Co-Written by Spencer Wood and Grayson Obey

The Playoffs Are Here!

Welcome everyone to the greatest postseason in sports: the NBA Playoffs! We’ve had plenty of excitement as we’ve finished up the Play-In Tournament and the 1st game of each 1st round playoff series. Today we’ll break down the winners of the Play-In, who is competing in the playoffs, exciting team and player matchups, and more. Ball-Knowers, strap in and get ready for the breakdown.

Results from the Play-In Tournament

With the conclusion of the Play-In, the results are in… and as expected, the 7 & 8 seeds in both conferences move on. In the West, the Lakers held on the the 7 seed after their victory against Minnesota, who then secured their own 8 seed by defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder in what was a great resurgence game for Rudy Gobert, who was fresh off his suspension for punching teammate Kyle Anderson. In the East, the Atlanta Hawks shocked some with their win over the Miami Heat to secure the 7 seed, and Miami went forward with their tough-fought victory over the Chicago Bulls.

For the Love of Philly

What a game. Several storylines at play for the powerhouse 76ers and the upstart Nets, now led by superstar in the making, Mikal Bridges. This game was Philly from start to finish, but that can’t diminish some of the bright lights that now call Brooklyn home. While the experienced 76ers will likely strong-arm the Nets through the series, what shined in this game was their historic night from 3. They hit 21 of 48 long balls to punish Brooklyn on the perimeter, a number that is even more impressive when you learn that it is a franchise-high for Philadelphia. This volume of shot taking should surprise no-one, as many open shots are created by MVP-hopeful big man Joel Embiid, who drew 2-3 defenders as soon as the ball was put in his hands, leaving Philly snipers unguarded outside of the key. Outscored by 24 points from 3, Brooklyn was put into a chokehold early, and had to play catch-up basketball for much of the contest. The problem for Brooklyn going forward? How they’re going to try and plug either the volume of shots on the perimeter, or how they’re going to try and stop Embiid, who can give you 40 on any given night. Combined with winning the defensive battle (Philly had 11 more steals), the rebound battle, the assist battle, and having 11 less turnovers, Philly was able to capitalize on almost every facet of the game.

“I mean, he’s the MVP. So it’s like, would you rather him score 40, or live with us making shots? We’ll be ready either way.” 

James Harden when asked about Joel’s impact on the game

On Brooklyn’s side, Mikal Bridges stands tall when the lights shine the brightest. With 30 points (game high) in 34 minutes, Mikal had his hand in every aspect of the game from the start of the game to the end. A great young two-way player, he’ll be the one to watch if Brooklyn has any chance of pulling themselves into contention this series. Aided by Cameron Johnson, who had a solid 18 point outing, they battled and battered Philly as much as they could. It seems their plan is to try and force role-players to beat them, which was evident by their coverage of Joel Embiid. For any chance at actually winning the series, Brooklyn’s own role-players need to have a resurgence, as outside of Bridges and Johnson, it was a quiet night for the rest of the Brooklyn Nets.

Looking at Brooklyn, they have Mikal Bridges (30, 5, 1) and Cameron Johnson (18, 4, 2) to thank for most of their chances to stay competitive in the contest. It was a disappointing night for sharpshooter Joe Harris, who only managed 3 points in 14 minutes, and was unable to stay in front of his man on the other end. His playoff woes continue from previous seasons with Brooklyn, who have had concerns about his ability to perform in the postseason.

Philadelphia, on the other hand, was red hot all game, thanks to the whole team’s participation in the shoot-out. Joel Embiid (26, 5, 3), James Harden (24, 3 ,14), and Tobias Harris (21, 4, 4) are the big names of the night, but much can be attributed to the rest of the team, who have played great defense and shown good accuracy from behind the arc. An unsung hero is Harden’s passing, and whose 14 assists resulted in big points for the league assist-leader’s team.

While the series is still young, it isn’t unreasonable to see how Philly can run away with this. While they can’t depend on their strategy to work forever, it seems more than adequate for this matchup. 76ers in 5. – SW

Image from KTIV

It’s Up to You New York, New York

What a game? What a series this will be! The Knicks stole game 1 in Cleveland to start what should be a great 4-5 matchup in the East. New York pulled ahead late in the 1st quarter thanks in part to big buckets from newly acquired wing Josh Hart. They held the lead and weathered the surge from the Cavs through the 3rd quarter, who tied the game several times, but were held back by timely Knick buckets, who continued to share the wealth. In the 4th, star guards Donovan Mitchell and Jalen Brunson traded buckets, but eventually Cleveland’s late run was stymied again by the heroic shooting of Hart and Brunson.

Concerns about Julius Randle’s ankle, which has held him out since March 29th, were quickly quieted. In his return, he logged 34 minutes and came up with the offensive rebound with less than 10 seconds remaining to seal the win for New York. His shot struggled in return from his absence, with shooting splits of 35/30/50, but his ability to outwill and outmuscle Evan Mobley and the Cavs in the big moments for rebounds was vital to the Knicks success. The Knicks still face injury concerns, however, that will affect their ability to compete in the series. Josh Hart rolled his ankle in the 4th, and returned to play after the subsequent timeout, and his health moving forward should be noted. Hart shot an efficient 17 points on 8/11 from the field with only one 3 and no free throws. He also pulled down 10 boards (5 offensive!) and excelled on defense, and his overall awareness felt vital to the Knicks win in Game 1. Him having to miss any time for injury will greatly affect this series.

Cleveland showed that through Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell’s playmaking and shotmaking, and Jarett Allens presence around the rim, they are still capable of hanging with any team. Where they struggled was their wing-play, with Isaac Okoro and Caris Levert shooting just 2-13 from the field, and both failing to connect from 3. Their young star, Evan Mobley also struggled shooting (4-13), and struggled to match the physicality of Julius Randle around the rim. The Cavs ability to rebound versus the Knicks will play an important role in the outcome, and they’ll need to do it on the backs of Allen and Mobley, as well as the rest of the team. The Knicks won the rebounding battle in Game 1, 51-38, and did so as a team. Only 4 Cavs (Allen – 14 , Mobley – 11, Mitchell – 5, Okoro – 3), had more than 3 rebounds, compared to the Knicks, who had 7 of 8 in the rotation reach this number, 6’1” Brunson being the only exception.

In the end, I think this series comes down to a battle between Donovan Mitchell and Jalen Brunson, who have both shown they are capable of clutch play under the brightest lights. I think Mitchell is capable of stealing a game in the Garden, and I have a feeling that some of the Cavs shooting woes won’t continue. Cavs in 7. – GO

Photo from SBNation

One Beam to Rule Them All

Light. The. Beam. In a game against the most experienced team in the playoffs, newcomer De’Aaron Fox showed his greatness, and earned the Sacramento Kings their first playoff win since 2006. This game was neck-in-neck the entire stretch, with Golden State controlling most of the 3rd quarter, leading by as much as 10. The Kings battled back, with De’Aaron Fox making the first 3 pointer for the Kings starters with just 1:09 left in the 3rd. A Malik Monk layup gave the Kings the lead to end the quarter, and from there, Fourth Quarter Fox took it home. De’Aaron had 15 points and 3 assists in the 4th Quarter, and allowed the Kings to hold off the deadly Warriors. This should be a phenomenal series between neighboring California teams moving forward.

Beyond De’Aaron Fox’s 38 points on 13-27 and 4-8 from 3, the Kings’ starters struggled immensely. The 4 other starters combined for just 14-45 from the field, and 1-12 from 3. The bench was the story to the Kings scoring punch, with Trey Lyles knocking down 4 of 6 3’s, and Malik Monk’s 32 on 61/50/100 splits. They also saw big minutes from Davion Mitchell, who played pesky defense on the Warriors outside shooters, and Alex Len. Len didn’t see consistent minutes with the Kings until the end of March, but his presence around the rim made it more difficult for the Warriors to play small, making 2 dunks and collecting 7 boards. Despite the unlikely shooting performance from Lyles, the fact that the Kings pulled out the win despite Domanis Sabonis and Kevin Huerter struggles shooting in Game 1 should raise concern for the Warriors moving forward.

A Game 1 loss should be no reason to sound the alarm for the Warriors, though. Andrew Wiggins made his long awaited return, and seemed to gain his stride as the game progressed, finishing with 17 points, 3 rebounds and 4 blocks. Gary Payton II stifled some of the Kings terrific guard play, and the Warriors were in a position to tie the game on a last second shot from Steph Curry. Their experience in this environment should allow them to continue to tightly battle the Kings in each game. How Draymond Green is able to slow Sabonis, and Wiggins continuing to hit his stride feel like the keys to success in this series against the Kings

This one feels like a tossup, and the heroics of Steph Curry and De’Aaron Fox will likely determine the outcome to several games in this series. The Warriors need to find ways to win on the road to get this done. No matter what I say here, I don’t feel confident in it, but I’ve got Kings in 7. – GO

Photo from FOX Sports

Lakers’ Surprising Stars Shine in Win over Memphis

An emotional battle from start to finish, and several storylines emerged from 48 minutes of action. If there is one thing that nobody in this great game wants to see, it’s an injury, particularly for a star player, and in Memphis’s case, your team leader. Unfortunately, that is the storyline that looms over this fateful game 1, as we are still uncertain what Ja Morant’s status is. After a failed poster attempt on Anthony Davis, Ja fell to the ground and immediately was grabbing at his hand in pain. The suggestion of possibly continuing the series in game 2 was brought to Morant, and he did not seem as though he thought it a possibility.

“I’m in a good bit of pain,” Morant said, via the Associated Press. “My main focus was to be out there for my guys. Another incident where, you know, that’s pretty much in jeopardy.”

– Ja Morant, via AP

A terrible blow for the young Grizzlies, they will await Ja’s decision on his availability. This injury bug almost shocked the Lakers as well, as Anthony Davis was taken to the locker room before the end of the first half, visibly seen mouthing, “I can’t feel my arm” to the team trainers who rushed to help him. Luckily, Davis was diagnosed with a stinger and trotted out to finish the contest, much to the relief of Lakers fans watching everywhere.

For the rest of the Grizz, they has some solid outings from their stars. Desmond Bane (22, 5, 6) Jaren Jackson Jr. (31, 5, 4), and Morant (18, 6, 2) all had great outings on the night, prior to the injury in the second half. With Morant out, we’ll likely see an increase in production from Tyus Jones, who will likely replace him. In a gritty battle, the Grizzlies were unable to hold on to a lead after their star exited the game, and will be looking down the bench for answers as they take on LA later this week.

For the Lakers, we had the usual combo of LeBron James (21, 11, 5) and Davis (22, 12, 3) have good games, however, the light shined brightest on some others on the roster. D’Angelo Russell (19, 4, 7), Austin Reaves (23, 3, 4), and Rui Hachimura (29, 6, 1). This help and production from team role-players is exactly what this team was lacking in the past, and the Lakers are starting to look like one of the best teams in basketball after their trade deadline acquisitions. While we cannot expect this level of production from these players night in and night out, we can look to some others on the roster, such as Malik Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Dennis Schroder to have sparks as the series goes on. With that said, and with the uncertainty of Ja’s availability, I have the Lakers in 4. -SW

Image from NBA.com

Miami White-Hot in Upset over Giannis-Less Bucks

Unfortunately, injuries in this game will be the biggest part of the story. Giannis Antetokounmpo landed hard on his back late in the 1st Quarter, and appeared to be in serious pain. He returned briefly in the 2nd Quarter, but was unable to continue the game. Things didn’t look great for the Heat either, as Tyler Herro suffered a broken hand diving for a loose ball late in the 2nd Quarter. Ultimately, the Bucks weren’t able to pull the game out without their star and the red hot 3 point shooting of the Miami Heat.

Jimmy Butler returned to his regular playoff form, playing 43 minutes, and finishing with 35 points, 5 rebounds, 11 assists and 3 steals. Additionally, after struggling in the first 2 play-in games, Bam Adebayo played strong as well, with 22 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists and 2 steals. Despite losing Tyler Herro’s 3 point shooting early in the game for the remainder of the playoffs, the Heat continued to shoot well across the board and finished the game shooting 60% from 3. If they can continue to shoot well, Miami showed they are capable of stretching out this series.

Bucks fans can breathe a sigh of relief regarding Giannis’ bad fall in the 1st. X-Rays have already come back negative, and there’s optimism he will return for Game 2. Some of the rust was apparent for the veteran Bucks, who rested their starters down the stretch and haven’t played meaningful basketball in roughly 2 weeks.

Without Herro, I think it will be very difficult for the Heat to beat out the first-seeded Bucks unless they continue to shoot lights out from 3. I think Milwaukee will regain their stride, and take this series. Bucks in 6. -GO

Image from Milwaukee State Sentinel

Nuggets Trap Timberwolves in Cave-In

A near 30-point blowout in Denver as the walls came caving in on Minnesota. The Nuggets snuffed out the biggest stars for the Timberwolves, and all the while had shined in their own ability to play great team basketball. With 6 players in double-digits, Denver proves again that sharing is caring. There was a lot of stories in this game, such as MVP-Frontrunner Nikola Jokic’s first half double double, a 13-0 3rd quarter run by Denver, a scuffle and thrown elbows between Kyle Anderson and Christian Braun, and more.

There isn’t a lot to say about the Timberwolves, whose star Karl-Anthony Towns (11, 10, 2) finished the game with a meager 11 points on 5-15 shooting, and was unable to make much impact in the contest. Anthony Edwards (18, 2, 5) was the best player on the night for the Timberwolves, but was unable to help stem the tide of the offensive draught when it had mattered most, and finished with 6 makes in 15 attempts. Some disappointing performers were Mike Conley (8, 4, 3) who was having a tough night against Denver start Jamal Murray, and Rudy Gobert (8, 13, 0), who posted a game-worst +/- of -28. The Timberwolves will surely need to rework their gameplan if they do not want to end up in another Denver stranglehold.

For Denver, everyone got their fill of the action on Sunday night. With the exception of Cancar, who was -1 in 2 min played, the entire team posted a positive individual +/-, which speaks to the cycle they put Minnesota in. Jokic (13, 14, 6) Aaron Gordon (13, 5, 1), Michael Porter Junior (18, 11, 2), Jamal Murray (24, 8, 8) and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (15, 4, 1) all did extremely well for the Nuggets starting lineup. With there only being a +6 assist advantage over Minnesota, many of Denver’s players were making buckets for themselves, whether it was off the inbound, or on the break.

With the instability of the Timberwolves and the structural integrity of the Nuggets, I have the Nuggets in 5. – SW

Image from The Denver Post