Make sure to listen and add the 13 Rules: NBA Random Thoughts podcast to your list! This week, the NBA End of Season, Steve shares his thoughts after the second week of the second round of the 2024-25 NBA Playoffs.
NBA Second Round Week 2 – Eastern Conference
- As I write this prior to game three of the New York Knicks and Boston Celtics series, the Knicks lead 2 games to none. This has been stunning for a number of reasons. The Knicks have played great clutch basketball, the Celtics have not. The Celtics are the champions and as such should be battle tested and able to handle tough situations but they haven’t. Give Tom Thibodeau credit for taking a risk defensively by taking away the dribble drive knowing this will allow the Celtics open threes. In fact, NBA.com has them shooting 48% of their open threes. The Celtics have shot 25% from three in two games. Regular season Boston shot 36.8% from three this year. Something has to give in the next two games. Either Boston continues this trend or they come back up toward their norm.
- The Cleveland Cavaliers are still alive after their relatively easy win last night. Injured players, De’Andre Hunter, Darius Garland and Evan Mobley returned last night. With only one recovery day between the next few games their ability to play will probably determine the Cavs fate. Keep in mind if this were the regular season those players would not have returned, so they aren’t 100%.
NBA Second Round Week 2 – Western Conference
- Stephen Curry‘s injury is really a shame. The Golden State Warriors have raised curiosity about a team with older stars being able to compete for a title. A month or so ago Draymond Green proclaimed after they traded for Jimmy Butler that the Golden State Warriors would win the title. The Warriors may survive his injury and win but it just got a lot more Difficult. Most basketball fans would have loved to see a healthy Curry chase that title.
- Being a fan of the Minnesota Timberwolves this year is like riding a roller coaster. They have been up and down all year; you don’t know how they’re going to play on any night. They were able to defeat the Lakers easily in the first round and then they lay an egg in the 1st game against Golden State. Then they won the second game. The big question going forward – is Anthony Edwards playing at full strength after his injury? Let’s see if the Warriors can hang on with Curry out for at least two more games. The positive for Golden State is those games are at home.
- The Denver Nuggets have won two close games while getting blown out in the other game. Judging by the regular season, the Oklahoma City Thunder are the better team. So in order for Denver to pull off the upset in the series the Nuggets must continue to win close games.
NBA Second Round Week 2 – Random Thoughts
- It’s amazing that all four home teams in this round of the playoffs lost their first game. This means the team with the better record in the regular season lost home court advantage in their first game. Does a regular season matter? Just finished in the top six in your conference and stay healthy and anything can happen in today’s NBA.
- If someone told you the three teams that went over 60 games this season would all be trailing in the second round of the playoffs, you would think they were crazy! It’s true though. Each team is under a great deal of pressure; going out early after the regular seasons will be a tough pill to swallow for their fans
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