Nuggets-Trailblazers played seeding-chicken tonight.
Nuggets (deliberately?) lost to Portland the other night and needed PDX to beat the Kings tonight to knock Houston down to the 4th seed.
Trailblazers tossed a wrench in Denver's plan and rested their main guys to start tonight and were down 25 to the Kings at half-time.
So Denver re-calibrated and decided they'd rather play OKC in the 1st round (whom they swept 4-0 in the season series, winning by 10+) than deal with Pop's bs in the 1st round (Spurs-Nugs split season series) ...
plot-twist: late in the 4th and Denver's down by 11 to a KAT-less Wolves, dreaming of a quick 1st round sweep of the hapless Thunder when they notice that Portland came back and beat the Kings.
aw, hell, win and we kick the Rockets down to the 4th seed?! Down 11 with about 4 minutes left, Nuggets D up, keep Wolves from scoring a single point in the last 4 minutes and win 99-95.
Kings pulled starters in 2nd half after both Heat/Charlotte lost; which marginally improved their lottery chances by putting SAC/MIA/CHA in a 3 way tie for lowest odds in draft lottery. But I don't think the Kings even keep their 1st round pick this year. So maybe the Kings wanted to help out Denver or screw Houston/Golden State by putting them on track for the 2nd round.
ESTE
- (1) Bucks - (8) Pistons
- (2) Raps - (7) Magic
- (3) 76ers - (6) Nets
- (4) Celtics - (5) Pacers
OESTE
- (1) Warriors - (8) Clippers
- (2) Nuggets - (7) Spurs
- (3) Blazers - (6) Thunder
- (4) Rockets - (5) Jazz
Minutes played in all games this season prior to tonight:
Gary Trent JR 35 minutes total over 14 games
Skal Labissiere 24 minutes / 8 games
Anfernee Simons 95 minues/ 19 games
