Two ends of the Luck Spectrum car crashed into each other yesterday. For fans, May 12th was a referendum on processing events beyond our control.

Jayson Tatum - kept me up last night, and had me questioning anything and everything in my medical background (none) about injury prevention. Tatum most likely has an achilles tear. Could it be a calf strain? Sure. No one thinks it is. An achilles tear at this point puts Boston’s title dreams to rest for this season and next. Remember, Boston has new ownership, who paid an exorbitant sum, and is likely to face a roster crunch this summer. How much can the team invest if it’s highest priced star isn’t on the court. Tatum’s injury on a night when he was torching the Knicks is one of the most unfair strokes of luck we’ve seen.

In the wee hours, the KMARK brain was scrambling for answers. Tatum couldn’t escape a soft tissue no different than what’s befallen other stars (Lillard, Steph) during this year’s playoffs. Guys are playing radical minutes night after night. What’s the obvious solution? Rest between games. Recovery time. What’s the solution in America? Pharmaceuticals. Will the league (and MLB/NFL/NHL) pursue more controlled steroid use if it can convince fans drugs can be used for injury prevention? Barry Bonds is one manifestation of steroids. Kevin Durant (who also tore an achilles) is the exact opposite. Will leagues turn to more advanced drugs for tissue repair to prevent hamstrings (Steph) and achilles (Tatum) from blowing out? Maybe KMARK should’ve just went to sleep early.

Knicks - were somehow going to win again regardless of Tatum’s injury. Two days ago, I was so, so disappointed in the Eastern Conference. Two stacked rosters (Cavs, Celtics) were cratering, but it seemed like the Celts had another window to the finals. Now, we should celebrate a likely Knicks/Pacers (90’s throwback) conference finals. The East will have a finals representative that isn’t the Heat or Boston. The NBA will have yet another Finals winner that isn’t a back to back winner.

Giannis - me and all my Sports Writer friends were right. Giannis announces through his representation that’s he open to a trade. This needs airspace, but it’ll have to wait. The goddamn Mavs stole the show last night.

Poop for Coop. The team building mantra for tanking teams goes entirely up in smoke as the 1% Mavs steal the lottery. Do we ever root for lottery winners in life? We don’t. Win the lottery. Lose my number. Win the lottery immediately after trading a generational superstar, trashing him on the way out the door, and watching your fans revolt, lose my number twice.

Organizations are supposed to have disciplined, informed plans for success. They tell us there’s a plan. Needing radical amounts of good fortune isn’t supposed to be included in the Meritocracy of Winning. For Mavs fans, enjoy it. For Nico Harrison, your job is saved. Did the Mavs need to show any humility yesterday? No. They just get to celebrate the moment. The rest of us can feel bitter. The bitterness comes from one the luckiest nights an organization can experience. It’s multiplied because the same organization torpedoed any rational team building plan a GM can make three months ago. Giannis is getting traded this summer. When you calculate the package he commands, remember that Luka would’ve commanded the same (or more). Nico never shopped Luka around the league. Anthony Davis and change will be scraps compared to what the Bucks receive for Giannis.

For the Jazz, Wizards, and Hornets, yesterday was a disaster. How’s your plan going? Trash. Absolute Trash. KMARK is coming for you tomorrow.