The first edition of NBA Tournament has been a bigger success than many expected, led in part by Indiana Pacers like cinderella, reaching the final against LeBron James y Los Angeles Lakers.
But even before that interesting matchup, the tournament has been a lot of fun. The idea that players wouldn’t care has been proven false, and a lot of excitement has been created during the start of the season. We saw great performances, exciting endings and some stunning environments.
With this in mind, here are the main winners and losers heading into Saturday’s final.
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Those who shone in the NBA tournament
Tyrese Haliburton
Unusually, Haliburton had not played in a match televised in the United States on TNT in his entire career before the Quarterfinals of the tournament. The Pacers also hadn’t been on national television this season. The world finally got to see how good he was, and he did not disappoint.
Haliburton had 53 points, 28 assists and zero turnovers against the Celtics and Bucks, leading the Pacers to two unlikely victories. He proved virtually all of the pre-draft criticism of him wrong, driving over Brook Lopez for a layup and hitting a 3-pointer in the final minutes against the Bucks to secure the victory.
The one from the Pacers has become a true star and the best pure point guard in the game. It was time for it to be made known.
Charles Barkley
The semifinals included a crossover between the ESPN and TNT teams. There were many great personalities, but Barkley’s stood out the most.
It happened the night when he threatened jokingly with kicking Stephen A. Smith’s “loud ass.” Next, he buried the Warriors, with former GM Bob Myers sitting nearby at the ESPN table.
Charles Barkley: “I wanna give you credit for jumping off the titanic before it sunk.”
Bob Myers: “I have friends over there.”
Chuck Barkley: “Yeah, you’re gonna see them soon.”
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(h/t @ohnohedidnt24)
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) December 8, 2023
Chuck, never change.
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LeBron James
The fact that James is so dominant when he is about to turn 39 is amazing. He has been the Lakers’ best player, controlling the attack and making smart plays on defense. He even took several charges against the Pelicans in a blowout victory during the semifinals, showing how much he wants to win this tournament.
James scored 30 points in just 23 minutes against the Pelicans, destroying them so badly that he didn’t even need to play down the stretch. That came after a 31-point, 11-assist, 8-rebound masterpiece he had against the Suns on Tuesday. He is proving that he is still easily one of the top 10 players in the NBA.
Adam Silver
There was a lot of opposition to the idea of this tournament, but Silver has pulled it off beautifully.
There were some things I could improve. For example, starting the semifinals at 2:00 p.m. local time was a mistake. And the slippery nature of the special tracks was a problem. But overall, everything was better than expected.
Congratulations to Silver for not being afraid to try new ideas.
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The losers of the NBA Tournament
Zion Williamson
Williamson disappeared in the semifinals against the Lakers, scoring only 13 points while his team lost by 44 points. It was his first big game in the NBA (he never played in the Playoffs), and he looked slow throughout the game.
That was evident to Shaquille O’Neal, who gave Williamson some genuine advice after the game. “I was like him”, Shaq said.before criticizing Williamson’s effort, aggressiveness and lack of rebounding.
The talent is obviously there, but there were many areas where Williamson has failed. He has not been able to punish defenders for getting behind him, his defense has taken a big step back and has let himself go in games.
“I have to improve”Williamson told reporters after the loss. “I have to be more aggressive to find my shot. I have to do more things to make my team work. I think I was too relaxed tonight, and I can’t do that.”
New York Knicks
The Knicks fought hard to reach the knockout rounds, but lost in the quarterfinals against the Bucks. Your reward? Playing the Celtics once again this season in Boston.
This is one of the defects of the Tournament that must be resolved. Good teams are punished, while bad teams are rewarded as part of the scheduling quirks that make preliminary matches count toward the Regular Season.
The Knicks will now play the Celtics five times this season, which could be crucial for Playoff qualification at the end of it all.
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Adrian Griffin
The new Bucks coach has to be feeling some heat. Although his team has a solid 15-7 record, they have not played up to their potential. His defense has taken a nosedive, in part because Griffin tried to change the scheme to start the year. And the offense should be much better than it currently is.
Griffin argued with Bobby Portis after the team’s loss to the Pacers, according to Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes. Portis apparently insisted that the attack needed to be more structured late in games, and Griffin acknowledged that he could do it better.
The criticism was due in part to a botched play with two minutes left in a one-possession game. Damian Lillard wasn’t sure what the team was running, which led to a costly turnover when Khris Middleton’s pass was intercepted.
“We have to be more organized”le dijo Giannis Antetokounmpo and Eric Nehm de The Athletic. “We have to know what we’re trying to achieve down the stretch.”
The Bucks have aspirations of being champions, but they don’t look like the best team in the league right now. It was already going to be difficult to fill the shoes of a great coach like Mike Budenholzer. Griffin seems like a clear downgrade right now.
2023-12-09 22:18:28
#winners #losers #NBA #Tournament #LeBron #James #Tyrese #Haliburton #Zion #Williamson
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