NBA Restart Open Thread

While we still have to wait two days for the Sixers’ official restart, NBA basketball that counts will finally be back in our lives early this evening.

Along with Portland and Sacramento, the Pelicans are 3.5 games back of Memphis for the eighth and final playoff spot in the West. Zion Williamson practiced with the team Tuesday after re-entering the Bubble and completing his subsequent quarantine period. The league moved heaven, earth, and the Wizards to get Zion and the Pelicans into the Bubble; we’ll see if it was worth it.

Meanwhile, the Jazz are one of the few teams who became less healthy over the layoff, as they will be without starter Bojan Bogdanovic, who underwent wrist surgery in mid-May. Utah enters seeding game play fourth in the West, and realistic outcomes for the Jazz fall anywhere between third and sixth.

In the late game, the Clippers and Lakers are no strangers to playing on what is essentially a neutral court, but it will be interesting to see the Battle of LA taking place in Orlando. The Lakers are basically locked in as the top overall seed in the West, while the Clippers have to maintain a 1.5-game lead over Denver and future MVP Bol Bol for the 2-seed.

The Clippers will be shorthanded for this rivalry showdown. Lou Williams is still in quarantine after getting hot wings at the strip club, Magic City (the world is so weird now). Montrezl Harrell is also out tending to a family matter, as is Patrick Beverley, who is still completing his quarantine period.

The Lakers are without Rajon Rondo, who underwent thumb surgery earlier this month, but fortunately for Lake Show fans, both Anthony Davis (eye) and Kyle Kuzma (ankle) will be playing. The Brow now goes by Anthony Jabbar-Davis:

I would watch Wizards-Suns if it was on, but these are two enticing matchups to restart the season. Follow along with all the action in the comments.