TIMBERWOLVES 2, NUGGETS 1
Earlier this postseason, I was about to say that this year is the most-exciting playoffs I've ever seen. A variety of players are having exceptional games. There were spectacular dunks and other extraordinary plays, and even a few nail biters here and there.
But as the playoffs progressed, blowouts starting becoming more common and now even seem to be the norm. You have teams losing by 20+ points, even in the 2nd Round and in some cases at home.
Theoretically, these are supposed to be the eight best teams in the NBA. So it feels strange that dudes are getting their asses soundly bust on the regular. By the time the fourth quarter rolls around, half of the games are already decided. And I'll just leave it at that.
As for Jokic winning his third MVP, which was just announced a couple of days ago, there are only eight other players to have won as many. They are all - including Lebron James, who's the only other one still playing - unanimously considered to be all-time greats. I just don't feel that kind of aura around Jokic, even if he is a stats' machine.
The way I feel, on a conspiratorial level, is that so long as Russia is at war with Ukraine, then Nikola, being from Serbia, has a better chance to win than he would otherwise. But it remains to be seen what he does throughout the rest of his career.
MAVERICKS 2, THUNDER 1
After taking Game 1 and with the advantage of youth on their side, I was under the impression that OKC would win the series. But if they don't, I won't feel as if I were wrong per se.
The way their roster looks is as if it was specifically designed to beat the Warriors. So even if they do get by the Mavericks, they aren't likely to beat Minnesota or Denver. But the superstar factor is shining through. And I have a newfound respect for Kyrie, even if he did carry on that pivotal play against Jalen Williams in Game 3.
If I can get season tickets to any team in the NBA, if would be Dallas. This squad, win or lose, has been an entertaining watch throughout the entire playoffs. And unlike other teams (except the Knicks and possibly the Cavs), they also look like they're getting better as the postseason progresses. And don't forget about Luka. He finished top three in MVP voting, behind Jokic and SGA.
Speaking of SGA, this is a prime opportunity for dude to prove himself. He appears to be able to more or less score at will. But the Thunder, as deep and versatile as their roster may be, needs someone to step up to the Jordan level, like Edwards has been doing for Minnesota.
CELTICS 2, CAVALIERS 1
The Cavs are making a mistake similar to what the Bucks did in Round 1. Both of these teams have a superstar player that can put up 40 pts at will. The problem though is when they decide to explode.
Dame would go wild in the first half, be average in the second, and Milwaukee would go on to lose the series.
That's the same thing that's been happening to Cleveland. You will see in Game 2, the team as a whole represented in the first half, and then Mitchell went wild in the second. That's the only one they've won thus far. When it's the other way around, with Donovan carrying the squad to start the game and then later the onus falling on the rest of the team, things don't go as well.
These two teams have very similar playing styles, but Boston is better, So again, the Cavs aren't likely to prevail unless they devise some sort of strategy the Celtics cannot counteract. Mitchell looks like the best player between both teams, but they need to use him more wisely. The idea of exploiting the middle with Mobley since Porzingis isn't around no longer looks like a realistic option.
KNICKS 2, PACERS 1
If all of the Knicks were healthy and they were running an eight-man rotation, literally half of those players - Randle, Anunoby, Bogdanovic and Robinson - were not available for Game 3. But still, the Pacers struggled to beat NYK, in Indiana.
In the last post I wrote, I argued that the Pacers are just as good, if not better, than the Knicks. Now I see that was an erroneous statement.
Reportedly Haliburton is now hobbled, but it's very much possible that NYK will lose this series due to injury. Maybe. If, during that pivotal sequence in Game 3, Brunson would have passed the ball instead of trying to be a hero and shooting surrounded by three defenders, the Knicks probably would have won that one also. I have to imagine that, if nothing else, they feel very confident despite all of the injuries.
Imagine that, first of all, a playoff team with half of their rotation injured. Then, the squad they're playing against appearing as if they're more or less incapable of capitalizing on that advantage. My, how things have changed.
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