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As we all know by now, the NBA playoffs this year will start the same way they started last year – with a play-in tournament that will see the Nos. 7 through 10 seeds battling it out for the final two spots in the playoffs.
While LeBron James isn’t a huge fan at all of that format, us regular NBA fans love it because it adds a lot more drama to the start of the playoffs and drama is fun.
And you know what would be some really fun drama? Steph Curry and the Warriors facing LeBron and the Lakers in the 7 vs. 8 game. Boy, would that matchup be RICH. You have to think the TV ratings would be high and that Twitter would be crazy that night, too.
We are so close to that happening – if the season ended today we would have that matchup. The season, however, doesn’t end today so we need a few things to happen down the stretch.
For one, the Warriors, who have won four straight games, just need to keep doing what they’re doing in their last two games of the regular season. The Grizzlies are currently just a half-game back of them so we need Curry and Co. to beat the Pelicans and then the Grizzlies on Sunday.
Golden State was left for dead earlier this year but are currently four games over .500 and have beaten the top two teams in the West in their past two games. Curry deserves that third MVP for what he’s done all season long because he’s been incredible.
The Lakers, meanwhile, are limping toward the finish line. They rallied back last night to beat the Knicks at home in OT but Anthony Davis (who had fun trolling Spike Lee after the win) and his strained groin were hurting at the end of that one and he might not play tonight against the Rockets. The good news for the Lakers, however, is that LeBron could make his return to the lineup tonight.
The defending champs currently hold the No. 7 spot in the West and have three games – Rockets, Pacers, Pelicans – left to play. They’re currently a game back of both the Trail Blazers and Mavs, so they could definitely play their way out of the play-in round, but here’s hoping they don’t.
The winner of the 7 vs. 8 game gets the No. 7 seed. The loser then plays the winner of the 9 vs. 10 game for the final spot in the playoffs. A Curry-LeBron showdown in that tourney would be so awesome and we’re so close to having it happen.
Come on, basketball Gods. Don’t rob us of this.
Quick hits: Jordan and Kobe’s last texts… Three cities that A’s could call home… Raiders going clubbing… And more.
– Michael Jordan revealed the final text exchange he had with Kobe Bryant and it was really sweet.
– The A’s could be leaving Oakland and heading to one of these three cities.
– The Raiders are going to have a huge nightclub behind one of their end zones in Las Vegas.
– Bucs GM Jason Licht would be happy to let Tom Brady play until he’s 50.
– Current and former NFL players aren’t happy with the Tim Tebow news.