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If you weren’t around for the Blake Griffin phenomenon, you have no idea how absurd he was.
Welcome to the Bouncies!
Handing out hardware for 2023-24
As is tradition here at the Bounce, we hand out the highest honors when the regular season ends. And we may even hand out some more awards during the postseason! Don’t put it past us. The Bouncies are basketball’s most prestigious award. Not just anybody can receive this honor.
The Bouncies’ selection process is one of the most scientific and complicated awards systems ever created. I don’t even have time to explain it to you, so let’s just hand out some hardware! (Note: There is no actual hardware. Importing and exporting issues got in the way.)
Best Rookie: Victor Wembanyama, Spurs. He’s the fourth player ever to have at least 1,500 points, 750 rebounds, 250 assists and 250 blocks in a season. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (five times), Hakeem Olajuwon (twice) and David Robinson (twice) each did it. Wemby (20) is the only rookie to combine those marks. | Runner-up: Chet Holmgren, OKC
Most Disappointing Rookie: Scoot Henderson, Blazers. He had his moments, so it wasn’t all bad, but Scoot (No. 3 overall pick) was supposed to be impressive right away. I still believe, though. | Runner-up: Jett Howard, Orlando
Most Frustrating Team: Bucks (49-33, No. 2 in East). They weren’t bad, but they were supposed to be transcendent. Instead, they had the weirdest season since the 2012-13 Lakers and now face the Pacers with Giannis Antetokounmpo still out. | Runner-up: Phoenix Suns
Best Surprise Team: Magic. This was a young team that credibly contended for the East’s No. 2 seed. | Runner-up: Houston Rockets
Funniest Fight: Draymond Green vs. Rudy Gobert. For the second straight year, Gobert is involved in this award – that’s consistency. Draymond choked Gobert in a kerfuffle between Klay Thompson and Jaden McDaniels. | Runner-up: Ime Udoka vs. LeBron James
Best Acquisition: OG Anunoby, Knicks. New York went from a pretty good team to a dangerous contender with this one. Now, can the Knicks sign him? | Runner-up: Kristaps Porziņģis and Jrue Holiday to Boston.
Worst Acquisition: Jordan Poole, Wizards. He and the Wizards weren’t supposed to be good, but he was a running joke all day, every damn day. | Runner-up: That Damian Lillard trade has been rough.
Play of the Year: Kyrie Irving’s left-handed winner vs. Denver and Luka Dončić’s reaction. | Runner-up: Wemby going Shammgod not once but twice. Here’s Kevin Garnett’s reaction (NSFW because it’s KG).
Moment of the Year: Two players scored 70-plus points in a win. Several others had 60-plus points in a loss. | Runner-up: The In-Season Tournament.
Best Picture: Wemby blocking Andrew Wiggins’ jumper. | Runner-up: Mike Brown showing the laptop to the media to complain about refs.
MVP: You, the readers of this newsletter and The Athletic. Just kidding. It’s Nikola Jokić. | Runner-up: You, the readers of this newsletter and The Athletic. Or it could be Dončić’. Maybe SGA? One of those.
The Latest From Shams
Zion’s injury leaves status uncertain
Pelicans star Zion Williamson is believed to have suffered a left hamstring injury against the Lakers in Tuesday’s Play-In Tournament game, league sources tell me. Williamson had 40 points, 11 rebounds and five assists before exiting the game, an eventual New Orleans loss, in the final minutes of crunchtime. Tests are coming today, but according to our Will Guillory, Williamson walked out of Smoothie King Center without a noticeable limp or a visible wrap around his leg.
Williamson played a career-high 70 games this season, but his status for Friday’s game against the Kings is uncertain. The winner will face No. 1 seed Oklahoma City in the first round beginning Sunday.
Pelicans fans waited 5 years to see a game like this from Zion Williamson.
It was dominant. It was clutch. It was against Anthony Davis. Then, outta nowhere, it was over.
How Zion’s dream night turned into a nightmare and now leaves NOLA on the brink.https://t.co/VCocXXJz1K
— Will Guillory (@WillGuillory) April 17, 2024
Goodbye, Warriors
Did the Kings the Dubs’ run for good?
Last year, the Kings tried to end the Warriors’ season and possibly their dynastic run, but Steph Curry had 50 in Game 7 and ended the Kings’ beam-lighting for months. Last night, Keegan Murray had a game-high 32, De’Aaron Fox scored 24 and the Kings shot that purple beam through the Warriors’ heart. What an ole-fashioned drubbing by Sacramento.
Golden State looked feeble. Curry had 22 points on 16 shots. Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody each had 16 off the bench, but whatever is left of Klay Thompson didn’t score a single point despite taking 10 shots. No makes, no free throws – nothing but awkwardness in his most minutes while going scoreless (32).
Three of this season’s first four meetings were decided by one point. This time, the Kings left no doubt. Golden State enters an offseason of discomfort as the Kings prepare to play for the No. 8 seed on Friday. They could play the Thunder in the first round and wreak havoc.
Also last night
Lakers 110, Pelicans 106. The Lakers dominated until Williamson and Jose Alvarado led a massive comeback. With 3:13 left, though, Williamson frustratingly with his aforementioned hamstring injury and never returned. LeBron James, Anthony Davis and D’Angelo Russell closed it out to set up a rematch with the Nuggets in the first round.
Will Zion play against the Kings? Can CJ McCollum and Brandon Ingram show up after struggling so badly last night? We’ll preview on Friday.
Play-In or Play Out
What to expect from the East Play-In
The East Play-In Tournament starts tonight. The loser of 76ers–Heat gets one more shot to reach the playoffs. The loser of Bulls–Hawks can start looking at offseason AirBnB’s. Don’t forget: all game times are Eastern.
Miami Heat at Philadelphia 76ers, 7 p.m. on ESPN
Once a duo in Philadelphia, Embiid and Jimmy Butler will square off in Philly for a chance to draw the Knicks in the first round. Let’s preview!
Best storyline for the game: Heat Culture vs. Goliath. This season, Embiid has been dominant when he plays, and the Heat have been saving up their energy for the postseason. Only the toughest comes out on top.
How’d the season series go? How relevant was it? The Heat won the first two before losing the next pair. One game had Embiid and/or Butler, which the Sixers won. It’s completely irrelevant for this preview.
Key matchup: Bam Adebayo against Embiid. Embiid has had success against Adebayo in the past, but the Heat have defended Embiid well in playoff games (42.3 percent shooting). It’s a tall task for Adebayo to guard him, stay out of foul trouble and keep Miami’s offense moving.
Key stat: Six. The Sixers must limit Butler’s free throws. Miami is 10-15 when he attempts six or fewer but has a 23-12 record when he clears it.
Prediction: 76ers win by six.
All focus shifts to Wednesday. pic.twitter.com/RkoDgcvtwQ
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) April 15, 2024
tomorrow we do it #ForTheLoveOfPhilly pic.twitter.com/kGUQOvLd5v
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) April 16, 2024
Atlanta Hawks at Chicago Bulls, 9:30 p.m. on ESPN
Can they prove they’re not here because the Play-In needed 10 teams?
Best storyline for the game: What can these teams contribute? They’re both under .500, so I don’t mind forcing either to prove we should take them seriously. Will either blow it up this offseason?
How’d the season series go? How relevant was it? The Bulls won it 2-1 and beat Atlanta in both games Trae Young played. It feels relevant.
Key matchup: Alex Caruso guarding Trae Young. Caruso is one of the NBA’s best defenders, and Young is one of its best offensive initiators.
Key stat: 33.3. The Hawks are 5-19 this season when they don’t make more than a third of their 3s.
Prediction: Bulls win by nine. | READ MORE: Expert Play-In picks
Business trip in Chicago 💼 pic.twitter.com/oG4ttchcmx
— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) April 16, 2024
Win or go home. All the chips are on the table. pic.twitter.com/Y7HlGvfu3n
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) April 17, 2024
Bounce Passes
The LeBron James-JJ Redick pod makes you question basketball things.
What are the Wizards looking for in their next coach?
Blake Griffin officially announced his retirement.
(Top photo: Garrett Ellwood / Getty Images )
