Good morning. It’s a bloggy Monday. Let’s basketball.

On the Beach; Edward Henry Potthast; 1913

This Is What You Came For

Sure, the Lakers lost to the moribund Hornets in Luka and LeBron’s first game coming out of All-Star. That was definitely bad. But was it as bad as the Lakers’ smoking the Nuggets on Saturday was good? Yes, the Lakers finally beating Denver counts extra, especially the nature in which Luka dominated this game. L.A. had lost 13 of the last 14 games against the Nuggets and were eliminated by them in each of the last two postseasons. If you need hope in a bottle, here you go.

The Lakers’ size should be a tremendous disadvantage against Nikola Jokic. But the Lakers had enormous problems with Jokic when they had Anthony Davis in uniform playing at an All-NBA level! Jokic is simply a problem, and will perform better next time. But you’re going to beat Denver with your own offense, and Luka gives you a better than AD does there. For the rest of Jokic’s career.

Maybe The Knicks Aren’t Alright

New York’s big weekend gauntlet went … poorly. The Knicks took a 37-point shellacking in Cleveland on Friday, and lost to the Celtics by double-digits for the third time this season on Sunday. The ‘Bockers are now 0-5 against the Cavaliers and Celtics this season with an average margin of -21. The persistent problem has been defense. New York is among a huge swath of teams in the 113-115 defensive rating range. On any given day, they could rank No. 14 or No. 23. Not good enough against offenses this potent.

Given that it’s likely that New York will need to beat both of those teams to make the NBA Finals, and given that both teams will have home court advantage in a prospective playoff series, the Knicks are in a real pickle. They won a series last season, and could have won two with a modicum of luck. The potential of doing better this postseason looks like a grim prospect.

The Knicks have three more bites at the apple during the regular season, but all of the games are in April when it’s likely the seeds for Cleveland and Boston, at a minimum, will be set. The prospective first round opponents (Orlando, Miami, Detroit) don’t currently appear at that imposing, but regardless of what I wrote last season, the lid on this Knickerbocker experience looks to be latched in pretty tight. (Milwaukee dropping into sixth or New York dropping into fourth registers as a grade-1 disaster for the Knicks.)

See You When We See You

Gregg Popovich is unlikely to return to the sidelines this season, reports ESPN. Whether he ever coaches again remains unknown.

This is a huge bummer, because if any coach has earned the right through his achievements, his impact and his presence to leave the game on his own terms, it’s Popovich. Despite his reputation as a curmudgeon, he’ll certainly have a proper send-off whether he coaches again. But he really ought to get the chance to coach again. Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle and Chris Paul and Harrison Barnes: these are classic Gregg Popovich players. I selfishly want to see a last dance with Pop.

But more than that, I want to see him live a long time. Best wishes for continued recovery to all of the Spurs.

Scores

Friday

Bucks 104, Wizards 101

Grizzlies 105, Magic 104 — Memphis erased a 19-point deficit with the quickness in the third quarter, and then closed the deal after the Magic re-established modest control. Lotttttta problems with Orlando’s offense.

Knicks 105, Cavaliers 142

Heat 120, Raptors 111

Pelicans 103, Mavericks 111 — Kyrie Irving is not going to make All-NBA third team. But he’s making a play for it by keeping the Mavericks’ playoff hopes alive.

Pistons 125, Spurs 110

Thunder 130, Jazz 107

Timberwolves 115, Rockets 121 — Good win for Houston as Jalen Green prevailed over Anthony Edwards.

Warriors 132, Kings 108 — The Warriors looked great. The Kings … did not.

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Saturday

Suns 121, Bulls 117 — Benny the Bull lost to Devin Booker at pre-game foosball.

Nets 105, Sixers 103 — This is an INCREDIBLE game-winner for Nic Claxton.

After the game, ESPN reported that Joel Embiid might go under the knife or rest his knee. What a season.

Lakers 123, Nuggets 100

Rockets 115, Jazz 124 — Houston gives, and Houston takes.

Hornets 88, Blazers 141 — What a thorough, desultory beatdown. Charlotte is an outright disaster.

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Sunday

Knicks 105, Celtics 118

Mavericks 102, Warriors 126 — Golden State continues to make up ground on the top six after the Jimmy Butler arrival. I was among those skeptical of the trade lifting the Warriors to where they think they belong. But the cost wasn’t great, and sometimes there’s a little magic beyond the surface when you add a big personality to a team like this.

Extremely disrespectful Night Night from Steph Curry at 2 in the afternoon, in the third quarter.

Clippers 111, Pacers 129 — Another impressive win for Indiana. Stacking them up. Nuggets next.

Heat 113, Bucks 120

Suns 109, Raptors 127 — There are the Suns we know and love! I have never been more wrong about a team in preseason than I was about the Suns.

Wizards 90, Magic 110

Pistons 148, Hawks 143 — The vibes are impeccable in Detroit.

Five games over .500 with seven weeks left in the season.

Spurs 96, Pelicans 114 — Yep, the Spurs are toast. You wonder if all this happened a couple weeks before the deadline if a team would have sent San Antonio something for Chris Paul. (The Kings could ironically have used him in the De’Aaron Fox trade. No offense to Jake LaRavia.) Now I wonder if CP3 will come back for another year.

Grizzlies 123, Cavaliers 129 — My main takeaway from this little Donovan Mitchell-Desmond Bane tussle is that Zach Edey is really freaking huge. Even among NBA players — some of them big men — he stands a head above.

Thunder 130, Timberwolves 123 — I’m not sure if Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is going to be the MVP. But he’s having an MVP season.

Wolves get another crack at OKC on Monday. This feels like one of those “opportunities” you don’t actually want.

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Schedule

All times Eastern.

Clippers at Pistons, 7
Nuggets at Pacers, 7
Bulls at Sixers, 7
Nets at Wizards, 7
Heat at Hawks, 7:30
Timberwolves at Thunder, 8, NBA TV
Blazers at Jazz, 9
Hornets at Kings, 10

Plus Unrivaled has a pair of games at 7:30 ET on TNT.

Be excellent to each other.