Picks 'n Pops: Thresholds, Gators, and the worst basketball execution ever

Every week I gather some thoughts about the Celtics, the NBA, and beyond and dump them here. Because I got confused, sold low, and then bought high.

- Jaylen Brown is sitting out tonight’s game vs. Charlotte, which means he’ll miss the 65-game threshold for postseason awards. This means one of the following is true: 

1. He was telling the truth all along and this never was about postseason awards. 
2. He realized he wasn’t getting any buzz for All-NBA and bailed on the plan. 
3. He was hurting himself going for the 65 games and he had to make a choice. 

My take? I think it’s actually a combination of 2 and 3. He played 20 minutes against the Knicks and didn’t play down the stretch, so I don’t think the 65-game thing was a non-factor. He also looked terrible against New York, and his recent play probably knocked him out of whatever possibility he was going for. 

The important thing for him is that now he can say #1 was always true and that any suggestion of 2 and 3 is a media concoction blah blah blah. 

I’m just glad he’s sitting. And while I understand that this might sound like I’m picking on Brown, it’s quite the opposite. He’s too important to be messing around with this. 

If the Celtics were in the Western Conference fighting for seeding that mattered, then I’d praise him for gutting it out trying to help the team. But the Celtics have been locked into second for a while now and these past couple of weeks haven't mattered much. It felt too much like going for personal gain, which I do, actually, understand. 

Now he can rest and start whatever plan he has in place for the playoffs. For his sake, I hope he can play well and that Boston doesn’t suffer in the playoffs because of his knee. 

- I refuse to learn how a dunk score is calculated out of principle. 

- The Indiana Pacers still have a chance at the third seed. I'm not thrilled about the prospect of an Orlando/Indianapolis/Cleveland/Oklahoma City run to a championship. I’d like to avoid the tour of American Mediocrity if possible. 

Seriously, though, Atlanta and New York is the easier playoff run for Boston. That's what you should be hoping for. 

- Luka Doncic’s return to Dallas was everything Nico Harrison wished it wasn’t. 

This will go down as one of the worst trades in NBA history, and I’m not even opposed to the idea of moving Doncic. They way they did it reeks of someone overthinking things and trying to be smarter than he really is.

- Speaking of getting cute, the Nuggets firing Michael Malone just before the playoffs hoping to get a dead cat bounce speaks volumes about what that team has become. I don’t know that a new coach can repair a locker room that has grown that disinterested. And frankly, if it does, then those players should be demolished on the debate shows. 

- I’m not trying to start anything here, but if Nikola Jokic were to happen to want out of Denver because of all this, every other team in the NBA should be asking about him. EVERY team. 

- LeBron James has a Barbie Doll now. He’s the first male sports figure to get one.

- The 65-game threshold thing has to be revisited. I’m not sure it’s getting the intended effect. It’s not encouraging guys to play more during the regular season as much as it is forcing guys to scramble at the end to get the required games. 

- Ja Morant insists on doing a hand grenade celebration now instead of the finger guns which got him fined. While I can appreciate calling attention to being fined for something silly like a celebratory gesture that isn’t all that uncommon, the league has clearly said it’s out of bounds now. All he’s doing is drawing more attention to himself and taking it away from his team. 

It’s stuff like this that makes me appreciate the “boring” Celtics. The last thing I’d want to be writing this week is a column about Jayson Tatum being fined for a celebration he refuses to stop doing. That sounds awful to me.

- Cade Cunningham is that dude in Detroit. I’m happy to see how he’s maturing. His game last night against the Knicks was beautiful. He was in complete control in the second half. 

- I’m actively avoiding watching the Jaylen Wells fall. People are calling it one of the worst they’ve seen, and even though he’s moving and got out of it with only … “only” … a broken wrist, I don’t need to see a guy almost get paralyzed in a freak accident. I’m just happy he’s alright. 

- I appreciate Derrick White throwing out the first pitch yesterday from the rubber. 

Now let’s work on getting some heat on that pitch. At least he didn’t bounce it. 

- I applaud Jarren Duran’s courage in sharing his story of attempted suicide.

People treat athletes like robots, thinking they never get tired and don’t have feelings. The truth is they are humans with one particular set of exceptional skills, for which they get paid a lot of money. Neither those skills, nor the money, insulate them from the same mental health issues that can plague so many of us on a daily basis. 

Athletes are human beings. And why they understand that media and fan scrutiny is part of the deal, we have to understand that part of the deal is treating them like human beings. If someone can’t look at another human and treat him or her with the same dignity and respect as they expect themselves, then it’s time to look inward and become a better person. 

That doesn’t mean don’t be a fan. Again, these guys get the deal. They know they’ll get booed and cheered. They know talking heads will break down slumps and mistakes. They are prepared for all that. But going beyond that because you paid for a ticket or a cable package is too much. 

Duran’s admission is courageous, and I hope it spurs others who feel similarly to do the same. I have been open about my battles with depression. Therapy has helped me a great deal, but it can still be a struggle sometimes. No one should ever feel shame in admitting that. I think Duran’s story can save lives. 

- Congrats to the Hall of Fame class of 2025. Carmelo Anthony and Dwight Howard are the headliners, but the rest of the class is pretty good too: Sue Bird, Maya Moore and Sylvia Fowles, from the WNBA, and Billy Donovan as a coach are among the group. It was pretty cool that Donovan, who won two titles at Florida with Al Horford, got in as Florida was winning again. 

Also, I’m an unabashed Sue Bird fan. She’s one of my all-time favorite basketball players. I spend my whole professional life around the biggest stars in the game, but I might get a little starstruck if I ever meet her. 

- Horford getting to do his Gator celebration tonight is going to hit different. I wonder if he embellishes it some after the National Championship. 

- The end of the Florida-Houston game was some of the worst execution you’ll see on a basketball court. Down two with :45 left and you don’t have a plan for a two-for-one? How did Houston not have quick-hitter plays in their playbook? 

To me, this highlights how much better NBA basketball is. When people say they like college basketball better, they are saying they prefer a bunch of guys running around fast to a bunch of guys actually making baskets. I’m sorry, but the college product is not good. They just try hard and that masks a lot. 

- Al got to go see his alma mater win a championship and celebrate with his son. Now he has bragging rights in the locker room, which I’m sure he’s been taking advantage of already. So of course Al is having he Best Week Ever!

- This week’s AI-created image: Spring is here, which means the playoffs are almost here, which means it’s time to celebrate the one thing we’ve been waiting for for eight months. 

AI doesn’t seem to care about retired numbers. 

- Here’s my latest podcast, if you’re bored.