The second round of the 2023 NBA playoffs is here, and it’s brought some exciting matchups and storylines. The Miami Heat and New York Knicks are battling it out in the East, reigniting a storied rivalry. Meanwhile, LeBron James is facing off against Stephen Curry, but this time in the West as the Los Angeles Lakers play the Golden State Warriors. The Phoenix Suns are also hoping to come back from a 2-0 deficit against the top-seeded Denver Nuggets.
But with the great battles come great adversity, as several teams have been hit with the injury bug at the most crucial part of the season. Jimmy Butler tweaked his ankle in Game 1 against the Knicks, Joel Embiid has not played since Game 3 of the first round, and Chris Paul strained his groin in Game 1 against the Nuggets.
NBA experts have analyzed the biggest matchups and storylines in the second round. Dave McMenamin believes that Jimmy Butler’s 56-point performance for the Heat in Game 4 is one of the greatest opening rounds in NBA history. Ramona Shelburne agrees, stating that Butler had one of the all-time great series against the Bucks and completely changed the dynamics of these playoffs. Tim Bontemps also thinks that Butler’s performance was iconic and no one else in this postseason can touch it. Jamal Collier credits Butler for dragging the Heat to one of the biggest playoff upsets in NBA history.
The experts also weighed in on the impact of injuries. Bontemps believes that watching Paul walk off the court with yet another postseason injury felt like a death knell for Phoenix’s chances of winning the title. McMenamin thinks that Embiid’s performance will be key to the 76ers’ success. Shelburne believes that if Butler isn’t right for more than a few games, the Heat will have a hard time scoring against a good Knicks defense. Collier thinks that if Boston’s Jayson Tatum doesn’t take advantage of their clear path to the championship, it would be a huge step back for the Celtics after reaching the NBA Finals last season.
Despite injuries, the NBA playoffs are still full of excitement and intrigue. Lopez describes the matchups as “refreshing,” and every possible combination of matchups brings drama and intrigue. At this point, it would just be nice to avoid further injuries.
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