Season 3, Episode 24- Coming into Focus

In this week's episode of "Diehlman at Halftime," Larry and Chris discuss:

NBA introduces three anti-tanking proposals
Eastern Conference playoff race predictions
Game of the Week: Philadelphia 76ers @ Miami Heat, Monday, March 30, 2026

All music written by Larry Diehlman

Release date: Sunday, March 29, 2026

Transcript

Introduction

Overview of the NBA this Week

SPEAKER_02 0:15

Hey guys, and welcome to episode number 95 of Dielman at Halftime, the NBA podcast that tops all others. I'm your host, Larry Dielman, joined by my co-host Christy Pietro. If you're joining us for the first time, it's great to have you. And if you've been a regular listener, welcome back. We have a lot to cover today and not a lot of time to do it. We'll look at a general overview of the NBA this week and then discuss some important topics across the association. Let's get to our content for the week. Probably the biggest story in the NBA this week is that the league has unveiled three anti-tanking proposals to the Board of Governors aiming to limit incentives for losing teams. The Board of Governors, for those of you that don't know, it's basically the owners, the governors. Uh, it's pretty much like the um correct term these days. So the three solutions are this. The first solution would be you have 18 teams in the draft lottery. So this would be the seeds 7 to 15 in each conference, which would lower the odds of getting your top seeds. The bottom 10 teams have an 8% chance to move up, and the remaining 20% of the odds would be split between the play-in teams in descending order. The second option, 22 teams in the lottery, and you will be ranked based on a two-year record similar to what the WNBA does, which will be interesting because that's basically the entire league. You'd have the 7 to 15 seeds again, plus the four playoff first round exits in both conferences. Lottery teams would have a minimum win total floor for each season. For example, if you fall under the 20-win floor, you'll be labeled as a 20-win team in the lottery, but if you go over that limit, your two years will be averaged out. So it's basically a way to get tanking um out of the way and to uh get a better draft pick. And the top four uh will still be drawn as part of the current lottery. The third option and the final option, we're back to the 18 teams again in a five by five lottery for the seven to fifteen seeds in both conferences. The bottom five teams have equal odds for the top pick with the lottery picks, uh, with lottery for picks one to five. There'd be a separate lottery for the remaining 13 teams, and if any of the five worst teams don't land the top five slot, the lowest they could go is 10. So, Chris, a lot going on here with these anti-tanking proposals. Uh, each one has, I guess, their pros and cons, uh, but just a lot going on. And at least Adam Silver is trying here to resolve this tanking solution because you had said it last week if the NBA expands to Seattle and Las Vegas, tanking has to be resolved first.

SPEAKER_01 3:20

I don't know how you feel about these just in general, but I absolutely despise these. These are these are infuriating to me. Um that they're they're trying to get way too fancy with this. All of these ideas are making it harder for bad teams to get better, which is the root issue. That this is the problem of tanking. It it's it's how can we fix the issue of bad teams staying at the bottom being uncompetitive for long periods of time? That is the root issue of tanking. None of these are fixing them, they're prolonging even further the period of time in which bad teams will be bad instead of making it shorter, like it is in virtually every other major sports league, the NFL. You see horrible two and 15, 3 and 14 teams turning around all the time. And saw this quote on Twitter, thought it summed things up perfectly. Maybe if we complicate it enough, people won't know how to complain about it. That that's that's all I felt while reading these proposals. They they really frustrated me. Um they keep messing with with this current system and and and altering the odds and the size of the lottery pool. None of that's gonna work. First of all, yeah, it's it's it's just you can't tinker with this current framework, that this this current system that like it's clearly not working. They've messed with it before and it's done absolutely nothing if not made the problems worse. I don't think messing with this current framework is gonna make anything better. Second of all, it makes the draft that much harder to follow. We have to simplify or or completely get rid of pick protections. That has to be the first order of business here. That's where this whole taking solution needs to start. We we have to we have to dumb down or completely get rid of these pick protections with less or no pick protections. There's less reason to race the to the bottom spot in a conference, there's less reason to gamble away your draft for the next six years and and nuke your franchise. And it is so, like I said, complicated for the average fan to follow. It it's it's infuriating that they're doing absolutely nothing about this. You look in that ginormous Jobs tweet about about all these brand new, um, you know, fancy tanking solutions that Adam Silver has been in the lab creating to solve this big issue. Not one mention of pick protections. It's so aggravating. Um, they're making rebuilding through the draft less and less reliable, which is where it's going to have to start for a lot of these bad teams. It's already unreliable enough. You have teams like the Brooklyn Nets and the Utah Jazz and the Washington Wizards who have sucked for five years still waiting on their draft blessing, and you're making that even worse with these proposals, increasing the pool size, flattening the odds. There are ways to go around this. There are more comprehensive changes to the league that can be made that will seriously have an impact on these teams' desire and and and drive to win games. And again, in this current framework that Adam Silver continues to tinker with and thinks he's going outside of the box when he's really not, this is not going to do anything long-term, in my opinion. It's it's really gonna be aggravating when they inevitably follow through with one of these three proposals. Um, it's gonna still keep these same teams just in the basement until they get a lucky um you know call on on the lottery and and get their first or second pick in a good draft class, because that's what it's gonna take for these teams to escape the bottom. And Adam Silver is making it more unrealistic, more unreliable to build through the draft. So it's it's immensely frustrating as a fan of the sport and also a fan of the management side of things, the roster construction, the strategy of this stuff. You know, these half-assed proposals that they they hurt to see, in my opinion. No mention of shortening the season, no mention of of any sort of tinkering with pick protection laws, just you know, that they're they're just doing the the the bare bones changes to this already failing system. So I I am I'm I'm just really frustrated at all of these, to be honest. Um, I would love to know how you feel though, and and I'm I'm curious after reading these. Um it seems like we're gonna be headed towards one of these three proposals. So uh I'm curious to hear which one you like the best, one that stood out to you um for good or or maybe for bad, if if there's one you really don't like. Um I'm curious.

SPEAKER_02 8:17

Yeah, I mean, just looking at all these, I can see where you're coming from with the you know frustrating aspect of it. It honestly, and like I am I am by no means a dumbass, but the second one with the two-year record and the wind floor and all that, it took me a minute to realize like what they were actually trying to say.

SPEAKER_00 8:37

Like exactly, like it, it it it's like a lecture. I'm not it's it's unreal.

SPEAKER_02 8:42

I am by no means a stupid person. I have two bachelor's degrees from Rowan University, but like it took me, I'm like, what is this trying to tell me right now?

SPEAKER_01 8:50

It's it's ridiculous, it's absolutely ridiculous. It's too much.

SPEAKER_02 8:54

I think I think the most likely one just um just going off of you know likelihoods and and what would get past the easiest. I'm gonna I'm just gonna stick with number one, lowering the odds. But you know, you see with like the Pistons, you know, not the Pistons we know now, but the Pistons of a couple years ago when they were absolutely stinking up the league. And no matter what they did, they were still getting the number five seed in the in the draft. And then you have the Mavericks last year who traded away Luka Doncic, and all of a sudden they got the number one pick with one of the worst odds out of any of the teams. And now you have fans accusing Adam Silver of rigging the draft, and you know, there's conspiracy theories of, oh, well, Adam Silver, you know, wanted to get the the ratings back up in Los Angeles, and you know, he promised the Mavericks trade Luca and we'll give you the number one pick and blah blah blah. But you know, it's it's definitely you know infuriating from a fan standpoint. And um, yeah, these are these are I don't know how you would deal with this. The NFL is kind of straightforward, but the NFL, there's not as many games, and every game counts. 82 games do it like the NFL. 82 games hard. You know, I think I think a lot of players and coaches want the league to um the the season to be shortened, and you know, just the the tanking, you know, you get to like January, and I don't think half the league even cares. Um, I mean you look at like Utah and you know, Washington, you know, they probably haven't cared since like President's Day weekend at least. So, you know, it'll be interesting to see which one they decide on, or maybe if there's a dark horse that we don't know about yet that makes us surprise the dark horse to please come save us from these these these really just seemingly ineffective to me proposals.

SPEAKER_01 10:47

Larry, you mentioned the Detroit Pistons of the past couple years. Um, again, not not these one seed Pistons we know today, who, you know, they were like consistently a bottom three, four team in the league, if not the worst team in the league. And they just continually ended up with like the fifth and sixth picks in the draft. And then, like you said, the Mavericks, who, you know, had the world in their hands and then gave up the world and then magically got it back with like a 1.8% chance, and it got the blessing of Cooper Flag. That that premise, that idea of a team being at the bottom for so long and not being able to get out of it. Um, the Pistons were able to get out of it, but it was really through things outside of the draft. The draft did them no favors, and the draft has to be the biggest driver of these rebuilds. It's it's the root of it, it's it's an injection of young talent that can turn a franchise around. The Pistons were so bad for so long and were given absolutely no favors. And the Mavericks were great and and made a finals run a couple years ago and had one of the best players in the league, and and you know, then they get gifted, you know, a generational prospect in Cooper Flag. That same idea does not get any better with any of these proposals. It makes it easier for teams like the Mavericks to get higher picks, and it makes it harder for teams like the Pistons who were so bad for so many years, like the Nets, like the Jazz. It makes them it makes it harder for them to rebuild through the draft. So I I really just can't see any of these making any sort of major change or alleviating anybody's concerns about the draft lottery. Again, I just think this is prolonging the issue. I think it's overcomplicating the issue. Um, and and to me, it's it's it's really frustrating to see these as our big proposals. Adam Silver said he was gonna kill tanking, he was gonna take a pitchfork to it and eliminate it. It's the biggest problem in our league. And then he suggests these three proposals that are basically just the same system we have now, but a bit more complicated and make it a bit harder for bad teams to get good picks. So, yeah, great job, Adam Silver. Um, you know, you're truly one of the greatest commissioners of all time. The uh the fan base loves you. Um, and we love these proposals. Uh, yeah, can't wait to see them in action.

SPEAKER_02 13:08

Well, what about the what about the Spurs too? Getting three um insanely great prospects. You get Victor Webb and Yama, Dylan Harper, and Stephon Castle back to back to back.

SPEAKER_01 13:18

Continue to prove my point. It's it's ridiculous. It's it's and and all of these proposals, they either increase the pool or flatten the odds in some way where it's harder for bad teams to escape the bottom. They they took no outside roads to this tanking issue. They just took the current system and and and and they're honestly making it worse, in my opinion.

Eastern Conference Playoff Race Predictions

SPEAKER_02 13:40

It's whoever, it's whoever, it's whoever has the biggest markets and whoever's gonna get the most ratings, like you're saying, keeping teams in the bottom. Like, I don't think anybody is going to want to like live or like watch the Utah Jazz willingly, or you know, like the the Wizards, you know. I don't think it's just like most people don't really pay attention to them anyway, and now you're not giving them anything to help them get better, and they're just forever in this in this loop. And then you went uh about the pick protections, too. Um, I believe the Thunder are do a pick from the Clippers this year, and the draft is very loaded.

SPEAKER_01 14:20

So if the shout out Darius Garland keeping them clippers good and and and keeping the the Thunder away from those top spots in the draft.

SPEAKER_02 14:28

If the Thunder get one of these top picks, the league might legitimately be over. It's already over right now with the Thunder. If they get another if they get another pick, kiss the league goodbye. So this, you know, we'll see what Adam Silver wants to do in the future, which one of these picks will actually be uh selected for the lottery, and uh we'll see what the board of governors has to say about it too. This episode is entitled Coming into Focus. So who's raising eyebrows at the moment?

SPEAKER_01 15:04

All right, so as we turn a corner here, the final corner, into the remainder of this regular season, every team has roughly eight games um give or take left in their regular season. Um, some teams have more to play for than others, um, especially towards the bottom of these playoff play-in standings in the Eastern Conference. The current five through ten seeds in the East are gonna have a very, very interesting um regular season finale here um over the next week or two. Uh currently the standings, we have the Toronto Raptors, the fifth seed in the East. They are four games behind the Cleveland Cavaliers for fourth. So they will probably staying, um, they will probably be staying at five or lower here in the standings. They are 42 and 32, a half game below them at 42 and 33, the Atlanta Hawks, um, at the sixth seed, at the seventh seed, half game below the Hawks. We had the Philadelphia 76ers, 41 and 33, two games under the Sixers for the eighth spot, the Orlando Magic at 39 and 35, a half game behind the Magic for the ninth seed, the Miami Heat at 39 and 36. And tied with the Miami Heat, Miami Heat own the tiebreaker between these two teams. We have the Red Hot Charlotte Hornets, who are 39 and 36. And the Hornets have a whole 10 games on the 11-seed Milwaukee Bucks who have already been eliminated from playoff contention. So, with all that being said, it seems abundantly clear that these six teams will end up in some order between the fifth and tenth seeds in the Eastern Conference, which is very important because the fifth and sixth seeds automatically get slotted into the playoffs. They are above the play in tournament, they do not have to play their way into the NBA playoffs. So all of these teams right now are fighting for those fifth and sixth seeds. And again, with a roughly seven, eight games remaining in all of their seasons. Larry and I took it upon ourselves um to project how this end of season run is is going to um affect these standings, and we are going to predict how this Eastern Conference um blitz to the fifth and sixth seeds is gonna shake out here. Uh, so I I think the best way to do this is um both talk about our fifth seed um to start here, and we will progressively make our way down. What do you say?

SPEAKER_02 17:51

Alright. And I think that you are correct in the fact that these teams will be five to ten in some order, unless one of these teams goes on a blitzkrieg of a run to get that four seed lens the Cavs and Knicks choke dramatically. This will probably be the order in some fashion. And um, you know, it's just crazy that, you know, already both conferences are set with the playoff and playing teams. Um in the East, the fact the Bucks are already gone, that's insane. The Pacers, you know, going from one win away from a championship to being the worst team in the league, you know, it shows how Tyree Talliburton is. But anyway, um my fifth pick or my number five pick to be in the playoffs, I'm gonna go with the team that has probably the most playoff experience, and that is the Philadelphia 76ers. They are probably one of the best, if not the best team in this bunch. You know, we've seen Joel Embiid uh continually come up short with the Sixers in the second round of the playoffs. Will he will they ever make the conference finals? Nobody knows. Um Sixers are getting healthy at the right time. Paul George, Tyrese Maxie, um Tyrese coming back from injury. Paul George's 25-game PED suspension, and I think they just have what it takes to uh beat out these other teams, but I will go with the Sixers at number five.

SPEAKER_01 19:16

Sixers are also my fifth seed. Um I project them to have the best record um of any of these teams. Actually, I'm predicting predicting them to be tied with my sixth seed here, but they own the tiebreaker of this seed, who I who I'll get to soon after. Um, like you said, I think the Sixers are the best of these this bunch here. Um, not only in terms of talent, but but I I I think they're the hottest um and have the most momentum. They just had a huge, huge win in Charlotte um last night. It was the first game with Tyrese Maxi, Joel, and Bede, and Paul George all back on the court um in what has felt like months. And they finally get all their guys back. They're going into Charlotte, who has been super high lately and and is um very much capable of making the run necessary to achieve one of these fifth or sixth seeds, these playoff spots, and and um evading the planned tournament. So this was an absolutely crucial game for the Sixers. Um, we didn't know if if if Maxi or Embiid or George would would look rusty at all. Um we don't we don't know how the fit would be again. It's been a long time since these guys have played together coming into a game with real stakes, and they showed up big time. They made a 15-point comeback, they showed up in the clutch, held it down. They all looked great, every one of them. I believe Maxi had 26 or 28 points, and Bede had 30. Paul George hit a very clutch three at the end to take the game. Um, so they're coming off a huge win at Charlotte, they're getting all their guys back. I'm going with the 76ers here to make to make the run necessary to attain one of these um ever so valuable uh playoff spots. I have them finishing 47 and 35, tied with my sixth seed, um, but having the tiebreaker. My sixth seed is gonna be the Atlanta Hawks also finishing 47 and 35. Um arguably, you know, with the Sixers, probably the hottest team um of this bunch. They're 8-2 in their last 10. They are really starting to figure things out with CJ McCollum at the point guard um in absence of Trey Young. It's been it's been so wild to see um how different this team has played with with McCollum instead of Trey Young. It's it's just so fascinating because you know, we we look at Trey Young like this potential franchise altering Claire, and we look at CJ McCollum like, you know, this this you know talented player, uh but you know, on his way out, you know, not who he used to be, just like a I don't Know if if you take CJ McCullough on paper, you're probably projecting him to be, I don't know, maybe maybe a backup point guard for a solid team. And he has jumped into this huge role with the Hawks, and just like that, they've turned a corner and they're winning games. So um it really begs the question about Trey Young, who we've questioned for the last several years of his career as to how much of a winning player he truly is. And again, we see this you know aging, okay player on his way out of the league come in, take his spot, and now the Hawks are maybe the hottest team in the Eastern Conference right now. Um uh again, eight and two in their last 10, playing really good basketball right now. Uh shout out CJ McCollum. He is he's really doing his thing. Uh Unk still got it. Uh I'm going with the Hawks in my sixth seed, finishing with the same record here as the 76ers at 47 and 35. Who is your sixth seed, Larry, securing this final playoff spot?

SPEAKER_02 23:01

Securing the final Eastern Conference playoff spot. I'm going with We the North with the Toronto Raptors. The Raptors are an intriguing team with the forwards they have, with Scotty Barnes leading the way and you know, continually to uh continuing to grow under head coach Darko Ryakovich. And you know, the Raptors have kind of been in this middle land uh the last couple years, obviously winning the championship in 2019 with Kawhi Leonard's one year in the North. But you know, they've been continuing to grow. Brandon Ingram's been injured, but you know, Scotty Barnes leading the way, and they have uh they have nice depth. So um they've really been like a surprise this season um in the Eastern Conference, and I think you know they'll keep that momentum going, maybe just a little bit over the Hawks, but for now I'll put the Raptors keeping momentum, keeping that sixth seed, and staying out of the play-in tournament.

SPEAKER_01 24:05

The Raptors were my seventh seed, uh just a game behind these Hawks right here. I decided to predict the records, I went I went a little overboard for this, but I got them right behind the Hawks at 46 and 36, just barely missing that that playoff cutoff, um, being the seventh seed and and thus the um the highest team record-wise in the play-in tournament. The Raptors, um, they have just been, you know, consistently a solid team all season. Um, I believe there was a stretch around November or so where um they were like, I think they were the second or third seed in the East, and and they started to look like they were really starting to take over. Um, but um unfortunately that kind of just seemed to be a flash in the pan for them. But you know, not to take away from them at all, they've been a they've been great this year. They they've taken they've definitely taken a step forward this year. I think Scotty Barnes has taken a big step forward this year. This has been the best season of his career, in my opinion. Um he is one of the best defenders in the NBA. Um and and watching him and his movements, you wouldn't quite guess it because um he's not the most fluid mover with the basketball in his hands, but he has a really great playmaking feel, super physical um defender, super physical rebounder. Uh he's he's just a force of a player, he's he's made of steel. Um, I think he's taken a step forward this year into becoming a more polished, well-rounded player. Um and this Raptors team, who in the beginning of the season we had had we said had a lot of talent around them, but you know, we questioned the fit a bit. Um, these guys are starting to look more comfortable. Um, shout out Darko Ryakovich uh for that. Um he he's he's been very solid for them this year, and um, I think their step forward is evident of the job he's doing. Um, you can't make talent click without a great coach, and and and he's doing his thing. The Raptors are 10 games above 500. Um, but I'm I'm gonna have the Red Hot Hawks just sneaking in right above them. The Raptors are my seventh seed in the East.

SPEAKER_02 26:17

And we have officially swapped places because the Hawks are my seventh seed to start the play-in spots. So pretty consistent so far. Um the Hawks are you know, same as the Raptors, kind of an interesting story. And Atlanta has for some reason they're always in the the playing tournament, or they're always like that like 500 record, no matter what they do. They just cannot seem to escape that you know mediocre middle of the past.

SPEAKER_01 26:46

CJ McCollum said no more.

SPEAKER_02 26:48

For now, for now, that that nine win uh nine-win stretch to stay the ninth seed kind of sums up their franchise in the present. But getting better consistently, getting Jalen Johnson uh the keys to the franchise is going to help. CJ McCollum for now, giving them some good buckets, and this is without two uh with the Hawks. Zachary Risachet was the number one overall pick in 2024, and he really hasn't done a whole lot to say, yep, I am a true number one pick in a least in a in a redraft. I am the number one choice, no questions asked. He has not really done much to wow anybody. I think everybody kind of forgets who he is at this point. Um, obviously, Victor Weminyama is the better French player in the NBA. So, my my question is can the Hawks get out of their playoff funk that they've been under with uh Trey Young previously? You know, with Trey Young, they just were constantly in this play-in spot, but can the Hawks kind of get out of that funk that they've been under? So the Hawks are gonna be my seven seed prediction to uh start the play-in tournament seeds. And the thing about the seventh seed, yeah, you gotta be in the play-in tournament, but you um winning your end. Are you gonna get spanked by the second seed? Maybe, but you are winning in, you get a home play in game. Stats really don't count either way, they're kind of like their own thing, but um, I will go with the Hawks at number seven.

SPEAKER_01 28:21

I can see the the Hawks or Raptors maybe making things a bit frisky for the Celtics um in in round one, but I I I think Boston will win those series. Um whoever ends up in the in the seventh seed, uh I think I'll handily take Boston. But um, I I do really like both those teams. I think they're very solid teams who have taken steps forward. Um, but in my eighth spot, I have two teams tied record-wise for my eight and nine spots um but owning the tiebreaker between the two and my number eight seed is the Miami Heat. I have them finishing at 43 and 39. Um, you know, there was a there was a quote lately or an incident where um Bam Atabayo um and his 83 point scoring self was getting uh quite angry at longtime head coach Eric Spoolstra. And um I believe a hot mic picked up what he was saying and he was yelling at Spoolstra saying, I don't want to be in the play-in no more. Well, Bam, I'm sorry to inform you. Uh you're gonna be well in this play-in, uh, whether whether you like it or not, because I I really just you know, the this isn't a very different Miami Heat team than um, you know, years past, honestly. Um they they just got spanked by the Indiana Pacers, um, the 15 seed in the East Indiana Pacers, and I believe they're the worst team in the NBA. They are the worst team in the NBA, Indiana Pacers um took a beating to the Miami Heat tonight. Um the Heat are Heat are three and seven in their last 10. They're on a two-game losing streak. They they really just don't have a guy I look at, and I'm like, man, this is this is gonna be the guy who they can lean on in this final stretch of the season and and and you know make a run and secure that playoff spot. I I can't see that happening. This this has kind of just been the the heat of years past. They're a solid team, Spolstra, almost like Mike Tomlin was and John Harbaugh is in the NFL. I mean, they're always gonna be competing for the playoffs, but they just lack the guy who who is gonna elevate the team and and show up in big games and go out and and win games. They they don't have that X factor. Bam Atabayo, you know, 83 points or not, you know, yeah, he's not that player. Um so I'm gonna I'm gonna I'm gonna take but again that they're a solid team. I expect them to win um again, roughly half of their remaining games as they won about half of their games this season, which is you know kind of what we come to expect of the Miami Heat um under their current roster construction. Um shout out Chi Town Low. I I think they need to start thinking about uh blowing this thing up because again, it's not a bad team. You have you have pieces, you have picks, but this just isn't going anywhere right now. Um nonetheless, the Miami Heat are my eighth seed at 43 and 39, and they will be in that first um playing tournament game again, win and you're in um as the seventh seed. So yeah, well, well in the playoff conversation, though they'll be the they'll their fate lies in their own hands, you know, as the eight seed. Um yeah, don't don't expect to see much playoff noise if they even make it out of the Miami Heat, but they're my eighth seed.

Game of the Week

SPEAKER_02 32:02

At the eighth seed, I am going with the quiet, the the underdog here. I'm gonna go with the Charlotte Hornets. Um I'm kind of surprised. I'm kind of surprised about the heat, you know, like you say, with the um, you know, not really having like an it factor. Uh the Hornets, you know, they've been impressing all season. Khan Knippel's been breaking three-point records left and right. Um I don't know what their young ceiling is yet. I don't think anybody does. I don't think even they know what their young course ceiling is, but usually usually you take the veterans over anybody. You know, Khan Knippel is a rookie. Lamello ball in years past, he's been made of glass, and you know, he's finally starting to, you know, break that mold. But like what is their ceiling like legitimately? I think Charles Lee can get them so far being an NBA-winning one former assistant coach, but now he's the head coach. Um, you know, he can only do so much, it'll be the players that'll decide their fate. And I think that you know, Charlotte is not gonna just, you know, go through the playing tournament or whatever and then steamroll their way to the NBA Finals. This isn't the Miami Heat a few years ago where you know Jimmy Butler was taking them on like a magic carpet ride to the NBA Finals. Um, so I mean that because Jimmy Butler is you know, he's a veteran. I mean, this is a young core and you know, it takes a couple years to kind of get your footing in the playoff setting. So I'll take the Hornets at number eight, you know, getting that second playing spot, they'd be on the road winning in, you know, potentially against the Hawks here in my my scenario, but I'll go with them number eight. And then to counter your heat point, uh, I do agree though, the Heat have just been a playing tournament favorite the last couple years. Not really any wow factors for scoring besides Tyler Hero and Norman Powell. Bam on a bio, I don't think scares anybody in terms of scoring, well, besides the Wizards, uh, giving them PTSD, besides giving the Wizards PTSD on the fateful night of March 10th, 2026. But um, yeah, the heat just I'm I'm very, you know, it's very questionable. You know, Tyler Hero, Norman Powell, sure, Andrew Wiggins, I don't think scares anybody, respectfully. But um, yeah, so I I don't really know how the how to grade them. But Hornets at number eight, and then to um, I'll go with my number nine pick here. I'm gonna go with the Orlando Magic. Um, the Orlando Magic have kind of taken a step back in recent years. There have been questions uh about Jamal Mosley and uh you know Paolo, Bancaro, and Franz Wagner when healthy are great, but um you know there's been question marks, and you think that this team have would have a little bit more firepower given the fact that they traded a decent chunk for Desmond Bain from the Memphis Grizzlies. They got him in an Orlando chunk. They they got him in Orlando Magic uniform, and they've kind of just been like, okay, nothing, nothing crazy. They they haven't been like the Raptors shooting up to the second seed. They haven't been terrible. It's just been what else can you give me?

SPEAKER_01 35:19

So when you give up four first-round picks, you don't expect to be like fighting for Rudy Gobert set the standard for draft picks, you know, trading four picks.

SPEAKER_02 35:29

So everybody's thinking, well, if Rudy Gobert got four picks, then we should get four or five picks for you know insert player here. So yeah, so the magic are my nine seed, and then by process of elimination, the heat at number ten.

SPEAKER_01 35:45

So the Charlotte Hornets were my nine seed. Um, I had them tied in record with the Heat, and the Heat owned the tiebreaker, so um, they ended up falling to nine here. But I'll say, you know, out of out of all of these teams we've discussed so far today, um, you spoke of the Jimmy the Jimmy Butler magic carpet ride. I think these Charlotte Hornets have, I don't know, maybe the best chance to make that type of magical low seed run to a deep playoff spot. I think these Hornets have the best chance maybe since those days of of Jimmy Butler, Miami Heat. I mean, this this is this has been a special season for the Charlotte Hornets. Um, they have been a a different team post-all-star break, like one of the best teams in the east. So again, you you have this team who's currently the 10 seed. We're projecting to finish around eight or nine, who is playing like one of the best teams in the East. I think, regardless of where they end up in the standings, I think they're gonna end up um in the playoffs. I think they're gonna win their playoff, their play-in games, and and fight their way into the playoffs. And I mean, this is a team you do not want to play as a top seed, um, nor the Sixers, in my opinion. I th I think the Sixers and the Hornets are are the two only teams of this bunch that really have the potential to shake things up seriously. Um, but they are they fall into the ninth seed just because of the tiebreaker with the Miami Heat. Um and by process of elimination, the Orlando Magic are my 10th seed. They are three and seven over their last 10. Um, this has just been a disaster of a season for the Magic. You know, you gave up all those picks to go get Desmond Bain, and you know, you expect this big jump from Paulo Bancaro, and you know, you you hope to get everybody healthy, and that's just not been the case. Desmond Bain has been great for them, maybe their best player this season. Um, Franz Wagner has been great for them. They have a big Jamal Mosley, Paulo Bancaro problem on their hands. Um Paolo, again, still 21, 22 years old, has all the potential to turn this thing around. But I I really just don't believe in Jamal Mosley. There's been friction between those two. And, you know, as as the beams of your franchise, that that's not good to have. Um, they've just been severely underperformed this year and are not playing well at all right now. Maybe the worst they've played all year right now. It's coming to a tumultuous end here. The Orlando Magic finish as my 10th seed.

Conclusion

SPEAKER_02 38:23

See how this works out in the last couple weeks of the regular season. Two of these teams will make the playoffs for these teams will be stocking the play-in, and then two of those teams will have to battle it out to get those last two playoff spots. A lot of stakes, not enough for everybody. Let's see how it goes. Finally, for this week's game of the week, we're gonna do the Philadelphia 76ers at Miami Heat, and this game is tomorrow, Monday, March 30th at 7.0 sharp. Well, maybe like 7.08, but still. Uh the Sixers right now, 41 and 33 and 7th in the East. The Sixers just got Paul George back, as I said earlier, from his 25-game PED suspension. Tyrese Maxie is back from injury and nearly had a 26-point triple-double on the Hornets. The Sixers are only a half game out from the number six seed. Can they knock the Hawks into the playing tournament? Meanwhile, the Heat are 39-35, and they are tied for ninth in the East with the Hornets. The Heat are most likely going to be stuck in the playing tournament again, um, to the chagrin of Bam Atabayo. Uh, poor Bam Atabayo just, you know, can never do that. He'll drop 83 points and they'll still be in the playing tournament. Um, yeah, they recently got spanked by the Spurs and the Cavs, and as Chris pointed out, the Pacers as well. Uh, but this game should be a good one to decide play-in and playoff factors with the seeding. Um, obviously, no one can drop below the play-in seeds as of this point because the um first through 10 seeds have been solidified. Everybody below that is out. So I am gonna go with the Sixers in a tight one. 116, 113 down in South Beach. Um, you know, I I think it'd be interesting to uh see a game in Miami because if you've ever seen a heat game, they the fans don't show up until like the second quarter because of the uh traffic I've heard is pretty bad down there in Miami. Uh, but it's just hilarious to see most of the seats empty. You know, in Philadelphia, the seats are full like two hours prior to game time. In Miami, you're lucky if you get people before the first quarter. So I'm going with the Sixers in a three-point spread in Monday night primetime.

SPEAKER_01 41:08

How blessed are we to be a fan of a sports city where where our fans really care and are invested, and we're like a family. Love being love being a Philly sports fan, just had to get off my chest. And with my pick in this game, I mean, have have you even listened to that last segment of the podcast? I'm going with the Philadelphia 76ers. They have every bit of momentum going their way right now. Uh 73 in their last 10, and and like I mentioned earlier, an absolutely crucial win in Charlotte. Their first game with all of their key players back. They get Ubre back, they get um Tyrese Maxie back, and Embiid is starting to ramp back up. Paul George, um, and I believe that was his second game back. They're getting all their guys back at the right time, they're heating up at the right time. Um, it's so funny looking at their starting graph, uh, their starting lineup graphic from uh just about a week ago with VJ Edgecombe and a bunch of nobodies uh compared to the other day against Charlotte, where you know that they got their guys back and it and and it made a huge difference in that Charlotte game and an absolutely crucial win, um, a huge comeback. So it doesn't get better for the Sixers right now. You you couldn't have picked a more favorable time to get all your players back and to to you know earn such a crucial win. But um this is a big game for the Sixers as well, and and and the Heat are no slouch. Um it's in Miami on the road. Um but you know, again, Miami has not been the hottest team, despite their name. Three and seven of their last ten. Um it really just looks like we're looking at two teams going in opposite directions regarding their momentum. Um, but but a huge game in these Eastern Conference standings, these five through ten seeds, which will decide the fate of these teams in the playoffs, or play in. So a huge game for the standings, huge game for both of these seeds. But again, um the Sixers are red hot, the Miami Heat, ironically, ice cold. I'm going with the Sixers in this one. Let's call it 125-113. So we'll have the Heat finishing with the same amount of points here, but I'm taking a much larger Sixers win as they coast to another big win for their odds at a playoff spot, and the Heat continue to dwell towards the bottom of these play-in standings.

SPEAKER_02 43:48

Well, that's all the time we have for today. If you haven't already, make sure to follow the podcast accounts Chris and me on social media. The three podcast accounts on Instagram, TikTok, and X or Twitter. are under at dealman at half. My personal ex and Instagram are at LarryDielman. Chris's personal ex and Instagram are at Chris Dippy. All seven handles are in the description on BuzzSprout, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Remember, although you can find Dealman at halftime on major podcasting platforms like Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, and YouTube, the main podcast website is on Buzz Sprout. The website URL is dealman at halftime.buzzsprout.com. Feel free to send a comment by using the send us a text button located in each episode's bio. With the exception of Apple Podcasts, the text option is available on Buzz Sprout and all the major platforms. Your comment could end up in the fan mail section of the Buzz Sprout website. And don't forget to spread the word about Dealman at halftime. You might remember a few weeks ago at episode 90 when I said we are 10 episodes away from the 100th episode of Dealman at Halftime. Now with it being episode 95 today that number is at five. We are five episodes away from the 100th episode and that'll air probably in early May we'll keep you updated. We will be in the playoffs during that time we'll have something special for you guys planned a lot of excitement happening here on the pod. We can't wait and I hope you guys can't wait either. See you next time fellow hoops fans