NEWSLETTER
The play-in tournament wraps up with a pair of win-and-in games tonight, but not without some drama first …
Paul George to Miss Play-In Finale
Just hours away from tonight’s win-and-in matchup between the Los Angeles Clippers and the New Orleans Pelicans, Clippers star Paul George has entered the NBA’s Health & Safety Protocols. George – who returned on March 29th after missing roughly three months with an elbow injury – will now officially miss tonight’s game.
With Kawhi Leonard still sidelined and George carrying the load for the Clippers at the end of this season, there is no question this is a significant blow to Los Angeles’ chances tonight. George scored 23 points in the Clippers’ loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves in Tuesday night’s play-in tournament matchup and has averaged 24 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists when healthy this season.
Clippers star Paul George has entered health and safety protocols and will miss tonight's Play-in game vs. New Orleans, sources tell @TimBontemps and me.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 15, 2022
Joel Embiid Wins NBA Scoring Title
Joel Embiid locked up the 2021-22 NBA scoring title, finishing the season with 30.6 points per game on 49.9 percent shooting from the floor and 37.1 percent from behind the arc. Embiid has been neck and neck with fellow big man Nikola Jokic for the league’s MVP award all season, and a scoring title could certainly help his case.
Embiid averaged 11.7 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.5 blocks to go along with his league-best 30.6 points, leading the 76ers to a 51-win season.
The 2021-22 NBA SCORING CHAMP
🔔 @JoelEmbiid 🔔
30.6 PPG • 49.9% FG% • 37.1% 3P% pic.twitter.com/zv1HSkZ909
— NBA (@NBA) April 11, 2022
Jokic finished the season logging 27.1 points, 13.7 rebounds, and 7.9 assists per contest, and he led the Nuggets to a 48-win campaign despite Denver dealing with a bevy of injuries.
Embiid takes the scoring crown, but Jokic nearly averaged a triple-double on the season and dragged an injured Nuggets team to 48 wins. I don’t know who deserves the award, but it’s been an entertaining season watching these two elite big men duke it out for the top individual honor.
Patrick Beverley Fined by the NBA
The NBA fined Patrick Beverley for his “egregious use of profanity” after the Timberwolves’ 109-104 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday night, according to a press release on Wednesday afternoon:
The following was released by the NBA. pic.twitter.com/or12JGdCAe
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) April 14, 2022
Beverley went on a bit of a tangent after the victory, dropping a few f-bombs in the heat of the moment, which is normal and perfectly fine if … ya know … you’re not recording yourself and posting it on social media. I mean, honestly, I couldn’t care less. Beverley is a passionate player playing with a big chip on his shoulder, and I’m sure that beating your old team to secure a playoff spot feels pretty darn sweet. At the end of the day, the language doesn’t offend me, and I’m sure I’m not alone in that sentiment. But I guess the NBA wants to make it known that social media celebrations should be kept to a PG-13 rating moving forward.
If you missed the Beverley social media clip, here it is:
The Wolves' locker room was talking that talk after their Play-In win 😳
(via @patbev21) pic.twitter.com/D18UUDjznN
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) April 13, 2022
Monty Williams Wins Second Straight Coach of the Year
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Phoenix Suns head coach Monty Williams has been voted the National Basketball Coaches Association’s Coach of the Year for the second consecutive season. Williams and the Suns followed up a Western Conference title last year with a 64-win campaign and the top seed in the West.
Williams’ Suns dominated from the start of the regular to the end, becoming easily a title favorite:
ESPN Sources: The Phoenix Suns’ Monty Williams – architect of the NBA’s best regular-season team – has been voted the National Basketball Coaches Association’s Coach of the Year for a second consecutive time: https://t.co/YQHfNsIO7m
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 12, 2022
And Ones …
• The NBA on ESPN crew put together their 25 under 25 this week (FWIW: No Bulls made the cut):
Who gets your vote for best player under 25?
Our NBA writers ranked their top 25 under 25 (@ESPNPlus) 🔗 https://t.co/A7CRMEnP3Q pic.twitter.com/5RLKfOmHZ6
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) April 14, 2022
• The CJ McCollum trade to the New Orleans Pelicans has been the best deal of the deadline thus far, and the team has a chance to prove that further by locking in a playoff appearance tonight:
CJ McCollum has been preparing for this new role his entire career.
After 8.5 years in Portland, he’s blazing a new trail in New Orleans.
Dame told ESPN: “He’s exactly what they needed.” https://t.co/UdppDvIXQR
— Andrew Lopez (@_Andrew_Lopez) April 13, 2022
• Steph Curry is on track to make his return for Game 1 of the Warriors’ first-round series with the Denver Nuggets this weekend. Curry has been sidelined since March 17 with a ligament sprain in his left foot.
Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry (foot) is on track to make his return in Game 1 vs. Nuggets on Saturday as long as he clears team’s scrimmage today without issues, sources tell me and @anthonyVslater.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 14, 2022
• In other injury news, Shams Charania has reported that, unlike the Warriors, the Dallas Mavericks will not get their star player back in time for Game 1 of their first-round series this weekend. Doncic is expected to miss at least the opening game of Dallas’ series with the Utah Jazz on Saturday night as the Mavericks’ star deals with a strained calf that he suffered in the regular season’s final game. Charania has the Mavs treating this as a day-to-day injury for now, but this will be something to monitor throughout the series.
Mavericks star Luka Doncic is expected to miss Game 1 vs. Jazz on Saturday night due to strained calf, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
The latest regarding Doncic: https://t.co/bEFYKs2gmk
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 14, 2022
• Get your popcorn ready!
The #MetaQuestPlayIn continues Friday on ESPN and TNT@ATLHawks vs. @cavs
Friday, April 15th 7:30pm/et on ESPN @PelicansNBA vs. @LAClippers
Friday, April 15th 10:00pm/et on TNT pic.twitter.com/t8NwZDnlAc— NBA (@NBA) April 14, 2022
• The NBA put together the best finishes of the 2021-22 season (and I think you can guess which Bull made the cut … twice):
Take a look back at the best fantastic finishes of the 2021-22 regular season! #BestOfNBA pic.twitter.com/P6vjB1LdUp
— NBA (@NBA) April 14, 2022
• Kevin Durant was a cheat code in 2010!
On this day in 2010… 21-year-old Kevin Durant clinched his first scoring title, becoming the youngest scoring champion in NBA history! #NBA75 pic.twitter.com/NMMcs2r9s7
— NBA History (@NBAHistory) April 14, 2022
• Fun with Numbers, 2021-22 NBA regular-season edition:
By-the-Numbers: 2021-22 NBA Regular Season
Take a look at some defining numbers from the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Season. pic.twitter.com/KX5hFl57hg
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) April 14, 2022
• The top three-pointers of the 2021-22 regular season:
Relive the TOP #MtnDew3PT buckets from the 2021-22 regular season! pic.twitter.com/ONOT9iipeK
— NBA (@NBA) April 14, 2022
• OLD (AND CURRENT) FRIEND ALERT 🚨:
On this day in 2000… Kendall Gill got one of the friendliest bounces you'll ever see! #NBA75 pic.twitter.com/jU0FCyo64N
— NBA History (@NBAHistory) April 14, 2022
• I’ll leave you with some of the top slam dunks of the 2021-22 NBA season. Enjoy the play-in tournament action tonight and the start of the playoffs this weekend!
https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1514996985949933571?s=20&t=3uqxQZKi4sLk_UtjW_xZZw
