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When LeBron James went to Miami we were promised LeBron James” href=”http://www.hardwoodparoxysm.com/2012/05/20/everything-is-a-referendum-on-lebron-james/”>something different than what the playoffs have given us. 

Sebastian Pruiti broke down how Miami figured out the Pacers defense in Game 4.

Beckley Mason wonders why more teams Gregg Popovich Mundane Genius” href=”http://hoopspeak.com/2012/05/gregg-popovich-mundane-genius/”>don’t Hack-A-Whoever.  

Zach Lowe tries to figure out if the Lakers can continue to contend.

The Thunder need Russell Westbrook to continue to be a unique brand of point guard.

Retroactively grading the 2007 Draft Lottery. 

Time to let forget about the “old ways” of hard fouls. 

The reasons behind why “coaches” may vote for undeserving players in All-Defensive Teams.

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Not sure who to take in this series? Well here is a position by position break down to help you pick the winner in a series where the two teams have lost a total of 1 game this postseason.

Point Guard

Tony Parker:

Regular Season – 18.3 ppg, 7.7 apg, 2.9 rpg, 49 FG% / 31 3pt% / 74 FT%

Postseason – 19.1, 7.1, 3.4, 43/29/81

Russell Westbrook:

Regular Season – 23.6 ppg, 5.5 apg, 4.6 rpg, 46FG% / 32 3pt% / 82FT%

Postseason – 24.1, 4.4, 4.7, 47/30/82

Surprisingly enough Westbrook was the more efficient of the two players, both in the regular season and the postseason. He may get criticized for taking too many shots, but with comparable ratios to that of Parker, it is hard to argue against the Thunder point guard. Parker is having an MVP type year, but I question his ability to deal with an opponent as athletic as Westbrook. The difference in this matchup will be Westbrook’s ability to rebound: if he can snag 5 rebounds per game, and turn them into transition opportunities, the Thunder will have a chance to not only give the Spurs their first postseason loss, but advance to the NBA Finals.

Edge: Oklahoma City Thunder. This is a matchup of two of the best in the game, and could very well determine the winning team. I prefer Westbrook by the slightest of margins, based on athleticism and willingness to attack the basket.

Shooting Guard

Danny Green:

Regular Season – 9.1 ppg, 1.3 apg, 3.5 rpg, 44 FG% / 44 3pt% / 79 FT%

Postseason – 10.4, 1.3, 4.0, 50/46/70

Thabo Sefolosha:

Regular Season – 4.8 ppg, 1.1 apg, 3.0 rpg, 43 FG% / 44 3pt% / 88 FT%

Postseason – 3.9, 1.7, 1.9, 39/39/100

Sefolosha’s role obviously is at the defensive end, where he is counted on to defend some of the game’s top players. But he doesn’t have a Kobe Bryant type player to guard this series, and I believe his value takes a big dip based on the Spurs “team” mentality. He contributes the occasional three pointer, but other than that, he is relatively unheard from on the offense end, especially this postseason. The pride of North Carolina, Danny Green, has thrived this entire season, and has continued his rock solid play into the playoffs. His eFG% has increased significantly, and his scoring average has taken the biggest percentage leap of any player in this series. He is an energy player who picks and chooses his spots on offense, the perfect compliment to a loaded Spurs team. He provides one elite aspect, and that is his ability to take and make tough shots at the end of the shot/game clock. That skill could provide crucial in a series that figures to come down to the final buzzer more often than not.

Edge: The San Antonio Spurs gain an advantage here, at least offensively. Green has the ability to score in bunches, and with an iffy OKC defense focusing elsewhere, figures to have his chances. Sefolosha is a solid player, but his elite defending abilities will be neaturalized as the Spurs lack a viable matchup for him. Danny Green is the real deal, and the energy he brings is enough for me to favor him over Sefolosha in a matchup of underrated SG’s

Small Forward

Kawhi Leonard:

Regular Season – 7.9 ppg, 1.1 apg, 5.1 rpg, 49 FG% / 38 3pt% / 77 FT%

Postseason – 8.5, 0.6, 4.9, 51/45/83

Kevin Durant:

Regular Season – 28.0 ppg, 3.5 apg, 8.0rpg, 50 FG% / 39 3pt% / 86 FT%

Postseason – 26.7, 3.4, 8.1, 49/37/84

Obviously Durant is an elite player, maybe the best in the game, and is a big reason why the Thunder earned the 2 seed this season. He has seen his numbers drop a little bit this postseason, but some blowouts are to blame for that. He is the best scorer in the league today, and in a series where the winning team may be required to score 100+ points every night, he will be counted on for at least the 26.7 ppg he has poured in during the playoffs. Leonard is a first year man who has found a valuable niche with this Spurs team. At 6’7″ he has the ability to muscle up around the rim, but he also has a feathery touch from the three point line. I love Leonard as a piece for the Spurs to build around down the road, but Durant’s length figures to make this a long series if the two SF’s guard each other.

Edge: The edge is greater here than at any other position, and it’s not because Leonard isn’t good. Durant is a 3 time scoring champion at the age of 23 and arguably the best player in the NBA. I do think Leonard can add value on the defensive end, as he is versatile enough to hang with the Durantchula in stretches. Warning: If Leonard can boost his scoring average to double figures, and make Durant work on the defensive end, the Spurs will win this series.

Power Forward

Tim Duncan:

Regular Season – 15.4 ppg, 2.3 apg, 9.0 rpg, 49FG% / 70 FT%

Postseason – 17.6, 2.9, 9.0, 54/79

Serge Ibaka:

Regular Season – 9.1 ppg, 0.4 apg, 7.5 rpg, 54 FG% / 33 3pt% / 66 FT%

Postseason – 9.8, 0.7, 6.1, 54/25/60

The Big Fundamental cannot do anything wrong these days, and he has only gotten better as the season has progressed. Ibaka will lead this matchup in highlights, but this is the Spurs greatest advantage in this series. While Ibaka is considerably more athletic, the experience and wisdom of Duncan figures to neutralize that advantage. Ibaka will block a few shots, but with Duncan as good as in game adjustments as anybody, it is easy to forecast foul trouble for the Thunder PF. Typically fouling Duncan is a solid game plan, but he is shooting a remarkable 79% from the line this postseason, and figures to stay hot from the stripe. While Ibaka has the edge in youth and athleticism, I have my doubts about his ability to guard Duncan 10-15 feet away from the rim. Coach Popovich will find a way to exploit this experience mismatch, as I expect another big series from Timmy.

Edge: The San Antonio Spurs gain a decided advantage at the PF position. Duncan has turned back the clock and is playing like the all time great that he is. If this matchup is decided solely in the paint, Ibaka can hold his own. But it is outside of the lane that would worry me if I am a Thunder fan.

Center

Boris Diaw:

Regular Season – 6.4 ppg, 3.6 apg, 4.9 rpg, 44 FG% / 31 3pt% / 63 FT%

Postseason – 6.5, 2.5, 5.5, 53/50/71

Kendrick Perkins:

Regular Season – 5.1 ppg, 1.2 apg, 6.6 rpg, 49 FG% / 65 FT%

Postseason – 3.9, 0.9, 5.9, 41/100

Raise your hand if at the beginning of the season, you thought one of these players would be a starter for the Western Conference champion. Neither is an elite talent, but Diaw has stepped up his game statistically in the postseason, while Perkins has regressed a bit. Diaw is an above average shooter and a willing passer, making him a threat all over the court. Perkins is limited to the painted area, and has served as more of an enforcer than anything for the young Thunder. This matchup will come down to coaching: as Perkins has a decided edge in the lane, and Diaw on the perimeter. Whichever coach can exploit this mismatch will have a huge advantage.

Edge: The San Antonio Spurs take the cake here, as Diaw’s production is trending upwards while Perkins’ is headed the other direction. Diaw can body up with Perkins in the paint moreso than Perkins can match speed with Diaw on the perimeter, leading me to believe Popovich wins this coaching battle. It is reasonable to think that one of these two players will be in foul trouble nightly, due to the conflicting styles, and as neither team is overly deep, that could be critical.

Super Sub

Manu Ginobili:

Regular Season – 12.9 ppg, 4.4 apg, 3.4 rpg, 53 FG% / 41 3pt% / 87 FT%

Postseason – 11.3, 4.5, 3.3, 40/26/78

James Harden:

Regular Season – 16.8 ppg, 3.7 apg, 4.1 rpg, 49 FG% / 39 3pt% / 85 FT%

Postseason – 17, 3.1, 5.0, 42/33/90

Two of the best in the business square off in this series, and it should be fun to watch. As different as Perkins and Diaw were, these two are similar. They both rely on slashing to the rim and putting all kinds of pressure on their defender. Both players benefit from being left handed, an advantage that could be neutralized should they guard one another. Harden is 20 lbs heavier and may wear down Ginobili should this series go as long as expected.

Edge: The Oklahoma City Thunder gain an advantage here, based mainly on youth. The Beard is playing at the highest level of his career, and is the Thunder’s top playmaker. He has the ability to make those around him better, and they are pretty good to begin with. Both players are very efficient, but Harden’s ability to take over a game for 5-10 minute periods should be a key factor in most games.

Soppe Score: Shocker, we have a split decision. I’ll take the Thunder in 6 games, as Durant and Harden figure to be the two biggest advantages in this series. I love Tony Parker and all that he has done, but I just don’t think he matches up favorably with the uber athletic Westbrook. Duncan is solid, but I’ll roll with athleticism and youth to trump all in this Western Conference Final.

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I’ve taken all the outcomes I grabbed for my radar graphs and put them together into one table. Because I only grabbed data that fit the parameters of my offensive distribution project, this only includes offensive outcomes that occurred at least 100 times this season. I was also focused on intentional half-court decisions so there is no data for offensive rebounds or transition possessions. In looking at this data it also helps to keep in mind the league averages for each possession type:

• Cut – 1.18 PPP
• PnR Screener – 0.97 PPP
• Spot Up – 0.94 PPP
• Off Screen – 0.87 PPP
• Hand Off – 0.87 PPP
• Post Up – 0.82 PPP
• PnR Ball Handler – 0.78 PPP
• Isolation – 0.78 PPP

To sort the table by frequency or points per possession within a possession category, first sort by either frequency or points per possessions, then sort by possession type.

Here’s the link to the entire table.

The table can be awkward to manipulate so I pulled out the top and bottoms of some of the categories.

Top 5 Overall

1. 1.55 ppp – Andrew Bynum – Cut
2. 1.51 ppp – Steve Novak – Spot Up
3. 1.51 ppp – Tyson Chandler – Cut
4. 1.46 ppp – Blake Griffin – Cut
5. 1.38 ppp – Chris Bosh – Cut

Top 3 PnR Ball Handler

1. 1.04 ppp – James Harden
2. 1.04 ppp – Isaiah Thomas
3. 0.97 ppp – Kyle Lowry

There is plenty here to look at, but here are a few things that struck me:

Non-Shooters shooting

8 players scored at a below-average rate on spot-up opportunities and used at least 200 of those possessions. Alonzo Gee is young and played on a bad Cavaliers team. Because of their lack of offensive weapons, he was probably asked to shoot more often than is ultimately good for him or the team. Most of the rest of the list is made up of players who at one time carried reputations as reliable outside threats, but appear to have undergone a surprising regression – Tayshaun Prince, Antawn Jamison, Jason Richardson, Marcus Thornton, Landry Fields and Chris Bosh. Finally we arrive at Josh Smith. He used a total of 377 spot-up possessions, by far the most of any player who scored at a below average rate. In fact only player in the entire league, Caron Butler, used more spot-up possessions this season than Smith. He used more spot up possessions than Kyle Korver and Steve Novak combined!

Novak

It can not be understated how much Steve Novak did with his first opportunity at playing significant NBA minutes. The 1.51 points per possession he averaged on spot ups was the second most efficient offensive outcome in the entire league. It was also nearly three times as efficient as his teammates Baron Davis or Iman Shumpert were in the pick-and-roll. The difference between Novak and the next most efficient spot up shooter, was equal to the difference in efficiency between Kobe Bryant in the post and JaVale McGee in the post.

Looking For Weapons In Cleveland

Kyrie Irving had an incredible rookie season, and at 1.03 points per possession, was the third-most efficient isolation scorer in the league. However it was difficult to find many other positive offensive outcomes. The Cavs had two of the three worst post up scorers in the league in Tristan Thompson and Samardo Samuels, who used a combined 208 possession on the block. Omri Casspi, Jamison and Gee were all below average spot up shooters. Jamison also ranked as the least efficient screener in the pick-and-roll at just 0.67 points per possession. The Cavaliers could take a big step forward next year but they’ll need to find some more scorers to support Irving.

Versatility

A few players stand out as incredibly efficient in multiple categories. James Harden was top three in both isolations and as the ball handler in pick-and-rolls. He also scored a well-above-average 1.16 points per possession in spot up opportunities. Marc Gasol was another who could hurt a defense in multiple ways. Gasol was terrific in the pick-and-roll, 1.05 ppp, and as a cutter, 1.10 ppp. He was also one of the most efficient post scorers, averaging 0.93 points per possessions, more than Andrew Bynum, Dwight Howard, Zach Randolph and Luis Scola.

I hope this data is a useful resource for everyone, I know in the past I’ve found it frustrating to not be able to compare a player’s Synergy numbers to their peers. If you have trouble finding something specific let me know and I’ll try to help locate it. If you find something interesting please share it in the comments or pass it along on Twitter, @HickoryHigh.

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Kyle Soppe also writes about the NBA for Pickin’ Splinters. Follow him on Twitter.

Two convincing wins last night were highlighted by some well balanced scoring outputs. Russell Westbrook and Kevin Garnett contributed big games, but their teammates were slightly more valuable.

76ers @ Celtics – Boston uses second half serge to oust Philly 101-85

MVP: Brandon Bass

The Celtics valuable “piece” proved to the basketball public that Boston does in fact start 5 players. We all know about the “Big Four”, but Bass’ unique skill set for a big man must not be overlooked when scouting the Celtics offense. He routinely buried mid-range jumpers on his way to a team high 27 points on only 13 field goal attempts. Bass led the C’s in field goals made, rebounds, offensive rebounds, plus/minus ratio, and steals but his impact goes further than that. His ability to knock down jump shots extends the defense, allowing Rajon Rondo (14 assists) to be more effective. B squared isn’t a blooming star, but he has established himself as a key cog in the Boston machine, which looks to close out the 76ers in the upcoming game 6.

Lakers @ Thunder – Youth prevails as the Thunder run away from the Lakers 106-90

MVP: Kevin Durant

This game was close for a little while, as Kobe Bryant caught fire, but the Thunder are simply the better team. Durant got his 25 points, but I’m more impressed with his 10 defensive rebounds. OKC was +16 on the glass against what is nearly unanimously considered the top rebounding front line in the NBA, and Durant was not only a key in holding the Lakers to only 6 second chance points, but his rebounds led to transition opportunities. On the fast break, the athletic Thunder outscored the Lakers by 24 points, often squashing any momentum Los Angeles had with a dunk. Kobe Bryant may have scored more points, but Durant was more efficient and more well rounded, as the Thunder put the Lakers out of their misery in 5 games.

I began by combing mySynergySports and identifying every offensive outcome for the Lakers that had occurred at least 100 times this season. By offensive outcome I mean both possession type and the specific player who ultimately used that possession. I was focused on deliberate offensive choices so I left out transition possessions and offensive rebounds, who’s frequency may have more to do with opportunity than deliberate design. The radar graph below shows two different pieces of information for each outcome – the points per possession that outcome netted the Lakers on average, and the total number of times it occurred this season. The yellow line represents the points per possession, the purple represents the number of occurrences. (Each vertical segment of the graph represents 100 occurrences. Try as I might I couldn’t get Excel to display the scales for both data sets without having them overlap.)

Below are the graphs for all 30 NBA teams, covering this regular season. The graphs are in order of team Offensive Rating from highest to lowest.

In looking at these graphs there are a few important things to keep in mind. First off, not all offensive possession types are created equal. Some possessions are inherently more likely to be successful. For example, players don’t generally receive the ball in a cutting situation unless they’re in a position to score. Therefore, across the league, players average more points per possession on cuts than they do in isolations or post ups. Here are the average points per possession numbers league-wide from each offensive possession type, according to mySynergySports. Again, I’m only looking at structured half-court offense so I’ve left out transition opportunities and offensive rebounds.

• Cut – 1.18 PPP
• PnR Screener – 0.97 PPP
• Spot Up – 0.94 PPP
• Off Screen – 0.87 PPP
• Hand Off – 0.87 PPP
• Post Up – 0.82 PPP
• PnR Ball Handler – 0.78 PPP
• Isolation – 0.78 PPP

There is a clear separation in efficiency between cuts, shots for the screener in pick-and-rolls, spot ups, and everything else. However, creating a more efficient offensive balance is not as easy as just running more cuts. Each of those three possession types are created by some other action that takes place with the ball. An offense can’t be built around those three possession types, without some sort of initial set to create those opportunities. Each team and coaching staff is looking at their personnel and trying to find the most effective recipe for combining and creating these different scoring opportunities.

Keeping this in mind we would expect to see a few similarities in good offenses. Teams that score very efficiently generally tilt the balance towards more effective scoring opportunities. They also score at an above average rate on some of the possession types that are generally less effective. The Spurs are a perfect example. Looking at just their offensive outcomes which occurred at least 100 times this season, we are left with a total of 3558 possessions. 1952 of those possessions, or 54.8% were used by either cutters, spot up shooters or screeners in the pick and roll. Across the entire league just 45.9% of offensive outcomes came from those three possession types. The Spurs have found a way to significantly tilt that offensive balance in their favor. They also have managed to be more efficient than average with those less efficient opportunities. The Spurs had 7 different offensive outcomes that occurred at least 100 times that were on the bottom half of that efficiency list (Gary Neal – PnR Ball Handler, Tony Parker – PnR Ball Handler, Manu Ginobili – PnR Ball Handler, Tony Parker – Isolation, Tim Duncan – Post Up, Tiago Splitter – Post Up, DeJuan Blair – Post Up). Of those 7 different offensive outcomes, only three (Tim Duncan – Post Up, Tiago Splitter – Post Up, DeJuan Blair – Post Up) scored at a rate below the league average for that possession type.

The Thunder are a team that found an offensive recipe completely different from the Spurs. They don’t rely on an efficient balance, but instead on individual excellence. Of their offensive outcomes that occurred at least 100 times, just 26.2% of their possessions were used on those three most efficient opportunities. The Thunder put together the second best offense in the league this season because they made the most of less efficient possession types. 55.5% of the Thunder’s possessions were used in isolations or as the ball handler in the pick-and-roll by Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Russell Westbrook. Across the league these were some of the least efficient offensive outcomes, but Durant, Harden and Westbrook were all well above average in both possession types. Durant and Westbrook get most of the attention, but Harden’s efficiency blew the other two away. On possession types where the league average is just 0.78 points per possession, Harden scored 1.07 in isolations and 1.04 in the pick-and-roll.

In these graphs we also see examples of teams struggling to find success both because of an inefficient balance, and an inability to exploit specific opportunities. The Hawks had some terrific offensive options at their disposal this season. They had strong spot up shooting from Kirk Hinrich, Willie Green, Joe Johnson, Jeff Teague and Marvin Williams. They also had two strong ball handlers in the pick-and-roll in Johnson and Teague. The performance of Teague was particularly impressive, averaging 0.93 points per possession in the pick-and-roll, well above the league average. Unfortunately 29.7% of their possessions in our data set went to Josh Smith in either isolations, spot-ups or post ups. Smith was an atrocious spot up shooter, scoring just 0.81 points per possession, well below the league average of 0.94. He was right around average on post ups and isolations, but again, nearly a third of the Hawks’ offensive possessions were being used on some of their least efficient outcomes.

Then we come to the poor Kings. It certainly could have been worse overall, they had the 21st most efficient offense this season, but at a micro level things were really bad. Their problems ran deeper than balance and raised some questions about the abilities and potential of the players they have on their roster. First off they couldn’t shoot. Other than Isaiah Thomas and Jimmer Fredette, every King who used at least 100 spot up possessions scored at a below average rate. That covers six different players and the span goes from Marcus Thornton and his 0.92 points per possession, all the way down to Tyreke Evans and his 0.70 points per possession. Evans used at least 100 possessions in isolations, the pick-and-roll and as a spot-up shooter. He scored significantly below average in all three. DeMarcus Cousins used at least 100 possessions as a screener in pick-and-rolls, post ups, spot ups and isolations. He was above average in the pick and roll, but significantly below average in the other three. Finding a solution to the Kings’ woes may involve more than just the passage of time and some minor tweaks.

I know that basketball analytics have generally had a hard time sussing out the impact of coaching on team performance. All though we haven’t specifically look at these numbers through a coaching lens, that’s the issue we’re dancing around. Players ultimately make the decision whether to shoot or pass, but the do so within a framework established by the coach. An efficient offense doesn’t just require good players, it requires good players to be used in the right ways.

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There were big games and bigger performances all weekend long. Let’s check in on some of the most impressive.

Friday

Celtics @ 76ers – It’s not how you start (14-0 first 3:16) but rather how you finish (33-20 fourth quarter) as 76ers eek out 92-83 win

MVP: Andre Iguodala

Philadelphia’s lone all star showed up in a big way as his 76ers beat the Celtics to even up the best of 7 series. He knocked down all 3 of his three-point attempts, with each one seemingly more clutch than the one before it. The 3/3 day from behind the arc matched a season high for three pointers made without a miss. Iggy scored half of his points (8) in the dramatic fourth quarter, and was trusted with orchestrating the offense in the final minutes. He grabbed 7 rebounds and handed out 4 assists, as he did everything the 76ers needed. Philly has won the last 6 games in which he has recorded at least 7 rebounds or assists, proving his value.

Thunder @ Lakers – They call free throws easy points for a reason, as the Lakers accuracy dooms Thunder, 99-96

MVP’s: Joe Crawford, Zach Zarba, and Sean Wright

Don’t know these names? They are typically paid to have as little as impact on a game as possible, but there is no denying that they played a huge role in the Lakers ability to beat the Thunder on Friday night. The Lakers made as many free throws (41) as were totaled in the Celtics/76ers game despite scoring 76 fewer total points. Give LA credit for making their free throws (97.6%), but it is unheard of to score 41 points from the line and 46 points on two point baskets. In fact, the Lakers accuracy ranked second all time (behind only the 2003 Mavs) for a playoff team attempting at least 30 free throws. Maybe the Lakers were more aggressive, but it is still a huge jump from the games first two games. Los Angeles attempted 29 free throws in Oklahoma City, both losses. The Thunder’s starters went 15/16 from the line, with the NBA leader in FTA Kevin Durant making his 6 attempts. Kobe Bryant single handily made 18 free throws, with Andre Bynum making 11 freebies.

Saturday

Spurs @ Clippers – Basketball is a games of runs, and Spurs prove it’s not how you start, but rather how you finish in a 96-86 victory

MVP: Tim Duncan

His claim for best power forward of all time continues to improve, as he led the Spurs back from a 24 point first half hole. Timmy out-scored and out-assisted the Clippers in the third quarter (Spurs won the quarter 26-8) with 11 points and 2 dimes. Duncan led the Spurs in minutes and rebounds as he provided a calming influence for San Antonio while they overcame a historic deficit. The Spurs were outscored by 10 points for the 10 minutes Duncan was not on the court, and were +20 when he was in (and that includes him playing most of an 11-33 first quarter). Duncan has never been as valuable this season as he has been this season, with the Spurs yet to lose in over a month.

Thunder @ Lakers – Do we have a new “most clutch” player in the NBA?

MVP: Kevin Durant

Mr. May is doing it again as KD tore the heart out of the Laker faithful with a 31 point game that included the game winner. Durant’s 11 fourth quarter points allowed the Thunder to turn a 9 point deficit into a 3 point victory. He was also the only player to record a double-double, as Durant managed a game high 13 rebounds. Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum are capable of dominating the boards, but the dynamic duo combined for only 14 rebounds. Durant’s rebounding is crucial, as he has the ability to turn a defensive rebound into a great transition look in a heartbeat. The Spurs are the hottest team in the NBA, but Durant may be the best player going, and gives his team a chance to win every single night.

Sunday

Heat @ Pacers – Big Two simply too much to handle for 48 minutes, Heat pull away with 101-93 win

MVP: LeBron James

Wow. Words cannot describe what the King did last night, as he willed the Heat to even out the series at 2 games a piece, regaining home court advantage. All he did was lead Miami in FGA, FGM, FTA, FTM, Offensive Rebounds, Rebounds, Assists, and Steals. His historic 40 points, 18 rebounds, and 9 assists rank second all time in a single playoff game production, behind only Elgin Baylor in 1961. He scored at least 7 points in every quarter, including 14 in a third quarter that saw the Heat seize control of this game for the first time. There are numerous stats that paint an appropiate picture, but I believe this one takes the cake.

LeBron James:

40 points (27 shots), 18 rebounds, 9 assists, 2 steals, 12/16 free throws

Pacers starting front court of Roy Hibbert, David West, and Danny Granger:

38 points (35 shots), 20 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal, 4/6 free throws

Spurs @ Clippers – San Antonio ousts the Clippers in 4 straight (18 straight wins) with 102-99 victory

MVP: Tim Duncan

The Big Fundamental isn’t the sexy name, but he is currently the best player on the best team going in the NBA. He did it again on Sunday, scoring 21 points on only 14 shots, grabbing 9 rebounds, and blocking 3 shots. Heck, he trailed only Chris Paul in assist to turnover ratio with a 4:1 mark. Duncan isn’t flashy, but he wins games, and that’s all that matters this time of the year. Timmy deserves all the credit he gets and more, earning him this weekends MVP.

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A look at the worst shooters in the league from each area on the floor.

SLC Dunk tries to see if there is a correlation between a team’s market size and media attention and their success. 

Tim Duncan doesn’t talk often, so when he does the profile resulting from it is a must read.

With the absence of Chris Bosh, Mike Miller and Udonis Haslem will need to step up. Tom Haberstroh breaks down where the two players have struggled. 

The right play was made at the end of Game 2 in Miami and Oklahoma City. But shots were missed and the repercussions were more than just losses. Especially in Oklahoma City when Mike Brown was forced to try and explain how the right play was wrong. 

How Boston changed their pick and roll coverage between Game 2 and Game 3. 

One of my favorite things about the the postseason so far has been the resurgence of Kevin Garnett. Zach Lowe looks at how it is happening. 

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“You don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone”. The Miami Heat and Los Angeles Clippers are discovering that life without a healthy star is much harder than previously thought. With Chris Bosh sidelined and Chris Paul hobbled, neother team looked comfortable offensively, as both fell on Thursday night.

Heat @ Pacers – Indiana withstands early surge and pulls away in second half for 94-75 victory

MVP: Roy Hibbert

Offense wins games, but defense wins champions. The saying may be cliche, but the focus on defense that Frank Vogel has implemented for his upstart Pacers has caused the Heat all sorts of problems, and has given the Pacers the advantage in the series. Roy Hibbert‘s ability to impact the game on both ends of the floor was a big reason why the Pacers were able to overcome an early hot streak from Miami, where the Heat made 10 consecutive field goals. Hibbert was credited for 5 blocked shots, but altered the attempts of LeBron James and Dwyane Wade much more often than that. Take away the 5 minute stretch where Miami couldn’t miss, and they shot a woeful 27.9% from the floor. For the game, starters not named LeBron James or Mario Chalmers shot 9.1% from the field. No, that’s not a typo.With so many missed shots, rebounding was key for Indiana, and Hibbert bailed them out by grabbing 18 rebounds, only 3 less than the entire starting lineup of the Heat. A game high 5 of those rebounds came on the offensive end, as Hibbert led the Pacers to a 9 point edge on second chance points. Protect the basket against the Heat, and you’ve got a chance: and with Hibbert the most consistent big man in the playoffs, the Pacers figure to give the Heat all they can handle in what should be a long series.

Clippers @ Spurs – San Antonio toys with Los Angeles in dominating 105-88 win

MVP: Boris Diaw

We all know that the Spurs can hurt you with their “Big Three”, but their role players have been equally impressive. Diaw, whose ability to stretch the defense creates holes for the slashing Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, connected on all 7 of his field goal attempts on his way to 16 big points. The point total was Diaw’s best in nearly 4 months, and gives San Antonio another player who is difficult to match up with. He is an excellent passer for a big man, and displayed his ability to find the cutter with 4 assists and only 1 turnover. With Kawhi Leonard and Tim Duncan cleaning the glass, his rebounding isn’t crucial, but he did manage 4 rebounds (2 offensive) against the Clippers. Any game in which Diaw out produces Chris Paul, despite playing 6 less minutes, the Spurs are going to win, it’s just that simple. San Antonio has won 6 straight games this post season, and it is hard to project them losing in the near future.

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Superstars are great to have, but a solid core of players wins in the playoffs. Thanks to the performance of two trios, the Celtics and Thunder were able to win game 2.

Celtics @ 76ers – Boston dominates from start to finish, winning 107-91

MVP’s: Boston’s updated big three of Rajon Rondo, Kevin Garnett, and Paul Pierce

All three players recorded a double double in three quarters of action, as this game wasn’t nearly as close as the final score may indicate. The C’s pulled away from the beginning of the second quarter to the end of the third quarter, outscoring the home team 61-33. During that 24 minute run, Rondo had 10 dimes and both KG and Pierce had a double digit point quarter. Glance at the box score and you will see Boston’s big three outscored the 76er starting five 74-36. That’s a 38 point difference in a hostile environment, in a crucial game. The 76ers maybe younger with more potential, but the 2012 playoffs aren’t concerned with the future, and if last night was any kind of indicator, the experienced Celtics have the edge in the present.

Lakers @ Thunder – Thunder can win ugly too, as they outlast the Lakers 77-75

MVP’s: The best healthy big three in the NBA; Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden

Only two days after the Lakers scored 90 points and lost by 29, a 29 point second half was just enough for the Thunder to take a 2-0 lead in the best of 7 series. OKC’s three studs combined for 50 points, including a remarkable 82.8% of the teams second half points. The importance of their scoring was magnified by the lack of scoring by their Laker counterparts, as the Los Angeles players playing PG, SF, and reserve SG combined for a mere 15 points 4/18 shooting. The Thunder trio added 16 rebounds, 11 assists, and 5 steals in the defense battle. OKC may be a young team, but their proven ability to win both the low scoring and high scoring games is a unique blend, and a big reason why they are currently the favorites to win the 2012 NBA title.

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If we have learned anything from the playoffs thus far, it is that the healthier teams tend to prevail. That was the case again last night, as the Heat struggled on the interior without Chris Bosh and the Clippers couldn’t compete for 48 minutes with a banged up Chris Paul.

Pacers @ Heat – Patient Pacers humble Heat, steal home court advantage with 78-75 victory

MVP: David West

West led a Pacer attack that was focused on exploiting the weak front line of the Miami Heat. He was the most consistent force on the Pacers, as he led the team in scoring (16 points) and minutes played (41). He was a large part of Indiana’s success on the glass, as he recorded 20% of their total rebounds. The +10 rebounding margin allowed the Pacers to slow the game down, and make it a low scoring affair, giving them a chance. If games are played around 190+ total points, the Pacers are in trouble, but if they can keep the total score in the 160 neighborhood, their chances of winning increase significantly. Another odd trend from this contest was the Pacers success in transition and the Heat’s lack there of. Indiana held Miami to 6 points on 6 shots on the break, despite turning the ball over 17 times. West didn’t increase that number at all, as he was the lone Pacer to play more than 5 minutes without committing a turnover. The high turnover number as a team is concerning for Pacer fans, but West’s ability to hold onto the rock is a positive, as the Heat rely on trapping the opposing bigs in order to get odd man breaks going the other way.

Clippers @ Spurs – Second half surge leads San Antonio to impressive 108-92 win

MVP: Tim Duncan

It took the Spurs a little bit of time to find their momentum after the long lay off, but they were able to find a rhythm and dominate the Clippers. San Antonio used their muscle to outscore LA by 12 in the paint and 11 on second chances, with old reliable leading the way. Duncan filled the stat sheet by shooting 60% from the field, scoring a game high 26 points, notching 10 rebounds, recording 2 steals, and swatting 2 shots. He scored 20 points and tallied 9 rebounds after a slow first quarter, as the Spurs won the final three quarters 79-63. Despite the MVP type season from Tony Parker, Duncan is the player Gregg Popovich is most comfortable with, and the more he is involved, the better. He took 20+ field goal attempts for only the second time this season, and I would look for that to continue as the experience of San Antonio looks to handle the youth of the Los Angeles.