The 2018 NBA Playoffs Have Been Awful, With Far too Many Blowouts
By Jason McIntyre
We’re six games into the 2018 NBA Conference Finals, and not one game has yet to be decided by 12 points or less. At no point in the final eight minutes of any game between either the Celtics and Cavs or Warriors and Rockets has it been a one-possession affair.
Yes, it’s exciting to watch the best players on the planet, but it’s no fun watching utter domination.
Fans, and “NBA Twitter” (and even a writer on this website!) have been hyping up the Rockets all year, and they were a very good regular season team. The Warriors fought off boredom during the marathon that is the regular season, and have defeated Houston by 13 points on the road and 41 points at home.
We know the 3-pointer has changed basketball, and made rapid comebacks much more likely … but the problem is everyone shoots 3-pointers so well, there isn’t a massive advantage there for anyone except the team with three of the best 10 shooters in the NBA.
Golden State is 22-4 in the playoffs with Kevin Durant. One loss to the Spurs came without Stephen Curry. The other losses … there’s a pattern:
Game 2 in Houston
PJ Tucker 5-of-6 three-pointers
Eric Gordon 6-of-9 three-pointers
These two made more three-pointers than the Warriors (9) in Game 2
Game 3 in New Orleans
Ian Clark 3-of-5 three-pointers
Solomon Hill 3-of-6 three-pointers
Nikola Mirotic 3-of-5 three-pointers
That trio went 9-of-16 from deep; the entire Warriors team made nine three-pointers in Game 3.
Game 4 in Cleveland
Kyrie Irving 7-of-12 on three-pointers
Kevin Love 6-of-8 on three-pointers
JR Smith 5-of-9 three-pointers
That’s 18-of-29 on three-pointers from just three players; the Warriors as a team made just 11.
Everyone’s trying to out-shoot the Warriors; that’s like going into a fight with Goliah and trying to beat him up. You need to take an alternative tact – like David rolling up with a slingshot.
Why have the Celtics blasted the Cavs twice? Yes, Cleveland stinks, but at the same time, the Celtics have made it a point to defend the three-pointer better than anyone else, and when they do that, the Cavs offense bogs down.