Drama, ejections, ostentatious fouls and injuries controlled the 2nd weekend of the NBA playoffs
Philadelphia (AND DENVER??) is/are the only team/teams to advance to the conference semifinals. The Sixers will begin the 2nd round either Saturday or May 1, and with Joel Embiid handling a sprained right knee, they’re expecting the later date so Embiid has more time to recover.
2 series are 2-1 (Los Angeles Lakers over Memphis, Miami over Milwaukee), one is 2-2 (Golden State-Sacramento) and 3 are 3-1 (Phoenix ahead of the Los Angeles Clippers, Boston on top of Atlanta, New york city in front of Cleveland).
The Dillon Brooks-LeBron James trash-talking took spotlight headed into Video game 3 just to be upstaged by Brooks’ ejection after striking James in groin location Saturday.
And Atlanta’s Dejounte Murray is dealing with possible discipline from the league after his conflict with a referee at the conclusion of the Hawks’ loss to the Celtics on Sunday
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Here are the winners and losers from the 2nd weekend of the NBA playoffs:
WINNERS
RJ Barrett, New York City Knicks
Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle are New york city’s All-Stars, however the Knicks likewise require RJ Barrett’s offense. Barrett has actually assisted the Knicks win the previous 2 video games for a 3-1 series lead with effective offense, specifically inside the 3-point line. Barrett scored 19 points in Video game 3 and 26 points in Video game 4 on a combined 17-for-30 from the field consisting of 14-for-18 inside the arc.
Philadelphia 76ers
The Sixers made their very first series sweep given that 1991, and now they’re rooting for the Boston-Atlanta series to address least 6 video games for a number of factors. Let those 2 groups get tired, and it offers the Sixers a possibility to rest some gamers, and when it comes to Embiid, a possibility to get healthy after spraining his ideal knee in Video game 3.
Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns
Booker is balancing 34.8 points, greatest in the playoffs, and shooting 57.1% from the field and 43.5% on 3-pointers with video games 38, 45 and 30 points (50% shooting on threes) in the Suns’ 3 success versus the Clippers. He is the premier benefactor from Kevin Durant’s existence on offense. And Booker’s defense has actually been exceptional: 11 takes and 5 blocks.
Jimmy Butler, Miami Heat
In Video Game 1 and Video game 3 success versus Milwaukee to provide the Heat a 2-1 series lead, Butler scored 35 and 30 points and shot 58.7% from the field on 27-for-46 shooting. Butler is Miami’s Mr. Do Whatever, and if the Heat are going to manage this 8 over 1 upset, Butler requires to play like that.
LOSERS
Brooklyn Internet
They had 2 prime possibilities in Games 3 and 4 to win with Philadelphia missing out on a star. James Harden was ejected from Video game 3 in the 3rd quarter, however the Internet blew a 96-91 lead with 2:15 left in the 4th quarter and lost. In Video game 4 with their season at stake, the Internet stopped working to take advantage of the lack Embiid. The Sixers swept the Internet
Los Angeles Clippers
They got Paul George and Kawhi Leonard in 2019 and have absolutely nothing however a Western Conference finals look to reveal for it. They lost in the conference semifinals in 2020, conference finals in 2021, didn’t make the playoffs last season and are down 3-1 versus the Suns this season. Over 4 seasons and 308 regular-season video games, Leonard and charge have actually played together in simply 107 video games, consisting of no video games last season when Leonard was hurt. George is most likely out for the Suns series, and Leonard missed out on Video game 3. Their record together is excellent (83-35). They’re not simply on the court together for sufficient video games.
Dillon Brooks, Memphis Grizzlies
Brooks ran his mouth at Lakers star LeBron James throughout and after Memphis’ Video game 2 success. Brooks stated he likes to poke the bear. He must understand much better. There’s a long line of individuals who poked James, and it didn’t turn out well from Lance Stephenson to Joakim Noah to Klay Thompson. Brooks was not at his finest in Video game 3– ejected for striking James in the groin location and shot simply 3-for-13 from the field for 7 points in the Lakers’ 111-101 success Brooks is much better off, a minimum of in this series, concentrated on basketball.
More: What’s occurs next in Dillon Brooks-LeBron James fight after groin shot?
Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers
Mitchell was 1-for-9 for simply 2 points in the 2nd half of Video game 4 on Sunday. He missed his very first 8 shots of the half and his container featured 2:13 left in the 4th quarter. He ended up with simply 11 points on 5-for-18 shooting, consisting of 0-for-4 on 3-pointers. Mitchell likewise had 6 turnovers. This is absolutely nothing Mitchell, who will be an All-NBA choice this season, does not understand: the Cavs can’t win if he plays like that.
Milwaukee’s defense
Even without Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Bucks have exceptional protectors: Jrue Vacation, Brook Lopez and Khris Middleton. The Heat were 23-for-36 in the paint and 16-for-33 on 3-pointers. The Bucks defense remains in chaos minus Antetokounmpo, however they likewise have sufficient skill and institutional understanding to play much better defense if Antetokounmpo is not on the court.
Injuries
Injuries stink, and through one week of the NBA playoffs, they have had an influence on a number of series and have the possible to effect conference semifinals, conference finals and NBA Finals.
Embiid has a sprained right knee, missed out on Video game 4 versus Brooklyn and Sixers coach Doc Rivers stated it’s 50% at finest that Embiid will be all set for the start of the next series.
Clippers’ star forward Kawhi Leonard (sprained ideal knee) missed out on the previous 2 video games– both Suns success– and the Clippers path 3-1 in the series. The Clippers have actually completed without Leonard however not well sufficient to win without him.
Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo missed out on Games 2 and 3– a split for the Bucks– and his lack is noteworthy in the Heat’s 2-1 series lead.
Miami’s Victor Oladipo, who has actually fought injuries in his profession, is out for the season after sustaining a torn patellar tendon in his left knee versus Milwaukee in Video game 3.
Simply dreadful.
