1 Thing We've Learned About Every 2023 NBA Playoff Team so Far
While the 2023 NBA playoffs are still in their infancy, we've been able to take in at least two first-round games in every series.
From teams finding a way to win with injured stars, the Sacramento Kings quieting potential doubters, Kawhi Leonard looking like his vintage self and other storylines, we're gathering more and more intel on a nightly basis.
Although it's still quite early, here's what all 16 playoff teams have taught us so far.
Atlanta Hawks: It Might Be Time to Worry About Trae Young
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After Trae Young struggled against the Miami Heat in a first-round knockout last spring, history seems to be repeating itself.
Young, the engine of this Atlanta Hawks offense, has disappointed while his team has gone down 0-2 to the Celtics. Overwhelming underdogs going into the series, Atlanta needed monster performances from Young to have a chance, something he's done in the past.
Instead, Young is shooting just 35.0 percent overall and 23.1 percent from three through two games, numbers scarily similar to those from the Heat series last year. In that gentleman's sweep against Miami, Young made 31.9 percent of his total shots and went 18.4 percent from outside the arc.
In all, the 24-year-old is averaging 16.7 points over his last seven playoff games spanning two years and two opponents, a significant drop from his career regular-season scoring average of 25.5 points per contest.
While we've seen other young guards thrive this postseason (Donovan Mitchell, Devin Booker, De'Aaron Fox, etc.), Young's struggles have persisted.
Boston Celtics: We're Looking at the Title Favorites
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Heading into the postseason, the Milwaukee Bucks became the betting favorites to win the 2023 title after passing the Boston Celtics in the standings and finishing with a league-best 58 wins.
No disrespect to the Bucks, but did we forget about just how good these Celtics are?
After all, Boston finished with the best net rating in the NBA (plus-6.7) while ranking second overall in both offensive and defensive rating. While Milwaukee's fourth-ranked defense was admirable, the Bucks finished just 15th in offensive rating, even behind lottery-bound teams such as the Utah Jazz and Toronto Raptors.
Boston has looked dominant in a 2-0 start over the Hawks, posting the best defensive rating of all 16 playoff teams (100.5) while holding Trae Young to 35.0 percent shooting from the field.
Playoff-tested Derrick White has been terrific (25.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists), while Jayson Tatum (27.0 points) and Jaylen Brown (23.5 points) continue to shine.
After a run to the Finals last season and with Giannis Antetokounmpo battling a back injury, these Celtics should be the title favorites.
Brooklyn Nets: The Kevin Durant Trade Already Looks Pretty Good
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It's been a weird season for the Brooklyn Nets, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's been a bad one.
With the Nets in an expected 0-3 hole to the 76ers, Brooklyn is getting some impressive performances from its Kevin Durant trade returns.
Mikal Bridges looks like he can be a No. 1 (or at least a No. 2 offensive option) on a playoff team, averaging 25.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists while shooting 42.1 percent from three in the series. Cam Johnson, another piece coming over from the Suns, is putting up 21.0 points in three games while connecting on 50.0 percent of his threes.
Add in a first-round pick this summer from Phoenix and another one in 2025, 2027 and 2029, a first-round pick swap in 2028 and multiple second-round selections and this return for Durant is only going to look better, especially with the veteran forward set to turn 35 before the start of the 2023-24 season.
This season is going to end in a first-round exit, but it's still good to see this young core getting some playoff reps together.
Cleveland Cavaliers: Darius Garland Can Be Donovan Mitchell's Bright Light Co-star
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Entering their first postseason together, the young Cleveland Cavaliers were short on playoff experience.
Yes, we know Donovan Mitchell has been a big-time, bright-light talent ever since his first postseason run as a rookie with the Utah Jazz in 2017-18, but the question of who would be a reliable co-star in Cleveland was a mystery.
Even after just two games, it's safe to say we have our answer.
Darius Garland looks completely unfazed by the moment, following up a solid Game 1 against the New York Knicks with a team-high 32 points to go with seven assists while shooting 6-of-10 from three in a Game 2 win.
The 32 points are tied for the most by any of Mitchell's teammates in five years with the Jazz, as Bojan Bogdanović was the only player to cash in 30 or more.
With Mitchell possessing the seventh-highest scoring average in NBA postseason history at 28.3 points per game, he finally has a reliable co-star when games matter the most.
Denver Nuggets: Bubble Jamal Murray Is Back
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Jamal Murray was one of the best players of the 2020 playoffs in the Disney bubble, averaging 26.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game with shooting splits of 50.5/45.3/89.7 percent while helping guide the Denver Nuggets to the Western Conference Finals.
While it's three years and an ACL surgery later, bubble Murray is officially back.
The 26-year-old did his best Nikola Jokić impression in Game 1 against the Minnesota Timberwolves with a near triple-double of 24 points, eight rebounds and eight assists in a 29-point win.
In Game 2, Murray was even better, posting a cool 40 points on 13-of-22 shooting overall and 6-of-10 from three. With the Wolves making a roaring comeback in the second half, Murray was there to answer buckets with his own dagger.
Already with a higher postseason scoring average than players such as Wilt Chamberlain, Larry Bird, Julius Irving and James Harden, Murray is thriving again in the playoffs, which has been a real treat.
Golden State Warriors: Draymond Green Needs to Be Careful
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The mighty Golden State Warriors suddenly look vulnerable, going down 0-2 in a series for the first time in the Stephen Curry era.
While Golden State rallied for a Game 3 win at home against the Sacramento Kings, it's clear these aging Warriors don't have the wiggle room for mistakes like in years past.
The play of Draymond Green will be monitored closely, as the veteran forward was suspended for Game 3 after stomping on the chest of Domantas Sabonis after the Kings star grabbed his ankle near the end of Game 2.
Green's history of overly aggressive play was a factor in his suspension, per NBA executive vice president and head of basketball operations Joe Dumars.
"Here's what it came down to: excessive and over-the-top actions, conduct detrimental and a repeat offender," Dumars told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski in a phone interview. "That's what separates this where you end up with a suspension."
While the Warriors survived Green's suspension this time, they may not be as fortunate if it happens again, especially during a road game.
Green has to be extremely careful not to cross the line with his physical play moving forward. The league is paying attention.
Los Angeles Clippers: Kawhi Leonard Is Still One of NBA's Best Players
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In a series that features five future Hall of Famers, Kawhi Leonard has arguably been the best player in the Los Angeles Clippers vs. Phoenix Suns matchup.
He's second among all postseason scorers with 34.5 points on 54.5 percent shooting to go along with 6.5 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 2.0 steals, helping the Clippers split the first two games in Phoenix even without Paul George (knee) before missing Game 3 with a right knee sprain.
This is particularly impressive considering its been two years and an ACL tear since we've seen Leonard in the postseason. While the 31-year-old has already accumulated one of the better playoff resumes of the last few decades with a pair of championships and Finals MVPs, returning to this stage at this level after such a big injury was no guarantee.
When he's active, Leonard still looks like one of the best players in the NBA.
Los Angeles Lakers: Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura Are Going to Get Paid
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Anyone have Rui Hachimura as the Los Angeles Lakers' leading postseason scorer on their bingo cards?
What about Austin Reaves as the go-to offensive hub in the fourth quarter of a win?
With the Lakers splitting their first two games on the road in Memphis, L.A.'s role players have stepped up in a huge way.
Hachimura is tied with LeBron James as the team's scoring leader with 24.5 points per game and has apparently decided not to miss from three for the remainder of the playoffs, which is bad news for the Grizzlies. The 25-year-old has gone 7-of-10 (70.0 percent) from three, which may not be much of a fluke considering Hachimura went 9-of-15 (60.0 percent) with the Washington Wizards in the playoffs in 2021.
Even alongside James, Anthony Davis and D'Angelo Russell, it was Reaves handling the scoring duties for a stretch in the final frame of Game 1, making clutch basket after basket while the Lakers pulled away with the win. Through two games, he's giving Los Angeles 17.5 points (tied with Davis), 4.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists and shooting 50.0 percent from three.
Of course, this is perfect timing for both, considering restricted free agency is just a few months away. Both players are earning themselves some significant raises and could be the key for the Lakers in springing the first-round upset.
Memphis Grizzlies: No Ja Morant? No Problem
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After Ja Morant suffered a hand injury toward the end of Game 1 against the Lakers, the Memphis Grizzlies offense sputtered to a halt, helping L.A. escape with a win.
With the star ruled out for Game 2, it was natural to wonder if Memphis could survive against a suddenly formidable Lakers team, especially with Steven Adams (sprained PCL) and Brandon Clarke (Achilles) already injured.
We've seen the Grizzlies win without Morant in the regular season thanks to Tyus Jones, but doing it against James and the Lakers was a different animal.
At least, that's what we thought.
Thanks to Jones (10 points, six rebounds and eight assists) and a big game from Xavier Tillman Sr. (22 points, 13 rebounds, three assists), Memphis tied the series with a 103-93 victory.
As The Ringer's Kevin O'Connor pointed out, the Grizzlies are 33-17 without their star point guard dating back to the beginning of last season, a stretch that includes the playoffs.
Memphis is a well-coached, unselfish and deep group that shows no fear, no matter the opponent. While we hope Morant can suit up in Game 3, the Grizzlies have given us enough evidence to prove they can win without him.
Miami Heat: Sitting Out the Trade Deadline Was a Mistake
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Coming into the season, it looked like the Miami Heat could have done more to improve the roster during the summer.
Still, a foundation of Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro was a strong one to build upon, although the Eastern Conference was steadily improving around them.
A sluggish start to the season confirmed these fears, but the trade deadline at least offered some hope for improvement and for this to turn into a legitimate championship-caliber roster.
Despite winning Game 1 against a Bucks team that lost Giannis Antetokounmpo to a back contusion in the first quarter, the Heat still look a few players short of making this a competitive series.
Even without Antetokounmpo, the Bucks blitzed Miami in 138-122 in Game 2, putting up a franchise-high 81 points in the first half and tying an NBA record with 25 made three-pointers.
An already feeble Heat roster became even weaker with the loss of Herro to a broken hand in Game 1 and now must rely upon career backups or role players such as Gabe Vincent and Caleb Martin to take on major scoring roles.
We probably knew Miami needed to do more at the trade deadline. This series has only confirmed it.
Milwaukee Bucks: This Might Be the Deepest Team in the NBA
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After going down 0-1 to the Miami Heat at home and without all-world forward Giannis Antetokounmpo for Game 2, things could have gotten dark very quickly for the Bucks.
Instead, Milwaukee exploded for 138 points against a good defensive Heat team, going deep into their bench to out-talent Miami.
Bobby Portis stepped into the starting lineup for Antetokounmpo, putting together a big game with 13 points, 15 rebounds, five assists, two blocks and a steal in his 28 minutes.
In all, seven players for the Bucks cashed in 13 points or more even without arguably the best player in the world, while also tying the NBA record with 25 made threes.
There's playoff veterans all throughout the roster, with guys like Goran Dragic and Jae Crowder proving to be more luxury more than needed options.
Able to go 10 deep (or more) while at full strength, this Bucks team looks like the deepest team in the NBA.
Minnesota Timberwolves: When 'Going All-in' Goes Wrong
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Teams usually get one chance to go all-in with a splashy trade, sacrificing future draft capital and/or young talent for win-now help that can elevate the franchise into title contention.
The Minnesota Timberwolves decided the time to do so was following a first-round playoff exit at the hands of the Grizzlies a year ago, giving up four first-round picks, a pick swap and a package of players that included Walker Kessler to the Utah Jazz for Rudy Gobert.
This seemed like a ridiculous price to pay at the time, and into their first postseason "run" together, it looks even worse.
Minnesota is down 0-2 to the Nuggets, a deficit that encompasses a 29-point loss in Game 1. While their effort was more admirable in the second half of Game 2, it's clear the Wolves are heading toward another first-round exit.
When the Timberwolves inevitably lose to the Nuggets, they'll have few options with which to improve this offseason, with no first-round pick eligible to be traded until 2031. Mike Conley will be 36 in the fall and Gobert (31 in June) is already starting to decline.
While some all-in moves work out (see Jrue Holiday with the Bucks), this obviously isn't going to be one of them.
New York Knicks: More Shooting Is Needed
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The New York Knicks got off to a strong start this postseason, winning Game 1 in Cleveland and stealing home-court advantage in the series.
Jalen Brunson is picking up where he left off as primary offensive hub in the playoffs, Julius Randle has returned from an ankle injury and New York's bench has been far better than Cleveland's through two games.
One reason the Knicks aren't up 2-0? Shooting.
New York ranks dead last in three-point accuracy (25.9 percent) and made threes per game (7.5) among all playoff teams in the early going. The combo of Brunson, RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley and Quentin Grimes has been especially bad, going just 5-of-32 overall (15.6 percent).
The Knicks can take control of this series if they can get some outside shots to start falling, as their defensive efforts and rebounding have been solid.
Philadelphia 76ers: Joel Embiid Doesn't Need to Be Dominant (Yet)
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As we wait to hear the results of the 2023 NBA MVP race, Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers have been locked into a physical series with the Brooklyn Nets.
With Tyrese Maxey struggling in Game 1 and James Harden getting ejected from Game 3, one would assume Embiid would be having a monster series given that Philly has a 3-0 lead.
Instead, the likely MVP is averaging 13.1 points per game below his regular-season average, with a modest 20.0 points on 46.2 percent shooting overall and 12.5 percent from three. These numbers probably should have been even lower, as Embiid luckily avoided a flagrant-2 foul and ejection in the opening minutes of Game 3 after swinging his leg up from the ground and kicking Nic Claxton near the groin.
This should be viewed as a positive for the Sixers that Embiid hasn't had to carry the offensive load just yet after he finished second in usage rate in the regular season (37.0 percent).
With an inevitable second-round meeting with the powerhouse Boston Celtics on tap, Embiid's best performances are yet to come.
Phoenix Suns: Devin Booker Might Be the Captain Now
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While Kevin Durant has the fourth-highest scoring average in NBA playoff history, is a two-time champion and Finals MVP and the presumed best player on the Phoenix Suns, Devin Booker may be doing his best version of the "look at me" meme.
Booker outscored Durant 109-80 over their first three playoff games as teammates, including a 45-point performance in a Game 3 win over the Clippers. His overall usage is higher as well (28.7 percent to Durant's 24.5 percent).
Of course, Booker is no stranger to the postseason after helping take the Suns to the Finals in 2021 and putting up 23.3 points per game in 10 total playoff contests a season ago.
To see Booker not give way more to one of the all-time greats in Durant isn't necessarily a good or bad thing, but rather just a bit surprising, especially since Durant was the primary postseason scoring option even as a teammate of Stephen Curry from 2017 to 2019.
Seeing Durant as a No. 2 option on offense is going to take some getting used to if this is indeed the new order of things in the desert.
Sacramento Kings: Talent Trumps Playoff Experience
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Let's be honest: There were those among us who had some doubt about the Sacramento Kings' chances against the Warriors, a potential mismatch at least in terms of playoff experience.
After three games, some apologies need to be made.
The Kings have taken a 2-1 lead against the defending champs while winning both home games. Given that they have the higher seed in the matchup, Sacramento doesn't even need to win away from home. This is huge given that the Warriors were a miserable 11-30 on the road this season with a defense that ranked 28th overall (118.3 rating).
De'Aaron Fox has thrived in his first playoff series (29.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, 7.7 assists, 3.0 steals), while Malik Monk (18.0 points) and Domantas Sabonis (17.0 points, 13.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists) have looked good as co-stars as well.
If the Kings can simply win their home games, they'll put a potential end to the Warriors dynasty and collect a lot of thank you notes from the rest of the league.
