It is not free this simple, and I will give it. But to a greater extent than just about any other team sport, basketball is a game whose outcome can be tilted and whose form can be taken care of by a single player. And in the race for the eighth playoff spot of the Western Conference – a sprint that still includes four teams when it comes to the home stage, and that will be decided when they all take the court on Thursday – are it’s the teams with the playing stars who are fast and seek to leave their competition in the dust.
Nobody in Orlando the gas hits just like Damian Lillard. Before starting the NBA again, the five-time All-Star made it clear he was not interested in participating unless his Trail Blazers had a real chance to earn their way into the postseason. With eight “seeding games” and the possibility of a play-in series on the board, Lillard asked his teammates to celebrate just one gift at a trial party to celebrate his 30th birthday in the bubble: ‘Let’s not spend our free time here mess up. ”
They did not. Portland’s won five of its seven games in the restart, with the two losses coming through by nine overall points to the title-hoping Celtics and Clippers. Against LA, Lillard missed two free throws that could give Portland the lead with 18 seconds to go, and missed a 3-pointer with nine taps left that would have tied it; this required all sorts of boisterous snickering, shit talk, and social media sniping. It also called for a hellfire-and-brimstone-bounceback from Lillard, who fell on the injured Sixers on Sunday 51 to keep the Blazers on the floor, and that followed with 61– heats his season and career best, and tops TJ Warren for the Bubble Ball’s high score – to beat the Mavericks and move Portland past Memphis in the only possession of an eighth place:
Like has become syn tailor-made, Lillard absolutely decimated Dallas’ drop pick-and-roll coverage, repeatedly stepping into the off-the-dribble 3s when he saw an inch of space. When the Mavericks defenders stepped on him, he blew past to get in the paint for rotating layouts, drop-off passes to his big men, or contact to get to the line. Dame had every shot in the bag on Tuesday, completing 17-for-32 from the floor, 9-for-17 from 3-point range, and a perfect 18-for-18 from the benevolent streak to round with eight assists three to go turnover in 41 minutes. He used them all when Portland needed them most, by scoring or assisting on 30 of the Blazers’ 36 points in the fourth quarter before finishing Dallas by drawing a game-icing offensive foul on Mavericks reserve Trey Burke.
Yes, Gary Trent Jr. has been a 3-and-D revelation, and yes, Carmelo Anthony has turned the clock back, and yes, Jusuf Nurkic has been all that Portland could have asked for in his return from an injury. But the Blazers now find themselves in the playoff position for the first time since early January, as Lillard – leading the bubble in scoring and minutes, third in assists – has done so through sheer willpower.
While Lillard burns his superstar bona fides, Devin Booker – Ladies’ toughest competition for Bubble MVP – is stuck for the first time on his own, in late season games with real stakes.
Despite missing six of his first nine shots in a slow start for the Suns against a 76ers team missing his entire top five due to an injury at halftime, Booker helped Phoenix back into the game in the second quarter through his way to the line in ‘ the second quarter, gifted Philly rookie Matisse Thybulle gets into dire straits and gets himself into a rhythm. After the break, Booker broke free, scoring 21 of his game-high 35 points after intermission, including one extremely empathetic throwdown right into the mocks of Furkan Korkmaz and Norvel Pelle:
The All-Star guard also made six assists in the second half, using all the attention he drew from Sixers defenders to manipulate coverage and set up his teammates for easy catches and shooting chances and appearances with high percentages:
Booker did not press during his slow start, let the game come to him, patiently beating his teammates, working at all three levels to find his stroke, and finally began burying the opposition. By the final buzzer of Phoenix’s 130-117 victory, Booker had turned his shaky start into another monstrous performance: 35 points on 11-for-24 shots, nine rebounds, and seven assists against just two innings in 41 minutes . It was his fifth 30-point game in Orlando, and his third straight 35-point outing; only Lillard, James Harden, and Luka Doncic scored more in the bubble than Booker, who also averaged 6.1 points per game and shot a shadow under 50 percent from the field leading Phoenix to seven straight wins. That streak, the longest in the franchise in more than a decade, has the Suns in eighth place with a half-game from the Blazers, neck-and-neck with Memphis.
The Grizzlies ‘free fall continued on Tuesday in a 15-point pass into the Celtics’ hands with full force, their sixth loss in seven tries in the bubble. Memphis had no defensive answers for Jayson Tatum (29 points on just 13 shots) as a looking-healthy-looking Kemba Walker, and the Grizz continued to struggle to clear the floor and generate quality possessions with linchpin big man Jaren Jackson Jr. and ace reserve table-setter Tyus Jones both injured. But Ja Morant was against staring at the light in the kind of performance that makes you think why he’s about to win Rookie of the Year in a landing:
Morant bobbed and weaved through the Celtics defense, working his way into the teeth of their pick-and-roll cover and getting either all the way to the rim, to the free throw line, or in enough space to make profitable passes . He also grew up in defense, doing his damn thing to get into passing lanes, wrecking some destruction on the Boston sets, and trying to create chances to end Celtic possessions so Memphis could get out and run. The freshman finished with 26 points on 13 shots, 13 assists, four rebounds, two blocks, and a steal; he did it 100 miles per hour and in style, but he still fell short, and the Grizzlies fell in the standings as a result.
While the new guy on the block got a little upset, an old guy – comparatively, at least – helped the barely recognizable Spurs in the mix for a play-in spot.
Anachronistic, though it may be in the era of high-volume scorers bombarding two-step half-court, DeMar DeRozan’s peerless footwork and midrange mastery have been exactly what the doctor ordered for San Antonio. DeRozan remained brilliant as a force forward in the Spurs’ small ball rebellion against a Rockets team playing without Harden, averaging 23 points on 9-for-13 shots with six rebounds, four assists, and two steals in a 123-105 win over Houston. Whether it works in pick-and-roll, out of the post, or emerges in isolation, the 31-year-old finds shrinkage in the defense, comes to his spots, and exalts himself for that tough competition high-jumper release. Only Lillard scored more points in the fourth quarter than DeMar, who scored 10-for-12 (83.3 percent) on “clutch” attempts taken when the score was within five points in the last five minutes is; when the game is too late, Gregg Popovich knows he can put the ball in DeRozan’s hands and trust the veteran to give his team a chance to come out on top.
After a 5-2 start in the bubble, the Spurs now have that chance; they sit a half-game back of Portland in eighth place, and only one-thousandth of a percentage point behind Memphis and Phoenix en route to their final day of seeding games. With all four teams still alive, there remain enough permutations and combinations for possible play-in matchups to make your head spin. The relative level of dedication of each team’s opponent could also play a big role: Memphis will play a Bucks team that it has already sewn. 1 general seed and that could be without Giannis Antetokounmpo, if the league stops him for headbutting Moe Wagner Tuesday; the Spurs will face the Jazz, who turned out to be engaged in a cat-and-mouse game in the middle of the Western standings to prevent another playoff matchup with Houston; the Suns will take over the Mavs, who seem to be taking tickets for a first meeting with the Clippers; the Blazers take over the Nets, who seem to have nothing to play for to play their asses off anyway.
For all intents and purposes, there is still so much to be found in this surprisingly exciting race at the bottom of the West, and handicap seems terribly difficult. If the past two weeks have taught us anything, it could be to just ride with the best players, betting that they will push their teams across the finish line. Lady is that servant. Booker proves he deserves to be thought of in that business. DeRozan’s have more playoff experience than any of his competitors, and Ja is just young enough not to know he should be scared for a moment like this. With one game left, which stars reappear when the lights are bright and the money on the table may be carrying the day. It is not free that simple. Sometimes, though, it might be wrong.
