Alex Speers

Well, Andrew, the top story this week was the Board of Governors meeting where a vote was approved to explore bids for expansion teams exclusively in Vegas and Seattle, moving the league one step closer to a 32 team league.

Commissioner Adam Silver, speaking after the meeting, spoke on a broad range of topics, including tanking.

Silver said that the owners, quote, seemed unanimous that a change was needed and that that change needed to take place prior to this year's draft and free agency.

No specifics were given, but Silver did say, quote, We're going to fix it full stop.

Now, whatever changes the league makes are likely to have

unintended consequences similar to what we are seeing now with the 65 game rule for postseason awards the players association called for the 65 game rule to be abolished this week though adam silver did not sound like a change was coming saying quote i think it's working the focus of the players association's ire was kade cunningham who played 61 games almost 2100 minutes but will likely miss the 65 game cutoff if he does not return soon many have pointed out how taking into account minutes played could potentially help these borderline cases

Take, for example, Tyrese Maxey, who has only played 61 games, but has played over 2,300 minutes.

That's more than 600 minutes than Victor Wimbinyama, as an example.

But Maxey will not be eligible for All-NBA if he does not play four more games.

Speaking of the Sixers...

They finally got some good news this week.

Both Joel Embiid, out for the last month with an oblique strain, and Paul George, out for the last 25 games due to suspension, came back in a dominant win over the Bulls.

Both players look great.

Embiid put up 35-6-7 in 28 minutes, while Paul George put up 28-6-4 with four steals in only 26 minutes.

They should rest these guys all the time, Andrew.

They're so good when they come back.

The last piece of the puzzle will be Maxie, who is scheduled to be reevaluated at the end of March, which is this upcoming weekend.

Now, the win against the Bulls has temporarily brought the Sixers up to the seventh seed, only a game back of the five-seed Hawks,

who have now won 14 of their last 15.

Five of the last games of the season for the Hawks, however, are against the top four seeds in the East, which may make it difficult to hang on to that five seed.