Philadelphia 76ers' Joel Embiid in action during an NBA basketball game against the Miami Heat, Monday, Nov. 21, 2016, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
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There is no line on this game right now because the NBA is crazy.
It's a rematch of the April Fool's game, but the circumstances couldn't be more different. On one hand you have the Bucks, who have now locked up home court advantage throughout the playoffs with a triumphant win over the 76ers. The issue, of course, is that they now have officially nothing to play for. They'll almost certainly be resting their starters for some of these last few games, but the issue is that we'll have next to no idea who or when unless they decide to bless us with this news beforehand.
Guys like George Hill, Pat Connaughton, Ersan Ilyasova, and even DJ Wilson could all be spectacular plays if they happen to get the call to start this one, but without news confirming that I'd tread carefully here. I'll do my best to avoid any of the Bucks' regular starters here unless my hand is absolutely forced.
Opponent - MIL
Proj Pts FD - 39.53 DK - 41.36
Opponent - MIL
Proj Pts FD - 25.8 DK - 27.23
On the other side, we have the Nets. They are part of the furious race to leave the playoffs in the East, which features 3 of the 4 teams fighting over the last 3 spots losing their last two games. As we've seen in this home stretch, the Bucks don't need full run from their starters to beat teams, but of the four teams playing today you have to think the Nets are the most likely to stick to their game plan.
And then you realize it's the Nets, and that game plans often mean squat.
Still, the Nets are really, really going to want to win this one. So what should we expect?
While the rest of the Nets seem to be interchangeable right now, it sure looks like Harris and Russell are going to be in line for 34+ minutes today. Russell is in line for a full on usage bump at the moment, as he's topped 24 shots a game in each of his last three as the wheels have attempted to come off in Brooklyn. He had also topped 8 assists in six straight games before the last two losses. This is what they got him for, I guess, so they are going to stick with the plan. He should be considered the highest floor option on the slate
. Harris' contributions have come and gone, but on a short slate we recognize that beggars can't be choosers, and we'll just go ahead and lock up the minutes at an otherwise bad position.
After you get away from Russell and Harris, you're certainly speculating a little bit, but I could see going after the upside on guys like DeMarre Carroll and Spencer Dinwiddie, who have seen expanded roles from time to time recently.
There is no line on this game right now because the NBA is crazy.
Another silly game, but that's late season NBA for you. We'll start with the 76ers, who had the three seed all but locked up before dropping their last three games amidst a rash of small injuries and "rest days" for their stars. Well, they are still two games up in the loss column on Indiana and Boston with just three games to play. Indiana and Boston are playing as I write this, and that means one of those two teams is guaranteed to win. Philly's last three games are somehow two against the hapless Bulls and one against Miami, who is still fighting for one of those bottom slots in the East. It would be awfully tough for them to lose all three of these games AND Boston or Indiana to win those last three games, but still, you have to imagine that the Sixers are going to play this one out in some capacity.
Opponent - CHI
Proj Pts FD - 58.98 DK - 60.88
Opponent - CHI
Proj Pts FD - 23.98 DK - 25.29
Embiid hoisted 31 shots in the Bucks game, and while that might not be the norm going forward it at least indicates that the Sixers are comfortable leaning on him during this home stretch, particularly if Butler continues to miss games. He's a straightforwardly great big money payoff on a day with a lot of punts, and it's hard to imagine him not being one of the highest owned players on the slate assuming he plays.
I like Scott for exactly the opposite reason. He played 36 minutes against the Bucks, scoring 22 points on 8-11 shooting while chipping in little else. While that line is a little scoring dependent, I'd be happy to roll him out there again for bargain prices given that the minutes look relatively secure.
I'd be fine playing any of the Philly starters here, really, again because they have the second most to play for on this slate after Brooklyn.
Speaking of things to play for, the Bulls are still actively trying to lose, and it's getting tougher and tougher to figure out what their plans are. Wayne Selden went from playing 30+ minutes a game to just 16 last game. We saw the unlikely rise of Jakarr Sampson and Rawle Alkins (yes, that's a real basketball player).
The only consistent players at the moment are Shaquille Harrison and Walt Lemon Jr., who guys who you may not have heard of before the season began. I'm sure Walt Lemon Sr. is smiling down on this game from somewhere.
So that's it, folks! A 2 game slate of totally questionable basketball. The NBA: It's FAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANTASTIC!
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View Comments
Hang in there...the season's almost over! In all honesty, I really enjoyed this column throughout the year, and it's been very helpful. But what can you do when the NBA erupts in a flurry of tanking, speculation, and load management? As you say, the NBA is crazy. Walt Lemon Sr. would agree.