Today's Best NBA Reporting And Analysis 5/1/18

- How Faith Fuels The Rockets' Explosive Offense (from Lee Jenkins, Sports Illustrated):

Read it here:  https://www.si.com/nba/2018/05/01/houston-rockets-nba-playoffs-james-harden-chris-paul-mike-dantoni

- TOR-CLE Preview (from Nylon Calculus):

Read it here:  https://fansided.com/2018/05/01/nylon-calculus-raptors-cavaliers-win-probabilities-style-matchups/

From Mike Zavagno, Fear The Sword: https://www.fearthesword.com/2018/4/30/17300878/2018-nba-playoffs-cavs-raptors-scouting-report

From Blake Murphy/Mike Zavagno, Raptors Republic: https://www.raptorsrepublic.com/2018/04/30/raptors-cavaliers-series-preview-qa-with-the-enemy/

- Anunoby: The Raptors' Hope To Contain LBJ (from Seth Walder, ESPN):

Read it here:  http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/23368049/og-anunoby-toronto-raptors-best-shot-containing-cleveland-cavaliers-lebron-james

From Jonathan Tjarks, The Ringer: https://www.theringer.com/nba/2018/5/1/17305174/lebron-stopper-raptors-og-anunoby-pascal-siakam

- Jrue Holiday's Move Off The Ball Changed Everything (from Wes Goldberg, The Step Back):

Read it here:  https://fansided.com/2018/05/01/jrue-holiday-position-change-playoffs/

- Mirotic Turned NOP's Season Around Post-DMC Injury (from Will Gottlieb, Bleacher Report):

Read and watch it here:  http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2773579-win-or-lose-vs-dubs-nikola-mirotic-turned-pelicans-season-around-post-boogie

- Q & A: Anthony Davis (from David Aldridge, NBA.com):

Read it here:  http://www.nba.com/article/2018/04/30/morning-tip-qa-anthony-davis-new-orleans-pelicans?collection=david-aldr

- BOS 117, PHI 101:

From Gerald Bourguet, Hoops Habit:  https://hoopshabit.com/2018/05/01/boston-celtics-3-takeaways-game-1-vs-76ers/

From Sean Deveney, Sporting News: http://www.sportingnews.com/ca/nba/news/nba-playoffs-2018-celtics-vs-76ers-game-1-aron-baynes-joel-embiid-al-horford/7u2nahwt2tcj18qup08ko96e9

From Paul Flannery, SB Nation: https://www.sbnation.com/nba/2018/5/1/17306070/celtics-sixers-nba-playoffs-game-1-boston-philadelphia-al-horford-ben-simmons-joel-embiid

From Danny Chau, The Ringer: https://www.theringer.com/nba/2018/5/1/17306016/ben-simmons-celtics-defense-game-1

From Kyle Neubeck, Philly Voice: http://www.phillyvoice.com/sixers-celtics-game-1-observations-joel-embiid-ben-simmons-jayson-tatum-jj-redick/

From Adam Fromal, Bleacher Report: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2773549-jayson-tatums-historic-playoff-debut-continues-and-other-monday-nba-takeaways

From Gary Washburn, Boston Globe: http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/celtics/2018/04/30/the-celtics-had-right-strategy-game-against-sixers/kIIK2atuPmg1pqU91iMIRP/story.html

- Sixers: Defensive Adjustments To Consider (from Christopher Kline, The Sixer Sense):

Read it here:  https://thesixersense.com/2018/05/01/philadelphia-76ers-3-potential-adjustments-boston-celtics-game-2/

- How And Why Position-Less Lineups Have Taken Over (from Ian McMahan, The Guardian):

Read it here:  https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2018/may/01/how-and-why-position-less-lineups-have-taken-over-the-nba-playoffs

- Next Steps For Each 1st-Round Loser (from Dan Favale, Bleacher Report):

Read it here;  https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2773484-nba-playoffs-next-steps-for-each-1st-round-loser

- OKC's Fraught Future (from Matt Moore, The Action Network):

Read it here:  https://www.actionnetwork.com/nba/article/oklahoma-city-thunders-fraught-future

From Fred Katz, Norman Transcript:  http://www.normantranscript.com/oklahoma/thunder-s-carmelo-anthony-situation-not-getting-any-easier/article_f3ec308e-4cc0-11e8-ac5b-e3cfa358158d.html

From Zach Lowe, ESPN: http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/23364202/zach-lowe-russell-westbrook-oklahoma-city-thunder-nba

- Polyglot NBA Swears By One Thing: That Call Was #@!&  (from Scott Cacciola, NY Times):

Read it here:  https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/30/sports/nba-referees-swearing.html

- Jesse Buss: Giving Lakers Draft Edge (from Eric Pincus, Bleacher Report):

Read it here:  http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2773040-la-isnt-the-process-west-but-jesse-buss-giving-lakers-necessary-draft-edge

- Pat Riley's End-Of-The-Season State-Of-The-Heat Address (from Tom D'Angelo, Palm Beach Post):

Read it here: http://heatzone.blog.palmbeachpost.com/2018/04/30/heat-president-pat-riley-on-improving-team-wade-whiteside-retiring-hes-not-and-much-more/

- Life In The G-League  (from Alex Kennedy, Hoops Hype):

Read it here:  https://hoopshype.com/2018/04/30/life-in-the-g-league-where-everyone-is-fighting-for-an-nba-gig/

- Q & A: Don Nelson (from Alex Williams, NY Times):

Read it here:  https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/30/style/don-nelson-nba-weed.html