This is the day Joel Embiid finally became president
PLUS: Donovan Mitchell is smoking hot, the Lakers almost choked a crucial game away and the Blazers are doing nasty business.
Good morning. Let’s basketball.
Scores
Raptors 120, Hornets 100 — Toronto seems to be having a normal one all of a sudden? 8-3 in their last 11.
Heat 118, Pistons 105 — It’s flown under my radar but we’re setting up for a Heat-Celtics first round series, assuming Miami doesn’t catch Brooklyn after all and assuming the Heat beat the Hawks in the 7-8 play-in, which I’m going to henceforth refer to as THE SOUTHEAST DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP GAME if it happens like that.
We know that the Sixers didn’t really want anything to do with the Heat in Round 1. I suspect the Celtics feel the same way!
Cavaliers 117, Magic 113 — I don’t think it’s in dispute that a) this is Donovan Mitchell’s best season ever and b) he belongs on first team All-NBA. Fourth straight 40-point game.
Two of my favorite players in the league right now are Markelle Fultz and Jarrett Allen. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THEY COLLIDE?
Oof, that’s nasty work JA. I need a palate cleanser.
There we go.
With Wednesday’s results, we have one first round series locked in: Cavaliers vs. Knicks.
Bucks 140, Wizards 128 — Up 15 in the fourth when your team has already all but guaranteed the league’s best record, and a two-time MVP is still putting in the energy to do this.
Timberwolves 107, Nets 102 — Minnesota clinches a play-in spot at minimum. And the Wolves are still technically alive for a top-6 seed. Every once in a while, the Nets look like how we thought they’d look after the trades. 9/24 shooting for Mikal Bridges.
Celtics 101, Sixers 103 — Joel Embiid masterclass. Unguardable by mere mortals (Robert Williams III did not play). Seriously, a legendary performance: 52-13-6 on 20/25 shooting, with two blocks and three turnovers.
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