The Honorable Cock Jowles:
they’re making you watch the games

LOL !

He rested in games 77, 80 and 82 of last year, and played limited minutes (24:36) in game 81, so I don’t think the first round matchup matters at all (and yeah, they should sweep the first round easily). It’s true that they have been very good when he rests (5-1, MOV 12.8) but their wins have come against SAC, WAS, ORL, @ATL and NOP (while they were 6-18).

I’m not saying that they can’t beat those teams handily, but it’s also categorically true that having Giannis for any amount of time in those games would increase the odds of winning.

I honestly didn’t realize he rested quite that much in the homestretch last year. I didn’t intend to disagree that resting him wouldn’t worsen their chances to get to 70; as you rightly say, not playing the best player in the league is always a deterrent to winning basketball games. All I meant was that if they want to have a go at it I don’t think any need to rest him would hold them back; Giannis’ minutes load is already super reasonable. I really have no idea whether it’s something they care about achieving and I could easily see that being the deciding factor in the end. All I was trying to say is that I think it’s more likely they get tripped up just because it’s really hard for even an all-time great team to have a 22-4 stretch than for any one specific reason.

That's a question in my mind also.

In Chicago he made defense the priority and didn't run a particularly fluid or efficient well spaced offense. But on some level that was the players. The offense was much better in Minnesota and it was the defense that was the problem. So who knows.

At least he’ll bench anyone that doesn’t play defense.

That would mean Frank playing 1 on 5. And if Frank’s got a sore groin, Thibs would have to forfeit the game.