Grind City Media’s Lang Whitaker and Kelcey Wright Johnson weigh in on the most pertinent news from around the NBA. What’s lit? What’s lame? Find out each week right here.
From: Lang Whitaker
Sent: Monday, April 26, 2021 10:21 AM
To: Kelcey Wright Johnson
Subject: IMHO
Hey Kelcey! Don’t look now, and I know this seems pretty unbelievable, but the NBA regular season is almost over. I know we’re all doing our best and living in this strange world where things seem almost normal, even though things most definitely are not normal, but we’ve had so many NBA games coming at us that, at least to me, I kinda got in a groove. Day off, game day, day off, game day, day off, game day, day off, and so on and so on.
But I went and checked this morning, and much like Boyz II Men, we are about to come to the end of the road. As I write this, the Grizzlies only have 14 regular season games left, and most teams are somewhere in the 11-13 game range.
Things out West seem mostly set for the Play-In Tournament, with the Warriors secured in the 10 spot holding a sizable lead over the Pelicans. But in the East, we might still have some movement. Let’s start this week with some fearless predictions: Which two teams in the Eastern Conference do you think end up in the Play-In Tournament?
From: Kelcey Wright Johnson
Sent: Tuesday, April 27, 2021 2:11 PM
To: Lang Whitaker
Subject: Re: IMHO
Lang,
Am I crazy for thinking this season flew by, but at the same time has kind of being happening forever? I can’t believe it’s almost over.
If the play-in tournament took place right now, the Eastern Conference round would include Miami, Charlotte, Indiana and Washington. But the Bulls and Raptors are only one game behind the Wizards, and the Celtics are only a half-game ahead of the Heat.
Most teams have *about* ten-ish regular season games left to play so the order of those teams could all switch up.
Another team that I didn’t even mention was the Atlanta Hawks; they’re currently in the 5th spot but will be without Trae Young for a few games after he got injured last week and because the race is so tight in the East, I wouldn’t be surprised if they fell into a play-in spot.
On the other end of the injury spectrum, it looks like LaMelo Ball may be back very soon, so I’m going to put the full-strength Charlotte in the play-in round as well. And then looking at strength of schedule and lack of injuries, I’d probably put the Pacers and Raptors in there to round it all out.
That means I’m thinking the Bulls and the Wizards are out.
But again, anything can happen over there in the East. Take a look at the top of the standings — Philly has been number one for a majority of the season. I blinked, and now they’re a full game behind the Nets. While we’re making some fearless predictions this week…tell me who you think will be in the Eastern Conference finals?
From: Lang Whitaker
Sent: Tuesday, April 27, 2021 10:06 PM
To: Kelcey Wright Johnson
Subject: Re: IMHO
I think I’m with you in the East. I know the Bulls tried to make a late push and traded for Vucevic, but it feels like too little, too late, and I don’t think the rest of the pieces on that roster really fit quite yet.
As far as the Conference Finals, I still think the Nets are the team to beat in the East, maybe in the entire NBA, the way they’ve been playing. I said it way back when Steve Nash got the job, that I was surprised he wanted the headache of taking the job, but that knowing Steve for as long as I have, I just knew he was going to be a great head coach. And he has been. Think about how often coaches become the story, even accidentally. But even with all the drama in Brooklyn, from Kyrie missing games to the James Harden trade, Nash has stayed out of the headlines and done the work and put his team in position to be successful.
On the other side of things, I still think the Milwaukee Bucks are the second-best team in the East. I know they’ve disappointed in the postseason previously, but I believe in Giannis, and I think the experiences they’ve gone through the last few seasons will have them ready to go this time around. Philly has had a great regular season, but I think it may finally be time to fear the deer.
And while we’re talking Final Fours, who do you have coming out on the other side in the West? I’ll ride with the Lakers and the Clippers. Am I crazy to skip over the top two seeds?
From: Kelcey Wright Johnson
Sent: Wednesday, April 28, 2021 10:25 PM
To: Lang Whitaker
Subject: Re: IMHO
Sheesh! Lakers and Clippers, huh? I do think it’s a bit crazy to skip over Utah and Phoenix. Don’t get me wrong — I don’t have the Western Conference finals with both of them…but neither?! Yikes.
If I had to guess right now, I would go with Lakers and Suns in the Western Conference. The way I look at it is I never bet against LeBron James and I think with some major injuries the Clippers and Nuggets don’t look as dangerous moving into the postseason; even with their sizable lead in the standings right now. Plus, if the Lakers stay the underdogs and end in the 5th or 6th spot in the West — I like their chances even more… and I wouldn’t want to be the team that gets them in the 6th spot.
And then the Suns…I don’t quite know what it is about this Suns team that I just ride with. Remember earlier in the year when we talked about which team (other than the Grizzlies) that we constantly find ourselves watching? It’s been Phoenix for me, as of late. I can’t get enough of Devin Booker and CP3, and then you add in Ayton — this team could go far. Although, if my conference final prediction is right, I’d still put my money on LeBron.
In our IMHO video this week, we discussed those teams that didn’t do well this season but have major potential next year…and if we had that same discussion this time last year, it may have been Phoenix. But has there been any teams this season that you thought were going to be great and have fallen just short?
From: Lang Whitaker
Sent: Thursday, April 29, 2021 9:10 AM
To: Kelcey Wright Johnson
Subject: Re: IMHO
That’s an interesting question. To flip it to start, I definitely didn’t expect the Suns to be as great as they’ve been. I know they went nuclear in the bubble last season, but heading into this season, I wondered if they were going to be lacking a little something after bringing in Chris Paul. Which is a crazy thing to think, I know, but still, messing with great chemistry always seems like a bad idea. So, let’s give the Suns some credit, not only did they make a bold move and go out and add an important piece, but they got definitively better. Watching them polish off the Clippers last night and advance into the postseason for the first time in a decade not only felt like a big step for the franchise, it almost felt like an MVP coronation for Chris Paul, who has been, for lack of a better word, perfect in Phoenix.
As for teams that have disappointed, I think Boston has to be on the top of the list, to some degree. I know they’re three games over .500, but they have so many quality players on that team, and two guys who are on the verge of being superstars. But ever since losing Al Horford, they haven’t really had a big who can change the game for them. Danny Ainge has been hoarding assets forever, it seems like, and I don’t know if it’ll ever go anywhere.
In the West, I’d probably have to look just down I-55 from Memphis and go with the New Orleans Pelicans. For all the talk about how transcendent Zion is/will be, the Pelicans are nearly 10 games under .500, and I don’t know if you can say there has been any sustainable progress from where they were a season ago. Sometimes teams have to take a step back to move forward, I get that. Trading Jrue Holiday gives them flexibility down the road, but I wonder if the road they’re on now is the road that will take them where they’re trying to go.