NBA's Fatal Four Way

For the first time in history, the NBA will have a wild-card play-in.  Similar to the tail end of other seasons, however, multiple teams are vying for the final two spots (in this case, the WC’s 8th and 9th seed). 

Leading into the league’s hiatus, the Memphis Grizzlies were in 8th place, several wins ahead of the New Orleans Pelicans. Because of the stall imposed on the league by precautions as an extension of coronavirus, when the season resumed on Jul. 30th, it had been condensed with teams playing 8 games each as a way to finish out the season. Because of this, a caveat was made - if a team, in 9th place, is behind by 3 or less wins, they play the 8th seed in a wild card play-in. Only the Western Conference produced a scenario wherein this applies. 

As of now, the Portland Trail Blazers are in the 8th seed. They will play the Brooklyn Nets today. If they win, they will still have to play again (on Sat. Aug. 15) in order to preserve their playoff spot. 

If they lose, however, they may not get a chance to play again. Three others will play today and the play-in matchup is dependent on those outcomes. 

Three of these teams will be playing opposition seeking respite; the Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo has been suspended for today’s game following a headbutt he threw two days ago and the Mavericks’ Kristaps Porzingis, among others, will be sitting out the final game of the season with an imminent postseason and their playoff spot secured.

At 4 p.m., the Memphis Grizzlies play the Milwaukee Bucks, and the Phoenix Suns play the Dallas Mavericks. If both teams lose, and the Spurs win, the Spurs will advance. If all three teams lose, the Memphis Grizzlies will be rewarded the 9th spot based on the tie-breakers they hold over Phoenix and San Antonio.

When those two games conclude, the San Antonio Spurs will play the Utah Jazz. Rudy Gobert, infamous for being the reason the NBA season screeched to a halt, will sit out this game alongside other key Jazz players for the same post-season preparation.

When Portland takes the court at 9 tonight to face the Brooklyn Nets (who, by no accounts are sitting anyone), they will know what they have to do to keep their season alive. By all accounts, this is the most important game of the season for all four franchises. 

And, by most accounts, all four teams will win tonight. They won’t though. They should, but in typical sports fashion, one or two of them will let the chance slip away. The Bucks shouldn’t win with a handful of players sitting, but they might still beat the wavering Grizzlies; the Blazers and Lillard are riding higher than they have all season, but the Nets young core continue to play with resilience and dignity beyond what analysts afford; the Spurs are a perennial playoff team on the down slope with great players and unpredictable chemistry, but Popovich is decorated for what he’s historically accomplished; and the Suns have yet to lose these past two weeks, so is it inevitable it happens today? 

My money would be on the Spurs and the Blazers winning. Smart money says the Suns find a way to win this game too. But even in this case, not every team will be happy with the outcome and some ball players are going to be sent from Miami having won a lot, but perceived as losers.

Whether or not the Phoenix Suns get in, if you type the team into Google you can read a bevy of material on the entirely inspirational play of this team the past two weeks. If they get in, they will have a chance to expand on their story. The fun irony here is that both the Suns and TJ Warren are doing things no one could have seen coming a year after parting ways. 

Enjoy the games. - T