2021 NBA Playoffs: Second Round

Whooo boy. Playoff basketball is the best. Luka shined, Trae embraced his inner villain and the King took an early exit in the First round of the NBA Playoffs. So with the Second Round already under way, here’s what to expect.

Eastern Conference:

(1) Philadelphia vs. (5) Atlanta.

• A lot to unpack here but we have to start with Trae Young. The dude is a flat out star. Young and the Hawks picked apart the Knicks with such zeal and precision it had New York fans questioning if the rest of the season had all been a dream. Young has become a willing passer and the Hawks roster is perfectly suited to play off of him. Bogdan Bogdanovic is a big game player who has been a matchup nightmare this postseason.
• For Philly, how healthy is Joel Embiid? And will he last the series? In Game 1 against the Hawks, he exploded for a casual 39 points and 9 rebounds but the 76ers were always playing catchup. A slight meniscus tear is not anything to play with, pun intended, but the big fella still dominated in Game 1.
• Doc Rivers waited a whole half to take Danny Green of Trae and it was approximately 24 minutes too late. Trae Young made Danny Green look like Darren Rovell when he tried to guard Porzingis. It wasn’t good. The Sixers allowed Young to get to his spots and then distribute when he needed to. Atlanta’s ball movement was phenomenal until the 4th quarter. The frustrating part for Philly fans is that if Doc had made adjustments earlier, there’s a good chance Philly wins.
• The Sixers are one of the best defensive teams in the NBA for a reason. They have multiple great defenders in Ben Simmons, Matisse Thybulle, Tobias Harris and Embiid. However, they’re going up against an offense that is hitting its groove. My heart wants Philly but my gut says don’t pick against the Hawks again.
• Hawks in 7

(2) Brooklyn vs. (3) Milwaukee.

• Game 1 was close and then it wasn’t. Even without James Harden, this Nets team is so talented it’s almost unfair. If Brooklyn is getting contributions from Blake Griffin and other supporting players, it’s a wrap for the Bucks.
• Additionally, if Bud doesn’t start making adjustments on offense, he’s gonna be chanting “1–2–3 Cancun” on this season and his job as head coach. When the Bucks get pressed, they revert to the style of basketball that’s gotten them bounced from the playoffs the last few years. Giannis cannot be their primary ball handler in the playoffs. It’s too easy for teams to scheme against him when he’s charging downhill and waiting for pick and rolls. Milwaukee needs movement in their offense if they hope to have a chance in this series.
• Brooklyn in 6 (maybe 5).

Western Conference:

(1) Utah vs. (4) L.A. Clippers.

• This should be a fun one. The Clippers just outlasted the Luka Mavericks in 7 incredibly exciting games. Before moving on, I have to acknowledge Luka. We are witnessing one of the most unique and special players to play in the NBA. His size, speed, IQ and shot making abilities are breathtaking. You can’t force him to play at a different place and it’s nearly impossible to prevent him from getting to his spots. Paul George and Kawhi Leonard, regarded as two of the best defenders in the league couldn’t stop him. The only thing that can stop him is the Dallas Mavericks. The Mavs second unit put forth one of the most pathetic efforts in the history of basketball. Mark Cuban needs to spend less time on Twitter and more time surrounding his 22-year old superstar with better talent.
• On to this matchup, I think it’ll be good! Like, really good. I know a lot of people don’t enjoy either team very much and that’s fine. However, if you like high IQ basketball, this is the series for you. Utah runs like a well oiled machine and so far, no one has stopped the machine from churning forward. The Jazz are deep, have multiple shot creators and a highly disciplined roster that doesn’t shoot themselves in the foot.
• For the Clippers, the first round win over Dallas felt almost like an exorcism. If Los Angeles had lost, and it came close, there would likely have been significant changes to that roster. Instead the Clips won, and did it behind their star Kawhi Leonard. Now the Clippers have a legitimate shot of getting out of the West and advancing to the NBA Finals. All the jokes about Playoff P, The Clippers Curse and Steve Ballmer got put back into Drafts until the end of this series.
• Jazz in 7 (Totally could be Clippers in 6).

(2) Phoenix vs. (3) Denver.

• Is this finally Chris Paul’s time? After years of heartbreaking injuries and postseason collapses, Paul joined a young Phoenix team and led the Suns to the 2 seed in the Western Conference. Then, as has happened through out his Hall of Fame career, something bad happened. He injured his shoulder against the defending World champions and the NBA community shook its collective head. We’d all seen this story before. Except, we hadn’t. CP3 was certainly injured, but he played through it and got better as the first round series went on. Not only that, the players around him also got better and Phoenix dispatched of LeBron James and the Lakers — sending King James home in the first round for the first time in his career. The Suns may be the least talked about contender and that is truly what they are.
• For Denver, this series will be another test. The Nuggets have played exceptionally well without Jamal Murray but Phoenix is not Portland. It feels stupid to pick against the league MVP and I’m sure Joker will keep the Nuggets in it. That being said, I think the Suns are a significantly better team and will control the series.
• Suns in 6.