Category: NBA Playoffs Blog

NBA playoffs blog

On key injuries in the Pacers vs Heat series

We made it. The playoffs tip off today. Here’s the Miami Herald reporting on the injury situation ahead of the start of the Heat vs Pacers first round playoff series:

The Heat could be without one rotation player entering the series. Forward Derrick Jones Jr., who was expected to play off the bench, has not practiced since sustaining a neck strain in Friday’s loss to the Pacers to close the regular season. Rookie guard Gabe Vincent (right shoulder sprain) and rookie forward KZ Okpala (personal reasons) might also be unavailable for the start of the playoffs.

For the Pacers, they are without a starter. All-Star center Domantas Sabonis left the bubble and has not returned because of left foot plantar fasciitis. Also, Jeremy Lamb, who was a key contributor before his February injury, remains out because of a torn ACL. Warren is dealing with plantar fasciitis, but he said Sunday that he will be ready to play in Game 1.

The Pacers and Heat were incredibly close in the standings this season, with Indiana finishing 45-28 and Miami 44-29.

But Sabonis is definitely the best player on either team’s injury list.

Game 1 is tomorrow at 4 p.m. ET, televised on TNT.

Grizzlies to play the Trail Blazers in NBA play-in round

The Memphis Grizzlies have clinched the No. 9 seed in the Western Conference and will face the No. 8 seed Portland Trail Blazers in a play-in round that will tip-off on Saturday, August 15 at 1:30 p.m. (all times Central) at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World in Orlando. Saturday’s game will be televised nationally on ABC.

Under the NBA’s play-in format, the No. 8 seed would need to win one of two games against the No. 9 seed to advance to the 2020 Western Conference Playoffs. The No. 9 seed would need to defeat the No. 8 seed twice. A second play-in game, if necessary, would be played Sunday, Aug. 16 at 3:30 p.m. and would be televised on ESPN.

The winner of the play-in round would face the No. 1 seed Los Angeles Lakers in the first round of the 2020 Western Conference Playoffs.

Eric Hasseltine will call play-by-play action for each play-in game on the team’s flagship radio station 92.9 FM ESPN alongside analyst Elliot Perry with all radio broadcasts presented by Sonic Drive-In. Grind City Media’s Jessica Benson will host the pregame, halftime and postgame shows. Play-in games also will be available on the Grizzlies’ Regional Radio Network.

Mavericks clinch spot in 2020 NBA playoffs

Led by young superstar Luka Doncic, the Dallas Mavericks are back in the playoffs. Here’s ESPN.com reporting:

The Dallas Mavericks weren’t in the mood to celebrate the end of the franchise’s three-year playoff drought.

The Mavs officially clinched a playoff berth due to the Memphis Grizzlies’ 108-106 loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday afternoon. Hours later, Dallas dropped to 0-2 in the NBA bubble with a 117-115 loss to the Phoenix Suns in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.

“Our goal was to make the playoffs, and we achieved that, but for me and for us, we’re going to try to win every game now that we have left in the regular season,” said Mavs center Kristaps Porzingis, who scored 30 points in the loss. “Then, we’ll see where we end up in the playoffs and go from there. This is not a sprint. This is a marathon, and with each day, with each game, with each practice, we want to be a better team and better individually.”

Through Sunday’s games, the teams that so far have clinched Western conference NBA playoffs spots are the Lakers, Clippers, Nuggets, Rockets, Jazz, Thunder and Mavs.

The Grizzlies are currently in 8th place, with the Spurs, Trail Blazers and a few other teams not far behind.

No LaMarcus Aldridge for Spurs at Disney World this summer

Along with 21 other teams, th Spurs are going to Disney World this summer. This assuming the NBA’s plan gets put into place, with league play resuming in modified fashion in late July at Disney Wide World of Sports, featuring a handful of regular season games leading into what will hopefully be a full playoffs.

But the Spurs will be doing so without one of their star players. After undergoing surgery today, power forward LaMarcus Aldridge won’t be playing again until the 2020-21 season, which may not start until December, though that is completely up in the air right now.

Read full details by clicking this link: LaMarcus Aldridge undergoes shoulder surgery, done for 2019-20 NBA season

Rodney Hood will play more, starting in NBA Finals Game 3

The Cavs have a logjam on the bench in the backcourt, with multiple options. Because LeBron James handles the passing that a point guard would typically handle, the team’s biggest need from both starting and backup guards is good outside shooting, and defense. According to ESPN.com, the Cavs will now give Rodney Hood more of a shot:

Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue says he will switch up his rotation in Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday by giving minutes to seldom-used wing Rodney Hood against the Golden State Warriors.

“We’re going to give Rodney a chance,” Lue said Tuesday. “He’ll get a shot, and see how he does. He’s been working, staying ready. So we’ll see.”

Hood was the Cavs’ starting shooting guard in their playoff opener — a 98-80 loss to the Indiana Pacers — and has seen his role diminish dramatically since then, going from a bench player to receiving six DNP-CDs in Cleveland’s past 10 games…

He had much more success during the regular season for the Cavs, including a seven-game stretch from late March through early April when Hood averaged 13.9 points on 49.3 percent from the field and 44 percent from 3 with 2.6 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.0 steals per game.

Full article

Steph Curry an early 2018 NBA Finals MVP candidate

We’re only two games into the 2018 NBA Finals, so it’s a bit early to pick a clear Finals MVP candidate. But it’s a two-player race so far, between LeBron James and Stephen Curry. Here’s a Warriors-area outlet, NBC Sports Bay Area, stating the early case for Steph:

Steph Curry is the obvious choice for Finals MVP so far. Yes, it is only two games into the series, and as the Warriors know very well, anything can happen. But unless the Cavaliers were to come back and win the series, Curry has to be the odds-on-favorite. While he has had dominant moments in the Finals, his masterful play actually started at the end of the Western Conference Finals. Over the last three games (including Game 7 of the WCF) Curry is averaging 29.7 points per game on 45 percent shooting from the field, 49 percent shooting for deep (on a staggering 14 attempts per game) coupled with 9 assists and 7 rebounds. Curry has dished out 27 assists over the last three games, his highest mark since exactly a year ago, when he tore up the Cavs in the 2017 NBA Finals. Also this fun fact: Steph Curry has out-rebounded one of the Cavaliers’ best rebounding big men, Tristan Thompson, in each of the Finals games thus far. If that sounds familiar, it is because last Finals, Curry had more boards than Thompson in three of the five games, and finished with more rebounds overall in the series.

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A look at 2018 NBA Finals Game 1 and 2 Kevin Durant play

The Warriors won NBA Finals Game 1 in overtime and then easily took Game 2. The action now shifts to Cleveland for Game 3 on Wednesday. Here’s the SF Chronicle with a look at GS forward Kevin Durant’s play so far:

In Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday, Durant appeared in a haze, following up blown coverages on James with clanged jumpers. His missed box-out on the 6-foot-6 J.R. Smith late in regulation — not Curry’s 29 points and nine assists — would have been a major talking point had Smith not inexplicably forgotten that the score was tied in that crucial moment.

“Last year was a pretty smooth ride, and we were clicking,” Golden State head coach Steve Kerr said Saturday. “We didn’t have injuries. We had a pretty healthy run. I think this year, it’s just been harder overall, just because of the cumulative wear and tear of the journey.

“Kevin has still been great. He hasn’t probably been as consistent as he was last year, but neither have we. I would say that about every one of our guys.”

Durant made good on his vows to be better in Game 2, attacking the rim with purpose and kicking out to open shooters early in the shot clock. His well-executed possessions gave the Warriors an early lead and, ultimately, helped pave the way for one of Curry’s signature scoring binges.

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Klay Thompson dealing with sprained ankle

The Warriors were without Andre Iguodala in NBA Finals Game 1 and may be without him in Game 2. But now Klay Thompson is questionable for Sunday’s Game 2 with a banged-up ankle. Here’s Cleveland.com reporting:

Warriors All-Star Klay Thompson suffered a high left ankle sprain in Game 1 of the Finals and said he plans to play in Game 2 Sunday.

The Warriors are officially calling him “questionable.”

Thompson was injured in the first quarter of Golden State’s 124-114 win when JR Smith fell into his leg diving for a steal. He limped to the locker room and returned to the game for the start of the second quarter and finished with 24 points and five 3s.

Full article

Tristan Thompson fined, has flagrant foul downgraded

Tristan Thompson fined, has flagrant foul downgraded

Cleveland Cavaliers center Tristan Thompson has been fined $25,000 for failing to leave the court in a timely manner following his ejection and for shoving the basketball in the face of Golden State Warriors forward/center Draymond Green, it was announced today by Kiki VanDeWeghe, Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations.

The incident occurred with 2.6 seconds remaining in overtime of the Warriors’ 124-114 win over the Cavaliers on Thursday, May 31 at Oracle Arena.

Thompson’s Flagrant 2, which was assessed for his actions in contesting a jump shot by Warriors guard Shaun Livingston, was downgraded to a Flagrant 1 upon league office review. The foul occurred directly prior to Thompson’s interaction with Green.

So, no fear of suspension for Thompson for NBA Finals Game 2 Sunday night in Oakland.

Kevin Love cleared for NBA Finals Game 1

Some good news was released by the Cavs today. Kevin Love has completed the NBA’s Concussion Return to Play Program and will be available to play tonight in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

According to ESPN.com, “Love was still in the league’s concussion protocol as of Wednesday afternoon. He was injured during a head-to-head collision with Boston Celtics rookie Jayson Tatum in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals.”

The Cavs and Warriors begin their 2018 Finals series tonight in Oakland.

The Warriors continue to be without Andre Iguodala, but are otherwise healthy.