Northwest Notes: Nuggets’ Outlook, Edwards, Dosunmu, Thunder Culture
After a somewhat shocking first-round exit, the Nuggets need to figure out what comes next. Part of that will revolve around finding way to generate offense outside of Nikola Jokic, Bennett Durando writes for the Denver Post.
While the three-time MVP struggled, producing the first series without a 30-point game in his career, Durando notes that the offseason additions failed to provide any offensive spark to jumpstart the team and help get Jokic in rhythm. As a team, Denver shot 32.1% on wide-open threes, and Bruce Brown had nine turnovers to 10 assists for the series.
“I think you have to look at the different formulas of how we played (offensively) this year, what was most successful,” Adelman said about the offense not translating from the regular season. “And you have to really break it down more so into the types of teams that we struggled with, and what are the answers there to make things flow better for us. And I think that takes time.”
The Nuggets will now have to figure out what comes next, including options they may not have been prepared to consider previously, such as trading Jamal Murray, coming off the most successful regular season of his career, writes Vinny Benedetto of the Denver Gazette.
We have more from around the Northwest Division:
- Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards is hopeful that he’ll be able to return for the second-round series against the Spurs, after missing Game 7 and being ruled week-to-week due to a hyperextended knee. Edwards has been doing constant rehab work and has told his teammates he expects to return at some point in the series, Jon Krawczynski writes for The Athletic.
- The Wolves lost Ayo Dosunmu in their close-out game over the Nuggets, and it’s unclear how soon he’ll be back. “Ayo is more day to day,” coach Chris Finch said, per Andrew Dukowitz (Twitter video link). “He went through things but just the light stuff.” Dosunmu was the hero of Game 4, scoring 43 points to lead the Wolves to a win without Edwards.
- The Thunder have built a culture that includes relationships with previous franchise mainstays, such as Serge Ibaka. Chet Holmgren spoke recently on how imporant that is. “I think it’s amazing. One, I think it speaks to the culture that those guys, Serge, still coming back around however many years since he left here,” Holmgren said, per Justin Martinez of The Oklahoman (video link). “… It was cool to sit down and talk to Serge about some of his expereinces in this exact building. It’s been fun.“
Knicks Notes: Anunoby, Robinson, Bridges, Alvarado
The Knicks’ first-round victory over the Hawks relied on the offensive output of their best defender to take them over the top. OG Anunoby stepped out of the role player spotlight and assumed the role of leading man, Howie Kussoy writes for the New York Post.
The 6’8″ wing had 29 points and seven rebounds in the record-setting Game 6 victory, a performance that epitomized his play throughout the matchup. Over the course of the series, he averaged 21.5 points and 8.7 rebounds while hitting 56.7% of his threes and playing versatile defense on Atlanta’s best scorers.
“[He was] just doing everything — scoring, defense, rebounding, making plays,” said Mikal Bridges. “He’s doing everything out there and that’s what we need. And I think he’s gonna continue to do that for us.”
It was a performance impressive enough to beg the question if we should be thinking about Anunoby more as a third star than another elite role player, writes Jake Nisse for the Post.
We have more from the Knicks:
- The Knicks have struggled at times to establish their toughness, often operating as more of a finesse team than a one built on brute force, but in Game 6, Mitchell Robinson showed his ability to play enforcer, Kristian Winfield writes for the New York Daily News. It was a message he was trying to show since Game 1, when he wrote “Standing on business” on the tape wrapping his ankles. An altercation with the Hawks’ Dyson Daniels brought all of that to the front again. “Mitch is a big part of our locker room. What he does on the court — obviously y’all know he impacts winning, and he does a lot of things that sometimes don’t end up on the stat sheet, but makes us come out with a W,” Karl-Anthony Towns said.”So, Mitch is very vital for our locker room, for our team, and we’re always gonna support him. We’re always gonna stand behind him when he wants to, I guess – quote-unquote – ‘stand on business.'”
- After a brutal start to the series, Bridges found the range offensively in Game 6, and may have recaptured some of his usual swagger, the Post’s Stefan Bondy writes. Bridges ended the game with 24 points on 10-12 shooting, hitting big momentum shots throughout the game. “He just did what he’s capable of doing,” coach Mike Brown said. “Now, is he going to go 10-for-12 every night? No. But he was aggressive and took great shots. And it shouldn’t go unnoticed that his defense was phenomenal. … A big night on both ends of the floor by Mikal.”
- Jose Alvarado got to experience a special moment in the Game 5 victory over the Hawks, as his hometown crowd sang “Jose, Jose, Jose” while he was being subbed out in the third quarter, Peter Sblendorio of the Daily News writes. It’s a feeling he isn’t taking for granted. “It’s amazing,” Alvarado said. “I can’t really put it into words. I always had a Knicks jersey on. I always think, ‘This is crazy.’ But it’s a good feeling. I’m excited to be in the city I’m from and compete for a championship.” Alvarado wasn’t just a hometown kid in the series though, he was an impactful player off the bench, culminating with his Game 5 performance, when he scored 12 points in 11 minutes.
Northwest Notes: McDaniels, Wolves, A. Mitchell, Lillard
In a first-round series featuring a perennial MVP candidate (Nikola Jokic) and several other stars, Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels was the best all-around player on the court, writes Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic.
McDaniels put an exclamation point on his dominant two-way in Game 6, limiting Jamal Murray to 12 points on 4-of-17 shooting while registering a game-high 32 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block in 45 minutes. The 25-year-old also sealed the series-clinching victory with key baskets down the stretch, as Krawczynski details.
Several other Timberwolves stepped up on Thursday with Donte DiVincenzo (Achilles), Anthony Edwards (knee), Ayo Dosunmu (calf) and Kyle Anderson (illness) sidelined, including Terrence Shannon Jr. (24 points, six rebounds, two steals), Rudy Gobert (10 points, 13 rebounds, eight assists, two blocks), and Naz Reid (17 points, seven rebounds, four assists).
But McDaniels was the driving force for Minnesota throughout the first-round series, which saw the Wolves eliminate Denver from the playoffs for the second time in three years.
“He talked all series, and he backed it up all series,” head coach Chris Finch said. “And that’s called legitimate tough.”
Here’s more from the Northwest Division:
- The Timberwolves took the Nuggets’ late-season jockeying for position as a shot at them and used it as motivation throughout the hard-fought series, Troy Renck writes for the Denver Post. “Our guys took it personally. Denver had the chance to pick who they wanted to play coming down the stretch and they chose us,” coach Chris Finch said. “We used that as motivation in our preparation and all the way through the series.” Denver, in truth, seemed to try to avoid the Wolves by sitting several starters and limiting Jokic (who needed one more appearance to qualify for award consideration) to 18 minutes in its regular season finale, but its bench rose to the occasion and won anyway, setting up the familiar intra-divisional matchup.
- Ajay Mitchell didn’t realize he’d taken 20 shots for the Thunder in his Game 3 start until after the win, when he looked at the stat sheet, Justin Martinez writes for The Oklahoman (subscriber link). However, he knew that it was his job to be extra aggressive with Jalen Williams out, and he embraced that responsibility. “Ajay is one of the toughest dudes in the league,” Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said. “Mentally, he’s never shaken. He’s never afraid of the moment. Ajay could be having the worst day ever, and you would never know. He’s so solid. Having a teammate like that makes you more confident by just knowing that no matter what, you know what you’re gonna get from him. The ball might not always go in, but you know what you’re getting from Ajay every time he steps on the floor.”
- The Trail Blazers took a big step in their team development by making the playoffs. Damian Lillard says it also became clear what the team needs heading into next season, Sean Meagher writes for The Oregonian. “I think the obvious thing is, you know, we just need to be a better shooting team,” Lillard said. “I think when you got a guy like Deni [Avdija], who’s constantly getting downhill and in the paint and, you know, forcing teams to have to help is going to generate good shots, you know, is going to generate opportunities. And we got to be able to capitalize on that. And you know I’m going to be in the paint. I’m gonna get around my guy. And teams are going to help. You know I know that I’ll get attention. And it’s going to lead to open shots as well.”
Rory Maher contributed to this post.
Fischer’s Latest: Blazers’ Backcourt, Young, Hawks, Rockets
The Trail Blazers expect Damian Lillard to be back next season, but his return raises questions about the direction of Portland’s backcourt moving forward, Jake Fischer writes for the Stein Line (subscriber link).
The Blazers have Jrue Holiday under contract for at least one more season – he holds a $37.2MM player option for 2027/28 – as well as former No. 3 overall pick Scoot Henderson, who had a torrid start to the first-round series against the Spurs before going cold in the final two games.
The team believes that Lillard and Holiday can function well together in the backcourt, according to Fischer, but with a long-term decision still to be made on Henderson, it’s possible the Blazers could look to open up minutes for the young guard, who averaged 15.0 points per game in his first career playoff series, by moving Holiday in a trade.
The veteran guard and two-time NBA champion said he’d prefer for that not to happen.
“I don’t like being traded and moved,” Holiday said. “I like being a part of something and building.”
We have more from Fischer’s latest newsletter:
- While rumors have circulated about Anthony Davis‘ future with the Wizards, including reports of potential interest from Portland, Fischer notes that the expectation remains that Washington will come to terms on a lucrative long-term extension for star point guard Trae Young. Young played just five games for the Wizards after being traded from the Hawks, averaging 15.2 points and 6.2 assists in 20.8 minutes per game.
- After a successful season followed by a devastating Game 6 blowout at the hands of the Knicks, the Hawks are not expected to go star-hunting this summer, despite having a handful of very good trade assets. Instead, the team is expected to focus on locking in deals for CJ McCollum, Jonathan Kuminga, and head coach Quin Snyder, who has one more year on his contract, Fischer reports. He adds that Bryson Graham, the vice president of basketball operations, remains in play for the Bulls’ head of basketball operations job.
- The Rockets came to terms with not being a true championship contender when they lost Fred VanVleet to an ACL tear before the season, but a first-round loss to the Lakers and chemistry questions surrounding Kevin Durant could lead to an “all options on the table” summer outlook, Fischer writes, especially given the possibility that players like Kawhi Leonard, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Donovan Mitchell hit the trade block. Houston’s front office will now take stock of the team’s current ceiling and decide from there whether the roster needs margin tweaks or more substantial changes. Fischer adds that Amen Thompson is expected to be in the mix for a max contract extension after averaging 19.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, 5.7 assists, and 2.0 steals per game in his first playoff run, a year after being voted onto the All-Defensive first team.
Celtics/Sixers Notes: Edgecombe, George, Unlikely Heroes, More
The Sixers‘ star rookie, VJ Edgecombe, has generated his share of memorable moments during his first year in the league. Many of those have come in Boston’s TD Garden, prompting the question of whether he has one more big performance vs. the Celtics in him this year in Saturday’s Game 7 matchup, Adam Aaronson writes for PhillyVoice.
“It’s crazy to think about it,” Edgecombe said. “The first game was here. Now we’re in the playoffs playing here. I feel like I’ve been in this building a lot now, and this is my first year… Boston’s a good team, so I know that it’s going to be a real competitive game. So everything else is going to be out the window. All previous times we played here is out of the window. It’s all just focused on tonight.”
The young guard has been particularly impactful once Joel Embiid returned to play, showing improved efficiency despite a lower shot total, DeAntae Prince writes for the Philadelphia Inquirer.
“That’s Joel Embiid, if we’re being so honest. He’s just so good. I don’t think anyone can guard him one-on-one,” Edgecombe said. “So I just try to make his job easier by getting open looks or an if it’s an available pass, the outlet pass.”
We have more notes regarding Game 7:
- Paul George has been upgraded to available for the Sixers, Tony Jones notes for The Athletic (Twitter link). The star wing had previously been added to the injury report as probable due to an illness. George has averaged 18.2 points in 36.3 minutes per game through the first six games of the series.
- If there’s one buzzword the Celtics are focusing on coming into the matchup, it’s “comfortable,” Steve Buckley writes for The Athletic. As in: “[The Sixers’] comfort level is higher right now,” per Jaylen Brown. “Their confidence is high right now. They’ve got a different swag to them, and we’ve gotta take that (away).” Or as in: “I thought Edgecombe was just too comfortable [in Game 2],” Brown said again. If Boston wants to come out of this series, especially without Jayson Tatum, who was a late scratch for Game 7, they need to stop looking past the Sixers and focus on their own missteps in the series, Buckley says.
- The anything-can-happen nature of a Game 7 can result in unlikely heroes, Aaronson writes. As an example, in 2022, Grant Williams‘ 27 points for the Celtics helped seal a Game 7 victory over the Bucks. Aaronson examines some potential candidates for the Sixers, ultimately landing on Quentin Grimes, Andre Drummond, and, as a dark-horse option, Justin Edwards.
- Home-court advantage is a popular topic late in the season as teams fight for seeding, but the Celtics, in recent years, have seemed more dominant on the road than in TD Garden. Robb examines the phenomenon in a recent mailbag, positing that Boston players may let their guard down a bit in the comfort of their home arena, relying on three-pointers and “home-run plays,” instead of a greater sense of urgency and intentionality.
Jayson Tatum Ruled Out For Game 7 Vs. Sixers
Jayson Tatum has been ruled out for the Celtics‘ Game 7 matchup against the Sixers on Saturday, ESPN’s Shams Charania reports (Twitter link).
The news comes as a huge blow to Boston, which took a 3-1 series lead in the series before losing two straight games as Philadelphia forced the pivotal Game 7.
Tatum had previously been downgraded to questionable due to knee stiffness after sitting out the final 16 minutes of the Game 6 loss. He previously noted that the pain wasn’t in the one in which he suffered his Achilles tear and said it wasn’t a big deal. However, the team decided otherwise on Saturday.
“He just came in today with knee discomfort,” head coach Joe Mazzulla said, per MassLive’s Brian Robb (via Twitter). “The medical team and myself decided for him not to play.”
Through six games, Tatum has averaged 23.3 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 6.8 assists per contest on .475/.365/.781 shooting splits. The Celtics had plenty of success playing without their star wing this season and will have to put all of that experience to the test in Saturday’s do-or-die contest.
Blazers Interested In Giannis Antetokounmpo, Anthony Davis
The Trail Blazers appear to be on the upswing after making the playoffs for the first time in five years. They also have a new owner in Tom Dundon, who has drawn plenty of scrutiny for the cost-cutting measures he implemented while Portland was in the postseason.
Although Dundon has reportedly ruffled some feathers around the league, particularly in regards to the team’s coaching search, he has developed a reputation during his time with the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes as a team owner who is willing to spend on players. Dundon also suggested at his introductory press conference that he would be “more aggressive than most” in pursuit of star talent.
Dundon said at the time that general manager Joe Cronin considered making a “big splash” trade ahead of the deadline. Cronin said a couple days ago that the team was intrigued by the possibility of making a major move, but “only at the right price point.”
With all that in mind, multiple league sources tell Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link) that the Trail Blazers are “expected to emerge as a prime trade suitor” this summer for Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, a two-time MVP who was limited to just 36 games played this season due to injuries.
Fischer and his colleague Marc Stein reported in late January that the Blazers were among the teams interested in the Greek star. While the feeling at the time was that Portland may have been more motivated to help facilitate a multi-team Giannis trade, Fischer heard this week that the Blazers are just as motivated as other potential Antetokounmpo suitors to acquire him outright.
Despite the team’s interest, Portland may not be high on Antetokounmpo’s list of desired destinations if he pushes for a trade this summer, Fischer writes, so selling him on a long-term future with the team could be difficult.
According to Fischer’s sources, a potential trade offer for Giannis would be built around the contract of Jerami Grant, who’s owed about $70.6MM over the next two seasons. Additional salaries would have to be added to make the deal legal, Fischer notes.
If the Blazers are unable to acquire Antetokounmpo, Wizards big man Anthony Davis is considered a fallback option, sources close to the situation tell Fischer.
Portland talked to Dallas during the season about a possible Davis deal centered around Grant and unspecified draft capital, per Fischer, but the Mavs were more interested in clearing their books, which is why they preferred — and ultimately accepted — Washington’s package that featured Khris Middleton‘s sizable expiring salary.
Davis raised doubts at his first media availability as a Wizard last month about the Washington’s ability to quickly go from the worst team in the league to a contender. NBA insider Chris Haynes recently said on SiriusXM NBA Radio that he wouldn’t be shocked if Davis is traded again this offseason before he ever plays in D.C., and Fischer has heard similar rumblings (Twitter video link).
“I do think there’s a good chance that he may end up somewhere else by the time next season starts,” Haynes said.
Antetokounmpo, 31, and Davis, 33, could be free agents in 2027. Both players will be extension-eligible before next season begins and hold player options for ’27/28.
NBA Announces Schedule For Second Round Of Playoffs
The NBA has announced the schedule for the second round of the playoffs, which will feature a total of eight teams (four from each conference). Each series’ schedule is subject to change, per the league.
While we know the Western Conference semifinal matchups, the Eastern Conference matchups are still up in the air, with three first-round series going the full seven games. Boston and Philadelphia are playing on Saturday to determine New York’s second-round opponent. The other side of the Eastern bracket features Detroit/Orlando and Cleveland/Toronto, with both deciding games to be played on Sunday.
Below are the tentative schedules for all four series (all Twitter links here). All of the times listed are for the Eastern time zone. Games marked with an asterisk (*) are if necessary, and the times and TV broadcasts for those potential contests are to be determined.
Western Conference
No. 2 Spurs vs. No. 6 Timberwolves:
- Game 1: 5/4 at 9:30 pm on Peacock/NBCSN
- Game 2: 5/6 at 9:30 pm on ESPN
- Game 3: 5/8 at 9:30 pm on Prime
- Game 4: 5/10 at 7:30 pm on NBC/Peacock
- Game 5: 5/12*
- Game 6: 5/15*
- Game 7: 5/17*
No. 1 Thunder vs. No. 4 Lakers:
- Game 1: 5/5 at 8:30 pm on NBC/Peacock
- Game 2: 5/7 at 9:30 pm on Prime
- Game 3: 5/9 at 8:30 pm on ABC
- Game 4: 5/11 at 10:30 pm on Prime
- Game 5: 5/13*
- Game 6: 5/16*
- Game 7: 5/18*
Eastern Conference
No. 3 Knicks vs. No. 2 Celtics OR No. 7 Sixers
- Game 1: 5/4 at 8:00 pm on NBC/Peacock
- Game 2: 5/6 at 7:00 pm on ESPN
- Game 3: 5/8 at 7:00 pm on Prime
- Game 4: 5/10 at 3:30 pm on ABC
- Game 5: 5/12*
- Game 6: 5/14*
- Game 7: 5/17*
No. 1 Pistons OR No. 8 Magic vs. No. 4 Cavaliers OR No. 5 Raptors
- Game 1: 5/5 at 7:00 pm on Peacock/NBCSN
- Game 2: 5/7 at 7:00 pm on Prime
- Game 3: 5/9 at 3:00 pm on NBC/Peacock
- Game 4: 5/11 at 8:00 pm on NBC/Peacock
- Game 5: 5/13*
- Game 6: 5/15*
- Game 7: 5/17*
Celtics’ Tatum, Sixers’ George Added To Game 7 Injury Report
Celtics forward Jayson Tatum has been downgraded from available to questionable ahead of Saturday’s Game 7 matchup against Philadelphia, the team announced (via Twitter).
Tatum, a five-time All-NBA member who made his season debut in March after tearing his right Achilles tendon in last year’s playoffs, is dealing with left knee stiffness. The 28-year-old star downplayed the left leg issue after Boston’s Game 6 loss in Philadelphia, but clearly it’s bothering him more now.
A key member of the Sixers has also been added to Saturday’s injury report, according to Derek Bodner of PHLY Sports, who tweets that Paul George is probable due to an illness. That designation suggests the nine-time All-Star forward is considered likely to suit up tonight.
Tatum has averaged 23.3 points, 10.7 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 1.2 steals on .475/.365/.781 shooting through six games in the first-round series, while George has averaged 18.2 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 3.7 APG and 1.7 SPG on .487/.543/.778 shooting splits.
The Celtics were heavy favorites entering the series and got off to a 3-1 start, but the 76ers have the momentum after outplaying Boston the past two games to even the series. Game 7 will be in Boston, which theoretically should give the Celtics an advantage. However, they’ve dropped two of their three home contests so far in the series.
Knicks Notes: Hart, Clarkson, Alvarado, Towns
The Knicks‘ series against Atlanta turned around after Josh Hart demanded to be given the full-time defensive assignment on CJ McCollum, Stefan Bondy of The New York Post writes in a subscriber-only piece. After McCollum hit a game-winning shot to give the Hawks a 2-1 series lead, Hart made sure the coaching staff understood his intentions.
“I cursed out one of our defensive [coaches] for taking me off him at the end of Game 3,” said Hart, who also walked into the coaches’ room at halftime of Game 4 to make sure it didn’t happen again. “I said, ‘I’m on him. Don’t take me off him. I’m guarding him. And that was the challenge I wanted.”
The difference was stark, Bondy notes, as McCollum averaged 27 points per game in the first three games of the series while shooting 51% from the field and 39% on three-pointers. Over the final three games, he was limited to 11.3 PPG while his shooting dropped to 39.5% from the field and 10% from beyond the arc. He averaged 3.3 turnovers in that span and only 1.3 assists.
“At a certain point, it’s just pride,” Hart said. “It’s wanting to obviously try to stop him, to limit him. Games 1 and 2, he had (about) 30 (per game). It was just a pride thing. Go out there and get stops.”
There’s more from New York:
- The additions of Jordan Clarkson and Jose Alvarado have given the Knicks more depth than they’ve had in recent seasons, notes Howie Kussoy of The New York Post. That backcourt duo has teamed with Mitchell Robinson and Miles McBride to provide a reliable second unit that takes some of the stress off the starters. Clarkson and Alvarado both fell out of coach Mike Brown’s rotation late in the season, but they’ve reemerged since the playoffs began. “[Being out of the rotation is] definitely challenging, but I’ve been in the league for 12 years. I know how it goes,” Clarkson said. “Just continue to stay ready. There’s a locker room of young guys and other people, watching me and seeing how I react to those things. Set an example for them. Continue to stay locked in. … Just wait for my opportunity to go out there and play. Everybody setting that example and having everybody ready is big for the team.”
- The first-round series featured Karl-Anthony Towns‘ best sustained performance since Brown took over as head coach, observes Ian Begley of SNY.tv. There were season-long concerns about whether Towns could adjust to Brown’s system, but he was dominant against Atlanta, posting a combined plus-62 rating over the final three games of the series. “I never doubted my ability,” Towns said. “I never doubted the work I put in. It’s just – you gotta adjust, you gotta adjust. Especially (with) a lot of new things being thrown at you, you’re being asked to do a lot more things – some things that (haven’t) consistently been asked of me in my career. It’s one thing anyone who knows me, who’s followed my career, I’m willing to sacrifice and do whatever it takes for the team to win.”
- James L. Edwards of The Athletic considers whether the Knicks are now in the best position of anybody to win the East.