I have to admit – maybe I’m just an old curmudgeon, but when plans to have a play-in tournament in the NBA surfaced, I shook my fist as hard as I could at the sky. How the hell are you going to run a postseason that features two thirds of the league? Blasphemy. That’s not rewarding the teams who put in the work! 10 teams?!?! Are ya kiddin’ me?!?! But, then the play-in tournament started, and I have to concede that it’s actually fun as hell. Last night was a fun night for basketball – the Memphis Grizzlies beat the San Antonio Spurs in a game that felt like an old school physical slugfest. Then, a Los Angeles Lakers team that is just finding its footing after being ravaged by injury pretty much all season hosted a scrappy Golden State Warriors team. It looked like the Warriors were going to run away with it as the Lakers were struggling to really jell. But, in the clutch moments of the game, as he’s prone to do, LeBron James took over and hit an unreal shot that would end up winning the game for the Lakers and earning them the #7 seed.
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) May 20, 2021
I know people are probably chomping at the bit to poke holes in James, as they always do, but this is just good stuff. James is coming off an injury that kept him sidelined longer than he’d ever been sidelined in his career. He’s still getting back into the routine, and yet he still has that killer instinct…that desire to say “hey, give me the ball with the game on the line.” He’s been criticized so much in his career for not being that assassin type, but folks, that shot last night was a stone cold killer. The Warriors gave the Lakers their all, and the Lakers just absorbed the blow and kept moving. It was pretty wild to watch.
Early on in the game, the Lakers really struggled to get going. It’s not ideal for them to be searching to regain the chemistry that won them a championship a season ago as the playoffs are starting. But, if they can get there, they’re going to make for a tough out in the playoffs. The only reason they were even in this play-in tournament was because James was out for so long. Anthony Davis looked a little off for the early part of the game, too. As the #7 seed, the Lakers will draw the #2 Phoenix Suns. How’s that for having a killer season? You have one of your best teams in years, get the #2, and your draw? The defending champs, and (in my opinion) the greatest basketball player of all time as he’s starting to get healthy. I’m not saying the Suns don’t stand a chance – I’m saying that this Lakers team is about as dangerous of a #7 seed as I’ve ever seen. The Suns need to get up early before this Lakers team has a real chance to get in a groove.
All in all, I’m taking back my resentment towards the play-in tournament. It’s been a lot of fun. The Grizzlies and Spurs played with utter desperation in their elimination game, and the Lakers-Warriors game was an electric factory. Now, the Grizzlies travel to play the Warriors on Friday night – the winner gets the #8 seed and a series against the top dog Utah Jazz. I dare say the NBA has recreated some of the magic of March Madness because of this thing.
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network, and a Dogs Playing Poker on velvet connoisseur. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD and #BeBetter. “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
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