Giannis Antetokounmpo

The Denver Nuggets and Utah Jazz are going to Game 7. Elsewhere, the Dallas Mavericks are going home after their second consecutive double-digit loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.

It was a busy Sunday in the 2020 NBA playoffs, where the Boston Celtics also grabbed a 1-0 advantage in their second-round series with the Toronto Raptors.

Of course, every day is eventful at this point on the Association's calendar. Monday will be no different, as the Miami Heat and Milwaukee Bucks open their Eastern Conference semifinals, before the Houston Rockets go for a series win and the Oklahoma City Thunder try to force the round's second Game 7.

With so many moving parts, it's never a bad idea to take stock of the scheduling information we do have and reset the field with an updated look at championship odds (via Caesars Palace) and three championship picks worth consideration.

                      

Upcoming NBA Playoff TV Coverage

Monday, Aug. 31

Miami Heat vs. Milwaukee Bucks | Game 1 | 6:30 p.m. ET on TNT

Houston Rockets vs. Oklahoma City Thunder | Game 6 | 9 p.m. ET

              

Tuesday, Sept. 1

Boston Celtics vs. Toronto Raptors | Game 2 | 5:30 p.m. ET on ESPN

Utah Jazz vs. Denver Nuggets | Game 7 | 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC

                   

Wednesday, Sept. 2

Miami Heat vs. Milwaukee Bucks | Game 2 | 6:30 p.m. ET on ESPN

Houston Rockets vs. Oklahoma City Thunder | Game 7 | 9 p.m. ET on ESPN (if necessary)

                

Thursday, Sept. 3

Boston Celtics vs. Toronto Raptors | Game 3 | 6:30 p.m. ET on TNT

                      

NBA Championship Odds

Los Angeles Lakers +220

Los Angeles Clippers +250

Milwaukee Bucks +260

Boston Celtics +800

Toronto Raptors +900

Houston Rockets +1400

Miami Heat +2000

Denver Nuggets +6000

Utah Jazz +6000

Oklahoma City Thunder +30000

                    

NBA Championship Picks

The Favorite: Los Angeles Lakers +220

L.A.'s elite upside speaks for itself, doesn't it?

For all of the questions you might have about this supporting cast and its ability to consistently make shots, it sort of feels silly focusing on anything other than LeBron James and Anthony Davis being teammates. They just collectively averaged 57.2 points, 19.6 rebounds and 14.4 assists while outscoring the Portland Trail Blazers by 66 points over 114 minutes together, and neither probably feels like he played his best series.

As Lakers coach Frank Vogel put it, the Lakers have "two of the best players in the game." They're a nightmare matchup for any defense.

There are two reasons to pause on betting the farm on the Lakers. For one, there are other great teams out there (looking at you, Bucks and Clippers). Second, the role players will need to make shots at some point, and there isn't a great deal of evidence suggesting they'll rise to the occasion.

But again, don't overthink this. The Lakers have James and Davis. Zero in on that, and it'll be hard to put your wagering dollars anywhere else.

                  

The Sleeper: Boston Celtics +800

If you saw the Celtics' takedown of the defending champion Raptors on Sunday, you probably don't need much convincing that this could be a really smart bet.

Boston, which led by as many as 24 points, went wire-to-wire in its 112-94 series-opening win. The Celtics scorched from the three-point arc (17-of-39), got uber-efficient production from their starting backcourt (Kemba Walker and Marcus Smart combined for 39 points on 21 field-goal attempts) and controlled the glass (50-40 rebounding advantage).

"Nothing was much fun out there today," Raptors coach Nick Nurse told reporters.

The Celtics, who improved to 4-1 against the Raptors this season, weren't even anywhere near their top gear Sunday—that's the scary part. Jayson Tatum was fine (21 points on 18 shots), Jaylen Brown was less than that (17 on 18) and Gordon Hayward wasn't around (sprained ankle). Get a full-strength Boston squad rolling, and this club's ceiling stretches as high as any.

                  

The Long Shot: Miami Heat +2000

It's possible no team is better equipped to defend the Bucks—the NBA's wins leader this season and last—than the Heat.

Bam Adebayo is the preferred option to throw at Giannis Antetokounmpo, so much as anyone can actually pester the reigning MVP. Miami then has a slew of other stoppers to either throw at the Bucks' support scorers (like fellow All-Star Khris Middleton) or serve in spot duty on Antetokounmpo, including Jimmy Butler, Andre Iguodala, Jae Crowder and Derrick Jones Jr.

Shot-making is obviously a must for Miami, but the Heat enter their second-round series...well, hot. Duncan Robinson is burying 3.0 triples per night at a 44.4 percent clip so far in the playoffs. Goran Dragic is supplying the same volume with a 41.4 percent success rate. Rookie sharpshooter Tyler Herro is "only" at 36.4 percent (that's still above-average), and he's already at 66 points on 48 field-goal attempts.

The Heat can sport the two-way balance of a heavyweight contender, but as their odds suggest, consistency isn't exactly a strength. Their defenders don't always make shots, and their shooters don't always hold up on defense. They may prove a few two-way players short of making a championship run, but there's plenty of talent at Erik Spoelstra's disposal, and that's usually a potent combination.

The Milwaukee Bucks had a phone call with the father of Jacob Blake, the 29-year-old Black man police shot seven times in the back in Kenosha, Wisconsin, last Sunday.

Bucks forward and reigning NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo discussed with reporters the team's conversation with Jacob Blake Sr. after his team's 118-104 win over the Orlando Magic on Saturday:

Giannis Antetokounmpo on Milwaukee Bucks’ phone call w/ Jacob Blake’s father after deciding not to play Wednesday: “His dad was tearing up and telling us how powerful what we had done... We’ll remember how we felt for the rest of our lives.” pic.twitter.com/9uzL6r6iYp

— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) August 29, 2020

The Bucks decided against taking the court for Game 5 of their first-round playoff series against the Magic, which was previously scheduled for Wednesday. The team's players explained why in a statement later that day:

Full statement from the Milwaukee Bucks: pic.twitter.com/jjGEyVcCmB

— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) August 26, 2020

The rest of the NBA followed suit, with the league taking a three-day postseason pause while the players discussed whether to continue the season. Postponement and protests also occurred in MLB, the WNBA, the NHL and MLS as well.

The Bucks also sent a jersey with signatures from everyone in the organization to Blake.

"They reached out to my son, sent him a jersey that was signed by the whole organization ... that made him smile," Blake Sr. told Alisyn Camerota on CNN's New Day (h/t TMZ Sports).

Milwaukee's win over the Magic Saturday sealed the team's 4-1 first-round series win. The Bucks will now face the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

The Milwaukee Bucks have advanced to the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs thanks to their 118-104 victory over the Orlando Magic on Saturday. 

Game 5 was a continuation of Milwaukee's dominance since its shocking 122-110 loss in the series opener. The Bucks entered Saturday's game having outscored Orlando by an average of 14.7 points per game in their previous three wins. 

Awaiting the Bucks in the second round are the Miami Heat, who took two of three games from the NBA's best team during the regular season. The Heat swept the Indiana Pacers in their first-round series. 

The Magic did make things interesting in the fourth quarter, cutting the deficit to 96-93 after trailing by as many as 21 points. The Bucks responded with an 9-0 run that ended any remaining drama to the game. 

Notable Player Stats

• Giannis Antetokounmpo: 28 PTS (11-of-17 FG), 17 REB, 3 AST
  
• Khris Middleton: 21 PTS (7-of-16 FG), 10 REB, 7 AST
• Brook Lopez: 16 PTS (7-of-12 FG), 7 REB
• Nikola Vucevic: 22 PTS (9-of-25 FG), 15 REB, 5 AST
• Evan Fournier: 18 PTS (5-of-12 FG), 4 REB, 3 AST
• D.J. Augustin: 15 PTS (5-of-12 FG), 6 REB, 2 AST

Middleton's Breakout Good Sign for Bucks

Even as the Bucks were steamrolling Orlando in this series, Khris Middleton was still struggling to find a rhythm on offense. The two-time All-Star was shooting 33.9 percent overall (37.5 percent from three) and averaging 13.5 points in the first four games. 

Middleton nearly surpassed that point total in the first half when he dropped 11 on 4-of-8 shooting. The Bucks need him to perform at a high level in these playoffs if they hope to make a deep run. 

Antetokounmpo has proven he's going to play at an MVP level regardless of who is on the opposing team. He had no problems attacking the basket against Orlando's defense in Saturday's closeout game. 

Light work for Giannis 😤 pic.twitter.com/DNSNB4jYu7

— ESPN (@espn) August 29, 2020

Giannis has the @Bucks up at the half of Game 5 on ESPN. #NBAPlayoffs

22 PTS | 9 REB | 9-11 FGM pic.twitter.com/rFihbh3WPy

— NBA (@NBA) August 29, 2020

ESPN did an "assist of the game" segment, showed Giannis bullying the Magic, then credited Orlando GM John Hammond with the assist for drafting him to Milwaukee lmao

— Kaelen Jones | Bluesky: @kjones (@kaelenjones) August 29, 2020

The Bucks signed Middleton to a five-year, $178 million extension last summer. He lived up to that billing during the regular season with his second straight All-Star appearance, but the postseason will be the barometer by which he is judged because of where the franchise stands in the Eastern Conference hierarchy. 

Middleton wasn't bad in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Toronto Raptors last year, averaging 13.7 points, 6.8 rebounds and 4.2 assists with a 37.5 three-point percentage. The problem is he scored 12 points or less in four of the six games. 

The Heat will provide a much more difficult challenge for the Bucks, so getting Middleton on track is a welcome sight in their quest to win an NBA championship. 

Magic's Frustrating Season Ends in Disappointment

Coming into the 2019-20 season, expectations were reasonably high for the Magic. They were coming off a surprising 42 wins last year and their first postseason appearance since 2011-12. 

Sam Smith of NBA.com predicted Orlando would be the No. 8 seed in the East but sounded bullish on its chances of climbing higher:

"If Markelle Fultz becomes the No. 1 pick again, watch out. This is the year Aaron Gordon breaks through. Really. No really. OK, maybe next year. But they're the most stable team in the conference among the others with an ascending Nikola Vucevic. If the exceptionally long-armed Mo Bamba and Jonathan Isaac develop they could reach beyond this spot."

Unfortunately, none of the things that had to come together for the Magic did.

Another perfectly respectable and otherwise forgettable Magic season comes to a close.

— Hardwood Paroxysm (@HPbasketball) August 29, 2020

Fultz stayed healthy all year and averaged 12.1 points per game, but his shot still looks unusual and limited him to a 26.7 three-point percentage during the regular season. 

There are still moments during games when Fultz shows off the skill that made him the No. 1 pick in the 2017 NBA draft. 

🌎 𝘾𝙤𝙖𝙨𝙩-𝙩𝙤-𝘾𝙤𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙆𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙚 🌎@MarkelleF | #MagicPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/JD9KtSibOa

— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) August 29, 2020

If he is able to translate those moments into full-game performances, the Magic will be on the right track. 

Of course, the Magic were also at a disadvantage coming into the series without Mo Bamba due to complications after he was diagnosed with COVID-19, and Jonathan Isaac tore his ACL on Aug. 2 against the Sacramento Kings. 

Aaron Gordon didn't play in Game 5 after leaving the NBA campus earlier in the week due to a hamstring injury and the social justice protests that were taking place, per Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium. 

Having those players might not have been enough to close the talent gap on Milwaukee, but head coach Steve Clifford still had to piece together a roster against the best team in the NBA. 

The Magic are in a difficult position right now without a lot of cap space. If they want to catch the Heat in the Southeast Division, they will need Fultz, Bamba, Isaac and Gordon to develop into the core of this roster and ease the burden on Nikola Vucevic's shoulders. 

              

What's Next?

The Heat will play the Bucks in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals at a date and time to be determined. 

The NBA playoffs return to action Saturday after players paused the postseason for three days to protest against systemic racism and police brutality.

The three-game slate features each conference's top seed going for a series win, while the fourth-seeded Houston Rockets and fifth-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder will break their 2-2 tie.

We'll get to all the particulars—including broadcast info and the latest lines from Vegas Insider—below and then predict how the action will play out.

                         

Saturday, Aug. 29 NBA Playoff Schedule and Odds

Eastern Conference

No. 1 Milwaukee Bucks vs. No. 8 Orlando Magic

Series: Bucks lead Magic 3-1

Time: 3:30 p.m. ET

TV: ESPN

Live Stream: SPN

Latest Line: Bucks -13.5

                    

Western Conference

No. 4 Houston Rockets vs. No. 5 Oklahoma City Thunder

Series: Rockets and Thunder tied 2-2

Time: 6:30 p.m. ET

TV: TNT

Live Stream: Watch TNT

Latest Line: Rockets -5

                    

No. 1 Los Angeles Lakers vs. No. 8 Portland Trail Blazers

Series: Lakers lead Blazers 3-1

Time: 9 p.m. ET

TV: TNT

Live Stream: Watch TNT

Latest Line: Lakers -13.5

                    

Predictions

Bucks vs. Magic

After an uninspired stretch during the seeding round, the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks needed a wake-up call. Apparently, a series-opening loss to the Orlando Magic did the trick.

Milwaukee is 3-0 since, and all three games have been decided by double digits (two by 15 points, the other by 14). To make matters even worse for Orlando, the Bucks haven't hit their stride.

Reigning MVP and recently crowned Defensive Player of the Year Giannis Antetokounmpo is predictably running wild (31.3 points, 15.8 rebounds and 6.8 assists per game). But his All-Star running mate, Khris Middleton, is averaging just 13.5 points on 33.9 percent shooting in this series. Starting point guard Eric Bledsoe has a dead even plus/minus over 103 minutes. Second-team spark plug Donte DiVincenzo can't find his touch (39.1/14.3/62.5 shooting).

The Magic, meanwhile, might be running on fumes. They lost Jonathan Isaac to a torn ACL in the seeding round, and Aaron Gordon recently exited the bubble because of a hamstring injury and "events of past few days on campus," per Shams Charania of Stadium and The Athletic. Other than a red-hot Nikola Vucevic (29.5 points on 54.7/44.1/100 shooting), the Magic don't have much going in their favor.

The Bucks should have everything they need to put this series to rest Saturday.

Prediction: Bucks 121, Magic 108

                    

Rockets vs. Thunder

Arguably the best series of the first round just added another layer of excitement. Rockets All-Star point guard Russell Westbrook is reportedly set to make his playoff debut after missing the first four contests with a quad injury, per Kelly Iko of The Athletic.

Westbrook went through his first full-speed, five-on-five scrimmage Thursday and looked "as explosive as ever," per ESPN's Tim MacMahon and Adrian Wojnarowski.

Putting a healthy Westbrook alongside James Harden could be exactly what Houston needs to take control of this series. James Harden has carried a heavy offensive burden (and used it to average 32.0 points and 8.8 assists in 37.6 minutes per night), and the Rockets haven't always supplied consistency from the supporting cast. Their second-leading scorer, Eric Gordon, is shooting just 38.2 percent (20.6 from three) in the series.

Saying that, counting out OKC has been a bad bet for most of this season. And after falling into an 0-2 hole, the Thunder rallied to take Games 3 and 4 behind 76 combined points per game from their three-headed perimeter monster of Chris Paul, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Dennis Schroder.

While our crystal ball sees Westbrook as the ultimate difference, it also has the Thunder making the Rockets sweat until the end.

Prediction: Rockets 117, Thunder 113

                      

Lakers vs. Trail Blazers

The Portland Trail Blazers' clock seemed to be ticking beyond the team's control. After the Blazers shocked everyone—save for Charles Barkley—with a Game 1 win, the Los Angeles Lakers' elite began to shine as Hollywood stars are wont to do.

Anthony Davis drew first blood with 31 points and 11 rebounds in the Lakers' 111-88 win in Game 2. LeBron James snagged the spotlight with 38 points, 12 boards and eight dimes in the club's 116-108 Game 3 victory. In Game 4, a 135-115 romp, James packed 30 points and 10 assists into 28 minutes, while Davis needed just 18 minutes to compile a game-best plus-37.

Momentum, in other words, was backing the Purple and Gold. So maybe this series was nearing its expiration anyway, but Damian Lillard's departure from the bubble for further examination of his sprained knee sealed their fate.

The Blazers, who are already without Rodney Hood and Zach Collins, don't have a great defensive option for James or Davis even when they are full strength. This version, which also has CJ McCollum playing through a fracture in his back, doesn't have enough offense to keep up.

Prediction: Lakers 114, Blazers 103

As Jacob Blake was added to the long list of Black people law enforcement has brutalized, it became clear to NBA players that previous pleas for social justice from the Florida bubble weren't enough.

FUCK THIS MAN!!!! WE DEMAND CHANGE. SICK OF IT

— LeBron James (@KingJames) August 26, 2020

Wednesday afternoon kicked off what will go down as one of the most important days in the history of athlete activism as Milwaukee Bucks players refused to leave the locker room to take the floor for Game 5 of their first-round series against the Orlando Magic. The decision was to not play the game—a playoff game with real stakes for the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. Why? Another act of police violence against a Black person, this time in their own backyard in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

Now, the season is in serious jeopardy. Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported that the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers voted not to play the rest of the playoffs while the other 11 remaining teams wanted to continue, though ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski noted this was more a polling than a final vote.

Yet again, NBA players have turned the mirror back on America. Thursday's emergency Board of Governors meeting will show if the NBA's real power-brokers see what the players see: ugliness that can't be avoided and a need for ever more change.

NBA players are potentially putting millions of dollars on the line if the season doesn't resume. Some of the league's biggest stars can afford to take that risk; some in the lower ranks can't. Nonetheless, it's a risk they all may have to take because the stakes are too high for the future of the country—and for their humanity as mostly Black men.

Soon after the Bucks' strike, the Houston Rockets and Oklahoma City Thunder players followed suit. The NBA soon announced all three of Wednesday's games would be postponed, which isn't quite accurate. This was a player-driven decision that caught the league office off-guard.

Before the night was over, the WNBA, tennis star Naomi Osaka and several baseball teams (including the Milwaukee Brewers) had joined in on what amounted to a general strike of professional sports.

But rewind to earlier this week when players first started to take public stances. Players including the Utah Jazz's Donovan Mitchell and the Toronto Raptors' Pascal Siakam expressed regret about agreeing to restart the season in the first place.

The kind of radical thinking and admirable-but-unfeasible proposals you might expect from the fringes of NBA Twitter were coming from the players.

Soon, we saw reports that Raptors players were considering not playing Game 1 of their second-round playoff series, which is scheduled to begin Thursday.

It's too early to say whether the strike will end the season or if games will resume in a few days. No player is under the illusion that walking off will, by itself, reverse America's centuries-long legacy of institutionalized racism.

But players have tried every other avenue to create the change that is desperately needed, and nothing else has worked. So they're making their biggest statement yet, one that will be impossible to ignore and will be written about in history books.

Wednesday's events were the logical extension of a restart that had players profoundly uncertain, both due to safety concerns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic and the question of whether returning to play following the most widespread civil-rights protests in American history would be detracting from more important issues.

The NBA and NBPA ultimately agreed to some conditions for the players to return to work and the league to salvage some of the revenue that has been decimated by the pandemic. Some of the social-justice initiatives were surface-level—painting "Black Lives Matter" on all three of the courts at Disney's Wide World of Sports and the list of slogans players were permitted to place on the back of their jerseys.

Others were more meaningful, such as the league and its 30 teams recently committing $300 million to support economic empowerment in Black communities.

The NBA also agreed not to enforce its longstanding rule requiring players to stand for the national anthem, and the first few days of the restart saw some high-profile kneeling displays from teams that allowed everyone to feel good about participating in the restart.

The players have done their best to work within these parameters and enact change.

Some players, most notably the Philadelphia 76ers' Tobias Harris and the Denver Nuggets' Jerami Grant, have spent entire media Zoom calls only answering questions about Breonna Taylor, the 26-year-old Black woman killed by police officers in Louisville in March.

Most players picked a slogan from the NBA's list, and many have used their media time to explain their choices.

They've been vocal on social media, both about specific police-brutality victims (Taylor, George Floyd, Elijah McClain and now Blake, among far too many others) and about greater societal problems that need to be addressed. Nearly every day, a player or coach has made an impassioned plea for change that has been reported, tweeted and shared all over social media.

"It's amazing to me why we keep loving this country and this country doesn't love us back. ... If you watch that video, you don't need to be Black to be outraged. You need to be American and outraged."

Doc gave a powerful speech on the police shooting of Jacob Blake https://t.co/RzUPC6Fzfh

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) August 26, 2020

In the immediate aftermath of the killing of Floyd on May 25 in Minneapolis and the days of heightened protests all over the world that followed, it briefly felt as though there was some real momentum toward meaningful societal change on these issues.

It was around that time that the terms of the restart were being negotiated between the league and players' union. At the time, putting slogans on jerseys and partnering with some Black-owned businesses seemed like a great way to keep the focus on the right things while also giving fans the entertainment they'd been craving since the NBA's initial shutdown on March 11 and helping the league make back some of the money it had lost.

But as the horrifying but all-too-familiar video of Blake being shot in front of his children laid bare, we're not any closer to real solutions than we were in the first week of June. So the NBA's players decided to put their money where their mouth has been. All that talk of "using their platforms to create change" hasn't been enough.

So they walked out.

It's important to remember this almost happened once before. Less than three months into Adam Silver's tenure as NBA Commissioner, a strike during a playoff series was very nearly a reality. Clippers and Golden State Warriors players discussed sitting out Game 4 of their 2014 first-round series after TMZ published an audio recording of racist comments made by then-Clippers owner Donald Sterling. A big part of why they ultimately played that game was that they trusted Silver to have their backs.

He came through for them, issuing a lifetime ban for the widely loathed Sterling. It was not only the right thing to do but was also a politically savvy move for the new commissioner. It bought him a massive amount of goodwill with the players, who by and large came to view themselves as partners with the league rather than the adversaries they were under Silver's predecessor, David Stern. It also allowed the NBA to position itself as the most progressive men's sports league in America, which is both true and an extremely low bar to clear when the competition is the NFL and Major League Baseball.

But contrary to what some bad-faith actors like to bring up when discussing the NBA's ratings, the league's politics are very middle-of-the-road. The rule about standing for the anthem is still on its books when there's no reason for it to be. Silver and the league office also badly mishandled the fallout from Rockets general manager Daryl Morey's October tweet in support of Hong Kong, under pressure to maintain their deeply lucrative business interests in China.

Their solutions to players' concerns about the focus on social justice in the bubble—slogans on jerseys and courts—were not any less safe or focus-grouped than you'd expect from a billion-dollar corporation.

Whether the season finishes is up in the air. What is crystal clear is that on the players' end, the desire to fight for a better life for themselves, their children and Black people throughout the country isn't just talk. They're willing to risk it all.

Do the owners care enough about their short-term money and the league's long-term legacy to listen to them?

     

Sean Highkin covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. He is currently based in Portland. His work has been honored by the Pro Basketball Writers' Association. Follow him on Twitter, Instagram and in the B/R App.

Most of the primary contenders for the NBA championship have begun to separate themselves from the rest of the playoff teams in the last week. 

Toronto and Boston are already through to the second round in the Eastern Conference, and their head-to-head series will begin Thursday.

Milwaukee and the Los Angeles Lakers have rebounded well from Game 1 defeats to move one game away from advancing to the conference semifinal round. 

The Los Angeles Clippers have faced the most difficulty of the title hopefuls, but they showed Tuesday they are more than capable of finishing off the Dallas Mavericks before that series reaches Game 7. 

The paths will get tougher for each team as the postseason progresses, but as of now, they can all make a case to be the champion. 

              

Playoff Standings

Eastern Conference

No. 1 Milwaukee leads No. 8 Orlando 3-1

No. 2 Toronto defeated No. 7 Brooklyn 4-0

No. 3 Boston defeated No. 6 Philadelphia 4-0

No. 5 Miami defeated No. 4 Indiana 4-0

      

Western Conference

No. 1 Los Angeles Lakers lead No. 8 Portland 3-1

No. 2 Los Angeles Clippers lead No. 7 Dallas 3-2

No. 6 Utah leads No. 3 Denver 3-2

No. 4 Houston tied with No. 5 Oklahoma City 2-2

     

Championship Odds

Milwaukee (+300; bet $100 to win $300)

Los Angeles Clippers (+325) 

Los Angeles Lakers (+350)

Toronto (+750)

Boston (+900)

Houston (+1200)

Miami (+1800)

Utah (+4000)

Dallas (+6000)

Denver (+6600)

Oklahoma City (+6600)

Portland (+50000)

Orlando (+100000)

Odds via Oddschecker

        

Predictions

Lakers Do Not Face Another Challenge Until Western Conference Finals

The dominant version of the Lakers we expected to see in the bubble showed up in Games 2, 3 and 4 against Portland. 

In Game 4, Anthony Davis tore through the Portland defense to record 18 points, five rebounds, five assists and two blocks in a game that was over before the fourth quarter began. 

Los Angeles will likely have an easy time with the Trail Blazers in Game 5 since Damian Lillard has been declared out with a knee sprain. 

Even if Lillard was on the floor, the Lakers may have overpowered Portland through Davis and LeBron James to set up a second-round meeting with the winner of the Houston-Oklahoma City series. 

If Houston advances out of that series, Davis could take over against Houston's lack of size, and he could be the most important player, no matter how three-pointers James Harden sinks. 

Davis is averaging 26.5 points, 9.5 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game and is shooting 52.1 percent from the field against Portland. 

Those totals could increase with P.J. Tucker being the primary defender in the paint against Davis. 

The Lakers big man could also find success against Steven Adams and the Thunder. He had two 30-point performances against them in the regular season. 

After the Game 1 loss to Portland, the Lakers' perimeter defense seemed to be the flaw that would cost them a spot in the NBA Finals, but they have held Portland to 35.7 percent from beyond the arc. 

Houston and Oklahoma City are shooting at a slightly worse rate in their first-round series. As long as the Lakers do not get gashed for 15-20 made three-pointers against one of those teams, it should handle either matchup fairly easily to reach the Western Conference Finals with some rest. 

              

Winner of Toronto-Boston Series Comes Out Of East

The first of four second-round matchups to get underway could feature an NBA Finals participant. 

Toronto and Boston overpowered their respective first-round opponents and have enough firepower to outlast Milwaukee in a seven-game series. 

One of the main factors benefiting the Raptors and Celtics is their scoring depth. 

Even without Gordon Hayward, the Celtics had Jaylen Brown, Kemba Walker and Jayson Tatum all average over 20 points per game against Philadelphia. 

Marcus Smart and Daniel Theis both chipped in with 8.5 points per game, and other players off the bench gave Brad Stevens quality minutes. 

Toronto's scoring depth was even more impressive against Brooklyn, as six players averaged over 10 points per game. Fred VanVleet led the team with 21.8 points per game. 

The Raptors pack a better inside-outside threat through Serge Ibaka, but Tatum, Brown and Walker could thrive against him by cutting through the paint with their athleticism. 

It would not be a surprise to see the East semifinal series go seven games, or to have both teams win multiple games. 

Even if the series reaches Game 7, the winner could emerge from the battle as the favorite to beat Milwaukee because of its well-rounded scoring approach.

Giannis Antetokounmpo is most likely going to reach the 20-or-30-point threshold in every game, but Khris Middleton has struggled to support him. 

In the Game 4 win over Orlando, Middleton needed a fourth-quarter surge just to get to 19 points, and he has shot 33.9 percent from the field against the Magic. 

Until the Bucks prove they can get consistent performances out of the cast surrounding their superstar, Boston or Toronto could have the inside track to the East's NBA Finals berth.

          

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90

Statistics obtained from Basketball Reference

Effectively following an entire NBA season is an exercise in managing perspective.

So much time is spent immersed in the hypothetical: the next free-agency coup, possible superstar trades, the rush to coronate one contender and unseat another. Moments go underappreciated or get lost entirely amid this carousel of cause and effect. Appreciating and reflecting on the now is difficult when there's always a bigger picture.

Giannis Antetounmpo is among the few stars who merge both schools of coverage.

What he's doing now is never ignored because he's made it impossible to do so. Every season of his career is a march of progress. He's a viable franchise cornerstone, then a star, then a megastar, then an MVP, then an MVP favorite. And his (literal) giant strides act in service of the longer view, a leaguewide takeover that has fueled obsession over his future and, more importantly, solidified his trajectory as one of the all-time greats.

His latest feat juggles this dual emphasis once more. He is the NBA's 2019-20 Defensive Player of the Year, an accolade that puts him in rarefied air when combined with last year's MVP award:

Players who have won an MVP and DPOY awards in their careers:

- Michael Jordan
- Hakeem Olajuwon
- David Robinson
- Kevin Garnett
- Giannis Antetokounmpo pic.twitter.com/7fkVFgk1K5

— StatMuse (@statmuse) August 25, 2020

Antetokounmpo will join an even more exclusive club if, as expected, he's again named the Association's Most Valuable Player. Only two others have won both DPOY and MVP honors in the same season: Michael Jordan (1987-88) and Hakeem Olajuwon (1993-94).

What appears inevitable is almost overwhelming. Attempting to figure out where Antetokounmpo might finish his career on the all-time ladder is now almost devoid of hyperbole.

Nearly no outcome feels too ambitious.

Giannis looked confused when @SHAQ tried to congratulate him in Greek 😭 https://t.co/4G8HgfLI3P

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) August 25, 2020

Yet the macro does not overpower the micro. Antetokounmpo is 25. Twenty. Freaking. Five. And he's about to become the Defensive Player of the Year and league MVP—the utmost, verging on inarguable, boon in the best-player-alive discussion.

And what's more, he is not here on the back of convenience. Voter fatigue has not opened a finite window of opportunity. He will now be the one at risk of voter fatigue in the MVP discussion, and his DPOY victory has not come amid an enfeebled field.

The latter will receive the most pushback. Surely two-time defending DPOY Rudy Gobert suffered from voter fatigue. But that alone doesn't explain Antetokounmpo's claim to the award. Anthony Davis, Kawhi Leonard and Ben Simmons all had their own arguments.

Boiling Antetokounmpo's DPOY selection down to anything less than deserved is the real farce. The No. 1 spot might technically be interchangeable among three or four players, but splitting hairs isn't in any way a demerit. It is part of the process. Whether your choice was Davis or Gobert or Simmons or Kawhi, Antetokounmpo has, at the bare minimum, a valid case over them.

Using the Milwaukee Bucks' on-off splits to downplay his candidacy is disingenuous. Who cares that they placed in the 56th percentile of points allowed per 100 possessions when he was off the court and were much better than that for most of the year? They ranked inside the 99th percentile with him in the lineup.

Improving a good-to-great defense is much harder than boosting an average or bad one. And in Antetokounmpo's case, he didn't just nudge the Bucks in the right direction. He buoyed them. Milwaukee allowed 11.1 fewer points per 100 possessions with him on the floor—close to the biggest defensive rating swing in the league and measurably larger than any of the main alternatives.

The more granular numbers offer equal support.

His most frequent defensive matchups ranged from bigs to wings. He didn't spend much time covering the opposing team's No. 1 option—nearly 75 percent of his possessions came versus the No. 3 option, per BBall Index's Krishna Narsu—but he parlayed that freedom into ubiquity. He was, frankly, everywhere: around the rim, chasing down opponents in transition, policing passing lanes, breaking down plays from behind, forcing turnovers as the helper.

Rival offenses shot appreciably worse with Antetokounmpo on the floor. They were 6.2 percentage points below their season average at the rim (93rd percentile) and 1.8 percent worse from beyond the arc (74th percentile). He probably would've spearheaded a more pronounced dropoff from deep if the Bucks upped their commitment to contesting threes.

Lineups with Antetokounmpo as the de facto big were more effective than ever. Milwaukee let up just 99.5 points per 100 possessions during his time at center (99th percentile), and Antetokounmpo, for his part, registered as a legitimate deterrent around the rim. Just 32.5 percent of opponent shots came at the basket when he played center, a share noticeably lower than the league average (32.5 percent) and not far away from the Bucks' league-best allowance (29.1 percent).

Those who dared challenge him at the rim didn't fare well. Players shot 41.7 percent against him at the hoop—the absolute stingiest mark among 130 players who contested at least three point-blank looks per game. And if you're concerned about volume, he challenged about the same number of such attempts as Thaddeus Young.

Antetokounmpo-at-center lineups best represent the range of his impact. Those arrangements have become more of a staple, place in the 100th percentile of points allowed per 100 possessions and rank in the 79th percentile of opponent shot frequency at the rim. He isn't just a viable paint protector these days. He's an actual deterrent.

Catch-all metrics paint the same dominant picture. Antetokounmpo is first in NBA Shot Charts' DRAPM (even when adjusting for luck) and first in NBA Math's defensive points saved. ESPN's defensive real plus-minus didn't view him as favorably (ninth), but he still placed higher than any direct DPOY competition other than Gobert (first).

More than anything, though, getting caught up in whether someone else could've edged out Antetokounmpo misses part of the point. This is all absolutely about the culmination of one season, but it's also about his body of work in its entirety.

His dominance isn't just enduring. It's comprehensive. He's averaging 26.5 points, 11.1 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.5 blocks over the past four seasons while downing 59.4 percent of his two-pointers. Historical comparisons for his performance essentially don't exist; he's invented a new form and degree of box-score stuffing.

No one ranks ahead of him in NBA Shot Charts' three-year RAPM, not even when adjusted for luck. He is 16th all-time in win shares and 10th in value over replacement player through his age-25 season. 

But perhaps the truest mark of his greatness, aside from the open fawning over his potential 2021 free agency, is the emphasis on its faults.

His absence of a dependable outside shot remains a thing, a shortcoming used to both prop up and puncture. Social-media accounts still go wild when he drains a three because nailing triples at an efficient clip would give him an irreversible hold on the league. On some level, his relatively limited range makes the Bucks kinda-sorta solvable in a postseason series.

Whether Antetokounmpo needs to beef up his outside shooting isn't a matter of course. He has settled it. He's increased his three-point volume and baked in more turnaround and fadeaway jumpers should his dribble stall out before reaching the rim. Both put some semblance of pressure on defenses and ensure his success is not situation-based. Exchange him for Simmons and the Bucks are absolutely worse.

On a more explicit level, Antetokounmpo has already won MVPs. Plural. Probably. And he's not rendered futile in the playoffs once defenses tighten up.

FROM ELIAS: Giannis Antetokounmpo is the first player in NBA history to open a postseason with 4 straight games of at least 25 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists. pic.twitter.com/se0khMOM5l

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) August 24, 2020

The imperfections—imperfection?—in his game are neither voids nor actual holes. They're more like cracks or wrinkles, not inconsequential but hardly prohibitive. One or two teams are built to truly limit him. None will entirely.

Winning a title, while no small ask, is all that's really left to cap off Antetokounmpo's resume. Counting rings is an oversimplification of all-time discussions, but that hardware also matters. Championships are jet fuel for cross-era comparisons and rankings.

Maybe that title will come this season. It doesn't need to. The Bucks falling in the NBA Finals or before they emerge from the Eastern Conference changes nothing about where Antetokounmpo currently stands and the bandwidth he still has to climb.

Because, inarguably, he has already crystallized his course as one of the NBA's best of all time—without a title, without a consistent three-point shot and, most terrifyingly, without necessarily reaching the peak of his powers.

             

Unless otherwise noted, stats courtesy of NBA.com, Basketball Reference, Stathead or Cleaning the Glass. 

Dan Favale covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter (@danfavale), and listen to his Hardwood Knocks podcast, co-hosted by B/R's Adam Fromal.

Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo was named the 2019-20 NBA Defensive Player of the Year on Tuesday.

The 25-year-old beat out Anthony Davis and Rudy Gobert to earn the honor for the first time in his seven-year career.

Here are the full DPOY voting results ... pic.twitter.com/cSPU60aNRq

— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) August 25, 2020

Giannis Antetokounmpo
Michael Jordan
Hakeem Olajuwon
David Robinson
Kevin Garnett

MVP & Defensive Player of the Year

We need a nickname for this exclusive club.

— Josh Eberley 🇨🇦 (@JoshEberley) August 25, 2020

Although Giannis was a two-time NBA All-Defensive selection and an NBA MVP entering the 2019-20 campaign, he was never quite able to nab the accolade of being the NBA's best defender until now.

The four-time All-Star put up big numbers this season, especially on the defensive side with 13.6 rebounds, 1.0 blocks and 1.0 steals per game. He also averaged 29.5 points and 5.6 assists.

The positive impact he made on the Bucks this season can't be overstated, as he helped lead them to a 56-17 record and the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference for the second consecutive campaign.

While Giannis has long been a dominant defensive player in the NBA due to his length and athleticism, he has often been overlooked for the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award, perhaps due to the fact that he's a top-flight offensive player as well.

Players who clearly excel more defensively than they do offensively have often won the award in recent years, including the likes of Joakim Noah, Draymond Green and Gobert.

Giannis is more in the mold of Kawhi Leonard as far as NBA DPOY winners go, but given the impact he makes on that end of the floor and his team as a whole, it is difficult to argue against the notion that he deserved to take the honor.

The Milwaukee Bucks are one win away from the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs following their 121-106 Game 4 victory over the Orlando Magic on Monday.  

It's the third straight win for the Bucks after a surprising upset in Game 1. Milwaukee has won every game in the series by at least 11 points since as a short-handed Orlando team continues to struggle to keep pace on offense. 

Full highlights from this afternoon’s Game 3 win. pic.twitter.com/ArXdZvLuzh

— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) August 24, 2020

Both Aaron Gordon (hamstring) and Michael Carter-Williams (left foot) were held out again Monday, forcing the Magic to continue running their offense more through center Nikola Vucevic and guard Markelle Fultz. 

After Saturday's 121-107 Game 3 loss, Orlando coach Steve Clifford called out his team's lack of aggressiveness in attempting to rise to the level of its competition. By Monday, the message hadn't made a difference as the Magic fell to 3-1 in the series and reached the brink of elimination.

Notable Performers

Giannis Antetokounmpo, PF, Milwaukee Bucks: 31 points, 15 rebounds, 8 assists

Khris Middleton, SF, Milwaukee Bucks: 21 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists

Nikola Vucevic, C, Orlando Magic: 31 points, 11 rebounds, 7 assists

Markelle Fultz, PG, Orlando Magic: 15 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds 

Fultz steps up, Fournier searches for shot

On the day after the Philadelphia 76ers were bounced from the NBA Playoffs, Markelle Fultz poured salt in the wound by nearly taking down the Bucks in Game 4 with the type of playmaking and secondary scoring the Sixers desperately needed against Boston. 

Who else had the same reaction as @TerrenceRoss?@MarkelleF | #MagicPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/HYNdb59AbP

— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) August 24, 2020

𝙃𝙤𝙤𝙥 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙃𝙖𝙧𝙢@MarkelleF → @NikolaVucevic pic.twitter.com/esruks7G6i

— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) August 24, 2020

𝙂𝙀𝙏 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙆𝙀𝙇𝙇𝙀 𝙊𝙐𝙏 𝙊𝙁 𝙃𝙄𝙎 𝙒𝘼𝙔@MarkelleF | #MagicPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/TXA2KH4UHo

— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) August 24, 2020

The former No. 1 overall pick was sent to the Magic last February after a shoulder injury and lost jump shot made him virtually unplayable in Philly. On Monday he was the Player of the Game for Orlando. 

That became even more necessary for the Magic to have any success as shooting guard Evan Fournier continued his slump from the field. 

Evan doesn’t have the magic touch 😅#Shaqtin pic.twitter.com/O0TKDKVB4Q

— Shaqtin' a Fool (@shaqtin) August 24, 2020

Fournier hit just four of his 10 field goal attempts, making the Magic’s run even more impressive. After averaging 18.5 points this season, the veteran has scored 13 points or fewer in each game of the series. Game 4 provided a slight improvement, but not enough to make a difference against a Bucks team that spent most of the game daring him to shoot. 

Instead, it was Fultz and Nikola Vucevic helping keep Orlando alive for the majority of the game. As Fultz continues his development in the playoffs, Monday could wind up a small sample of what’s to come in his career—and another reminder of what Philadelphia gave up on. 

Bringing us back.@NikolaVucevic | #MagicPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/jKlJzlAcM2

— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) August 24, 2020

    

Bucks forced to keep battling

In all likelihood, the Bucks are going to advance past the Magic and maybe a few more teams after them.

As the No. 1 seed in the East, Milwaukee has large expectations that only a title can satisfy. The Magic are showing it how they’ll have to play on every possession in order to get there. 

3-1. pic.twitter.com/2oeBhHUNkt

— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) August 24, 2020

Every time the Bucks threatened to blow past Orlando on Monday, the Magic came roaring back. Even after a 17-5 run opened up the fourth quarter, Orlando came back and quickly made it a three-possession game, forcing the Bucks to sub a few starters back in earlier than they would’ve liked. 

Milwaukee is no doubt talented enough to win a championship in 2020, but there are questions worth asking about the team playing to its potential for a full game. 

A regular season where the Bucks blew out a number of teams may not have helped as Milwaukee averaged 10 more points than its opponents. No one is resting their starters down the stretch in the playoffs, however, and a Bucks team that's built to win now can't afford to either. 

He does it on both ends. pic.twitter.com/tOaEof0gj5

— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) August 24, 2020

Against a relatively cold-shooting Orlando team (40.3 percent from the field in Games 2-4), Milwaukee's style of play has only cost them one game. That may have been the only lesson the team needed, but it hasn't meant fewer closer calls than necessary. 

What's Next

Game 5 between Orlando and Milwaukee is scheduled for 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Aug. 26, on NBATV.