With the final whistle of the Grizzlies and Timberwolves G6 sounding, the first round of the playoffs officially came to an end, and the teams in the division semifinals were at a glance:
West: Suns vs Lone Rangers Warriors vs Grizzlies
East: Heat vs. 76ers Green Army vs Bucks
Judging from the first round of promotion in the playoffs, there was no upset, suffocating seven-game battle, etc., and all the top four teams in the East and West passed. Since the gap in strength between the teams that reach the division semifinals is not large, the strong dialogue that should be had in the playoffs is about to be staged.
The above four series can be described as a highlight, of which the deepest grudge is the Warriors and Grizzlies, Iguodala, who was traded to the Grizzlies two years ago, refused to play for the team, which attracted the dissatisfaction of the whole team; the Warriors were eliminated by the Grizzlies in the playoffs last season and missed the playoffs; after the Grizzlies defeated the Warriors in the regular season this season, Dillon Blooms and Jalen Jackson openly mocked Iguodala and the Warriors, adding fuel to the feud between the two sides.
The Heat's series against the 76ers, with Embiid being punched in the face by Siakam's elbow, was diagnosed with a fractured right orbit and a slight concussion after the game, with no definite date of return, which made the Heat's probability of qualifying soar. The same defending champion Bucks also suffered from injuries, with core forward Middleton spraining his left knee and expected to miss the series against the Green Army, which gave the Green Army, who eliminated the Nets 4-0, full confidence in qualifying.
In summary, the divisional semifinals were more exciting than the first round of the playoffs, which were so disparate, and of the eight eliminated teams, the following seven stars played with respect:
7. Golan Dragic (Nets)
Playoff stats: 10.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 56.3 percent shooting, 33.3 percent three-point range
Last summer, in order to upgrade the depth of the defensive line, the Miami Heat targeted Lowry, because the 36-year-old veteran wanted a contract with an annual salary of no less than $25 million, the Heat, who had no salary space, could only reach a first-and-then-trade agreement with the Raptors, sending Dragic, who earned $19.35 million a year, to the cold Toronto, and then signed Lowry for $85 million for three years.
After learning that he was traded to the Raptors, Dragic complained about the deal and his new owner on social media, which caused great dissatisfaction among the home fans, and although Dragic apologized in time, the cracks between the two sides could not be repaired.
Immediately after the mid-season player trade period began, the Raptors sent Dragic to the Spurs, and because the latter was in the middle of the rebuilding period and could not provide the veteran with playing time, the two sides reached a buyout agreement, and Dragic voluntarily gave up $820,000 to become a free agent.
As a veteran of the playoffs, Dragic stepped into the free market and received olive branches from the Warriors, Bucks, Clippers and Nets, and after careful consideration, Dragic decided to join the Brooklyn Nets and reunite with Steve Nash. Previously, Dragic had played 190 games as a substitute for Nash at the Phoenix Suns, and the two used the same agent, and nash played a crucial role in the nets' success in recruiting Dragic.
After arriving at the Nets, due to the lack of an organizer on the offensive end of the team due to Harden's departure, Dragic was quickly entrusted with heavy responsibilities by Nash, and the playing time reached 25.5 minutes. But Dragic, who has been on the battlefield for a long time, in addition to contributing 4.8 assists per game in the regular season, did not have much outstanding performance in other aspects.
In the playoffs of fighting defense and experience, De Junqi stepped forward in the case of Durant and Irving being wrapped up, scored 10.5 points with extremely high offensive efficiency in less than 20 minutes of playing time, and helped the team chase points in the Nets' adversity moments many times, interpreting "veterans don't die" with strength!
6. DeAndre Hunt (Eagle)
Playoff stats: 21.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, 0.8 steals, 55.7 percent shooting, 46.2 percent three-point range
In the 2019 draft, the 21-year-old Hunter averaged 18.5 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game in college, and the highlight performance of leading his alma mater, the University of Virginia, to win the NCAA championship, and the draft pick climbed all the way, and finally was selected by the Lakers with the fourth pick in the first round, and then was sent to Atlanta to start his NBA career.
As a forward with excellent offensive ability, Hunter was regarded as a key development object by the Hawks management during the rookie season, playing 32 minutes, and Hunter also proved his strength with on-court performance, averaging 12.3 points and 4.5 rebounds per game, almost seamlessly adapting to the intensity of NBA games.
In the 20-21 season, the Hawks entered the playoffs as the fifth in the East, and the newly rebuilt team swept the playoffs with a youth storm led by Trae Young, scoring the Knicks in the first round and winning seven to the 76ers in the Eastern Conference semifinals, creating the best record for the team in the past five seasons.
For Hunter, who failed to accompany the team to the last minute last season, after defeating the Knicks, Hunter heeded the team doctor's advice to undergo meniscus surgery and had no choice but to be reimbursed for the season. At the beginning of the season, Hunter once again fought for two months due to a wrist injury, but fortunately remained in good shape after returning, averaging 13.4 points and 3.3 rebounds per game, helping the Hawks get the last playoff ticket in the East.
In the first round of the playoffs against the First Heat of the East, the Atlanta Hawks attacked a strong and weak system, and had no advantage in the defensive playoffs, and the core of the team, Trae Young, who was completely out of shape under the bag of Lowry and Vincent, averaged only 15.4 points and 6 assists per game, shooting 31.9% overall, and the three-point shooting rate he was good at fell to 18.4%, which was in stark contrast to his regular season average of 28.4 points and 9.7 assists per game.
Throughout the series, Hunter's play was undoubtedly the most brilliant on the team, and in the team's only winning game, he shot 9 of 16 from the field, slashed 22 points and 7 rebounds, including 16 points in the third quarter, helping the Hawks set the tone for victory in one fell swoop.
A forward player who can burst and shoot, Hunter has excellent physical fitness, handles key balls calmly and decisively, and is a typical big heart player, and the Hawks want to go further in the playoffs and must give the youngster more tactical status.
5. Clarkson (Jazz)
Playoff stats: 17.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 54.8 percent shooting, 37.5 percent three-point range
Last season, Clarkson averaged 18.4 points, 4 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game, helping the Jazz win the regular season championship and winning the league's best sixth-man award. In the disciplined Jazz, Clarkson, who is good at offense, was allowed to wander out of the system by head coach Snyder, and like Nick Young and Crawford before him, he only focused on scoring, which was an uncontrollable X factor for the team.
It turns out that Snyder's "one inside four shots" is very suitable for winning in the regular season, and in the less intense confrontation, Gobert has a clear defensive advantage on the inside, as long as the outside three-point shooter group has a slight crosshair, it can open up the point difference in a short period of time, so the Jazz are firmly at the forefront of the highly competitive West.
In the playoffs of defensive upgrading, when the stars can't rely on their personal strength to attract the bag, it is difficult for outside shooters to get empty shots, which makes it difficult to effectively execute the tactics of the regular season rehearsals, and the Jazz, who are difficult to win in the playoffs, get the title of "pseudo-strong team".
In the first round of the playoffs against the Lone Rangers, Doncic missed the first two games of the series due to injury, and just when fans thought that the Jazz with a more complete lineup would win easily, Mitchell single-handedly buried the situation. In six games in the series, "Wade Jr." averaged 25.5 points and 5.7 assists per game, shooting less than 40% from the field, and the three-point shooting rate fell to 20.8%, and the poor shooting choices brought the Jazz's overall offense to a standstill, and it can be said that Mitchell personally eliminated the home team.
In contrast, Clarkson, who is extremely unstable in the regular season (shooting only 41.9%), plays more successfully in the playoffs, and when facing the defense of Brunson and Dinwiddie, who are 1.85 meters tall, Clarkson becomes an offensive master, breaking through the basket, stopping mid-range, throwing in the box, dribbling three-point threat, the playoffs 54.8% shooting rate set a career high, if the good state Clarkson gets more ball rights and shooting opportunities, it is difficult for the Lone Ranger to end the battle in six games.
4. Siakam (Raptors)
Playoff stats: 22.8 points, 7.2 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 47.7 percent shooting, 23.5 percent three-point range
The summer of 2019 was a mixed blessing for Raptors fans, with the team winning the first championship in franchise history under Leonard's leadership, but in the subsequent contract extension, the cold Toronto had no advantage over the bustling Los Angeles, and The little card finally accepted the Clippers' maximum salary.
Subsequently, the Raptors recruited in the free agency market, but did not get any star response, in order to ensure the competitiveness of the team, they had to renew Siakam for four years and $137 million.
Last summer, the Raptors did not get substantial reinforcements due to Lowry's choice to join the Heat, which made the home fans not have much expectations for this season, and the team set sail in a low-key manner without being optimistic.
As the season progressed, Van Vleet, who was less than 1.85 meters tall, became the savior of the Raptors, averaging 20.3 points and 6.7 assists per game in the regular season, hitting 3.7 three-pointers per game (second in the league), helping the team to stay in the playoffs, and his excellent performance made him an All-Star for the first time in his career.
As the Toronto Raptors' highest-paid player per year ($33 million), Siakam was plagued by injuries in the early part of the season and did not gradually regain his form until the middle of the season, and in the late season card battle, the cameroon-based forward transformed into an all-round warrior, extremely aggressive on both offensive and defensive ends, helping the team lock in the fifth position in the East. It is worth mentioning that during the regular season, Siakam played as much as 37.9 minutes, ranking first in the league.
Playoffs first round against the Philadelphia 76ers, the Raptors two guards played badly, Trent averaged 15.3 points per game, shooting only 37.8%, Van Vleet only played four games and was reimbursed for the injury season, contributing 13.8 points per game, shooting as low as 35.2%.
The forward lineup led by Siakam became the only point of advantage for the Raptors, and in the situation of 0-3 big scores, although Siakam played a comprehensive team to lead the team to win two consecutive cities, in the seven-game four-win format, his personal strength was not enough to create an NBA miracle of four consecutive games.
3. Ingram (Pelican)
Playoff stats: 27 points, 6 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 47.5 percent from the field and 40.7 percent from three-point range.
At the beginning of the season, due to the delay in returning to the team due to an ankle injury, the team's record was poor and there was no viewing, which forced the home fans to turn their attention to this summer's draft in advance. In the middle of the season, due to the Lakers' poor record, the Pelicans saw the hope of the playoffs again, and then reached a deal with the Blazers, sending first-round draft picks and rookies to Get McClem.
The combination of Ingram + McCollum + Valanciunas showed great competitiveness at the end of the regular season, and with the Lakers' wave of embarrassing eight consecutive losses, the Pelicans entered the playoffs as the ninth in the West, and after successive victories over the Spurs and Clippers, they got the last playoff ticket in the West.
Playoffs against regular season champion Suns, the Pelicans as a challenger did not have much pressure, as Booker left the game with an injury in G2, the Pelicans won the game under the leadership of Ingram with 37 points, 11 rebounds and 9 assists, and fans gradually discovered that the youngster who was sent away by the Lakers as a chip has grown into the leader of a team.
In the ensuing series, the pelicans, who were all soldiers, brought great challenges to the Suns as a whole, and if it were not for the veteran Paul's unsolvable data of 14 shots in G6, the two sides would most likely decide the winner in the seventh. Entering the playoffs for the first time in his career, Ingram played a 27+6+6 star stat in front of the league's strongest forward defender Bridges, a stable mid-range shooting, an excellent big picture view, and the Pelicans have found the core of reconstruction.
This summer, Zion Williamson is eligible to complete an early contract extension with the Pelicans, the contract can reach up to five years of $223 million, due to ingram's excellent performance this season, the Pelicans have reservations about renewing the "Glass Man" Zion, and it is likely that he will decide to renew the contract based on his performance next season, after all, the top salary signed this short and strong forward, the Pelicans do not have any room for reinforcement.
2. Edwards (Timberwolf)
Playoff stats: 25.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3 assists, 45.5% shooting, 40.4% three-point shooting
Looking back at the 2020 NBA Draft, it is a veritable draft year, in addition to the top three picks of Edwards, Wiseman, Lamelo Ball have a reputation, the rest of the players into the league like "transparent people", without any brilliant performance. Edwards, as the leader, was able to sit firmly in the top position based on his excellent physical fitness alone, and then was not surprisingly selected by the Timberwolves.
In the rookie season, due to the team's core players Towns and Russell suffered injuries in succession, the Timberwolves record was firmly at the bottom of the West, and the team management launched the "swing" plan in advance, Edwards thus got unlimited firing rights, averaging 19.3 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game, although it failed to win the league's best rookie award (Lamelo Ball), but a season of experience, so that the 19-year-old not only adapted to the intensity of the NBA game, but also cultivated shooting confidence.
In this year's playoffs, the Timberwolves faced the Memphis Grizzlies with a challenger posture, and because the average age of both teams was not more than 26 years old, the same lack of playoff experience made this series more like a youth showdown.
Judging by the scores of the two teams, the Timberwolves took a 29-point lead in the first three quarters in six games in the series, but lost 62 points in the fourth quarter. Of the four games they lost, three of them led by double digits into the fourth quarter and were overturned, holding on to the title of "Wolf Crash".
As the only player in the Timberwolves to play online, Edwards scored a total of 151 points in this series, setting the highest single-round series score among players under the age of 21 in NBA playoff history, if it were not for Russell playing too poorly (averaging 12 points per game and shooting 33.3%), the Timberwolves would most likely complete the "Black Seven".
At present, Edwards has shown star potential on the offensive end, but the shooting choices at key moments are poor, the rampage does not care about the overall situation needs to be improved, the Timberwolves need to find a qualified point guard to stabilize the situation on the court, Russell is obviously not qualified for this position.
1. Jokic (Nuggets)
Playoff stats: 31 points, 13.2 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 57.5 percent shooting, 27.8 percent three-point range
"Lone Hero" described Jokic's performance this season is the most appropriate, when the team's two top salary players Murray and Porter Jr. have been reimbursed for injury season, the "little fat mound" from Selvia who loves to drink Coke will carry the team on his shoulders, leading the team to achieve 48 wins and 34 losses in the regular season, the sixth record in the West, personally cutting 27.1 points, 13.8 rebounds and 7.9 assists, and the player efficiency value is as high as 32.8, ranking first in the league.
In the first round of the playoffs, facing the Warriors with a well-formed main lineup, the Nuggets guard line was exploded, Curry + Poole + Thompson contributed an average of 71.6 points per game, with an average three-point shooting rate of 44.9%, from the perspective of the comprehensive strength of the two sides, the nuggets' probability of winning this series tends to be close to zero.
Even so, Jokic, as the core of the team, still relied on his personal ability to blow up the Warriors' interior line, and won the high praise of Dream Green after the game: "Generally good players are soft, but Jokic is very tough, thank him for letting me improve." 」 ”
In the fifth game of the series, Jokic suffered a hamstring injury and insisted on playing, scoring 30 points, 19 rebounds and 8 assists, although he failed to help the team win, but the strong internal dominance and the desire for victory made him leave the court without regret.
Statistically, Jokic became the third center in NBA history to average at least 30 points, 10 rebounds and five assists per game in a single series, the top two being Abdul-Jabbar (1974) and Olajuwon (1995, twice).
This summer, Jokic qualified to complete a five-year , $254 million maximum salary extension with the Nuggets , which would set a new record for the largest contract amount of $228 million that alphabet had previously signed if the two sides could sign a contract. Of course, in terms of Jokic's current strength and over 90% attendance, it is worthy of this super top salary contract.