Community Shootaround

The NBA postseason, originally scheduled to get underway on April 18, will finally begin today, about four months later than anticipated. Although the coronavirus pandemic threw a wrench into the NBA’s plans for the end of the 2019/20 campaign, the league is now in a good position to finish its season at its Walt Disney World campus.

Of the eight first-round playoff series scheduled to begin on Monday and Tuesday, the majority of the most fascinating matchups can be found in the Western Conference. And no first-round series is considered more of a toss-up than the No. 4 Rockets against the No. 5 Thunder.

The two teams finished with identical 44-28 records, despite the fact that last July’s Russell Westbrook/Chris Paul swap was one in a series of moves that made it seem as if Houston was going all-in on the 2019/20 season while Oklahoma City was taking a step back. A quad strain has compromised Westbrook’s availability for the start of the series, which dampens the Westbrook vs. Paul subplot, but Houston remains the slight favorite at -160, according to Caesar’s Sportsbook (link via ESPN). In other words, you’d have to risk $160 on the Rockets in order to collect $100 if they win the series.

The next-tightest matchup, per Caesar’s, is also in the West, as the No. 3 Nuggets (-220) face the No. 6 Jazz. Utah is likely relieved not to have to face Houston in the first round after being dismantled by the Rockets in the last two postseasons. But the Jazz will enter the playoffs without Bojan Bogdanovic and Mike Conley available. While Conley – who is away for the birth of his child – should be back at some point during the series, Bogdanovic is out for the season due to wrist surgery and his absence will limit Utah’s upside — even if the Nuggets are still without a couple key players of their own (Gary Harris and Will Barton).

The No. 1 Lakers (-450) are solid favorites over the No. 8 Trail Blazers, as are the No. 2 Clippers (-550) vs. the No. 7 Mavericks. But both of those lower seeds are frisky — Damian Lillard and Luka Doncic are each capable of single-handedly leading their teams to a win or two, and neither L.A. team has been so dominant this season that we should assume either series will be a cakewalk.

Over in the East, there are a pair of series that oddsmakers assume will be a cakewalk. The No. 2 Raptors (-5,000) are huge favorites over the No. 7 Nets, while the No. 1 Bucks (-15,000) are absolutely massive favorites over the No. 8 Magic, per Caesar’s.

Milwaukee and Toronto look like two of the NBA’s best teams, while Brooklyn and Orlando have both been hit hard by injuries and finished the season with losing records. The Nets have at least played impressive ball during the restart, knocking off the Clippers and Bucks and nearly ruining Portland’s playoff chances. They look like a better bet than the Magic to make a top seed sweat a little.

Elsewhere in the East, the No. 3 Celtics (-400) are solid favorites over the No. 6 Sixers, and the No. 5 Heat (-320) are considered good bets to defeat the No. 4 Pacers. That Boston/Philadelphia series would have been a whole lot more intriguing if Ben Simmons were healthy — without him, it’s not clear if the 76ers will have an answer for Boston’s versatile offensive attack. But Joel Embiid has always had success vs. the C’s, so if he can stay healthy and have a big series, the Sixers could make things interesting.

The Pacers, meanwhile, would be a more intriguing upset pick if they had Domantas Sabonis available and if Victor Oladipo were a lock to be at full strength. The Heat, who won the season series 3-0, look like the safer pick, but this could still be the most competitive first-round series in the East.

What do you think? Do you expect any underdogs to make it out of the first round, or are you picking the favorites across the board? Are there any 1-8 or 2-7 matchups that you think could be more competitive than advertised? Which first-round series do you expect to be the most entertaining?

Head to the comment section below to weigh in with your thoughts and your picks!

The NBA made some history this afternoon with its first-ever play-in series, and the results could help make it a permanent part of the league’s postseason.

The Trail Blazers rallied from an eight-point fourth quarter deficit to edge the Grizzlies and claim the West’s final playoff spot. Because Portland held the eighth seed, it only took one victory to advance, while Memphis would have needed to win two in a row.

“I was thinking I don’t want to play again tomorrow,” Portland’s CJ McCollum, who is dealing with a back injury, said in an ESPN interview. “We had to get this done tonight, [and] make sure we came in and finished them off. We’re thankful to be in a position to be able to make the playoffs, and we didn’t want to squander an opportunity.”

Commissioner Adam Silver said Friday he hopes the play-in series will become an annual event, and it seems many fans and reporters agree. Kristian Winfield of The New York Daily News called on the league to replace its “outdated” tie-breaker system that is based on head-to-head records, along with division and conference results.

The set-up used in Orlando called for a play-in series as long as the eighth and ninth seeds were within four games of each other. Winfield believes that’s too much of a margin to use in a normal season and suggests the series only be implemented if the teams are tied or no more than a game apart.

Silver has long been a fan of the play-in series concept and introduced the idea last fall as part of a switch to a 78-game season. His proposal would have had teams seven through 10 in each conference competing for the final two seeds. This year’s series added a lot of drama to the final days of seeding games as the Blazers, Grizzlies, Suns and Spurs all entered Thursday with a chance to qualify.

We want to get your input. Should the NBA hold a play-in series every year, regardless of how close the race is for playoff spots? And should one or two playoff spots be at stake in each conference? Please leave your comments in the space below.

Perhaps no player has taken a more impressive leap this summer than Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr., who has taken on an increased role due to injuries to Jamal Murray, Will Barton, and Gary Harris. After averaging a modest 7.5 PPG and 4.1 RPG in 49 games (14.2 MPG) prior to the March stoppage, Porter has exploded for 26.3 PPG and 10.0 RPG in four games (34.7 MPG) during the restart.

Porter’s scorching-hot shooting line (.578/.500/.941) is unsustainable, and his numbers figure to dip a little if and when Murray, Barton, and Harris are all healthy. Still, in the span of a week, MPJ has gone from promising young prospect to franchise cornerstone.

Porter is one of nine players highlighted by ESPN’s writers in an article focusing on several of the summer’s up-and-coming breakout players.

Second-year swingman Gary Trent Jr. is another unsurpising inclusion on ESPN’s list. Trent is still coming off the bench for the Trail Blazers, but he’s playing 32.9 minutes per contest so far in Orlando and is shooting the lights out from beyond the arc, knocking down 22-of-35 three-point attempts (62.9%) through four games.

Grizzlies shooting guard Grayson Allen, who had played limited minutes in his first two NBA seasons and was sidelined with a hip injury prior to the hiatus, has played the best basketball of his professional career at Walt Disney world, averaging 14.3 PPG on .606/.667/.750 shooting entering today’s game.

A pair of Spurs also show up on ESPN’s list. Derrick White has taken his game to another level in Orlando, racking up 24 points in today’s win after averaging 21.3 PPG and 5.5 APG with a .455 3PT% in his first four games. Rookie forward Keldon Johnson, who played in just nine games earlier this season, has been one of San Antonio’s most-used bench players, with 13.0 PPG and 5.3 RPG entering today’s game.

Troy Brown (Wizards), Thomas Bryant (Wizards), Danuel House (Rockets), and Aaron Holiday (Pacers) also showed up on ESPN’s list.

Now that we’re halfway through the summer’s seeding games, we want to get your input. Which young players have impressed you the most in Orlando so far?

ESPN’s list focuses on up-and-comers, but have you been pleasantly surprised by what you’ve seen from certain veterans as well, such as Pacers forward T.J. Warren? Are you skeptical of small-sample sizes in some cases, or are you ready to declare that certain players have taken noticeable steps forward?

Head to the comment section below to weigh in with your thoughts!

When the Knicks launched a search for a new permanent head coach that ultimately led them to Tom Thibodeau, it was considered likely to be the first of multiple NBA coaching hires in 2020. However, it’s no longer clear whether or not that will be the case.

In our 2020 head coaching search tracker, we suggest that the situations in Brooklyn, Houston, and Chicago are among those worth keeping an eye on. Jacque Vaughn was a midseason replacement who was promoted to head coach in March, Mike D’Antoni is on an expiring contract, and Jim Boylen is coming off a disappointing season and being evaluated by a new-look front office.

There’s a possibility that none of those teams makes a change though. Multiple reports this summer have indicated that Vaughn will be given every opportunity to win the Nets‘ permanent job; D’Antoni has handled the Rockets‘ transition to “micro-ball” admirably so far; and Boylen is reportedly gaining momentum to retain the Bulls‘ job.

Today’s report on Boylen noted that financial considerations could be a major factor in the Bulls’ decision, and Chicago probably isn’t the only club in that boat. The coronavirus pandemic will result in major revenue losses for teams across the NBA, so giving an incumbent head coach one more year may look a whole lot more appealing than firing him, hiring a new coach, and paying off multiple contracts.

Additionally, a number of the teams that finished near the bottom of this year’s standings or who have underachieved this season have head coaches who are safe due to their rock-solid résumés (ie. Steve Kerr, Gregg Popovich, and Terry Stotts) or because they’re recent hires who deserve a longer look (ie. Luke Walton and Ryan Saunders).

Even taking into account those caveats, it’s possible we’ll see some coaching changes this summer or fall. Teams that disappoint in Orlando will be worth monitoring. D’Antoni could be back on the hot seat, for instance, if Houston doesn’t win at least a playoff series or two. And it’s hard to imagine Brett Brown returning for another season if the Sixers don’t make it out of the first round.

We want to know what you think. Do you expect to see some more coaching changes happen in 2020, or will be things relatively quiet on that front? If you anticipate changes, which teams do you see making moves?

Head to the comment section below to weigh in with your thoughts!

On Wednesday, we published the latest iteration of our 2020 NBA free agent power rankings, with Lakers big man Anthony Davis and Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram atop the list.

Davis and Ingram have something in common, besides having been traded for one another last summer and becoming Western Conference All-Stars together in February — neither player is likely to change teams this fall when he reaches the open market.

Davis will be an unrestricted free agent, but there’s no compelling reason for him to leave Los Angeles. The Lakers were the team he wanted to join when he first requested a trade out of New Orleans, and his first year in L.A. has been a massive success. Despite the unusual circumstances created by the coronavirus pandemic, the Lakers remain in position to secure the No. 1 seed in the West and are one of a handful of teams with a legit chance to win the 2020 championship.

Ingram, meanwhile, will be a restricted free agent at season’s end, meaning the Pelicans will have the opportunity to control the process by matching any offer sheet he signs. It’s possible a rival suitor will put some pressure on the Pels if they don’t put the max on the table, but it’s hard to imagine a scenario in which New Orleans simply lets its rising young star get away. Sources within the Pelicans front office recently reiterated to ESPN that they consider Ingram a key cornerstone piece going forward.

If Davis and Ingram stay with their respective clubs, that means someone a little further down on our power rankings will become the top free agent to change teams this offseason.

That player seems unlikely to be Kings swingman Bogdan Bogdanovic or Timberwolves guard Malik Beasley, both of whom will be restricted. The Wizards have expressed strong interest in re-signing Davis Bertans and I’d expect the Raptors to work just as hard to retain Fred VanVleet, but perhaps an exorbitant outside offer could sway one of them away from his incumbent team?

How about Clippers center Montrezl Harrell or Thunder forward Danilo Gallinari? The Clips already have $109MM in guaranteed money on next season’s cap and may be reluctant to spend big to retain all three of their key frontcourt free-agents-to-be (Harris, Marcus Morris, and JaMychal Green). Oklahoma City, meanwhile, is positioned for a possible rebuild in 2021 and might not view Gallinari as part of its future plans.

Joe Harris (Nets), Serge Ibaka (Raptors), Morris (Clippers), Jerami Grant (Nuggets), Christian Wood (Pistons), and Paul Millsap (Nuggets) are among the next unrestricted free agents on our list who are candidates to change teams if the right opportunity materializes.

We want to know what you think. Who do you believe will be the best free agent to change teams this fall? Do you expect a lot of movement among top free agents, or do you think most of them are more likely to stay with their current clubs? If they do change teams, where do you see them landing?

Head below to the comment section to weigh in with your thoughts!