We’re already in the second round of the NBA playoffs, and it’s still 45 degrees in Chicago.
C’mon!
I should be writing this outside while getting a nice tan that actually just ends up becoming a sunburn. If the bad weather doesn’t stop, I’ll have no choice but to move to Las Vegas (just for the weather, of course).
Anyways, here are the plays for the night.
Categories:
Layups: 2-Unit Plays
Two-Pointers: 1-Unit Plays
Three-Pointers: 0.75-Unit Plays
Half-Court Shot: 0.5-Unit Plays
Record: 76-61-3 (+11.74 units)
Layups
76ers Team Total Over 99.5 points (-110): In terms of the best NBA players with the last name “Jordan”, DeAndre is currently not one of them. He posted a horrible minus-22 in Game 1, and the 76ers scored more points than the Heat when he was on the bench. I know Doc Rivers said he’s still going to play Jordan, but I would be SHOCKED if he played the same volume of minutes.
Philly is a better team when they’re playing small against this Heat squad. I think they do that in Game 2, and we see a faster 76ers lineup that should push past the 100-point mark for the night.
Two-Pointers
Bam Adebayo Over 10.5 rebounds (+115): No Joel Embiid means interior struggles for the 76ers. Bam already grabbed 12 boards in Game 1, and even with some Doc Rivers adjustments, he should be able to feast on the boards yet again. We also might see a small-ball lineup for the 76ers in this game after the DeAndre Jordan experiment failed miserably, which only helps Bam’s chances. The fact that we can get it at plus money only makes this play that much sweeter.
Deandre Ayton Over 19.5 points (+100): If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. The 23-year-old Ayton just put up 25 points on a small-ball Mavs lineup with very little interior defense. It seems that Dallas has no counter to Ayton’s size and post ability, so CP3 knows to get him the ball down low. Another 20-point game is a lot to ask for Ayton, but he’s the key to beating a smaller Dallas team, so let’s hope his increased shooting volume continues.
Three-Pointers
76ers 1H +5 (-120): Philly actually won the first half in Game 1, and I think Game 2 follows a similar script — especially if DeAndre Jordan’s playing time is decreased. Look, the 76ers aren’t an amazing team without Joel Embiid, but they still have scorers, and if the Heat struggle to be consistent offensively (which they often do), this game should remain close for at least a half.
