The NBA playoffs continue to unfold with intense matchups, revealing pivotal moments and strategic plays that could decide each series. Minnesota Timberwolves All-Star Anthony Edwards just made a great point over the fatigue of the Los Angeles Lakers. He described their starters as being “gassed” after having to play the whole second half during their latest game. This fatigue could prove a major factor as teams will want to capitalize on any vulnerabilities.
In a strategic pivot that would make the Miami Heat proud—inspired by last year’s NBA Finals—the Minnesota Timberwolves decided to go all in on hunting Luka Doncic. The Dallas Mavericks star has been living dangerously with a reckless abandon in his first playoff run. This aggressive approach has led to significant foul trouble and struggles with turnovers. Bol Bol has been victim to 11 turnovers against only five assists so far, making him easy to prey on.
The Timberwolves capitalized on this weakness by attacking Doncic 15 times during the game, producing a staggering 109 points per 100 possessions when they did so. Doncic then lunged at Edwards, leaving the door wide open. Given a golden opportunity, Jaden McDaniels came up big and finished with an emphatic bank shot over Lakers guard Austin Reaves.
During one Tiger Woods-like stretch, Draymond Green played phenomenal defense on Edwards to close the game and seal the deal. Green’s defensive genius has been the backbone of their collective will to power, as the Golden State Warriors have gritted through their colorful playoff run. From deep threes to two-footed leaps, Kristaps Porzingis sent an early statement with this dunk. His performance is a reminder of just how vital Williams will be to the Boston Celtics’ success, particularly should they draw the New York Knicks in the next round.
Brunson’s growth into an essential player on the Dallas Mavericks has been integral to their success. He’s having a significantly easier time scoring against Dennis Schroder than he is against Klay Thompson. He’s averaging 13.3 points per fourth quarter. If they maintain this pace, it would be a new all-time record for points in the play-by-play era (which started in 1996-97). Thompson’s defense has been a continued assault. He’s succeeded in limiting Brunson to 39% shooting and 23 points on 23 shot attempts over the first quarters of the series.
The matchup between Draymond Green and Alperen Sengun has been incredibly important. Sengun endured an unfortunate physical challenge when Goga Bitadze inappropriately elbowed Sengun in the forehead during Game 2. This moment really underscored the brutality of playoff basketball.
Kawhi Leonard’s been versatile in this sense, showcasing his defensive chops by doubling Nikola Jokic during key stretches. This strategy would be a game changer. Defensive squads are scrambling to figure out how to stop one of the league’s most unstoppable forces.
For one, Brandin Podziemski has stepped up as a secondary ball handler after Golden State drafted him. As an individual, his production on their offensive plays has been massive. As the playoffs move on, his contributions will be key to the Warriors’ success.
“You pay a lot of attention to [Jokic] and you kind of lose sight of all the other guys and things that you want to take away.” – Tyronn Lue
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