After only 2 days of play-offs, 2 superstars fell. It's no wonder that the Lakers refused to let the Pelicans go, opting for a play-in tournament to advance to the Nuggets. There are too many variables in the play-offs, and the consumption is too great.
In the play-off game between the Pelicans and the Lakers, Zion exited the game with an injury in the last minute. Zion shot 17-of-27 from the field before exiting with 40 points, 11 rebounds and 5 assists, and his performance was unstoppable. If Zion hadn't left the game due to injury, it's hard to say whether the Lakers would have won in the end. Zion played so well that he suddenly dropped the towel and left the game, and some netizens said that it was arranged by the league by phone. In order to protect the Lakers, the league asked Zion, who was in great shape, not to fight.
I have to say that such statements are very anti-intellectual. How stupid is the Alliance to do such a thing? It turns out that Zion is really hurt. The Pelicans officially announced that Zion suffered a left hamstring strain and is expected to miss the play-in game against the Kings. Hamstring strain is an injury that everyone should be familiar with, and many players have experienced it. Paul suffered such an injury when he was still with the Rockets, when the Rockets tied 3-2 with the Warriors in the Western Conference finals and were only one step away from qualifying. As a result, Paul, who suffered a hamstring strain, could only sit on the bench and watch the Rockets be reversed by the Warriors.
Harden also suffered a hamstring strain while playing for the Nets. In order to help the Nets advance, Harden chose to play with an injury, but his performance was terrible, and he failed to help the Nets win against the Bucks in the end. Zion is sure to have a hamstring strain, so he will definitely miss the play-in game against the Kings. After all, he is only so young, and physical health is the most important thing. And even if he plays with an injury, his form is not guaranteed. Can the Pelicans, without Zion, still beat the Kings and get a playoff ticket?
This season's Pelicans are quite embarrassing, and they finished sixth in the West before the final game. As a result, it is likely that they will now miss the playoffs. Ingram and Zion's injuries ruined a promising season for the Pelicans.
In the play-off games between the Heat and the 76ers, it was Butler who fell. Butler shook Oubre on a layup, but Oubre knocked Butler down on the ground. Butler caused Oubre to foul, but the loss was too great. Butler chose to play with an injury and played for 40 minutes, but only 5-of-18 shooting, 2-of-6 three-pointers, and 7-of-8 free throws, scoring only 19 points, plus 4 rebounds, 5 assists and 5 steals. Butler wasn't very efficient, and the Heat could only add to Herro's offensive play. As a result, although Herro scored 25 points and 9 assists, he only made 9 of 27 shots, 4 of 14 three-pointers, and also made 5 turnovers, of which the return error in the last minute directly buried the game. Adebayo made 5-of-18 shots, had 10 points, 12 rebounds and 2 blocks, and his performance was not satisfactory.
The Heat lost to the 76ers 104-105 and missed the direct qualification, so they could only compete with the Bulls for the last playoff ticket in the East. Even worse news came after the game, with Shams reporting that Butler could suffer a medial collateral ligament injury (MCL) in his knee or be sidelined indefinitely. If Butler can't play in the play-in tournament with the Bulls, it's hard to say if the Heat can win. If the Heat end up missing the playoffs, then they are too wronged. The Heat have a regular season record of 46-36 and the Bulls have a 39-43 regular season record, with the Heat having seven more wins than the Bulls. In fact, many people think that after a full season, with a gap of more than three wins between eighth and ninth, there is no need to play the play-offs. Because that's so unfair to the top teams.
The 76ers successfully advanced to the playoffs, and with 8 consecutive wins in the regular season, the 76ers won 9 consecutive wins in the closing stage of the season, and they were in great shape. In fact, if it weren't for Embiid's injury, the 76ers wouldn't have been reduced to playing in the play-in tournament. In other words, the real strength of the 76ers is far beyond the rankings. The 76ers played the Knicks in the first round of the playoffs, and the game was good.