We made it through all eight battles of Race 1 in Orlando, and the two days of nonstop hoops provided many extraordinary performances. Donovan Mitchell exploded 57 in one defeat and James Harden lost 37 in one win, while Jayson Tatum and Luka Doncic appeared more than ready for their rounds on the big stage. We’ve seen both number 1 seeds upset, and by entering the games on Wednesday, more series could extend beyond the realm of gentleman sweeps. Round one may not be a snoozer compared to previous years.
So where are things with the first crop of games in the rearview mirror? Check out The Crossover’s latest power charts below:
16. Brooklyn Nets
We’re officially on the thanks part for playing Nets season, and that’s great. We hope for healthy superstars in Brooklyn next season, as well as Jacque Vaughn to keep his bench seat. Vaughn’s return is no guarantee, but after his performance to close the 2019-20, perhaps he deserves a real shot.
15. Orlando Magic
Speaking of impressive coaching jobs, we have to seriously shout at Steve Clifford for Tuesday’s victory over Milwaukee. The Magic have no real high-level talent and were without Jonathan Isaac and Aaron Gordon on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Clifford is pulling out quality performances for Gary Clark, reviving Markelle Fultz’s career and putting Nikola Vucevic in a position to dominate on the inside. This series will end sooner or later, but Clifford’s accomplishment is still remarkable.
14. Philadelphia 76ers
It remains exasperating to watch the Sixers, especially in the late stages of the games as they fail to generate quality looks for Joel Embiid. Perhaps post-up is a bit of an outdated decision late in the games, but the sheer inability to complete an entry pass on Monday is reminiscent of a March Madness race. Embiid is expected to get close to 40 points every night against Boston. It just isn’t getting enough opportunities.
13. Indiana Pacers
Indiana doesn’t seem to have the firepower to compete with Miami, even though Victor Oladipo plays a full match. TJ Warren’s bubble madness is more of an anomaly than a sign of things to come in the post-season, and Myles Turner fails to punish mismatches like Domantas Sabonis. It’s been another nice year for Indiana, but it looks like it’s waiting for a first release.
12. Oklahoma City Thunder
Like Indiana, the Thunder may not have enough firepower to outrun James Harden and the Rockets. OKC’s trio of guards scored just 35 points from 34 shots on Tuesday, and Houston’s collection of wings blocked most of the dribble penetration attempts. Unless the Thunder can get their transition game started, they may find themselves in trouble sooner or later.
11. Utah Jazz
Good heavens, Donovan Mitchell. Utah may have dropped out of their first game in what could be a seven-game streak, but 57 points are pretty incredible regardless of the context. We’ve seen this Mitchell jerky throughout his career, with the Louisville product sporting the ability to continue scoring binges like few players in the league. Using this skill to generate open looks for his teammates is the next step. Mitchell is an All-Star scorer. Utah needs to be an All-Star director to really make noise in the West.
10. Portland Trail Blazers
Is there anything more exciting about sports right now than Dame Time? NBA forgotten, Lillard’s late-game eruptions are a must-see for any sports fan, with triples thrown from unimaginable distances. Lillard is firmly in the Steph Curry zone at the moment. No shot is too rash. No defense is safe. Lillard’s current run will be remembered for years to come, regardless of when Portland’s season ends.
9. Dallas Mavericks
Complaining about refereeing is the least interesting form of NBA speech, but the expulsion of Kristaps Porzingis was a real atrocity on Monday night. And the two KP techs seem to be following a frustrating pattern in the bubble. Technicians are handed out like Halloween candy, which could be largely a byproduct of the slightest noise surrounding the Orlando camp. Regardless, officials need to know when to swallow their boos. A battle of dynamic duets was unnecessarily interrupted on Monday.
8. Denver Nuggets
This is what Jamal Murray Denver needs. There are nights where Murray doesn’t even remotely look like a $ 170 million player, and he fought for significant shots from last year’s playoffs. But Murray was great on Monday, and he frankly beat Mitchell at key moments. Murray is an elite pick-and-roll player with a smooth bridge. The talent for an All-Star is there. It is simply a matter of putting together quality performance consistently.
7. Miami Heat
We can choose whatever we want from Jimmy Butler’s flaws, but there’s no denying it lives up to the occasion. Butler was the real engine of Philadelphia’s bout in last year’s playoffs, and he finished Tuesday’s win against Indiana with a flourish. Miami spent much of the season poised between good history and finals contender. I’m still leaning towards the former, but Butler is arguing otherwise.
6. Boston Celtics
Not to take any approach to fate, but Boston feels short of a body or two when it evaluates the race for the Eastern Conference crown. The dynamic starting lineup of the Celtics will be enough to take down the besieged Sixers. After that, an uphill climb awaits you. Brad Wanamaker isn’t ready for prime time. The central rotation behind Daniel Theis is quite shaky and a prolonged absence for Gordon Hayward will only exacerbate Boston’s depth problems. 2020-21 will be a pivotal year as Jayson Tatum prepares for a potential All-NBA campaign. We’ll see if he gets the help he needs when post-season arrives.
5. Houston Rockets
The exchange for Robert Covington defined Houston’s season, but Jeff Green’s addition was legitimately huge for Mike D’Antoni and Co. Green scored 22 points in Houston’s win on Tuesday, and consistently broke off Oklahoma’s defense. City from the rebound. D’Antoni called Green a center point after Race 1, highlighting Green’s versatility and ability. Few backup centers have such a diverse and offensive arsenal.
4. Toronto Raptors
Fred VanVleet is hitting a nine-figure contract in the off-season and his rise continues to be a highlight of the Masai Ujiri era. VanVleet is a Kyle Lowry clone in the best of ways, sporting a toughness and physicality unseen among the most underpowered guards. No backcourt wants to deal with the dynamic Toronto duo on any given night. Even when neither shoots well, they both have a major impact.
3. Los Angeles Lakers
Tuesday’s defeat was like Cleveland again for LeBron James, and not in a good way. Los Angeles only scored five of 32 three in the defeat to Portland, with Danny Green, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Alex Caruso providing minimal production in significant minutes. This is a side effect of the game of free will and trade. James can choose his position and play his running mate, though he now faces a poor supporting cast. Perhaps Rajon Rondo’s return will help change the calculations to some extent, but the Lakers still feel short on body against the Clippers if they get that far. After the first match, it’s not a guarantee.
2. Milwaukee Bucks
It would be reckless to remove Milwaukee’s status as a favorite of the East after a defeat, but we can certainly express some degree of concern. The Bucks still feel short of attacking midfielder at critical moments, and on Tuesday neither Khris Middleton nor Eric Bledsoe looked like quality number 2 options. Not exactly a promising start to the playoffs.
1. Los Angeles Clippers
Does Kawhi Leonard never get to his place? The Clippers striker burned out Dallas’ defense on a night he went 1-7 out of three, feasting on a diet of mid-range jumpers. Leonard averages 30.4 points per game with 49% of shots in his last 25 playoff games. He may be the most trusted late game player in the sport. The Clippers aren’t fully in sync yet, but they already look like the main title contender in Orlando.
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