2024 NBA playoffs roundtable: What to observe heading into huge Recreation 6 matchups – ESPN

Stephen A. Smith factors fingers after the Knicks’ Recreation 5 loss to the Sixers. (3:21)
The primary spherical of the 2024 NBA playoffs has been nothing wanting thrilling, giving us the whole lot from sweeps to back-and-forth battles on either side of the bracket.
Within the Western Convention, the Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves and Oklahoma City Thunder have already secured spots within the second spherical, with the Nuggets and Wolves beginning their sequence on Saturday in Denver. The Dallas Mavericks and LA Clippers, in the meantime, continued their seesaw sequence because the Mavericks dominated Recreation 5 at Crypto.com Area on Wednesday.
Additionally Wednesday, the Boston Celtics grew to become the primary Jap Convention staff to succeed in the following spherical, ousting the Miami Heat in Recreation 5. The remaining three spots are up for grabs, because the New York Knicks may have a second likelihood to shut out Philadelphia after the 76ers‘ electrifying Recreation 5 comeback on Tuesday, led by a 46-point efficiency from Tyrese Maxey.
Our NBA insiders break down the most important storylines to observe going into these principal Recreation 6 matchups as we spherical out the second week of the NBA playoffs.
MORE: Everything to know about the playoffs | Offseason guides for every team

Thursday, 6:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
With a win in Recreation 5, the Bucks saved their season alive for at the very least yet one more sport and in flip gave their star duo additional time to return to the ground. Each Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard are “very close,” to returning, Bucks coach Doc Rivers stated after Recreation 5, indicating the Bucks might have assist in Indianapolis.
Antetokounmpo has not performed on this sequence, sidelined for the previous three weeks with a calf pressure. Lillard has been out since Recreation 3 with an Achilles pressure.
But the Bucks grew to become the primary staff in NBA historical past to win a playoff sport with out their high two scorers from the common season, and so they did so in convincing trend. Milwaukee reduce off Indiana on the quick break — profitable the transition factors battle 11-7 for the primary time all sequence in opposition to the Pacers’ second-ranked offense — and smothered All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton with double-teams.
Lillard and Antetokounmpo had been scheduled for a exercise forward of Recreation 6. The query for Milwaukee, even when it will get one or each of its celebrity duo again on the ground, is whether or not it is going to be too late within the sequence for it to make a distinction.
The Bucks should win an elimination sport on the highway to a staff that additionally bested them 4 of 5 instances throughout the common season. However a veteran Bucks participant believes they’ve given themselves an opportunity by extending the sequence, letting the Pacers know they won’t go house simply.
“We all know what we’re able to. We all know what we’ve got within the locker room and we’ve got guys that compete,” Bucks ahead Bobby Portis stated after Recreation 5.
“There wasn’t any weight on our shoulders. I feel there’s extra weight on theirs.”
— Jamal Collier

Thursday, 9 p.m. ET (TNT)
Relating to this battle for I-95, the place ought to we start?
There have been two miraculous comebacks. The Knicks (Recreation 2) and 76ers (Recreation 5) rallied from five- and six-point deficits, respectively, with underneath 30 seconds remaining. The Knicks prevailed in regulation, whereas the Sixers did so in additional time.
The 2023-24 common season is full, and the postseason is underway. Now we have the whole lot it is advisable comply with alongside for one more epic title chase.
• What we’ve learned in the first round so far
• Pelton: How injuries have shaped playoffs
• MacMahon: The art of the decel move
• Tynes: What fuels Paolo Banchero
• Herring: Top 25 players in playoffs
There have been scoring bursts. A hobbled Joel Embiid dropped 50 factors in Recreation 3, Jalen Brunson went for 47 in Recreation 4 and Tyrese Maxey completed with 46 in his clutch Recreation 5 efficiency. Via 5 video games and 245 whole minutes, the 76ers, regardless of trailing the sequence 3-2, have outscored the Knicks by two factors.
There are crucial teaching choices to be made, most notably: Will Nick Nurse proceed to play Embiid, nonetheless restricted by his knee harm, your complete second half?
This primary-round slugfest has produced a little bit of the whole lot — even Knicks fans loudly making their presence felt in Philly — with every sport a reminder that the one fixed on this sequence is that each contest will come all the way down to the hustle performs and frantic ultimate possessions.
— Tim Bontemps

Friday, 7 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Cleveland has constructed its benefit behind the league’s seventh-ranked protection, however to shut out this sequence in Orlando, it has to attain extra. The Cavs lastly broke the 100-point mark in Recreation 5, when Darius Garland raced out to 17 first-quarter factors and Donovan Mitchell completed with 28. Max Strus, who had struggled taking pictures, knocked down 4 3-pointers, and Marcus Morris Sr. added 12 factors off the bench.

Get entry to unique authentic sequence, premium articles from our NBA insiders, the total 30 for 30 library and extra. Sign up now to unlock everything ESPN+ has to offer.
Yes, that game was sealed by an Evan Mobley block — his defensive presence is much more essential with Jarrett Allen’s status up in the air — however within the two video games the Cavs dropped in Orlando’s Kia Middle, they’d no reply for scoring runs by the Magic, who had the sixth-best house file within the league throughout the common season.
In Recreation 4, Mitchell went scoreless within the second half, whereas the Cavs surrendered a 31-5 run within the third quarter and shot simply 4-of-17 from 3.
— Kendra Andrews

Friday, 9:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Luka Doncic did not need to hear it, interrupting a reporter’s query as quickly as the topic of the Mavericks’ final playoff sequence in opposition to the Clippers was broached.
These groups had been in the identical place within the 2021 playoffs, when the Mavs took a 3-2 lead in a first-round sequence and headed house for Recreation 6. LA gained the following two video games, eliminating Dallas for the second consecutive season.
“Current. Current. Not previous,” Doncic insisted after his 35-point, 10-assist efficiency within the Mavs’ Recreation 5 blowout win.
Clippers star Paul George, not surprisingly, was far more keen to debate the current historical past between the 2 groups. He really made some extent to convey it up after what might be the Clippers’ ultimate house sport at Crypto.com Area until their prior Recreation 6 highway success repeats itself.
“We have been right here earlier than — going to Dallas, being down 3-2,” George stated. “It is received to be a win, and the one mentality we’ve got is to attempt to go get a win in Dallas.”
In that occasion three years in the past, Kawhi Leonard carried the Clippers to a Recreation 6 victory. He matched his playoff profession excessive with 45 factors and performed smothering protection on Doncic down the stretch in that sport.
However the Clippers cannot rely on that taking place once more. Leonard hasn’t been accessible since Recreation 3 due to persistent irritation in his proper knee, and he is not anticipated to return throughout this sequence.
Earlier than this sequence began, Doncic identified one other main distinction from the opposite instances the Mavs and Clippers met within the playoffs.
“Now we have Kai,” Doncic stated, referring to Kyrie Irving, his championship skilled co-star.
“We’ll get some relaxation after this one,” Irving stated. “Feelings are excessive, however we simply received to be prepared for no matter’s going to be thrown at us.”
— Tim MacMahon

source