Coming to the Orlando bubble, NBA fans couldn’t have predicted how well the reboot went, with new breakout players popping up after every game. The NBA is different from what we last saw, with teams battling for playoffs, each game bringing passion and intensity to the field almost as if the playoffs had already begun.
The Phoenix Suns have shocked NBA fans with their success so far in finding the final playoff spot at the Western Conference. They started the official game with a win over the Washington Wizards led by Devin Booker, who scored 27 points. Since then, the Suns have beaten the Mavericks, Clippers, Pacers and Heat, all good teams with playoff hopes. The Suns are currently the only unbeaten team left in the bubble after the Raptors lost to the Boston Celtics. The Phoenix Suns got off to a great start to the NBA regular season in October with the addition of Deandre Ayton’s three-pointer, which could leave the team facing a tough playoff game. towel.
The Lakers have taken a step back since they won the number 1 seed in the Western Conference, but this is unlikely to slow them down at the start of the knockout stages. In particular, LeBron James ran out of gas when he sat out in the loss to the Houston Rockets, and a potential first-round matchup between the cold Lakers and the fiery Phoenix Suns would be a tough one. Although LeBron has delivered top stats, he hasn’t played with defensive urgency and the Lakers have won only two of their games so far. LeBron and Davis both struggled heavily against the Raptors with an aggregate score of 9-22 from the field. LeBron can enhance his attacking play when leading the Lakers with his bulk in other games, but without a real goalscorer, the Lakers will be in trouble if LeBron or Anthony Davis have difficulty shooting basketball in important matches.
The best player in the bubble right now is not Giannis Antetokounmpo or Lebron James, but Indiana Pacers’ TJ Warren, who has simply performed on another level since picking up 53 points against the Philadelphia 76ers. Scoring an average of 34.8 points per game in Orlando, Warren hit shots with an insanely high scoring rate of 60% from the field and 55% from the deep. His incredible play is what has helped the Pacers win big. Despite only losing one game against the hot Phoenix Suns, in their wins Warren has scored 53,34,32 and 39, which are crazy numbers for a player who normally shoots around 15 points per game. game and has always been known for his great tackles. defense. Warren is also currently averaging 1.8 blocks per game. The four-month break was a time for Warren to improve his attacking play, making him a more all-round player. Tomorrow night, Warren will face Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat, their first clash in their most recent encounter. Butler called Warren “soft” and “trash” but now Warren has improved and is looking to put the Pacers ahead of the Heat on the leaderboard and a potential first-round matchup between these teams could be. very interesting.
The Toronto Raptors aren’t as aggressive as they were with Kawhi Leonard, but the defense is still there, and the Raptors have one of the top defenses in the NBA if not the strongest. The Raptors pride themselves on the iron wall that secures their belts, forcing teams to lift three but with fast forwards like Chris Boucher, Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson mostly in contention. The Raptors currently hold the second best record in the bubble with 4 wins and 1 loss. Led by veteran Kyle Lowry, this team can bring the same intensity as their veteran player brings to every game. Their defensive intensity and ability to shoot from long range on attack make them a tough team to beat 4 times.
Michael Porter Jr. was a clear question mark when graduating from high school as a top prospect then dropping to the Denver Nuggets with 14order picked in the 2018 draft. Missing his entire rookie season and playing with limited minutes throughout his second season really didn’t prove how good he was, but now Porter has played hard to light both ends of the field with an average of 26.3 points per game along with 10 rebounds per game. is 50% from deep, an amazing number for a 6’10 forward. This breakthrough was exactly what the Nuggets needed to really fight for the title, an underrated offensive team with an effective defense and they could find their way to the grand finals with the addition of the team. Porter’s supplement.
The Brooklyn Nets may be the least prominent team left in the bubble that will make it to the knockout stages without the star power of Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant or the strong play of Spencer Dinwiddie and Deandre Jordan. This roster wasn’t expected to win a game in the bubble but was able to knock out the NBA-leading Milwaukee Bucks. The feat can be attributed to Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, who led the Nets by 26 points in a win over Milwaukee. With this improved play, the Nets will be fighting for a ticket to the knockout stages for the second time in two consecutive seasons, and while the chances of beating first seed the Bucks are slim, anything will be. can happen in a series of 7 games.
This article is original content published by sports writer Matthew White. Please feel free to link to and discuss this article but do not copy the content.
Cheer on your favorite team in style with the NBA jersey! Click the link below.
About the author of the article
