NBA playoffs 2023 have started with a bang this weekend, with all eight series tipping off on Saturday and Sunday. Each Game 1 had its traditional winners and losers as determined solely by the scoreboards, but others emerged from the action worthy of those labels.
Here are the specific winners and losers till the latest NBA playoffs in 2023. Let's start to analysis the playoffs.
NBA playoffs 2023 have started with a bang this weekend, with all eight series tipping off on Saturday and Sunday. Each Game 1 had its traditional winners and losers as determined solely by the scoreboards, but others emerged from the action worthy of those labels.
Here are the specific winners and losers till the latest NBA playoffs in 2023. Let's start to analysis the playoffs from The Stats Ball.
NBA Playoff 2023: Teams
Let's reminder ourself which teams from the east and west qualified for the NBA playoffs in 2023. We are going to list the teams from the east first and then the west.
From the east that qualified to the NBA playoffs in 2023 are:
- Philadelphia 76ers
- Miami Heat
- Brooklyn Nets
- Milwaukee Bucks
- Atlanta Hawks
- Boston Celtics
- New York Knicks
- Cleveland Cavaliers
NBA teams that qualified from the west are:
- Golden State Warriors
- La Lakers
- Los Angeles Clippers
- Minnesota Timberwolves
- Phoenix Suns
- Sacramento Kings
- Denver Nuggets
- Memphis Grizzlies
We are going to analysis the teams from the east first with their match-up. Later on we are going to analysis teams from the west down below.
We are going to show two different stats and graphs from 2023 NBA playoffs so far. The two graphs are players with the most points scored. Top 5 players with the most points and top 5 players with the most three pointers made in this year playoffs.
Players with most Points in 2023 NBA Players
Players with most 3 Points
Philadelphia 76ers vs. Brooklyn Nets
The Philadelphia 76ers looked dominant in the second half against the Brooklyn Nets, with James Harden providing a vivid illustration of the kind of game that helped him finish the season fifth in Basketball Reference's MVP Tracker. Philly's 121-101 dismantling of Brooklyn was largely authored by Harden, who had 23 points and 13 assists while posting a team-best plus-20 in the plus-minus column. Embiid is almost certainly going to be Embiid during this postseason. He got to 30 points in 44 of his 66 appearances in the regular season. And despite going 7-of-15 from the field in Game 1, he still totaled 26 points because of his ability to draw fouls. If Harden consistently shows up in the NBA playoffs, Philadelphia is going to be a nightmare.
Boston Celtics vs. Atlanta Hawks
The Boston Celtics won the first quarter by 10 points and then walloped Atlanta 45-25 in the second quarter. At the break, Trae Young was minus-26 in 20 minutes. Lineups headlined by the two former All-Star guards were completely overwhelmed by the Celtics starters, who combined to hit 13 threes. For most of the first 24 minutes, Atlanta's starters seemed a half step slow on rotations and closeouts, and the Celtics can make you pay as much as anyone for inattentiveness. If the Hawks can't find more defensive focus against Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and the rest of Boston's first five, this could be a short series.
New York Knicks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
In Saturday's 101-97 Game 1 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers, Josh Hart came off the bench for 17 points (on 8-of-11 shooting), 10 rebounds, and two dimes. He also helped close things out with a clutch three that gave the Knicks the lead with less than two minutes to play. With the inconsistency of RJ Barrett throughout his career, having the grit, defensive ability, and secondary playmaking of Hart for those late-game situations will be huge.
Miami Heat vs. Milwaukee Bucks
The Miami Heat beat the Milwaukee Bucks in a game in which Giannis Antetokounmpo and Tyler Herro were both lost to injuries. If Giannis can return to the court, the Bucks may still have a chance to go deep in the playoffs.
Los Angeles Clippers vs. Phoenix Suns
The Los Angeles Clippers squeaked out a win over the Phoenix Suns in a game that could have gone either way.
Denver Nuggets vs. Minnesota Timberwolves
The Denver Nuggets started their playoff run on Sunday with a dominant 126-95 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves. Despite the absence of Jamal Murray, who is out for the remainder of the season with an ACL injury, the Nuggets were led by their MVP candidate Nikola Jokic.
Jokic recorded a triple-double with 14 points, 14 rebounds, and 10 assists in just 27 minutes of play. The Serbian big man was a dominant force on both ends of the floor and was able to create opportunities for his teammates with his excellent passing ability.
Michael Porter Jr. also had a solid game for the Nuggets, finishing with 15 points and 7 rebounds in just 22 minutes of play. The Nuggets will be hoping that Porter Jr. can continue to step up in Murray's absence and provide some much-needed scoring punch alongside Jokic.
As for the Timberwolves, they struggled mightily on both ends of the floor and were unable to keep pace with the Nuggets. Karl-Anthony Towns had a tough night, finishing with just 10 points on 4-of-12 shooting, while D'Angelo Russell led the team in scoring with 16 points.
If the Timberwolves want to have any chance of making this a competitive series, they will need to find a way to slow down Jokic and get more consistent production from their key players.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Memphis Grizzlies
On Sunday, the championship mettle of LeBron James and Anthony Davis, as well as huge performances from Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura, helped the Los Angeles Lakers upset the Memphis Grizzlies. If the Lakers continue to perform at this level, they could pose a serious threat to any team in the playoffs.
In what was perhaps the most anticipated matchup of the first round, the Los Angeles Lakers took on the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday in a game that did not disappoint. Led by the dynamic duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis, the Lakers were able to come away with a hard-fought 109-101 victory.
James and Davis were both excellent for the Lakers, with James finishing with 22 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists, while Davis added 28 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 blocks. The Lakers also got strong contributions from some of their role players, including Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura.
For the Grizzlies, Ja Morant was once again the standout performer, finishing with 26 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists. Dillon Brooks also had a solid game, adding 25 points and 4 rebounds.
Despite the loss, the Grizzlies showed that they are a team that should not be underestimated. They played the Lakers tough for most of the game and showed that they are more than capable of hanging with some of the top teams in the league.
Looking Ahead
With the first games of the NBA playoffs in the books, there is still plenty of basketball left to be played. As the series continue to unfold, we can expect to see plenty of drama, excitement, and unforgettable moments.
From the dominant performances of stars like Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic to the emergence of unexpected heroes like Austin Reaves and Josh Hart, the playoffs are sure to provide plenty of memorable moments for fans to savor.
As the action continues to unfold, be sure to keep an eye on these key storylines and players, as they could very well end up determining who ultimately comes out on top.
