QUARANTITLE - 7/30

1. Jazz (106) vs Pelicans (104)

• Rudy Gobert's Story Arch - After being at the epicenter (literally) of the NBA season's suspension in March, Jazz center Rudy Gobert headlined the season's resumption 140 days later. In true storybook fashion, Gobert scored the game's first and last points, the latter of which being two clutch free throws that would win the game for Utah. I love when sports reach that magical "You couldn't write this" echelon. Moments like these almost seem too fantastical to be true (i.e. Kobe or Jeter's last game). While Gobert's moment in the spotlight doesn't come near the level of insanity as those two examples, it did set up and pay off a complete storyline in a way that a large amount of fictional stories don't. Rudy was wrongly vilified by fans for being the first NBA player to contract COVID-19 and his redemption couldn't have been sweeter.

• #14 Looked Unstoppable at Times - Brandon Ingram, affectionately known as #14 to Kevin Durant, had some superstar flashes throughout the game tonight. While somewhat inefficient as a whole, Ingram knocked down incredibly hard shots in brief sequences when the Pelicans were in stride. Durant's protégé, Ingram, is showing no signs of rust as he continues to improve on his breakout Year 4.

• Jordan Clarkson is an Irrational Confidence Guy - In the vein of Eddie House, Jason Terry, and other offensive-minded players off the bench, Jordan Clarkson put up a team-high 23 points in Utah's win against New Orleans. I'm not sure if the man behind the 'Irrational Confidence Guy', Bill Simmons, has acknowledged Clarkson's abilities yet. He should.

• Zion's Play Should Solidify Ja as ROTY - As if Zion's case for ROTY couldn't be any worse, the rookie logged just 15 minutes in a 2 point loss to a surefire playoff team. The driving force behind Ja's ROTY push was his ability to elevate Memphis into a playoff team instantly without any new acquisitions or significant improvements from them. We've seen this exact Grizzlies team without Ja and it's ugly. Take him out of the equation and they're stuck at the top of the lottery for the 3rd year in a row. Alternatively, the addition of Zion to the Pelicans only improved a team already headed for success. He'll never be the alpha on a team with Brandon Ingram and eliminating him altogether would only marginally effect the team. Not only is Ja your ROTY, he's the best player to come out of the 2019 Draft.

2. Lakers (103) vs Clippers (101)

• LeBron's Beard - Just off the top, what is the point of coloring your beard after the entire world has seen its natural look? What is he trying to accomplish with that? Superstition? Extreme insecurities? LeBron's gray beard was well documented by nearly every media outlet there is. Why show it then just to hide it now?

• Kawhi is Still The Best Player in the League - Yeah, I said it. Kawhi Leonard has been the best player in the NBA since the 2016-17 season. This take is based purely on my own eye test. I'm never more confident in an athlete than I am in Kawhi, usually in a negative way. I just assume he'll score anytime he touches the ball and it surprises me when he doesn't. His missed game winner vs Memphis will forever be my largest reaction to a game's outcome for that reason. I just couldn't believe that he didn't go full T-1000 and finish off that fun Grizzlies squad. He ended up doing that in Game 5 and 6, but we don't talk about that. All that to say, Kawhi showed no signs of rust tonight. The only reason I'm not picking the Clippers to win the Quarantitle is addressed in the point below.

• Laker Supporting Cast Will Win the Quarantitle - Despite everything in my bones wanting to hate the Lakers, I can't. There's just something so fun and energetic about the 2nd tier guys around LeBron and AD. From Dwight's career resurgence to the gunslinger antics of JR Smith, Dion Waiters, and KCP, it's hard not to enjoy the motley crew of ballers that Rob Pelinka put together. I'll never get tired of watching an Alex Caruso hustle play or Kyle Kuzma running an unsuccessful fastbreak (an ineffective Irrational Confidence Guy). Entertainment value aside, this unit excels defensively and is built perfectly to compliment the LBJ-AD connection. They're the X factor that Milwaukee won't have. Lakers in 6.

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