The Spurs lost their 33rd game of the season on Tuesday, falling to the Clippers in a close one on national TV. That number 33 is important: it means that San Antonio cannot win 50 games this season. It marks the first time since the lockout-shortened 1998-99 season that the Spurs won’t win 50, and the first time since 1996-97 that San Antonio won’t win the equivalent of 50 based on season length.
The Spurs had widely brushed off the streak as being irrelevant to the team’s current struggle to make the dang playoffs. But it means something. My read: with the new Kawhi Leonard drama, it’s the end of a privileged, fortunate time in which the normal rules of the NBA success didn’t really apply to the Spurs. The luck has run out.
But two decades? That’s a pretty good run. No one should feel sorry for San Antonio that the run is over. (Quite possibly because it’s temporary, unless and perhaps even if there really is smoke behind the latest Kawhi chatter.)
Meanwhile, the Philadelphia 76ers — who just two years ago went 10-72 — could still win 50 games this season. The Sixers are on an 11-game tear, even without Joel Embiid and his broken face. Philly has five games left: at Detroit (Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET, League Pass), vs. Cleveland on Friday, vs. Dallas on Sunday, at Atlanta on Tuesday, and vs. Milwaukee on the final day of the season. There are probably three wins in there.
What a turnaround that would be — 10 wins to 50 in two years.
Playoff Picture Update
Scores Galore ...
TOR 106, CLE 112
BKN 95, PHI 121
ATL 98, MIA 101
ORL 97, NYK 73
CHA 114, CHI 120
WAS 104, HOU 120
BOS 102, MIL 106
GSW 111, OKC 107
POR 109, DAL 115
IND 104, DEN 107
LAL 110, UTA 117
SAC 94, PHX 97
SAS 110, LAC 113
... And So Much More
Here’s Paul Flannery on the incredibly chaotic sprint to the finish this regular season. I’m doubling my daily meditation time just to manage it all within my brain.
Kudos to the Phoenix Suns for snapping their 15-game losing streak, the worst in franchise history. I’m especially impressed that they only did it once they had a one-game cushion for the worst record in the league.
Speaking of the Suns, I looked at the Gnarly Nine teams at the bottom of the standings to assess which one has the brightest near-term future. Hint: it’s not the Suns.
Here’s an excellent piece from the excellent Dylan Scott, explaining to Vox.com readers why LeBron James is the most important athlete in the world.
An argument that Ben Simmons should be considered for the All-Defense team.
Did ... did Dennis Smith bounce the ball to himself off the floor for a dunk?
Does it matter that C.J. McCollum is kind of a ball hog? (Let’s hope Damian Lillard is fine, by the way.)
Reggie Bullock continues his LGBTQ advocacy on behalf of his murdered transgender sister.
Uh, LeBron and Nick Saban now have beef over ... copyright infringement claims?
The Suns chased Villanova’s Jay Wright two years ago. Will they have more luck this summer?
Looks like the NBA is taking over the traditional June camp for international draft prospects.
Why aren’t Timberwolves fans happy?
Tim Bontemps on why the Bucks and Jabari Parker could break up this summer.
Ben Simmons is messing with Karl-Anthony Towns on PUBG again.
Welp, Nerlens Noel and Thabo Sefolosha were suspended five games each for violating the league’s drug policy. Sefolosha is injured anyways. Noel’s Mavericks career is quite likely over.
And finally: we see you, MVP.
Be excellent to each other.
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