:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/45831100/usa-today-8423908.0.jpg)
There were only two games in the entire NBA last night, the Chicago Bulls beat the surging Oklahoma City Thunder on a late 3 pointer by E'Twaun Moore with 2.1 seconds left. The "other" game was a 19 point victory by the Portland Trail Blazers against the visiting Dallas Mavericks. The win came with a cost as Wesley Matthews got injured (left Achilles tendon tear) and will be out for the rest of the season. That's so harsh. And in hindsight, that Arron Afflalo trade looks so much smarter now. Anyway, let's recap the races we are following.
Western Conference Standings:
| Team | W | L | % | GB | Last Night | Tonight | |||||||||
| 1 | Warriors | 47 | - | 12 | 79.66% | 0.0 | vs | DAL | |||||||
| 2 | Grizzlies | 43 | - | 17 | 71.67% | 4.5 | vs | LAL | |||||||
| 3 | Trail Blazers | 41 | 19 | 68.33% | 6.5 | vs | DAL | W | |||||||
| 4 | Rockets | 41 | - | 20 | 67.21% | 7.0 | |||||||||
| 5 | Clippers | 40 | - | 22 | 64.52% | 8.5 | |||||||||
| 6 | Mavericks | 40 | - | 23 | 63.49% | 9.0 | @ | POR | L | @ | GSW | ||||
| 7 | Spurs | 37 | - | 23 | 61.67% | 10.5 | vs | DEN | |||||||
| 8 | Thunder | 34 | - | 28 | 54.84% | 14.5 | @ | CHI | L | ||||||
| 9 | Pelicans | 33 | - | 28 | 54.10% | 15.0 | vs | BOS | |||||||
| 10 | Suns | 32 | - | 30 | 51.61% | 16.5 | @ | BKN | |||||||
| 11 | Jazz | 24 | - | 36 | 40.00% | 23.5 | @ | PHI | |||||||
| 12 | Nuggets | 22 | - | 39 | 36.07% | 26.0 | @ | SAS | |||||||
| 13 | Kings | 21 | - | 38 | 35.59% | 26.0 | @ | ORL | |||||||
| 14 | Lakers | 16 | - | 44 | 26.67% | 31.5 | @ | MEM | |||||||
| 15 | Timberwolves | 13 | - | 47 | 21.67% | 34.5 | |||||||||
Portland's win put them at #3 in the West, which is something that surprises me because I honestly didn't think they'd be this good. I guess I'm just a hater. The Pelicans could actually make a #playoffpush if OKC continues to lose to Eastern teams on last second three pointers.
What happened last night?
Portland won in the short term, but lost in the long term. Chicago won as well. More people are probably more interested in the slate of games tonight, though.
Lottery Standings:
| Team | W | L | % | GB | Conf | Streak | Last 10 | Top 3 | |||||||||||
| 1 | Knicks | 12 | - | 48 | 20.00% | 0.0 | East | 15 | L 2 | 2 | - | 8 | 64.3% | ||||||
| 2 | 76ers | 13 | - | 48 | 21.31% | 0.5 | East | 14 | L 3 | 2 | - | 8 | 55.8% | ||||||
| 3 | Timberwolves | 13 | - | 47 | 21.67% | 1.0 | West | 15 | L 4 | 3 | - | 7 | 46.9% | ||||||
| 4 | Lakers | 16 | - | 44 | 26.67% | 4.0 | West | 14 | L 3 | 3 | - | 7 | 37.8% | ||||||
| 5 | Magic | 19 | - | 43 | 30.65% | 6.0 | East | 13 | L 4 | 4 | - | 6 | 29.2% | ||||||
| 6 | Kings | 21 | - | 38 | 35.59% | 9.5 | West | 13 | L 1 | 4 | - | 6 | 21.5% | ||||||
| 7 | Nuggets | 22 | - | 39 | 36.07% | 9.5 | West | 12 | W 2 | 3 | - | 7 | 15.0% | ||||||
| 8 | Pistons | 23 | - | 37 | 38.33% | 11.0 | East | 12 | L 4 | 4 | - | 6 | 10.0% | ||||||
| 9 | Jazz | 24 | - | 36 | 40.00% | 12.0 | West | 11 | L 1 | 7 | - | 3 | 6.1% | ||||||
| 10 | Celtics | 24 | - | 35 | 40.68% | 12.5 | East | 11 | W 1 | 5 | - | 5 | 4.0% | ||||||
| 11 | Nets | 25 | - | 34 | 42.37% | 13.5 | East | 10 | L 1 | 4 | - | 6 | 2.9% | ||||||
| 12 | Pacers | 26 | - | 34 | 43.33% | 14.0 | East | 9 | W 3 | 8 | - | 2 | 2.5% | ||||||
| 13 | Hornets | 26 | - | 33 | 44.07% | 14.5 | East | 8 | W 3 | 4 | - | 6 | -- | ||||||
| 14 | Heat | 27 | - | 33 | 45.00% | 15.0 | East | 7 | W 2 | 5 | - | 5 | -- | ||||||
| 15 | Suns | 32 | - | 30 | 51.61% | 19.0 | West | 10 | W 1 | 3 | - | 7 | 2.2% | ||||||
| 16 | Bucks | 32 | - | 29 | 52.46% | 19.5 | East | 6 | L 4 | 4 | - | 6 | -- | ||||||
| 17 | Pelicans | 33 | - | 28 | 54.10% | 20.5 | West | 9 | W 1 | 6 | - | 4 | 1.8% | ||||||
| 18 | Thunder | 34 | - | 28 | 54.84% | 21.0 | West | 8 | W 2 | 8 | - | 2 | -- | ||||||
| 19 | Wizards | 34 | - | 27 | 55.74% | 21.5 | East | 5 | L 1 | 3 | - | 7 | -- | ||||||
| 20 | Spurs | 37 | - | 23 | 61.67% | 25.0 | West | 7 | W 3 | 5 | - | 5 | -- | ||||||
The only change here is that the Thunder, a playoff team, got an extra loss. So there have been no "real" changes.
What are we looking at?
There are a bunch of games we may care about; specifically, the teams in that #6-10 lotto spot range:
- Sacramento (6) @ Orlando (5)
- Denver (7) @ San Antonio (W.Playoff)
- Detroit (8) @ Houston (W.Playoff)
- Utah (9) @ Philly (2)
- Celtics (10) @ New Orleans (17)
We're not rooting for ping pong balls this year, and that's good because tonight the Jazz will look to give up that extra +2.1% for a Top 3 pick and retake the #10 seed for the draft lottery.
And get as well as you possibly can Wes; there's no need to rush back. I still miss you!