Today's Best NBA Reporting And Analysis 5/9/19

Playoff Series Updates:

- The Truth About Playoff Lineups (from Dean Oliver, The Basketball Writers):

Read it here:  https://bballwriters.com/analytics/the-truth-about-nba-playoff-lineups/

- MIL-BOS:

From Brian Robb, Boston Sports Journal: https://www.bostonsportsjournal.com/2019/05/09/robb-kyrie-irving-delivers-embarrassing-effort-ends-close-celtics-season/

From Matt Velazquez, jsonline.com: https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/nba/bucks/2019/05/09/bucks-series-win-over-celtics-came-one-good-habit-time/113344500

From Vincent Goodwill, Yahoo Sports: https://sports.yahoo.com/celtics-mess-of-a-season-rooted-in-kyrie-irving-and-the-franchises-obsession-with-the-future-063908327.html

From Chris Forsberg, NBC Sports: https://www.nbcsports.com/boston/celtics/stevens-takes-blame-celtics-failures-blame-runs-deep

From Ben Steele, jsonline.com: https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/nba/bucks/2019/05/08/lopez-ilyasova-find-ways-contribute-bucks/1133540001/

From Tim Bontemps, ESPN: http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/26702069/kyrie-irving-failed-leadership-tells-story-celtics-failed-season

- GSW-HOU:

From Jonathan Feigen, Houston Chronicle: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/texas-sports-nation/rockets/article/3-Pointers-Takeaways-from-Rockets-Game-5-loss-13831229.php

From Anthony Slater, The Athletic: https://theathletic.com/969332/2019/05/09/five-observations-from-the-warriors-wild-104-99-game-5-win-over-the-rockets/

From Rob Mahoney, Sports Illustrated: https://www.si.com/nba/2019/05/09/kevin-durant-injury-steph-curry-klay-thompsom-warriors-rockets-game-5-playoffs

From Shaun Powell, nba.com: https://www.nba.com/article/2019/05/08/john-lucas-houston-rockets-qa

From Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News: https://www.mercurynews.com/2019/05/09/golden-state-warriors-kevin-durant-injury-video-stephen-curry-klay-thompson-draymond-green/

- DEN-POR:

From Kevin Van Valkenburg, ESPN:

http://www.espn.co.uk/nba/story/_/id/26701662/what-happens-shot-heard-round-world-damian-lillard-knows-well

From TomZiller, SBNation: https://www.sbnation.com/2019/5/8/18536683/paul-millsap-highlights-denver-nuggets-nba-playoffs-2019

From Nekias Duncan, The Basketball Writers: https://bballwriters.com/profiles/paul-millsap-is-quietly-killing-the-blazers/

- TOR-PHI:

From Gavin Axelrod, Raptors Rapture: https://raptorsrapture.com/2019/05/09/toronto-raptors-serge-ibaka-key/ From Ben Cohen, Wall Street Journal: https://www.wsj.com/articles/kawhi-leonard-toronto-raptors-rest-plan-11557321327 From Thomas Valentine, Raptors Rapture: https://raptorsrapture.com/2019/05/09/toronto-raptors-supporting-cast/ From Ben Scott, Raptors HQ: https://www.raptorshq.com/2019/5/8/18536343/toronto-raptors-temperature-2019-nba-playoffs-kyle-lowry-serge-ibaka-nick-nurse From Jonathan Tjarks, The Ringer: https://www.theringer.com/2019/5/9/18537564/play-ben-simmons-at-center-philadelphia-76ers-joel-embiid

From John Schuhmann, NBA.com: https://www.nba.com/article/2019/05/09/sixers-embiid-face-critical-test-game-6

From Tom Haberstroh, NBC Sports: https://www.nbcsports.com/philadelphia/nba-insider-tom-haberstroh/jordan-bland-kawhi-leonards-mj-play-carrying-raptors

From Chris Herring, ESPN: http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/26655483/why-world-does-joel-embiid-fall-much

From Jeff Siegel, The Basketball Writers: https://bballwriters.com/analysis/only-joel-embiid-can-save-the-sixers-now/

---

- DET: The Only Winning Draft Strategy: Take The Best Player (from Keith Langlois, pistons.com):

Read it here: https://www.nba.com/pistons/features/only-winning-draft-strategy-throw-your-depth-chart-out-window

- LAL:  LBJ Can't Ignore Lakers' Dysfunction Anymore (from Ken Berger, Bleacher Report):

Read it here:  https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2835375-lebron-james-cant-ignore-lakers-dysfunction-anymore-after-ty-lue-fiasco

From Bill Plaschke, LA Times: https://www.latimes.com/sports/lakers/la-sp-lakers-tyronn-lue-rob-pelinka-20190508-story.html