The NBA playoffs are getting intense as there are two teams that are facing elimination and one series where loser goes home. This Friday the Phoenix Suns could eventually know who they can potentially play in the Western Conference Finals. Saturday night there will be a team eliminated from the playoffs. Here is all the up-to-date news on the NBA playoffs.
Philadelphia 76ers vs Atlanta Hawks
The Philadelphia 76ers blew a huge lead in game five and saw them lose the match in the fourth quarter. Unquestionably, Trae Young has been a force to be reckon with and is unstoppable at the moment. He is scoring and assisting his teammates and looks set to cause an upset this Friday night.
Atlanta will host Philadelphia in Game 6 and it does not look pretty for the 76ers. Joel Embiid and Seth Curry carried the team point wise but that was not enough in Game 5. Embiid had 37 points while Curry had 36. There was no other 76er who scored double digits in that game and that affected the team.
Ben Simmons has been struggling from the free throw line and hacking him has played dividends to the Hawks. Tobias Harris was a ghost in the previous game as well as he only scored four points. Very disappointing as the 76ers are seeded in first place and face elimination Friday night when they visit the Hawks. Can Doc Rivers lift his team and come back and tie the series and close it out in Philadelphia. We will have to wait and see Friday night what the outcome will be.
On the other hand, the Hawks are playing some impressive basketball and are being lead by Trae Young. John Collins has been solid as well as Clint Capela and Danilo Gallinari. The Hawks may be an unexperienced team in the playoffs, but they are looking great for a young team who is in their first playoffs.
Utah Jazz vs Los Angeles Clippers
Paul George navigatedClippers to take a three to two lead and are in the verge of producing a huge upset. Game 5 was an important game for the Jazz as Kawhi Leonard did not play and could miss the rest of the series due to a knee injury. Utah did not take advantage of the All-Star missing this game and it costed them badly. Now, they are facing elimination and must win on the road. To make matters worse, Mike Conley and Donovan Mitchell are questionable for this match.
Conley is dealing with a hamstring problem while Mitchell is dealing with a right ankle soreness. It will be a huge blow for the Jazz if both All-Stars miss this crucial game as their season is threatened to end if they don’t get the win. With this in mind, can the Jazz produce a win and force a Game 7, or can the Clippers close the series and focus their attention to the Phoenix Suns? We will have to wait and see this Friday night what occurs in a such important match for both teams.
The absence of Leonard for the remaining series is a huge setback for the Clippers title hopes. However, they managed a win without him in Game 5, but can the Clippers repeat that again in Game 6 is the big question many are asking. Los Angeles invested a lot in Leonard and George and to see them lose one of them is a huge blow. However, other players have been stepping up such as the likes of Reggie Jackson and Marcus Morris Sr. On the other hand, if Mitchell and Conley do not play in Game 6, where will the Jazz find their points in?
Milwaukee Bucks vs Brooklyn Nets
Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton showed up once again and saved the Bucks from being out of the playoffs. The Bucks took advantage this time around of the absence of Kyrie Irving who has not played in the series since Game 4. James Harden has been struggling offensively and clearly is not his usual self. Kevin Durant single handedly gave the Nets the win in Game 5 but couldn’t repeat that in Game 6.
Saturday night will be an incredible must watch game as both teams’ face elimination. The Bucks must take advantage if Irving doesn’t play again. Meanwhile, the Nets need Harden to step up and score. Durant needs help carrying the load and other role players must contribute offensively if they want to advance to the Conference Finals.
All in all, Game 7 will be a dramatic one as both teams are pressured to win especially the Nets since they have three All-Stars in their starting lineup. We will see if the Nets can win one more time without Kyrie, or can the Bucks produce an upset on the road?
Win Or Go Home
As the series for these games are ending, various teams are facing elimination. Many questions will be answered as well as more questions will be piling up. The two top teams of each conference are facing elimination in the Utah Jazz and the Philadelphia 76ers. Now, they must step up and show everyone why they ended up being first place in their conference.
These three games will be a boat load of fun to watch for every basketball fanatic. A lot of drama and excitement awaits for the fans this weekend and it is the time of the season where greats are born and rise to the occasion.
