The important thing Recreation 2 storylines for the Celtics, Warmth, Pelicans and Thunder

The Boston Celtics and Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder, the 2 1-seeds within the 2024 NBA playoffs, each have 1-0 leads of their respective first-round sequence, however that is nearly the place the similarities finish.

Boston dealt with its enterprise in opposition to the Miami Warmth from the bounce in Recreation 1, profitable in a 114-94 rout. In the meantime the Thunder did not safe their Recreation 1 win in opposition to the New Orleans Pelicans till CJ McCollum’s last-second 3-pointer bounced off the again rim.

The 2 1 vs. 8 sequence resume Wednesday evening, and our NBA insiders took a have a look at the largest storylines for every group heading into Recreation 2.

MORE: Full protection of 2024 NBA playoffs

Celtics do not need to let up

After Tuesday’s apply, Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla fielded a query: Whenever you checked out tape of Recreation 1, what, if something, did you notice might be accomplished higher?

“Higher is doing what we [already] do with increased depth and better physicality,” Mazzulla stated.

It was a telling reply, and an sincere one.

The Celtics had been dominant of their sequence opener in opposition to No. 8 seed Miami, leaping out to a 14-point lead earlier than the Warmth even managed to attain and in the end profitable by 20. After a efficiency like that, there actually is not a change in technique that is crucial in the meanwhile.

Mazzulla and the gamers as an alternative hung out speaking in regards to the mentality that shall be crucial to ensure they keep this degree after the breezy Recreation 1.

“When you do not assume you are going to see a unique model of Miami, you are kidding your self,” Mazzulla stated.

The Warmth said the apparent throughout their apply, saying they’d search to trim the huge 3-point deficit that came about in Recreation 1 — Boston tied a franchise playoff excessive with 22 made 3s. So the Celtics vowed to be able to make the most of no matter attractiveness got here their manner in consequence, be it from the paint or the midrange parts of the ground.

Typically talking, although, what Boston is gearing up for is a extra intense Miami membership.

“They will be hungry [and] determined,” Celtics taking pictures guard Jaylen Brown stated. “They will come out quick and aggressive, attempting to show us over. They will attempt to crash the glass onerous and be bodily, knock us to the bottom. They will need to win the physicality battle.”

Brown and guard Payton Pritchard every stated ahead Caleb Martin’s late-game, midair collision with ahead Jayson Tatum — which brought about a quick skirmish and double technical fouls — might need been a great factor.

The incident appeared to invigorate the Celtics at a time after they had taken their foot off the pedal ever so barely after constructing a 34-point benefit earlier within the contest. “I believe we like that,” Pritchard stated. “It was a pleasure to see that, and what it should be like transferring ahead. We’re prepared for that check and that physicality.” — Chris Herring

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Warmth lack firepower to fulfill championship aspirations

The hallway wall exterior of the house locker room inside Kaseya Middle is embellished with a colourful montage of a few of the best moments in Warmth franchise historical past. There are dozens of images from the three championship celebrations. There is a wall-sized picture of Dwyane Wade taking pictures a floater over Tim Duncan in the course of the 2013 NBA Finals. There’s one other picture of Ray Allen taking pictures the nook 3-pointer that tied Recreation 6 of the 2013 Finals.

And, in the course of it, the phrase “CHAMPIONS” is emblazoned on the wall, the three years the Warmth reached the top of the NBA — 2006, 2012 and 2013 — written out under it.

It is an ever-present reminder for many who stroll by way of there — be it gamers, coaches, media, staffers or anybody else — that there has solely been one mission assertion for this franchise because the second group president Pat Riley set foot in South Florida almost 30 years in the past.

And, regardless of the Warmth’s latest monitor document, it is also one this group is not going to have the ability to attain.

Within the weeks main as much as the playoffs, any coach, scout or government requested in regards to the Warmth’s possibilities wasn’t able to depend them out, pointing to Miami advancing to 3 convention finals and two NBA Finals throughout the earlier 4 years with most of this core — particularly, ahead Jimmy Butler — in place.

However Butler is not on the court docket, as an MCL sprain suffered per week in the past in Miami’s heartbreaking loss to the Philadelphia 76ers within the play-in event knocked him out of the sequence. Capturing guard Terry Rozier, the group’s high acquisition forward of the commerce deadline, can be out of the lineup with a neck challenge and likewise appears unlikely to play.

Recreation 1 confirmed how huge of a problem it is going to be for Miami to make this sequence aggressive in opposition to the group with the NBA’s greatest document. The Celtics merely have an excessive amount of firepower for the Warmth to maintain up with, particularly down two key contributors.

Quickly, the sequence shall be over, and the questions on this group’s future will resurface. With just one assured 12 months left on his contract, will Butler get an extension — and what is going to occur if he would not? And, setting that apart, what can Miami do to spice up an offense that ranked twenty first within the NBA this season?

One factor is for sure: The Warmth will make no excuses as this sequence continues, and coach Erik Spoelstra will say he has sufficient to compete. However with out Butler and Rozier, an already uphill climb has develop into an not possible one. — Tim Bontemps

Thunder’s deep rotation nonetheless in flux

Because the top-seeded Thunder start what they hope shall be a protracted playoff run, essentially the most fascinating query is how Coach of the Yr finalist Mark Daigneault’s rotation will shake out.

Daigneault used 11 gamers in Sunday’s Recreation 1 win, essentially the most of any group in a aggressive sport. That largely mirrored Daigneault’s regular-season rotation, which has included six reserves after the addition of veteran ahead Gordon Hayward on the commerce deadline.

“Everyone that got here in performed their position,” guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander stated after Recreation 1. “They gave good minutes. All 11 guys did their half, and that is the explanation why we received tonight.”

Most notable, nevertheless, was the absence of beginning guard Josh Giddey on the finish of Oklahoma Metropolis’s 94-92 win. Giddey performed simply 20 minutes on an evening when each different starter logged a minimum of 32.

Giddey’s inconsistent exterior taking pictures (34% on 3-pointers this season) has at all times loomed as a possible playoff legal responsibility for the Thunder. Regardless of beginning all 80 video games he has performed, Giddey noticed his minutes per sport drop from 31.1 in 2022-23 to 25.1 this season. That decline was magnified late in video games, as Giddey performed simply 47% of what NBA Superior Stats defines as clutch minutes (sport inside 5 factors, final 5 minutes of regulation or time beyond regulation) — down from 69% a 12 months in the past.

Moreover Giddey’s personal limitations, the event of rookie guard Cason Wallace has given Daigneault an alternate down the stretch. The 20-year-old performed the majority of the final 4 minutes Sunday, buying and selling off with the group’s greatest shooter, Isaiah Joe. Wallace matched up with Pelicans guard McCollum on the sport’s ultimate possession, forcing McCollum into an off-balance missed 3 on the buzzer.

So long as Oklahoma Metropolis is profitable, Daigneault won’t need to mess with the method that led the Thunder to the most effective document within the Western Convention this season. Oklahoma Metropolis’s typical beginning 5 that includes Giddey went 46-17 (.730) within the common season — 9 extra wins than some other group of starters, per Basketball-Reference.com information.

Down the highway, nevertheless, changing Giddey is perhaps the Thunder’s pure adjustment when one thing goes improper. — Kevin Pelton

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Thunder outlast Pelicans in gritty Recreation 1 win

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander comes up clutch because the Thunder cling on to take Recreation 1 from the Pelicans.

Pelicans trying to find extra offense

New Orleans held the No. 1 seed within the Western Convention to 94 factors in Recreation 1. As Pelicans ahead Larry Nance Jr. identified Tuesday after apply, that ought to be sufficient for a group to get a victory. Sadly for the Pelicans, it wasn’t.

Thanks largely to the protection guard Luguentz Dort performed on ahead Brandon Ingram, the Pelicans ahead went 5-of-17 for simply 12 factors Sunday evening, and the Pelicans offense by no means appeared to get going within the two-point loss.

Nance stated the group has just a few tips up its sleeve to get the offense going, however it’s clear one thing should occur.

The Pelicans acquired 24 factors off 18 offensive rebounds, going 9-of-17 off the second possibilities. However the group shot 28-of-79 (35.4%) on its preliminary shot makes an attempt, a quantity that should enhance. Oklahoma Metropolis additionally outscored the Pelicans 20-7 in fast-break factors.

Each had been factors of emphasis in Tuesday’s apply, in line with Pelicans coach Willie Inexperienced.

“We actually checked out a few of our keys, retaining them out of transition defensively and ensuring we end possessions,” Inexperienced stated. “I believed the second half they made a greater effort to go after the offensive glass. … We had a extremely good apply at the moment.”

In 4 video games since coming back from a bone bruise in his left knee, Ingram has averaged 15.0 factors on 43.1% taking pictures. He was 0-of-8 when Dort was the first defender, in line with ESPN Stats & Info analysis.

Inexperienced stated the group has to play with extra pace and pressure in order that Dort cannot be as bodily with Ingram as he was in Recreation 1. The Pelicans additionally have to get extra screens set for Ingram, Inexperienced stated, to attempt to free him up.

New Orleans should proceed to enhance its clutch offense to have an opportunity to steal a sport earlier than heading house for Recreation 3. The Pelicans had been 0-22 within the common season coming into the fourth quarter with a deficit, and their 29 video games within the clutch had been the fewest within the NBA this season.

In Recreation 1, the Pelicans had been 1-of-7 with 4 turnovers within the ultimate 3:09 and did not rating a bucket between the three:34 mark and when McCollum hit a layup with 26.5 seconds left.

New Orleans may also have to regulate to how the sport is being referred to as. The Pelicans tried 9 free throws Sunday, the fewest that they had tried in any sport this season. Additionally they held the Thunder to simply 13 makes an attempt, tied for the fifth fewest for them in a sport all season.

“Oh, that is basketball,” Nance stated. “Final sport, it took me a half to determine what are they going to name, what aren’t they going to name, what are they going to let go. And within the second half it was soccer. And I adore it.” — Andrew Lopez