No one saw this coming. The Pelicans, behind another masterful two-way performance from Jrue Holiday, have taken a 2-0 lead on the Blazers on the road. The Pels will now go home to New Orleans, where they can clinch the series with two wins.
Anthony Davis had a solid night -- nothing on the level of his Game 1 masterpiece, but 22 and 13 all the same. Rajon Rondo and Nikola Mirotic were effective and made huge threes down the stretch. But the real story was Holiday, who poured in 33 points on efficient shooting, added nine assists with just one turnover and, most importantly, led a New Orleans defense that completely flummoxed likely All-NBA guard Damian Lillard.
Portland runs a hellacious number of high screens, and New Orleans is trapping Lillard with two bodies on every pick. This is reminiscent of a defense some teams employed against the Warriors prior to Kevin Durant’s arrival. The Blazers just haven’t been able to solve it. It’s even worse when Holiday guards Lillard: ESPN Stats & Info says that in the series Lillard is 0-8 with two turnovers when Jrue’s on Dame. But E’Twaun Moore has been getting much of the defensive assignment, too. It’s noticeable when the Pels are forced to have Ian Clark guard Lillard -- that’s when Dame opens up a little and starts picking up steam.
No one on the Blazers, meanwhile, has been able to guard Holiday. At all. He found paths to the rim throughout the game, often using crossovers and a quick first step. While the Blazers did limit The Brow’s attempts by flashing lots of long arms at him -- Mo Harkless was quite good on Tuesday -- Holiday made them pay all night.
Portland was hardly a unanimous pick going into the series, but the Pelicans sweeping the Blazers at home in the first two games is easily the biggest shocker of the NBA playoffs so far. But you know what could top it? If the Pacers do the same thing to the Cavaliers on Wednesday.
Tuesday’s Scores
Raptors 130, Wizards 119
Toronto leads series 2-0
Recaps: Raptors HQ | Bullets Forever
Celtics 120, Bucks 106
Boston leads series 2-0
Recaps: CelticsBlog | Brew Hoop
Pelicans 111, Blazers 102
New Orleans leads series 2-0
Recaps: The Bird Writes | Blazers Edge
Wednesday’s Schedule
Pacers at Cavaliers, 7 p.m. ET, TNT
Indiana leads 1-0
Jazz at Thunder, 8 p.m. ET, NBA TV
Oklahoma City leads 1-0
Timberwolves at Rockets, 9:30 p.m. ET, TNT
Houston leads 1-0
Links on Links on Links
These are not the Playoff Raptors you’re used to. The Toronto offense exploded, despite the Wizards’ gameplan focusing on trying to make the Raptors revert to their old way.
The Celtics just keep doing their jobs. Jaylen Brown is incredible. What Boston has accomplished without Kyrie Irving and Marcus Smart is truly impressive. Meanwhile, Eric Bledsoe claims to not know “who the f---” Terry Rozier is. Dude, he’s the guy who put you on skates and nailed a go-ahead three at the end of regulation of Game 1.
Play of the Night: this heroic Celtics fan doesn’t spill a drop of cerveza despite being bumped by Jayson Tatum while returning to his courtside seat.
No matter what LaMarcus Aldridge does, writes Zito Madu, the Spurs have no chance. That’s part of what’s fueling the renewed anger at Kawhi Leonard. Meanwhile ... could Kawhi and LeBron really team up somewhere this summer?
What if Shaq had missed all 11,252 of his free throws?
Tyler Tynes has a completely reasonable, measured reaction to Goran Dragic taking a superfluous garbage time lay-up HA HA HA just kidding he mad.
The Game 2 loss shows how much the Sixers need Joel Embiid.
NBA G League players will now make as much as NBA 2K League players ($35,000). That’s nice. Of course, the upside of the G League -- the reason guys stick in the G League instead of taking bigger contracts in Europe or Asia, usually -- is that you’re far more likely to get called up to the NBA from the G League. A 10-day NBA contract is worth the same as a full season of G League work. Two 10-day contract is double. A half-season contract in the NBA, even at the league minimum for a rookie, is damn near a lottery hit.
Oh my gosh there is so much happening here with Kelly Oubre.
Lee Jenkins siren! Here he is on the Lakers’ summer to come. Can’t wait. The story includes an anecdote I absolutely need to know more about: Rob Pelinka, in his autopilot Tesla commuting to the Lakers facilities, watching Synergy clips of Lonzo Ball in college.
I appreciate the ol’ Retired Player Has A Hot Take About Current Storylines content machine as much as anyone but please spare me from Scottie Pippen unironically decreeing anyone for abandoning their teammates in a time of their greatest need.
Separating women on TV from their bodies. Why some men feel the need to declare loudly when they are attracted or not attracted to any women they say is mystifying.
And finally: SBNation.com put together a thorough, heavily reported package on sports in the age of cannabis. Check it out. It includes Louis Bien on how athletes are bringing marijuana into the mainstream, your boy Paul Flannery on how weed is fueling one of the best runners in America, Alex Kirshner on why it’s so easy for athletes to beat marijuana tests, Harry Lyles on the best cannabis products for athletes, and Zito Madu on how people of color still suffer even as the stigma of cannabis use shifts. There’s a bunch more, too. No matter how you feel about legalization and recreational use, this is going to be a story that could really alter sports in the coming years.
Be excellent to each other.
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