2021 NBA Finals preview

The Basketball Movement previews the 2021 NBA Finals between the Phoenix Suns and Milwaukee Bucks.

Will the 2021 NBA Champions be the best team or the healthiest? Ahead of the 2021 NBA Finals showdown, starting tonight on ABC (8:00 pm CST), the health of Giannis Antetokounmpo is the most significant talking point. The two-time MVP and reigning Defensive Player of the Year, Antetokounmpo’s presence may be the deciding factor as the 2021 NBA Playoffs conclude.

“The Greek Freak” appeared to hyperextend his knee in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Atlanta Hawks. However, the Bucks’ supporting cast was still able to put away the seemingly overachieving Hawks.

A banged-up Trae Young made an impact in the ECF as well, as injuries continue to be an unfortunate theme in these playoffs. More on that once we dive into how the Phoenix Suns arrived in the Finals.

Assuming Antetokounmpo can play, this will be a highly competitive series. Giannis has struggled with his jumper and free throws but has the size to punish anyone on the Suns’ roster in the paint, with perhaps the exception of Deandre Ayton, who has enjoyed an impressive playoff run.

If the Bucks’ star cannot go, Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday will be forced into a prominent role on offense. Both struggled at times quarter-to-quarter in the games without Giannis but ultimately were able to put together good enough performances to propel Milwaukee to victory.

Phoenix has had the luxury of barely any Anthony Davis in round one, no Jamal Murray in round two, and no Kawhi Leonard in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Clippers. Although, of course, the Suns are red-hot, so we should not credit injuries for too much of their success, but if they do not have to face Antetokounmpo? That is a fortunate title run.

Chris Paul is chasing his first ring in his storied 16 seasons. Statistically an all-time great, he has always passed the eye test as an elite leader as well. If he can pull off a championship as a veteran, it will cement his status as one of the best point guards of his generation.

Paired with Paul in the backcourt is Phoenix’s leading scorer, Devin Booker. Young, but a proven star, Booker makes for a nasty 1-2 backcourt punch with Paul. Milwaukee’s perimeter defense will be a key in the series. One of the most capable defensive teams in the league, the Bucks will face a difficult task - one that they did not have to meet earlier in James Harden and Kyrie Irving thanks once more to injuries.

If Antetokounmpo can go - look for the Bucks to lean heavily on the drive-and-kick approach. Milwaukee is a lethal three-point shooting team, but so much of that comes from Giannis’ ability to dominate the paint. If he cannot go - Milwaukee will be scrambling to see who of Middleton, Holiday, or even Brook Lopez can step up and keep the series competitive.

For the Suns, it will be all about Paul and Booker trying to break free of Jrue Holiday’s stifling defense. If either player can get it going, and Deandre Ayton is able to do his part and secure the paint, they will be able to play the way they want and have a fighting chance. The Suns’ role players have played well despite relative inexperience. That must continue in these Finals.

Stay tuned to The Basketball Movement and follow us on Twitter as the greatest league in the world nears its climactic finish.

Around the NBA: 2021 Playoff Preview

With the Play-In Tournament wrapped up, the 2020-21 NBA Playoffs can officially begin.

Compared to the previous NBA Playoffs format, a change this year was having a Play-In Tournament for lower-seeded teams from the regular season. In each conference, the teams with the 7th and 8th best records play for the right to the 7-seed. Another game is played between teams with the 9th and 10th best record, with the winner playing the loser of the 7th-seed game for a chance for the 8-seed.

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It was an interesting but perhaps muddled way to allow for an additional chance for these teams in a slightly shortened season (72 games vs. a standard 82).

In the Eastern Conference, the Pacers sent the Hornets home night one while the Celtics trumped the Wizards behind 50 points from Jayson Tatum. In the game for the 8-seed, Washington bounced back, beating down the Pacers to clinch their spot.

The Western Conference Play-In saw the Grizzlies send the Spurs home, and the Lakers secure the 7-seed with an impressive win over Steph Curry and the red-hot Warriors. In the 8-seed game, Memphis outlasted Golden State in overtime and sent the MVP candidate Curry packing.

The brackets are finally set on both sides, and the 2021 NBA Playoffs are set to officially get underway. Intriguing matchups are everywhere you turn in the first round as these best-of-seven-game-series begin.

Eastern Conference

For their valiant effort in the Play-In, the Celtics won the honor of facing the Brooklyn Nets, who may be the most talented team in the Playoffs. Boston may be in trouble without injured breakout star Jaylen Brown.

Washington will be similarly rewarded, now with the chance to face the Philadelphia 76ers and MVP candidate Joel Embiid. This will be a scrappy series (and an entertaining one with Embiid and Westbrook feuding in the past), but Philly should have no problem moving on if they can avoid injuries.

Reigning Eastern Conference Champions, the 6-seeded Miami Heat will take on Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks, who have a chip on their shoulder after being knocked out by the Heat a season ago. This has the potential to be one of the most competitive matchups of the first round.

In the 4/5 game, the surprising New York Knicks will take on the talented young Hawks. Either of these teams advancing past the first round would be a big step for their franchise, so this will be a fresh, interesting matchup.

Western Conference

In the Western Conference, the 1-seed Utah Jazz may actually have their hands full with the Grizzlies, who are riding the high of beating out the Warriors. The Jazz boasts the NBA’s best record for a reason though and their collective playoff experience should be enough to carry them through.

The defending champion Los Angeles Lakers will face the Phoenix Suns, who have exceeded expectations this year after adding Chris Paul. Now healthy and rolling, the Lakers are a tough matchup for the young Suns to see in the first round, but if they come out on top, they will have proven that they can win it all.

Dallas did well to work its way up to the 5-seed but still have plenty to prove. They will get that opportunity right away, facing a Clippers team that is still loaded. Paul George has something to prove in these playoffs, and Kawhi Leonard has already established that he is a postseason monster. Do not underestimate these guys.

After a bit of an injury-plagued season, Portland should be back in a position to score with anybody. They are hoping everything will click at just the right time. For Denver, Nikola Jokic is an MVP favorite, and the injury loss of Jamal Murray only allowed for the ascension of Michael Porter Jr. They are battle-tested and prepared for anyone.

The full first-round schedule can be found at NBA.com

Stay tuned here and follow us on Twitter as we keep up with the best basketball action in the world.

Around the NBA: Brink of elimination

The Milwaukee Bucks are headed to the Eastern Conference Championship, but we still have three other series coming down to the wire.

After having an NBA regular-season-best 60 wins, the Milwaukee Bucks may have had the easiest road to the Finals. They first got a Detroit Pistons team that did not have their best player, Blake Griffin at full health. Up next they were to get the winner of an overachieving Pacers squad or under achieving Celtics squad. Boston looked for a while like they had flipped the switch, but lost four straight to the Bucks after taking game 1.

Thus begins a new, interesting story line in the NBA: Kyrie Irving the seemingly disgruntled free agent. That is an article for another day though, as the Playoffs are still in full swing.

Bucks vs. Celtics is the only Conference Semifinal matchup that has concluded. All other series are heading into game 6, meaning a team is up three games to two in all of them. The higher seeds have the advantage in all of the matchups to this point. It is also interesting to note that all of the first round matches went to the higher seeds. Will we see an upset in these Playoffs?

Potential elimination games are always fun. It will be interesting to see what Houston, Portland, and the 76ers do with their backs against the wall, facing elimination. All three of these teams certainly pack the firepower to climb back into their series. Hopefully we will see at least one or two game 7 situations.

When, where, and who

ESPN has tonight’s games: Raptors @ 76ers at 7:00pm (CST) and Nuggets @ Trail Blazers at 9:30pm (CST). The Sixers seem to have as much talent as anyone in the league, though their starters have all played less than 20 games together including the Playoffs. The Raptors have an edge in experience, but also Kawhi Leonard, who has been playing at an MVP level.

Nuggets vs. Trail Blazers has had interesting ups and downs, with the series seeming to hinge on Damian Lillard’s ability to go full Steph Curry when possible.

Perhaps the most intriguing matchup, Warriors @ Rockets is at 8:00pm (CST) tomorrow, also on ESPN. This has been a good series in its own right to this point, but it now has an interesting wrinkle. The Warriors lost DeMarcus Cousins to an injury in the first round, but last night, they lost Kevin Durant to a “calf strain.”

Exactly how long Durant will be out is unknown, but he will at least miss tomorrow’s tilt. It certainly not only changes the landscape of this series, but the entire playoff picture. Sure, it seems like being down to three All-Stars isn’t that bad, but Golden State isn’t as deep this year as they have been in the past.

On TNT’s Inside the NBA, Charles Barkley went as far as to say the remaining Warriors cannot win this series against Houston. The Warriors will still be an extremely tough out, but it appears that a window may be open for the Rockets to knock off the defending champs.

Plenty of exciting basketball to watch and we aren’t even to the Conference Championships yet. Keep an eye on these games over the next few days and follow along with us as we keep you up-to-date on the action.

Thriving in the underdog role

With the NBA Playoffs underway, we have had the opportunity to see multiple teams embrace the underdog role and surprise the big dogs.

No matter your record, seeding, reputation, anything, you can still beat the odds and be the best team for a game. Once you start rolling, you may gain momentum that can help you sustain that success. We have seen it many times before, especially in the NCAA Tournament as we did again recently. In the first round of the NBA playoffs, we have already gotten to see it multiple times.

Despite long odds, the Nets, Clippers, Magic, and Spurs have already pulled off upsets on the road. The biggest one came last night, as the Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Golden State Warriors in game two of the series.

The Clippers were down by 31 in the third quarter before storming back to defeat the back-to-back NBA champs. Rookie Landry Shamet (formerly of Witchita State) hit a go-ahead three to seal it. Patrick Beverly continued to lock down Kevin Durant and Lou Williams went on one of his scoring tears to climb back into it. The 31 point comeback marked the biggest comeback in NBA Playoff history.

This seems like a good time to remind you that no team is invincible. There are still plenty of games left in each of the NBA series’ involved in these upsets. That said, the landscape has significantly shifted, stealing confidence from one side and feeding it to the other. Confidence is big in the sport of basketball.

“Everything negative - pressure, challenges - are all an opportunity for me to rise.”

— Kobe Bryant

For that reason, it is important to approach every game and every moment with confidence. Believe that your shot will go in. Believe that your team can win the game. Believing is clearly not everything, but if you have put in the work, there is no reason that you can’t give it your all and compete. If you do that, then you can shift the odds at any time.

Being the underdog in a game or being overlooked as a player or team often means that you may be underestimated. Use that as fuel. Harness the chip on your shoulder. No one knows what you can do better than yourself. There isn’t much that is more satisfying than defying odds and proving naysayers wrong.

So be that team! Be that player! Don’t sweat rankings or records, just control what you can by working as hard as possible, being confident, and not backing down from a challenge.

Remember, to help you work as hard as possible, stay at the peak of your game, and keep raising that peak, contact The Basketball Movement. We believe in you and we can help you be ready for the big moments.

Golden State Warriors: 2018 NBA Champions

The Golden State Warriors are back-to-back NBA Champions, with Kevin Durant winning his second Finals MVP award.

There was little doubt coming into these Finals that the Golden State Warriors were a better team than the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Dubs swept the Cavs, celebrating their victory after game four in Cleveland last night.

Kevin Durant was a monster in the Finals averaging 29 points, 11 boards, 7.5 assists, and 2.3 blocks while shooting 53 percent from the field. His game three propelled his selection for the award, as he shouldered the load in the victory with Steph Curry and Klay Thompson struggling with their shots.

Former Finals MVP Andre Iguodala provided a spark off the bench in his two games back from injury. For the Playoffs, Steph Curry average 25 per game, Thompson about 20, and Durant 29. Draymond Green nearly average a Playoff triple-double with (approximately) a 11/11/8 line to go with 2 steals and 1.5 blocks.

The is Head Coach Steve Kerr's third championship coaching after winning five as a player.

The Cavaliers' side of things

In this series, LeBron James averaged 34/8.5/10 to go with a steal and a block while shooting 53 percent from the field and 84 percent from the stripe.

Interestingly, LeBron had a brace on his shooting hand in his last interview. Reports say that he injured it punching something after the frustrating game one loss. If true, this is a very disappointing move by James. Emotion cannot come before team success.

The extent of the injury is unknown, but it is tough to deny how banged up he was. The apparent hand injury, a few pokes in the eye, an ankle tweak, and the most minutes played in the NBA this season takes their toll.

Kevin Love was the only other Cavalier to average double-digit points in the series, averaging 19 and 11. The rest of the Cavs either were not used properly or just, well, stunk.

End of an interesting NBA season

It was assumed by most that the winner from the Western Conference would handle any team out of the East. The Warriors and Houston Rockets were on a different level than any other teams this year.

A fourth installment of Warriors vs. Cavaliers was not what many fans might have wished for. Really though, that just shows how spoiled we are by today's stars. The Finals gave us one of the best teams of all-time facing off against one of the best players of all-time.

This season was filled with interesting new squad compilations and a new crop of future stars. The NBA is still going very, very strong.

Now begins the offseason. The draft, free agency (that includes LeBron James), Olympics prep, and then Summer League await. Stay tuned to The Basketball Movement for all of the continued coverage!

All stats from BasketballReference.com

2018 NBA Finals schedule

A pair of familiar teams are set to face off with the NBA Finals schedule set.

For the fourth consecutive season, the NBA Finals will feature the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors. Part IV will likely appeal to Golden State and LeBron James fans, but many would agree that a shake-up might have been nice.

The Warriors are overwhelming favorites after they dispatched the Chris Paul-less Houston Rockets in game seven to win the Western Conference Finals.

The most that fans can hope for is a competitive series. The Cavaliers will go just as far as the greatness of LeBron James can take them against Golden State's four All-Stars.

Note: 2015 Finals MVP Andre Iguodala has been ruled out for game one with a leg contusion for Golden State. Kevin Love is doubtful for the Cavaliers with a concussion.

***Edit: Kevin Love has since been cleared to play in game one per a Cavaliers' statement.

Opinion time! I (@WilHarrington) would be very surprised to see this series go the distance. I predict that the Cavs will take game three or four at home. That means that Golden State will celebrate on their home floor after game five. We shall see!

NBA Finals schedule

Per NBA.com

Game 1: Thu, May 31: Cavaliers at Warriors, 8 p.m. CT, ABC
Game 2: Sun, June 3: Cavaliers at Warriors, 7 p.m. CT, ABC
Game 3: Wed, June 6: Warriors at Cavaliers, 8 p.m. CT, ABC
Game 4: Fri, June 8: Warriors at Cavaliers, 8 p.m. CT, ABC
*Game 5: Mon, June 11: Cavaliers at Warriors, 8 p.m. CT, ABC
*Game 6: Thu, June 14: Warriors at Cavaliers, 8 p.m. CT, ABC
*Game 7: Sun, June 17: Cavaliers at Warriors, 7 p.m. CT, ABC

* - If Necessary

The NBA Finals are the pinnacle of the greatest basketball league in the world. Stay on top of it right here at The Basketball Movement.

First round of NBA Playoffs nears its conclusion

The first round of the NBA Playoffs are almost over, save for a pair of exciting game sevens.

All of the first round matchups in the NBA have been decided but two, which will make for some must-see TV. The Western Conference is ready to go, while the matches in the East have yet to be determined. That will change in about 24 hours.

In the West, the 1 and 2 seed teams predictably handled their competition. The Houston Rockets beat the Timberwolves 4-1 and the Golden State Warriors defeated the Spurs 4-0. The rest of the West, who all finished with similar records, had a couple of upsets.

The 4 seeded OKC Thunder fell to the 5 seed Jazz last night to lose the series 4-2. The 6 seed Pelicans had a much more surprising start to their playoffs, sweeping the 3 seed Trailblazers. The New Orleans Pelicans could be an interesting foe for the potentially Steph Curry-less Warriors in the second round.

The beasts of the East

The 1 seed Raptors handled the Wizards 4-2 and the young 3 seed Philly team defeated the Heat 4-1. The other matchups are yet to be decided, coming down to one of the best parts of playoff ball: game sevens.

Tonight, the 2-seed Celtics will try to remain near the top of the food chain despite losing Kyrie Irving to injury. They will face of with Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks at 7:00 PM central on TNT.

LeBron James is looking for his (ridiculous) 8th consecutive Finals appearance. That is in jeopardy as his Cavaliers have been pushed to game 7 by potential Most Improved Player, Victor Oladipo and the Pacers. That game will be on tomorrow at noon central on ABC.

Sit back and enjoy the show.

The Celtics/Bucks game tonight should be a lot of fun. The second round actually tips off tonight as well as Anthony Davis and the Pelicans open their series with the Warriors.

Tomorrow's tilt between the Cavs and Pacers should also be very entertaining as one of the greatest players ever will attempt to build on his legacy. That will conclude the first round of the 2017-18 NBA Playoffs.

A shake-up is always nice, but it also seems a little silly to bet against LeBron James. Enjoy the show and as always, check out the rest of The Basketball Movement blog while you're here!

The NBA Playoffs start on Saturday

The 2017-18 NBA season had its dramatic wrap-up last night, so the first round playoff matchups are set.

It feels like the big NCAA tournament just finished, yet we are already on the precipice of another great bracket of basketball. This time, it is the NBA's turn. Familiar faces abound, but there are some notable newcomers as well. Let's see how the regular season shook out.

Much of the seeding was not decided until last night, with many close teams in both the Eastern and Western Conferences. There was however one game that undeniably stood out as the most dramatic.

You know how every action movie has someone sliding under a huge door right before it closes? Well the Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets had identical records, were the 8 and 9 seeds (top eight make it), and played each other last night. Minnesota made it in at the very last second, with the game going into overtime.

It was a fantastic game that served as a preview for the kind of basketball goodness that is in store this playoff season.

First round matchups

On both sides of the bracket, great matchups are ubiquitous and upset-potential abounds. That's fancy talk for: this should be fun. The Warriors are not favorites to defend their title, dropping 10 of their last 17 entering the preseason. Steph Curry is still on the shelf as well.

West

Houston (1) vs. Minnesota (8) - Here are your title favorites. The Timberwolves are rewarded for making it in with a matchup against the top team in the NBA through the regular season.

Oklahoma City (4) vs. Utah (5) - Russell Westbrook locked up a triple-double average last night and is the second player ever to do it twice. Yet, they are barely favorited despite no All-Stars for the Jazz.

Portland (3) vs. New Orleans (6) - The Trailblazers are one of the hottest teams in the league. Despite the injury to DeMarcus Cousins, Anthony Davis and the Pelicans should give them plenty of trouble.

Golden State (2) vs. San Antonio (7) - The Spurs are in for the 21st season in a row. They certainly aren't as strong as normal. The Warriors are down Steph Curry, leaving them only one MVP and two other All-Stars.

East

Toronto (1) vs. Washington (8) - With John Wall back, the Wizards are a scary 8 seed. The Raptors have had their best season in years and anything short of the Finals will be a letdown.

Cleveland (4) vs. Indiana (5) - The Pacers have been better than anyone might have expected. Unfortunately for them, LeBron James seems to find himself in the NBA Finals almost every single season.

Philadelphia (3) vs. Miami (6) - The 76ers won 50+ games for the first time since Iverson. It will be interesting to see how far their young stars can take them. An injured Joel Embiid could be trouble against the Heat's Hassan Whiteside.

Boston (2) vs. Milwaukee (7) - The Celtics are without Hayward and Irving, but have scrapped all season against the odds. Do not count them out, even against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks.