Basketball Intelligence For 4/14/22
Today's Best NBA Reporting And Analysis
THE PLAY-IN GAMES
- ATL 132, CHA 103:
From Chris Kirschner, The Athletic: https://theathletic.com/3248873/2022/04/14/atlanta-hawks-win-play-in-tournament/
From Graham Chapple, Peachtree Hoops: https://www.peachtreehoops.com/2022/4/14/23024916/atlanta-hawks-charlotte-hornets-play-in-analysis-video-offense-defense-nba-deandre-hunter
From Joshua Buckhalter, Soaring Down South: https://soaringdownsouth.com/2022/04/13/clint-capela-dominant-gates-atlanta-hawks-win/
From Michael Cunningham, AJC: https://www.ajc.com/sports/mike-check-blog/hornets-dare-trae-youngs-hawks-teammates-to-beat-them-so-they-did/QDHMS4CKQJGVRFG5GNWEYS6SHU/
From Sarah Spencer, AJC: https://www.ajc.com/sports/atlanta-hawks/hawks-dominate-hornets-to-earn-first-play-in-tournament-win/WDM7UQLVQRHCNHU4W2Q25LNI2Q/
From Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer: https://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/charlotte-hornets/article260386747.html
From Robby Kalland, DIME: https://uproxx.com/dimemag/hawks-hornets-play-in-video-highlights-young-hunter-cavs/
- NOP 113, SAS 103:
From William Guillory, The Athletic: https://theathletic.com/3249605/2022/04/14/pelicans-beat-spurs-play-in/
From Andrew Lopez, ESPN: https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/33735879/cj-mccollum-predicts-lot-winning-our-future-leading-new-orleans-pelicans-play-victory-san-antonio-spurs
From Robby Kalland, DIME: https://uproxx.com/dimemag/pelicans-spurs-play-in-mccollum-ingram-jones-video-highlights/
From Jeff McDonald, Express News: https://www.expressnews.com/sports/spurs/article/San-Antonio-Spurs-Pelicans-playin-game-17079920.php
From Mark Schindler, Basketball News: https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/not-on-herb-pelicans-rookie-jones-punches-ticket-defensive-star
From Will Eudy, Air Alamo: https://airalamo.com/posts/player-grades-san-antonio-spurs-play-in-loss-new-orleans-pelicans
From Colin Ward-Henninger, CBS Sports: https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/pelicans-vs-spurs-score-takeaways-cj-mccollum-brandon-ingram-lead-new-orleans-to-showdown-with-clippers/live/
- LAC-NOP:
From Andrew Greif, LA Times: https://www.latimes.com/sports/clippers/story/2022-04-13/clippers-confident-they-can-win-next-play-in-game-if-they-focus-on-sharper-execution
From Mirjam Swanson, OC Register: https://www.dailynews.com/2022/04/13/clippers-have-one-game-to-course-correct/
PLAYOFF SERIES PREVIEWS
- BKN-BOS:
From Jack Simone, Celtics Blog: https://www.celticsblog.com/2022/4/13/23022918/boston-celtics-nets-nba-playoffs-jayson-tatum-jaylen-brown-marcus-smart-al-horford-ime-udoka
From Keith Smith, Celtics Blog: https://www.celticsblog.com/2022/4/14/23025263/2-boston-celtics-vs-7-brooklyn-nets-first-round-playoff-series-preview
- CHI-MIL:
From Rob Schaefer, NBC Sports: https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/sports/nbcsports/nba-playoffs-why-bulls-coby-white-could-be-an-x-factor-vs-bucks/2806965
From Eric Nehm/Darnell Mayberry: https://theathletic.com/3249101/2022/04/14/bucks-bulls-preview-antetokounmpo-derozan/
From KC Johnson, NBC Sports: https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/bulls/nba-playoffs-bulls-will-miss-lonzo-ball-both-ends-vs-bucks
From Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune:https://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/bulls/ct-chicago-bulls-nikola-vucevic-nba-playoffs-20220413-bazeuigfyffrdiihc6rdagkgb4-story.html
From Elias Schuster, Bleacher Nation: https://www.bleachernation.com/bulls/2022/04/13/if-the-bulls-want-to-make-it-a-competitive-series-theyll-have-to-hit-their-dang-3s/
- DAL-UTA:
From Tim Cato/Tony Jones, The Athletic: https://theathletic.com/3248873/2022/04/14/atlanta-hawks-win-play-in-tournament/
From Jake Kemp, D Magazine: https://www.dmagazine.com/sports/2022/04/luka-doncics-injury-is-jalen-brunsons-moment-to-sink-or-swim/
- DEN-GSW:
From Harrison Wind, The DNVR: https://thednvr.com/hes-the-engine-to-what-they-do-inside-the-nikola-jokic-draymond-green-matchup/
From Chandler Jenkins, Medium: https://medium.com/@augjenkins7/denver-nuggets-golden-state-warriors-2022-first-round-preview-3334265c268
From Asher Levy, Denver Stiffs: https://www.denverstiffs.com/2022/4/14/23024050/every-nuggets-biggest-question-coming-into-the-playoffs
From Ron Kroichick, SF Chronicle: https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/warriors/article/Andre-Iguodala-defense-17078703.php
From Dalton Johnson, NBC Sports: https://www.nbcsports.com/bayarea/warriors/why-warriors-regular-season-record-vs-nuggets-irrelevant
From Ben Ladner, The Step Back: https://fansided.com/2022/04/14/warriors-nuggets-76ers-raptors-headline-nba-playoffs/
- MEM-MIN:
From Joe Mullinax, Grizzly Bear Blues: https://www.grizzlybearblues.com/2022/4/14/23024043/the-number-that-will-define-the-nba-playoffs-for-the-memphis-grizzlies-dillon-brooks-ja-morant
From Parker Fleming, Grizzly Bear Blues: https://www.grizzlybearblues.com/2022/4/14/23019373/jaren-jackson-jr-is-the-x-factor-of-the-playoffs-memphis-grizzlies-nba
From Ben Dowsett, FiveThirtyEight: https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/are-the-memphis-grizzlies-too-fast-for-the-playoffs/
From Michael Wright, NBA.com: https://www.nba.com/news/series-preview-memphis-grizzlies-2-vs-minnesota-timberwolves-7
From Chris Herrington, Daily Memphian: https://dailymemphian.com/subscriber/section/sportsmemphis-grizzlies/article/28182/herrington-memphis-grizzlies-minnesota-timberwolves-nba-playoffs-matchups
- PHI-TOR:
From Jason Kates, Liberty Ballers: https://www.libertyballers.com/2022/4/14/23021724/sixers-raptors-playoff-series-tyrese-maxey-joel-embiid-james-harden
From Tom Moore, Courier Times: https://www.theintell.com/story/sports/pro/2022/04/14/sixers-recipe-for-winning-playoff-series-vs-raptors-plus-prediction-76ers-nba-playoffs-joel-embiid/65349600007/
From Manny Rao, Yahoo Sports: https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/raptors-vs-76ers-gary-trent-jr-could-be-torontos-biggest-x-factor-162656544.html
From Eric Koreen, The Athletic: https://theathletic.com/3248608/2022/04/14/embiid-raptors-sixers-playoffs-preview/
From Mike Ganter, Toronto Sun: https://torontosun.com/sports/basketball/nba/toronto-raptors/majority-of-raptors-will-be-learning-on-the-fly-what-playoff-basketball-is-all-about
From Aaron Rose, Sports Illustrated: https://www.si.com/nba/raptors/news/toronto-raptors-slugfest-transition-offense-philadelphia-76ers-playoffs
From Louis Zatzman, Raptors Republic: https://www.raptorsrepublic.com/2022/04/14/gary-trent-jr-will-need-to-do-some-heavy-lifting-against-the-sixers/
From Michael Pina, Sports Illustrated: https://www.si.com/nba/2022/04/13/philadelphia-76ers-joel-embiid-james-harden-nba-playoffs
From Josh Kern, Raptors HQ: https://www.raptorshq.com/2022/4/14/23024409/nba-playoffs-2012-series-preview-toronto-raptors-vs-philadelphia-76ers
From Michael Kaskey-Blomain, CBS Sports: https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/nba-playoffs-three-key-questions-facing-james-harden-76ers-ahead-of-first-round-series-vs-raptors/
From Lori Ewing, Canadian Press: https://www.orilliamatters.com/national-sports/nurse-says-young-raptors-must-be-prepared-for-roller-coaster-series-with-philadelphia-5261079
From Michael Grange, Sportsnet: https://www.sportsnet.ca/nba/article/centre-of-attention-can-76ers-embiid-finally-solve-nurses-raptors/
From Ben Ladner, The Step Back: https://fansided.com/2022/04/14/warriors-nuggets-76ers-raptors-headline-nba-playoffs/
From David Thorpe, True Hoop:
- Key Plays & Actions To Look For In The Playoffs (from John Schuhmann, NBA.com): https://www.nba.com/news/film-study-key-plays-actions-2022-playoffs
- Biggest WC X-Factors (from Rucker Haringey, The Step Back ): https://fansided.com/2022/04/14/nba-playoffs-x-factors-western-conference/
TEAM-SPECIFIC STORIES
- ATL: Q & A: Trae Young (from Bryan Kalbrosky, USA Today): https://ftw.usatoday.com/lists/hawks-trae-young-play-in-tournament-onyeka-okongwu-bodyarmor
- BKN: Marveling Over KD's Other Skills (from Nekias Duncan, Basketball News): https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/appreciating-kevin-durants-other-skills