At this point, every team in the NBA Playoffs has played at least two games. For some teams, they are thrilled to be up 2-0 in their series, as they are just two wins away from advancing to the conference semifinals. Those on the opposite side of this spectrum are not so pleased, as going down 0-2 in a first-round series can be a death sentence for many organizations from a sheer confidence standpoint. Then there are a few series that find themselves at 1-1, with a range of possibilities still presenting themselves. Whatever the case may be, every team finds themselves somewhere on the NBA Playoffs panic meter, especially the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat.
The Celtics entered the playoffs as the top team in the NBA with a 64-18 record. All season, Boston has been the best two-way team in basketball, and they have shown very few flaws. However, the ones many thought were immortal have once again shown cracks in their foundation during the NBA Playoffs.
After losing 111-101 on their home floor, where they lost just four games all season, the Celtics now find themselves even with the Heat in their first-round series. To make matters worse, the Heat are, and will be, without Jimmy Butler due to an MCL injury.
Should Celtics fans be worried about the Heat given the extensive history these two teams have shared through the years?
Over in the Western Conference, three of the four first-round series have seen the higher-seeded team take a 2-0 series lead on their home floor. In the case of the Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Clippers, they are all tied up at one game apiece, something many expected coming into this series.
The Oklahoma City Thunder, Denver Nuggets, and Minnesota Timberwolves continue to handle business as usual, leading to a level of concern for the New Orleans Pelicans, the Los Angeles Lakers, and the Phoenix Suns. Will any of these series become interesting over the next few days?
The NBA Playoffs panic meter is back with a reduced scale of 0-5. Zero obviously means the team has nothing to worry about, and five means that it is time to sound all of the alarms because a team's season is rapidly coming to an end. Kicking things off is the series between the Celtics and Heat, one that may be a lot closer than many imagined.
Miami Heat vs. Boston Celtics – Series tied 1-1
Why should we have expected anything differently in this season's playoff series between the Heat and Celtics? Every year, these two teams come together in either April or May in what has become one of the league's most intense rivalries that always has something on the line. Even without Butler, the Heat have stood tall and have shown a lot more fight in this series than Boston has.
The Celtics led by as many as 34 points in Game 1, leading many to call the series prematurely and say it was a wrap. Although the Heat still lost this game by 20 points, they pulled within 14 points at one moment in the fourth quarter, leading Joe Mazzulla to put and keep his starters in the game. This was a win for Miami and Erik Spoelstra because if they had shot better than 32.4 percent from distance, they would've had a chance to stage the most improbable comeback in NBA playoff history.
In Game 2, the Heat flipped the script on the Celtics in terms of three-point shooting. Miami went 23-of-43 from beyond the arc, outscoring Boston by 33 points from three-point land. The Heat's 10-point victory on the road now gives them home-court advantage heading back to Miami, where the Celtics always seem to struggle in the postseason.
Over the last 20 playoff games these two teams have played, both the Heat and Celtics have come away with 10 wins, according to Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press. The average score in these 20 games is 107-106 in favor of the Celtics.
Anything can happen when the Heat and Celtics take the floor against one another, which is why this series is far from over. If you are a Celtics fan, you definitely have a little bit of sweat at the top of your head right now.
HEAT'S PANIC METER: 2 → What do they have to lose at this point?
CELTICS' PANIC METER: 3 → History tends to repeat itself.
Philadelphia 76ers vs. New York Knicks – NYK leads 2-0
New York City is going crazy for the New York Knicks right now. Jalen Brunson has created a new energy surrounding this franchise, one that hasn't seen any sort of success in ages. After reaching the Eastern Conference Semifinals last season, the Knicks are now just two wins away from getting back to this spot and effectively knocking the Philadelphia 76ers out of the playoffs. Other than maybe beating Trae Young, nothing will bring a bigger smile to the faces inside Madison Square Garden than sending Embiid and the Sixers home early.
The Knicks took care of business in their first two games, regardless of whether they had a little bit of help from the officials at the end of Game 2. The fact of the matter is that Philadelphia has had plenty of chances to take down New York. In Game 1, the 76ers led heading into the fourth quarter. In Game 2, the 76ers led by double-digits in the first half.
Ultimately, the Knicks have simply wanted these first two games more, which is why they have rattled off back-to-back victories on their home floor. Now, this is where things get interesting, because it is time for Embiid and the Philly faithful to have their say. With things shifting to Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, we should expect Nick Nurse's squad to come out with fire and energy from the very opening tip of Game 3 on Thursday night.
Although the 76ers are capable of winning this series, they have dug themselves into a hole. Unfortunately, history tends to repeat itself, and the 76ers have never once overcome a 0-2 deficit in a playoff series. The bad news is that Brunson has yet to truly get going for the Knicks. Right now, it is hard to believe that the Sixers have what it takes to beat their counterparts from the Big Apple.
SIXERS' PANIC METER: 5 → If they don't win Game 3, this series is a wrap.
KNICKS' PANIC METER: 1 → The Knicks haven't played their best in the postseason yet.
Indiana Pacers vs. Milwaukee Bucks – Series tied 1-1
What is going on with Giannis Antetokounmpo? At this point, there has to be a level of concern surrounding the Milwaukee Bucks and their star player simply because, without him, this organization can't win a championship. Damian Lillard is great, but Giannis is a top-five player in the world. To make matters worse, the Bucks have really struggled against the Indiana Pacers this season.
After the Pacers bounced back to steal Game 2 on the road, defeating the Bucks by 17 points on their own court, Indiana has pushed their record against Milwaukee to 5-2 this season. The Bucks' defense has not been what it usually is due to Jrue Holiday's departure, and as a result, the Pacers have exposed them every which way.
This Game 2 loss for the Bucks is definitely a reason to panic because their offense was unchanged from the first game played. Lillard is their only source of immediate scoring, and the Pacers are going to start putting him in situations where he won't always be able to dictate the pace of play for the Bucks' offense.
Momentum in this series has shifted in favor of Indiana, and now Khris Middleton could be sidelined with an ankle injury. Lillard left the Portland Trail Blazers to contend for a championship on a team with other All-Stars. Once again, he finds himself alone, attempting to carry a team full of role players out of the first round.
PACERS' PANIC METER: 2 → Game 2 gave this group a lot of confidence.
BUCKS' PANIC METER: 4 → Who will step up next to Lillard?
Orlando Magic vs. Cleveland Cavaliers – CLE leads 2-0
The Orlando Magic are a very inexperienced team when it comes to the NBA Playoffs. That has been shown through their first two games against the Cleveland Cavaliers, an experienced group that is looking to prove that last season's first-round loss to the Knicks was a fluke.
Although they have been great on defense throughout the season, the Magic have had their fair share of struggles on offense. Cleveland, who is also a great defensive team, has unraveled Orlando's offense, forcing a total of 29 turnovers through two games. With the Magic not shooting well and converting their scoring opportunities to begin with, this has been their Achilles heel.
A loss on Thursday on their home floor would essentially be game, set, and match for the Magic. If they want any hope of keeping their playoff dreams alive, they have to find a way to stop Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen in the paint, as these two have equated for 65 points and 56 rebounds through two games.
MAGIC'S PANIC METER: 5 → Turnovers for an inexperienced team is a recipe for disaster.
CAVS' PANIC METER: 1 → This team matches up perfectly with Orlando.
New Orleans Pelicans vs. Oklahoma City Thunder – OKC leads 2-0
The Oklahoma City Thunder are rolling right now. After a slight scare in Game 1 against the Pelicans, the Thunder trounced their opponents by 32 points in Game 2 on Wednesday night. The Pelicans now have their backs up against the wall, especially since Zion Williamson is not returning from his hamstring injury any time soon.
At this point, it is looking like Oklahoma City is going to be bringing out the brooms on the Pelicans.
What makes the Thunder such a special team is how together they are. Despite being one of the youngest teams in the league, the Thunder are extremely humble and unselfish. As a result, they have created a winning culture that will see them at the top of the NBA standings for many years to come. Many are doubting them due to their inexperience, but the Thunder truly have what it takes to win the NBA Finals.
PELICANS' PANIC METER: 5 → No Zion, no chance to beat the Thunder.
THUNDER'S PANIC METER: 0 → At this point, the Thunder should be favorites to reach the NBA Finals.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Denver Nuggets – DEN leads 2-0
The Denver Nuggets swept the Los Angeles Lakers during the regular season after sweeping them in the Western Conference Finals a year ago. Now, Nikola Jokic and the defending NBA champions have claimed the first two games of this first-round series. Denver's win streak over Los Angeles now stands at 10 games, leaving LeBron James and Co. with no answers on how to fix their problems.
It seemed like the Lakers had the blueprint for beating the Nuggets in Game 2. James put the Lakers in a position where they led by 20 points, yet Denver continued to chip away at this lead in the second half until they took control in the final minutes. Then it was Jamal Murray who stole the win for the Nuggets at the buzzer.
Where the Lakers go from here is the million-dollar question. LeBron and Anthony Davis are going to do their thing, but will the others on the roster step up and play for all 48 minutes? Should the Lakers lose Game 3, it is hard to envision them finding a way to rattle off four straight wins over the Nuggets unless Jokic was to get hurt.
As long as James is on the court, though, the Lakers will have a chance to win.
LAKERS' PANIC METER: 4 → LeBron has completed a come back down 3-1, but could he do so possibly down 3-0?
NUGGETS' PANIC METER: 0 → The Nuggets have beaten the Lakers in 10 straight games…
Phoenix Suns vs. Minnesota Timberwolves – MIN leads 2-0
No team in the NBA Playoffs should be more worried right now than the Phoenix Suns. Not only are they down 0-2 to the Minnesota Timberwolves, but they own the league's highest payroll moving forward, and they have invested everything into the trio of Devin Booker, Bradley Beal, and Kevin Durant. A first-round exit this year could be very detrimental to the future of the Suns.
Although he is happy today, there is no telling what is going through Durant's mind right now. He is nearing the end of his career, and Durant's only focus is to win more championships in order to cement his legacy as one of the all-time greats. Can he do so with the Suns?
Do not forget, Durant is heading overseas to play in the Olympics with Stephen Curry and LeBron this summer. Nobody ever truly knows the conversations that these superstars have behind the scenes, and perhaps these three legends will discuss the idea of teaming up on the Golden State Warriors to finish their careers. I know this is crazy… or is it?
SUNS' PANIC METER: 5 → Grayson Allen is hurt, no complete offense, and no defensive intensity.
TIMBERWOLVES' PANIC METER: 1 → Anthony Edwards is THAT guy!
Dallas Mavericks vs. Los Angeles Clippers – Series tied 1-1
The best series of the first round of the NBA Playoffs thus far has been between the Mavericks and Clippers. Two teams that have a recent history with one another when it comes to playoff games, the Mavs and Clippers are all knotted up at a game apiece and heading to Dallas for Games 3 and 4.
At this point, it is hard to really gauge this series. On one hand, the Clippers' defense has looked really solid, and the only category they didn't beat the Mavs in during Game 2's loss was total points scored. When looking at the box score and statistics from this one, it is hard to see where exactly Los Angeles lost this game.
From Dallas' point of view, Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving have been great defensively. They have also been getting steady production from PJ Washington, who has turned into their third-best offensive weapon to this point.
Where the series goes from here will be outlined based on what happens in Game 3 on Friday night. Whoever takes a 2-1 series lead will obviously have the upper hand moving forward in the NBA Playoffs. This will be the biggest game of both teams' seasons.
MAVS' PANIC METER: 3 → Luka Doncic for Defensive Player of the Series???
CLIPPERS' PANIC METER: 3 → Everything went right in Game 2…
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