The Playoffs so far:
In case you [somehow] didn’t notice I changed up the Top 8 images for each game. It probably seems obvious in hindsight but it makes sense to differentiate which team each performing player dribbles and shoots for.
You’re welcome.
Anyway…
Pacers 87 Raptors 98
ESPN Headline: Jonas Valanciunas has 23 points, 15 boards as Raptors tie series 1-1
It’s pretty hard to argue with that ESPN Headline… Valanciunas did in fact tally 23 points and 15 rebounds.
He was also the best player of the game in Game Two of the Pacers v. Raptors series (not to mention the best player of the night):
Lowry bounced back from an atrocious first game to finishing well in the second, though DeRozan was nearly as ineffective (only 10 points on 18 attempts). DeRozan was by far the worst player in the game, producing -5.5 (well into the negative range)… But he did not come close to the performance of a fellow All-Star in the next game…
Mavericks 85 Thunder 84
ESPN Headline: Mavericks rebound, hold off Thunder to even up series at 1-1
You’d think they could have come up with a more creative or descriptive headline than this. Here are eight (because, you know, Top 8):
- Dallas Point Guards (including Raymond Felton!) somehow outperform Westbrook
- Ibaka shines in wasted effort
- Westbrook takes more shots than scores points, still scores 19
- Durant and Westbrook both break personal records; Dallas breaks serve
- Dirk puts up 17, produces in the negative range
- Servant whiffs 26 times
- Durant’s off shooting night opens door for opportunistic Mavs team
- Dammit Durantula!
The thing that I in particular dislike about this headline, though, is the use of the word “rebound” when Dallas was in fact out-rebounded 45-54.
How about that?
The best player of the game was Serge Ibaka, following up his best player of Saturday overall, with a very solid line (12 points, 8 boards, 0 TOs). However the next two best players were PGs Raymond Felton and Devin Harris, remarkable for a number of reasons. If any PG were to be a top performer in a game you’d have to pick Russ, right? Not this time. Not even the coach killer (who started alongside Felton in the back court).
For his part Westbrook had a reasonable game, with 14 big rebounds (his personal best in a playoff game). Westbrook’s 19 points might be notable in another context, alongside the Servant’s 21… Except both of the OKC superstars had awful shooting nights. On the subject of personal highs, Durant had never missed twenty-six shots in a game before. As I quite like Durant I hope he doesn’t again (unless OKC meets the Cavs in the Finals).
This was a truly off night for a team with an actual shot at winning the title. I would love it if Ibaka proved to be OKC’s best player in the playoffs (as he has been the first couple of games). This game — and the Dallas / OKC series so far — really illustrate the validity of an “advanced stats” look at basketball. OKC did what you are supposed to do; by out-rebounding Dallas they got more possessions. However the cosmetically solid scoring totals (19 for Russ, 21 for Durant) really tell a tale of wasted possessions and opportunity. Westbrook was still a top performer on the strength of his career-best boards, but inefficient shooting and four TOs really hurt his line; on that note, Durant had seven turnovers.
Inefficient scoring + tons of leaked possessions out of your superstars and the underdog sub-50-win team can get one, by one.
Rockets 106 Warriors 115
ESPN Headline: Warriors win Game 2 vs. Rockets with Stephen Curry (ankle) on bench
Maybe the Warriors should look to rest Steph the rest of the first round? Houston seems completely over-matched, and the remaining GSW stars all seem like they can have their way with the Rockets. The push to 73 wins combined with Curry’s famously cotton candy lower body might be the opening [any other team] needs to win the title this year. There is no way GSW can win either of the next two series with Curry on the bench, but this might be a great opportunity to preserve his life total for the march to a back-to-back.
And by that, I mean let the man play! #AllIn #CavsCavsCavs
Monday’s Best: Jonas Valanciunas of the Raptors… Nice double-double in the bounce back win (hat tip to Ibaka of OKC in a losing effort)
Monday’s Worst: Kevin Durant of OKC, by a lot at -12
Back tomorrow.
LOVE
MIKE
The Top 8 is produced via Simple Models of Player Performance + Box Score data from ESPN.com
