Road to a Championship start here, 2022 Draft.

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Before Last nights game, I described a sequence during the Lakers/GS match where GS got T'd up for being upset about a clear missed goal tend call that led to a 5 pt swing with GS up 10. Down the stretch of last nights game, Jokic twice screamed & slammed the ball in the refs face vying for a call & was never T'd up because that would have been the ball game.

What's good for one, is not good for the other.

In a 4th Q that had Pels up 15 with 3 mins to go... Nuggets had a 19-6 FT advantage with them having to intentionally foul to end the Q, lol.

Created 1.5 game breathing room instead of LA in 10th seed down a half game

Don't expect any different when they face Memphis either. They can hide their BS behind Memphis being a good team. They can get LA a near 3 game lead with them going into a tough schedule & NO's going into an easier schedule.

NBA... where controlled competition happens. What should have been a double digit win, ended in an OT loss.

I love basketball... give me this leagues talent in a different league & I done watch this **** show.

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7 min mark, 3Q, GS was up up 10... Refs ignore a clear Lebron goaltend on a "open & clear" fast break to take 2pts away from GS resulting in Westbrook scoring 2 on the ensuing transition basket & for the refs to give GS a tech for their own KNOWN error for a 5pt swing... lol

I went to bed then knowing the result of this game. Not in the least bit surprised in the outcome.

Look for Jonas/NO's to get Jacked in their upcoming match against Jokic & the Nuggets.

I quoted myself here to drive home the point.

The L2M report from the Nuggets game had 2 incorrect calls against the Pelicans in a game that went to OT. In of itself that could be determined simple error. Ask me how I knew that would be the case before the match started...

In a game that went to OT

- Goaltend on CJ layup ignored, tech given for asking.
- Jokic had 44pts on 9-10 FGA's in regulation
- Nuggets had 41 FTA's to NO's 26 in regulation
- In a 4th Q that saw NO's go up 15 with 3 mins left a 19-5 FT Nugget adv, with them having to intentionally foul twice
- Jokic committing at least one flagrant in challenging the refs in the final 2 mins, ignored
- In OT, Pels starting C, fouled out

Yup refs had no impact on that game at all, hidden by & behind the fact Jokic is a great player.

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Shifting gears, the sub 500 Spurs beat the Lakers by 17, who's only win in their last what 10 games came against GS, lol.

Knicks also win to pull within a half game of LA.

Knicks .5 back
Pels 1 back
Portland 2 back, with the easiest remaining schedule
Spurs 2.5 back

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I see some NO fans are already starting to turn negative after a couple bad losses.

If anything, the Magic loss should make NO fans feel better about the Memphis loss. Post CJ trade the first 5 games showed the importance of balancing this team because it's top heavy & offensively oriented.

The Denver game was clearly stolen for anyone who's honest about it. Then losing BI upset the chemistry/balance the team had going into Memphis' as seen in also losing to the Magic the following day, with the bench getting destroyed by what, 40pts ? to a last place team... That's what happens when you build around a player & not a philosophy. In NO's case their best & 2nd best players. What the Magic game showed (most of the season) is they don't have the depth needed to sustain loss with their 2 best players seemingly injury prone. What's the teams record with & without BI more less no Zion ?

Just want to make an off point about that Memphis game. I didn't have my laptop for a couple days. I want to show you how Officials subtly control games. Adams was using his shoulder on screens to body check defenders, lean into them, he was moving on screens, he was jumping backs & generally the most physical player on court ... how many fouls did this player have in 30 mins of play? I was shocked to see him with 1 PF to be honest, lol. What happens to a teams defense/ability to rebound when officiating allows them to be overly physical, while the other team/player is not afforded the same opportunity ?. Adams had more offensive rebounds than Jonas had total.. Not to take away how good an offensive rebounder Adams is but that performance was aided by the fact he was allowed to be as physical as he wanted. Including one head shot to Jonas on one of his O boards.

I'll take blame for that, any time my posts criticize NBA officiating, like clockwork, the 3 teams now I have supported/defended, have gotten blown out their following match as a result. Coincidence? I doubt it at this point.

NO's fans, take solace in the fact Memphis are healthy & have been playing together for 3 yrs where NO's had to compensate for losing BI with Zion already out & the refs allowing them to be/play physical without repercussion. The Magic loss showed just how out of whack the rotations/balance are with BI out in combination.

Let em dance, it won't be for long.

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Tonight Memphis hoping to get the NO's pick face the Knicks who are a half game back of LA. I'm hopeful but don't like the Knick chances in that one.

LA faces Washington who are a game & a half up on them.

NO's look to get back on track against Charlotte without 3 of their best players, a game & a half back of LA

NBA officiating is still **** for real competition.

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Looks like Pels met the Magic at a bad time.

After beating a short handed Pels team. Magic beat the Wolves & are currently up 57-42 over Philly going into the half..

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It took Philly OT & Wagner splitting FT's to beat Magic by 2pts.

Pels get the must win vs Rockets to pull back to within a game & a half.

Lakers set to face the Raptors, Pels the Suns. Hopefully there will be bodies returning for that one.

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Raptors took care of business & things don't get any easier for LA with Wolves next.

One of tanking Portland or Knicks have to win their match. where an LA loss will tie them with the Knicks for the 10th pick or bring Portland to one game back.

Pels have a tough one vs Suns with half the roster out but this is one of those games that you want to see NO's winning all the 50/50 balls & be the hardest working team on the court.

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NO's with the LA pick 8-10 select ...

Watch on YouTube

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With LA spiralling, Spurs are currently 2.5 games back, with 3 games remaining against Portland who are openly tanking.

Pels continue to hold their fate in their own hands. Imagine a scenario where a team that has been unhealthy the entire season getting healthy at the right time.. Getting a top 10 pick at worse from LA while being in a win/win playin situation of lottery ticket or playoffs.

Next 3 games

Lakers - (Raptors, Washington, Cavs)

Knicks - (Wizards, Jazz, Hawks) tied

Pels - (Spurs, Hawks, Hornets) 1.5 back

Spurs - (Pels, Warriors, Portland) 2.5 back

Raptors take care of business, 2 of the set will gain a game on LA (Knicks/Wizards or Pels/Spurs). As long as LA loses to Raptors, either result in the Spurs game would benefit NO's.

With LA having one of the toughest remaining schedules, it's quite possible all of Spurs, Knicks & Pels surpass them for the 8th pick. (Spurs with 3 games remaining against Portland)
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Earlier I linked NO's "improved defense" to their offensive efficiency during their winning streak post Allstar break. What was the main issue in the Suns loss? (TO's leading to easy transition points).

With Jonas on court.. You can't have weak links jacking up bad shots & or committing soft TO's.

For some, a team is only as good as their best player. For me, a team is like a chain, it's only as good/strong as their weakest link... NO's when not healthy, being top heavy in talent, have too many weak links (25-25) with BI, (3-16) without.

500 with BI despite a slow start, what happens when the player the team was built for also removes one more weak link ?..

Pelicans are in a position to end up with a top 10 pick from LA, another lottery ticket or possibly make the PO's & be one of the more dangerous teams in it, if healthy.

IMO, Suns will want no part of a healthy Pelican team in the first round.

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Raptors up 3 & possession with 4 secs remaining. call a TO & turn the ball over to Westbrrok who's shooting 9% from 3 since the Alsstar break to end up losing the game in OT...

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Lakers playing Lebron at C, Prozing is 0-4 from 3... I'd love to know what is going through the Wizatds coaching staff's minf to not be attacking Lebron in the post ?????

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lol these MF's stupid... now guarding up on Westbrook on the 3pt line leaving more viable threats open. First Monk then Melo on B2B brain dead defensive possessions.

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Wizards pull out an ugly win. Lakers now tied with the Pels for the 9th pick.

Took only 3Q's to figure out to play the Lakers inside out. Gafford got the ball rolling. Zingus was just turning & shooting over his defenders, no hope..

Pels need to take care of business in Atlanta.. LA meet another big team in the Cavs next.

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Ben put up 30/8/4 vs TCU & is going to wind up playing himself out of Lakers/NO's range,

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I'm surprised Pels fans have not used the OLE soccer chant for Jose...

.... Joseeee, Jose, Jose, Jose

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Refs putting in work for the Lakers LMAO

If LA losses to Cavs then Philly. Spurs are set to face tanking Portland which could pull them to within a game of LA. Can't have that.

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Bridges reached & committed a defensive foul but they calling a flagrant 2 on herb..

They take the opportunity to eject the backbone of NO's D, Herb ejected, trash league.

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What a surprising outcome, LMAO.