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When can we all release our collectively held breath over Joel Embiid’s knee?
EVERYBODY PANIC!
It’s never too early for the Playoff Panic Meter (PPM)
Every Game 1 for the first round is in the books, and it’s never too early to panic – like hitting 25 miles left on your gas tank with a gas station 30 miles away. Will you make it through or not? Here is a PPM meter and suggested adjustment for each series with the playoffs now underway.
Disclaimer: the Playoff Panic Meter rates up to five. All winning teams lead their series 1-0.
Cavs 97, Magic 83
What happened? The battle of two of the NBA’s best defenses led to an ugly rock fight, but it was a rock fight in which Donovan Mitchell was using a slingshot. He had a pretty easy 30 points, Evan Mobley (16 and 11) was fantastic early and Jarrett Allen was a monster at the rim.
PPM: 🚨🚨 for Orlando. The Magic must generate points.
What’s the adjustment? The Magic need bench points from Cole Anthony and Markelle Fultz. They combined for four points on 0-of-11 shooting. That’s roughly 20 points off the bench they need to keep pace.
Wolves 120, Suns 95
What happened? Minnesota dominated Phoenix after the first quarter, and Anthony Edwards crushed the Suns in the third period. We also saw incredible defense from Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert all game. Minnesota played a physical style Phoenix couldn’t handle.
PPM: 🚨🚨🚨 for Phoenix. The Suns need to hit their 3s.
What’s the adjustment? Phoenix simply can’t waste possessions by giving it away when the Wolves have active hands. Kevin Durant and Devin Booker should be initiating offense more often.
Knicks 111, 76ers 104
What happened? A quarter-to-quarter roller coaster ended with New York on top. Jalen Brunson struggled to make shots, but Josh Hart and Deuce McBride were incredible for the Knicks. They lit it up from deep.
PPM: 🚨🚨🚨🚨 for Philadelphia. Joel Embiid’s injury has to be scary.
What’s the adjustment? The 76ers must hit the defensive boards. It’s a pretty simple solution for giving up 23 offensive rebounds and 26 second-chance points in a seven-point loss.
Nuggets 114, Lakers 103
What happened? Los Angeles punched Denver in the mouth before the latter took over in the third quarter. Anthony Davis and LeBron James were good, but D’Angelo Russell shot horribly as Nikola Jokić controlled the entire game to finish with 32-12-7.
PPM: 🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨 for Los Angeles. The Lakers needed to steal Game 1.
What’s the adjustment? As much as the Lakers need to make shots, they should also speed up the Nuggets and rush them into turnovers. Denver had six team turnovers.
Celtics 114, Heat 94
What happened? Boston played Miami without Jimmy Butler and inevitability smacked the Heat in the face. Jayson Tatum shot poorly, but it didn’t matter because he finished with 23-10-10 while the Celtics made 22 3s. It was an impressive effort that weathered Erik Spoelstra’s defensive coverages.
PPM: 🚨🚨🚨🚨 for Miami. No Butler, no shot.
What’s the adjustment? Bring Mr. Miyagi out to fix Butler’s knee. And run the Celtics off the 3-point line the best you can.
Clippers 109, Mavericks 97
What happened? Not much went wrong for the L.A., and almost nothing went right for Dallas. All of this happened without Kawhi Leonard (knee) playing in the game. The Clippers bombed away from three and hammered the Mavericks early.
PPM: 🚨🚨🚨 for Dallas. If the Mavericks take Game 2, Game 1 is a wash.
What’s the adjustment? It’s simple. I’d simply score more than 30 first-half points. Call me “Coach Harper.”
Bucks 109, Pacers 94
What happened? Damian Lillard set the franchise record for points in a playoff half by dropping 35 before halftime. He finished the day with 35, but Milwaukee controlled Game 1 without Giannis Antetokounmpo.
PPM: 🚨🚨🚨 for Indiana. Losing games Giannis misses isn’t ideal.
What’s the adjustment? Tyrese Haliburton can’t score only nine points while taking just seven shots in 38 minutes.
Thunder 94, Pelicans 92
What happened? CJ McCollum’s leaning 3-point attempt looked good but misfired, so OKC escaped with the home victory. Its big three of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren came through as the role players struggled, but a win is a win.
PPM: 🚨 for New Orleans. The Pelicans came close to stealing Game 1.
What’s the adjustment? Keep the physicality, win by dominating the boards and get Brandon Ingram (12 points on 17 shots) going.
The Latest From Shams
Lakers’ Wood eyes return this week
Lakers big man Christian Wood is planning to return to action in Game 3 vs. the Denver Nuggets on Thursday in Los Angeles, league sources tell The Athletic.
Wood has been out since Feb. 14 because of a knee injury and averaged 6.9 points and 5.1 rebounds in 50 games this season.
Lakers coach Darvin Ham told reporters Sunday in Denver that Wood “has a couple more boxes to check” before the Lakers consider using him, adding that Wood’s size and length will help whenever Wood returns.
The Antman Cometh
Anthony Edwards’ moment was too good
You’d be hard pressed to find basketball fans who are anti-Anthony Edwards. At some point, he’ll get backlash because that’s the game for young players who dazzle the crowd and have a fun personality. People eventually turn on them if they’re not bringing in titles. For now, though, Edwards has been having bigger and bigger moments with growth in his young but impressive basketball career.
Saturday’s dominant Game 1 win over Phoenix had another very meme-able moment from Ant. He lit up the Suns, dousing them with third-quarter buckets as he scored 18 of his game-high 33 points. He had more made baskets (eight) in the third quarter than the entire Suns team (six). And we got the viral moment of Edwards putting the flamethrower to the Suns before talking smack to Kevin Durant as they both went back up the court. Ant was boasting, which caused Kevin Durant to smile.
After the game, Edwards explained what that moment meant to him as a basketball player and a fan of Durant.
“I think everybody knows that’s my favorite player of all-time, so that was probably one of the best feelings ever in my whole life, for sure.”
Rick Ross had the song “Idols Become Rivals,” which this moment essentially embodies. And it was a statement win for the Wolves to begin the series against a Suns team that kicked their butts all season long, including the regular-season finale to push Minnesota down to the No. 3 seed. Phoenix talked trash in that game, and Minnesota responded. Now, the Suns get a chance to respond and talk some trash back to Edwards.
This Was Scary!
Joel Embiid got hurt — we held our breath
A moment of “Holy shit!” in the second quarter between the Sixers-Knicks quickly turned into “ … holy shit,” when Joel Embiid threw the ball off the backboard, slammed it home and then landed hard on his left leg before dropping to the floor in pain. It looked like the reigning MVP re-injured the same knee he had midseason meniscus surgery on before missing 29 straight games. He left for the locker room and didn’t return in the quarter. It looked bleak.
The incredible news is, despite how bad it looked in real time and with replays, Embiid returned in the second half. He played 20 minutes over the final two periods but finished with 29 points on 8-of-22 shooting for the game. The Knicks held Embiid to 11 points on 11 shots after he returned. He’s listed as questionable for tonight’s Game 2.
Embiid has mostly played well since returning from knee surgery, but his movements look quite labored. If he looks physically unwell with his leg in Game 2, it’s time to start wondering if the Sixers should cut their losses and shut him down for the series.
Bounce Passes
Your annual anonymous NBA player poll is here. More on this tomorrow.
Could Amazon and NBC get involved in the NBA’s next TV rights deal?
Screen Game (All times Eastern)
- Main Game: 76ers-Knicks (7:30 p.m. TNT). If Embiid plays, can he lead Philly to a crucial road win?
- Secondary Game: Lakers-Nuggets (10 p.m. TNT). Can Los Angeles make Denver uncomfortable at the end of a game?
- NBA TV Series: Magic-Cavaliers (7 p.m.). Let’s see if either team can score 100 points in a game this series. Full schedule here.
(Top photo: Patrick McDermott / Getty Images )
