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What’s good, family. It’s the homie Sykes, back again, to usher you into tonight’s playoff action. But before we dive in, a word on MVP voting.
People are ready to flip the voting process upside down after learning Nikola Jokic is set to become the 13th player to win back-to-back MVP awards.
The thinking is that a back-to-back MVP shouldn’t be eliminated in the first round of the playoffs as Jokic was. And because that happened, Jokic shouldn’t actually be MVP. Now, because voters failed to predict the future of the playoffs (GASP), some folks are calling for major changes to the voting process.
The main change people are looking for is to have players voting for the MVP, amongst other rewards. This has been an idea pitched around for years but, obviously, the Jokic MVP win has kicked the dust back up on it.
Folks from across the internet are arguing the time for change is now. You’ve even got a former player and coach in Nick VanExel suggesting this should happen.
But allowing players to vote is not the problem solver people think it is. The thing is, it already happens in a major area of the game. Players have an All-Star vote. And you know what many of them choose to do with it? Absolutely waste it.
Here’s a quick list of players who were voted by other players as All-Star starters this year: Raul Neto, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, PJ Washington, Brandon Clarke, Nic Claxton, Jarred Vanderbilt and Juan Toscano-Anderson.
This stuff is on the record. It’s recorded. No disrespect to those guys, who are all fine players. They’re certainly not All-Stars though. Yet, here they are with player votes.
Not sure if this is breaking news to anyone, but players have biases and agendas, too. Just look at what happened during the All-Star starter selection after James Harden forced his way out of Brooklyn. Kevin Durant refused to take him. That’s fine! It was hilarious. But, clearly, there’s a bias there that impacted his selection. And there’s stuff like that that happens all the time in the NBA between players.
Look, I don’t think it’s without reason to want to adjust the process or refine it in some way. Maybe clean it up a bit. Joel Embiid made a good case here (without disparaging Jokic, by the way).
But having a players-only vote doesn’t seem to be the answer, either.
The Tip-Off
Some NBA goodness from around the USA TODAY Sports network.
So Ja Morant’s season is all but officially over and what a season it was. This 22-year-old kid may have become the best point guard in the NBA while leading his team to the 2nd best record in the entire league.
That’s impressive. Super impressive. And it absolutely stinks to see his year end this way. Especially with a bone bruise injury that just feels so flukey.
Morant was clearly frustrated which is exactly why he dropped the Jordan Poole “broke the code” tweet the way he did. Our Prince Grimes has more.
“This isn’t how anybody wanted to see Morant’s season end, especially considering how it happened. The injury didn’t come on one of his fun aerial assaults that often end with him on the ground. It was fluke. While it didn’t break the code, as he insinuated, you can understand why he’d be so frustrated with the injury”
It’s a shame to see things end this way. But Ja will be back next year. And, hopefully, he’ll be better than ever.
One to Watch
(All odds via Tipico.)
Celtics (-5.5, -230) vs. Bucks (+180), O/U 212.5, 7 PM ET
The Bucks and Celtics are squaring off in what is almost certain to be a slugfest of a game 5. Neither team has really been able to get things cracking offensively in this series. These are two defensive juggernauts going at it. The Bucks have a 99.4 defensive rating in the playoffs so far, which is a league-best. And the Celtics were one of the best defenses in the NBA all year long.
The safest bet you could possibly take here is the under. These two teams just aren’t going to score on each other.
Who’s in and out?
—Robert Williams (knee) is questionable to return to the lineup in Game 5 against the Bucks
—George Hill (abdomen) is probable to play against the Celtics in Game 5.
—Ja Morant (knee) is out with a bone bruise for Game 5 against the Warriors
Shootaround
—The officiating in the Celtics-Bucks series has been a topic of conversation since the first tip-off. The C’s have some thoughts on it, too, per Celtics Wire.
—Speaking of the Celtics, Al Horford’s huge game may have gotten him a bit of a payday.
—Devin Booker gave his best Luka Doncic impression from the ground during Tuesday’s Game 5.
—Bryan Kalbrosky has a list of the biggest NBA Draft combine snubs here for you.
That’s all, folks! Catch you next time.
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