2023-24 NBA Playoffs (2nd round, 2 games in)

East

Cavs 95-120 Celtics

Cavs 118-94 Celtics

Game One was a yawn as the Cavs just never got going and the Celtics cruised. Game Two was all about the Celtics just not hitting shots, which allowed the Cavs to build up the lead after halftime. In the 1st game the Celtics got nice contributions from their bench, but in the 2nd game....not so much. The panic is real, the Celtic fans are nervous--to which I say, relax. The Celtics just didn't make their shots, if they shoot like normal, they'd win this game easily and even if they just shot okay, this game still would've been winnable. Going back to Cleveland, I expect the Celtics to dominate at least one of the games (probably Game Three) and might even steal the other and be back in position to win in Game Five. The Cavs are a nice team but the Celtics really have to not score in order for the Cavs to win. This series is unexpectedly tied up, but I'm not worried (yet) about the Celtics.

Pacers 117-121 Knicks

Pacers 121-130 Knicks

The Pacers are pretty salty about the officiating in this series so far and while I normally don't cotton to ref talk, the way they got jobbed on the final possession of Game One was egregious. How do you call a moving screen in the final minute of the game? In Game Two, Jalen Brunson got hurt, went out of the game for a good 15 minutes and the Pacers were clearly the superior squad in his absence; but when he returned after halftime, Brunson was unstoppable and lifted the Knicks back up (even though OG Anunoby got hurt and left--probably for the series!). The Pacers have the deeper bench as the series heads back to Indy, I expect that to matter, so I think the Pacers will win the next two games. The Knicks are now without Julius Randle, Bojan Bogdanovic, Mitchell Robinson and (it appears) OG Anunoby--and with Brunson nursing something. If the Pacers can get Tyrese Halliburton back to the FIBA monster he was last summer, then the Pacers should have the depth to get back in this series and if they can just withstand Brunson, they can still win. Not only is this series not over, I think I like the Pacers to win 4 of the next 5 games, the Knicks are just too skimpy right now (and Josh Hart is on pace to average the most minutes in playoff history). 

West

Mavs 95-117 Thunder

Mavs 119-110 Thunder

(Hmmmm....ditto the Cavs-Celtics series..?) Game One was a snooze as the home team Thunder cruised without much effort. But in Game Two, the Thunder had scoring troubles (not something the Thunder do very often) and it gave the Mavs the chance to steal one on the road. On the one hand, I was way more impressed with the Mavs' defense than I expected to be; but, come on, the Thunder had shots they normally make and they just didn't go down. Throw in that PJ Washington went for 29, which I don't expect to happen again, and this is something of a fluke result. Not that the Mavs suck but I think OKC is better and ready to outscore them consistently, whereas in Game Two, no one shot well, Shai seemed sluggish, Giddy was a net negative and Chet did little to contribute. The Mavs are good, this series should go for a while but in Game Two, the Thunder just had a bad night, I still expect them to move on to the next round. 

Wolves 106-99 Nuggets

Wolves 106-80 Nuggets

Ohhhhh fuuuuuuuu-dge! Game One was a nice win for the Wolves, who came in with a serious intensity and, unlike most of the Nuggets' opponents for the last coupla seasons, didn't fold in the 4th quarter. Nice win. Game Two, on the other hand, was a straight up drubbing, the likes of which we haven't seen Jokic endure for a while now. Jokic is clearly struggling with the length of the Wolves defenders, Jamal Murray doesn't look healthy and Michael Porter Jr--after something of a breakout performance against the Lakers in the first round--is back to his one-dimensional self. The Nuggets look to be in some serious trouble as their world-beating home court advantage has completely vanished, but the Nuggets are still the champs and I except them to compete much better back in Minnesota--I do not expect a sweep. That said, it'll be a fierce uphill climb and winning 4 of the next 5 looks out of reach.