Highlights of Day 2 of the NBA Playoff Series

THE LAKERS ARE BACK: Grizzlies vs. Lakers

It still hurts to see Ja Morant’s fall. Her wrist was left face down on the floor at FedExForum in Memphis and caused great concern. However, x-rays performed indicated no fracture. Sigh and peace of mind, although his presence in Game 2 is in doubt.

That said, the Lakers won in this game beyond Morant’s injury. They also had a scare in the first half with an atypical pain in the arm suffered by Anthony Davis, but it didn’t happen. The truth is that the secondary (Rui Hachimura, Austin Reaves and D’Angelo Russell) were fundamental to achieve this victory. LeBron James was again determinant but as we have said in the last occasion, Davis is the key of these Lakers. Without him, they cannot and will not be able to think about anything important. His three steals and seven blocks, in addition to his offensive production, justify this appreciation.

The final sprint of the game was remarkable. A 15-0 run to win the first game, including a wonderful Reaves in the final quarter. ‘Hillbilly Kobe’ paid homage to his idol Kobe Bryant and at 5-5 on TC in the final quarter, became the third Laker in playoffs in the last 25 seasons to do so. The other two? Kobe against the Spurs in 2002 in the Conference Semifinals and Shaquille O’Neal in 2000 against the Pacers in the NBA Finals.

Morant’s health is going to be a factor heading into Game 2, but the Grizzlies are in a position to respond even without him. The truth is that the Lakers have a monstrous record that discourages any ability to react: they have won 24 straight series after winning the first game of a seven-game series. It’s the longest streak in postseason history. Their last loss when they won Game 1 was in the NBA Finals against the Chicago Bulls of Michael Jordan and company.

Giannis Antetokounmpo’s back injury conditioned the game, but let’s be clear: before he went down, the Heat were already dominating action against the Bucks. And on defense, Erik Spoelstra’s team, which showed a much improved version in the postseason compared to the playoffs (Jimmy Butler’s switch was turned on!), kept their composure and clarity despite Tyler Herro’s unusual hand fracture for diving for a loose ball late in the first half.

How tough Miami is going to be for Milwaukee after losing the game at home. Let’s not confuse things: the Bucks are the best team in the NBA on both ends by quality and depth, but they’ll have to confirm that in the playoffs, something that didn’t happen on Sunday. They allowed 130 points, not even close to the fourth-best defensive efficiency in the league (109.3 points per 100 possessions).

Butler scored 35 points, dished out 11 assists and accounted for 63 of Miami’s total points. What’s more: he made 28 units in the paint. This speaks very well of Jimmy Buckets and very badly of the Bucks. Beyond Butler’s great game, it was fundamental the awakening of Bam Adebayo, who had been a continuous tear. On Sunday he did everything: 22 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. Not to mention Kevin Love, who dipped into the pool of youth to return to his all-star plane with 18 points and eight rebounds, including four three-pointers.

It was a magical night for Miami in three-point shooting (15-25, 60%) and a lousy one for Milwaukee in that section (11-45, 24.4%). Khris Middleton with 33 points and nine rebounds was the big star for Mike Budenholzer, well accompanied by Bobby Portis (21 and 8) from the bench. The first game is not the conclusion of anything, but it does signal alarm and adjustment.

The Bucks no longer have home-court advantage. It will be a matter of loosening up, starting over and regaining good feelings.

WITHOUT PAUL GEORGE? NO PROBLEM: Suns vs. Clippers

We’ve talked so much about the Suns with Kevin Durant that we forgot to look at the clarity of the Clippers. The news of Paul George, out for the series due to injury, may have partly relied on Phoenix and put the onus on the men from Los Angeles.

What was clear is that Kawhi Leonard, at this level, is once again one of the great figures of the NBA. Not only did he score 38 points and was an indecipherable theorem for Phoenix’s defense, but 25 of those points came in the second half. When it really matters.

Monty Williams put Torrey Craig in for Josh Okogie in the starting five to control the Clippers’ genius, but to no avail. SIG reports that Leonard shot 7-13 (19 points) with Craig as the primary defender and 2-4 (nine) with Durant as an individual defender. And that he was defended: he shot 12-22 on made shots.

Russell Westbrook had a very erratic night from the field (3-19) but was instrumental in the Clippers winning this game. Not only because of his passes his teammates shot 8-13 from the field, but also because with 10.1 seconds left he defended the key ball against Devin Booker (he blocked his shot and bounced the ball off his legs to keep possession). Oh, and with 17.7 seconds on the clock he converted two key free throws to get within three points.

And Durant? The star forward played for the first time in a playoff game since Jan. 4 when he faced the Bulls with the Nets, and while he had numbers to match (27 points, 11 assists, nine rebounds), he completely disappeared in the clutch, his comfort zone for years. He didn’t take a single shot at the rim, not even a free throw, in the last 4.51 minutes of action. Very rare for Durantula.

It was the Suns’ first Game 1 loss since the Western Finals against the Lakers. And the first setback, in the last three postseasons, in a series opener for the Chris Paul-Devin Booker-DeAndre Ayton trio (they were 6-0 through Sunday).

Phoenix continues to look like a deeper team than Los Angeles. Mind you: if Leonard plays at this level in continuation, things could get uphill.

NO DISTRACTIONS OR FISSURES IN DENVER: Nuggets vs. Timberwolves

This was the only crossover on Sunday where we didn’t have any sort of equivalency. The dance that Nikola Jokic did to every sandbag that was put in front of him was anthological. Sugar Ray Leonard dancing under the spotlight against stone sphinxes. Unbelievable the Serbian inside, a basketball illusionist at cruising speed.

What’s more, the difference was so big that he didn’t even have to work hard: 13 points and 14 rebounds in only 28 minutes of action. A couple of facts marking Denver’s dominance in this Game 1: the Timberwolves scored only 80 points, matching the lowest this season in regular series and playoffs (the Blazers also scored 80 against the Kings on March 29).

From defense came offensive transition, and the Nuggets beat the Wolves 24-3 in that section.

The good news: Jamal Murray’s 24 points and eight assists in his first playoff game since the Orlando bubble in 2020.