J-Speaks: 2022 NBA Play-Tournament No. 8 Versus No. 7 Previews

With the regular-season portion of the National Basketball Association’s diamond season (No. 75) in the rearview mirror, the epic part of the NBA’s season is about to commence beginning with the NBA Play-In Tournament, presented by Meta Quest, beginning with the No. 8 versus No. 7 tilts in both the Eastern and Western Conference that features one team that entered this season with the expectation of winning their first title in franchise history versus a squad that entered the 2021-22 season with no expectations. The other tilt features a team that was on the doorstep of the 2021 NBA Finals a season ago going against another squad that is trying to reach the postseason for just the third time since 2004.

(8) Cleveland Cavaliers versus (7) Brooklyn Nets 7 p.m. TNT
                   (44-38)                                   (44-38)

Season-series won by the Nets 3-1.

The two squads that comprise the opener of the 2022 Play-In Tournament in the Eastern Conference no one envisioned at the start of this season, which makes this an even more compelling matchup in the opening of a double-dip that begins at 7 p.m. on NBA on TNT.

The Cleveland Cavaliers finished just 22-50 a season ago, missing the Playoffs for a third consecutive season. They doubled their win total from a season ago, compiling their most victories without four-time Kia MVP LeBron James on the roster since the 1997-98 season.

The Cavaliers stellar season is because of strong play from their young core of first-time All-Stars Darius Garland (21.7 ppg, 8.6 apg, 46.2 FG%, 38.3 3-Pt.%) Jarrett Allen (16.1 ppg, 10.8 rpg, 67.7 FG%); Caris LeVert (13.6 ppg, 3.9 apg), who was acquired from the Indiana Pacers back on February 8; and top candidate for Kia Rookie of the Year Evan Mobley (15.0 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 1.7 bpg, 50.8 FG%) and top candidate for Kia Coach of the Year in head coach J.B. Bickerstaff.

The Cavaliers put together this stellar season despite the fact that they had a plethora of injuries to key members of their personnel, which resulted having 27 different players suit up for a game for them during the regular-season, a franchise record.

After going 35-21 the first 56 games of this season, the Cavaliers finished the 2021-22 regular season 9-17, which included a 3-7 mark the final 10 games of the season.

Among the key personnel out for the Cavaliers to close the regular-season was Allen, who missed the final 18 games due to a broken middle finger in the team’s 104-96 win versus the No. 5 Seeded Toronto Raptors (48-34) on Mar. 6 on ESPN. The Cavaliers went just 7-11 without their starting center. They also did not have Mobley for five-game stretch from Mar. 30-Apr. 5 with a sprained left ankle suffered in the 107-101 win versus the Orlando Magic (22-60) Mar. 28. Mobley returned for the final two games of the regular-season and averaged 14.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.5 block shots on 50 percent from the field.

The Cavaliers before their struggles the final 21 games of the regular season were on the doorstep of being No. 6 Seed, the final guaranteed playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The final nail in their coffin was the 118-107 setback at the Nets last Friday night where they were outscored 35-19 in the fourth quarter after leading by seven points (88-83) after three quarters.

They managed to right the ship with a 133-115 win versus the No. 3 Seeded Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday afternoon led by veteran big man and Kia Sixth Man of the Year candidate Kevin Love (13.6 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 39.2 3-Pt.%), who scored 32 points with 10 rebounds on 8/11 from three-point range in just 15 minutes.

“I like our chances when it comes down to a dog fight,” Love said about his squad’s chances of winning at the Nets on Tuesday evening. “That’s what it’s going to be come Tuesday night.”

Two big keys for the Cavaliers if they want to end their playoff drought at three straight seasons is they need to be the defensive juggernaut they were for much of the season, which will depend on Allen’s availability. 

The Nets in the four meetings outscored the Cavaliers by a +4.8 (112.8-108.0) and outshot the Cavaliers 47 percent to 44 percent from the floor. 

He had a very intense workout before Sunday’s tilt versus the Bucks and he is no longer wearing a splint on his left middle finger.

If Allen cannot play, it will be up to Lauri Markkanen (14.8 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 44.5 FG%, 35.8 3-Pt.%), Mobley, and Love to hold it down in the paint for the Cavaliers and for the likes of Isaac Okoro, and Cedi Osman to make things happen on the perimeter along with Garland, who averaged 25.3 points and eight assists in the four meetings. He had 31 points on 12/24 shooting, including 3/6 from three-point range in the Apr. 8 loss.

In the Cavaliers lone win against the Nets (114-107) in Cleveland on Jan. 17, they outscored the visitors 27-19 in the fourth quarter; out-rebounded the Nets 40-35 and scored 19 points off the Nets’ 14 turnovers. Garland in the victory had 22 points, 12 assists, six rebounds and two steals on 10/19 shooting. Okoro registered 15 points. Allen had 14 points and 10 rebounds against his former team, while added 14 points off the bench and Markkanen also 14 points and six rebounds going 4/9 from three-point range. Mobley had 12 points and six rebounds.

Most Points Per Game Versus The Nets 2021-22 Regulars Season (Minimum of Four Games)
Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL) 34.0
Jayson Tatum (BOS) 29.5
Joel Embiid (PHI) 28.0
Darius Garland (CLE): 25.3

Coach Bickerstaff said he wants his young team to appreciate this moment of competing in a contest where if they happened to pull off this upset against the Nets.

“These opportunities, and this is what I want our guys to understand, they’re not promised, they’re not guaranteed” Bickerstaff said in his postgame presser after the win versus the Bucks. “We have guys on this team that it took them six or seven years to get to the playoffs. Me, personally, it was my ninth season [as a coach] before I had an opportunity to compete in a playoff, so this is noting that just because you are around the league, it’s guaranteed. I want them to get a taste of it [the Playoffs] and have a desire to get back.”

Coach Bickerstaff added about the Nets, “We understand who they are and how they defend us. I feel we are in a good place and what it takes for us to win.”

The Brooklyn Nets behind that victory over the Cavaliers at the end of last week put them in position to have a shot at making the playoffs in a season that had them entering as one of the favorites to be representing the East in 2022 Finals led by their dynamic, highly-skilled offensive duo.

Unfortunately, in a season that has been turbulent one for the Nets, who went from No. 1 in East early this past regular season to just making the Play-In Tournament.

The Nets, who finished the season on a four-game winning streak, where they averaged 120 points per contest began this season behind the eight ball because perennial All-Star floor general Kyrie Irving and former NBA champion Kyrie Irving (27.4 ppg, 5.8 apg, 46.9 FG%, 41.8 3-Pt.%) played in just 29 games on the season because he was not in compliance with New York City, NY’s vaccine mandate. Fellow perennial All-Star, and two-time NBA champion Kevin Durant (29.9 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 6.4 apg, 51.8 FG%, 38.3 3-Pt.%) missed a total of 27 games, including 21 games because of a sprained Medial Collateral Ligament in his left knee suffered in Jan. 15 120-105 win versus the New Orleans Pelicans (36-46).

The Nets on the season went just 14-15 with Irving (30-23 without Irving) and 36-19 with Durant (8-19 without Durant) in the lineup on the season.

It was not until Jan. 5 when the Nets brought Irving back into the fold as a part-time player where he played in only road games because he was unvaccinated. It was not until the start of the final week when New York, NY Mayor Eric Adams (D) changed the vaccine mandate for private sector workers, which included all New York Sports squads that Irving became a full-time player again.  

If that was not enough for head coach Steve Nash, General Manager Sean Marks, and the Nets to deal with, 2018 Kia MVP with the Houston Rockets James Harden, who forced his way out of H-Town in 2020-21 was dealt after 44 games this season to their Atlantic Division rival the Philadelphia 76ers along with Paul Millsap in exchange for three-time All-Star Ben Simmons; sharp-shooter Seth Curry (15.0 ppg, 48.7 FG%, 42.2 3-Pt.%); All-Star center Andre Drummond (7.9 ppg, 9.3 rpg, 57.0 FG%), who averaged 11.8 ppg, 10.3 rpg, 61.0 FG% in 24 games with Nets; a 2022 and 2027 First-Round picks.

Simmons, who cited mental health issues to why he did not want to play for the 76ers ever again in his career of why he wanted to be dealt, which he was dealt to the Nets. But because of a back issue that he needed an epidural for, he has yet to make his Nets debut and is not expected to return unless the Nets reached the Playoffs and advance. They are also without veteran reserve guard Goran Dragic (7.3 ppg, 4.8 apg in 16 games w/Nets), who joined the Nets in late February after being waived by the San Antonio Spurs, who acquired him at the trade deadline from the Toronto Raptors is expected back from health and safety protocols, according to ESPN.

The Nets will need Dragic along with Curry and Drummond to do their part alongside the rest of the supporting cast in LaMarcus Aldridge (12.9 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 55.0 FG%), Patty Mills (11.4 ppg, 40.0 3-Pt.%), Bruce Brown (9.0 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 50.6 FG%), and Nic Claxton (8.7 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 67.4 FG%).

The Nets are in prime position to make the playoffs with a win on Tuesday night versus the Cavaliers because of their aforementioned victory last Friday night versus the Cavaliers, which earned them the season-series victory 3-1.

In the win, the Nets got 99 of their 117 points from Durant (36 points, five rebounds, five assists, 11/20 FGs, 4.6 3-Pt., 10/10 FTs), Irving (18 points, eight assists), Bruce Brown (18 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists, four blocks), Andre Drummond (15 points and 12 rebounds), and Curry (12 points, hitting two three-pointers) with all five of them, who started scored in double-figures.

They sealed home court in their Play-In tilt versus the Cavaliers with a 134-126 win on Sunday afternoon versus the Indiana Pacers (25-57) led by the 35 points from Irving and by Durant’s fourth triple-double of the season with 20 points, 10 rebounds and a career-high 16 assists, despite a 5/17 shooting performance from the floor, including 0/6 from three-point range.

“We got up to (seventh place),” Coach Nash said after the win versus the Pacers. “We were 10^th a week ago.”

The fate of the Nets making the playoffs rest on the shoulders of Durant and Irving, and both are expected to see their share of double teams against the Cavaliers. It is up to Durant to make the Cavaliers pay for the traps he will see by making the right reads each time, which he averaged in the Nets three wins against the Cavaliers 28.7 points, five rebounds and 5.7 assists per game. Irving, who missed the first two games against his former team early in the season averaged 22.5 points, 8.5 assists, and 6.5 rebounds.

“They’re a really good young team that has a terrific point guard that puts you in difficult positions a lot,” Coach Nash said about the Cavaliers’ Garland. “They’re well coached. Defensively they can be really big and then offensively, you know, Garland is a handful.”

“I think both teams got a look at each other and some familiarity, you know. Recent familiarity with the style of play. What they’re trying to accomplish. There’s many components that go into winning a playoff games and that will be part of it. But part of it is the force and determination of the night.” Coach Nash said

The winner of this contest will clinch the No. 7 Seed in the East and earn a First-Round series tilt against the No. 2 Seeded Celtics (51-31). The loser of this contest will face the winner of the No. 9 versus No. 10 Play-In matchup between the Charlotte Hornets and the Atlanta Hawks.

(8) Los Angeles Clippers versus (7) Minnesota Timberwolves 9:30 p.m. TNT
                   (42-40)                                          (46-36)

Season-series won by the Clippers 3-1.

The No. 8 versus No. 7 Play-In tilt in the West features one team that has managed to overcome not having one half of their dynamic perennial All-Star duo and the other half for much of this season because of an elbow injury. Their opponent is trying to reach the postseason after a three-year absence and for only the third time since reach the Western Conference Finals in 2004.

The Los Angeles Clippers were 19-19 Jan. 3 following a 122-104 loss versus their opponent in tonight’s Play-In game, at the Minnesota Timberwolves. That would be the last time last season’s West runner-up was at .500 until the second straight win against their co-tenants of Crypto.com Arena the Los Angeles Lakers 105-102 (33-49) on Feb. 25 as part of a five-game winning streak from Feb. 17-Mar. 3 got them back to .500 at 31-31. They would get to three games over .500 at 34-31 following a blowout 132-111 win versus the Lakers Mar. 3 on TNT. The Clippers went 2-8 their next 10 games from Mar. 6-25, which included a five-game losing streak from Mar. 14-25 that dropped them to 36-39. The Clippers would finish the season with a 6-1 mark, which included six consecutive wins to finish over .500 for the 11^th straight season, the longest active streak in NBA.

The Clippers have played all of this season without 2019 Finals MVP and perennial All-Star Kawhi Leonard due to a slight ACL tear in his right knee sustained in Game 4 of the 2021 West Semifinals versus the Jazz that required surgery. They were without fellow perennial All-Star Paul George (24.3 ppg 6.9 rpg, 5.7 apg, 2.2 spg, 35.4 3-Pt.%) in 31 games) for 43 straight games from Dec. 22, 2021-Mar. 25, 2022 due to an ulnar collateral ligament tear of his right elbow.

Since his return from injury, George averaged 22.6 points, 5.6 rebounds, 6.7 assists, and 2.8 steals, hitting 52.5 percent of his three-pointers (21/40 3-Pt.). 

Head coach Tyronn Lue, whose squad reached the Western Conference Finals for the first time in their history last postseason, where they fell to the Phoenix Suns in six games have been carried for much of this season by the collective efforts of Reggie Jackson (16.8 ppg, 4.8 apg, 3.6 rpg), Nicolas Batum (8.3 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 46.3 FG%, 40.0 3-Pt.%), Marcus Morris, Sr. (15.4 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 36.7 3-Pt.%), Ivica Zubac (10.3 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 62.6 FG%), Terence Mann (10.8 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 48.4 FG%, 36.5 3-Pt.%), Isaiah Hartenstein (8.3 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 62.6 FG%), Luke Kennard (11.9 ppg, 44.9 FG%, 44.9 3-Pt.%), and Amir Coffey (9.0 ppg, 45.3 FG%, 37.8 3-Pt.%).

They added even more depth to the cause in early February when they acquired from the Portland Trail Blazers forward/guard Norman Powell and forward Robert Covington.

Powell unfortunately played in only three games before sitting out 22 straight game himself because of broken foot. He returned to the lineup and scored 22 points on 6/10 shooting, including hitting three of his four triple tries and 9 out of 10 at the foul line.

In his five games back from injury, Powell has averaged 21.4 points on 50.8 percent from the floor and 54.2 percent on his three-point tries (13/24 3-Pt.).

The Clippers enter this contest at the Timberwolves very confident because they defeated the Timberwolves three out of four times on the season, all be it in a 10-day span in November 2021 by an average of 19.3 points, two of the three wins came at the Timberwolves outscoring the Clippers 115.8 to 105.8 and outshooting them 51 percent to 43 percent. They also have gone 6-1 their last seven meetings over the last two seasons against the Timberwolves outscoring them 118.6 to 105.9 and outshooting them 51 percent to 43 percent from the floor They also have the experience and depth that the Timberwolves do not.

The lone loss the Clippers had against the Timberwolves during the regular-season came on Jan. 3 (122-104), where without George, who averaged 25.3 points per game versus the Timberwolves, Batum (right ankle sprain), Zubac (health and safety protocols), and Isaiah Hartenstein (left ankle sprain).

Coach Lue said that his squad being the most experienced team in this matchup with a young and hungry Timberwolves squad does not really give them an advantage in this situation.

“I don’t believe in that,” Lue said. “With one game, anyone can get hot, we can have a bad shooting night or anything.”

The other thing they also understand is that they are going against one of their former teammates in Patrick Beverly, who they know will try to get under their skin in every legal way possible on the floor in this contest that they cannot allow to distract them from the task at hand.

“I’m not going through Pat,” George said. “We’re going through the T-Wolves. This is not a Paul George versus Pat Beverly match. This is not Pat Bev versus the Clippers matchup. I’m not even going to make that the narrative.”

The last time the Minnesota Timberwolves made the playoffs was back in 2018. It was only the second time they made the playoffs (2005 and 2018) since reaching the Western Conference Finals in 2004, where they fell to the then Hall of Fame duo of Shaquille O’Neal and late Kobe Bryant led Lakers 4-2.

To illustrate the last time the Timberwolves were in one half of the NBA’s so-called final four, this blogger was a senior at Howard University in Washington, D.C.

The Timberwolves seemed destined for another lost season when they were 16-20 after their third straight loss (108-103) at the Lakers on Jan. 2. They won four straight after that to get back to .500 at 20-20 and would finish the regular-season 30-16.

While three-time All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns (24.6 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 3.6 apg, 52.9 FG%, 41.0 3-Pt.%); 2021 overall pick in Anthony Edwards (21.3 ppg, 4.8 rpg 3.8 apg, 1.5 spg, 44.1 FG%, 35.7 3-Pt.%), whose scored 30-plus points nine times during the regular-season and former All-Star D’Angelo Russell (18.1 ppg, 7.1 apg) get most of the spotlight for the Timberwolves, the additions of veterans like the previously mentioned Beverly (9.2 ppg, 4.2 apg, 37.7 3-Pt.%) and Taurean Prince (7.3 ppg, 45.4 FG%, 37.6 3-Pt.%) have provided leadership and a level of physicality on the hardwood that made the Timberwolves a more consistent and determined squad unlike years past.

Beverly’s 59 games of playoff experience, with 31 of those 59 coming with the Clippers will be something head coach Chris Finch will lean on.  

The Timberwolves enter this contest having gone 4-6 their final 10 games of the season, which included a 3-3 mark their final six games of the regular-season. That prevented them from overtaking the eventual No. 6 Seeded Denver Nuggets for the final guaranteed Playoff spot in the West, despite winning the regular-season series against them 3-1. They lost in their season-finale (124-120) versus the Chicago Bulls (46-36), which snapped their six-game home winning streak, which was the longest current streak entering Sunday’s action in “The Association.”

Towns and Russell did not play to rest for this tilt versus Clippers and Edwards played just 18 minutes versus the Bulls scoring eight points.  

“It’s a good first step,” Coach Finch said about his team being one step closer to a playoff berth. “This needs to be the foundation of what we’re trying to build, and regardless of what happens from here, we’ve got a lot of things that we’ve learned.”

For the Timberwolves to take the next step this season and make the playoffs for the first time after a three-year absence, they will need Towns to play well against the Clippers.

In the three games he played against the Clippers back in November 2021, Towns only averaged 15.3 points with nine rebounds on 42.1 percent from the field.

How Towns manages the amount of defensive attention the Clippers will through at him from double-teams to zone defenses to switching their wings onto him to throw off his offensive rhythm will go a long way in whether the Timberwolves can punch their postseason ticket.

“I’m not worried about the Play-In,” Towns said. “We’re going to go in there, play Timberwolves basketball, fight the fight, get the win and find ourselves playing for the real thing.”

He added by saying to Turner Sports’ Allie LaForce, “At the end of the day, the Clippers are a good team in everything. But when we play our best, I don’t think anyone can beat us in the entire league.”

“Regardless of their strengths, I think we can overpower them.”

Towns also added, “I don’t feel as stressed as the last time we were in the postseason. I have so much love and confidence for my teammates. For this coaching staff. It takes all the uncertainty in the world away from it.”

Just as important as it is for the Timberwolves to get contributions from Russell and Edwards on both ends of the hardwood, they will require contributions from the likes Malik Beasley (12.1 ppg, 37.7 3-Pt.%), Naz Reid (8.3 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 49.0 FG%, 34.3 3-Pt.%), Jaden McDaniels (9.2 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 46.0 FG%), and Greg Monroe.

Outside of Towns, Edwards, and Russell, Beasley is the lone reserve for the Timberwolves averaging more than 10 points per game.

In their lone win during the regular-season at the Clippers, the Timberwolves shot 52.7 percent from the floor, including 16/45 from three-point range, while the Clippers made just 11/32 on their three-pointers. They outrebounded the Clippers 40-31, including 11-4 on the offensive glass. Had 34 assists and forced 21 Clippers turnovers that led to 31 points.

Edwards, who averaged 23.5 points against the Clippers during the regular-season led the way with 28 points on 11/17 shooting, including 5/10 from three-point range. McDaniels had 18 points on 4/5 from three-point range off the bench. Prince had 17 points and two steals. Reid had 13 points and six boards. Beverly had a double-double of 11 points and 12 assists and Beasley also had 11 points on 3/8 from three-point range. Towns and Edwards were out recovering from health and safety protocols. George was out for the Clippers because of the previously mentioned injured right elbow.  

The winner of this No. 8 versus No. 7 West Play-In tilt will punch their ticket to the playoffs and face off against the No. 2 Seeded Memphis Grizzlies (56-26).

Information, statistics, and quotations are courtesy of 4/11/2022 www.nba.com story, “Play-Tournament Preview: Tuesday’s Matchups,” By Michael C. Wright; 4/12/2022 ESPN news crawl; 4/12/2022 6 a.m. ESPN’s “Sportscenter” with Max McGee and Zubin Mehenti; 4/12/2022 7 a.m. ESPN’s “Sportscenter A.M.” with Ryan Smith and Kelsey Riggs; 4/12/2022 6:30 p.m. TNT “NBA Tip-Off,” presented by Carmax With Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, Charles Barkely, Shaquille O’Neal, Jared Greenberg, and Allie LaForce; https://www.nba.com/game/bkn-vs-cle=0022100657;  https://www.espn.com/nba/game/cle-vsbkn-0052100101; https://www.nba.com/game/lac-vs-min-0052100121; https://www.espn.com/nba/standings; https://www.espn.com/nba/tream/stats/_/name/min; https://www.espn.com/nba/team/stats/_/name/bkn; https://www.espn.com/nba/team/stats/_/name/lac/la-clippers; https://www.espn.com/nba/team/stats/_/name/cle; https://www.espn.com/nba/recap/boxscore?gameid=401360380;  https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameid/401361024; https://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameid=401361037 and https://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameid=401360380.