nationalbasketballassociationplayoffs Page 5 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights
In a league of inconsistent-to-bad teams, Memphis is neither
There are currently nine NBA teams hovering around .500 and in or tied for the playoffs/play-in tourney. If that seems like an abnormally high number, that’s because it is, and the Mavs barely missed out on this list because they’re technically four games above .500....
Who needs triple-doubles anyway?
Believe it or not, the Washington Wizards are in a three-way tie for the top spot in the Eastern Conference 10 games into the season. Washington is flying under the radar at 7-3, while teams like the Bulls and Heat get everyone’s attention for improving their rosters in the offseason. But the Wizard...
Success won’t be so easy for the Utah Jazz this time around
The NBA is back, and the Western Conference is looking even more stacked than last year. The glamour division of the Pacific looks to be the standout of the association, with a strong possibility of sending four teams to the postseason. The second-best division in the west this year will be the Nort...
2021 NBA Southeast Division Preview: The Hawks are going to break your heart
The Atlanta Hawks appeared in the franchise’s second Eastern Conference Finals last season, and their fans are preparing for what they think could be another long playoff run this year. In 2015-16, the Hawks ran into LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the East Finals, resulting in a 4-0 Cav...
Why can’t we have nice things, like a Game 7 tonight?
Shoulda, woulda, coulda....
NBA Finals now best of 3, but <i>nearly</i> a 'win or go home' Saturday
Saturday night is a must-win for the Phoenix Suns and the Milwaukee Bucks – literally....
Can we all finally recognize Paul George for his greatness?
With Kawhi Leonard sidelined with an ACL injury, everyone rushed to their computers to rule out the Clippers in their series with the top-seeded Utah Jazz. Even though the series was tied 2-2, no one expected the Clippers to steal a game in Utah without Kawhi on the court. Much like my colleague Jon...
Paul George has chance, and not by choice, to lead a team to new heights
The NBA playoffs have been a brutal war of attrition, with nearly every team left standing dealing with injuries to star players. The Los Angeles Clippers are no different — Kawhi Leonard reportedly has an ACL injury and is out indefinitely. Much like how Kevin Durant was thrown into the fray withou...
Can the Clippers benefit from a quick turnaround against the well-rested Utah Jazz?
Fresh off the apparent re-emergence of Kawhi Leonard following a worrisome Game 5, the Los Angeles Clippers find themselves in Salt Lake City, and not Cancun, tonight....
Is Brooklyn's rout of Milwaukee meaningful?
The Bucks lost by 39 points in Brooklyn on Monday night, and it felt like something of a denouement for this current Milwaukee team, which has gone 162-65 over the past three seasons but disappointed in the playoffs....
Phoenix isn’t done yet, imbeciles
Why is everyone so quick to toss the Phoenix Suns out with the trash?...
The Clippers can’t afford to do this, and yet, they’re doing it
Are the Clippers really going to do this?...
Run the NBA play-in tournament as a series of high-stakes gauntlet matches
The NBA wants to have an in-season tournament, and a lot of the reaction to this idea is that it’s terrible, that it’s basketball trying to be soccer, that it’s a huge waste of time....
I dunno, maybe try a little harder to get the ball to the world’s best shooter?
Stephen Curry scored 39 points on Friday night, shooting 13-for-28 from the field with six three-pointers… and it wasn’t enough....
Home cookin’ won’t be equal for all NBA playoff teams
For the first time in two years, we might actually get to talk about home-court advantage in the NBA playoffs, but in a weird, 2021-ish kind of way....
Now would be a great time for a Ja Morant statement game
The Memphis Grizzlies play the San Antonio Spurs in the play-in game tonight that people aren’t talking as much about....
The Oklahoma City Thunder’s epic collapse turns an easy over/under win into a WTF loss for bettors
There is NO such thing as a sure thing in betting until there are zeroes on the clock. Even if a team needs just three wins in 25 games, you might think, “Psssh, easy,” but you better make like Saint Nick and check that thing twice....
Which NBA teams are poised to end their lengthy playoff drought this year?
This NBA season has brought a fresh energy to the regular season. The new Play-In Tournament and the rise of new teams to prominence (the Knicks are good now, wut?!) have made this one of the most compelling NBA regular seasons in recent memory....
Jazz fans could be singing the blues if the Dubs are their first-round playoff opponent
There are few men as universally feared in the NBA as Steph Curry. You take your eye off of him for one second and — BAM! — he pulls up from 45 feet, and now you’re down two. But while Curry might instill terror into the hearts of his opponents, the Golden State Warriors definitely don’t. With just ...
The teams and matchups we most wanna see for the NBA’s Play-in Tournament
Contrary to what LeBron James says, the NBA Play-In Tournament was a great idea. Because of the strange circumstances the NBA found itself in after COVID-19 wrecked 2020, the league had an opportunity to try out some goofy new ideas to make up for the fact that the fans were only getting a 72-game s...