Takeaways From Each Team After Games 1 and 2

(Part One)

Philadelphia 76ers - Embiid is the League's Best Center When He Tries

Consistent effort has always been a stumbling block for Joel Embiid. He’s been called out for it by every member of the media with a voice and he’s responded accordingly; that is until fans forget about it and he goes right back into laziness. However, his ironically effortless dominance over his opponents when he tries is undeniable. “On” Embiid is right next to Nikola Jokic for the title of best center in the league. He might be a good supporting cast away from top 5 MVP contention.

Portland Trail Blazers - Great Offense Compensates for Horrible Defense

Disregarding the highly attractive underdog narrative that Portland has going for them, they’re objectively terrible on defense. Portland ranks 26th in the league in points allowed per game and 27th in defensive efficiency. Their defensive ineptitude coinciding with the recent string of victories for them speaks volumes about their offensive prowess and its ability to hide their other flaws. They’re easily the worst team in the bubble on one end of the court but have managed to stay afloat and take an early 1-0 over the Lakers solely due to the play on the opposite end.

Milwaukee Bucks - Giannis is Vulnerable

Let’s be clear, Giannis should be the unanimous MVP and consensus DPOY choice this year, I can’t even entertain arguments for others at this point. However, he’s not some unstoppable force that’s impossible to contain. While he may be portrayed in that way, we’ve seen a laundry list of players and teams figure out the perfect scheme to at least slow him down. It’s not easy, but he’s vulnerable. Giannis struggles with passing out of a trap when teams collapse on him. Any time he drives to the basket in a set offensive possession, he’s met with at least 2 new defenders smothering him in the paint. Until he figures out a counter to the 3-man trap, teams can neutralize a number of his opportunities and take advantage on the fastbreak.

Boston Celtics - Losing Hayward is Bigger Than You Think

Hayward’s untimely injury in Game 1 will affect the playoffs on a much larger scale than you’d expect. The appeal of Boston as a team is 4/ 5 starters having the ability to create their own shot effectively and consistently regardless of the possession. That creates a multitude of problems for a defense when you have to care about every player on the floor at any given time during their possession. Losing Hayward also means the loss of that competitive advantage for Boston. The competitive advantage in question is especially useful to have in the playoffs as possessions slow down and teams lean more into iso ball. The absence of Hayward could end up costing Boston a conference finals berth when they likely play Toronto in the next round.

LA Clippers - Depth is the Championship X Factor

The Clippers were my preseason pick to win the title and it’s becoming harder and harder to disagree with that as they continue to play. The depth on this team is overwhelming to every opponent on both ends of the floor. Their bench unit of Jackson-Lou Will-Shamet-Patterson-Harrell could legitimately contend for a playoff spot in either conference. That’s invaluable in the playoffs when every member of a squad is tested. I acknowledge their struggles thus far with Dallas, but I fully expect them to finish the series and have a much easier time with the winner of Denver/Utah.

Miami Heat - Jimmy Buckets is a Certified Superstar

I’m a huge fan of Miami’s lineup structure and system, my only concern being their perceived lack of a consistent closer or iso offensive force. In hindsight, this was hugely disrespectful to Jimmy Butler. We witnessed him completely take control in late game scenarios vs Indiana and seal both wins for Miami. I’d consider the Heat to be a sneaky underdog pick for the Finals, mostly because of Jimmy’s French Press.

Utah Jazz - Mitchell Can't Do It All

In Game 1, Donovan Mitchell scored 57 points on fantastic efficiency and still fell short of beating Denver. This speaks more to Utah’s struggles than Denver’s proficiency. Mitchell isn’t capable of pulling this team to victory despite whatever heroic performance he may have. I don’t mean that Utah needs to blow up their current lineup, I actually really like their core unit. However, the addition of a 3rd star and scorer is paramount to the potential future of this organization.

LA Lakers - Offensive Issues Remain Prevalent

LA’s issues on offense are becoming more and more concerning as the season carries on. They have an obvious lack of identity that can be seen on every set possession. They put up a measly 93 points against a weak Portland defense in their Game 1 loss and followed that by scoring just 111 points in a massive blowout win. I can't imagine being a Lakers fan and watching your team zip the ball around with no regard for risk or Portland defenders. It's simultaneously lazy and over-aggressive which doesn't seem possible. Let's hope they figure it out soon so we can get Lakers/Clippers in the conference finals.

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IMAGE CREDIT: Ashley Landis