Welcome to the Basketball Hangover. I write about what’s happening in the NBA daily, even when COVID has ravaged the league.
We all thought Kawhi Leonard was gonna be a Spur forever.
(PHOTO CREDIT: Scott Wachter/USA Today.)
So the Clippers smashed the Spurs on Wednesday. Kawhi Leonard went for 25 points, 7 boards, and 5 steals against his old team. All we (or the Spurs, really) can wonder is… what if…
It all goes back to that one play: what if Zaza Pachulia never put his foot out there while challenging Leonard’s three-pointer? We all know what happened; the Spurs were destroying the Golden State Warriors before that play. Then once Leonard went out, the Warriors came back to win the game then sweep the series. Kawhi never played a meaningful game with the Spurs again.
It was such the ideal situation for the Spurs. Tim Duncan had retired. Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker were on the way out. They cashed in on an excellent #2 option in LaMarcus Aldridge. The Spurs were going to continue on in their winning ways. They were going to continue being contenders.
Instead, Kawhi got hurt and the Spurs managed to alienate him. We all know what happened; the Spurs had to deal him for DeMar DeRozan. The Raptors went on to win their championship with Kawhi on the helm. After that, the Raptors were okay with Kawhi leaving for the L.A. Clippers the following season.
People were going to keep saying how the Spurs are still the model franchise. Like Duncan, Kawhi is the unassuming star that just wants to play basketball. He’s not really in it for all the endorsements; he just wants to play.
But with Kawhi not there and Aldridge bought out just today, the Spurs had to build all over again. They missed the playoffs for the first time in 23 seasons last summer. Maybe they’ll make it back this season.
All of this probably wouldn’t have happened if Kawhi never got hurt and stayed with the Spurs. Damn you, Zaza!
Bullet Passes
We’ll have a separate entry for the trading deadline (probably the recap for Thursday). In the meantime, we just have to face the reality that Boston just isn’t that good right now and they had to make a few moves on Thursday to improve themselves.
Kyle Lowry ended up staying after we all assumed he was leaving Toronto. But even after that blowout win over Denver (to stop their 9-game skid), what a mess the Raptors have been this season.
Well, maybe the Thunder are really going to go down now because Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is going to miss time for plantar fasciitis. Yikes.
We got robbed of a marquee match-up because none of the stars played on the Nets against the Jazz. Utah whooped by 30.
Orlando scored an upset win over Phoenix. And then the Magic went on a firesale. Huh.
Wait. The Hornets are 4th in the East now?!
NBA Scoreboard
Mar. 24, 2021
Watch This Play
HI, BRODRIC THOMAS.
(VIDEO CREDIT: House of Highlights.)
What a Cavalier putback slam.
Everyone, please take care of yourselves during this pandemic. And that goes for everyone involved with the NBA as well.
You can find Rey-Rey on Twitter at @TheNoLookPass.
You can also check out Rey-Rey’s podcast, Rey-Rey Is Fundamental, for more basketball content and, really, whatever else.
R.I.P. Nala.