Minnesota Sports Forum

60WinTim wrote: ↑Sun Apr 05, 2026 2:45 pm

FNG wrote: ↑Sun Apr 05, 2026 1:49 pm

Phenom wrote: ↑Sun Apr 05, 2026 1:29 pm

We do need the Lakers to win a couple here down the stretch. Also will be interesting to see how the Spurs and Thunder treat their remaining game against Denver. Will the Spurs want to beat them to help hold them at 4? Will the Thunder surrender a game to help them get to third?

You raise some interesting questions, Phenom. Yeah, I've probably been a little too blase about assuming LA would finish 3rd...the Reeves injury on top of Luka's changes the calculus. I've already changed the Lakers' home game against OkC to a loss which reduces their gap over the Nuggets to one game in my forecast, but they will likely have to win 2 of their games against Dallas, Golden State, Phoenix and Utah to stay ahead of Denver (remember...they hold the tiebreaker). I think they easily beat Utah, so it comes down to winning one of the other three games. Old Man LeBron will have to rise to the challenge in one of those games to get them to the 3rd spot. Or if Denver loses their home game to OkC ( I have it as a win in my forecast), that would also likely result in LA staying in 3rd. Definitely no longer a surety after the Reeves injury.

I think you are facing and double whammy, FNG. Not only did the Nuggets win against the Spurs move them a step closer to catch the Lakers, it may have made the end of season race between the Thunder and Spurs moot! And if the Thunder have secured the top seed before the last two games of the season, both the Spurs and Thunder will have no reason to play their top guys in their final two games. And who do the Nuggets face in their final two games? The Thunder and Spurs! So what might have been some tough games to close out the season for the Nuggets have now become cake walks. I think there is a high probability the Nuggets pass the Lakers for the #3 seed.

So, if you want the Lakers in round one, the Wolves need to catch the Rockets for the number #5 seed...

60WinTim wrote: ↑Sun Apr 05, 2026 2:45 pm

FNG wrote: ↑Sun Apr 05, 2026 1:49 pm

Phenom wrote: ↑Sun Apr 05, 2026 1:29 pm

We do need the Lakers to win a couple here down the stretch. Also will be interesting to see how the Spurs and Thunder treat their remaining game against Denver. Will the Spurs want to beat them to help hold them at 4? Will the Thunder surrender a game to help them get to third?

You raise some interesting questions, Phenom. Yeah, I've probably been a little too blase about assuming LA would finish 3rd...the Reeves injury on top of Luka's changes the calculus. I've already changed the Lakers' home game against OkC to a loss which reduces their gap over the Nuggets to one game in my forecast, but they will likely have to win 2 of their games against Dallas, Golden State, Phoenix and Utah to stay ahead of Denver (remember...they hold the tiebreaker). I think they easily beat Utah, so it comes down to winning one of the other three games. Old Man LeBron will have to rise to the challenge in one of those games to get them to the 3rd spot. Or if Denver loses their home game to OkC ( I have it as a win in my forecast), that would also likely result in LA staying in 3rd. Definitely no longer a surety after the Reeves injury.

I think you are facing and double whammy, FNG. Not only did the Nuggets win against the Spurs move them a step closer to catch the Lakers, it may have made the end of season race between the Thunder and Spurs moot! And if the Thunder have secured the top seed before the last two games of the season, both the Spurs and Thunder will have no reason to play their top guys in their final two games. And who do the Nuggets face in their final two games? The Thunder and Spurs! So what might have been some tough games to close out the season for the Nuggets have now become cake walks. I think there is a high probability the Nuggets pass the Lakers for the #3 seed.

So, if you want the Lakers in round one, the Wolves need to catch the Rockets for the number #5 seed...

Q-is-here wrote: ↑Sun Apr 05, 2026 2:59 pm

60WinTim wrote: ↑Sun Apr 05, 2026 2:45 pm

FNG wrote: ↑Sun Apr 05, 2026 1:49 pm

You raise some interesting questions, Phenom. Yeah, I've probably been a little too blase about assuming LA would finish 3rd...the Reeves injury on top of Luka's changes the calculus. I've already changed the Lakers' home game against OkC to a loss which reduces their gap over the Nuggets to one game in my forecast, but they will likely have to win 2 of their games against Dallas, Golden State, Phoenix and Utah to stay ahead of Denver (remember...they hold the tiebreaker). I think they easily beat Utah, so it comes down to winning one of the other three games. Old Man LeBron will have to rise to the challenge in one of those games to get them to the 3rd spot. Or if Denver loses their home game to OkC ( I have it as a win in my forecast), that would also likely result in LA staying in 3rd. Definitely no longer a surety after the Reeves injury.

I think you are facing and double whammy, FNG. Not only did the Nuggets win against the Spurs move them a step closer to catch the Lakers, it may have made the end of season race between the Thunder and Spurs moot! And if the Thunder have secured the top seed before the last two games of the season, both the Spurs and Thunder will have no reason to play their top guys in their final two games. And who do the Nuggets face in their final two games? The Thunder and Spurs! So what might have been some tough games to close out the season for the Nuggets have now become cake walks. I think there is a high probability the Nuggets pass the Lakers for the #3 seed.

So, if you want the Lakers in round one, the Wolves need to catch the Rockets for the number #5 seed...

...and this is why I think we may be in trouble in the first round. I know Denver isn't in perfect health either, but they have their "big three" all playing in Jokic, Murray, and Gordon. And Gordon is not the same player he was when we faced them two years ago in the playoffs.

Just seems like the injuries that Ant, Jaden, and Naz have could be bothering them still even if cleared to play. Naz has a hard enough time being a positive even if he is healthy in the playoffs! He's a complete mess right now.

FNG wrote: ↑Sun Apr 05, 2026 3:01 pm

60WinTim wrote: ↑Sun Apr 05, 2026 2:45 pm

FNG wrote: ↑Sun Apr 05, 2026 1:49 pm

You raise some interesting questions, Phenom. Yeah, I've probably been a little too blase about assuming LA would finish 3rd...the Reeves injury on top of Luka's changes the calculus. I've already changed the Lakers' home game against OkC to a loss which reduces their gap over the Nuggets to one game in my forecast, but they will likely have to win 2 of their games against Dallas, Golden State, Phoenix and Utah to stay ahead of Denver (remember...they hold the tiebreaker). I think they easily beat Utah, so it comes down to winning one of the other three games. Old Man LeBron will have to rise to the challenge in one of those games to get them to the 3rd spot. Or if Denver loses their home game to OkC ( I have it as a win in my forecast), that would also likely result in LA staying in 3rd. Definitely no longer a surety after the Reeves injury.

I think you are facing and double whammy, FNG. Not only did the Nuggets win against the Spurs move them a step closer to catch the Lakers, it may have made the end of season race between the Thunder and Spurs moot! And if the Thunder have secured the top seed before the last two games of the season, both the Spurs and Thunder will have no reason to play their top guys in their final two games. And who do the Nuggets face in their final two games? The Thunder and Spurs! So what might have been some tough games to close out the season for the Nuggets have now become cake walks. I think there is a high probability the Nuggets pass the Lakers for the #3 seed.

So, if you want the Lakers in round one, the Wolves need to catch the Rockets for the number #5 seed...

Maybe. The Reeves injury changed things. Before that, I had the Lakers beating OKC at home, which would have left the Thunder and Spurs tied in my forecast...with the Spurs holding the tiebreaker. I think we all know the Wolves aren't going to catch the Rockets while missing two starters, so our best chance is for the Lakers to win 2 more games or for the Nuggets to lose at home to OkC...either way, LA probably finishes 3rd. But the Lakers may not have enough firepower to win any of their remaining games except the Utah game. I still think the Lakers have a much better chance of finishing 3rd than the Wolves have of finishing 5th. A win tonight in Dallas would go a long way toward the Lakers finishing 3rd, and they are oddly favored by 1 1/2 despite Luka, Reeves and now Smart all out. So I'm in the unusual position of saying "Go Lakers"!

60WinTim wrote: ↑Sun Apr 05, 2026 3:46 pm

FNG wrote: ↑Sun Apr 05, 2026 3:01 pm

60WinTim wrote: ↑Sun Apr 05, 2026 2:45 pm

I think you are facing and double whammy, FNG. Not only did the Nuggets win against the Spurs move them a step closer to catch the Lakers, it may have made the end of season race between the Thunder and Spurs moot! And if the Thunder have secured the top seed before the last two games of the season, both the Spurs and Thunder will have no reason to play their top guys in their final two games. And who do the Nuggets face in their final two games? The Thunder and Spurs! So what might have been some tough games to close out the season for the Nuggets have now become cake walks. I think there is a high probability the Nuggets pass the Lakers for the #3 seed.

So, if you want the Lakers in round one, the Wolves need to catch the Rockets for the number #5 seed...

Maybe. The Reeves injury changed things. Before that, I had the Lakers beating OKC at home, which would have left the Thunder and Spurs tied in my forecast...with the Spurs holding the tiebreaker. I think we all know the Wolves aren't going to catch the Rockets while missing two starters, so our best chance is for the Lakers to win 2 more games or for the Nuggets to lose at home to OkC...either way, LA probably finishes 3rd. But the Lakers may not have enough firepower to win any of their remaining games except the Utah game. I still think the Lakers have a much better chance of finishing 3rd than the Wolves have of finishing 5th. A win tonight in Dallas would go a long way toward the Lakers finishing 3rd, and they are oddly favored by 1 1/2 despite Luka, Reeves and now Smart all out. So I'm in the unusual position of saying "Go Lakers"!

Double check your math, FNG. My math says the Lakers HAVE to win 3 of their final 5 games to secure the 3rd seed. If they only win 2, the Nuggets can win out and get the 3rd seed...

Q-is-here wrote: ↑Sun Apr 05, 2026 2:59 pm

60WinTim wrote: ↑Sun Apr 05, 2026 2:45 pm

FNG wrote: ↑Sun Apr 05, 2026 1:49 pm

You raise some interesting questions, Phenom. Yeah, I've probably been a little too blase about assuming LA would finish 3rd...the Reeves injury on top of Luka's changes the calculus. I've already changed the Lakers' home game against OkC to a loss which reduces their gap over the Nuggets to one game in my forecast, but they will likely have to win 2 of their games against Dallas, Golden State, Phoenix and Utah to stay ahead of Denver (remember...they hold the tiebreaker). I think they easily beat Utah, so it comes down to winning one of the other three games. Old Man LeBron will have to rise to the challenge in one of those games to get them to the 3rd spot. Or if Denver loses their home game to OkC ( I have it as a win in my forecast), that would also likely result in LA staying in 3rd. Definitely no longer a surety after the Reeves injury.

I think you are facing and double whammy, FNG. Not only did the Nuggets win against the Spurs move them a step closer to catch the Lakers, it may have made the end of season race between the Thunder and Spurs moot! And if the Thunder have secured the top seed before the last two games of the season, both the Spurs and Thunder will have no reason to play their top guys in their final two games. And who do the Nuggets face in their final two games? The Thunder and Spurs! So what might have been some tough games to close out the season for the Nuggets have now become cake walks. I think there is a high probability the Nuggets pass the Lakers for the #3 seed.

So, if you want the Lakers in round one, the Wolves need to catch the Rockets for the number #5 seed...

...and this is why I think we may be in trouble in the first round. I know Denver isn't in perfect health either, but they have their "big three" all playing in Jokic, Murray, and Gordon. And Gordon is not the same player he was when we faced them two years ago in the playoffs.

Just seems like the injuries that Ant, Jaden, and Naz have could be bothering them still even if cleared to play. Naz has a hard enough time being a positive even if he is healthy in the playoffs! He's a complete mess right now.

Q-is-here wrote: ↑Sun Apr 05, 2026 6:09 pm Whether we win or not, looking to see if Ayo and Shannon can pick up some of the offensive slack.