The NBA playoffs have revealed striking trends among several teams, with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Houston Rockets showcasing strong performances. The Timberwolves flex their muscle in how they close out games. The Rockets have found great success with a double-big starting unit, racking up dominant wins.
Against the Utah Jazz and Denver Nuggets in two tight home wins, the Minnesota Timberwolves were off-the-charts special with a plus-14 overall in the clutch. That poise under pressure has made them an extremely dangerous playoff opponent. Their electric finishes have lifted team spirits, but they’ve ensured their respective places in the postseason.
The Houston Rockets are causing a stir, not for the usual reasons. They’re squeezing more juice out of an oddity in two starting centers, Steven Adams and Alperen Sengun, sharing the court. The latter has formed a particularly dangerous combination, as we saw during their impressive performance against the Golden State Warriors. That game, the Rockets crushed the Warriors, beating them by 18 points. In this highly efficient game, Adams and Sengun shared the floor for just 23 minutes. The Rockets were deadly, shooting 7-of-9 from three-point country. This had a fantastic outcome of a 78% conversion rate with their deadly double-big lineup.
At the same time, Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has blossomed into a star this playoff run. He’s hardly been taking nights off either as he led the team in minutes in their most recent game, playing 35 minutes. He really could not shoot the ball outside of the paint, hitting just 16 of 53 attempts (30%) from outside the paint during that first round. He proved he was a scorer in Game 4. Gilgeous-Alexander had 38 points on 13-for-24 shooting and drew 11 free throws, showcasing his two-level scoring and contact-creating craft.
As the Boston Celtics continue their playoff run, they’ve hit a snag with their three-point shooting. Throughout their last three games, they have shot poorly from behind the arc. This has led to fears of chinks in the armor that future foes may exploit. Throughout the series, the Orlando Magic have shown how to best defend the Celtics, often forcing them to the charity strip. The Celtics specifically ranked bottom five in the league in terms of averaging at least 20 fouls per game during the regular season.
Additionally, Luka Doncic has been a standout player for his team, controlling play during the first three quarters of games. Even more closely related to the Lakers, LeBron James took over the spotlight late in games for the Los Angeles Lakers. He made his wealth of experience and skill apparent throughout those pivotal minutes.
The Denver Nuggets faced a tough series against the LA Clippers, highlighted by Aaron Gordon’s buzzer-beating dunk that secured victory in Game 4. This stunning conclusion was a fitting end to the fiercely contested duels that have defined this year’s playoff.
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