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Tonight’s Must-Watch Games
The Opening Tip
Kyrie Irving had a moment last night
Grip vs. the House returns
An NBA team lost by 62 points
PSA: Going forward, we’re moving to a Monday-Wednesday-Friday schedule, which, admittedly, is a better cadence than once every several weeks.
We’ll see you Wednesday. (We’re giving ourselves holidays off.)
If you have a friend who might be interested, sign ‘em up here.
1. There are other things to talk about
We have a take: We should all know a little bit less about the Warriors, Lakers and Suns, the three most over-discussed teams in the NBA who also happen to not be very good.
Darvin Ham is on the hot seat! Kevin Durant is frustrated! Draymond almost retired! Jonathan Kuminga has lost faith in Steve Kerr! So has Moses Moody!
It’s all a bit much, and it’s punctuated by the fact that they’re all on national TV constantly.
We have proof: Here are the top-10 teams by national TV games in 2023-24 contrasted with their win totals, with OKC and MIN thrown in at the end to further the point.
Part of this is business, obviously; there’s a bigger national audience for LeBron and Steph Curry than for the Thunder and Timberwolves.
But, generally, we need more Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and less reports about unhappy Warriors role players.
2. Daily GIF: Kyrie sighting
Kyrie Irving dropped 44 points and 10 assists last night in a win over the Knicks. Also, remember Kyrie Irving?
[WATCH: Knicks-Mavs highlights]
3. Trivia
Who has the most 20-assist games in NBA history?
4. GVTH: Fade the Hawks, pt. 2
Welcome to Grip vs. the House, where two things can be true:
One of us is out $10 after a SGP promo that was supposed to give us free League Pass
The other is back in hibernation after emo-hedge betting Celtics-Timberwolves the other night
Nevertheless: We still love fading the Hawks, who are dead last ATS by a lot
The play: Pacers +5.5 on the road tonight in Atlanta
GVTH record: 1-0
Remember: If it hits, you are obligated to share The Grip with your friends. If it misses, you are an adult. We didn’t force you to do anything.
Quick hits
The Thunder beat the Blazers last night by 62 points.
Also, the Bucks beat the Celtics so badly we got extended Thanasis Antetokounmpo minutes.
Weird crossover: Grayson Allen and Emma Stone appear to be friends.
Melo thinks giving Jokic his No. 15 was a petty move by the Nuggets.
Chuck’s anti-Diet Coke resolution is not going well.
Bob Myers, former Warriors GM, works for the Commanders now(?)
Reads & Pods
Knicks’ Arcidiacono is scoring without scoring with his three-second violation barks [The Athletic]
Can Atlanta salvage the Trae Young era? [The Ringer]
That's the buzzer.
Thanks for reading the 347th edition of The Grip.