Today's Best NBA Reporting And Analysis 4/16/18

- Playoff Implications Of The Full-Strength Standings (from Ben Taylor, Nylon Calculus):

Read it here:  https://fansided.com/2018/04/16/nylon-calculus-playoff-implications-full-strength-standings/

- Playoffs: Day One Observations (from Zach Harper, FRSHoops):

Read it here: https://frshoopz.com/hoops/2018-nba-playoffs-day-1-answered-many-questions/

- Wizards Learn They Can't Just Focus On Raptors' Star Guards (from Candace Buckner, Washington Post):

Read it here:  http://www.fredericksburg.com/sports/dc_sports/nba-playoffs-wizards-learn-they-can-t-focus-on-raptors/article_30800d43-de95-558e-89ba-7364e6c6fa19.html

- Led By Holiday, Defense Was Foundation Of Pels' Game One Win (from Jim Eichenhofer, pelicans.com):

Read it here:  http://www.nba.com/pelicans/news/led-jrue-holiday-defense-was-foundation-pelicans-game-1-road-win

- POR-NOP: Defending The Rim Out Of Pick & Roll (from Ben Falk, Cleaning The Glass):

Read it here:  https://cleaningtheglass.com/battle-at-the-basket/

- Playoffs: Day Two Observations (from Zach Harper, FRSHoopz):

Read it here:  https://frshoopz.com/hoops/2018-nba-playoffs-day-2-cavs-get-waxed-at-home/

- BOS 113, MIL 107 (from Gary Washburn, Boston Globe):

Read it here: http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/celtics/2018/04/15/celtics-executed-their-game-plan-great-success/LesWB30sh1mc2O8airuxbI/story.html

- Al Horford Does It All In Game One Victory (from Joshua Bateman, Hardwood Houdini):

Read it here:  https://hardwoodhoudini.com/2018/04/15/boston-celtics-al-horford-does-it-all-in-game-1-victory/

- Celtics Survive Insane Late-Game Sequence (from Ben Golliver, Sports Illustrated):

Read and watch it here: https://www.si.com/nba/2018/04/15/celtics-bucks-buzzer-beater-terry-rozier-khris-middleton

From Chris Forsberg, ESPN:  http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/23188264/an-oral-history-most-frantic-11-seconds-celtics-bucks-game-1-nba

- Why Fultz Remained Positive Amidst Chaos (from Zack Rosenblatt, NJ.com):

Read it here:  http://www.nj.com/sixers/index.ssf/2018/04/sixers_markelle_fultz_nba_playoffs_2018.html

- How Important Is Fultz To A Deep Playoff Run? (from Mike Schmitz, ESPN):

Read and watch it here:  http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/23190624/how-much-markelle-fultz-help-philadelphia-76ers-make-deep-nba-playoff-run

- Ben Simmons Is Making His Opponents Look Like A Bunch Of Rookies (from Zito Madu, SB Nation):

Read and watch it here:  https://www.sbnation.com/2018/4/15/17239406/ben-simmons-highlights-nba-playoffs-2018-76ers-heat

- HOU 104, MIN 101 (from Tim McMahon, ESPN):

Read it here:  http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/23192973/james-harden-clint-capela-power-houston-rockets-game-1-win

And here: http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/23193657/tom-thibodeau-says-minnesota-timberwolves-need-more-karl-anthony-towns-eight-points-game-1-loss

From William Bohl, A Wolf Among Wolves:  http://www.awolfamongwolves.com/2018/04/game-1-rockets-104-timberwolves-101-the-ghost-of-martell-webster/

From Jerry Zgoda, Star Tribune: http://m.startribune.com/james-harden-comes-through-in-the-clutch-for-houston-in-game-1-win-over-wolves/479830943/

And http://m.startribune.com/rockets-plot-to-take-away-wolves-karl-anthony-towns-three-point-attempts/479831413/

- D'Antoni's Innovation Leads The Rockets (from Dane Carbaugh, NBC Sports):

Read and watch it here: http://nba.nbcsports.com/2018/04/15/why-mike-dantoni-is-the-reason-the-west-should-be-afraid-of-the-rockets/

- Clint Capela: The Sky's The Limit (from Brian T. Smith, Houston Chronicle):

Read it here: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/texas-sports-nation/brian-t-smith/article/Smith-Clint-Capela-keeps-growing-with-Rockets-12836665.php

- OKC 116, UTA 108 (from Brad Botkin, CBS Sports):

Read it here:  https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/nba-playoffs-for-okc-when-paul-george-taps-into-playoff-p-mode-the-sky-is-the-limit/

- IND 98, CLE 80 (from James Herbert, CBS Sports):

Read it here: https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/lebron-james-cavs-start-nba-playoffs-with-a-whimper-and-it-wasnt-even-all-about-defense/

From Gregg Doyel, Indy Star:  https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/2018/04/15/blue-collar-pacers-good-enough-take-down-lebron-james-cavaliers/519423002/

From Chris Fedor, cleveland.com:  http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf/2018/04/tyronn_lues_decision_to_start.html

- Draft Sleepers From The Portsmouth Invitational (from Jeremy Woo, Sports Illustrated):

Read it here:  https://www.si.com/nba/2018/04/16/nba-draft-sleepers-portsmouth-invitational-college-seniors

- Why Ime Udoka Should Be An NBA Head Coach (from Francis Okupa, ESPN):

Read it here:  http://kwese.espn.com/espn/story/_/id/23196925/the-case-ime-udoka-nba-head-coach

- How Quin Snyder & His Staff Evolved Into A Playoff Ready Team of Their Own (from Aaron Falk, Salt Lake Tribune):

Read it here:  https://www.sltrib.com/sports/jazz/2018/04/14/from-green-to-great-how-jazz-coach-quin-snyder-and-his-staff-evolved-into-a-playoff-ready-team-of-their-own/

- Quin Snyder: From Breaking It To Making It In The NBA (from Kent Babb, Washington Post):

Read it here:  http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/basketball/ct-spt-quin-snyder-utah-jazz-coach-playoffs-20180416-story.html

- What Can Be Drawn From Nets' Late String Of Wins? (from Zack Collura, Nothin But Nets):

Read and watch it here:  https://nothinbutnets.com/2018/04/15/can-drawn-brooklyn-nets-late-string-wins/

- Grading The Cavs After 2017-18 (from Adam Fromal, NBA Math):

Read it here:  https://nbamath.com/crystalbasketball-ranking-the-cleveland-cavaliers-after-2017-18/

- Grading The Mavs After 2017-18 (from Adam Fromal, NBA Math):

Read it here:  https://nbamath.com/crystalbasketball-ranking-the-dallas-mavericks-after-2017-18/

Today's BI is dedicated to the memory of Hal Greer:  https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/16/obituaries/hal-greer-hall-of-fame-jump-shooter-for-76ers-is-dead-at-81.html