Welcome to the Basketball Hangover. I write about what’s happening in the NBA daily. Hey! We’re in the playoffs now!
Terance Mann will be forever remembered in Clipper lore.
(PHOTO CREDIT: Mark J. Terrill/AP.)
The NBA playoffs continued to be ridiculous. If someone told me that the Clippers without Kawhi Leonard would win the last two games and eliminate the #1 seed Utah Jazz (who also got Mike Conley back for this game), I would’ve told you to jump into a bedful of nails.
At first, the Jazz did EVERYTHING right. Jordan Clarkson was especially dominant in the second quarter when he scored 21 points in that period. Utah led by 22 at halftime and we were poised to see a Game 7 back in Utah.
Utah even opened up the second half with a three from Donovan Mitchell (who gutted it out with his sprained ankle). Then the Clips rang off 11 straight points to cut the deficit to 14.
No big deal. Utah countered with a couple of threes. All is okay. Probably.
The lead actually ballooned back to 21. And a Rudy Gobert dunk put them up, 90-71.
But 2019 second round pick Terance Mann continued to sizzle. He scored 10 points in a game-changing 17-0 run. Mann was on fire all night as he scored 20 points in the third quarter. Suddenly, it was a game and Utah’s aspirations for a Game 7 was slowly fading.
The corner three seemed open all of the second half. And they couldn’t prevent the Clippers from driving into the lane. We talked about Mann scoring everything. Well, Reggie Jackson got into the act (more on him later). Paul George hit some big shots. Nicolas Batum was immense. And Patrick Beverley, more known for his pesky defense even though he’s a career .382 shooter from deep, made them pay. Rudy Gobert was caught in a very compromising situation. Going away from the paint would open it up for the Clippers but staying in meant a three-point shot would be available. And the Clips took major advantage.
But the perimeter defense by the Jazz was real porous in the second half. George and Jackson drove in seemingly at will. So it wasn’t just Gobert’s fault on this meltdown. Mitchell did what he could for Utah on the other end but it was just too much. Beverley made his third three in the fourth to put the lead up 10 with 75 seconds left to shut it down. And the Clippers are going to their first Western Conference Finals in stunning fashion.
First off, the Clippers took out the #1 seed. But let’s also remember that they seemed doomed when Kawhi Leonard was diagnosed with an ACL injury (we don’t know his status for the rest of the postseason). The Clippers won Game 5 on the road without him and then came back from a 25-point deficit in Game 6 to close it out. This HAS to be a monumental upset.
The Clippers shot 14 for 19 from three in the second half. We talked about Utah being filled with incredible three-point shooters but we also said that the Clippers are the one team that can match them. And even then, this seemed ridiculous. .737 from three in the second half!
The Clipper players had some HUGE performances. Terance Mann played the game of his life with 39 points. Reggie Jackson has been very good this postseason and he likely played the best game of his NBA career with 27 points and 10 assists. Paul George has been playing way better than what the narrative tells us; he came through with 28-9-7. Nicolas Batum had been playing well all season; he had 16 points, 7 boards, three blocks, and two steals. And Beverley scored 11 huge fourth quarter points, including the three that sealed a conference finals berth for the Clips.
And maybe it’s time to admit that Tyronn Lue is a fantastic coach. He helped guide the CLEVELAND CAVALIERS TO A CHAMPIONSHIP in 2016. Now he took the Clippers (let me say it again: without Kawhi Leonard) to the franchise’s first Western Conference Finals in history. Incredible.
As for the Jazz? It’s a complete disappointment. They tried to stick with their guns about Rudy Gobert. They might have to change their philosophy as small ball continues to rule the NBA. Yes, Gobert can still be very impactful but the team make-up has been like this for years. Despite great defensive years for the Jazz, they need a very agile and stretch big man as well as a shutdown wing. They seem to get eliminated like this every postseason. And Mitchell and Conley being hurt didn’t help matters. I feel like they’ll give it a go one more year with this core.
But in the meantime, we’re getting the Phoenix Suns and the L.A. Clippers in the conference finals. Of course, we’re getting Chris Paul vs the Clippers for the right to go to the NBA Finals for the first time. What a world we live in.
Bullet Passes
The Hawks couldn’t close it out against the Sixers despite Trae Young shooting the lights out.
Trae Young really shot the lights out. pic.twitter.com/rvNltBtV9E
— 𝗥𝗲𝘆-𝗥𝗲𝘆 🤞🏾✌🏾 (@TheNoLookPass) June 19, 2021
Obviously, I am super clever.
But after that three cut the deficit to one, Joel Embiid made a huge three-point play to counter. Trae Young would lose the ball in the ensuing possession and the Sixers held on to push the series to 7.
Both Eastern Conference series are going the distance. That has to please the Western Conference teams.
We’re talking about the Clippers connection but Brooklyn does have two Clipper stalwarts and Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan. What if the Clippers go against the Nets in the Finals? There’s your story right there.
Even as a troll, this is just an idiotic tweet. I was even told to look at the tweet he responded to and it even makes less sense. Stop disrespecting Grant Hill like this.
This individual was born after 2000. pic.twitter.com/p5AFDFhaK8
— 𝗥𝗲𝘆-𝗥𝗲𝘆 🤞🏾✌🏾 (@TheNoLookPass) June 19, 2021
And I REALLY LIKE Ben Simmons. But uhhhhh, Grant Hill has a shot and a much more varied offensive game.
NBA Playoff Scoreboard
June 18, 2021
NBA Playoff Series Count
EAST
#1 Sixers tied with #5 Hawks, 3-3.
#2 Nets tied with #3 Bucks, 3-3.
#1 Sixers defeat #8 Wizards, 4-1.
#5 Hawks defeat #4 Knicks, 4-1.
#2 Nets defeat #7 Celtics, 4-1.
#3 Bucks defeat #6 Heat, 4-0.
WEST
#2 Suns will face #4 Clippers.
#4 Clippers defeat #1 Jazz, 4-2.
#2 Suns defeat #3 Nuggets, 4-0.
#1 Jazz defeat #8 Grizzlies, 4-1.
#4 Clippers defeat #5 Mavericks, 4-3.
#2 Suns defeat #7 Lakers, 4-2.
#3 Nuggets defeat #6 Blazers, 4-2.
Watch This Play
This precipitated a Hawks run: John Collins nearly ended Joel Embiid‘s existence.
JOHN COLLINS DUNKS ALL OVER EMBIID 🤯
(via @NBATV)pic.twitter.com/qpSIn0l5dX
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 19, 2021
Embiid got dunked on, got called for a foul, AND got hurt. That’s rough.
But, hey, the Sixers won so…
Everyone, please take care of yourselves during this pandemic. And that goes for everyone involved with the NBA as well.
You can find Rey-Rey on Twitter at @TheNoLookPass.
You can also check out Rey-Rey’s podcast, Rey-Rey Is Fundamental, for more basketball content and, really, whatever else.
R.I.P. Nala.