League concludes that how often a team wins is probably best indicator of whether said team is good.
Sources — NBA will use winning percentage to determine standings
As the NBA continues to prepare for its return to the court next month in Orlando, it has determined that the order in the standings will be determined by winning percentage, league sources told ESPN. That decision could play a pivotal role in how the race to take part in potential play-in games for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference plays out — specifically between the Portland Trail Blazers, New Orleans Pelicans and Sacramento Kings.
It also has been decided ties will be broken via the league’s typical tie-breaking procedures, sources said. Teams were informed of both decisions via a memo Friday night updating teams on the league’s work toward returning to play at Walt Disney World.
Both will have an impact on the eight “seeding games” that will be played at Walt Disney World and could also have an effect on a potential play-in tournament ahead of the NBA playoffs.
The 22 teams that are heading to Orlando have played varying numbers of games — anywhere from 63 (the San Antonio Spurs) on the low end to 67 (the Dallas Mavericks) on the high end. Because the league chose to have each of the 22 teams play eight “seeding games” in Orlando, that imbalance in the schedule will remain when those games have been completed.
As a result, the final order of the teams won’t be determined by how many games they are above or below .500, but instead by the team’s winning percentage.
So, for example: The Trail Blazers, Pelicans and Kings are currently tied for ninth place in the Western Conference standings and are each eight games under .500. The Trail Blazers, however, have played 66 games (29-37), and the Pelicans and Kings have played 64 (28-36). As a result, Portland is one one-thousandth of a point ahead of both the Pelicans and Kings in winning percentage heading into Orlando.
Because the NBA chose to use winning percentage to break ties, if Portland has the same record as either New Orleans or Sacramento in Orlando — and, thus, the same number of games at or under .500 for the season — Portland will finish ahead of them despite having been swept by the Pelicans this season and having tied Sacramento.
Toronto Raptors: Breaking down the 5 most likely playoff opponents
5) Toronto Raptors vs. Washington Wizards
The only team that got the “we’re going to Disney World!” talk that perhaps wasn’t expecting it, the Wizards are the sole team from the Eastern Conference heading to Orlando that is not currently sitting in a playoff spot. And amidst all of the Kevin Durant–Kyrie Irving talk, another high profile superstar who could shake up the playoff picture has flown under the radar.John Wall has not played a game since rupturing his achilles in December 2018. As injuries go, achilles ruptures rank right up there with the worst of them, but seeing as it has been over a year, Wall is at least a candidate to make a return when the NBA resumes play July 31.
If the Kentucky product does make an appearance in Orlando, he’ll bring some real pop to a fringe contender. Wall, coupled with a rejuvenated Bradley Beal who was in the midst of a career year when the shutdown hit, could be enough to bring the Wizards back into contention.
The Magic have a five-and-a-half game lead on the Wizards as we speak. However, if 2020 has taught us anything, it’s to expect the unexpected.
Frederic Weis Will Forever Be a Fan of Vince Carter After What Carter Did to Him 20 Years Ago
Weis started his professional career in 1995 playing for CSP Limoges. CSP Limoges is a French basketball club based in the city of Limoges, France. He played for the team from 1995 to 2000. Weis was one of the tallest players on the court. He was 7-foot-2 weighing 260 pounds. That’s a big player on the court right there, and the NBA took notice of him.
The New York Knicks took an interest in Weis, and during the 1999 NBA draft, the Knicks decided to select Weiss with the 15th overall pick. Knicks fans were pretty upset with the pick because they knew nothing about Weis and Ron Artest was available, and fans thought the Knicks would select him. Though the Knicks drafted Weis, he never played for them.
Weis did participate in the NBA Summer League but did not sign his rookie contract. His agent, who was a minority owner of Weis’ team in France, convinced him to return to France. Even though Weis had an interest in playing in the NBA, it never happened for him.
Weis had multiple opportunities to represent his country and played for the French national team. During the 2000 Summer Olympics, Weis was a part of the French national team that won the silver medal. He also played for the French national team during multiple European Basketball Championships.
Weis played in the 1999, 2001, 2005, and 2007 European Basketball Championships with the French national team. At the 2005 European Basketball Championships, he was a part of the national team that won a bronze medal. The next year he played with the national team that participated at the 2006 FIBA World Championship.
Five impending NBA free agents with a lot on line when season resumes | Yardbarker
Ibaka has been in and out of Nick Nurse’s dog house throughout the 2019-20 season. We’ve seen the championship head coach sit the power forward at key times throughout the campaign. Statistically, the 30-year-old Ibaka has put up good numbers. He’s averaging 16.0 points and 8.3 rebounds on 52 percent shooting from the field.
That doesn’t tell the entire story. Ibaka has struggled maintaining a high level of play on defense and continues to remain inconsistent. The hope here is that a four-month lay off will help him return to form en route to aiding in the Raptors’ repeat aspirations. If not, he’s likely looking at nothing more than a mid-level exception in free agency.
Kyle Lowry joined massive Black Lives Matter protest in Philadelphia
Wearing a mask and shirt that said “I can’t breathe,” Lowry marched alongside fellow NBA players Tobias Harris, Matisse Thybulle and Elton Brand of the Philadelphia 76ers.
But while the athletes usually play for opposing teams, they were certainly all on one side yesterday.
“Doesn’t matter the team or sport WE fighting together!!! BLack lives Matter!!!” wrote Lowry on Instagram alongside photos from the protest.
Meanwhile, aerial footage from the demonstration shows an enormous crowd marching through the streets and sidewalks and around the steps of the Art Museum.
Activists then moved across the Benjamin Franklin Parkway to city hall, and photos posted online show a significantly larger crowd than the one at Donald Trump’s inauguration in 2016.
Vince Carter Became a Volleyball Star Thanks to Breaking His Wrist
Like many pro athletes, Carter grew up playing multiple sports. Getting exposure to different environments, coaches, teammates, and concepts can help an athlete develop a more well-rounded skill set. Carter played football, but that ended quickly. According to ESPN, he broke his wrist as a freshman QB.
That led the high-schooler to harness his athletic gifts on the volleyball court. Incredibly, Carter won the Volusia County Player of the Year honors in 1993 after picking up the game just a year earlier. In USA Today, he relayed the thought process behind getting involved in volleyball.
“I felt volleyball was important for my second jump,” he said. “I began to enjoy the sport, so I played it for three years … I knew the game would translate for what I was trying to accomplish and become a professional basketball player.”
