Welcome to an NBA playoff edition of Hater Report: A breakdown of some of the players, teams and trends in the postseason that are drawing the ire of yours truly. If you're not a fellow pessimist, proceed with caution.
The NBA playoffs are in full swing, and while we've gotten some exhilarating games, there have also been some aspects worth shining a light on and calling out. It's to be expected; not every team or player delivers must-watch performances every night. But man, we have had some stinkers in the first round.
Between the Toronto Raptors and Cleveland Cavaliers doing their best impression of a youth kids basketball game where no one scores, to an embarrassing effort from the Houston Rockets against a Los Angeles Lakers team without two of their best players. These trends and topics deserve the full hater treatment, so without further ado, here's a playoff edition of Hater Report.
The NBA championship contention formula has become about two things in equal parts: be a good team and get lucky with injuries, whether that's with your own team staying healthy or your opponent(s) not. It sucks, but this is the reality. The season is too long for the way the game is played today. It's too fast and too spaced out, with too many great athletes applying too much force to their bodies to cover all that ground without getting hurt.
That said, it's hard to see the league shortening the season. Money rules everything. Fewer games mean fewer dollars, and when push comes to shove, the players aren't going to want to take a pay cut, either. So we play 82 games and players sit out a bunch of them along the way, and then multiple series will still be impacted as much by who's off the court as who's actually able to stay on it.
Just look down the list: Kevin Durant has missed three of the four games against the Lakers, and he's already been ruled out for Game 5 on Wednesday. Austin Reaves may go for the Lakers, but so far, neither he nor Luka Doncic has played a minute in these playoffs. Assuming the Lakers finish off the Rockets, they'll most likely be without Dončić against the Oklahoma City Thunder. So that series is basically over before it starts. Unless, of course, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander gets hurt on the other side. Sadly, it's all too possible.
The Minnesota Timberwolves were looking good up 3-1 (now 3-2) on the Denver Nuggets, but now Donte DiVincenzo has a torn Achilles and Anthony Edwards is likely out for the rest of the series, and perhaps beyond if they get past Denver, after hyperextending his knee. Meanwhile, Denver is without Aaron Gordon (calf). Gordon missed Game 3, tried to go in Game 4 but was largely ineffective, and missed Game 5. Peyton Watson hasn't played a minute. Those are two major cogs in the Nuggets' wheel.
The Philadelphia 76ers were without Joel Embiid for the first three games of their series vs. the Boston Celtics. Victor Wembanyama missed a game with a concussion, but he's back and the San Antonio Spurs have advanced to the second round.
Dating back to the season, the Golden State Warriors were on everyone's list of at least fringe contenders until Jimmy Butler tore his ACL and Stephen Curry proceeded to miss two-plus months with a knee issue. The Indiana Pacers were one win from the championship last season and then Tyrese Haliburton blew his Achilles in Game 7 of the Finals -- which altered the Eastern Conference playoff picture, as did the Celtics' Jayson Tatum returning earlier than expected from his own torn Achilles.
One way or another, injuries are at the center of the postseason conversation. Again. For all the teams who are still alive, all they can do is cross their fingers that one of their main guys isn't the next up to go down. -- Brad Botkin
Here we go with the Harden playoff narrative writing itself again. He has 24 turnovers in this series against the Raptors. Over the last two games, he has more turnovers than made baskets (15 to 11). This is a theme. Not a one-off.
Can’t believe I got Community Noted on a Harden tweet! To be fair & correct the record entirely, here’s the full accurate info:James Harden playoff games with…5 or less FGs: 774 or less FGs: 553 or less FGs: 352 or less FGs: 22As many/more turnovers than FGs: 44
Donovan Mitchell hasn't played well in the last two games, either -- a credit to the Raptors pressure defense. But in the end, the Cavs traded a 26-year-old Darius Garland for a 36-year-old Harden because they know their time to win is right now. Harden needs to play better. If he pulls another late-series disappearing act as he did with the Sixers and Clippers, and like we saw even in his prime years with Houston, the Cavs are in big trouble. -- Brad Botkin
White is 7 for 33 from 3 in this first-round series vs. the Sixers. That's 21.2%. He has made only 29.8% of his shots overall for 8.2 points per game. A lot of these aren't even close.
every 3-point attempt by Derrick White in the playoffs, so far. pic.twitter.com/cmfHUghafA
Removing their Game 1 blowout, the Celtics have lost White's minutes by 17 points over the last four games. White had an extremely poor shooting season, finishing with 39/32 splits and by far the worst true-shooting percentage of his career. He's still made a number of big plays (including a huge offensive rebound that led to Tatum's dagger 3 in Game 3), and despite his shooting woes, the Celtics were still a much better team with him on the court this season than when he was off.
But this goes beyond this series with Philadelphia, which Boston leads 3-2 heading into Game 6. Even if the Celtics move on, they will need more from White to keep winning and potentially compete for the championship. He's not just a shooter. He's usually a great secondary creator, too, and the Celtics need him to get his confidence back to start attacking those opportunities against shifting defenses. -- Brad Botkin
The Detroit Pistons' offense is disproportionately dependent on Cade Cunningham creating everything, but Duren is an All-Star and potential All-NBA player who averaged just under 20 points per game this season and is supposed to be a second source of reliable offense.
In this first-round series vs. the Orlando Magic, check out the production decline:
Left is Jalen Duren this season. Right is Jalen Duren this postseason. 19.5 PPG 9.8 PPG10.5 RPG 8.3 RPG65.0 FG% 46.9 FG% pic.twitter.com/U5QCGFyUFI