Layup Lines – Page 12 – Syndication Server

LAYUP LINES: We are way too fixated on the future when it comes to the NBA

Enough about the future. Let’s focus on this weekend’s playoff picture.

Welcome to Layup Lines, our daily NBA newsletter where we’ll prep you for a tip-off of tonight’s action, from what to watch to bets to make. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox every afternoon.

What’s good, family! Welcome to Layup Lines. It’s your boy Sykes here to lead you into tonight’s NBA action. But first a quick thought.

I know things have been this way for a while, but can we stop looking so far ahead into the future when it comes to the NBA?

ESPN’s Jay Williams did just that today when he made waves on the internet by saying LaMelo Ball is not long for Charlotte. He’s literally putting the kid on the Lakers already.

Never mind the fact that he’s just finished his 2nd season as an NBA player or the fact that there’s this whole restricted free agency thing that makes it all the more likely he’ll be in Charlotte until, at least, 2027.

Forget all that. The dude is just a Laker already.

This is a huge problem with NBA coverage. And it’s not just a Jay Williams thing or an ESPN thing. People everywhere are more obsessed with the transactions in the NBA than basketball itself. This is what Kevin Durant meant when he said NBA fans don’t like anything about the NBA last year— there’s plenty to talk about, but we never talk about it.

Instead of talking about Ball being the youngest player ever to make 200 3-pointers in a year, we’re shipping him to the Lakers. Before Giannis Antetokounmpo re-signed with the Bucks and won a title, we shipped him to the Warriors. You get the drift by now.

We’re way too focused on the future with the NBA and what will come as opposed to what’s happening right now. We just had 4 awesome play-in games. We’ve had a historic MVP race. There are plenty of awesome playoff matchups to talk about.

And instead? LaMelo to the Lakers dominated the online conversation. We need to do better. Much, much, much better.

The Tip-Off

Some NBA goodness from around the USA TODAY Sports network.

Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Don’t trick yourself when it comes to the Hawks vs. the Cavaliers tonight. We tend to get a bit too caught up in the regular season at times, my colleague Prince Grimes writes.

But the Hawks than the Cavaliers coming into the season. They certainly feel like the better team right now. Roll with that.

Atlanta has a bottom five defensive rating over the course of the season but ranks 11th in the last 15 games, better than the Cavs who are 24th in that time. Paired with a top 10 offense in that span, the Hawks have the league’s seventh-best net rating. As hard as it is to do, I’m ignoring what we’ve seen over the course of most of 82 games and taking the Hawks to ride this momentum and end up in the playoffs where they always belonged.

Couldn’t agree more.

One to Watch

(All odds via Tipico.)

Clippers (-105) vs. Pelicans (-1.5, -115), O/U 215.5, 10 PM ET

Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The play-in game out west is probably going to be the most interesting one tonight with Paul George missing time in the NBA’s health and safety protocol. The Pelicans looked dominant against the Spurs and CJ McCollum can’t miss right now. I’m going Pels -1.5 tonight.

Who’s in and out?

Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

— Paul George (health and safety protocols) is out for Friday night’s game against the Pelicans

—Jarrett Allen (finger) is probable for the Cavaliers for Friday’s game against the Hawks.

—Bogdan Bogdanovic (ankle) is questionable for the Hawks for Friday’s action against the Cavs.

—Luka Doncic (calf strain) will miss game one against the Jazz on Saturday and will be day-to-day after that game.

—Steph Curry (foot) says he’ll be ready to go for game 1 against the Nuggets.

Shootaround

—The Clippers and Pelicans game will determine how the Trail Blazers’ rebuild goes this summer, our Cole Huff writes.

—Joel Embiid has some advice for James Harden ahead of the playoffs, from Ky Carlin Sixers Wire. Advice for the playoffs never feels great.

—The Rockets G-League affiliate just won its 4th NBA G-League title which is pretty incredible, per Ben DuBose of Rockets Wire.

—Brad Stevens just shut down the possibility of him coaching the Lakers, from Justin Quinn of Celtics Wire.

That’s all, folks! Have a great weekend.

Gannett may earn revenue from Tipico for audience referrals to betting services. Tipico has no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. SeeTipico.com for Terms and Conditions. 21+ only. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA).

Just how good can the Pelicans be someday with a healthy Zion Williamson?

SPOILER: Really good (but he’s got to stay healthy).

Charles Curtis here for some NBA takes, and this one might be far from hot, but it’s all I could think about while watching the Pelicans take down the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday night to move on in the NBA play-in tournament: Just how good could this Pels team be if Zion Williamson was healthy?

Would they be better than the current top six in the West? Considering that the potential back-to-back MVP is a member of the No. 6 seed Nuggets, I kind of doubt they’d be that good.

But: CJ McCollum, Brandon Ingram, Jonas Valanciunas and breakout rookie Herbert Jones with Zion? That’s a nucleus that intrigues me — they can score in bunches and Jones can play some D. Maybe they get some more shooting help in the draft.

And it all depends on Williamson. When we last saw him, he was ball-handling forward barreling to the hoop left and right. There he was at shootaround last night, casually throwing down a thunderous 360 dunk.

The big IF about his health will linger. But if I’m putting any futures bets down in the offseason, I’ll throw one down on this team making the playoffs next year and hoping Zion stays healthy enough to be the missing puzzle piece.

Away we go in today’s newsletter:

The Tip-Off

Some NBA goodness from around the USA TODAY Sports network.

Miles Bridges got ejected from the play-in loss to the Hawks last night and threw his mouthguard in anger, hitting a fan in the crowd. But he addressed how wrong that was with reporters and is now asking to find the fan to get in touch:

“That was definitely wrong, a lot of emotions, and hopefully, I can get in contact with the young girl and sincerely apologize to her and do something nice for her. That’s definitely on me.”

Good.

One to Watch

(All odds via Tipico.)

Pelicans (+140) vs. Clippers (-3.5, -175), O/U 215.5, 10 PM ET Friday

Sadly, no Zion for this game or any others that the Pels might play this postseason. And no Kawhi, I think? Still, this should be a great game, and I’m taking the underdogs to keep it close.

Who’s in and out?

— Nets: Could Ben Simmons return in the playoffs? The Athletic’s Shams Charania reports he’s “targeting a return” in Games 4 through 6 of the Celtics series.

— Mavericks: Charania also reports Luka Doncic is expected to miss Game 1 against the Jazz.

Shootaround

— As BetFTW’s Cole Huff wrote, Patrick Beverley got fined $30K because he justifiably ripped the Clippers.

— Nikola Jokic has no idea where his MVP trophy is right now. Seriously.

— An updated look at our NBA draft declaration tracker.

— Who won the Derrick White and Josh Richardson trade in hindsight? Celtics Wire looks into that.

Enjoy the beginning of the playoffs!

LAYUP LINES: The NBA’s Play-In tournament is extremely fun…but it shouldn’t be a thing

The Play-In is fun but it’s fertile ground for disaster.

What’s good, party people? It’s Sykes here to usher you into tonight’s NBA Play-In action. Speaking of the Play-In, a quick word on that.

This little tournament the NBA has put together for its bottom four playoff seeds is pretty fun — I have to admit that. Tuesday’s action with the Timberwolves and Clippers was particularly exhilarating.

But…I’m also not the biggest fan of the Play-In. Now, look. I’m sure this comes off as a bit of hate. But I have good reason, though!

The league is lowering its playoff standard while it punishes teams in the 7 and 8 slots. Imagine a world where the Timberwolves as a 7 seed don’t make the playoffs because they couldn’t win a Play-In game due to some unforeseen circumstance. At 46-36 they’d be 12 games better than the Spurs as the 10 seed and out of the postseason completely. Make that make sense.

That’s going to happen someday. A star player will get injured or a team will just go ridiculous cold in the last week of the season and they’ll lose out. It won’t make sense but it’s Play-In chaos, baby. That’s what y’all want.

Look, I get it. This is fun. It’s NBA-style March Madness and this is what everyone loves to see. But this isn’t how you determine the NBA’s best teams.

The Play-In is here to stay because y’all love it so much. But don’t be mad when your favorite team falls victim to the chaos. Because it’s bound to happen at one point or another.

Anyway, let’s jump in.

The Tip-Off

Some NBA goodness from around the USA TODAY Sports network.

The NBA world hated so hard on Patrick Beverley and the Timberwolves after their admittedly over-the-top celebration of a Play-In win.

It was really like they won a title. Especially for Beverley as my colleague Charles Curtis writes.

“He celebrated by tossing his jersey. He talked a lot of trash in the postgame press conference. He got on a live social media feed and said some more wild stuff.”

Beverley had real tears in his eyes after beating his old team. Anthony Edwards jumped up on the scorer’s table with his point guard. Karl-Anthony Towns had a celebratory kiss on the sidelines with his boo, Jordyn Woods. These dudes were happy.

Honestly? I can’t really blame them. This is their second postseason appearance since 2004. Let them go crazy — even if it’s just for one night. They deserve at least that.

One to Watch

(All odds via Tipico.)

Hawks (-5.5, -230) vs. Hornets (+180), O/U 234.5, 7 PM ET

Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports

For a 9 seed vs. 10 seed matchup, this sure is an exciting game. You’ve got Trae Young going head to head against LaMelo Ball. Their season series is tied 2-2 with each team taking one on the road. The key here is the Hornets defense on Trae Young, who they’ve guarded exceptionally well this season. He’s only shooting 38% from the field against Charlotte.

I think the Hawks win outright at home. But I think it’ll be close so I’m taking the Hornets +5.5.

Who’s in and out?

Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

—Pelicans: Brandon Ingram (hamstring) is probable for the Pelicans’ Play-In matchup against the Spurs on Wednesday.

—Pelicans: As expected, Zion Williamson (foot) is still listed as out for New Orleans.

—Hornets: Gordon Hayward (ankle) remains out for the Hornets.

—Hawks: John Collins(foot) has also been ruled out for Atlanta.

Shootaround

—Speaking of the Hawks, our Bryan Kalbrosky got a chance to chat with Trae Young about the playoffs, acting alongside his brother and so much more.

—I wrote a bit about Karl-Anthony Towns still struggling with physicality on the basketball court.

—A fan really glued herself to the Timberwolves’ court on Tuesday. Seriously. That’s a thing that happened.

—Here are some potential candidates for the Lakers head coaching vacancy from Robert Marvi.

That’s all, folks!

A completely off-the-cuff prediction of every NBA playoff and play-in series

PLAYOFF TIME!

Charles Curtis here, happy Monday and HAPPY START TO THE NBA PLAYOFFS EVERYONE!!!

Normally, I’d save my playoff predictions for my NBA group chat instead of broadcasting them to the universe, but whatever. I’m giving you every prediction I’ve got, and I’m going to try NOT to explain them, because what fun would that be and also this newsletter would take a long time to read.

So:

WEST:

The Timberwolves (7 seed) and Clippers (8 seed) win the play-ins.

The Suns sweep the Clips (and Kawhi Leonard doesn’t surprise us all). The Grizzlies beat the T-Wolves. The Mavericks beat the Jazz (Utah blows it all up in the offseason!) and the Warriors narrowly beat the Nuggets.

Suns over Mavs in 5. Dubs over Griz in 7. Phoenix goes back to the NBA finals!

EAST:

The Nets (7 seed) and Hawks (8 seed) win the play-ins.

The Heat beat the Hawks, the Celtics barely get by against the Nets, the Bucks sweep the Bulls and the Sixers allow the Raptors to win one game in Toronto (no Matisse Thybulle!) before beating them

The Sixers take down the Heat in seven (that might be my boldest take?) and the Bucks beat the Celtics.

The Bucks beat the Sixers in six.

FINALS: Chris Paul FINALLY gets his first ring at age 37 with the Suns getting revenge for last year, in a hard-fought seven game series.

That’s it. On to the other stuff!

The Tip-Off

Some NBA goodness from around the USA TODAY Sports network.

Yep, the Lakers fired Frank Vogel (although he really doesn’t deserve the blame!) but it was the fact that reporters knew about it before he did that made for an extremely awkward postgame press conference.

From For The Win’s Bryan Kalbrosky:

So when Vogel was asked for comment, he told reporters: “I haven’t been told [expletitve].”

It was a massively awkward interaction, and a hideous situation for the Lakers to put their championship-winning coach in the middle of. Especially considering so many more people were to blame for this disastrous season, it looks especially bad.

Sure does!

One to Watch

(All odds via Tipico.)

Clippers (+125) vs. Timberwolves (-3.5, -155), O/U 230.5, 9:30 PM ET Tuesday night

I know, this game is tomorrow. But it’s the one I’m most excited about with PG facing KAT. And I agree with BetFTW’s Prince Games, whose play-in betting guide has the Clippers as the underdog pick. I’ll take those 3.5 points, thank you.

Who’s in and out?

— Nets: Seth Curry said he will play in Tuesday’s play-in game despite an ankle injury.

— Cavaliers: Jarrett Allen back? J.B. Bickerstaff is planning to be without him on Tuesday, per a report.

Shootaround

— Here’s the latest NBA mock draft from the Rookie Wire.

— Some weird stuff always happens on the last day of the season, and BetFTW’s Cole Huff broke down all the amazing performances from Sunday.

— How Jrue Holiday earned $360,000 from playing just eight seconds on Sunday.

Play-ins begin tomorrow!!

Gannett may earn revenue from Tipico for audience referrals to betting services. Tipico has no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. See Tipico.com for Terms and Conditions. 21+ only. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA).

LAYUP LINES: Is LeBron James an All-NBA player this year?

Is LeBron James an All-NBA player? Plus, the Nets might make a little movement in the standings.

What’s good, family. It’s your boy Sykes here to usher you into this weekend of NBA basketball. But first, a quick question.

Is LeBron James an All-NBA player this season? It feels like, for the first time in a long time, he’s in danger of missing that nod after hitting that mark in every year but his rookie season so far.

But James is officially done for the season with two games left to go. He’ll finish with averages of 30.3 points per game, 8.2 rebounds and 6.2 assists on incredible efficiency. His 26.2 PER is extremely impressive for anyone — let alone a 37 year old.

But the Lakers still stink. They’re missing the playoffs completely. While his numbers are great, it’s fair to say his complete body of work didn’t contribute to winning. That has to matter in these conversations, right?

But the All-NBA rosters are filled with the 15 best players in the NBA from that season — plain and simple. It doesn’t feel like there are 15 players in the NBA better than LeBron James right now. He might not be at the front of that list anymore, but he certainly isn’t off it. At least, it doesn’t feel like that anyway.

I don’t have a vote, thankfully, so I don’t have to decide this. But if it were up to me? He’d probably still make the team. None of us can be mad if anyone leaves him off, though. And that, in itself, is quite the shocker.

The Tip-Off

Some NBA goodness from around the USA TODAY Sports network.

(Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 775715993 ORIG FILE ID: 1239822301

The 76ers do not want to see the Toronto Raptors in the playoffs. Not only because they may lose their best wing defender in Matisse Thybulle for a few games, but also because the Raptors might actually just be better, my colleague Prince Grimes writes.

The key here is James Harden, who just has not been himself. Like, at all. Not even himself from just a few weeks ago.

When Harden is at the top of his game, the Sixers have the two best players between these teams. But he’s been anything but that in the majority of his time with Philly. Harden was phenomenal in his first four games with the Sixers. In the 16 games since, he’s shooting under 36% from the field and under 30% from three. He’s still giving them 20 points and 10 assists – including 15 assists Thursday – but the Sixers are in big trouble if this version of Harden shows up in the playoffs.

We’ll see how this goes for Philly. But right now? 76ers fans should be uncomfortable.

One to Watch

(All odds via Tipico.)

Nets (-8.5, -370) vs. Cavaliers (+280), O/U 232.5, 7:30 PM ET

Don’t look now, but the Nets have a real shot at avoiding that 8th seed and moving up to 7th with a win against the Cavs. They’d have the same record at 43-28 and would own the tiebreaker with a 3-1 season series lead.

No idea how this turns out. The Nets have shown us all season that you can’t really trust them too much. But one thing we do know about them? They do score well and while being average on defense. So pound that over.

Who’s in and out?

—Kristaps Porzingis and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope are both out in Washington for ~~tanking~~ rest.

—LeBron James is out for the rest of the season, so he won’t play tonight against the Thunder.

—Evan Mobley is expected to return for the Cavaliers tonight but is listed as a game-time decision.

Shootaround

Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

—The homie Cole Huff gives us a definitive ranking of the teams currently left in the NBA’s play-in tournament.

—My guy Bryan Kalbrosky spoke with Dr. J about a bunch of things, but really the lead is that he spoke with Dr. J. Because that’s always incredible.

—James Harden is struggling with the lack of spacing on the 76ers team. Who could’ve seen this coming?

—LeBron James wants to play with Steph Curry but Steph Curry doesn’t seem to want to play with LeBron.

That’s a wrap, folks! Have a great weekend.

LAYUP LINES: The most interesting NBA story before the postseason is … Kawhi Leonard?

Yes, really.

I told you recently that I’m rooting for chaos in the NBA’s Eastern Conference with the Nets maybe turning everything upside down if they get out of the play-in.

Out West? I need Kawhi Leonard to come back. Now.

Should the Clippers risk the health of their superstar by letting him play now, instead of waiting until next season when he and Paul George can be among the contenders in the West? Heck yeah, that’d be smart.

But I want chaos. And seeing Leonard dribbling a basketball this week has me getting excited.

What if the Clips win the No. 7 seed out of the play-in and Leonard suits up to face the Grizzlies, a team that would suddenly be very, very nervous to see two of the NBA’s best defenders — even one not at 100 percent — coming to play them?

I seriously don’t think this is going to happen. The Suns are more than likely going to win the West, so instead of risking further injury to Leonard, the Clippers should tell him and George to focus on next season, when they’ll be fresh after the offseason, and with a solid team that’s mostly intact.

I can dream, though. How awesome would it be to see Leonard surprise us all for the playoffs?

Alright, let’s get to today’s links, bets and more:

The Tip-Off

Highlighting some NBA goodness from around the USA TODAY Sports network.

Uh, could the Los Angeles Lakers trade Russell Westbrook to … the Charlotte Hornets?! Whaaaaat?

That was something floated by Marc Stein on Thursday and addressed by Lonzo Wire:

Stein notes the interest from the Hornets would stem from creating financial flexibility for the long term as Westbrook will be an unrestricted free agent next offseason and would lift his $47 million off the books for the Hornets to pay their young players, like LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges.

Hmmm. I guess that makes sense, but that would be … something!

One to Watch

76ers (-1.5, -130) vs. Raptors(+105), O/U 219.5, 7:30 PM ET

The Raptors might be the Team No One Wants to Face this postseason, and the Sixers would love to keep up in the Eastern standings to get a better seed. This one should be good. I’ll take the road favorites with that spread.

Who’s in and out?

— Celtics: Both Jayson Tatum and Al Horford will be out and rested against the Bucks on Thursday.

— Lakers: LA has been eliminated and so LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook are all out due to injury.

— Pelicans: Brandon Ingram is doubtful against the Blazers with hamstring tightness.

Shootaround

— Could the Celtics get Robert Williams back soon? Head coach Ime Udoka says it could be “sooner than later.”

— Where do the Lakers go from here? HoopsHype breaks it down.

Gannett may earn revenue from Tipico for audience referrals to betting services. Tipico has no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. See Tipico.com for Terms and Conditions. 21+ only. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA).

LAYUP LINES: The Lakers were the least interesting team to watch this season

This wasn’t even like watching the Bad News Bears.

I understand why everyone is laughing at the Lakers this season. They were just a colossal disaster. There are so many reasons why, and now that it’s over, the processing begins.

Fans can daydream about revisionist history, as Magic Johnson did, and wonder what could have happened if they had acquired DeMar DeRozan. That, however, would have been much more challenging than many people realize. They can fantasize about a season without injuries, though frankly, other teams were hit much harder than the Lakers were.

But it doesn’t matter! LeBron was fantastic, though I’m just glad it’s over. This was a team that was not very interesting to watch. I liked Austin Reaves, an undrafted free agent who actually tried hard. Malik Monk had some cool moments. I’m happy for Stanley Johnson, who rehabilitated his career.

However, this wasn’t even like watching the Bad News Bears. These weren’t lovable losers. There is no draft pick waiting at the other end of the tunnel. It was just lethargic basketball. I’d rather watch all 29 other NBA teams, all 12 WNBA teams, and almost any G League or international team.

The Tip-Off

Highlighting some NBA goodness from around the USA TODAY Sports network.

Speaking of teams that don’t try very hard, I’d like to present to you, the lowly Oklahoma City Thunder and the lowly Portland Trail Blazers.

These teams are comically bad and you’d probably recognize more players if you used a random name generator in the off chance the program maybe spit out a combination of “Bobby” and “Jones” or something. Like, at least Bobby Jones was the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year in 1983. But you’re not alone if the “Lindy Waters III” isn’t ringing a bell.

My colleague, Mike Sykes, offered his thoughts on the absurd matter:

“This is pretty incredible, man. I don’t know who I feel worse for — the Thunder front office who are in real danger of losing that top-4 lottery slot or the Trail Blazers who legitimately tried their hardest to win this one.

Man. This is just wildly hilarious all around no matter what way you cut it. It’s chaos. And we absolutely love to see chaos. This is what we root for. Shoutout to those Thunder players for giving it to us.”

I’ll tell you this much: Zavier Simpson hitting hook shots is definitely more interesting than whatever it was the Lakers were giving us!

One to Watch

Clippers (-2.5, -150) vs. Suns (+122), O/U 226.5, 10:00 PM ET

(All odds via Tipico)

If you’re surprised to see the Clippers are favored in this one, I hear you! But there is a reason why everyone thinks Ty Lue’s team is a sleeping giant in the Western Conference. Paul George has looked fantastic in his first games back from injury, and this matchup may even foreshadow an upcoming postseason series.

Who’s in and out?

— Bulls: Lonzo Ball (knee) is out for the season, Alex Caruso (back) is listed as doubtful and Zach LaVine (knee) is listed as probable vs. the Celtics

— Celtics: Jaylen Brown (knee), Jayson Tatum (knee), and Al Horford (back) are all listed as probable vs. the Bulls

— Nets: Seth Curry (ankle) is questionable vs. the Knicks

— Magic: Franz Wagner (ankle), Wendell Carter (wrist), and Cole Anthony (toe) are questionable against the Hornets

Shootaround

—A hysterical Lakers ‘One Shining Moment’ fan video perfectly sums up their horrible season

—HoopsHype’s Yossi Gozlan previews what the Lakers should do with Russell Westbrook, LeBron, and more

—Kevin Durant called Stephen A. Smith out for falling for a fake story about Kyrie Irving and James Harden

—Warriors playoff scenarios: Where Golden State stands with 3 games to play

Gannett may earn revenue from Tipico for audience referrals to betting services. Tipico has no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. See Tipico.com for Terms and Conditions. 21+ only. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA).

LAYUP LINES: Appreciate the MVPs you’ve got before they’re gone, folks

Put some respect on these MVPs names, y’all.

Welcome back to Layup Lines, folks! It’s your boy Sykes here, once again, to be your Sherpa into Tuesday night’s NBA action. But before we dive into all that, there’s a tweet out there that keeps popping up on my timeline and it bothers me.

It’s the Kendrick Perkins tweet about who the next face of the NBA will be. He says it’s between Ja Morant, Trae Young and Luka Doncic. Jayson Tatum might be included in the conversation, too. Regardless, carry on.

Those players are great! They’re already All-Stars and, most certainly, are going to be recognizable faces in the NBA for years to come.

But, uh, we have three potential MVPs right now in Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo who are both 27 years old and Joel Embiid who is 28. They’re not going anywhere. One just won a title. Another just won an MVP. They’re putting up historic efficiency numbers — literally the greatest of all time.

So, sure. Those other guys are fine. But let’s not try to rush the guys we have now out. They’re in the midst of their primes and have lots more winning to do.

The Tip-Off

Some NBA goodness from around the USA TODAY Sports network.

Fake news can get to the best of us, man. Even Stephen A. Smith. The First Take host was “sacked” by the Ballsack Sports Twitter account and Kevin Durant would not let him live it down.

Honestly, man, I can’t say I blame Durant here. That’s embarrassing when you work with literal NBA insiders. Everyone gets got, sure. But navigating the Twittersphere is easy when you only pay attention to reputable sources.

“These virtual streets are dangerous out here, folks. You’ve got to have real discerning eyes and ears when it comes to where you get your information and who that information comes from. There’s lots of fake news out there.

That sounds kind of daunting, right? But, honestly, it’s pretty easy. You just have to pay attention to reputable sources like Adrian Wojnarowski and explicitly not sources like a place called Ballsack Sports.”

It’s significantly less embarrassing to be right than it is to drop a juicy, but incorrect, quote on everyone. The bar just doesn’t hit the same.

So beware, folks.

One to Watch

(All odds via Tipico.)

Bulls (+205) vs. Bucks (-6.5, -260), O/U 232.5, 8 PM ET

The Chicago Bulls seem to be safely out of that play-in range, but this is a matchup that could have playoff implications if the Bulls fall to 6th place in the East. Milwaukee is in 3rd and are just a half-game behind the Celtics for 2nd, but they’ve lost two straight.

I think this winds up being a blowout in the Bucks favor. I’m taking the under here.

Who’s in and out?

—LeBron James is missing a second consecutive game thanks to that ankle injury and the Lakers’ playoff hopes are pretty much dead now.

—Zach LaVine was downgraded from probable for tonight’s showdown against the Bucks to questionable. Not a great sign.

—Giannis Antetokounmpo is also having knee issues ahead of that game but has been listed as probable.

Shootaround

—Bryan Kalbrosky explains the meaning behind the sweet gift Bill Self gave an amazingly sweet gift to Devon Dotson after winning the national championship. Dotson was on that 2020 team that had its season cancelled.

—Magic Johnson is blaming LeBron James for the Lakers not getting DeMar DeRozan last summer. Hindsight is always 20/20, though.

—A look at some former March Madness MOP’s and where they are now. Look at how young Carmelo Anthony is.

—Charles Barkley trolling Kenny Smith after UNC’s loss is so incredibly savage.

Gannett may earn revenue from Tipico for audience referrals to betting services. Tipico has no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. See Tipico.com for Terms and Conditions. 21+ only. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA).

LAYUP LINES: Jordan Poole is the face of the future for the Golden State Warriors and it starts right now

Paul George also comes back tonight!

YEERRRRRRR! What’s good, folks? It’s the homie Sykes and you are locked in for another edition For The Win’s Layup Lines newsletter.

Yes, that’s right. They let me come back to send another one of these things off despite me absolutely needing to be jailed somewhere for making a “cha ching” noise on a sneaker unboxing video about Kawhi Leonard’s new shoes. You don’t need to watch it. Just know it was really bad.

…Maybe still go watch it, though. Anyway, let’s jump in.

The Tip-Off

Highlighting some NBA goodness from around the USA TODAY Sports network

When it comes to breaking down the tape on upcoming prospects and young players around the league, our guy Bryan Kalbrosky is an absolute wizard (no, not those Wizards. He’s actually good).

He gave us another gem with this recent breakdown of Jordan Poole and his spectacular March so far. Bryan says he should be the NBA’s most improved player and I can’t say I disagree — no disrespect to Ja Morant and the other guys in the discussion.

But, uh, anytime you’re mentioned with Nikola Jokic and LeBron James, you’re doing something right.

That was during the first game he played in March and he has since averaged 25.5 points per game. He has reached 30 points on three separate occasions and there are only two players in the Western Conference who have scored as many total points in March: LeBron James and Nikola Jokic.

That dude is on fire.

One to Watch

(All odds via Tipico)

76ers (-1.5, -125) vs. Bucks (+102), O/U 230.5, 7 PM ET

This is must-see television right here, folks. Not only are there two MVP candidates clashing here in Giannis Antetokounmpo and Joel Embiid, but it’s also the tiebreaker between these two as they’ve both already beaten each other once. You smell that, y’all? That smells like playoff implications!

The stakes are high, folks. It’ll be an excellent game. There’s always a lot of scoring between these two sides so I’m pounding the over here.

Who’s in and out?

—Big news! Paul George is officially listed as “questionable” for the Clippers’ game against the Jazz tonight. Barring a setback, he should play for the first time since December.

—Speaking of the Jazz, Donovan Mitchell is off their injury report completely. Rudy Gobert and Bojan Bogdanovic are both listed as questionable.

—Both LeBron James and Anthony Davis are still listed as doubtful on the Lakers’ injury report for their game against the Mavericks.

—X-rays were negative on Evan Mobley’s sprained ankle but it’s unclear when he’ll be coming back for the Cavs. That could mean a lot for the East’s standings.

Shootaround

Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

—This is the sort of investigative journalism we need more of today. A fan found that the Lakers weren’t including LeBron James‘ picture on any of their tweets after a loss and I’m still cackling about this.

—The NBA’s most random feud is between Ty Lue and Daryl Morey and I’m so confused about it. It gets pretty vicious!

—Speaking of LeBron, here’s a look at him through two decades of video games from Hoopshype. The dude looked like a straight-up box in 2004.

—Austin Krell of Sixers Wire explains why the 76ers have a backup center problem they need an answer to ASAP. He also spells out why Deandre Jordan is absolutely not it.

And we’re out! Thanks for reading. We’ll see you tomorrow.

Gannett may earn revenue from Tipico for audience referrals to betting services. Tipico has no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. See Tipico.com for Terms and Conditions. 21+ only. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA).

LAYUP LINES: Paolo Banchero joins a long list of Coach K’s players to make the Final Four

Paolo Banchero thinks that Coach K is the GOAT.

Today, more than ever, is basketball. To be honest, every day is basketball. We will make sure that is the case, at least, so long as you’re subscribed to Layup Lines.

If you’ve opted to receive these e-mails, you’re going to receive the most important basketball news and information. Alongside my esteemed For The Win colleagues Mike Sykes and Charles Curtis, we are going to curate a feed of daily updates for you to enjoy.

We think that basketball is a lot of fun and so this newsletter should be, too.

The Tip-Off

Highlighting some NBA goodness from around the USA TODAY Sports network.

Since we last spoke, the Duke Blue Devils earned a place in the Final Four. Coach K’s accomplishments are outstanding, and in celebrating his recent victory, star freshman Paolo Banchero actually made him blush.

Our own Andy Nesbitt has more on why Banchero called him the GOAT:

“Coach K has now gone to the Final Four in five different decades, which is just insane, and this will be the 13th time he’s made it to the Final Four.

Right after the game he was being interviewed by Tracy Wolfson when two of his best players – Paolo Banchero and Wendell Moore – jumped in and shared a special moment with their coach.”

Banchero is projected at No. 3 overall in my latest NBA mock draft.

One to Watch

(All odds via Tipico)

Hornets (+135) vs. Nuggets (-3.5, -170), O/U 223.5, 7 PM ET

Look at Nikola Jokic’s face. That’s the kind of face that I make when I watch both him and LaMelo Ball play basketball.

Call me crazy, but I’m going to jump at any opportunity I can to watch a former NBA MVP (who deserves a second trophy!) in Jokic face off against a potential future MVP in Ball. Is there any assurance that Ball will win an MVP award? There is no assurance of anything in this world! However, I’m confident Ball has as good of a chance to win the award one day as anyone.

This game can have a lot of scoring in it and I want to hammer the over!

Who’s in and out?

—Almost the entire Portland Trail Blazers and Oklahoma City Thunder rosters were listed on the injury report, which is longer than a CVS receipt.

— Boston’s Robert Williams III suffered a meniscus tear in his left knee and is out for several weeks.

— Indiana’s Myles Turner will miss the remainder of the season due to a left foot injury.

— Clippers’ Paul George will participate in five-on-five and could be cleared to play in a game this week.

Shootaround

— We spoke to clothing designer Eric Emanuel about designing the uniforms for the McDonald’s All-American Game.

— Based on analytics alone, per HoopsHype, this is how the upcoming MVP race should look.

— Multiple Sixers were upset with wasted possessions on offense in loss to Suns, writes Sixers Wire’s Ky Carlin.

— Celtics Wire’s Justin Quinn provides an update on stashed Boston guards Yam Madar and Yuhan Begarin.

So long, folks!

Gannett may earn revenue from Tipico for audience referrals to betting services. Tipico has no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. See Tipico.com for Terms and Conditions. 21+ only. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA).