Good morning. This issue is a bit long for email clients, so click the headline to open it in a browser. It looks great in Safari on your iPhone, if that’s what you use! Let’s basketball.

It is March 8. The NBA regular season is about 78% complete.

The Sacramento Kings are the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference. They are now tied with the Memphis Grizzlies in the win-loss ledger and hold the tiebreaker due to a superior in-conference record.

The Kings’ next win will tie them for their high point since 2006, when Bonzi Wells, Metta World Peace, Brad Miller, Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Kenny Thomas, Kevin Martin, Francisco Garcia and Mike Bibby suited up.

The Kings have finished as high as 1st or 2nd in the conference once in their entire 37-year history in Sacramento. They have won the Pacific Division twice in that span.

Let’s not get crazy here. The Kings still might finish third or fourth in the conference, and still might lose the division to the Suns (three back in the loss column, undefeated with Kevin Durant on the floor). I suspect the Kings will be underdogs against any opponent if they finish third, and several potential opponents if they finish second.

But being in this position — bound for the postseason, with a chance for their second top-2 seed ever, with just 18 games left — is an incredible come-up.

Light that damn beam.

And 1

Last week I expressed annoyance at Michael Malone when he offered up a sarcastic snipe about Nikola Jokic’s MVP case. So it’s only fair I call this out, too.

Daryl MorΞy 🗽🏀 @dmorey

media: "The MVP should come from one of the best teams in the league" how they choose when their preferred candidate barely avoids the play-in tournament:

3:35 AM ∙ Mar 8, 2023

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This is Daryl Morey, Sixers boss, complaining about … the 2022 NBA MVP award, which went to Nikola Jokic of the 6th seed Nuggets over Joel Embiid of the … 4th seed Sixers. The Sixers were three games better than the Nuggets last year. The MVP often comes from a top team. Sometimes it doesn’t.

I understand that Morey is responding to arguments that are being made out there. But also, what about just making a direct, non-sarcastic, affirmative case for your candidate?!

I implore everyone involved to take a breath or 20, and try their best to not be disingenuous, sarcastic or annoying about this.

Scores

Wizards 119, Pistons 117 — What a turn of events! Daniel Gafford!

I really hope Kyle Kuzma never gets milkshake ducked because folks, I really enjoy his whole steez.

Bleacher Report @BleacherReport

Kuz tried a turnaround three and missed 😅 @shaqtin

2:09 AM ∙ Mar 8, 2023

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Bucks 134, Magic 123 — Are the Bucks just going to run away with the East now? 2.5 games up on the Celtics. Anyway, here’s Markelle Fultz. Best story in the NBA this year.

Orlando Magic @OrlandoMagic

an update: still mad @MarkelleF

Orlando Magic @OrlandoMagic

warning: Kelle is still mad at the rim @franzboogie + @MarkelleF https://t.co/PwyfS8mKeA

2:20 AM ∙ Mar 8, 2023

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Hornets 112, Knicks 105 — The Knicks finally lose! They led by 16 in the third. What a letdown game after running roughshod on quality teams over the past couple of weeks. Jalen Brunson remains out and Julius Randle had a cold night. And now the Knicks are headed on a West Coast road trip.

Sixers 117, Timberwolves 94 — James Harden sat with a sore foot, so Joel Embiid, the NBA’s leading scorer, dropped 39 in 28 minutes in a blowout win over a good team. Philly pulls to within 1.5 games of Boston for No. 2.

Anthony Edwards had 32 on efficient shooting. The other four starters combined for 22 points — just six each for Rudy Gobert and Mike Conley. Yeah, Embiid dropped 39 and Gobert dropped 6. Minnesota has the No. 22 offense in the NBA.

ClutchPoints @ClutchPointsApp

Doc Rivers: "What y'all running? I know who it's for. I guarantee you that." Anthony Edwards: "Don't double me." Doc: "Well, it ain't been working anyway." 😂

1:53 AM ∙ Mar 8, 2023

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This is fun, though: Edwards yammin’ on Jalen McDaniels, brother of Edwards’ teammate and good friend Jaden McDaniels.

Timberwolves Clips @WolvesClips

1:00 AM ∙ Mar 8, 2023

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Dane Moore @DaneMooreNBA

Anthony Edwards when asked about this dunk over Jalen McDaniels (Jaden McDaniels' brother): "I told Jaden if it was anybody else, I would’ve screamed and got a tech. It’s his brother. Jaden’s my twin, so I couldn’t. Respect."

Timberwolves Clips @WolvesClips

https://t.co/1Wf8CVBVci

3:50 AM ∙ Mar 8, 2023

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Nets 118, Rockets 96 — Nets win again. There’s no scenario in which they miss the play-in entirely. And I’m telling you: they could survive the play-in. For sure.

I mean no offense to Brooklyn but here are some Rockets highlights. I cannot believe Alperen Sengun did this so smooth.

theScore @theScore

Alperen Sengun looking like the Dream on the court. 👀 (🎥: @NBA)

1:59 AM ∙ Mar 8, 2023

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Say what you want about Jalen Green but he has wings.

Ballislife.com @Ballislife

Jalen Green on Claxton!

3:11 AM ∙ Mar 8, 2023

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How about a different poster, this one with a hand switch?

Houston Rockets @HoustonRockets

had to show y'all that @JalenGreen dunk again 😤

2:38 AM ∙ Mar 8, 2023

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Warriors 128, Thunder 137 — Can’t wait for the mixtape of the times Jordan Poole made his teammates ragequit by not passing them the ball. You remember earlier this year when he took a shot so bad Steph Curry threw his mouthpiece and got kicked out in crunch time, right?

Well now there’s this. Watch Draymond Green in the center of the Warriors’ offensive possession.

Later, Poole picked up a tech for … bounce passing the ball to an official after a foul call.

Are the referees okay?

The Warriors on the road: definitely not okay. Now 7-25 this season away from Chase Center. They’ve slipped to No. 6 in the West. Nine more road games left. Seven more at home. Steph and Klay Thompson combined for 15 threes on 50% shooting from deep … and the Warriors lost.

Meanwhile, the Thunder are tied for the No. 10 spot! Look at this stuff from Josh Giddey: 17 points, 11 rebounds, 17 ASSISTS.

Jazz 116, Mavericks 120 — 17 in the fourth for Kyrie as Dallas edges a team starting Ochai Agbaji, Talen Horton-Tucker and Simone Fontecchio.

Grizzlies 103, Lakers 112 — Pau Gasol jersey retirement!

You know how I know Pau was a wonderful teammate? His old Bulls pal Jimmy Butler flew across the country to surprise him.

Anthony Davis hulked out for the No. 9 seed Lakers. L.A. appears to be poised to make the play-in. Memphis is in real trouble without Ja Morant, Brandon Clarke (I don’t think I’ve mentioned that he’s out for the year, which is a major problem) and Steven Adams. And well …

Zach Harper @talkhoops

Asking the Grizzlies to overcome the absence of Ja Morant is one thing. But asking them to overcome the presence of Dillon Brooks is simply too much.

5:22 AM ∙ Mar 8, 2023

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The Grizz still almost overcame it, but AD is having a great season.

Schedule

All times Eastern.

Hawks at Wizards, 7 — potential play-in preview!!!
Blazers at Celtics, 7
Cavaliers at Heat, 7:30 — potential Round 1 preview
Mavericks at Pelicans, 7:30, ESPN — Pels in a 3-way tie for No. 10, big trouble brewin’
Bulls at Nuggets, 9
Thunder at Suns, 9
Raptors at Clippers, 10, ESPN

And Finally

The Clippers celebrated some sort of construction milestone at the new Intuit Dome in Inglewood. Congratulations to them. Anyway, the Clippers had the whole team show up in hard hats and safety vests and sit front row for the riveting speeches. And their reactions to Steve Ballmer celebrating the number of, uh, toilets that Intuit Dome will feature — it’s pretty good.

Tomer Azarly @TomerAzarly

“TOILETS! 1,160 toilets and urinals! We do not want people waiting in line. We want them back in their damn seats!” Steve Ballmer is HYPED for the Clippers new arena features.

10:12 PM ∙ Mar 7, 2023

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Ballmer even got a smirk from Kawhi. What an achievement!

I love that someone had to look up how many toilets the 29 existing NBA arenas have and run =AVERAGE(B2:B30) on that. Great work, Average NBA Toilet Count Calculator.

Be excellent to each other.