After a four and a half month hiatus, the NBA has finally returned, albeit under some unusual circumstances. Twenty two teams have been invited to isolate in a “bubble” at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida to compete for eight playoff spots in each conference. Once the seeds are filled, the playoff teams will stay in the bubble to battle it out in a traditional NBA playoff format, beginning Aug. 17, for a chance at winning a championship.
The NBA underwent several major changes in order to restart the season. Players must adhere to strict protocols while in Orlando, which include daily COVID-19 testing, social distancing guidelines and the inability to leave the bubble without permission from the league. The league has also given players the opportunity to opt out of playing in the bubble if they feel their health is in jeopardy and teams the power to replace those players with new roster additions if needed.
You would be forgiven for forgetting about the turbulent and competitive state of the NBA before the league’s 141 day suspension and the pandemic-driven headlines. This four-part series will take a look at what each playoff team brings to the NBA bubble, beginning with the teams that are expecting to bring a trophy home: “The Favorites.”
The Favorites
Los Angeles Lakers
The Main Attraction: Does Greatness Have an Expiration Date?
Lakers’ forward LeBron James, one of the game’s foremost legends, is ostensibly heading toward the twilight of his career. Yet, even in his 17th season, the 35-year-old shows no signs of slowing down. Averaging close to 25 points per game (ppg) and a triple-double, the 16-time All-Star, three-time NBA champion and four-time MVP will be hoping to take the No. 1 seed Lakers to their first championship in 10 years. The extended time off may prove beneficial for the team too, as a groin injury last year played a large role in ending James’ historic streak of competing in eight straight NBA Finals. If James at the peak of his powers shows up in Orlando, the Lakers will be the team to beat.
Potential X-Factor: Second Chances
The Lakers’ most recent additions — guards J.R. Smith and Dion Waiters — have made national headlines in the last couple seasons for all of the wrong reasons. In 2018, Smith was suspended while on the Cleveland Cavaliers for throwing a bowl of soup at assistant coach Damon Jones. He also made one of the worst mental blunders of all time when he infamously forgot the score at the end of regulation time in Game 1 of the 2018 NBA Finals. Waiters was released by the Miami Heat earlier this season after being suspended for “conduct detrimental to the team” on three separate occasions, totaling 17 missed games.
Despite the clear concerns over Waiters and Smith’s attitudes and focus, the Lakers are willing to give them another chance due to the scoring punch they can provide off of the bench. If the Lakers’ exhibition game against the Washington Wizards on July 28, where the two combined for 38 points, is any indication of what’s to come, this gamble will prove worthwhile.
An Interesting Stat: 5
In his entire eight-year career, All-Star forward Anthony Davis has only won five playoff games. However, this is Davis’ first year with the Lakers and with a teammate of James’ stature. With his new team, the 27-year-old should finally be able to make a deep postseason run.
Los Angeles Clippers
The Main Attraction: Klaws and Clamps
The Clippers spent the summer of 2019 reconstructing their roster around the acquisitions of All-Star wings Paul George and Kawhi “The Klaw” Leonard. George and Leonard are exceptional defenders and lead a team chalked full of defensive talent; four different Clippers have been named to the NBA All-Defensive team at one point in their careers. If the Clippers want to bring home a championship, their suffocating defense will have to prove that defense does win championships and give new life to the thus far unpopular mantra “Clamp City.”
Potential X-Factor: Pocket Sixes
Most teams are fortunate enough to have one sixth man that can provide a scoring spark off the bench. The Clippers, though, have two of the best bench scorers in the league. Guard Lou Williams and forward Montrezl Harrell both come off the bench to run a pick-and-roll offense that usually accounts for close to 40 ppg and has smashed NBA records for bench production. If Leonard and George can keep the starting unit ticking, and Williams and Harrell do their usual damage off the bench, few teams will be able to keep pace, especially against the Clippers’ defense.
An Interesting Stat: 37%
Thirty seven percent is James’ field goal percentage from the four 2020 regular season games between the Lakers and Clippers, 13% lower than James’ career average. Is this too small of a sample size to make a stout prediction for how he will perform in a playoff matchup against the Clippers? Absolutely, but the Clippers’ path to success is nonetheless rooted in their defense making opponent star players very uncomfortable.
Milwaukee Bucks
The Main Attraction: The Most Valuable Player
Bucks’ forward Giannis Antetokounmpo once again terrorized the NBA this season. The reigning MVP averages 30 ppg, is a front-runner for Defensive Player of the Year and led his team to the best record in basketball going into the break (53-12). Standing at 6-foot-11-inches with guard-like agility and explosiveness, the “Greek Freak” is the definition of a match-up nightmare, often eliciting a double-team from the defense hoping to slow him. Remarkably, the 25-year-old seems to still be improving, reaching new career highs in both scoring and rebounding (14 rebounds per game).
Last year, the only thing standing in the way of Antetokounmpo’s first trip to the NBA Finals was the wall of lengthy defenders the Toronto Raptors threw at him. Now that the Raptor’s former best defender, Leonard, is out West, Giannis and the Bucks, starting this year, are eyeing prolonged domination of the Eastern Conference.
Potential X-Factor: The Sharpshooting Robin
Bucks’ guard Khris Middleton has taken another leap forward this season to solidify his role as the optimal “Robin” to Antetokounmpo’s “Batman.” Scoring efficiency is the name of the game for the two-time All-Star, as he is right on the brink of joining the historic 50-40-90 club, shooting at least 50% from the field, 40% from three and 90% from the free throw line. If he can finish the regular season with those numbers, he would be only one of nine players to ever do it, joining Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry as the only 50-40-90 club member to attempt at least five threes per game. If Middleton stays lethal from the perimeter, his pairing with Giannis could prove unstoppable.
An Interesting Stat: 9th
The 2020 Bucks have the ninth best average point differential of all-time. Only two of the nine teams with better point differentials didn’t win an NBA championship. If this Bucks team plays as well as their record so far shows, the Larry O’Brien trophy will find a new home in Milwaukee.
Contenders
Toronto Raptors
The Main Attraction: Was It All Kawhi?
Despite entering the season as reigning NBA Champions, some questioned the future success of the Raptors without last year’s Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard on the team. But, with the third-best record in the league entering the bubble, the Raptors have proven their championship DNA wasn’t limited to one superstar.
The Raptors’ biggest strength lies in their lack of a major weakness. They are a complete and cohesive team, proficient at both ends of the floor, and led by Coach of the Year candidate Nick Nurse. Six-time All-Star guard Kyle Lowry is playing some of the best basketball of his career at age 34, and first-time All-Star forward Pascal Siakam has rapidly developed into one of the league's most imposing matchups. The Raptors haven’t tried to fix what isn’t broken, which might lead them to the same winning formula that brought home a championship just over a year ago, with or without Leonard.
Potential X-Factor: (F)ready for Another Title?
Raptors’ guard Fred VanVleet went on a historic shooting streak in the 2019 playoffs, hitting 53% of his threes in the last nine games of the postseason following the birth of his first child on May 20. While he appeared to be a role player going through a random hot streak at the time, VanVleet has proven he’s more than capable of being one of the better starting point guards in the league. The 25-year-old is up to an 18 ppg average and is third in the league in steals per game (1.9). If VanVleet can continue his form into the postseason, the combination of him and Lowry will provide the Raptors with one of the league’s most formidable backcourts.
An Interesting Stat: 5
The Raptors are the only team in the league to have five different players who have competed in at least 10 games averaging at least 15 ppg. Their selfless, multidimensional offense has the depth to keep defenses guessing.
Houston Rockets
The Main Attraction: Morey Ball
Driven by General Manager Daryl Morey, the Rockets take an extremely analytics-based approach to the game of basketball. The name of the game for the Rockets is spacing, electing to rarely use a conventional center and instead employ 6-foot 5-inch forward P.J. Tucker. While matching up a 6-foot 5-inch forward against the 7-foot giants of the NBA seems self-destructive, opponents often find themselves failing to use their size alone to outmuscle Houston’s defenders. The result of this “small-ball” approach is a super high-scoring, heavy three-point shooting game that usually plays into the Rockets’ strengths.
The reason small-ball especially works for the Rockets is that the spacing gives offensive mastermind guard James Harden an ecosystem in which he can thrive. Small-ball gives the former league MVP the opportunity to isolate defenders in many one-on-one situations; any attempts for a double team often give one of the other four players enough space for clear driving lanes or wide-open threes. Consequently, Harden has led the league in scoring the past three seasons and is constantly smashing scoring records. If Harden is at his best, the Rockets will be a difficult opponent to manage for even the best teams in the league.
Potential X-Factor: The New Rocket Set for Take-Off
Rocket’s guard Russell Westbrook is one of the league’s most dynamic talents. The nine-time All Star has explosive athleticism that constantly has defenses on their heels. However, the former MVP’s fearless mentality hasn’t always resulted in team success, as his past few playoff runs on the Oklahoma City Thunder have been plagued by poor efficiency, questionable decision-making and first-round exits.
Despite Westbrook’s prior postseason struggles, there’s increased optimism that his new home in Houston will result in success. The spacing on the floor creates clearer paths to the basket for one of the game’s best rim attackers, as he is more comfortable and efficient with his drives than his jumpshots. If this trend continues into the playoffs, Westbrook will be a deadly secondary weapon when defenses focus on Harden.
An Interesting Stat: 4/5
Four out of the last five Houston playoff campaigns were ended in the postseason by the Golden State Warriors. Over that stretch, the Rockets have gone 6-1 in series against any other opponent. With the injury-ridden Warriors out of playoff contention this year, someone else will have to prove they are capable of beating this unique Rockets team.
Boston Celtics
The Main Attraction: Budding Stars
Celtics wing duo Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum are improving at freighting speeds and seem destined for future NBA stardom if they are not already there. Tatum, only 21-years-old, made his first All-Star game and has shown shades of the late Kobe Bryant in his shot creation. Brown, while just narrowly missing an All-Star selection himself, has developed into a powerful perimeter shooter and possesses the craft and athleticism to finish in the paint as well. Both have reached new career highs in just about every statistical category, including averaging over 20 ppg for the first time in their careers. The Celtics are 17-0 when Brown and Tatum both score 19 or more points, and the team will need them firing on all cylinders if they want to make a deep playoff run.
Potential X-Factor: Kemba for Kyrie
The Celtics were fortunate enough to immediately fill the hole left by the departure of guard Kyrie Irving last summer with the arrival of guard Kemba Walker. While Irving and Walker are both All-NBA talents, Irving has the edge when it comes to playoff experience as he was a crucial piece for the Cleveland Cavaliers team that reached the finals three years in a row, whereas Walker has only appeared in the postseason twice in eight seasons with the Charlotte Hornets. But, Irving’s experience for the Celtics could not overcome his shooting woes last postseason. If the Celtics want to improve on their Eastern Conference Semifinals appearance last year, they need Walker to do what Irving couldn’t and carry his sharp perimeter shooting into the playoffs.
An Interesting Stat: 3rd
Boston’s defense allows the third fewest points per game in the league. This is a very encouraging sign considering the loss of former All-Defensive forward Al Horford to the Philadelphia 76ers last summer. Forward Daniel Theis has done an excellent job in taking over the role of defensive anchor and leads the team in blocks per game.
Denver Nuggets
The Main Attraction: Slim Joker
Nuggets’ center Nikola Jokic grabbed headlines during the shutdown for looking a fraction of the 284 pounds he was listed as at the beginning of the season. While that usually would be a positive indication of getting into competing shape for a player of his size, some were concerned that the weight loss would hurt the 7-foot Serbian’s strength in the post and on the glass. However, Jokic himself believes that losing weight only improves his play.
? JOKIC! pic.twitter.com/NNsyW4HHRE
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) June 11, 2020
No matter his weight, Jokic is one of the league’s most interesting talents due to his ability to dominate games with his unique combination of size and skill. Practically, no other centers can match Jokic’s shooting, passing and handling levels which often combine to produce jaw-dropping highlights. No center has averaged as many assists per game for over 40 years, and he still averages 20 ppg himself. The Nuggets will only go as far as “The Joker” can take them.
Potential X-Factor: Risky Draft Picks Paying Off?
Nuggets’ forwards Michael Porter Jr. and Bol Bol shared similar draft experiences in 2018 and 2019 among fears that injuries would stunt their development. Porter Jr., considered talented enough to be a lottery pick, fell to 14th overall due to a spinal operation that forced him to sit out the vast majority of his college career at the University of Missouri. Bol, considered to be a first-round pick, fell all the way to the second round due to a broken bone in his foot he suffered his last year at the University of Oregon and his atypical slender frame.
The Nuggets took a chance on both of them, and they might reap the rewards for years to come. Porter Jr.’s athleticism and scoring ability is comparable to some of the league’s best, and while he still is prone to mental mistakes, flashes of a future superstar are becoming more visible and frequent. Bol, a 7-foot 2-inch sharpshooter and rim protector, has a combination of size and skill that the league has never seen before. If Porter Jr. and Bol can show glimpses of their high-ceiling futures in these playoffs, the Nuggets might get a pair of invaluable contributors off the bench, aiding their championship chances.
An Interesting Stat: 6-foot 10-inch
Six-foot 10-inch was the average height for the Nuggets’ starting lineup in a scrimmage against the Washington Wizards on July 22. It was one of the tallest starting lineups ever in NBA history. While it remains to be seen whether the Nuggets would actually roll out this lineup in a meaningful game, it is a testament to just how versatile and skilled some of their taller players are.
Miami Heat
The Main Attraction: Butler’s Battlers
The Miami Heat have built a team filled with hard-working talent centered around the offseason acquisition of All-Star wing Jimmy Butler. Known for his work ethic and absurdly early workouts, Butler has led a relatively young team to surprising results this season. The 30-year-old leads the Heat in points, assists and steals, and his influence in the locker room has reinvigorated the Miami Heat’s mind over matter culture.
Forward Bam Adebayo is the most notable example of a young Heat player improving, as the third-year player has morphed into a two-way star. The first-time All-Star is averaging 16 points, 10 rebounds and five assists per outing while also playing a significant role in the Heat’s resolute defense. Undrafted rookie guard Kendrick Nunn has also transformed himself, going from a G-league regular to a Rookie of the Year candidate that averages over 15 points a game. Going into the bubble with a 43-27 record — their best since 2014 — the Heat will be a tough team to overcome in the playoffs, especially if the team’s chemistry remains rock solid.
Potential X-Factor: Splash Brothers 2.0?
Guard Tyler Herro and forward Duncan Robinson have made a huge impact for the Heat this season, drastically improving the team’s perimeter shooting. The Heat went from 14th and 21st in the league last season in three-point attempts and percentage, respectively, to ninth in attempts and first in percentage this season. Herro and Robinson combine for 14 three-point attempts a game and connect on a staggering 42% of them, drawing comparisons to the “Splash Brothers.”
While this level of shooting was expected from Herro, the No. 14 overall pick in 2019, there was less excitement surrounding Robinson. After going undrafted in 2018, the Heat took a chance on Robinson, now a starter, which has paid off immensely. Robinson is now the only player to attempt over 500 threes and make at least 40% of them, making him one of the year’s best underdog stories. If the Heat want to continue to exceed expectations, they will need some clutch shot making down the stretch from their two best shooters.
An Interesting Stat: 16-12
The Heat’s record against teams above .500 is 16-12, one of only two Eastern Conference teams (Milwaukee) with a positive record against above-.500 teams. If the Heat continue this pattern into the playoffs, they will make a deep run.
Dark Horses
Philadelphia 76ers
The Main Attraction: 76 Problems but Talent Isn’t One
The 76ers are one of the most baffling teams in the league. While they have a lineup packed with talent that features three former All-Stars within the last three years, they sit at sixth place in the Eastern Conference. Their uncharacteristically poor performances have been spurred by season-long chemistry issues that have frustrated their fan base immensely. The departure of perimeter scorers Jimmy Butler and J.J Redick to free agency last summer have left serious issues in the shot creation and shooting departments and new acquisition forward Al Horford, a 2018 All-Star, hasn’t been as effective as he was with the Boston Celtics last season due to injuries and poor fit with franchise cornerstone Joel Embiid.
But, there is still hope for the 76ers. It was only just a year ago when they lost by just two points to the reigning NBA Champion Toronto Raptors in Game 7 of the East Semifinals. They also have one of the most dominant forces in the league in Embiid. Predicting what the 76ers will bring to the playoffs is almost impossible. They may continue to struggle against strong teams and lose in the first round, or they could walk away as NBA champions. Only time will tell.
Potential X-Factor: The Basketball Burglars
Sixers’ guards Ben Simmons and Matisse Thybulle have been nuisances for opponent ball handlers all season long. The pair use combinations of size, athleticism and pure instinct to consistently pick pocketsand clog passing lanes. Thybulle, in just his first year in the NBA, is quickly establishing himself as one of the league’s best perimeter defenders. Only two other players in the last 20 years have achieved his rate of both blocks and steals in the minutes he has played. Unfortunately, the 76ers were dealt a huge blow when Simmons suffered a kneecap dislocation Aug. 5, which will reportedly sideline him for the remainder of the season. With the dynamic duo not together this postseason, the 76ers will especially need Thybulle to shine defensively more than usual.
An Interesting Stat: 2
The 76ers only lost two home games all season. Their 31-2 tally was the best home record in the league, but it remains to be seen how the lack of home court advantage in the bubble will affect this home-happy 76ers team.
Dallas Mavericks
The Main Attraction: Patience Is a Virtue
Mavericks guard Luka Dončić, in just his second season in the NBA, is already one of the league’s best players. The first time All-Star has led his team to its first postseason appearance in four years and is averaging a dazzling 29 points, nine rebounds and nine assists per game. While only 21 years old, Dončić approaches the game with the patience of a wily veteran, meticulously scanning defenses for openings. The Mavericks have given him full reign over the offense — his usage rate is second-highest in the league behind Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo — and consequently the Mavericks have the league’s best offensive rating. If Dončić and the Mavericks can continue to slice and dice through defenses, they will be a formidable force in the Western Conference.
Potential X-Factor: A Mythical Big Man
Eyebrows were raised in January 2019 when the New York Knicks traded away what seemed to be the future cornerstone of the franchise, forward Kristaps Porziņģis,to the Mavericks. Porziņģis — nicknamed “unicorn” due to his guard-like shooting and ball skills in a 7-foot-3-inch frame — was recovering from a torn ACL at the time and it was unclear how his injury would affect his future play.
After more than full year away from basketball, Porziņģis has returned to play an important supporting role in the Dončić show. While he has not reached the 2018 numbers that garnered him his first All-Star appearance, the 25-year-old has continued to improve all season, leading the team in blocks and rebounds while averaging 20 ppg. The Mavericks, with the unicorn firing on all cylinders, will feature a multi-dimensional offense that will haunt Knicks fans.
Interesting Stat: 29th
Despite having the best offensive rating in the league, the Mavericks are 29th out of 30 teams when it comes to offensive rating in clutch situations — defined as when there is a point differential of five or less points with five or fewer minutes remaining. To become a true championship-contender, the Mavericks will have to improve in these critical situations to have any chance of success.
Utah Jazz
The Main Attraction: When Stars Collide
Guard Donovan Mitchell and center Rudy Gobert have done a fantastic job comfortably leading the Jazz to a playoff spot in the highly competitive Western Conference. Mitchell, in just his third season, made his first All-Star appearance and again led the Jazz in scoring. The 23-year-old is one of the league’s most exciting athletes and has continued to develop an impressive offensive skill set. Gobert has won the last two Defensive Player of the Year awards and is quickly solidifying himself as one of the best rim-protectors of all time. The statistical advantage of Gobert’s defense is absurd, which helped Gobert finally make the All-Star team this season.
Gobert and Mitchell’s bring vastly different skills to the table, making them a perfect All-Star duo on the court. However, their chemistry off the court is a completely different story. The teammates had a well-documented fallout after Gobert jokingly touched reporters’ mics, attempting to mock the threat of COVID-19. Days later, Gobert was the first NBA player to contract the virus, and his careless attitude in the team’s locker room likely spread the virus to Mitchell, the only other Jazz player to test positive. The tension between the two became so hostile that reports declared the relationship unsalvageable and questions arose over whether the two could continue to be teammates. Although the duo reportedly put the feud behind them, the Jazz will need their two stars to have fully buried the hatchet if they want to get past the second round for the first time in over a decade.
Potential X-Factor: Regaining the Grit and Grind
After being traded to Utah last summer, guard Mike Conley hasn’t had the best of times this season transitioning from the predominant perimeter scorer on the Memphis Grizzlies to a more reserved role on the Jazz. This season has been the 32-year-old’s lowest scoring season in eight years and has not smoothly meshed with Mitchell in the backcourt due to their ball-dominant natures and similar lack of size. However, Conley was an integral part of the “grit and grind” Grizzlies teams that were playoff regulars for the better part of a decade, experience which will be valuable in the playoffs. If Conley and Mitchell can suddenly find their groove as a backcourt in the playoffs, it will be an added bonus for the Jazz.
Interesting Stat: 0
Zero is the number of overtime wins the Jazz have had this season — the only team in the playoffs without an overtime win. It will be interesting to see if the Jazz can muster a huge streak-snapping overtime win to decide a close playoff game.
Oklahoma City Thunder
The Main Attraction: (Point) Gods Never Die
Last summer, guard Chris Paul was shockingly traded from the Houston Rockets to the Oklahoma City Thunder in a package for guard Russell Westbrook, leaving the Thunder’s front office with plenty of critics. The Thunder have been acquiring young talent and a boatload of draft picks, and the 34-year-old Paul seemed to be a step in the wrong direction for their rebuild. While Paul and Westbrook are both historically Hall of Fame-caliber players, Paul appeared at the time to be entering an injury-ridden twilight of his career on an egregiously expensive contract. Westbrook, a few years younger, seemingly had more left in the tank.
Paul has spent the entire season repaying the Thunder’s faith in him and quieting the naysayers, and the “Point God” has reminded the league that injuries are temporary but class is permanent. The ten-time All-Star is having the best scoring season of his career efficiency-wise and has featured in the most games in a regular season he’s played in four years. Paul has not only been an invaluable mentor for a youthful Thunder roster, but he has also helped the entire league navigate through this years’ turbulence as president of the National Basketball Players Association. The only thing missing from his illustrious 15-year career is an NBA title, and an underdog run to a title could provide the perfect fairytale ending.
Potential X-Factor: Gaining off George
When a team loses a player as good as six-time All-Star Paul George, they’re almost always expected to get worse. But, the Thunder have shown you can fill any hole if you fill it properly, which they have with guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and forward Danilo Gallinari. The two have played vital roles in improving the Thunder’s winning percentage to its highest mark since the Kevin Durant days. Gilgeous-Alexander is one of the most promising talents in the league and has taken massive strides towards stardom in just his second season. The crafty 21-year-old is leading the Thunder in scoring as well as almost doubling his ppg efforts from last season. Gallinari has exploited his offensive prowess to provide the Thunder with much needed perimeter spacing to fill the void left by George’s departure. The 31-year-old brings an 19 ppg average to the table with 41% three-point accuracy and is one of the league’s most underrated players. If Gilgeous-Alexander and Gallinari continue to provide the Thunder with a powerful offensive punch, they might be able to do what George couldn’t and lead the Thunder past the first round.
Interesting Stat: 1
The Thunder only have one player who averaged at least 10 ppg remaining from last year’s team: center Steven Adams. Since the Thunder have lost in the first round in each of the last three seasons, the roster reconfiguration might be exactly what the doctor ordered.
Indiana Pacers
The Main Attraction: Considerate Use of Cash
Pacers’ wing T.J. Warren has been on an absolute tear since NBA play has resumed in Orlando. Warren has scored 30 points in four of the team’s first five bubble games — including a mesmerizing 53-point game against the Philadelphia 76ers on Aug. 1 — and has led the Pacers to a 4-1 start in the bubble. The 26-year-old has been unguardable since the restart and is already being dubbed as the “bubble MVP.”
What’s all the more remarkable about Warren’s breakout is that he’s not generally revered as a player capable of producing these types of performances. The Phoenix Suns certainly weren’t expecting this, as they elected to keep wings Kelly Oubre and Mikal Bridges last summer and shipped Warren to Indiana for measly “cash considerations.” Trades involving cash are usually centered around fringe NBA players, and Warren has made it publically known the disrespect he feels for being let go for so little is fueling these performances. If Warren can maintain his superstar play into the postseason, there’s no telling just how far the Pacers can go.
Potential X-Factor: Oladipo Good to Go
Guard Victor Oladipo has had a tumultuous last couple of seasons. Halfway through his second consecutive All-Star campaign, Oladipo suffered a horrific season-ending injury when he ruptured his quad tendon in January 2019. The 27-year-old missed an entire calendar year of basketball before making his long-awaited return on Jan. 29 of this year. The two-time All-Star was eased back into action and played the fewest minutes per game of his career before the season was postponed. With the additional time to recover, the bubble might be the perfect opportunity for Oladipo to increase his minutes load and regain his All-Star form in time to be an important postseason contributor.
Interesting Stat: 48%
The Pacers have the best field goal percentage in the league at 48%. While that’s partly due to few three-point attempts, All-Star center Domantas Sabonis has also contributed to the stat, individually making 54% of his shots. Only two players average more ppg while shooting a better percentage than Sabonis.
Miracle Needers
Brooklyn Nets
The Main Attraction: LeVert vs. the World
Here’s the list of Nets players who will not be available this postseason: forward Kevin Durant, guard Kyrie Irving, center DeAndre Jordan, guard Spencer Dinwiddie, forward Taurean Prince, forward Nicolas Claxton, forward Wilson Chandler, forward Michael Beasley and (probably) guard Jamal Crawford. Not only do they have a whopping nine players missing, but that list includes a former MVP, three former All-Stars and a player on the track toward stardom. With the majority of the Nets’ high-profile players out, the onus will now be on guard Caris LeVert to lead these underdogs through the playoffs. The 25-year-old is having a breakout season, averaging over 18 ppg and showing potential as a secondary scoring option the Nets will need alongside Durant and Irving for years to come. The Nets have already upset the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Clippers in bubble play, but they’ll need LeVert to put the team on his back if they hope to continue to surprise higher-seeded teams in the postseason.
Potential X-Factor: Knockdown Joe
Forward Joe Harris is once again showcasing why he is one of the league’s premier knockdown shooters. The 28-year-old is shooting 43% from three-point range and has the second best effective field goal percentage of all non-centers in the league. He’s also reached a career high in volume with 14 ppg on 11 field goal attempts a game, which the Nets will likely need to increase to help fill the void left by Dinwiddie and Irving. If the Nets are going to have any chance of getting out of the Eastern Conference, they will need Harris draining shots like it’s the 2019 All-Star Three Point Contest.
An Interesting Stat: 3
Of the 11 players who featured for the Nets in their win against the Bucks on Aug. 4, just three had ever started a regular season’s worth of games, 82, in their entire careers. While the sheer lack of experience is concerning, it allows the Nets to play without the weight of any expectations and perfectly fits the underdog mold.
Orlando Magic
The Main Attraction: Effective Europeans
The Magic’s pair of forward Nikola Vučević and guard Evan Fournier features two high-skilled players in the ever-growing list of overseas talent that is rapidly raising the skill level of the NBA. Vučević has followed up his first All-Star appearance last season with an almost equally impressive campaign, averaging 20 points and 11 rebounds per game, while further progressing his perimeter shooting.
Fournier is having the best season of his eight-year career, boosting new highs in both scoring and efficiency. Despite their proficient scoring for many regular seasons, the duo’s shooting nose-dived in the Magic’s first round loss to the Toronto Raptors last season and left the team unable to reach 100 points in four out of the five games. If the Magic have any hope of a first-round upset, they will need Vučević and Fournier to find their postseason shooting touch.
Potential X-Factor: Full-Bore Fultz
Guard Markelle Fultz, the number one overall pick in the 2017 draft, has had his young career plagued by an unusual shoulder injury that rendered him unable to shoot with consistency or efficacy even after he was cleared to play. The injury concerns were so serious that the former All-American college star was labeled as a bust after just his second season, and the Philadelphia 76ers traded him to the Magic for an underwhelming trade package. Fortunately for the Magic, Fultz has shown remarkable progress towards finding his role in the NBA. No longer the relentless perimeter scorer he was in college, the 21-year-old has reinvented himself as a multi-faceted playmaker and a solid defender with highlight-reel athleticism. While he may never be the superstar he was once projected to be, Fultz has become a solid contributor for a playoff team that will need him to produce in the postseason.
An Interesting Stat: 23rd
The Magic are 23rd in the league in offensive rating. None of the seven teams below them are in the playoffs. While this is partially mitigated by them having the 11th best defensive rating, the Magic will need to start hitting more shots if they have any chance of causing an upset.
The 2020 NBA Playoffs Bracket! #WholeNewGame
— NBA (@NBA) August 15, 2020
Full schedule here ➡️ https://t.co/qmJ2KbRAgOpic.twitter.com/z1TBeF5S9z
Portland Trailblazers
The Main Attraction: C.J. and Dame Got Game
The Trailblazers got into the playoffs by the skin of their teeth thanks to some late regular season heroics from guards Damion Lillard and C.J. McCollum. Three straight wins with Lillard averaging a preposterous 51 points, which earned him bubble MVP honors, drove the Blazers to a play-in showdown versus the Memphis Grizzlies in which McCollum’s huge shot-making down the stretch secured victory and the eighth seed.
The brilliance of the Blazers’ backcourt duo makes them more dangerous than their seeding suggests. Lillard is one of the league’s premier point guards and is entering the playoffs off of his best season yet, averaging 30 points and eight assists. The four-time All-NBA guard combines game-breaking drives with unlimited range that rivals Golden State Warriors’ star Stephen Curry. McCollum, who’s been battling through bubble play despite a fracture in his back, has a shifty offensive package that adds 22 points a game to the league’s best backcourt. If the Blazers have any hope of upsetting LeBron James and the number one seed Los Angeles Lakers, they will need more sparkling performances from the duo.
Potential X-Factor: Hello to the New Melo
Last season, forward Carmelo Anthony looked closer to retirement than ever after being an important playoff contributor again. The 34 year-old agreed to part ways with the Houston Rockets after an unsuccessful 10-game stint, and NBA executives reportedly believed the 10-time All-Star’s time in the league had come to an abrupt end. However, a reinvigorated Anthony has found new life with the Blazers and has once again found his way back to the postseason. With the days of superstardom long behind him, Anthony’s 15 points a game will be a valuable secondary scoring option to Lillard and McCollum. The Blazers will also need him to continue hitting clutch shots when called upon if they stand a chance in the Western Conference.
An Interesting Stat: 1985
In the play-in game versus the Grizzlies, just hours after his grandmother succumbed to COVID-19, center Jusuf Nurkić put up an absurd stat-line of 21 points, 21 rebounds, six assists, two steals and two blocks. Nurkić, who will play a key role battling other Western Conference big men inside for Portland in the playoffs, is the only Blazer to put up these numbers since 1985.
