Good thing New York has bins now because it's always garbage time
Plus: there's a bunch of management shuffling and the Spurs and Wolves played an instant classic.
... and we start back at (Games) 1
The first round is mercilessly, mercifully over after three weekend Games 7. How the narratives twisted.
What do East Games 7 and the Emerald City have in common?
You get to both via roads built by copious amounts of bricks.
Fraud Night in the NBA
A contender gets eliminated by a team shredded by the injury bug. A No. 2 seed get pushed to Game 7. And a team goes down by 50 in the second quarter. Frauds as far as the eye can see.
What if the first round lasts forever?
What if no one ever clinches again?
Joel's revenge, Victor's triumph
The Sixers stun the Celtics late to stay alive while the Spurs slam the door shut on the Blazers. Plus: the Knicks look fabulous all of a sudden and we have an apparent lottery reform path.
The Pistons' deeeeee-flating playoff performance, explained
The Pistons lose again. Is this just an abnormally competent No. 8 seed, or are there now legitimate concerns about the structure of the East's No. 1? Plus: good night sweet Suns and the Nuggets get one.
Say it with (a ball in) your (enemy's) chest
NBA playoff spiciness travels to Portland. Plus: Joel Embiid did a whole bunch of healing for that, the Rockets cut their unbelievable embarrassment by a bit and Toronto wins a 1950s throwback game.
The only thing the Nuggets are defending are the unwritten rules
Plus: LeBron hits a clutch shot to ruin Houston, the Knicks and Celtics strike back, Detroit's in grave danger and Dylan Harper invoked the spirit of Manu.
Rudy can't fail
Gobert again dominates the Nuggets, with help from Jaden McDaniels and Ayo Dosunmu. Plus: C.J. McCollum ruins the Knicks again and the Raptors strike back.
The terrible calls against Devin Booker will continue until morale improves
Plus: the Pistons put the Magic in a box and stashed it in a dark corner.
LeBron has Father Time in Hell
The Rockets are in the same boat. Plus: V.J. Edgecombe and Tyrese Maxey wreak havoc and Victor Wembanyama is seeing birdies.