On the second night of the 2022 Play-In
Brackets in the Eastern and Western Conferences on ESPN, presented by Meta
Quest, we will have tilts were two teams will see their seasons come to conclusion,
while the respective winners will be one step away from punching their ticket
to the 2022 NBA Playoffs. The first game will feature the boys from the
“Uptown” trying to get one step closer to ending the longest playoff drought in
the East at an opponent who last season fell two wins shy of reaching the NBA
Finals. In the nightcap from “The Big Easy” will feature the boys from the
Alamo City trying to earn their first playoff appearance after a two-year
absence while their opponent is trying to continue their solid play after a
horrific start to this season. Here is the 2022 NBA Play-In Tournament No. 10
versus No. 9 Seeds.
(10) Charlotte Hornets versus (9) Atlanta
Hawks 7 p.m. ESPN
(43-39) (43-39)
Season series finished tied 2-2
Tonight’s win-or-go-home tilt between
features two squads that have showed they can score with the best in “The
Association.” They are spearheaded by two of the top notched young floor
generals in the league. These are also two teams that can also be scored upon
because of their lack of attention to details more often than not at the
defensive end. The difference between the two squads is the visitors are trying
to reach the playoffs for the first time in a handful of seasons. While the
home team looking to avoid missing the playoffs after finishing as the
runner-up in the 2021 Eastern Conference Finals.
For the Charlotte Hornets, this is a
feeling of deja-vu because they were in the inaugural Play-In Tournament a
season ago and had a miserable evening as their season came to a crushing
conclusion getting blown at the Indiana Pacers 144-117.
The ironic thing is the 144 points they
allowed is the exact number they surrendered in consecutive road blowout
defeats down the stretch of this season when they lost 144-114 at the now No. 4
Seeded Philadelphia 76ers (51-31) on Apr. 2 and in a 29-point defeat (144-115)
at the Top Seeded Miami Heat (53-29) on Apr. 5.
Following those two uncompetitive losses
to the top two teams in the East, the Hornets won their final three games of
the regular season, going 6-4 their last 10 games, an d11-
The other similarity from last season for the Hornets is that they will not have veteran swingman Gordon Hayward (15.9 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 3.6 apg) who is out indefinitely as the team announced because of left foot discomfort. The 12-year veteran had returned from a lengthy absence in the aforementioned loss at the 76ers but his injured foot acted up again and he will be re-evaluated in a couple of weeks.
Last season, the Hornets were 25-23 on
Apr. 2 when Hayward sprained his right foot. They went 8-16 to close out the
2020-21 regular season, which included a five-game losing streak to close out
the regular season.
The Hornets on the season were 26-23 with
Hayward in the lineup and just 17-16 without Hayward.
“You go through highs and lows and you
figure it out,” Hornets head coach James Borrego said. “That’s what we did this
season. Eighty-two-game season, there were highs and lows and we got better
throughout the season.”
What is different about the Hornets as
they enter the Play-In Tournament this spring is they have a balanced offensive
attack led by top candidate for Kia Most Improved Player in Miles Bridges (20.2
ppg, 7.0 rpg, 3.8 apg, 49.1 FG%); reigning Kia Rookie of the Year LaMelo Ball
(20.1 ppg, 7.6 apg, 6.7 rpg, 1.6 spg, 38.9 3-Pt.%), whose averaged over 21
points, eight assists and six rebounds since the start of 2022; and guard Terry
Rozier (19.3 ppg, 4.5 apg, 4.3 rpg, 44.4 FG%, 37.4 3-Pt.%).
The Hornets also have a solid supporting
cast behind their dynamic trio of Ball, Bridges, and Rozier in the likes of
Kelly Oubre, Jr. (15.0 ppg), who really had a major bounce back year after
struggling with Warriors in 2020-21 and P.J. Washington (10.3 ppg, 5.2 rpg,
47.0 FG%, 36.5 3-Pt.%).
Because of the great play in the regular
season amongst trio, only the Minnesota Timberwolves (115.9), Memphis Grizzlies
(115.6), and Milwaukee Bucks (115.5) Hornets were fourth in scoring per game at
115. Only the Timberwolves (14.8), Utah Jazz (14.5), Golden State Warriors
(14.3), and Bucks (14.1) made more threes on average Hornets were No. 5 in made
threes per game, while also finishing No. 6 in three-point percentage at 36.5
percent. The Hornets also led the NBA in assists per game at 28.1 just two
ticks ahead of the Spurs (27.9).
The loss of Hayward makes the moves to
sign veteran guard Isaiah Thomas (8.3 ppg, 39.7 3-Pt.% in 17 games w/Hornets)
and the acquisition of Montrezl Harrell (13.1 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 62.5 FG%) at the
Feb. 10 trade deadline from the Washington Wizards.
In terms of on the court production both
Thomas and Harrell, who averaged 11.4 points and 4.9 boards on 64.5 percent
shooting in 25 games off the bench for
the Hornets have played very well. Thomas have proven to a solid understudy to
Ball, while Harrell has given the Hornets another big man to do the dirty work
in the paint with and sometimes in place of Mason Plumlee (6.5 ppg, 7.7 rpg,
64.1 FG%). More than that, both Thomas and Harrell a veteran presence, which
the Hornets did not have a season ago. That presence has helped them win games
that in the past they lost. Thomas and Harrell have played in meaningful
playoff games and have come out on the winning side a plethora times with the
Los Angeles Clippers for Harrell and the Boston Celtics for Thomas respectably.
That grit they brought has for sure made
the Hornets a better road team this season going 21-20 on the road compared to
just a 15-21 mark the previous season.
One of those 21 wins victories away from
Spectrum Center was a 130-127 win at the Hawks on Dec. 5, 2021, without the
services of Ball, Rozier, and Plumlee did not play (healthy and safety
protocols).
“The cast got better and we got better,”
Coach Borrego said about his team entering the Play-In. “Now we got a shot to
keep moving forward. Our season is not over. We’ve just put ourselves in
position to continue our season, have a meaningful game on the road and I’m
excited for our group.”
There was an elevated level of excitement
for the Atlanta Hawks in 2020-21 where they went on a majestic run to the 2021
Eastern Conference Finals where they lost to the eventual NBA champion Bucks in
six games.
That run in the 2021 Playoffs raised the
expectations this season that because of injuries and inconsistent play,
especially at the defensive end by head coach Nate McMillan’s squad led to a
season that had its share of highs and low points.
The Hawks began 2020-21 14-20 before a
27-11 mark to finish the season, which included a 17-4 mark at home. After a
4-9 mark to begin the 2021-22 season, the Hawks went 8-1 their next nine games,
but went 5-15 their next 20 games putting them at 17-25 and on the outside of a
Play-In spot.
They managed to pull themselves together
and went 26-14 to close the season, which included a 19-3 mark their final 22
homes games since Jan. 17 after rough stretch which included 10 straight home
losses to finish 3rd best home mark in NBA at 27-14.
Spearheading the Hawks is two-time
All-Star floor general Trae Young (28.4 ppg-4th NBA, 9.7 apg-3rd
NBA, 46.0 FG%, 38.2 3-Pt.%), who averaged career-highs across the board. He
also led the NBA in total points (2,155) and total assists (901), joining Hall
of Famer Nate “Tiny” Archibald (1972-73) as the only two players to do that for
a season in NBA history.
Young is the orchestrator of a Hawks
offensive attack that finished this past regular-season No. 6 in scoring
(113.6); No. 7 in field goal percentage (47.0) and No. 2 in three-point
percentage (37.4%).
While Young’s usage rate is one of the
highest in the NBA at 33.3 percent, he is one of the best decision makers with
the ball. He has a high level of discipline in knowing when to look for his own
offensive, especially when is taking long three-point shots or when to makes
plays for other whether making precision passes to them when they are open or
when he is attacking the rim off the dribble or in the pick-and-roll with big
man Clint Capela (11.1 ppg, 11.9 rpg, 61.3 FG%), where he is either tossing him
a soft lob pass for a thunderous dunk or shooting a tear drop in those
situations.
“I feel like it’s too easy for him,”
Bogdanovic said of Young’s offensive abilities. “The shots he makes, the way he
makes them. I’m proud of him.”
In the four regular season meetings
against the Hornets, Young was subpar by his own standards averaging 20.8
points on 37.7 percent from the field and 36.8 percent from three-point range
but did average 10.8 assists and 1.5 steals.
In the Hawks 116-106 loss at the Hornets
on Mar. 16, Young did have 15 assists but managed just nine points on 3/12
shooting, including 0/6 from three-point range. In the 130-127 loss on Dec. 5,
2021 versus the Hornets, Young had 25 points and 15 assists, but was just 9/22
from the field, hitting 4/10 on his triple tries.
Young has been at the top of his game to
close out the regular-season averaging 29.4 points, and 11.2 assists on 48.7 percent from the
floor and 37.0 percent on this three-point attempts.
“What I can say is we compete on him and
we follow the gameplan,” Coach Borrego said on how to effectively defend Young.
“We’ve got to be aggressive. We got to keep him off balance. We’ve got to mix
up coverages. We’ve got to mix up matchups on him. We’ve got to make him work
on the other end. It’s going to take all of that.”
“Can’t allow him to just sit in the corner
and hide defensively. We’ve got to make him work. And then offensively He’s a
heck of a player. One of the best players in this league. We’ve just got to
make his life tough and keep him guessing. Keep him off balanced and follow the
gameplan.”
One key player the Hawks will not have for
the start of their quest to return to the playoffs is John Collins (16.2 ppg,
7.8 rpg, 52.6 FG%, 36.4 3-Pt.%), who is out indefinitely with a plantar fascia
tear in his right foot and a right finger sprain. There is likelihood they will
also not have veteran reserve Lou Williams, who missed the last three games of
the regular-season because of lower back discomfort.
The Hawks not only will not have their
second leading scorer but they lost another lob threat at the basket as well
another floor spacer with his ability to make shots from three-point range.
That puts more of a burden on Young to
score as well as the supporting cast of Bogdanovic (15.1 ppg, 36.8 3-Pt.%);
De’Andre Hunter (13.4 ppg, 47.9 3-Pt.%), Kevin Huerter (12.1 ppg, 45.4 FG%,
38.9 3-Pt.%), Danilo Gallinari (11.7 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 38.1 3-Pt.%), and Onyeka
Okongwu (8.2 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 69.0 FG%).
Even with perhaps the best player in this
matchup in Young and the fact that they have played well on their home floor to
close out the regular-season, Coach McMillan said that it does not “guarantee
anything” in this win-or-go-home tilt on the horizon against the Hornets.
The Hawks are playing this
single-elimination tilt at home versus the Hornets because they had a better
divisional record going 9-7 against Southeast Division opponents compared to
the 8-8 mark in the division by the Hornets.
In what is expected to be a high scoring
affair, the team that can get defensive stops consistently in the fourth
quarter will come out on top and earn a trip to the Cleveland, OH to face the
Cavaliers in a battle for the No. 8 and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
(10) San Antonio Spurs versus (9) New
Orleans Pelicans 9:30 p.m. ESPN
(34-48) (36-46)
Season series won by Spurs 3-1
At the start of this season the squad from
“The Alamo City” and the squad from “The Big Easy” were not expected to be in
position to compete for a spot in the 2022 Playoff Field in the Western
Conference. Both teams stayed afloat as the season progressed and kicked things
into gear when it mattered most and now faceoff against one another where both
are trying to get back to the playoffs after respective two and three-year
absences.
After reaching the postseason 22
consecutive seasons (1998-2020), winning five NBA titles along the way, the San
Antonio Spurs have missed the playoffs the last two seasons. They came close to
punching their postseason ticket last season but lost at the Memphis Grizzlies
in the same No. 9 versus No. 10 tilt.
The Spurs were neck-and-neck with the
Pelicans to be hosting this Play-In tilt at home. But a three-game losing
streak to close the regular-season after going 8-2 their previous 10 games is
why the Pelicans are hosting this win-or-go-home contest. It also helped that
while the Spurs were never over .500 this entire season, the Los Angeles Lakers
1-7 finish their final eight games of the season put the Spurs the lifeline
they needed.
Even with that, head coach Gregg
Popovich’s squad will enter this contest ready to go not just because that is
how the Spurs have managed things under his watch, but they won their two
visits to New Orleans 107-103 Mar. 26 and 124-114 on Feb. 12.
The Spurs are positioned to make it back
to the playoffs because of the great seasons turned in by their young core of
players.
Leading this core is first-time All-Star
Dejounte Murray (21.1 ppg, 9.2 apg-4th NBA, 8.3 rpg, 2.0 spg, 46.2
FG%),who registered career-highs across the board, which included career-highs
of 39 double-doubles, including 13 triple-doubles, which set a new
single-season franchise record for the Spurs. Murray’s 17 career-triple-doubles
are the most in Spurs history, surpassing the 14 by Hall of Famer and two-time
NBA champion with Spurs David Robinson.
In the four games against the Pelicans this season, Murray is averaging close to a triple-double of 18.3 points, 10.0 assists and 9.8 rebounds, but has done that on just 40.3 percent from the field.
The Spurs entered this season for the
first time in the Coach Popovich era of without an All-Star on the roster. They
also entered without a clearcut 1-2 offensive punch unlike years past when they
had the likes of Robinson and fellow Hall of Famer Tim Duncan, future Hall of
Famer Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker.
The Spurs might have their future 1-2
punch in Murray and third-year forward Keldon Johnson (17.0 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 46.6
FG%, 39.8 3-Pt.%), who really came on to close the regular-season averaging
21.8 points the last 10 games and giving the Spurs another consistent offensive
option.
“I can’t wait,” Johnson said about playing
the Pelicans after the Spurs 130-120 loss in their season-finale Sunday at the
Mavericks. “I feel like it’s time for us to prove some stuff. I feel like
everybody’s got that mindset, and we all know we can do it as long as we do it
together.”
In a very quiet way, the Spurs have always
had an anchor on both ends in the paint from the previously mentioned Robinson
and Duncan to the likes of Fabrico Oberto, and Radoslav Neterovic. They have another
in Jakob Poeltl (13.5 ppg, 9.3 rpg, 1.7 bpg, 61.8 FG%), who also had a breakout
regular-season, where he registered more double-doubles (28) in 2021-22 than
his first four seasons total (24).
Two other players that emerged for the
Spurs are second-year swingman Devin Vassell (12.3 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 36.1 3-Pt.%)
and Lonnie Walker IV (12.1 ppg), who averaged 15.3 ppg and rose his shooting to
44.3 percent from the floor and 36.7 3-Pt.% post All-Star break.
Walker IV though has been plagued with a
sore back since the Spurs 124-91 blowout loss versus the Pelicans back on Mar.
18. While he sat out the Spurs regular-season finale at the Mavericks, a 130-120
loss on Sunday, he plans on being ready to go at the Pelicans on Wednesday
night.
“At this point, I don’t think I will fully
recover for the rest of the season,” Walker IV said. “It’s just something I’m
going to have to deal with and be durable about it.”
“I’ve been through worse. There’s nothing
that’s going to stop me from playing how I’m supposed to play. It’s all about
getting to Wednesday and being ready as soon as that ball tips off.”
The Spurs will be tipping off at the
Pelicans who had as rough of a start to a season as one can possible have.
It began in the 2021 offseason when
All-Star Zion Williamson injured his foot, which required surgery and it
required another procedure and continued rehabilitation, which is why he has
yet to play this season.
The Pelicans under first-year head coach
Willie Green started 2021-22 1-12 and were 3-16 after their first 19 games.
They finished the season going 33-30 their final 63 games.
“It’s extremely valuable for all of us,
four a young group, myself as a young coach,” Coach Green said. “We stayed
together and stayed connected. The guys have earned the right to have an
extended season.”
The Pelicans resilience is in large part
to the play of offseason acquisition Jonas Valanciunas (17.8 ppg, 11.4 rpg-7th
NBA, 54.4 FG%), who provided an interior presence all season long both as a
scorer in the paint and on the offensive glass, registering a career-high 50
double-doubles.
All-Star Brandon Ingram (22.7 ppg, 5.8
rpg, 5.6 apg, 46.1 FG%) continued his level of consistency both as a scorer and
playmaker.
The Pelicans will need Ingram at his best
if they have any hopes of inching another step closer to their first postseason
berth since 2018, where they lost in the West Semis to eventual NBA champion
Golden State Warriors.
Ingram has missed 27 games in total during
the regular-season including the final three games due to hamstring tightness.
But he practiced fully on Tuesday and expects to play versus the Spurs. The
Pelicans went 29-26 with Ingram in the lineup and 7-20 without Ingram.
“The word we used all year is resilient,”
Ingram said about the team’s turnaround from a 1-12 start. “Those first 12
games don’t tell who we are now. We’ve made strides. We got better. We knew the
goal in mind. We didn’t know if we were going to be able to reach it but we’re
getting close and closer and guys are hungry.”
Another player who played a role in the
Pelicans turnaround is veteran CJ McCollum (22.1 ppg, 5.1 apg, 46.0 FG%, 38.8
3-Pt.%), who was acquired from the Portland Trail Blazers on Feb. 8.
Along with adding his ability to score
from all angles on the floor, McCollum, who averaged 24.3 points, 5.8 assists,
and 4.5 rebounds on 49.3 percent shooting, and 39.4 percent from three-point
range with Pelicans brought a steadiness, leadership and a veteran presence
that made them better instantly upon his arrival.
The Pelicans were 22-32 before the arrival
of McCollum. They went 14-14 since his arrival.
“It shows how they stuck together, how
they continued to fight through adversity, how much growth the team has had,”
McCollum said after practice on Tuesday. “I’m happy I could help get us into
this position where we have a chance to get some postseason experience.”
Just like the Spurs, the Pelicans have their own core of young players that have made their mark on their squad’s turnaround from the start of the season.
That group of youngsters includes rookie
Herbert Jones (9.5 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 1.7 spg, 47.6 FG%), who proven in the infancy
of his career that he is one of the rising defenders in the league. Jaxson
Hayes (9.3 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 61.6 FG%, 35.1 3-Pt.%) has formed himself into a
modern-day big man who can catch lobs at the rim; plays with a high motor on
both ends and can run all day like a deer. Trey Murphy III who shown that when
he gets time as a rookie, he can score and has a sweet shooting stroke. Then
there’s Jose Alvarado went from an unknown on a two-way contract to where he is
the backup point guard on a standard NBA deal. He really shined in the month of
March averaging 8.7 points and 4.1 assists on 46.9 percent shooting.
“It was extremely important for our young
guys to continue to develop, especially going through a tough stretch at the
early part of the season,” Coach Green said to NBATV’s Chris Miles pregame on
Wednesday. “It’s a credit—just a number of people that just stayed committed to
working. Getting in the gym and just getting better, and now we’re starting to
see guys really improve down the stretch here.”
The Pelicans also have a veteran big man
in Willie Hernangomez (9.1 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 52.0 FG%), who when called upon to start
or play big minutes off the bench has delivered with nine double-doubles on the
season, the second most for a single-season in his career after tying his
career-high with 11 double-doubles in 2020-21.
One player that could make the difference
in whether the Pelicans win on Wednesday night is Devonte Graham (11.9 ppg),
who was acquired this past summer from the Charlotte Hornets. He has struggled
all season with his shot shooting just 36.3 percent from the field and just
34.1 percent from three-point range.
In a game the likes of McCollum, Ingram,
and Valanciunas are going to get the required attention of the Spurs defense,
they will need the likes of Graham to strike a match from the perimeter
especially. One good game from him can wash away all the doubters he has built
during his first season with the Pelicans or add to them.
In the Pelicans lone win against the Spurs
in their gym Mar. 18, they were dominant leading 35-10 after the first quarter
and led by as many as 40 points. They went 14/34 from three-point range in
leading wire-to-wire. Outrebounded the Spurs 58-40, including 13-8 on the
offensive glass. Outscored the Spurs 50-32 in the paint; 26-15 in second chance
points; and 15-8 in fastbreak points. They also forced 16 Spurs turnovers,
which included 13 steals that led to 22 points for the Pelicans.
McCollum led the way with 20 points. Naji
Marshall chipped in with 18 points and seven rebounds. Valanciunas had 16
points and 12 boards. Hayes also had 16 points with eight rebounds and three
block shots. Jones had 13 points and seven rebounds. Hernangomez had 11 points
and nine rebounds off the bench. Graham had nine points going 3/6 from
three-point range.
Coach Green also said to Miles that trying
to contain Murray is “going to be a challenge,” but they are embracing the opportunity.
“He’s [Murray] is dynamic in pick-and-rolls.
He’s always looking to find his teammates. He can score in the mid-range, which
makes it difficult,” Coach Green added about Murray’s offensive skill set. “And
then he’s a really good defender. He’s in the passing lanes. He’s getting
steals. He’s causing disruptions. We have to do a really good job on him.”
Going from a team that has missed the
playoffs for a while to becoming a postseason perennial is not easy. It is an
opportunity that is not promised to you every year. For the San Antonio Spurs
and New Orleans Pelicans, their win-or-go-home clash on Wednesday night is an
opportunity for one of them to move one step closer to getting back to playing
postseason hoops for the first time in close to a handful of years.
Information, statistics, and quotations
are courtesy of 5/18/2022 6:30 p.m. “(10) Charlotte Hornets vs (9) Indiana
Pacers” Eastern Conference Play-In Tournament, presented by State Farm TNT with
Spero Dedes and Greg Anthony; 4/13/2022 www.nba.com
story, “Play-In Tournament: Wednesday’s Matchups: ESPN,” by Shaun Powell;
4/13/2022 Game Previews www.nba.com; 4/13/2022
6 p.m. NBATV’s “Playoff Central,” With Chris Miles, Grant Hill, and Shaun
Powell; www.statmuse.com; https://www.nba.com/game/nop-vs/sas-0022101054;
https://www.espn.com/nba/player/splits/gamelog_/id/4277905/trae-young;
and https://www.espn.com/nba/player/stats/_/id/2991055/montrezl-harrell.
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