While you were sleeping March 27th

This is it, Utah Jazz fans. Our guys have climbed that mountain and are going to be in the 2017 NBA Playoffs. But they still have a chance to make their own destiny with who they end up facing in the first round. The Jazz can into Playoffs, but that #PlayoffPush is still going on as there are only 16 more nights in the 2016-2017 NBA Regular season. There were a bunch of games last night, and a bunch more tonight. So let’s look at what happened “While you were sleeping,” on March 26th:

AllThatAmar

SAC and MIN flip-flopped while UTA held serve at home. That’s not a bad night!

GOOD NEWS!

Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports

• [4] Utah Jazz defeated the [11] New Orleans Pelicans, 108-100: DeMarcus Cousins did his best to hurt another small market team by just being a part of that team. (Someone search PubMed for a DeMarcus Virus...) More seriously, Anthony Davis had a great night but his team still lost. Hooray!
• [7] Memphis Grizzlies lost to the [12] Sacramento Kings, 91-90: Kings are surging having won 2 in a row and Grizz are sleeping, or slippin’, having lost four straight.

It’s important for the Jazz to keep winning while teams that have the tie breaker against them lose. And that’s what happened here.

“Meh” NEWS!

Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports

There were no “Meh” games last night but I’ve got to mention TNT here for their “Player’s Only” broadcasts. There’s a reason why announcers, broadcasters, analysts, and studio guys have jobs - it’s because Player’s Only would be a train wreck. Source: Last night.

BAD NEWS!

Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

• [2] San Antonio Spurs thrashed the [East 2] Cleveland Cavaliers, 103-74: It was a humiliating loss and a display of just how damn good the Spurs are.
• [6] Oklahoma City Thunder came from behind to beat the [10] Dallas Mavericks, 92-91: This team is getting pretty ridiculous.

The Spurs winning is bad because it keeps them in the chase for the #1 seed. If they elect to go for it then that means they will be playing hard in April. Utah and San Antonio play twice that month. See what I’m getting at? So if they were to lose and Golden State pulls away (there’s virtually no chance Houston catches them), then they will be running at half speed in those games. Oklahoma City winning keeps them as a potential threat if Utah can’t hold serve over the next eight games.

Tonight’s Games:

• [1] Golden State Warriors @ [3] Houston Rockets: Nothing matters here in terms of the game outcome changing the big picture. But I can root for suspensions and injuries though.
• [8] Portland Trail Blazers vs. [9] Denver Nuggets: This is the biggest game of the night with two teams with identical records fighting for the last Western Conference Playoff spot. Portland has won three in a row, and Denver is on a slide. Fortunes can be reversed in a heartbeat. Will it happen tonight? Also, if Portland is out of the playoffs and embracing the tank the two April games against Utah could be much, much easier. Doesn’t look likely though as they are in the thick of their own #PlayoffPush right now.
• [13] Minnesota Timberwolves @ [East 7] Indiana Pacers: East playoff team going up against a West team that doesn’t want to win.
• [14] Phoenix Suns @ [East 5] Atlanta Hawks: Ditto.
• [15] Los Angeles Lakers vs. [East 3] Washington Wizards: Ditto part 2, 3x bonus.

The only thing of consequence to Jazz fans is the Nuggets @ Blazers game.

GO JAZZ GO!