NBA Playoffs Sun 5/1
Bucks vs. Celtics Game 1
101-89 Bucks
Series 1-0 Bucks
The biggest question before this series started was: Could the Celtics stop Giannis? The answer so far is simple, no. Even though we are only one game into the series it is clear that the Celtics are going to have to revise the Celtics their game plan on the defensive side of the ball because Giannis is just on a whole other level. The Celtics defense was able to beat Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving because they played more physical and essentially bullied the Nets superstars and prevented them from having any free space. The difference in this series is that Giannis is an athletic freak, able to make his own space with his immense size and play style. The fact is that Giannis is too big to bully and no one on the Celtics is good enough to completely stop him from doing his thing. If the Celtics are going to win this series, they are going to need to figure out a new way to guard Giannis, otherwise he will just run right through them. One the other side, the Bucks did exactly what they were supposed to do: played great defense and good offense. Giannis reminds me of Lebron, in the sense that he is the best player on the court and if opposing teams are going to win, then they need to beat Giannis specifically. Giannis is such a dominant force that makes all the players around him better. As long as he is doing his thing, then the team can thrive and beat anyone.
| Bucks | Team Stats | Celtics |
| 41.1 | Field Goal % | 33.3 |
| 35.3 | 3 Pointer % | 36.0 |
| 71.4 | Free Throw % | 75.0 |
| 54 | Total Rebounds | 48 |
| 22 | Assists | 21 |
| 5 | Blocks | 7 |
| 11 | Steals | 8 |
| 13 | Turnovers | 18 |
| 34 | Points in the Paint | 20 |
| 21 | Fouls | 25 |
Warriors vs. Grizzlies
117-116
Series 1-0 Warriors
Before this series began, I did not know if the Grizzlies were a legit contender. Sometimes regular season success does not translate to the playoffs, and I was worried that the Grizzlies were going to be one of those cases. However, after watching last night’s game I see now that the Grizzlies have the potential to go to the championship. Even though they lost, they definitely did not make it easy for the Warriors and they showed that they are ready to go. On the other side, the Warriors looked good, especially their new young superstar Jordan Poole. He is one of those rare players that’s play style is better when they get to the pros. Some nights he looks like he can just whatever he wants whenever he wants, and it is very fun to watch. I hope that this series goes to 7 as I think that this could be the most exciting series in the entire playoffs this year. Both teams are just super fun to watch, and it is a pretty cool story: the established successful dynasty of the Warriors vs the up-and-coming Grizzlies is a pretty cool showdown.
| Warriors | Team Stats | Grizzlies |
| 48.4 | Field Goal % | 43.2 |
| 36.8 | 3 Pointer % | 40.0 |
| 65.0 | Free Throw % | 75.0 |
| 51 | Total Rebounds | 47 |
| 31 | Assists | 26 |
| 6 | Blocks | 6 |
| 10 | Steals | 11 |
| 17 | Turnovers | 14 |
| 56 | Points in the Paint | 44 |
| 25 | Fouls | 19 |
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