Thunder Play-In Push, MLB Opening Day, Final Four, The Masters: Welcome to the Best Two Weeks in Sports (Allegedly)
JSN: March 28th - April 3rd
Football fans cover your ears — We have arrived at the best two weeks in sports. Check out these upcoming events:
Today - Sunday, April 9th: Remainder of the NBA regular season
Thursday, March 30th: MLB Opening Day
Friday, March 31st & Sunday, April 2nd: NCAA Division I Women’s Final Four
Saturday, April 1st & Monday, April 3rd: NCAA Division I Men’s Final Four
Thursday, April 6th - Sunday, April 9th: The Masters
There are certainly higher highs than these events in every sport but golf and college basketball (i.e. NBA Finals, NFL playoffs, MLB postseason, the NCAAFB playoff, Wimbledon, etc.), but I submit that this is the best 10-day stretch of sports all year when considering the accessibility of multiple sports at one time. The sole competition, and it might just have an argument, is the two weeks in late October/early November when the NFL and college football seasons are in full swing, the MLB season has reached its AL & NL League Championship Series/World Series, and the NBA season tips off. Personally, the change of weather plays a factor in my affinity for these two time periods: the cool air and anticipation of the holidays in Fall and the promise of warm sun, longer days and green grass that Spring beckons. Maybe this is all a commentary on weather more than sports. Regardless of which stretch better suits you, we are in for a fun run of sports over the next two weeks.
The NBA Play-In Tournament & OKC’s Odds
Shai wants in the play-in tournament:
Shai also didn’t play last night (left ankle sprain)* and the Thunder lost at home to PJ Washington’s (43 points) Hornets, who are 26-51 and boast the 4th worst record in the NBA. Nice! Even with the loss, the Thunder are still in the final play-in spot (10th place) as of Wednesday morning due to owning the season tiebreaker over the Dallas Mavericks. It is not hyperbolic to say that the Thunder’s next two games are must-wins. First, a win tonight at home against the team with the worst record in the NBA, the Detroit Pistons, is a MUST. Go ahead and write this play-in thing off if the Thunder, with or without Shai, can’t scrap together a win against Detroit tonight. Then, it’s never easy to win on the road, but a W against the Pacers in Indianapolis on Friday night is crucial to get back to .500 and keep pace with their play-in rivals.
Who is the competition at this point, by the way? In the Western Conference, only four losses separate the 4-seed from the 11-seed. Anything can happen over the course of the next ten days. Here are the current standings, for reference:
In reality, the Thunder only need to worry about themselves: win out and you’re in. That being said, no one is expecting a perfect 6-0 finish to the season, especially with Memphis, Phoenix, and Golden State still on the schedule. So let’s look at the teams the Thunder need to worry about. As it stands, I don’t anticipate that Utah will make a final push to make the play-in. They still have Boston, Denver, Brooklyn, and the Lakers (x2) on their remaining schedule. For the sake of this discussion, let’s eliminate them. On the other end, let’s not consider Denver, Memphis, Sacramento, and Phoenix (who potentially get KD back this week) as teams that OKC need to consider in terms of playoff seeding. Those teams are set. And let’s be honest about this part too: the Clippers and the Warriors aren’t missing the playoffs.
So that leaves us with five teams fighting for four spots: Minnesota (26th most difficult remaining schedule), New Orleans (1st most difficult schedule), LA Lakers (25th most difficult remaining schedule), OKC (23rd most difficult remaining schedule), and Dallas (14th most difficult remaining schedule). Anything stand out there? The Pelicans are currently 1 game ahead of OKC & Dallas, who are tied for the final play-in spot. They also have the most difficult remaining schedule in the NBA. If I were a betting man, I’d be picking New Orleans as the odd-man-out. Look at this remaining schedule after last night’s loss to Golden State:
at Denver
vs. LA Clippers
vs. Sacramento
vs. Memphis
vs. New York
at Minnesota
Four out of six at home, but all six games against playoff teams (including four of the top 5 teams in the west). If the Pelicans make the play-in, they will have earned it.
Regardless of the other teams, I believe if OKC wins 4 of their next 6, they will be in. That would mean the Thunder end the season at 41-41. Should be enough.** But to make you extra nervous, here’s where their playoff seed odds currently stand according to PlayoffStatus:
Hold on to your butts, Thunder fans! It’s going to be a nervy week!
*A comment on Shai’s injury. Contrary to what many Thunder fans and OKC (and some national) sports media are saying today, I think Shai is actually injured. He would have played last night if he was good-to-go. He suffered a legitimate injury late in Sunday’s game against the Blazers, and I trust the Thunder organization to make the best decision for the team. The Thunder have a process, and they will not go off course. Last night, the decision was for Shai to sit, and that decision was made for the health of Shai. Argue away with me, but that’s where I stand.
**An important note: Can you IMAGINE hearing in October 2022 that with 6 games left in the regular season the Thunder have a shot at 41 wins? Remember, their Vegas over/under was set at 22.5 wins… Important context.
Tournament Challenge Bracket Update
We have reached the final four in our newsletter’s tournament challenge. Here are the remaining four teams:
Connecticut - JO (Yes, I do believe I am about to win my own bracket challenge)
San Diego State - PG
Miami - ER
Florida Atlantic - CC
Good luck to the other three remaining competitors, but I like my chances. Go Huskies!
A Book Recommendation
Moments before Gerrit Cole throws the first pitch of tomorrow’s Yankees vs. Giants opening day game, I will finish the final chapter of Joe Posnanski's (
) book The Baseball 100. I have timed this intentionally, reading a chapter a day for the past three weeks in the lead-up to the MLB season. Tomorrow I will read about #1 (no spoilers here). Each chapter tells the story of a different baseball player, ranging from the nineteenth century to today. I started this book a few months ago and my reading has happened either at my desk over lunch on weekdays or in our rocking chair at home on early weekend mornings while holding my sleeping daughter. I have never devoured a book quite like this. Posnanski has enhanced my love for baseball to a degree I did not know was possible. I recommend this book to anyone who has the slightest interest in America’s Pastime. You won’t regret it.
Okay, that’s it. Talk to you next week.
A.) I have obvious Thunder bias, but I do feel like the Thunder over/under was one of the easiest overs to take in several years. Sacramento and OKC had too much talent to not hit. And that is a segway into....
B.) Before everything goes insane this last few games, I'd love to hear right now who you think the ideal playoff matchup would be for OKC (assuming they win a play-in), and also the most entertaining playoff matchup. I'd watch every second of an OKC-SAC playoff series. The player and team matchups would be fascinating, along with the possibility of catching a team with ZERO playoff experience and a chance to win a series.
C.) FINALLY....I'm going to bless the comments section each week with a personal segment titled "Remember When They Played For The Thunder?"
This week's winner - Domantas Sabonis. All I have to say is, dang. I know why we don't have him anymore. But dang.
Very impressed you are doing this, Jake. It's my weekly dose of American sports. Thanks! Jeff