Welcome to the Basketball Hangover. I write about what’s happening in the NBA daily, even when COVID has ravaged the league.
The Heat are technically tied for the fourth spot in the East.
(PHOTO CREDIT: Jasen Vinlove/USA Today.)
The Heat beat the Lakers on Thursday but it hardly means anything right now. The Heat are still trying to acclimate Victor Oladipo into their squad and the Lakers don’t have their two main stars at the moment. Still, the Lakers will get back LeBron James and Anthony Davis in a few weeks. They’re currently 5th and 32-20. They should be okay.
Even if the Heat are technically tied for 4th (they’re in the 6th spot), they have struggled a bit more at 27-25. But they were also ravaged with COVID. Duncan Robinson is the only one to play all 52 games. Rookie Precious Achiuwa missed three, Andre Iguodala has missed 5, and Bam Adebayo has missed 6. The rest of their main rotation are in double digits in missed games.
So I feel there is hope for them to move up to the fourth spot as I feel Brooklyn, Philadelphia, and Milwaukee are entrenched in the top three spots. But we know what Miami did in the postseason last summer and fall.
You also kind of wonder if this environment would actually affect Miami. The Heat roster felt at home staying in a bubble and thrived as they blasted through the Pacers, Bucks, and Celtics.
No matter, we’ve seen what this team is capable of. All they might have to do is gain a little momentum, get Oladipo cookin’, and get their offense going (they are still 6th in defensive rating).
What I’m basically saying is that don’t forget Miami in the East. We know what they can so. We’ve seen what they did. And we know that Erik Spoelstra is arguably the best coach in the league.
The playoffs can’t get here soon enough.
Bullet Passes
A 10-0 run punched the Suns out against the Clippers. Paul George scored 8 points in that run and 33 overall. He’s still an excellent player, guys.
Hopefully, Giannis Antetokounmpo can come back soon. Otherwise, they’ll lose track of the top two teams above them. But I do think they’re stuck at the third spot at worst.
I do gotta get to know Moses Brown better for the Thunder. He’s a rebounding machine right about now. He’s averaging 11.2 boards in his last 16 games.
The Jazz didn’t shoot well from 3 once again but they still were able to win by double digits against Portland. That’s a nice recovery.
It was in a loss but Chris Boucher got career-highs with 38 points and 19 boards. Yikes.
You should see De’Aaron Fox leave a man down.
(VIDEO CREDIT: House of Highlights.)
Poor poor Dennis Smith, Jr.
NBA Scoreboard
Apr. 8, 2021
Watch This Play
Victor Oladipo can still do things like this.
(VIDEO CREDIT: House of Highlights.)
Andre Drummond was just a little bit too late on that.
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.