With the routine season over, its time for business in the Orlando bubble.
The Portland Trail Blazers finished the NBAs playoff bracket with their play-in win versus the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday.
Now, Giannis Antetokounmpos Milwaukee Bucks, the LeBron-James led Los Angeles Lakers and Kawhi Leonards Los Angeles Clippers are amongst the teams vying for supremacy at Walt Disney World Resort.
Both averaged 27.8 points in the series. James was the very first general pick in the 2003 NBA Draft, while Anthony was the third choice. Portlands go-to man Lillard leads the NBA in scoring inside the bubble at 37.6 per game, consisting of the play-in clash. The Trail Blazers star is averaging 46.3 points in his past four video games following a career-high 61 versus the Dallas Mavericks earlier this month. He has contributed to Portland averaging a league-high 126.0 points per game at Walt Disney World Resort, while the Lakers have actually only handled 106.4 points per game– the second worst behind the Washington Wizards.
Portlands go-to guy Lillard leads the NBA in scoring inside the bubble at 37.6 per video game, consisting of the play-in clash. The Trail Blazers star is balancing 46.3 points in his past 4 video games following a career-high 61 against the Dallas Mavericks previously this month. He has contributed to Portland averaging a league-high 126.0 points per video game at Walt Disney World Resort, while the Lakers have actually only handled 106.4 points per game– the 2nd worst behind the Washington Wizards.
How about most points per game by team-mate duos? Lillard and CJ McCollum (52.2) are 2nd to James Harden and Russell Westbrook (61.5) but ahead of third-placed James and Davis (51.4 ).
Los Angeles Clippers (2) v Dallas Mavericks (7 ).
Can Leonard claim successive NBA titles after leading the Raptors to their first champion last season? Well everything begins against the Mavericks.
Leonard– the 2019 Finals MVP– balanced a career-high 27.1 points per video game this season, while he balanced 30.5 during last years playoffs. The four-time All-Star has likewise balanced 31.0 points per game in three games against the Mavericks this term, with the Clippers sweeping the season series.
Led by Luka Doncic, the Mavericks boast the second-highest offending rating ever– 113.7– behind last years Golden State Warriors (113.9 ). The Clippers have a 111.1 score, connected with the Trail Blazers for 2nd this season.
Doncic is balancing 30.0 points, 10.1 assists and 9.7 rebounds in the bubble. The reigning Rookie of the Year likewise has three triple-doubles, consisting of a 20-rebound triple-double.
Denver Nuggets (3) v Utah Jazz (6 ).
A Jazz team boasting the similarity Joe Ingles and Mitchell are the finest three-point shooting team at 38.0 per cent, though Utah went 2-5 in their last 7 regular-season video games– enabling 110-plus points per game.
Rudy Gobert is also one shy of 250 profession double-doubles as the Jazz want to avenge their season sweep at the hands of the Nuggets, though each video game was decided by 6 or fewer points.
The Nuggets made the Conference semi-finals last season, snapping a five-year playoff dry spell. Jovic will be essential for Denver, having balanced 7.0 helps per video game for a second succeeding season– the most by any center in the NBA.
Houston Rockets (4) v Oklahoma City Thunder (5 ).
It will be a reunion as Harden, Russell Westbrook and Chris Paul face their former groups.
The Rockets have advanced to a minimum of the second round of the playoffs in three straight seasons and their hopes will depend upon the groups beginning five– their beginners are averaging 89.1 points per video game, the most in the league.
Former Thunder star Harden is also coming off his 3rd consecutive season balancing 30 or more points per video game (34.3 in 2019-20). He is the franchises all-time leader in postseason assists (510) and second in points (2,061) behind Hakeem Olajuwon (3,727).
Westbrook, who arrived from the Thunder in a smash hit trade at the start of the season, is second all-time for Oklahoma City in playoff points (2,489), behind Kevin Durants 2,620, 3rd in rebounds (686 ), first in helps (778) and initially in steals (184 ).
The Thunder, boasting ex-Rockets guard Paul, have actually not advanced beyond the preliminary of the postseason given that 2016 after blowing a 3-1 lead against the Warriors in the Conference Finals.
With the postseason arranged to begin on Monday, we utilize STATS information to sneak peek the first-round series.
Eastern Conference
Milwaukee Bucks (1) v Orlando Magic (8 )
Considering their very first NBA championship since 1971, the Bucks head into the opening-round series having a hard time for type.
The Bucks, who went 52-8 from their first 60 games, tape-recorded a 4-9 win-loss ratio from their last 13 fixtures– becoming the first team in NBA history to have more losses in their final 13 regular-season games than they performed in the whole season prior to that.
Inside the bubble but in familiar surroundings, the Magic have the possibility to snap a playoff drought, regardless of the chances being stacked versus them.
Not considering that 2010 have the Magic won a playoff series. Orlando swept the Charlotte Bobcats and Atlanta Hawks en route to the Conference finals, before losing to the Boston Celtics. The Magic have considering that suffered first-round exits at the hands of the Hawks (2011 ), Indiana Pacers (2012) and Toronto Raptors (2019 )
Toronto Raptors (2) v Brooklyn Nets (7 )
Protecting champions the Raptors have kind on their side in pursuit of back-to-back champions.
Toronto went 27-5 over their last 32 games, quickly the finest record in the NBA during that duration — ahead of the Oklahoma City Thunder (21-10), Los Angeles Clippers (20-10), Bucks (20-11) and Celtics (21-13)
Internet star Spencer Dinwiddie has been among the most clutch players this season, making an NBA-high seven go-ahead baskets in the last minute of the 4th quarter or overtime.
Dinwiddies 7 for 13 is better than the Denver Nuggets Nikola Jokic (five), Utah Jazz star Donovan Mitchell and Jamal Murray of the Nuggets (both 4).
Boston Celtics (3) v Philadelphia 76ers (6 ).
The Celtics restore hostilities with competitors the 76ers, having won the previous 4 series in between the 2 groups– Philadelphia have actually not declared a series against Boston in the playoffs since 1982.
Philadelphias hopes will rest on Joel Embiid in the lack of hurt fellow All-Star Ben Simmons, who is the only player in NBA history to average 8.0-plus rebounds and 8.0-plus helps per video game for his career.
The 76ers are 35-22 (.614 per cent) with Simmons in the team, while they are just 7-8 (.467 percent) without the Australian star on the court. Philadelphia also allow more opposition points per video game in his absence– 113.6 compared to 107.2.
Indiana Pacers (4) v Miami Heat (5 ).
All eyes will be on Indianas T.J. Warren, who averaged 31.0 points per video game with a. 664 reliable field-goal portion this month following the reboot.
Because 1985-86, the gamers with 30.0-plus points and a.650-plus efficient field-goal percentage in a month (minimum five game played) are Charles Barkley (1990 ), Stephen Curry (2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019), Antetokounmpo (2017 and 2019) and Karl Anthony-Towns (2019 ).
With Heat set Kendrick Nunn and Duncan Robinson, Miami are the very first NBA team to have two undrafted gamers balancing 13.0-plus points per video game in the exact same season– minimum 70 percent of group games played– since the Philadelphia Warriors in 1956-57 (Joe Graboski and Neil Johnston)
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Western Conference.
Los Angeles Lakers (1) v Portland Trail Blazers (8 ).
Making their very first postseason look since 2013, the Lakers– who have a 74.6 per cent opportunity of winning this series using Stats Performs innovative simulation tool– are among the favourites to go all the way thanks to James and Anthony Davis.
James and Davis have combined well in LA, where the previous has provided 184 helps for the All-Star hire this season– the most to one player in 2019-20, ahead of Damian Lillard to Hassan Whiteside (132 ). Three-time champion and four-time MVP James is likewise the second-oldest gamer to average 10 assists or more in a season in NBA history, with Steve Nash balancing 10.0-plus helps in each of his last three projects.
Both averaged 27.8 points in the series. James was the first total pick in the 2003 NBA Draft, while Anthony was the third choice.
Story continues.
