Game Notes (8/2)

Washington @ Brooklyn [Open: BKN -1, 235]

• Is Brooklyn going to play defense?
• In their 128-118 loss to Orlando the Nets allowed the Magic to average 1.231 points per possession, post a 64.4 TS% for the game.
• If you exclude garbage time minutes Orlando’s offensive rating was an insane 1.432! [Definition of garbage time, via CTG].
• Other non-garbage numbers for Orlando against:
• 82.4% at the rim, 60.0% from mid-range, 40.9% from 3P.
• It was bad everywhere.
• Orlando in transition: 2.000 | Orlando in halfcourt: 1.256

• On the other hand, Washington’s offense was bad against Phoenix.
• Wizards averaged 1.047 per possession, and 0.917 per possession in the halfcourt.
• Couple good signs though.
• Wizards were very efficient in transition: 1.727, so you have to wonder if they’ll be able to be good in that regard against a terrible Brooklyn defense.
• They also shot 47.2% on their mid-range shots, most of which came from outside 14 feet, maybe another area they can exploit in this game.

• As for Washington’s defense, it wasn’t good. It wasn’t as bad as Brooklyn’s at least.
• The Wiz gave up 1.179 per possession, 1.056 in the halfcourt. Both are not good numbers, but clearly better than what Brooklyn did (Against the better offensive team by the way).
• Brooklyn’s offense did relatively well against the 11th ranked defense, averaging 1.113 per possession.
• In the halfcourt the Nets did real well, scoring 1.051 per possession.
• There’s a case to be made that both offenses could find success against the opposing defense.
• Pace was high in both games.
• Orlando/Brooklyn: 104.0
• Phoenix/Washington: 106.8

Injury Report

Washington Wizards

• None

Brooklyn Nets

• None

Portland @ Boston [Open: BOS -4, 229.5]

• Boston, despite scoring 112 points in a 7 point loss had a rough go offensively against Milwaukee.
• They averaged just 1.067 per possession, shot just 51.9% at the rim, 29.7% from 3P range and averaged a pathetic 0.785 per possession in the halfcourt.
• Now, Milwaukee is the best defensive team in the league, so it is not surprising they wouldn’t be efficient but some of those numbers are very bad.
• Having said that, the Celtics pummeled the Bucks in transition. They scored 18 fastbreak points, averaged 1.933 per possession in transition.
• All of those offensive numbers should improve against Portland, and they will be more than able to maintain the effectiveness in transition against the Blazers who couldn’t contain Memphis.

• As for the Celtics defense, they shined in multiple areas of the floor.
• Milwaukee shot just 33.3% from 3P range overall, 33.3% from the corners.
• They held the Bucks to just 1.091 per possession transition as well.
• Milwaukee killed them at the rim shooting 75.0% within four feet, scoring 48 PITP compared to 38 for Boston.
• Good thing is, as we discussed before, Portland is not a good rim team.
• They finished 25th in frequency of attempts at the rim, 29th in shooting.
• Nurkic didn’t do much for them in that area of the floor in his return as the Blazers shot just 62.9% at the rim in their win against Memphis.

Injury Report

Portland Trail Blazers

• Jaylen Adams, Back (Questionable)

Boston Celtics

• Kemba Walker is going to be available, but remember minutes restriction.
• “[Walker] was great. He responded well, and he will incrementally increase his limit.” – Brad Stevens (Saturday)

San Antonio @ Memphis [Open: MEM -3, 235]

• Simply put, Memphis got smoked on defense by a veteran offense in their opening seeding game against Portland. Now, they get another one in San Antonio.
• Portland averaged 1.221 per possessions, shot 53.8% on all mid-range shots, 43.3% from deep.
• Memphis struggled very much in halfcourt sets, allowing the Blazers to average 1.119 points per halfcourt possession.
• On the season the Spurs were the 6th best halfcourt team in the league (98.0 per 100 possessions), and against Sacramento they averaged 1.032 per possession in those situations.
• Overall, you have to wonder how much of an edge a team like San Antonio will have against a young team like Memphis. Seemed to come through against Sacramento.

• Offensively, Memphis did almost everything right against a bad defensive team in Portland.
• The Grizzlies averaged 1.186 per possession, shot 70.4% at the rim, 44.4% on corner 3PA.
• They really thrived in transition, averaging 1.500 per possession in the fastbreak.
• As I noted, San Antonio was able to keep its regular season form offensively. Unfortunately that holds true for them defensively too.
• San Antonio gave up 1.132 per possession, allowed sacramento to post a 55.9 3FG%
• Memphis could keep up the success in transition as well, seeing as the Spurs allowed the Kings to average a whopping 1.650 per play in transition.

Injury Report

San Antonio Spurs

• Bryn Forbes, Quad (Out)
• Marco Belinelli, Ankle (Doubtful)

Sacramento @ Orlando [Open: ORL -2.5, 226]

• Not much on this one.
• Tough appraise Orlando’s performance against Brooklyn since the Nets were so bad defensively, and almost every number is not sustainable for a second consecutive game.
• Although, they do get another poor defense in Sacramento.
• The Kings allowed the Spurs to average 1.208 per possession, post a 63.3 TS%.
• Kings defensive halfcourt efficiency: 1.032
• Kings defensive fastbreak efficiency:1.533
• The Spurs, not surprisingly, killed them in the mid-range area of the floor.
• San Antonio took 47% of its attempts from mid-range, shot 54.5%
• Orlando plays similarly on offense this, taking 33.6% of attempts from mid-range
• However, they aren’t efficient shooting just 39.1% on those shots as a team.
• Should also be noted San Antonio did finish the season as the 11th ranked offense in the league (111.5 offensive rating), so it is not entirely shocking Sacramento would have trouble on defense.
• Not sure if Orlando can take advantage with its offense.
• The Kings did some very good things on offense.
• They took high frequency of corner 3PA and shot 75.0%.
• The also decimated the Spurs in transition, averaging 1.650 per possession (20.8% frequency).
• Orlando was 11th in defensive fastbreak efficiency (1.197) this season, so should be able to keep up if Sacramento should try to run, right?

Injury Report

Sacramento Kings

• Alex Len, COVID-19 (Out)
• Marvin Bagley, Foot (Out)
• Aaron Gordon, Groin (Probable)

Orlando Magic

• Wesley Iwundu, Neck (Questionable)

Milwaukee @ Houston [MIL -3.5, 242]

• My initial thought was that this would be a matchup they sorely miss Bledsoe, but might not be.
• Milwaukee rolled out a starting lineup of Matthews, DiVincenzo, Middleton, Antetokounmpo and Lopez.
• It’s a lineup that had a +4.0 net rating in the season, and against Boston all five starters finished +12 or better.
• Against a wing heavy lineup like Houston they should still matchup well, and have the horses when defending in isolation.
• Both Matthews and DiVincenzo are solid defenders, ranking 2nd and 27th respectively in DRPM among 134 qualified shooting guards.
• Middleton was 20th among small forwards and Giannis was 6th overall in the league.
• Milwaukee should also be capable of dominating the glass.
• Houston allowed Dallas to kill them. The Mavericks outrebounded them 69-54 (13-7 offensive), posting an 85.7 DREB%
• The Bucks were the best team this season in DREB% and overall REB%

• Houston’s defensive effort against Dallas very concerning as well. Allowed 1.228 per possession, 61.2 TS%
• Dallas shot 21/49 in 3PA, and Milwaukee is a team that takes 40% of its attempts from deep. Is perimeter defense going to be an issue again for Houston?
• The Rockets did well in the paint defensively. Allowed 44 PITP, 64% on attempts at the rim against the Mavs.
• By comparison, Houston scored 64 PITP and shot 74.4% within four feet.
• Help defense for the Rockets was great, will be a good matchup against the 4th best rim shooting team in the league.

Injury Report

Milwaukee Bucks

• Eric Bledsoe, COVID-19 (Out)
• Pat Connaughton, COVID-19 (Out)
• Marvin Williams, Groin (Available)

Houston Rockets

• Bruno Caboclo, Ankle (Out)
• Eric Gordon, Ankle (Out)