second) best: Scoring the basketball. Westbrook was.. deferring and even hit two 3’s!?? And it was also Ish Smith and Robin Lopez who contributed mightily for the Wiz.
Wizards 115, Hornets 100.
Our +7 covered but it wasn’t the same as the Hornets winning this big game.
The Wizards clinched the 8-seed and will play the Celtics on Tuesday night on TNT at 9:00pm.
The Hornets are the 10-seed, so they have to win in Indy and then they’ll have to win again in order to make the playoffs. Hornets-Pacers at 6:30pm on TNT on Tuesday night.
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Celtics +12 at Knicks UNDER 211
The Celtics-Knicks in a Sunday afternoon matinee reminded us of A.) The Sunday matinee back on January 17th that saw a grand total of 180 points scored between them and B.) Their second match-up on a random Wednesday night in April that resulted in a Knicks 101-99 win. So jumping on this Under 211 was a no brainer.
There were actually several 3’s in the opening minutes, but it was all clear after that.
The scoring was low low low and this was a lock lock lock.
Same as that last meeting on April 7th, the possibility of OT did present a problem after the Celtics went on a huge 13-0 run late to make it a game.
The Knicks handled their business and are officially the 4-seed.
Knicks 96, Celtics 92.
So it’s Knicks (4) vs. Hawks (5) in the first round.
And the Celtics (7) vs. Wizards (8) in the play-in on Tuesday night. As aforementioned, 9pm on TNT.
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Pacers -6 at Raptors OVER 227
Our rivalry vs. the Pesky Pacers is well-documented at this point, and today, on the last day of the season, we tried to pull a fast one on them.
However, we completely overlooked that this was an Oshae Brissett Revenge Game. That’s on us, especially considering that we even had a note about this in the most recent power rankings.
Brissett absolutely balled the fuck out to the tune of a career-high 31 points and five made 3’s.
He even did a jersey swap with Paul Watson Jr., another previous WHO HE!? character!
Pacers 125, Raptors 113.
The Pacers host the Hornets in the 9. vs 10. matchup on Tuesday. Again: 6:30pm on TNT, don’t forget!
The Raptors have missed the playoffs for the first time since the 2012-2013 season.
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Suns -2Push at Spurs OVER 220.5
Just like we all knew at the beginning of the season, the race for the #1 seed in the Western Conference conference would come down to an E’Twaun Moore game-winner.
Suns 123, Spurs 121.
Because the Jazz won, the Suns finished 2nd in the West and will be eagerly watching that first play-in game.
As the 10-seed, the Spurs will play in the inaugural play-in tournament at the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday night at 7:30pm. On ESPN! TNT gets the East and ESPN gets the West.
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Grizzlies at Warriors -4 Under 229
The first ever meeting between Steph and Ja. No matter what, Steph was going down guns blazing.
Chef Curry and the Dubs were cooking early, but the Grizz roared back in the 4th, primarily behind Dillon Brooks. The problem with that, though, was that Brooks fouled out with 6 minutes left. The Grizz were never the same.
Steph’s final line: 46 points, 16-of-36 from the field and 9-of-22 from 3. A career-high shot attempts and 3’s. Yeah, guns blazing.
Steph is the 2020-2021 scoring champ, a career-high 32 points per game.
Also, big shoutout to Jordan Poole who had a fantastic game with some very timely 3’s.
Warriors 113, Grizzlies 101.
The West play-in is set:
Warriors at Lakers in Staples Center on Wednesday night.
Grizzlies (9) vs. Spurs (10) also on Wednesday night on ESPN. The Grizz took the season series 2-1.
If the Warriors and Grizz meet again, it will be a win or go home situation.
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Cavaliers at Nets -14Push Over
When the news broke that Harden was out, we took the Cavs +14 remembering that Collin Sexton lit the Nets the fuck up back on a random Wednesday night in January. That was the 2OT game where Kevin Love and JaVale McGee were hugging like long lost relatives. Well, tonight Sexton was ejected in the third quarter.
Last game of the season / All-Star Game.
The spread actually hung on and had a great chance with 1 minute left, Nets up 10. But Jeff Green hit a 3 and then Alize Johson hit a floater with 8 seconds.
Jeremiah Martin (a previous WHO HE!? for the Nets back in January 2020) actually took a 3-pointer for absolutely no reason at the buzzer……….
Alas, she did not fall.
Nets 123, Cavs 109.
A motherfuckin’ Push.
The Nets wrapped up the #2 seed and will play the winner of Celtics-Wizards. Probably would rather play the C’s than the Wiz.
The Cavs have to figure out what to do with Kevin Love.
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Rockets at Hawks -7.5 Under 232
BRUNO!
Hawks 124, Rockets 95.
The Hawks will play the Knicks in the first round of the playoffs. Both finished with an identical record of 41-31 but the Knicks swept the season series 3-0.
The Rockets finished with the worst record in the NBA, a precipitous drop of 27 fewer wins than last season.
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Magic at 76ers -6.5 OVER 214
Shoutout David Steele and the Magic broadcast for this great graphic. The Iron Men of the NBA is definitely something! You could argue more impressive this year than any other.
76ers 128, Magic 117.
Philly had the 1-seed locked up regardless of this outcome and won anyway without their main guys.
The Magic will have a 14% chance at the number 1 pick, tied for the best odds with the Rockets and Pistons.
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Heat -3 at Pistons OVER 212
The Heat rested pretty much everybody (Jimmy, Bam, Dragic, Nunn, Ariza and Iggy) and played just 7 dudes.
A new big 3 took shape: Achiuwa, Bjelica and Strus each scored 20+ points.
Heat 120, Pistons 107.
The rematch from last year is set: Miami (6) vs. Milwaukee (3) in Round 1.
The Pistons won 20 games this season, their fewest since last season when they also won 20 games.
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Bucks at Bulls +7 Over 224.5
Bulls 118, Bucks 112.
The Bucks get to tackle their kryptonite from the bubble early: The H E A T.
The Bulls only get to keep their Lottery pick if it lands in the top-4.
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Mavericks at Timberwolves +7 OVER 230
Our official Rookie of the Year ballot:
1a. LaMelo Ball
2b. Ant-Man
The last power dunk of the 2020-2021 season: KAT in garbage time on Boban.
T-Wolves 136, Mavs 121.
The Mavs get a rematch of Round 1 in the bubble against the Clippers. Thinking about Game 4 brings about a big, big smile.
The T-Wolves first round pick is headed to Golden State unless it lands in the top 3.
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Clippers at Thunder +8 OVER 220.5
The 2020-2021 Blog Train would not have been complete without Poku rocking an Air Jordan fanny pack. Poku scored a career-high 29 points and made six 3’s.
Had the Blog Train been leaving the station recently, Jay Scrubb would have 100% been featured in WHO HE!? Scrubb is a rookie 2nd round selection in last year’s draft, and he’s played in each of the last four games of the season for the Clips. Scrubb attended John A. Logan College, a junior college in Illinois which is, in fact, a real place.
Thunder 117, Clippers 112.
It would appear as though the Clippers tanked to avoid being on the same side of the bracket as the Lakers. So again, just to make sure you are paying attention, it’s a rematch of last year in the 1st round of the bubble: Clippers (4) vs. Mavs (5).
OKC finished with the fifth-worst record in the league, and you have to wonder if they wish they had started their magnificent tank job a lot sooner.
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Jazz -11.5 at Kings Under 221.5
The Jazz made 10 or more 3’s in every single game this season. Tonight was no different.
Jazz 121, Kings 99.
The Jazz clinched the #1 seed in the West for the first time in the history of the franchise.
The Kings have missed the playoffs for 15 straight seasons.
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Nuggets at Blazers -8.5 OVER 229
The Blazers were on a MISSION. It was 11-0 to start and they never blinked.
Blazers 132, Nuggets 116.
This Over would have been a PURE Lock.
These Nuggets (3) and Blazers (6) will face off in a 1st Round matchup which is a rematch of the 2019 West Semi-Finals that went to 7 games.
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Lakers -9.5 at Pelicans Under 222
LeBron looked back to normal both yesterday and tonight, however, a fall in the 2nd half after a fast break lay-up left him a little gimpy. He didn’t return but all reports say that he’s “good to go.”
The Pellies hung around for a lot longer than we would have thought, but the Lakers got it done. The Pelicans, as a whole, are probably our biggest disappointment of the season.
Lakers 110, Pelicans 98.
This Lakers win ultimately did not matter. The Blazers win sealed their fate.
We are in for a showdown of showdowns on Wednesday night in the play-in. Lakers vs. Warriors 10pm EST on TNT. Get your popcorn ready!
(The play-in has already been a monumental success.)
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It’s been a helluva ride, folks.
We love this game!
