PODCAST: NOP-SAC Play-In Preview
Ray LeBov/Nick Agar-Johnson/Mike Shearer, Kings Weekly Podcast/Basketball Poetry
Play-In Tournament: Guide to Friday’s matchups
Michael C. Wright, NBA.com
Butler, Williamson injuries are part of story for Heat-Bulls and Kings-Pelicans play-in finales
Tim Reynolds, AP
2024 NBA Playoffs First Round Mega Preview
Mike Shearer, Basketball Poetry
Playoff Predictions: Wolves-Suns, Clippers-Mavs, Bucks-Pacers, Cavs-Magic
David Thorpe, True Hoop
The 13 Biggest Questions of the NBA’s First Round
Michael Pina, The Ringer
Playoff X-factors: 7 under-the-radar difference-makers who could tilt a series
Jake Fischer, Yahoo Sports
What to expect in Knicks-76ers series
Steve Aschburner, NBA.com
Top 5 Questions for Knicks vs Sixers
Jonathan Macri, Knicks Film School
Knicks-Sixers preview: How will Jalen Brunson be defended? Will Tyrese Maxey be impactful?
Fred Katz, The Athletic
Magic forward Jonathan Isaac’s defense will be a problem for Cavaliers
Jackson Flickinger, Fear The Sword
Lakers-Nuggets factors: Who stops Nikola Jokić? Can D’Angelo Russell be impactful?
Tony Jones, The Athletic
Nuggets vs. Lakers: Five things to watch
Bennett Durando/Matt Schubert, Denver Post
The one dark cloud looming over Denver’s title defense: Jamal Murray’s health. The veteran guard missed seven straight games near the end of the regular season and 23 total this season due to multiple leg injuries. The Nuggets were 13-10 in those games, underscoring a reality already made clear the two previous postseasons when he was sidelined by an ACL tear: The Nuggets need Murray to win a title. He’s been as good as ever this season with career-high averages in points (21.2) and assists (6.5), and career-best shooting numbers (48.1% overall, 42.5% from 3).
Last spring, Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell got played off the floor in the conference finals. A year later, he was L.A.’s savior against New Orleans in the play-in round with five 3s, including a corner 3 in the waning minutes that all but sealed the win. The performance continued what’s been something of a renaissance season for Russell, who shot a career-best 41.5% from 3 while averaging 18.0 points and 6.3 assists. If the Nuggets are going to blitz the Lakers’ screens as they’ve done in the past, this much is known: They cannot afford to leave Russell unattended.
The Lakers’ uphill battle against defending champion Denver
Dave McMenamin/Kevin Pelton, The Athletic
Inside the Bucks-Pacers series: What the analytics say about the 3 vs. 6 playoff matchup
Kelly Iko/Seth Partnow, The Athletic
2024 NBA playoff predictions: Celtics-Nuggets for the title, early West upsets and more
John Hollinger, The Athletic
Which players are most underrated? Here are 10 names, from superstars to role players
Jeremias Engelmann, 5×5
Rubber Band, Man: How a Hidden Factor Makes NBA Stats Misleading, Part 2
Jeremias Engelmann, 5×5
G League Finals: Balancing NBA minutes, middle-seat misery and roadside meals
Jared Weiss, The Athletic
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