Basketball Intelligence for 5/15/23

The Day's Best NBA Reporting And Analysis

May 15, 2023

BASKETBALL INTELLIGENCE EXCLUSIVE

MIL: Should the Bucks burn their boats?
Louis Zatzman, Basketball Intelligence

China’s Ming Dynasty controlled the largest navy in the world in the mid-1400s. Commanded by Zheng He and called the Treasure Fleet, some of the boats were significantly larger than the European vessels that would later stumble upon North America -- crewed by more than 1,000 sailors. But for a variety of possible reasons, the Yongle Emperor ordered the fleet burned. Oceangoing voyages were banned, and by the mid-1500s the Treasure Fleet had rotted or been destroyed.
It was a watershed moment in world history whose ripple effects remain enormous in the world even today.
The Milwaukee Bucks are facing a comparable situation this offseason.

76ERS-CELTICS

Sixers vs. Celtics Game 7 takeaways: Sixers lack toughness, fight, and answers
Keith Pompey, Philadelphia Inquirer

The 76ers fell apart quickly, and the fall probably isn't over yet
Yaron Weitzman, Fox Sports

There was Embiid falling asleep while ball-watching and a backdoor finish. And Harden tossing up junk from the midrange because he was more focused on grifting fouls than attacking the hoop. And Embiid grabbing just four rebounds in the game's first three quarters. And Harden only trying four shots from inside the paint. And Embiid getting the ball under the rim and, instead of slamming it home, kicking it out to the perimeter. And Harden calling off a pick from Embiid and then airballing an ugly step-back 3. And Embiid looking like he'd never before seen a double-team. And Harden turning a wide open lay-up into a flagrant foul for Celitcs, which sounds like the premise of an unsolvable riddle.

For 76ers, who had title hopes, another early playoff exit leads to more uncertainty
Rich Hofmann, The Athletic

3 takeaways from the Sixers’ devastating Game 7 loss to the Celtics
Jackson Frank, Liberty Ballers

Jayson Tatum’s record Game 7 shows growth as player and person: ‘It’s only up from here’
Jared Weiss, The Athletic

Buckley: Joe Mazzulla stays in the moment, passes love to his players
Steve Buckley, The Athletic

Jayson Tatum Scores 51 as Celtics Rout Sixers in Game 7
Scott Cacciola, The New York Times

Processed: Al Horford shuts down the MVP in Game 7
Bill Sy, Celtics Blog

Jayson Tatum has forced me to believe in the Boston Celtics
Oliver Fox, Hardwood Houdini

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LEAGUEWIDE STORIES

The 2023 NBA Mid-playoffs Survey
Staff, The Ringer

The NBA coaching carousel reaches terminal speed
Tom Ziller, Good Morning It’s Basketball

NBA Game Notes (May 14, 2023)
Justin Kubatko, Statitudes

The Playoff All-Surprise Team
Mike Shearer, NBA University Blog

A Few Good Plays Vol. 7
Greg Brueck-Cassoli, High Off The Glass

NBA playoffs 2023: 3 best bench players in postseason so far.
Adam Taylor, Sportskeeda

Have a good summer: Knicks, Warriors, 76ers
Jared Dubin, Last Night, In Basketball

CONFERENCE FINALS PREVIEWS

East: Miami Heat at Boston Celtics

Series preview: Celtics, Heat clash again for Eastern Conference title
Steve Aschburner, NBA.com

It’s Heat-Celtics in East finals for third time in four seasons. An early look at the matchup
Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald

Same as it ever was in Heat-Celtics? Not exactly, as what’s old also is new again
Ira Winderman, Sun-Sentinel

Time off prior to start of the East finals comes at a good time for the Heat’s leading duo
Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald

Rested, recharged and rejuvenated, Heat’s Kyle Lowry enters conference finals in a better place
Ira Winderman, Sun-Sentinel

West: Los Angeles Lakers at Denver Nuggets

Why the Denver Nuggets are a better team than what the Lakers faced in the NBA bubble
Mark Medina, Sportsnaut

Lakers vs. Nuggets: What scouts expect in Western Conference finals
Andrew Greif, Los Angeles Times

“But AD has given them issues and if the Lakers are starting AD at the center does that mean the Nuggets try to let Jokic be the rover? Do they put Jokic on AD directly? I think that’s kind of the big question.
AD has not had the same success guarding Jokic.” (Note: When guarded by Davis on 119 possessions during the regular season, Jokic made 16 of his 25 shots — including 15 of his 18 inside the three-point arc — with only three turnovers.)

Denver Nuggets Defense
Gibson Pyper, Half Court Hoops

Denver Nuggets Offense
Gibson Pyper, Half Court Hoops

Nuggets-Lakers is the Western Conference finals matchup we deserve: 4 observations
Tony Jones, The Athletic