4 Developing Storylines from Round 1 of the 2022 NBA Playoffs
One of the most wide-open NBA playoff races in recent memory has gotten off to an electrifying start. Every series in the postseason throws up a number of enticing sub-plots that, not only have an impact on the current series, but often have far-reaching implications for a team's title chances, and this year is proving to be no different.
Injuries to key contributors on top teams, the breakout play of a handful of young stars and some unexpected results have meant that it is proving to be even more difficult to pick a team to win it all, one week into the playoffs. Here's a look at four developing storylines from Round 1 of the 2022 NBA Playoffs:
Jordan Poole is transforming the Warriors into favorites to come out of the West:
The Golden State Warriors have, arguably, been the most impressive team in the first week of the NBA playoffs, and they have Jordan Poole's emergence to thank for it. The Warriors hold a commanding 3-1 lead over the Denver Nuggets, and it's difficult to envision a way back for the Nuggets in this series.
With Stephen Curry on a minutes' restriction and coming off the bench, Poole has been terrific as the starting point guard for the Warriors. He dropped 30, 29 and 27 in his first three playoff appearances, becoming only the second Warrior after Wilt Chamberlain to score 25 or more points in their first three NBA playoff games, and has quickly turned into one of the biggest offensive threats on the Warriors.
Poole, so far in the postseason, has been lights out from beyond the arc, shooting 60.5% on 7.3 attempts per game, while also showing off his quickness and athleticism to get to the rim and finish through contact.
JORDAN POOLE
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His elite play has meant that the Warriors now have a new version of their "Death Lineup." This one features Curry, Thompson, Green, Wiggins and Poole. The early results should be frightening for the rest of the NBA. The lineup has a net rating of +36.8 and has swung the game decisively in the Warriors' favor every time it has been on the floor.
Granted, the Nuggets are not the best equipped to deal with all three guards at once, but it is still going to be extremely difficult for any NBA team to guard this lineup. The threat Poole poses will mean teams will not be able to double team Curry as much as they would like. Green will have more weapons to feed in the passing game, and the Warriors now have three elite free throwers.
It is a safe bet that the teams the Warriors face in the upcoming rounds will come up with defensive schemes to try and contain Poole and the Death Lineup, but if Poole is able to maintain this level of play, the Warriors will fancy their chances of coming out of the West.
Depth is more important than ever in today's NBA
The superteam era in the NBA was predicated on the belief that, when it mattered the most in a playoff series, star power would make the difference. However, the quirks of roster building and navigating the salary cap has meant that getting superstars on the same team means sacrificing team depth, and the playoffs, so far, are highlighting the importance of squad depth over star power.
The Brooklyn Nets are a case in point. The Nets possess arguably the two best players in their series against the Boston Celtics in Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving and yet find themselves in a 0-3 hole. The Celtics are a deep squad with a defense that has been the best in the NBA post the All-Star break.
The success they have had in shutting down Durant and Irving, so far, has largely been down to their ability to send a number of capable defenders to contain the Nets duo. The Nets have received nothing from their supporting cast which has also allowed the Celtics to double down on stopping Durant and Irving.
On the offensive end, Jayson Tatum's load has been considerably lightened by Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart and Al Horford, with the Nets just not having enough capable personnel to handle all of Boston's different weapons.
The Denver Nuggets have struggled to support reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokic as well. Jokic has done his best to carry the Nuggets in their matchup with the Warriors, but has been left visibly exhausted by the end of every game with all the attention focused on him. The rest of the Nuggets lineup came through with clutch shots in Game 4, but they still face a monumental task in avoiding elimination.
Conventional thinking suggests that, come playoff time, when rotations tighten and starters play more minutes, depth is not as important because you will rarely get to use all of it. This year's playoffs are disproving this school of thought. When game plans come unstuck, having a deep squad allows you the freedom to make adjustments to turn the tide.
An NBA game can swing in a 2-3 minute span if a team goes on a run, and coaches are always on the lookout for different lineup combinations that can provide them with a boost. A superstar might be able to get their team over the line in a game or two, but over the course of a series, squad depth is proving to be the more valuable commodity in the NBA.
Injuries might change the course of the Playoffs
Health has always been a major factor in any team's championship run. Title bids have been derailed by injuries to star players, and sometimes, the teams that have managed to stay healthy are the ones who have gone on to win the title. This year's playoffs figure to be no different.
Coming into the playoffs, questions surrounded the health of some of the league's biggest stars. Luka Doncic suffered an injury in the Dallas Mavericks' final regular season game and is yet to play in their series against the Jazz. Stephen Curry missed the final month of the regular season for the Warriors and has been coming off the bench owing to a minutes' restriction.
The Mavericks have ridden Jalen Brunson's brilliant play to take a surprise 2-1 lead and afford Doncic some more recovery time. Doncic is expected to return for Game 4. This leaves Dallas nicely positioned to take a commanding lead in their series. The Mavericks will feel like they have dodged a bullet here, but some other contenders might not be as fortunate.
Devin Booker exited the Phoenix Suns' Game 2 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans with a Grade 1 hamstring strain. Booker is expected to be out 2-3 weeks, which rules him out for the remainder of the Suns' first-round matchup. The Pelicans capitalized to tie the series at 2-2.
Booker has had the best year of his career so far and is expected to be named to the All-NBA First Team and is a top-5 MVP candidate. Losing him will be a body blow for the Suns. The good news for them is that they are a deep squad coming off an NBA Finals run and should have enough postseason experience and talent to hold off the Pelicans.
The worrying part for them will be the implications of Booker's injuries on their NBA title chances going forward. It remains to be seen when and in what shape Booker will return if the Suns are to progress. The road to the NBA finals still goes through Phoenix, but the once-favorite Suns are definitely looking over their shoulders now.
The reigning NBA champions Milwaukee Bucks are suffering from injury problems of their own. Khris Middleton went down with an MCL Sprain in their Game 2 defeat to the Chicago Bulls and is out indefinitely with an update expected in two weeks' time. The Bucks responded in emphatic fashion to take a 3-1 series lead, but the rest of the playoffs could prove to be an uphill battle for the champions.
Lineups featuring Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jrue Holiday and no Middleton still post a +7.8 net rating, but in Middleton, the Bucks are losing 20 points per game and a player who can create his own shot and take some of the burden off Antetokounmpo. With the Celtics potentially lying in wait for the Bucks in Round 2, they will sorely miss a player of Middleton's caliber in a tightly contested series.
The 76ers are proving to be the biggest winners in Round 1
The 76ers-Raptors series was one of the more intriguing Round 1 matchups. With the 76ers down one of their key defenders in Matisse Thybull for road games owing to his vaccination status, and a Raptors team equipped with quick, rangy defenders, all the ingredients existed for a potential seven-game thriller. But three games into the series, the Raptors are staring at elimination, down 0-3.
Joel Embiid has been a singular force for the 76ers all season long on both ends of the floor. He is a front-runner for the MVP award this season and led the league in scoring in the regular season, but he has not always had the support he has needed.
The mid-season trade for James Harden helped alleviate some of those problems, even though the 76ers did not quite get the version of Harden they would have hoped for, but Tyrese Maxey's emergence as a legitimate number two threat has meant that, in combination with Harden's playmaking, the 76ers have been able to generate enough production to support Embiid.
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It's not just their own play that would have given the 76ers cause for optimism. Their direct challengers find themselves in tricky situations. The number 1 seed Miami Heat dropped Game 3 on the road to an Atlanta Hawks team that made the the Eastern Conference Finals just last year, and is stronger than your average eight-seed.
The Hawks could potentially take the Heat to six or seven games while the 76ers get more time to rest and prepare for the winner of that series. One can expect Brooklyn to pull out a game or two. With the Bucks missing important starters, the path to the NBA Finals has suddenly opened up for the 76ers, making them the biggest winners of Round 1.