NBA Talking Points

We have a look at this week’s NBA Talking points from the Suns, Nets, Heat and the most exciting first-round matchup.

Should The Suns Be Worried?

After finishing top of the Western Conference and top of the league as a whole, much is expected from the Phoenix Suns, but after Game 2, some are starting to wonder if the misfortune that has followed their veteran guard Chris Paul will hinder their championship chances.

Throughout his career, Paul has seen unfortunate injuries hinder his progression to an NBA championship. Last year was the first time he has been on a team that has claimed a conference and come close to lifting the Larry O’Brien Trophy.

After leaving the then Hornets (now New Orleans Pelicans), he spent seven seasons at the Los Angeles Clippers where postseason injuries plagued him and his trio that included De’Andre Jordan and Blake Griffin. These injury issues also included short stints at the Houston Rockets and Oklahoma City Thunder – at the former, his injury hindered the Texas franchise from beating the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference Finals.

Fast forward to today, he finds himself losing to the less favoured eighth-seeded New Orleans Pelicans in Game 2 after his fellow backcourt superstar Devin Booker had to exit the game due to an injury. Should the Phoenix Suns be worried about the rest of this season? 

Are The Nets Disjointed Stars?

On paper, the Brooklyn Nets looked like the team to beat in the East, however, due to a number of reasons, notwithstanding Kyrie Irving’s refusal to get vaccinated which thus led to him missing the majority of the Nets’ home games and some away fixtures – as well as the departure of a key player in James Harden – the team’s whole outlook has shifted.

In a mid-season trade, the team released Harden and acquired Ben Simmons, Seth Curry and Andre Drummond from the Philadelphia 76ers. This was seen as a win for the New York team and many an analyst believed that it sealed the team’s top seed.

At the conclusion of the 82-game regular season, the Nets found themselves in the play-in game and had to settle for the seventh spot. They are now playing a motivated Boston Celtics, a team that still has a fresh hatred for Irving who left Massachusetts two years ago after promising that he wouldn’t in a public address.

In Game 1 the sloppy first half and numerous turnovers by the team’s superstars exposed the fact that Brooklyn might not be the well-oiled machine everyone thought they were and might just be an ill-assembled team of great and good players. Jayson Tatum scored a buzzer-beating winner to down the Nets to start their series. Game 2 saw the Nets squander a healthy first-half lead to fall to a second successive defeat in Boston. 

With Ben Simmons expected to return at some point during this first series of the playoffs, maybe there is time for coach Steve Nash to rearrange rotations and get championship-worthy performances from the Nets.      

Can The Heat Sweep The Hawks?

Playoffs basketball has proven to be very different to regular season play. Many have come to learn this the hard way and this is what has happened to the Atlanta Hawks this season.

The Miami Heat have managed to cool down Atlanta’s dependable point guard Trae Young and given new meaning to his nickname Ice Trae – which currently means cold from the field instead of the ‘ice in his veins’ due to his usual calm under pressure.

In the first two games, Young has averaged 11 – 32 from the field (34.4%), and 2 – 17 from beyond the arc (11.8&), and to make matters worse, he has had 16 turnovers.

With basically the same core, Trae led the Hawks to the Eastern Conference Finals last season and gave the Champions, the Milwaukee Bucks a heavy task before they claimed the East and finally the championship.

So far, things look very different this season as Atlanta has run into a very motivated top-seeded Miami Heat, who seem poised to give them a first-round exit.

The boys from Florida took the first two games by making sure Young didn’t get any good looks at the hoop and if the trend continues, they might just send Atlanta fishing earlier than they thought.  

Is The Grizzlies v Timberwolves The Most Exciting First Round Matchup?

The Memphis Grizzlies have had what many might call a Cinderella season, but in actuality, it has been backed by hard work, determination and sacrifice from the Tennessee team.

Finishing second in the Western Conference was no easy feat, especially in a conference that is considered to be the tougher of the two and without any certified veterans and superstars.

Early in the postseason, however, they seem to have met their match as an equally exciting Minnesota Timberwolves also wants to see a deep playoffs run.

Both teams have young, agile and exciting current and future stars that make their series matchup very exciting to watch. It is arguable that currently, the matchup between the Grizzlies and the Timberwolves is one of the most exciting series in this season’s playoffs. It might be second only to the Brooklyn Nets and Boston Celtics battle due to the profiles of the players on those Eastern Conference teams.

Ends…