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Void
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

David Stern and the NBA were always going to find a way to get LeBron James into the playoffs

I think everybody out there with a pulse that's ever seen basketball or heard of the state of Minnesota before, knew that the Timberwolves were gonna give this up. The Lakers were gonna come back. The NBA. David Stern was gonna figure out a way for LeBron James to advance the playoffs.

Subjective claim about officiating and 'fixing' for big markets. Stern being dead makes it literally impossible for him to assist.

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Win
Apr 12, 2023
#9135
Big CatBig Cat

I won't respect the NBA Play-In tournament until a play-in team wins a title

I like it [the play-in] in theory because more basketball, more fun. These teams suck. These teams aren't gonna like... I need a play-in tournament team to win a title for me to start respecting the play-in tournament. Because the NBA playoffs like historically are the, you know, the top seeds are usually the teams that you see at the end.

No play-in team has won the NBA title to date. The 2023 Heat made the Finals but lost.
Push
Apr 12, 2023
#21012
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

The NBA only created the play-in tournament to get Zion Williamson and more sponsor money into the postseason

The reason the playing tournament was basically started, much like Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire got admitted to the Tri Wizard tournament as a fourth wizard. They wanted to get Zion Williamson into the playoffs his rookie year... Also, the NBA just wants another event to slap a sponsor on.

The play-in was indeed expanded significantly during the 2020 bubble and kept for financial/rating reasons, though getting Zion in specifically is more of a funny conspiracy theory.
Void
Apr 12, 2023
#9137
Big CatBig Cat

The Minnesota Timberwolves are legitimately better without Rudy Gobert

Lakers in advanced the T-Wolves, let's say, let's do, let's do some positive spin zones for the T-Wolves. Okay. One, I think they're better without Rudy Gobert. Yeah. Like legitimately, you can make the case on defense that they need somebody like that to protect the rim. But on offense, they are like, I don't think it's even a debate right now. They work better... without 'em.

Subjective. The Timberwolves have since had success with Gobert in 2024, but in the specific context of the 2023 season, many agreed with this.

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PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

If Messi wins the 2026 World Cup, he is the GOAT of all sports GOATs

So if he wins the World Cup again, I'm prepared to say he might be the GOAT GOAT. Like the GOAT of GOATs. Right now I think Michael Jordan and Muhammad Ali are both tied for the GOAT GOAT... But Messi could get on the Mount Rushmore of GOAT GOATs.

Messi has reached the 2026 final in this transcript. A win would make him a back-to-back champion, making the GOAT claim very strong.
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PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

France will beat England in the World Cup third-place game, giving England the all-time record for third-place game losses.

England has, they've got the possibility to set the all time record for most third place game losses. Right now they're tied with Brazil with two. If they lose another one, then that would mean that they have that record on their own. And if you look back through history or at least recent history, three of the last five champions of the World Cup go on to win the third place game the next year. So that would mean that France would win this third place game and England would etch their names into history.

Pending the outcome of the 2026 World Cup 3rd-place game between France and England.
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PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

Warde Manuel is about to be fired as the Michigan Athletic Director

I think Warde Manuel's about to get fired... They've leaked a few things to the media regarding the investigation and in the things that they've leaked, they've squarely pointed their finger at Warde Manuel and been like Warde knew the entire time.

The outcome of Manuel's tenure and the NCAA investigation at Michigan remains to be seen.