New York Knicks
The Knicks appeared to be bickering on the bench while still up five and 34 seconds left in the fourth quarter of Game 1 against the Pacers, video shows.
What it looked like: OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns were voicing frustration with each other. Jalen Brunson tried to quash it – then got frustrated with them for continuing.
This wasn't the biggest argument, but it wasn't nothing – especially knowing New York was in the midst of a historic collapse. The scene only intensifies concern about how the Knicks mentally handled crunch time.
On the previous play, Towns got hung up on a Pascal Siakam screen well above the break while OG Anunoby stayed inside the arc, allowing Aaron Nesmith to step into a deep 3-pointer with Anunoby contesting late. Without knowing New York's scheme, I can't apportion blame between Towns and Anunoby. But their combination of tactics was incoherent.
Jaren Jackson Jr.
Luka Doncic became ineligible for a record-setting projected five-year, $345 million super-max extension ($69 million annually) when the Mavericks traded him.
Jaren Jackson Jr. could still get that deal, though.
If Jackson makes All-NBA (announced tonight), he'd be eligible for the record-breaking extension.
The Grizzlies aren't obligated to pay him that. Memphis could also offer him a smaller super-max extension, with projected minimum terms of five years, $214 million ($43 million annually).
That'd still be more than Jackson's largest-allowable extension if he doesn't make All-NBA or get renegotiated-and-extended – four years, $146,848,813 ($36,712,203 annually).
Based on our projection of the Grizzlies' cap space, they could add four years, $200 million ($50 million annually) to Jackson's contract through a renegotiation-and-extension. However, that'd mean renouncing Luke Kennard's Bird Rights (though not Santi Aldama's) and having only the room exception rather than the non-taxpayer mid-level exception and bi-annual exception.
Simply, Jackson making All-NBA would give Memphis more options for keeping him long-term.
It'd also open the possibility he demands the largest contract in NBA history.
Cade Cunningham
If Cade Cunningham makes All-NBA, he'll get an extra $45 million over the next five years.
Projected terms of the five-year rookie-scale extension he signed last year:
Without All-NBA: $224 million
With All-NBA: $269 million
The Pistons can relatively easily absorb the extra cap hit. They're probably operating with vast wiggle room between the salary cap and luxury-tax line this offseason, regardless. No other Pistons appear destined for a max deal long-term.
But Cunningham triggering the super max would eliminate the (remote) possibility of Detroit renouncing its free agents and opening $25 million of cap space this summer.
(Evan Mobley already clinched the $45 million boost by winning Defensive Player of the Year.)
David Adelman
The Nuggets named interim David Adelman their head coach.
No surprise. He has the best record in NBA history (3-0), guided Denver to an impressive first-round win over the Clippers and helped push the dominant Thunder to seven games in the second round.
Of the 21 coaches who took over in-season then won a playoff series, 18 returned the following season. The only exceptions: Kurt Rambis with the Lakers in 1999, Jim Pollard with the Lakers in 1960 and Doxie Moore with the Anderson Packers in 1950.
Unlike the 1950 Packers, the Nuggets didn't fold. Unlike the 1960 Lakers, the Nuggets didn't get a fresh start by moving cities (Minneapolis to Los Angeles). Unlike the 1999 Lakers, the Nuggets didn't have a superstar (Shaq) who feuded with the interim coach.
In fact, Nikola Jokic and other Denver players – especially Aaron Gordon – explicitly vouched for Adelman.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
This is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's MVP case in a nutshell: He has a strong supporting cast. But put him on the floor, and the Thunder are metronomically elite.
If Gilgeous-Alexander goes +20 again in Game 3 tomorrow, he'll tie the play-by-play era record at four straight games (Rashard Lewis with the 2010 Magic).
Oklahoma City Thunder
With their 15-point win last night, the Thunder increased their all-time lead in the relative-margin-of-victory stat I introduced earlier this week.
The gist: Teams are judged relative to each opponent's regular-season results. E.g., the Timberwolves' average result this regular season was a five-point win. Oklahoma City beat them by 15 last night. So, the Thunder get credit for a 20-point swing.
Overall, Oklahoma City has beaten its playoff opponents by 18.4 more points per game than "expected," tops all-time.
This stat looks telling, because – with the exception of the 1956 Minneapolis Lakers, who absurdly lost a best-of-three series by losing by 1, winning by 58 and losing by 1 – all the other leaders are considered among the very best teams in NBA history:
*won championship
Thunder-Timberwolves
All-Defense
As NBA defense has become more complex in recent years, evaluating individual defenders has become increasingly difficult. Nobody simply locks down his man anymore. Heck, nobody just protects the rim anymore. Individual responsibilities are so much more vast.
In this environment, nobody was a unanimous All-Defensive first-team selection.
The only players even actual voters, Nate, Danny and I agreed belonged the on the first team were Evan Mobley and Draymond Green.
Dyson Daniels – whom I had on the first team and Nate and Danny had on the second team – also made the first team. As did Luguentz Dort and Amen Thompson, both of whom we all had on the second team.
Ivica Zubac and Rudy Gobert – whom we all had on the first team – made the second team. So did Jaren Jackson Jr., whom Nate and Danny had on the first team and I had on the second team. As did Toumani Camara (whom Nate and Danny had on the second team) and Jalen Williams (whom I had on the second team).
Danny's other second-teamer, Bam Adebayo, finished No. 12 in voting. Mine, Brook Lopez, finished No. 19. Nate's, Kris Dunn, ended up ineligible.
Full voting:
Dunc'd On Live
Tattoos
Stunning finding from reddit user donutcronut: Nine straight MVPs – in the NBA! – have not had visible tattoos. Stephen Curry was the last visibly tattooed MVP.
-Dan Feldman