With Tuesday-night victories, the Atlanta Hawks and Los Angeles Lakers secured the seventh seed in their respective conferences. The Hawks topped the Miami Heat, while the Lakers got an OT win against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
I was somewhat surprised that Atlanta outplayed Miami. The Heat, a team that made it to the conference finals last year, seems like a long-lost ghost of the team that played on Tuesday night. Shots weren’t falling, and the defense couldn’t stop Atlanta. Miami’s fire and fast-paced style are absent, and questions are swirling about Jimmy Butler. I would not be surprised if he asks for a trade following this season, and if the Miami roster stays the same, Bam Adebayo should get out of Miami and be an asset to a stronger team.
The Heat will face the winner of the Bulls-Raptors series for a chance to capture the eighth seed in the East. The Hawks will face the Boston Celtics in the first round of the playoffs, beginning at 3:30 P.M. EST this Saturday.
The Lakers-Timberwolves matchup was a thriller. Dennis Shröder hit a clutch 3-pointer, and Mike Conley made all three free throws at the end of regulation to send the game into overtime. LeBron James led all scoring with 30 points, ten rebounds, and six assists. Anthony Davis put up 24 points, 15 rebounds, four assists, and two steals.
The Lakers will face the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round of playoffs beginning at 3 P.M. EST this Sunday, while the Timberwolves will face the Oklahoma City Thunder-New Orleans Pelicans series winner for a chance at the eighth seed in the West.
The Timberwolves had a whirlwind end to their regular season, leaving them a few men down for Tuesday’s game. Rudy Gobert got into an altercation with teammate Kyle Anderson and was suspended from the game. Jaden McDaniels was frustrated and headed to the locker room, leading him to punch a wall and fracture his hand. Nonetheless, it was a close game, and I believe a healthy Wolves team could beat the Lakers.
