The 2024 NBA playoffs continued Tuesday with a trio of Game 2s. The Mavericks and Pacers were able to even their series against the Clippers and Bucks, respectively, while the Timberwolves went up 2-0 against the Suns. Luka Doncic scored 32 points for the Mavs, who picked up the offense in the fourth quarter of a three-point win in L.A. Kawhi Leonard came back for the Clippers after missing three weeks with a knee injury, but was limited to 15 points in 34 minutes.
The Timberwolves got the night started with another emphatic home win against the Suns. Minnesota pulled away in the second half and got 25 points from Jaden McDaniels to take a 2-0 lead vs. Phoenix. The Pacers then became the first road team in these playoffs to notch a win, getting 37 points from Pascal Siakam in a 17-point victory against the Bucks.
NBA playoffs scores: Tuesday, April 23
- Timberwolves 105, Suns 93 -- Timberwolves lead 2-0 -- Box score
- Pacers 125, Bucks 108 -- Series tied 1-1 -- Box score
- Mavericks 96, Clippers 93 -- Series tied 1-1 -- Box score
Now that Tuesday's slate is complete, here is one question worth asking about each series.
Will the Suns change their equation?
Through two games, let's take a look at where these teams are getting their points:
- The Timberwolves have scored 100 points in the paint. The Suns have scored 74.
- The Timberwolves have attempted 64 3-pointers. The Suns have attempted 50.
- The Suns have attempted 28 mid-range shots. The Timberwolves have attempted 16.
Phoenix is a team built to win close games down the stretch. In those moments, mid-range shotmaking becomes one of the most valuable skills in basketball because those are generally the only shots that are consistently available. The trouble Phoenix has now encountered twice in a row against Minnesota is that the game isn't close at the end because they're losing the math problem so badly in the first three quarters.
The Timberwolves are not a beacon of ideal shot-selection. They ranked 23rd in 3-point attempts in the regular season and 19th in the restricted area. But the Suns, who ranked 24th in 3-pointers, 28th in restricted area attempts and second in mid-range jumpers, are so far behind them that it has hardly mattered. Minnesota's defense is doing a great job of goading Phoenix into those shots. Kevin Durant leads the postseason in mid-range attempts largely because Minnesota is using intentional mismatches (Karl-Anthony Towns as the base matchup, but plenty of others through disadvantageous switching) to convince him to take them. He's making, but all of those low-percentage looks make it that much harder for Devin Booker and Bradley Beal, who are getting hounded by Jaden McDaniels and Anthony Edwards, to establish their own rhythm.
If Grayson Allen misses any more time due to the right ankle sprain he suffered on Tuesday, this probably is only going to get worse. He was the NBA's leader in 3-point percentage this season, and having him around to space the floor opens critical driving lanes for everyone else. Whether he plays or not, the Suns have to at least commit to taking more 3's in Game 3. Avoiding the rim, where Rudy Gobert awaits, is an understandable strategic decision. But they can't keep losing the math battle and relying on their skill to make up the difference. It just isn't working.
When exactly is Dame Time?
Damian Lillard leads all scorers with 34 first-quarter points in the playoffs. He also leads all second-quarter scorers with 27 points through two games. He has scored just eight third-quarter points against the Pacers. He has not yet put the ball through the hoop in the fourth quarter of this first round.
Damian Lillard's clutch credentials, especially in the playoffs, are beyond reproach. We're talking about a player who has multiple walk-off buzzer-beaters here. The Pacers aren't exactly a defensive juggernaut either. They got better down the stretch of course, but they finished the season ranked 24th and, even if it's by design, have the league's worst rim-defense. So what's going on here?
Well, here's a theory: Lillard is 33 years old. He is playing without his co-star, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and is therefore carrying an absolutely enormous burden early in games. And he's playing against the second-fastest team in the NBA in the Pacers. It's not exactly a leap here to wonder if Lillard is simply getting tired. Indiana really dialed up the pace and ball pressure in Game 2 to help facilitate that exhaustion, and it seemingly worked.
If Lillard has to win this series by himself, well, the Bucks might run into some problems. They no longer have home-court advantage in this series, and after Khris Middleton rolled an ankle early in Game 2, it's not clear where the rest of their offense is going to come from. It's heartening to know that Lillard can still dominate stretches. If Antetokounmpo does make it back in time, the Bucks will be in good shape with this version of Lillard. But they've been blown out of consecutive second halves. It just isn't realistic to ask Lillard to dominate for 40 minutes anymore. He can't do this on his own.
How quickly can Kawhi Leonard recover?
Kawhi Leonard's return to the court was a bit of a mixed bag. The Clippers defended very, very well in Game 2. Leonard was a big part of that, though more as a team defender than in his traditional, isolation stopper role. The offense was where things got iffier. Leonard just didn't look like he had his usual lift as he deals with the knee inflammation that had kept him out since March 31. Leonard missed all five of his 3-point attempts. He was closer to his usual self in mid-range, but ultimately just didn't look healthy enough to create the kinds of shots the Clippers needed to win.
When people look back on the two Clippers-Mavericks heavyweight fights that preceded this series, they tend to remember Luka Doncic nearly singlehandedly leading the Mavericks to victory. What has largely been forgotten is what a titanic effort it took from Leonard to keep Doncic from ultimately pulling off the upset. In three road games in Dallas during the 2021 playoffs, Leonard scored 36, 29 and 45 points. In those games, he shot 42-of-57 (73.6%) from the field. The Clippers won all three games.
Now the series is shifting to Dallas. The Clippers will have to win on the road at least once the win the series. Leonard looked OK in Game 2, but "OK" isn't gonna cut it if the 2021 series is any indication. Doncic is older. Kyrie Irving is here. Sooner or later, the Clippers are going to need supernova Leonard. If he can return within a game or two, the Clippers have every reason to believe they can win this series. They nearly stole Game 2 despite shooting 8-of-30 on 3's. But if this is the version of Leonard they're getting, Dallas has the advantage. You don't beat Doncic at 50%. As history has shown, it takes everything Leonard has to knock him out.