Q: Hello, Ira. If Jimmy Butler continues to play the way in which he has of late and due to it the Miami Warmth find yourself capturing the No. 5 seed, ought to Jimmy Butler be within the dialog for NBA MVP? – Carlos, West Park.
A: In all probability nonetheless not the won-loss file or excessive sufficient playoff seed for that. However with Jimmy Butler, I might put it this fashion: When Jimmy Butler desires to play like an MVP, he's nearly as good as any two-way candidate this aspect of say Giannis Antetokounmpo or Joel Embiid. There have been loads of Jim-V-P video games currently, and certain must be a number of extra for the Warmth to get the place they need within the playoff seeds. Past that, rapidly, lacking 15 video games shouldn't be essentially an outlier amongst NBA main males. There are spots for 5 gamers on every MVP poll. Three locks are Antetokounmpo, Embiid and Nikola Jokic, so the query is whether or not Jimmy might enter the subsequent group, which many have together with Jayson Tatum and Luka Doncic.
Q: Ira, in a season stuffed with irritating ups and downs, can or not it's that the Warmth are peaking on the precise proper time, because the Nets tank and the Knicks appear beatable? – William, Palm Seaside Gardens.
A: Really, peaking a bit too late, which is why the problem for playoff seeding is as extreme because it stands. Peaking on the proper time would have meant not shedding after the All-Star break to Charlotte and Orlando. It might come all the way down to being too little, too late, even with these newest steps ahead.
Q: What's a greater first-round matchup for the Warmth: Cavaliers or 76ers? – Nick.
A: Do we actually wish to be going there in the meanwhile? However because the Warmth are finished with the Cavaliers for the common season, I might say Cleveland. The Cavaliers might be a kind of happy-to-be-there groups, the place two or three wins within the first spherical would possibly sate them. That clearly could be the goal matchup of any of the Nos. 5-8 seeds.
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