The second round of the NBA postseason is upon us, and things have gotten completely and utterly nuts. Every road team in each series won Game 1, something that has never been done in NBA history in the conference semifinals.
The Pacers have stolen not one, but two away games from the Cavs. The Knicks punched the Celtics in the mouth in Game 1. The Warriors blew out the Timberwolves, even with Stephen Curry leaving the game early due to injury. And the Nuggets shocked the No. 1 seed Thunder, with Nikola Jokić single-handedly turning the upcoming MVP award ceremony into a super uncomfortable and awkward event, should Shai Gilgeous-Alexander win over him.
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As such, teams must make adjustments on the fly, with an undercurrent of sheer panic from the initial gut punch they took in the opening game.
Let’s assess which teams are on high alert in the second round.
Knicks 1, Celtics 0
How we got here
It always felt like the Knicks would get one in this series, but to do it in the opening game was highly unexpected, and a major tone-setter for Tom Thibodeau’s troops. Boston went 15-for-60 from distance, which also felt inevitable for one game, but unexpected in Game 1.
With the Knicks controlling overtime in Game 1, after being down 20 in the third quarter, the Celtics suddenly appear fallible, even if logic dictates otherwise. You also have to wonder whether Boston has the necessary clutch gene to close out tight games.
Celtics Defcon Level: 5
These are the defending champs, and while they’ve currently lost home-court advantage, this is a team that can dial up its defense and offense almost whenever it wants. Sure, if the Celtics have another one of those games where shooting variety kicks them in the ass, we’ll need to reassess, but history shows us that the Celtics, like life, find a way.
Nuggets 1, Thunder 0
How we got here
Nikola Jokić dropped a casual 42 points and 22 rebounds to lead the Nuggets to a Game 1 road win. Aaron Gordon is somehow becoming one of the most clutch players in the NBA which, uh, wasn’t on our bingo card. For OKC to lose on a last-second shot, and one with such energy, and via an assist from former Thunder MVP Russell Westbrook, was utter heartbreak for the thousands of fans in attendance.
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Thunder Defcon Level: 4
The Thunder won 68 games, and while they just lost home-court advantage, they’re almost bound to take a game against the Nuggets in Denver due to their depth, overall quality, and the fact that head coach Mark Daigneault is pretty darn decent at coming up with solutions. However, should the Thunder lose Game 2, still on their home turf, they’re going to surpass Defcon 3 and move immediately into a strong 2.
Warriors 1, Timberwolves 0
How we got here
Despite playing just 13 minutes, Stephen Curry scored 13 points and set the tone for an aggressive Warriors team, which stole Game 1. It didn’t help matters that Minnesota shot the ball like an U12 AAU team playing its fifth game of the day. Side-note: Loving how the Minnesota crowd is into the villainization of Jimmy Butler, who got drowned out by boos whenever he touched the ball. There’s genuine drama here, and we need to lean all the way into it.
Timberwolves Defcon Level: 5
While no one takes any personal enjoyment in seeing one of the best players of all time leave the floor due to injury, the Wolves will breathe a sigh of relief if Curry is unable to play in Game 2. That’s a lot less spacing to deal with, and the talent downgrade is, frankly, enormous. It also stands to reason Minnesota won’t go 5-for-29 from deep again, and that it has this guy named Anthony Edwards who can pretty much only improve on his pedestrian Game 1 performance.
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Bonus Warriors Defcon Level (despite being up in the series): 4
The Curry injury is, uh, very bad news. If it’s serious, and he’s going to miss time, the Defcon level increases by one per every game missed, almost regardless of outcome. This team needs Curry to be the best version of himself to make a surprise trip to the Finals, and without him, those odds get longer and longer. The Game 1 win allows the Warriors to take a breath, at least for the moment, but life comes at you fast, and without Curry they’ll need a minor miracle to pull this off.
Pacers 2, Cavaliers 0
How we got here
The Pacers kicked the Cavs in the teeth in Game 1, and then spun around in the air, and did it again in Game 2, thoroughly stealing home-court advantage against a team missing two of its three best players. That’s not an excuse on behalf of the Cavaliers, but instead an acknowledgement of the Pacers doing exactly what they’re supposed to do. Also interesting is how Tyrese Haliburton is turning into Reggie Miller. He hit the game-winning 3 on a bang-bang play, turning the tide, and overcoming the 95.9% chance Cleveland had to win the game, with just under a minute left. That number is not a typo. The Pacers came to play, and Haliburton is leading the show.
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Cavaliers Defcon Level: 2
Oh boy. This is bad. Not only do the Cavs have to steal at least two games in Indiana, but they’ll have to do it with Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, De’Andre Hunter, and Donovan Mitchell all banged up. Mobley, Hunter and Garland all missed Game 2, and by the end of that one, Mitchell was in noticeable pain due to his insane usage rate.
The Cavs need all hands on deck — or one superhuman performance from, like, Sam Merrill — to win Game 3 and avoid elimination, seeing as no one has ever come back to win a series after losing their first three. Their backs are firmly placed up against a cold wall, and the Pacers are taking aim. The Cavs are going to have to MacGyver the heck out of this one.
This news was originally published on this post .
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