-
Brian Windhorst
It is known that the intensity increases in the post -station, but there is also a huge amount of nuances, of small things that make the difference between an extensive race and an early holiday. The competition is better, the stakes are higher and the margins are thinner.
Star Play often Brands Series, but nuance can often define them – whatever a non -rare player, tactics of a coach or an aspect of the game that points the balance of a crucial game.
Here are six potential X factors in the second round of the NBA playoffs:
The Celtics have just made sweating in the playoffs in the last five series. But their revolving list of players in the accident report could prove vital in the next six weeks, if they arrived so far.
Last spring, KRISTAPS PORZINGIS Played in only seven of the 19 Celtics playoff games, but his 20 points in match 1 of the NBA finals were fundamental. This season, appreciated defender Jrue Holiday he played in his games in the lower number of campaigns and lost three playoffs in the first round against the Orlando Magic with a knee tendon injury. Jaylen Brown (knee) e Jayson Tatum (The wrist) are managing problems that have recently cost them games in this post -station.
The length of the IR of the Celtics could be the only factor that can slow down the champions in defense.
Rick Carlisle’s experience
THE Indiana Pacers The coach was expelled during a 2024 playoff loss against New York Knicks So he remained awake until the first hours of work with the staff to send 78 video clips to the League office who question the calls.
It might seem like a typical lament, but it was part of a greater strategy to wear the opponent, whether it is referees or other team.
The calls were joined in that series and the deepest and healthier Pacers passed the Knicks in seven games to advance the first finals of the Oriental Conference of the franchise since 2014. Carlisle has trained over 150 playoffs and the disturbance of last year the Knicks were not his first; Remember the 2011 NBA finals with his Dallas Mavericks Run through the playoffs of the Western Conference before beating the Miami Heat In Lebron JamesFirst season in South Beach. And Carlisle has constantly demonstrated an expert ability to make changes and perfect the strategy.
Pacers will be a loser in every series in the future, but Carlisle knows that role well.
“Playoff Jimmy” is a real producer of differences, and should not be a surprise when he published 20 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists in Golden State Warriors‘Game 7 Win Houston Rockets Given its story in closing games.
Butler had 28 points for the heat in a game victory of Game 7 during the finals of the conference against Boston in 2023. He recorded 42 points to close the Milwaukee Bucks On the road that same postseason. In 2022, his game 6 of 47 points, 9 rebounds, 8-axis and 4-furti in a Heat victory in Boston was one of the best moments of those playoffs; Has put on 32 points to close the 76er In Philadelphia a round first.
When there is a playoff game on vital away, butler’s value increases even more.
THE Cleveland Cavaliers Star has the seventh average of the scores in the history of the NBA playoffs (at least 50 games) at 27.9.
Now he has scored 30 or more points in eight consecutive games 1, beating a record with which he previously had previously Michael Jordan.
Mitchell can score at high leverage moments. But there is a thin line between that and the production of volume. When the Cavs lost the game 1 against the Pacers on Sunday, Mitchell marked his usual 33 points, but it took 30 shots to get there.
Cleveland followed the entire game and Mitchell tried very hard to save his team, a trend that was repeated in his career. When Mitchell does 30 or more shots in a playoff game, his team is 1-5. Last season, for example, he scored 50 points during a playoff game in Orlando and made 36 shots in a losing effort.
Sunday was also 1 out of 11 from the 3 -point line. When he takes 11 or more 3 during the playoffs, his teams are 2-7. He did it twice against the Celtics last season, leading to two losses.
McDaniels perhaps had the best two weeks of his career in the first round for the Minnesota timberwolveswith an average of a huge 17.4 points on 57% shooting in the victory of the five -games Serie A on Los Angeles Lakers.
But the reason why he has a 130 million dollar contract is his defense – and it is THE defensive plan for warriors Stephen Curry in the second round. McDaniels kept curry on 161 possessions during the regular season. This is not just the best this season, not just the maximum of any defender on any player this season; It is the third that most of the curry has been supervised by an opponent In the last decadefor Espn research.
Curry took 53 shots against McDaniels this season and had an effective percentage of the Goal in the field of 53%, well below its 57%seasonal average.
The speed and lateral dimensions of McDaniels, 6 feet-9, is a factor. But the challenge with Curry is what is constantly on the move. The two times MVP ran 1.99 miles in the win of Warriors’ game 7 in Houston. McDaniels will have his hands full of pursuit after curry all series.
Nobody thinks about Nuggets as a “fast” team, probably because it is star Nikola Jokic He is known for his style of timber. But they are deceptively fast.
In fact, they led the championship in quick points per game this season at 20.1. Jokic does not lead or, frankly, many fast breaks ends. But he knows that the ball can move faster than man and his precision passes in the fully field are a primary weapon in the offense of the Nugget.
It is particularly important against the Oklahoma City ThunderWhich are a brilliant defensive team in the middle of the field but are vulnerable in transition. The Thunder guided the NBA in permitted points in transition this season at 12.3 per game.