Layup Lines – Page 13 – Syndication Server

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.

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. 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

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?

Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

—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.

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

Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

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.

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!

LAYUP LINES: Chet Holmgren is slowly reaching ‘no brainer’ status as a potential No. 1 pick

It’s playoff season for y’all, but it’s already draft SZN for the rest of us.

What’s good, hoop heads? It’s your boy Sykes and I will be your sherpa as you head into tonight’s NBA action.

Can y’all believe that they’re letting me do this? I can’t either. The takes are going to be absolutely scorching coming from this guy. Luckily for you, you’ll get a reprieve when someone else inevitably takes the reigns again. But until then? Let’s talk some hoop.

I’ll try not to drive this thing too far off the rails.

The Tip-Off

Some NBA goodness from around the USA TODAY Sports network.

For a lot of us, it’s time to gear up and get ready for the playoffs. You’re hoping your team makes a deep postseason run to maybe win a championship if the Phoenix Suns are nice enough to let them. But for the rest of us? It’s draft time, baby. My Wizards stink and I need to know who we’re about to pick up in June.

That’s why it’s a perfect time to check out the homie Bryan Kalbrosky’s latest mock draft with all 58 picks included. Who is going No. 1? Chet Holmgren, of course.

“When it comes to the No. 1 overall pick, the more I watch him play, the more I’m moving closer to the “Chet-No-Matter-What” camp. Holmgren had 19 points, 17 rebounds, and 7 blocks during the first tournament game then matched up well against an NBA-sized opponent in Jalen Duren, defeating Memphis in the process. In terms of upside bets, the ceiling is just too high to pass on Chet.”

Smart man.

One to Watch

(All odds via Tipico.)

Mavericks (+130) vs. Timberwolves (-3.5, -160), O/U 228.5, 8 PM ET

Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Is it just me or are the Timberwolves must-watch TV at this point? Not only because Karl-Anthony Towns could drop 60 at any moment, but also because either he or Patrick Beverley might talk some elite-level smack to their opponents.

In their 3 previous matchups this season, these two teams haven’t combined for more than 218 points but over their last 5 games, the Timberwolves are averaging 127 points per game alone. I’m taking the over tonight.

Who’s in and out?

— On a separate note, Andre Iguodala has been ruled out with a back injury for Friday night’s action with the Hawks despite rumors swirling about a return.

— On the Hawks’ end of the spectrum, Bogdan Bogdanovic has been ruled as questionable as of now.

— Both Julius Randle and Mitchell Robinson are game-time decisions for the Knicks against the Heat.

Shootaround

— Massive demand from today’s NBA players for Kobe Bryant’s signature sneaker line was a huge part of the reason why Nike brought it back.

— The Celtics look like they could be a legitimate NBA champion now, but they were awful the first half of the year. Celtics Wire has Jayson Tatum’s explanation for why.

— A Hoopshype poll of 52 former and current NBA players still has Michael Jordan as the most influential player to touch an NBA floor. Nothing but respect for my GOAT.

Let’s do this all again next week, family! Hopefully, they let me back in here. Til next time. Peace.