One Question Every Team Is Pondering Right Now
With each second series nearly at it’s conclusion – it’s time to get into the heads of the teams involved. What are they pondering right now?
The second round is almost (already) in the rear-view mirror. As of right now, we pretty much know the winner of every series. With that in mind, it’s time to get into the heads of the teams involved. What are the eight remaining teams thinking about? Are they pondering about what to do this offseason? Or are they making adjustments for the next round?
Here are my thoughts.
Miami Heat – How Reliable Is Kyle Lowry?
Kyle Lowry makes the Miami Heat better. There’s no denying that. His numbers may not look impressive, but he’s an anchor for them on both sides of the ball. The problem is that he hasn’t been healthy during the playoffs.
After missing the first two games against Philly, Lowry returned and was basically a non-factor. Miami did bounce back in game five – doing so without Lowry. But they’re going to need Lowry if they want to make it to the Finals. Assuming Miami gets past Philly, can they count on Lowry going forward?
Hamstring injuries are always tricky, especially for a 36-year-old. This postseason, the Heat have outscored teams by 14.1 points per 100 possessions when Lowry has played. Miami will need their best point guard for any chance at getting by either Milwaukee or Boston.
The question is, can they rely upon him?
Boston Celtics – Have They Figured Out The Bucks?
Boston’s second-round series with Milwaukee has been a physical, grueling chess match. Both teams continue to throw wildcards at the other, seeing who can blink first. Game plans are seemingly changed before every game. In short, it’s pure chaos.
But Boston has to like their chances. They have home court for the final three games of this series. And, in my opinion, I think they’ve figured out all of Milwaukee’s tricks. A few days ago, I basically called them dead in the water. To their credit, they’ve adjusted.
Let’s start with Jayson Tatum. Milwaukee has shown Tatum two distinct looks in this series. They started by hedging every screen he received. Later, they shifted to drop coverage, which totally threw Tatum off his game. The Celtics finally seem to have found a remedy for the latter.
Instead of constantly giving Tatum screens, they put him in isolation more. And it worked. He didn’t score 30 points in pivotal game four by accident. Now, can we expect the Bucks to adjust one more time? Probably. But, the days of Tatum shooting 4/19 from the field are behind him.
Defensively, Milwaukee is relying on Giannis to do everything. Boston has the length to deal with Giannis – and did a better job not switching smaller bodies onto him in game four. The real key, though, is Jrue Holiday. He’s their current second option on offense. If they can slow him down, then Milwaukee’s offense becomes sluggish.
Assuming the Celtics don’t chuck up 50 threes in a game anymore, I think they’re going to get through this series. If all else fails, they have Al Horford to bail them out.
(I wish that were a joke)
Milwaukee Bucks – When Is Khris Middleton Going To Return?
The 283 words above don’t put Milwaukee in the best light. Again, this Bucks team is bound to adjust for the last part of this series. But will it matter? Khris Middleton’s absence hasn’t been talked about enough. The All-Star is sorely missed by Milwaukee’s offense right now.
Middleton gives the Bucks shot-creation on the perimeter. Without him, it’s painfully apparent that they lack that. No offense to Jrue Holiday, but he’s not a second option offensively. And, most importantly, the Bucks don’t have a closer.
Middleton makes life easier for everyone. It’s harder to guard Giannis when he’s on the floor. The Bucks’ shooters get more open looks. It took a while, but his value is now being realized.
The only chance Middleton returns in this series is if it goes the distance. Can the Bucks even get to that point? Can they force a game 7? I wouldn’t be surprised, but the Celtics have the upper hand. It’s hard to see Milwaukee overcoming that, defending champs or not.
If the Bucks lose this series, you know why.
Philadelphia 76ers – What James Harden Will Get They Get?
After game four, the 76ers were on top of the world. They were back. Joel Embiid’s triumphant return from injury had turned the tide of the series. Miami looked lost, and it appeared that Philly would pull off the upset.
Then game five happened. Philly got handed a 35-point loss. They came out slow, and Miami buried them in the fourth quarter. This game was another reminder of James Harden’s struggles. Harden’s inconsistent scoring has come at the worst times.
In the first two games of this series, when Embiid was out, Harden averaged 18 points. After his game four supernova, I thought he would continue to stay hot. Instead, he shot 39% from the field, turned the ball over four times, and was a -29 from the floor. Ouch.
Joel Embiid is (likely) physically unable to score 40 points. He’s trying his best, but I don’t think Philly can win if Embiid is their leading scorer. Barring a Maxey / Tobias Harris explosion, the pressure is on Harden. We have yet to see his MVP burst and scoring sustain itself.
Harden has never been a great playoff performer. This would be the perfect place to redeem himself. Can he do it?
Phoenix Suns – Can They Remain Focused?
Phoenix has looked invincible against Dallas at times this series. If we’re being honest, this series should have already been over. Phoenix is the better team on both sides of the ball. So, why is there a chance of this series going the distance?
Well, it’s because the Suns lost focus. In games three and four, they got in their own way. Sure, Dallas played much better, but Phoenix was far from their best on the road. Chris Paul played recklessly. Most of the role players struggled to make shots. The defensive rotations were indecisive.
The Suns won 68 games for a reason. If they don’t get tunnel vision on the officiating, there’s no stopping them. When they’re on, they’re on. They’re the runaway train that you can’t stop. Standing between Phoenix and the Finals is the Golden State Warriors. They’ll have to be at their best in that series to win.
Golden State Warriors – Are We Sleeping On Their Defense?
Dirty or not, the Warriors are on the precipe of another conference finals birth. After a two-year lull, they’re back to being the team we all hated for so long. Jordan Poole has given them new life offensively. But, I want to talk about the Warriors’ defense.
Golden State’s defense was amongst the best in the league during the regular season. With Draymond Green captaining the ship, it didn’t matter who the Warriors had out there. You knew they were going to play their tails off defensively.
And while they seemingly couldn’t stop Memphis at times in this series, think again;
- 105.1 Defensive Rating (2nd in Semi-Finals)
- 42.0 FG% Allowed (2nd in Semi-Finals)
Scoring hasn’t come easy for the Grizzlies. Without Ja Morant down the stretch of game four, Golden State played suffocating defense. With all their shooting, it’s easy to forget how good the Warriors are defensively. But, it may very well be their biggest strength.
So, to answer the question above, yes. We are sleeping on this team’s defense.
Memphis Grizzlies – What Are They Doing This Offseason?
I didn’t give Memphis a chance in this series. That was before Ja Morant had his “code-breaking” knee injury. Not having Morant caught up with Memphis in the waning moments of game four. Now in a 1-3 hole, the Grizzlies look to the offseason.*
(*if Memphis wins this series, I will jump in freezing cold water*)
Despite having some of the best depth in the league, the Grizzlies aren’t up to par with the big boys. Here’s the holes they need to fill this offseason;
- A perimeter scorer capable of creating on his own (not Dillon Brooks)
- A How To Not Foul 101 book for JJJ
- Wing defense (Ziaire Williams development??????)
The first bullet point is what Memphis needs the most. Dillon Brooks isn’t someone who can lead the second unit. His shot selection and lack of athleticism limits him in that way. While Desmond Bane is coming into that role, Brooks has been disappointing.
Perhaps moving on from Brooks or even Kyle Anderson could free up Memphis to add some punch on the perimeter. In the perfect world, Memphis would be able to snag Zach Lavine this offseason. Or make another splash play in the draft.
This team is on the rise, but they can’t get complacent like Atlanta did last offseason. There’s still a lot of work to do.
Dallas Mavericks – Is Consistency Their Only Problem?
It’s a miracle that the Dallas Mavericks are still standing. They’ve looked helpless and dominant against Phoenix in this series. As Luka continues to carry this team, it’s clear that they lack consistency. You don’t know what kind of production you’re getting from the others on a nightly basis.
Look at the game-by-game variance for some of these guys;
Jalen Brunson
Games 1-2 combined: 22 points
Games 3-5 combined: 67 points
Dorian-Finney Smith
Game 2: 2 points
Game 5: 8 points
Every other game: 53 combined points
Spencer Dinwiddie
Only scored double-digits twice in this series
Not to mention that Tim Hardaway Jr. has been out with injury since Janaury. Dallas’ roster needs more kick. Their center rotation has to get better for them to contend. Whenever he wants to, Deandre Ayton has an easy basket waiting for him.
With that being said, more consistency would make Dallas a much better team. You can’t hope to beat the best team in the NBA with the bulk of your rotation being so inconsistent. It’s a recipe for disaster. Hopefully, these problems go away next offseason because watching Luka carry this hard just to lose sucks.
What Are Your Thoughts On These Eight Questions? Leave A Comment Down Below!
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