Things are about to get serious in the NBA bubble as the league moves out of the league at the start of the championship’s quest with Monday’s first-round playoff list.
Winning the first game may be to set the tone for a series, but it’s especially important in the bubble, where groups have only had 8 games to expand some chemistry and perceive what their new rotations will look like.
Monday’s whiteboard includes 4 sets. At the Eastern Conference, the champion protector Toronto Raptors is in action, while Kawhi Leonard begins his first playoff race with the Los Angeles Clippers in the Western Conference.
NBA Playoff Monday (All Times ET)
Game 1: Utah Jazz vs. Utah Jazz Denver Nuggets, 1:30 p.m., ESPN
Game 1: Brooklyn Nets vs Toronto Raptors, 4:00 p.m., ESPN
Game 1: Philadelphia 76ers vs. No. Boston Celtics, 6:30 p.m., ESPN
Game 1: Dallas Mavericks vs. Dallas Mavericks Los Angeles Clippers, 9:00 p.m., ESPN
Monday forecast, preview
Monday’s show begins with the Denver Nuggets and Utah Jazz, neither team has done their best in the bubble. Both finished 3-5 in their 8 ratings games, but were virtually guaranteed to play in the playoffs anyway.
The Jazz will run out of a building base Mike Conley, who left the bubble to return home for the birth of his son of the moment. This means that an even heavier burden will fall on Donovan Mitchell, who has already taken on a heavier burden with Bojan Bogdanovic and his 20.2 problems consistent with game of the year.
“If Mike Conley is rarely available for the first game, whatever it is, I’m sure other players will take over,” said Nuggets coach Michael Malone. “We were able to move to Utah this year and win with seven players. I don’t agree with that. If you can’t have Mike Conley, it means more to Donovan Mitchell, who is an NBA-caliber player.”
However, Nikola Jokic will face Rudy Gobert, who remains one of the most productive defensive players in the league. The Nuggets’ offense revolves around their big and had a functionality forged opposite Gobert when they beat Jazz 134-132 on August 8.
With Jazz at a numerical disadvantage and no offensive firepower outside Mitchell’s doors, the Nuggets are well placed to win the first game.
In the first game of the Eastern Conference, the Toronto Raptors begin defending their name with a 2004 Detroit Pistons atmosphere. After Leonard left for Los Angeles, the closest thing to the Raptors to a superstar Pascal Siakam.
However, another thing they have is a long and athletic diversity that can lock anyone up. Raptors have the second highest defensive score in the league and can deploy defenders with the versatility needed to play a lot of matchups.
They are also incredibly balanced in attack. Five players have averaged 15 or more game-consistent issues this season, and were shot 37% by team 3 issues this season.
Toronto received a satisfied first-round duet given the makeshift list the Brooklyn Nets brought to Florida. While the roster anchored through Caris LeVert, Jarrett Allen and Joe Harris have been brave enough to pass 5-3 since the NBA resumes, they are a team that will rank far overtaken now that games matter more.
Given the Raptors’ 7-1 record in Orlando, it may become obvious as soon as you can imagine and a dominant first game deserves not to be a surprise.
The most intriguing game of the day is the opening series between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Boston Celtics.
The Sixers remain one of the most intriguing groups in the NBA. Joel Embiid has the ability to be the top dominant player in the league each and every night, and the Celtics will be forced to use personalities like Daniel Theis and Robert Williams to maintain it.
However, Ben Simmons’ injury is key for Philadelphia’s defensive customers, as it is his most productive option to remain Jayson Tatum. The return of a healthy Kemba Walker means the Sixers may have to turn to rookie Mathysse Thybulle in the starting lineup. Head coach Brett Brown said the team contemplates hitting him in the five most sensitive, through NBC Sports’ Noah Levick.
Celtics coach Brad Stevens knows the Sixers remain a damaging team for Simmons because he opens the offense.
“In games that Simmons hasn’t played, they’re the number one offense in the league,” he said, via Field Level Media (h/t ESPN.com). “Space, filming around [Joel] Embiid, the ability to play big with Embiid and Al (Horford) Array … An organization of shooters around them makes them very difficult.”
Of all the lowest-ranked groups on Monday, Philadelphia has the most productive chance of creating a surprise. If Embiid gets a great game and the cast can warm up beyond the arc, we’ll see the first wonder of the playoffs.
Before Monday’s final game, there’s good news and bad news for the Dallas Mavericks. The good news is that their young Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis duo is heading to the playoffs for the first time; The bad news is he’s in a first-round game with the Clippers.
The perfect Clippers. They struggled with the injuries and the players showed up behind in the bubble and others left. But there are two things that give them greater credit to their opponents: they play a fair defense and have Paul George and Kawhi Leonard.
If the Mavericks can save his sweep, it will be an achievement because the Clippers seem destined at least to face off in the Western Conference finals against their local rivals, the Lakers.
L.A. will check to set the tone and win the first game in the series.
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