Today's Best NBA Reporting And Analysis 4/18/19

- Counters And Confusion: Tactical Skirmishes In The Playoffs So Far (from Ben Falk, Cleaning The Glass):

Read and watch it here: https://cleaningtheglass.com/counters-and-confusion/

Playoff Series Updates

-BOS-IND:

From Mark Monteith, pacers.com: https://www.nba.com/pacers/news/pacers-find-painful-path-defeat

From Zach Buckley, Bleacher Report: https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2831881-kyrie-remains-bostons-star-but-21-year-old-jayson-tatum-controls-celtics-fate

From Colin Ward-Heninger, CBS Sports: https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/2019-nba-playoffs-kyrie-irving-dazzles-jayson-tatum-closes-as-celtics-take-2-0-series-lead-against-pacers/

From Tom Westerholm, Mass Live: https://www.masslive.com/celtics/2019/04/kyrie-irving-boston-celtics-squeak-out-a-tough-game-2-10-things-we-learned.html

From Gary Washburn, Boston Globe: https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/celtics/2019/04/17/celtics-put-all-together-fourth-quarter-game/xRdmXqKh07fMrdbPlTtdvK/story.html

From John Karalis, Mass Live: https://www.masslive.com/celtics/2019/04/boston-celtics-playoffs-2019-cs-survive-myles-turners-stifling-defense-barely.html

- MIL-DET:

From Steve Aschburner, NBA.com: https://www.nba.com/article/2019/04/18/bucks-game-2-grit-gives-them-edge

- POR-OKC:

From Jeff Siegel, Blazer's Edge: https://www.blazersedge.com/2019/4/18/18484566/video-breakdown-portland-trail-blazers-oklahoma-city-thunder-nba-playoffs-pick-and-roll-defense

From Jared Dubin, The Step Back: https://fansided.com/2019/04/18/series-reset-thunder-trail-blazers-insights/

From Kristian Winfield, SB Nation: https://www.sbnation.com/2019/4/17/18411958/damian-lillard-highlights-better-russell-westbrook-thunder-vs-blazers

From Sean Highkin, Bleacher Report: https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2831472-paul-george-says-his-shoulder-is-fine-but-the-numbers-disagree

From Nekias Duncan, Dime Mag: https://uproxx.com/dimemag/damian-lillard-portland-trail-blazers-stats-analysis/

- PHI-BKN:

From Tom West, Liberty Ballers: https://www.libertyballers.com/2019/4/17/18395620/philadelphia-76ers-sixers-brett-brown-right-move-point-jimmy-butler-nba-playoffs-brooklyn-nets

From John Gonzalez, The Ringer: https://www.theringer.com/nba/2019/4/18/18412641/joel-embiid-knee-sixers-brett-brown-future-nba-playoffs

From Dave McMenamin, SPN: http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/26547979/sixers-brown-pick-spots-show-passion

From Christopher Kline, The Sixer Sense: https://thesixersense.com/2019/04/17/philadelphia-76ers-need-embrace-physicality-size-road/

From John Schuhmann, NBA.com: https://www.nba.com/article/2019/04/18/sixers-nets-different-issues-address-series

- Nets Rebuild Is Ahead Of Schedule (from Ian Begley, ESPN):

Read it here:  http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/26542700/brooklyn-nets-slow-steady-rebuild-running-ahead-schedule

From Mike Vorkunov, The Athletic: https://theathletic.com/931954/2019/04/18/the-nets-long-arduous-road-back-from-a-job-someone-wouldnt-touch-it-with-a-10-foot-pole-to-the-nba-playoffs/

- GSW-LAC:

From Duby Dub Dubs, Golden State Of Mind: https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/2019/4/17/18412454/nba-2019-warriors-clippers-game-3-preview-can-golden-state-stop-clippers-attack-that-stole-game-2

From Kristian Winfield, SB Nation: https://www.sbnation.com/2019/4/18/18484788/kevin-durant-interview-question-patrick-beverley-warriors-clippers-nba-playoffs-game-2

From Broderick Turner, LA Times: https://www.latimes.com/sports/clippers/la-sp-clippers-report-20190417-story.html

From Mark Medina, Mercury News: https://www.mercurynews.com/2019/04/18/kevin-durant-draymond-green-take-ownership-of-their-turnover-issues/

From Monte Poole: https://www.nbcsports.com/bayarea/warriors/kevin-durant-steve-kerr-odds-over-how-much-warriors-star-should-shoot

From David Thorpe, True Hoop: https://www.truehoop.com/p/the-warriors-wont-collapse-again

 From Ethan Strauss, The Athletic: https://theathletic.com/930878/2019/04/17/the-kevin-rules-on-durant-vs-clippers-strategy/

 

 

- Jerry West Interview (from Sam Amick, The Athletic):

Read it here: https://theathletic.com/931660/2019/04/18/the-logo-unleashed-jerry-west-talks-magic-clippers-warriors-and-his-future/

- SGA Is The Clips' Best-Kept Secret (from Reid Belew, Hashtag Basketball):

Read it here:  https://hashtagbasketball.com/los-angeles-clippers/content/shai-gilgeous-alexander-clippers-best-kept-secret

- HOU-UTA:

From Andy Larsen, Salt Lake Tribune: https://www.sltrib.com/sports/2019/04/18/triple-team-jazz-were/

- The Rockets May Be Even Better Than They Were Last Season (from Matt Ellentuck, SB Nation):

Read it here:  https://www.sbnation.com/nba/2019/4/18/18475511/houston-rockets-highlights-stats-jazz-warriors-uh-oh

From Tim McMahon, ESPN: http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/26550151/depth-defense-super-beard-houston-scary-good-right-now

- TOR-ORL:

From Mike Cali, Orlando Pin Striped Post: https://www.orlandopinstripedpost.com/2019/4/17/18437314/orlando-magic-toronto-raptors-2019-nba-playoffs-nikola-vucevic-marc-gasol

From Ben Golliver, Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2019/04/18/raptors-boom-or-bust-nba-title-pursuit-hinges-one-big-bet/

From Sean Woodley, Raptors HQ: https://www.raptorshq.com/2019/4/18/18412375/2019-nba-playoffs-toronto-raptors-orlando-magic-game-2-kawhi-marc-gasol

- DEN-SAS:

From Ohm Youngmisuk, ESPN: http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/26549179/nuggets-stick-struggling-barton-lineup

From Nekias Duncan, The Basketball Writers: https://bballwriters.com/profiles/give-gary-harris-the-credit/

From Eric Spyropolous, Nuggets.com: https://www.nba.com/nuggets/news/game-preview-denver-nuggets-san-antonio-game-3

- Inside The Team Dinners That Have Built The Spurs' Dynasty (from Baxter Holmes, ESPN):

Read it here: http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/26524600/secret-team-dinners-built-spurs-dynasty

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- CHI: Which Version Of Kris Dunn Will We See Next Season? (from Sam Smith, bulls.com):

Read it here: https://www.nba.com/bulls/features/which-version-kris-dunn-will-we-see-next-year

- MIA: Another Off-Season Of "What About Whiteside?"  (from Ira Winderman, SunSentinel):

Read it here: https://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-heat/fl-sp-miami-heat-main-s20190418-story.html

- NOP: New GM Griffin Remains Undaunted (from Jeff Duncan, NOLA.com ):

Read it here: https://www.nola.com/pelicans/2019/04/david-griffin-working-the-art-of-the-anthony-davis-deal-on-day-1-of-new-pelicans-era.html

From Andrew Lopez, NOLA.com: https://www.nola.com/pelicans/2019/04/5-takeaways-from-david-griffins-introductory-press-conference.html

From Scott Kushner, The Advocate: https://www.theadvocate.com/new_orleans/sports/pelicans/article_0971a3a4-6191-11e9-ae4f-33974686fe23.html