Conventional wisdom says he who controls the No. 1 seed in the NBA’s salty Western Conference controls his postseason destiny, right?

Since 1990, a span of 35 NBA Finals, the Wild West has been repped by the top seed 18 different times — most recently in 2023, when a certain Denver team with a pretty good center from Serbia wound up winning the whole thing.

On the other hand, the kids up in the Grading The Week offices are still having a hard time shaking the postseason memories from this past spring out of our collective noggins. And that goes double for May 2019, when it felt as if CJ McCollum, then with Portland, turned up at Ball Arena and couldn’t miss.

We also can’t help wondering if Kentavious Caldwell-Pope might be onto something.

In case you missed it, the former Nuggets guard appeared on Draymond Green’s podcast this past Wednesday and made no bones about why the defending NBA champs spent so much time looking as if they were sleepwalking against the Lakers and Timberwolves: They were, in fact, pooped.

“I feel like that’s where we spent most of our energy and time, trying to get that first-place (seeding),” KCP, who recently signed a free-agent deal with the Orlando Magic, told Green. “We get to the playoffs, we had no gas. We felt like the Lakers should’ve beat us, we (were) down every game.”

Nuggets pushing too hard for a 1 seed — C.

Now coach Michael Malone almost immediately admitted that he’d pushed the pedal to the metal and rode his stars in April to clinch the top seed, and home court, throughout the Western Conference bracket.

In Malone’s defense, as we noted, the No. 1 seed in the West has reached the NBA Finals since 1990 more than the other seven seeds combined. Plus, the atmosphere and altitude at Ball Arena are traditionally a challenge for opposing teams’ collective lungs and eardrums. The Sixth Man at 5,280 feet rarely fails.

Although “rarely” doesn’t mean “never.” And the last decade of postseason play has started to knock conventional wisdom squarely on its backside.

The bottom-line argument for owning a home-court advantage is being able to play that card in Game 7, to settle a nasty series within friendly confines. Yet since the start of the 2016-17 season, we’ve had 21 non-pandemic Game 7s in the NBA Playoffs. The home teams are 9-12 in those win-or-go-fishing showdowns.

And since the start of the 2021-22 campaign, there’ve been 12 postseason Game 7s. The home team’s gone 4-8. Over the last decade, the Nuggets are 1-2 all-time as Game 7 hosts at Ball Arena/Pepsi Center. It’s enough to make you wonder if fresh legs, come mid-May, are a better arrow to have in your quiver than familiar fiefdoms.

Leaner Javonte Williams — A-minus.

Full disclosure: Team GTW has always had a soft spot for the Broncos’ big No. 33. So hats off to Williams for admitting recently that he’s gotten a little less big and has fewer, you know, soft spots around the belly.

While Williams credits his coach with the suggestion he slim down to his current fighting weight of 221 pounds, we’ll bet you a Snickers bar, given what we’ve learned of Sean Payton’s (cough) subtlety (cough) when it comes to criticism, that even a little constructive fat-shaming didn’t feel great. But if it gives Broncos Country more runs like the one Williams famously pulled off against Baltimore — we counted four Ravens missed tackles, and at least three defenders carried — in October 2021, we’ll all raise a toast (of water) to no snacks after 7 p.m.

Takis — F.

Mind you, the GTW crew is also pretty sure Williams’ agent groaned when his client cited the specific snack brand — Takis — that helped contribute to the running back’s weight gain. Pro athlete rule No. 712: Never throw a company that might hand you a sweet endorsement deal under the nearest bus, even if said company peddles junk food. Points to Javonte for speaking truths, though, especially if it means more snaps for him and more Habanero Fury Kettlez — this is a real Takis chip, we swear — for the rest of us.

Originally Published: July 27, 2024 at 10:43 a.m.

SEATTLE – Seattle police are now investigating a shooting in the Yesler Terrace neighborhood that left one man dead Saturday morning.

Officers say they arrived to reports of a shooting at East Spruce Street and Broadway just before 12:30 a.m. on July 27. There, they found one man shot multiple times and provided immediate medical care until Seattle Fire could take over. However, the man died of his injuries.

As of 10 a.m. Saturday, police do not know the circumstances of the shooting and ask the public for help.

If anyone has information about this incident, please call SPD Violent Crimes Tip Line at (206) 233-5000 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.

MORE FOX 13 SEATTLE NEWS:

Shooting at Pioneer Square art party leaves man dead

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Lululemon larceny: WA authorities bust major theft ring, ‘fence’ arrested

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The San Diego Padres rallied in the ninth inning to beat the Baltimore Orioles, getting a two-run home run from Jurickson Profar against their own former closer (Craig Kimbrel) to pull out a 6-4 victory.

Here’s all the news you might have missed Friday:

With the MLB trade deadline fast approaching and the Padres riding a five-game winning streak, San Diego is in a solid position to clinch a National League Wild Card spot. Are major moves in store, or merely some fine-tuning transactions?

As the MLB trade deadline looms, the Padres are evaluating their options with caution. With their top four prospects deemed nearly untouchable, any potential deals must be carefully considered. Which prospects are most likely to be involved in trade discussions?

Garrett Crochet has become a focal point in trade talks as the MLB trade deadline approaches. His demand for a contract extension if traded could impact a potential move to the Padres — or anywhere.

Experience the thrill of Padres’ pitcher Dylan Cease’s no-hitter, a moment made even more special by rookie outfielder Jackson Merrill’s game-saving catch.

Following Dylan Cease’s no-hitter Thursday, the Padres shared a moment of collective joy and celebration on their team bus. This rare look at a behind-the-scenes moment highlights the team’s camaraderie and shared sense of success.