BBNBA: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Olivier Sarr playing TOO well for OKC

Slow night of NBA hoops action on Wednesday, but a lot to break down with just a few games remaining in the regular season. Let’s talk some Playoffs.

Quickley shoots poorly as Knicks blow lead vs. Nets

Julius Randle is done for the season with a quad injury, and so are both of the Knicks’ centers, Mitchell Robinson and Nerlens Noel. Yet they still led the Nets by 20 in the third quarter of Wednesday’s New York Civil War — even though Brooklyn had both Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant in the lineup.

That distinct advantage in superstars wore New York down as the second half progressed, as Irving and Durant played the entire second half to turn a 17-point halftime deficit into a 12-point win when all was said and done.

Immanuel Quickley was the only ‘Cat to play, and he had an ugly 1-8 night from the field. Not a typical night from IQ, but for New York a very typical loss by way of blowing a big lead.

Suns, Heat close in on one-seeds

The Phoenix Suns clinched the No. 1 overall seed in the NBA Playoffs a while ago, and as the season winds down, they’re using the opportunity to rest Devin Booker, Chris Paul and other important rotation pieces ahead of the postseason. The backups fell to the Clippers on Wednesday, but at 63-17, they can afford a few losses to end the year in order to recharge for a hopeful second straight Finals run.

Meanwhile, the Heat are one result away from clinching the one-seed in the East, but it’s packed at the top of those standings:

Team	Record	Games Back	Tiebreakers against:
1. Miami Heat	52-30	–	Bucks, 76ers
2. Boston Celtics	50-30	1	Heat, Bucks, 76ers
3. Milwaukee Bucks	49-30	1.5	76ers
4. Philadelphia 76ers	49-30	1.5	None

Team	Record	Games Back	Tiebreakers against:
1. Miami Heat	52-30	–	Bucks, 76ers
2. Boston Celtics	50-30	1	Heat, Bucks, 76ers
3. Milwaukee Bucks	49-30	1.5	76ers
4. Philadelphia 76ers	49-30	1.5	None

The Heat need either one more win themselves or one more loss from the Celtics to wrap this race up. Technically, the tiebreakers could change depending on the final few games, but that’s a bridge we’ll cross when we get to it. Simply put: win one of their final two games and Miami is the one-seed. Any of the remaining teams that lose are eliminated from one-seed contention.

Sarr and SGA sent home for playing too well

It’s tanking time for general manager Sam Presti and the Oklahoma City Thunder. But isn’t it always tanking time for OKC? Yes, but not in such an egregious manner. Much like the 2020-21, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been shelved during the final weeks of the 2021-22 season due to some random injury — but really, it was the you’re winning us too many games! disease that sent him to the sidelines.

Olivier Sarr also played too well for Presti’s liking. He scored 24 and 17 points in separate games last week, and KSR’s Sam Gillenwater penned a post praising Sarr for seizing his NBA opportunity with the Thunder. After his next time out, Sarr was deactivated from the roster and then waived Wednesday night (KSR curse?). It’s a shame to be fired for doing too good a job. Although Sarr likely does land on a summer league team or training camp roster this offseason after flashing as a stretch big in limited action for OKC.

Sarr, SGA and even Aleksej Pokusevski — who looks like Jack Skellington — were sidelined to make way for Vit Krejci and Georgios Kalaitzakis, who did a masterful job in leading OKC to a 36-point loss to the imploding Jazz on Wednesday. Making Presti proud.

Statistics

Player	Result	Points	FG(3PA)	Rebounds	Assists	Steals	Blocks	Turnovers	Minutes	+/-
Immanuel Quickley (NYK)	110-98 L vs. BKN	6	1-8 (1-6)	3	5	1	0	1	26	-15
Kevin Knox (ATL)	118-103 W vs. WAS	0	0-1 (0-1)	0	0	0	0	0	1	-4
Julius Randle (NYK)	110-98 L vs. BKN	DNP – Quad	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Devin Booker (PHO)	113-109 L @ LAC	DNP – Back	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Brandon Boston Jr. (LAC)	113-109 W vs. PHO	DNP – CD	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–