Now that every game 4 is behind us, and a few series have ended in sweeps, let’s check in on every NBA Playoffs match-up headed to game 5 over the next two days.
During the Playoffs, Rooting Interests will move to every other day, breaking down each of the eight first-round series as the league completes batches of games.
Let’s take a loot at how game 4 went across the league, what the stakes are in game 5 for each series, and how our predictions and key themes are faring.
Finished Series
East 3. Boston Celtics 4, 6. Philadelphia 76ers 0
Game 4: Sunday at 10:00am, ABC
We were rooting for for: Boston Celtics
Lucas’ original prediction: Celtics in 6
Lucas’ prediction after game 3: Celtics in 4
What we were watching for: Joel Embiid
Even with Ben Simmons out, the Sixers’ sweep at the hands of the Celtics is an embarrassing culmination of years of mismanagement–and while head coach Brett Brown already fell on the sword, fans and Philly media are demanding more heads roll.
Will Simmons, Richardson, Harris, Horford, and Embiid all find themselves back in Sixers uniforms next year? It seems like changes have to be made, yet the two guys who are the big problems–Harris and Horford–are both on hideous, long-term contracts that will be hard to move at all, let alone get a valuable return for.
East 2. Toronto Raptors 4, 7. Brooklyn Nets 0
Game 4: Raptors beat Nets, 150-122
We’re rooting for: Brooklyn Nets
Lucas’ original prediction: Raptors in 5
Lucas’ prediction after game 3: Raptors in 4
What we’re watching for: Toronto’s intensity
You can’t ask for much more from the Raptors than punctuating a sweep with a 150-point performance in game 4. Still, playing against a mix of Nets bench players and g-league call-ups, Toronto essentially got a first-round bye. Their real business begins in game 1 of the second round against Boston on Thursday (covered in Wednesday evening’s edition of Rooting Interests).
East 4. Indiana Pacers 0, 5. Miami Heat 4
Game 4: Heat beat Pacers, 99-87
Rooting for: Miami Heat
Lucas’ original prediction: Heat in 6
Lucas’ prediction after game 3: Heat in 4
What we’re watching for: Miami’s firepower
I wanted to believe in the Pacers to give the Heat a fight (and, to be fair, they never rolled over), but they were just a little to shorthanded, and Miami just a little too good, for this series to stretch past four games. Now, the Heat will have at least a couple of extra days to rest up while they wait for the Milwaukee Bucks to close out their series.
Ongoing First-Round Series
Game 5s sorted by start time across Tuesday and Wednesday. All times Pacific Time.
West 3. Denver Nuggets 1, 6. Utah Jazz 3
Game 5: Tuesday at 3:30pm, TNT
Game 4: Jazz beat Nuggets, 129-127
We’re rooting for: A long series (so Denver in game 5)
Lucas’ original prediction: Nuggets in 6
Lucas’ prediction after game 3: Jazz in 7
What we’re watching for: Denver’s wing rotation
After an embarrassing game 3, the Nuggets bounced back in game 4 behind a 50-point performance from Jamal Murray.
It wasn’t enough. Utah broke 120 points for the fourth straight game this series, as Denver’s miserable defense gave up yet another 50-point night to Donovan Mitchell while letting Utah’s shooters get good looks from deep. Maybe with Will Barton and Gary Harris, things would have been different for the Nuggets’ defense. But without them, this team is all but done–and heading into an off-season where serious questions will be asked of a Jamal Murray-Nikola Jokic duo that features two poor defenders, with a prospective rising third star who also can’t defend in Michael Porter Jr.
Obviously, the Clippers need to take care of their own business before they worry about anything going on anywhere else. But for those of us who are helpless to do anything but sit at home and watch LAC try to figure things out, we can at least hope for Denver to prolong this series so that the Clips don’t face a rest disadvantage in round 2 if they advance.
West 2. LA Clippers 2, 7. Dallas Mavericks 2
Game 5: Tuesday at 6:00pm, TNT
Game 4: Mavericks beat Clippers, 135-133 (OT)
Rooting for: LA Clippers
Lucas’ original prediction: Clippers in 4
Lucas’ prediction after game 2: Clippers in 6
Lucas’ prediction after game 3: Clippers in 5
Lucas’ prediction after game 4: Clippers in 6
What we’re watching for: Zubac’s minutes
Okay, I regret adjusting my prediction after the Clippers took a 2-1 lead in game 3. If you recall, however, the adjustment was based on the assumption that Doncic would be unable to play (or significantly hobbled) after an ankle injury late in game 3 that looked pretty bad. That was, uh… obviously not the case.
For more on game 4, check out Robert Flom’s in-depth game recap, my five takeaways from the game, new episodes of The Lob, The Jam, The Podcast and Same Old Clips podcast working through the ugly loss, and a 213Hoops community discussion on where game 4 ranks in the worst Clippers playoff losses ever.
It’s a make-or-break moment for the Clippers, who, despite Dallas’ undeniably good play and Luka Doncic’s legitimate greatness, have been their own worst enemies in this series. Doc Rivers and Paul George have consistently put forward some of the worst performances of their lives to produce a series tied at 2-2. I’m betting on this team to not break.
East 1. Milwaukee Bucks 3, 8. Orlando Magic 1
Game 5: Wednesday at 1:00pm, NBATV
Game 3: Bucks beat Magic, 121-107
Rooting for: Orlando Magic
Lucas’ original prediction: Bucks in 4
Lucas’ new prediction: Bucks in 5
What we’re watching for: Milwaukee’s rotation
The Bucks handled game 4 to take a 3-1 series lead, but they look like a contender that is ripe for a wake-up call. They aren’t playing a playoff rotation and they only pulled away in the fourth quarter of this one when things got serious.
It’s possible, but unlikely, that a blitz in game 5 from the Magic could be that wake-up call. That might be the best thing for the Bucks, because if their wake-up call doesn’t come in this series, I have a very strong feeling that Miami is going to punch them in the mouth in game 1 of the second round.
West 4. Houston Rockets 2, 5. Oklahoma City Thunder 2
Game 5: Wednesday at 3:30pm, TNT
Game 4: Thunder beat Rockets, 117-114
Rooting for: Houston Rockets
Lucas’ prediction: Rockets in 6
What we’re watching for: can Houston play Steven Adams off the floor?
It’s a bit surprising to see Houston lose a game where they made 23 threes (although they did heave up a historic 58 attempts), but the Rockets didn’t do a good job in the other emphasis of their offense: getting to the rim and the free throw line. They were outshot 28 to 10 from the foul stripe, and executed horribly down the stretch.
That’s why I went with OKC stealing a couple of games in this series: while the Thunder lack Houston’s firepower, they’re the right combination of good, experienced, and gritty to stay in games and capitalize in the Rockets’ mistakes. I still think the Rockets have the upper hand here, but they’ll be disappointed to not have come away with at least one of these close, late games in 3 and 4.
West 1. Los Angeles Lakers 3, 8. Portland Trail Blazers 1
Game 5: Wednesday at 6:00pm, TNT
Game 4: Lakers beat Blazers,
Rooting for: Portland Trail Blazers
Lucas’ original prediction: Lakers in 5
Lucas’ new prediction: Lakers in 6
What we’re watching for: LA’s guard rotation–and defense
Yeah… not that anyone was expecting the Blazers to win this series, but after Portland stole game 1, there was at least hope that they would stretch it out. Now, the Lakers are on the verge of closing the series in 5 games and having a rest advantage headed into the second round, where they’ll face the winner of Houston vs Oklahoma City, who are tied 2-2.
Perhaps more worrying is the way that the Lakers’ offense, which has been putrid in the bubble, unlocked as this series went along. In game 4, Los Angeles opened the floodgates, putting up 80 first-half points en route to 135 on the night and 17 made threes. We’ll see if it holds up against a team that actually has forwards to match up with LeBron James and Anthony Davis (so long as Houston advances–the Thunder closed today’s game with four guards playing around Danillo Gallinari).
Check back Wednesday night for the next edition of Rooting Interests, as we track which first-round series are stretching to a sixth game and gear up for the start of the second round!
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