RealGM Basketball Wiretap

16 April 2024

• NBA Playoffs 2024: Western Conference First Round Matchups

  The Western Conference seeds are set following the end of regular season on Sunday. The first round begins on Saturday, April 20th.

  First Round Matchups

  • No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No. 8 (Pelicans, Lakers, Kingsor Warriors)

  • No. 2 Denver Nuggets vs. No. 7 (Pelicans or Lakers)

  • No. 3 Minnesota Timberwolves vs. No. 6 Phoenix Suns

  • No. 4 LA Clippers vs. No. 5 Dallas Mavericks

  Play-In

  • No. 7 New Orleans Pelicans vs. No. 8 Los Angeles Lakers

  • No. 9 Sacramento Kings vs. No. 10 Golden State Warriors

• Clippers Signing Kai Jones; Waiving Josh Primo

  The LA Clippers are doing some roster shuffling ahead of the end of the regular season. LA is signing big man Kai Jones to a multi-year deal. To create the roster spot for Jones, the Clippers will waive Josh Primo. Jones will be eligible to play in the 2024 NBA Playoffs for LA.

  Jones was waived ahead of the start of the season by the Charlotte Hornets. The 6-foot-11 forward/center signed a 10-day deal with the Philadelphia 76ers in March, but did not appear in an NBA game. Jones did appear in two G League games, and averaged 11 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 2.5 steals and a block per game.

  Primo appeared in two NBA games for the Clippers this season. He also played in 35 G League games before suffering a season-ending ankle injury in late March.

• Sixers Will Make Paul George 'Top Target' In Offseason

  The Philadelphia 76ers are expected to make Paul George their "top target" during the 2024 offseason if he declines his $48.8 million option with the Los Angeles Clippers.

  George was widely expected to sign a contract extension with the Clippers following the three-year, $152.4 million deal signed by Kawhi Leonard in January.

  The Sixers only have Joel Embiid and Paul Reed under contract next season, while Tyrese Maxey will be a restricted free agent with a small cap hold. The Sixers could create close to $65 million in cap space, which would be more than enough to sign George to his max.

• Clippers To Play Mavs In First Round Of Playoffs

  The Los Angeles Clippers will play the Dallas Mavericks in No. 4 seed versus No. 5 seed matchup in the Western Conference playoffs.

  The No. 4 seed in the matchup is still up for grabs.

  The Bulls will play the Hawks in the Eastern Conference play-in game next week.

• Nuggets-Clippers Averages 1.47M Viewers Across TNT, truTV

  Thursday night's matchup between the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Clippers averaged 1.47 million viewers across TNT and truTV, up from last year's Nuggets-Suns matchup (1.1 million viewers).

  The Kings and Knicks lead into the game with 1.13 million viewers.

  The NIT title matchup between Seton Hall and Indiana State averaged 1.41 million viewers on ESPN.

• Kawhi Leonard Out For Tuesday With Left Knee Soreness, Returns To Los Angeles For Treatment

  Kawhi Leonard will miss Tuesday's game at the Sacramento Kings with left knee soreness.

  Leonard began feeling sore after the Los Angeles Clippers most recent game. Leonard returned to Los Angeles for treatment.

  The Clippers are hopeful Leonard can play in Thursday's game against the Denver Nuggets.

  Norm Powell will start for the Clippers in place of Leonard.

• Suns-Nuggets Averages 1.4M Viewers On ESPN

  Wednesday night's matchup between the Phoenix Suns and Denver Nuggets averaged 1.44 million viewers on ESPN.

  That number is down 2% from last year's equivalent window.

  The Clippers and Sixers game earlier in the night averaged 1.23 million viewers.

  Tuesday night's matchup between the Lakers and Bucks averaged 1.43 million viewers on TNT.

• Ty Lue On Clippers Identity Right Now: I Think We're Soft

  The Los Angeles Clippers are struggling at the moment. The Clippers have slipped to fifth in the Western Conference, behind the surging New Orleans Pelicans.

  That has the team questioning their identity.

  "We gotta find our identity," James Harden said. "Teams are scoring easy on us. Makes it difficult to score offensively.

  "It's a little frustrating... I think we're all trying to figure out what the hell is going on."

  Ty Lue had a more pointed observation of his team's identity at the moment.

  "So identity for us, it's got to be toughness," Lue said. "Which means physicality, mental and physical toughness, a high-powered offense -- we can score in a lot of different ways -- and we got to have a defensive mindset.

  "And so right now, do we have an identity? I think, yeah, we're soft."

• RealGM Radio: Mo Dakhil On The Season So Far (Mar 2024)

  Host Danny Leroux and Mo Dakhil of The Athletic and Bleacher Report talk about the NBA season so far.

  They discuss the wild Western conference playoff picture, properly evaluating success, team-building and much more.

  Subscribe to RealGM Radio on Apple Podcasts or via the RSS feed.

• Russell Westbrook To Return From Fractured Hand Next Week

  Russell Westbrook is expected to return from his fractured left hand next week.

  Monday's game against the Pacers will mark three weeks from when Westbrook underwent surgery to repair a fractured left hand he suffered March 1 against Washington.

  The Clippers entered Friday's game with a 5-5 record since Westbrook's injury.