CHICAGO -- Billy Donovan had few answers as he sunk into the microphone in front of him facing questions for the first time about Lonzo Ball's season coming to an end. Ball last played in mid-January, initially expecting to return 6-8 weeks after a second meniscus surgery in his left knee. The team tried to ramp him up around the eight-week mark, but pain lingered and he got off his feet for several more weeks before his full shutdown.
"What they’ve talked to me about is right now he is doing some training," Donovan went on to say over the weekend. "Trying to get him ramped up to play again, that’s kind of off the table, and the main focus really is how do we get rid of his knee pain and discomfort. Obviously strengthening him, getting him stronger, all those types of things. I’m not sure if anyone knows how long that will take.’’
When Ball went down, Chicago was the No. 1 seed in the east at 27-14. A dazzling group that looked more prolific offensively than the Nets, and certainly the Celtics, with Zach LaVine, Nikola Vucevic and Ball supporting DeMar DeRozan's 25.7 point-per-game efforts with passing and double-figure scoring. They overcame the loss of Patrick Williams to early-season wrist surgery and still defended at a capable level. Coby White returned from shoulder surgery and contributed as a bench shooter. Alex Caruso emerged as one of the most impactful defenders in the league. It didn't all dissolve the day Ball went under the knife. Instead, it chipped away slowly at an 18-22 pace, going 2-21 against the top-four teams in each conference. Their lone win against the east's best teams came back in November -- in Boston.
In case you forgot -- the Celtics entered that fourth quarter ahead by 14 points and lost the game by 14 on a 39-11 swing. Boston fell to 2-5, Marcus Smart called out Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown's crunch-time passing, while Ime Udoka blasted his team's poise. Days later, a team meeting that Adrian Wojnarowski characterized as emotional and not terribly productive occurred at a team dinner in Orlando.
''We started celebrating early," Udoka said after the Bulls loss. "It's a good lesson learned: You mess with the game, it will come back to bite you."
Boston kept collapsing with double-digit leads through mid-January, but has found its footing as one of the league's dominant units in over two months since. Now, the No. 3 Celtics and No. 6 Bulls appear on a collision course in the first round if Boston beats Memphis on Sunday and Milwaukee takes care of Cleveland. The Celtics could end up rising to No. 2 with a Bucks loss, or fall to No. 4 with two Philadelphia wins, but Boston will know how to control its destiny when tip-off arrives at 7 p.m. Sunday. Chicago, losers of 10-of-15, are effectively locked in the six seed and would present the Celtics a winnable first-round series as they try to sustain through a significant injury themselves.
The Bulls will have some time to get right, with Caruso nursing back soreness and LaVine lingering left knee pain. Those ailments overshadowed Boston's arrival on Wednesday for a preview of what a series could look like, the Celtics piling up stops and turnovers and running Chicago off the court. Each consecutive quarter better than the next on the way to a 117-94 win. Caruso sat and the loss came on a back-to-back, but one that only seemed to be an extension of the Bulls' Tuesday's blowout loss to Milwaukee, their other potential first-round opponent. Chicago native and Bulls fan former President Barack Obama made a rare appearance at the United Center to see his team's dismantling.
“It’s hard to play when we’re disconnected like this, and the results show,” LaVine said after. “Offensively, defensively, we're disconnected right now. We have to find our rhythm in these next two games.”
DeRozan raised his game in the wake of late-season turmoil, scoring 26.8 PPG on 48.4% shooting, including 40 points in three quarters against Milwaukee to keep the Bulls in it while his teammates only contributed 42. It's not enough. Vucevic is shooting 46.9% from the field and 30% from three since the all-star break, fouling four times before grabbing three rebounds in the loss to the Bucks. He got called for a flagrant foul contesting Grayson Allen - Chicago still under a microscope for how they defend the guard after Allen broke Caruso's wrist and forced him to miss 22 games by fouling him in mid-air on the break. Allen received a one-game suspension. Derrick Jones Jr. received a flagrant while contesting Allen, too, in their first rematch after.
Caruso had just missed 13 games with a hamstring injury and in 13 games since his return from wrist surgery, he's shooting 32.4% from the field with his lineups are posting a -3.5 net rating. Jones hasn't been the same since a mid-season knee injury. Javonte Green went down for several weeks with a groin injury, damaging what was once a lethal second unit. Tristan Thompson's arrival last month didn't help either, not looking like an upgrade on Tony Bradley despite taking his minutes while trying to instill his vocal leadership style.
Meanwhile, Vucevic has allowed Al Horford to score 17 points on 7-for-7 shooting, Brook Lopez to barrel by him for 28 points and on Friday the Hornets blasted he and his teammates for 133 points. Chicago ranks 26th in defense since Caruso fell against Milwaukee, allowing 116.8 points per 100 possessions.
"As a big man you are dependent on others,’’ Vucevic said of his role in March. “I’m outside quite a bit, so I think for guards it’s not always something they’re aware of because with a big man they are just taught that we’re inside. Guards are taught to look for a big inside ... it’s just an adjustment for everybody. Definitely something we keep talking about.’’
Patrick Williams has played better offensively in three games as a starter, now up to 7.7 PPG on 53.4% shooting in 11 games back following wrist surgery that knocked out much of his second season. He's the key and perhaps only hope for Chicago being able to slow Tatum in its three-guard lineups, and while they blitzed Boston's star liberally on Wednesday, he passed out of them with ease on his way to eight assists.
The Bulls struggled to rotate. The Celtics' shooters got open and hot, while Jaylen Brown scored 25 attacking the interior. Williams and his teammates left the game demoralized on the defensive end, while Marcus Smart and effective doubles from Boston's wings held DeRozan to 16 points and LaVine to seven.
"There was a lack of communication, a lack of physicality. I think in order to stop the ball, there has to be some sort of contact," Williams said post-game. "They're not going to stop driving until you get in their way. I think I lacked confidence, specifically on Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum a couple times."
Boston and Chicago have had the opposite seasons. The Bulls rose as a sneaky contender before injuries shattered their season. They've taken care of the bad teams at a high enough rate to avoid the play-in tournament, but their ceiling seems capped and their resolve damaged by Ball's season-ending injury.
Robert Williams III also suffered a meniscus tear, but one with a far shorter return period with no previous surgeries on that knee. Ime Udoka told Boston Sports Journal at shootaround in Chicago that Williams hasn't been ruled out for the first round. They don't expect to have him back before the second, but it's another optimistic outlook that has probably energized the Celtics in his absence. Smart talked about everybody needing to do more, and they have, sustaining the league's No. 1 offense through a top-five passing attack in Williams' absence. And that includes two rest games without Tatum.
Boston battled possession-for-possession with the fully-loaded Bucks, arriving just over one hour before the game on a late, traffic-delayed ride from Chicago. They lost despite leading with two minutes remaining and overcoming a 13-point deficit. Despite Udoka's insistence that it was to simply get their guys needed rest, sitting Horford and Tatum still led to Boston dropping from No. 2.
Combined with Philadelphia's loss in Toronto, it positioned the Celtics perfectly to return to Chicago and face the reeling Bulls in the playoffs, rather than the ascending Nets. It's not set in stone yet. If that first-round series does come together, it'll perfectly mark the Celtics' seismic turnaround following that infamous loss in November.
"To a certain extent, that game's gon' stick with us forever," Smart said. "Because it's something that kind of fueled and started the talks into trying to get back on track. When we lost that game, everybody counted us out. We was getting it harsh. So having that in the back of our mind, obviously tonight, but every game we play, we try not to let that happen. We turned the ball over that first game too many times and they did a good job of scoring off those turnovers, because that's what they do. You can't give a team easy possessions that way. We just wanted to make sure from every game on then, we don't put ourselves in that situation again. To be able to come out here tonight, and get, I guess you can call it revenge, it was good, but we're not playing to win one game in the regular season. It's definitely on our mind ... just to remind us how quickly it can turn for us."
Here's what else happened in the NBA this week...
Atlanta (42-39): Won 11-of-15 and moved into sixth in net rating over that stretch, getting hot at the right time and still keeping pace with Brooklyn for a spot in the 7-8 section of the play-in tournament. They are more likely to play the Hornets in the 9-10 section of the tournament after a disappointing loss to the Heat on Friday, but a win over Houston and a Cleveland loss to Milwaukee would move them back into No. 8 to play the Nets round one. Atlanta owns a tiebreaker over Charlotte. They're No. 4 in offense recently, and like last year seeing a late-season defensive bump to 15. Trae Young is averaging 30.4 PPG and 11.0 APG over his last 15. John Collins returned to running on his injured foot, but has no timetable for a return.
Boston (50-31): Fought with the Bucks minus Jayson Tatum and Al Horford after mashing the Wizards and Bulls in throwback fashion to before the Robert Williams III injury. Boston is No. 3 in net rating (+9.2) since Williams III went down, including two rest games, but that factors in a hot 39.7% three-point shooting stretch going back to early March. The team's loss in Milwaukee makes it likely they fall to No. 3, against Chicago, or No. 4 and Toronto if Boston loses its final game to Memphis on Sunday. The Celtics will have some control over how they approach that game, which will begin after Milwaukee and Philadelphia conclude their schedules. A Bucks split opens the door to No. 2 again.
Brooklyn (43-38): Can clinch home court in the double-elimination leg of the play-in tournament with a win over the Pacers on Sunday. The Nets have won 10-of-15 to rise back up from No. 10 in the east at one point, and project to face either the Cavaliers or Hawks in the play-in tournament, then cause trouble for either the Bucks or Celtics in the first round. A loss in that first leg, then win to secure the No. 8 seed would line them up with the Miami Heat. Despite Brooklyn's depth and defensive concerns, they're likely to participate in one of the most interesting first-round series ever. Seth Curry (ankle) returned from a two-game absence to score 15 points in a comeback win over the Nets. The team also waived James Johnson to convert Kessler Edwards to a full contract to be playoff-eligible. If they clinch a spot in the 7-8 play-in tournament, it'll be at 7 p.m. EST on Tuesday.
Charlotte (42-39): Face the Wizards tied with Atlanta for No 9 and in play to leap up to No. 7 through a powerful tiebreaker if their three competitors lose. More likely, they'll play in the 9-10 leg of the play-in tournament needing two wins to reach the playoffs. Gordon Hayward played 16 minutes in his return from a 22-game absence with a foot injury. He's missed two more games since, a precautionary move according to James Borrego. The 9-10 leg of the play-in tournament in the east is set for Wednesday at 7 p.m. EST.
Chicago (45-36): Fading at the worst time, saved by only time running out and their hot start from falling into the play-in tournament. The Bulls are locked at No. 6 following blowout losses to the Bucks and Celtics back-to-back. Unfortunately for them, they'll see one of them or less likely Philadelphia in the first round. Lonzo Ball (knee) won't participate in that series, ruled out for the season after setbacks in his recovery from meniscus surgery on his left knee in January. They've now lost 15-of-22, 26th in net rating (-7.7) since the all-star break.
Cleveland (43-38): Barely hanging on to their spot in the 7-8 play-in tournament thanks to Atlanta's loss to Miami. The Cavaliers fell to No. 8 with their loss to Brooklyn on Friday, their 15th in 23 games since the all-star break, and could fall even further if they lose to Milwaukee on Sunday. They'd lose tiebreakers against Atlanta and Brooklyn, and multi-team ties to Charlotte. Evan Mobley (ankle) returned against the Nets and scored 17 points on 6-for-11 shooting. Jarrett Allen (finger) worked out pregame, favoring his right hand as he hopes to return for the play-in game. The Cavaliers host the Bucks for their final game of the regular season on Sunday.
Dallas (51-30): Bounced back from their debacle in Washington to beat the Bucks behind Luka Doncic's 32 points and 15 assists, beginning a three-game win streak to keep pace with the Warriors (0.5 games back for No. 3). They clinched their best season since the 2011 Mavericks championship. That team won 57 games. This team has a simple formula, hosting San Antonio on Sunday in the season finale. A win and one Warriors loss secures the three seed, as does a loss and two Golden State losses. With the Jazz and Mavericks flip-flopping at 5/6, Dallas may not be able to angle for an opponent, and the value of avoiding Phoenix round two as the No. 3 might overrule any first-round preference.
Denver (48-33): They've clinched a spot above the play-in line after fending off Minnesota all season. Now, they can rise to No. 5 with a win over the Lakers and Utah loss, and even given the Jazz' late-season stumbling, that's unlikely in Portland. The Nuggets will likely draw the Warriors from the No. 6 position with Steph Curry's health uncertain and having already had success with three wins over Golden State this year. Nikola Jokic, the MVP favorite after winning last year's award, became the first player to post 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds and 500 assists in a season.
Detroit (23-58): Finish their season in Philadelphia on Sunday. They'll split top three lottery odds with the Thunder if Oklahoma City loses out. Detroit will need to improve internally after showing signs late in 2022, Cade Cunningham making a rookie of the year push, Marvin Bagley III finding his footing following a deadline trade ahead of restricted free agency and Jerami Grant staying before his contract season, but having a down year. Kelly Olynyk will also need to bounce back from an injury-plagued season, as a top pick inevitably joins the picture. How they handle Grant's future will again become their biggest question, with his contract demand over $100-million possibly repressing his once-high value.
Golden State (51-29): Have the ability to lose their final two games to the Spurs and Pelicans and draw ailing Utah in the first round. The Jazz and Nuggets just stand too close between the fifth and sixth seed to call it, plus falling to No. 4 would line the Warriors up against Phoenix in round two. Golden State will probably stay where they are and try to regroup with Steph Curry against a Nuggets team that challenged them in the regular season, or the Jazz if they slide. Klay Thompson scored 33 points to mark the Warriors' third straight win, while Jordan Poole continues to step up in Curry's absence. Dallas owns the tiebreaker for No. 3.
Houston (20-61): Can finish 2022 with the NBA's worst record with a loss to the Hawks. The Rockets couldn't have hoped for much more under Stephen Silas over the last two years following a largely botched James Harden. Now, they'll try to take their first steps toward competency with what looks like a successful pick in Jalen Green (21.3 PPG in 23 games since all-star break, 47.2% FG), Christian Wood and Kevin Porter Jr. in contract seasons and a 14% chance at the No. 1 overall pick. It also sounds like a John Wall buyout may finally come. He's owed $47.4-million on a player option next season.
Indiana (25-55): Finish their season against Philadelphia and Brooklyn and could potentially tie Oklahoma City for fourth in the lottery, but are more likely to stay at five with a 42.1% chance to move up and 10.5% shot at No. 1. They badly needed a reset and got one with a successful tank season and a Tyrese Haliburton trade they've arguably already won (17.4 PPG, 9.6 APG, 49.5% FG in 24 G with IND). Rick Carlisle refuted the notion he could move from head coach to the front office, embracing the rebuild in his own words, despite Pacers management refusing to characterize this period as one.
Clippers (40-40): Officially set to travel to Minnesota this week to face the Timberwolves in the play-in tournament. The winner of the game will move on to play the Grizzlies in the first round, while the loser will face the winner of the Pelicans and Spurs play-in for the No. 8 seed and Phoenix in round one. Norman Powell rejoined the team after a 22-game absence with a foot injury to pour 24 points on 6-for-10 shooting in a win over the Suns. With Paul George already back and Kawhi Leonard lurking, the Clippers appear to be the sleeping giant everyone thought the Nets were. Clippers-Wolves is set for Tuesday at 9:30 EST.
Lakers (32-49): It's over. The Lakers got eliminated from the 2022 postseason picture with a loss earlier this week to the Suns, highlighting an eight-game losing streak that sunk one of the biggest failed seasons in NBA history. The team shut down LeBron James (ankle) for the season soon after, averaging 30.3 PPG, 8.2 RPG and 6.2 APG on 52.4% shooting in year 19, but never able to get this group off the ground. The Lakers could end up waiving Russell Westbrook's $47.1-million deal as their distaste becomes clear for him through end-of-season reporting, while Frank Vogel appears doomed as head coach with Rob Pelinka to remain as GM. The team released Trevor Ariza to keep Wenyen Gabriel. Kendrick Nunn will soon have officially played 0 games for the Lakers (knee) after signing for the mid-level exception with a player option for 2022-23 last season.
Memphis (55-25): Welcomed Ja Morant back to questionable status for Saturday's game against the Pelicans as a sign he could either return from a nine-game absence with knee soreness before the playoffs, or at least in time for them. If he does play on Saturday, his status for a back-to-back against the Celtics on Sunday would become intriguing given the enormous consequences of the game for Boston depending how other results shake out. The Grizzlies are two wins away from their best season in franchise history.
Miami (53-28): Clinched the No. 1 seed in the east and will likely face the Cavaliers, Hawks or Hornets in the first round if you believe the Nets will cruise to the No. 7 seed. The Heat came back down seven with a 37-point fourth quarter with nothing to play for on Friday, their win over Atlanta capped by a Tyler Herro go-ahead shot and Bam Adebayo game-sealing dunk. Miami has won 15-of-22 since the all-star break, with a sixth-best +5.5 net rating. Erik Spoelstra returned from COVID protocols for the win, and they're healthy for a title push.
Milwaukee (51-30): Another team turning it up toward the stretch run. Aside from Grayson Allen's sore hip, the Bucks are healthy and hitting their stride. They knocked off the Celtics with two minutes of lockdown defense on Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart late, before beating the Pistons on a back-to-back on Friday that Giannis Antetokounmpo went all out for. They now control their destiny for the No. 2 seed, and know the Nets could be awaiting them. They could also fall to No. 3 with a loss to Cleveland.
"I'd rather play, first round toughest team possible, second round, tough," Antetokounmpo said. "I want the road, journey to be tough, because I feel like when you face adversity, that's when you grow the most. That's when you're ready to compete. So that's why I don't really care about what seed we finish."
Minnesota (46-35): Unable to move above the play-in tournament line despite sitting closely behind the Nuggets for most of the season. Denver won 5-of-7 late in the season, while the Wolves dropped key games to Toronto, Boston and Washington over the past two weeks. They'll now face a scarier-looking Clippers team on Tuesday. They haven't faced since January, a blowout win for the Wolves, but the Clippers beat them in their first three meetings. Minnesota has won 15-of-22 since the break, ranking fifth in net rating (+6.1) and still boast the more prolific offense in the matchup. Don't rule them out. Anthony Edwards scored 49 points against San Antonio.
New Orleans (36-44): Would've loved to have faced a Lakers team they've dominated all year in the play-in. Instead, they'll face a rising Spurs squad that beat them three times this season. New Orleans only needs one win over its final two to host the game, but has only faced one difficult opponent in April, a 19-point loss against the Clippers. Still, they've won 13-of-21 since the break, owning the third-best net rating. They'll face San Antonio at 9:30 EST on Wednesday, likely in New Orleans.
New York (36-45): They had a rough year and all eyes will dart toward Julius Randle's future after a rough season entering his long-term extension filled with reported discontent. This roster needs changes for certain. The Kemba Walker and Derrick Rose back court flopped, as did the Evan Fournier signing, but this final week revealed an underbelly of youth the team can add to with the 11th-best lottery odds this spring. Obi Toppin, in particular, is catching fire in April with 23.5 PPG on 54.1% shooting over his last four games. Is Tom Thibodeau the best leader for a youth movement? Leon Rose and company reportedly will retain him.
Oklahoma City (24-57): Once again were just too good to fully tank, despite projections they'd be the worst team in the NBA this year. They can secure a split for top-three odds with a loss to the Clippers and a Pistons win over Philadelphia, but it's more likely they'll finish with a 12.5% chance at No. 1. Close enough. They're as intriguing as anyone this offseason, with three first-round picks, cap space and a core that looks ready to take a step.
Orlando (21-60): In control of top lottery odds as their season comes to a close. They have a 52.1% shot at staying in the top-four, and split a 14% chance at No. 1 with Detroit and Houston. The Magic enjoyed strides from Cole Anthony, Franz Wagner and Wendell Carter Jr. inside, and look forward to full training camps for Markelle Fultz and Jonathan Isaac next season, while Jalen Suggs has a chance to build on rookie struggles (36.1% FG). Orlando quietly played top-10 defense after the break in 21 games, the only net negative team in that group and impressive for a team that had lost its season. There's hope here.
Philadelphia (49-31): Can rise to No. 3 with two wins over the Pacers and Pistons, plus a Celtics loss in Memphis, but a bad loss in Toronto took them out of the running for the No. 2 seed. They can still fall to No. 5 if they lose out and the Raptors beat the Knicks, but the likeliest scenario appears to be Philadelphia hosting Toronto in round one. That's a trouble for a Sixers team playing unevenly late in the season and for now apparently unable to bring Matisse Thybulle north of the border due to his vaccination status. James Harden is now shooting 40% from the field in 20 games with Philadelphia, surpassing his Brooklyn struggles.
Phoenix (64-17): Perhaps making one last statement on their unmatched dominance over the league or chasing one of the best records in NBA history, the Suns came back down 17 early in the fourth quarter against the Jazz on Friday to stun them in a game Utah needed and Phoenix didn't. The Suns' defense held Utah to 3-for-20 shooting in the final frame, Mikal Bridges helping to lock up Donovan Mitchell and solidify his defensive player of the year case. Devin Booker, a late popular MVP name, scored 33 points. They await the play-in No. 8 seed.
Portland (27-54): One of the greatest second-half tanks we've seen in recent NBA history. They had a play-in tournament shot, 0.5 games behind New Orleans on the trade deadline (Feb. 10). Since, they're 5-20 playing unrecognizable starting lineups that allow them to lose by as many as 50 points in their last game against Dallas. The suffering ends against the Jazz, with one more loss possibly moving them into a tie if the Pacers can beat the Nets. Portland is more likely the sixth lottery team, with a 37.2% chance to move up and 9.0% chance at the No. 1 pick. They'll also acquire the Pelicans' pick if they lose the play-in tournament, unless it rises to 1-4 overall.
Sacramento (29-51): Close their 16th straight season (NBA record) outside of the playoffs at the Clippers and Suns, ahead of interesting inevitable changes coming this offseason. They went all-in on Domantas Sabonis and have two seasons to prove he's the guy. They've also invested heavily in De'Aaron Fox, who closed the season averaging 28.9 PPG and 6.8 APG on 50.3% shooting since Tyrese Haliburton departed. The talent is there, the question as always for the Kings is who'll lead them? Last week, interim coach Alvin Gentry said he hadn't met with GM Monte McNair to discuss his future.
San Antonio (34-46): Surprisingly lined up comfortably into a play-in tournament spot with a winnable game against New Orleans on Wednesday thanks to the Lakers' collapse. Gregg Popovich's squad has won 11-of-21 since the all-star break, posting a narrow +0.7 net rating. Dejounte Murray is leading the way, averaging 25.7 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 8.9 APG and 1.9 SPG on 47.6% shooting since his all-star appearance. Josh Richardson has helped as a shooter and defender, while Keldon Johnson and Lonnie Walker IV continue to grow.
They're a perfectly average team starting to trend in the right direction, with late first-rounders coming from Toronto and Boston this spring, they got the best of both worlds from this season.
Toronto (48-33): The most underrated team entering the NBA Playoffs, with a top-three (+7.7) net rating over their last 15 games as the likely No. 5 seed. They're good enough to beat the Celtics or 76ers, whoever falls to them, and could even secure home court over Philadelphia if the Sixers lose out. They've won 12-of-15, including a 119-114 win over the 76ers on Thursday. Generating 117 points per 100 possession recently without much shooting or passing, they're a head-on slashing group that plays physically and attacks the offensive boards. It's a scary matchup Boston wants to avoid. Though Toronto lacks the interior size to defend Joel Embiid straight up, they've found a way to succeed with length, traps and unpredictable coverages from head coach Nick Nurse.
Utah (48-33): It all seems to be coming to an end for the Jazz. They've lost 8-of-15, falling to 16th in defense over that stretch, and collapsed in a third straight fourth quarter to bring their deficit to -51 to close their last three defeats. Quin Snyder bristled at questions about Donovan Mitchell's 2.3 passes per game to Rudy Gobert, despite growing film of Mitchell looking off his center. They hold a tiebreaker over Denver and clinch No. 5 with a win at Utah, facing either Dallas or Golden State in the first round, with Danny Ainge likely already mulling major changes if they bow out early like it appears they may.
Washington (35-46): Finish their season at Charlotte ahead of an interesting offseason. They've already undergone a coaching change to Wes Unseld Jr., the roster overhauls, including one in-season this year, and now face a difficult task of signing Bradley Beal to one of the league's largest contracts alongside Kristaps Porzingis' already-massive deal and trying to build out a roster around them. Kyle Kuzma is definitively a building block, and with Beal approaching his 30s it's still a valid question whether both sides decide it's in their long-term interests to move on. Beal, inevitably, will try to secure his $235-million first. They own No. 10 lottery positioning, with a 13.9% chance of moving up.