These NBA playoffs didn’t need LeBron James anyway - SB Nation

As we began the first Eastern Conference Finals since 2010 not featuring LeBron James, I wondered if there would feel like something was missing. LeBron is the best player of his generation, a centralizing and inescapable presence. He had been to eight straight conference finals series in the East, and led his team to victory in each of them. What would a series with a shot to represent the East in the NBA Finals feel like without him?

Amazing, it turns out.

The Bucks won a thrilling Game 1 108-100 over the Raptors. Toronto led most of the night and got an amazing performance out of Kyle Lowry. Kawhi Leonard went uncharacteristically cold late, and Brook Lopez exploded into flames. How each defense keyed on the two superstars in the series, Kawhi and Giannis Antetokounmpo, was fascinating -- even though they didn’t match up on each other, they were central to everything. Great game, great finish, should be a great series.

LeBron, meanwhile, is nowhere to be seen, having moved West last summer. It’s clear that neither of these contenders will be considered a junior challenger when one of them makes the Finals: these squads are both title-worthy. In fact, it makes you wonder if LeBron’s East crown run would have ended in 2019 even if he would have remained with the Cavaliers. The Bucks and Raptors just look that good this season.

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Scores

Raptors 100, Bucks 108
Milwaukee leads series 1-0

Schedule

Blazers at Warriors, 9 ET, ESPN
Golden State leads series 1-0

Links

Some smart people have expressed that it feels like Toronto had to win that game if they want to win the series given Lowry’s performance, the relatively effective defense on Giannis, and a long Bucks cold streak in the middle of the contest. Folks, the Raptors won the previous series on a leaning 20-footer at the buzzer of Game 7 that bounced on the rim four times. Series are long. Let’s not bury a team for not holding on in a Game 1 on the road.

I wrote about the obvious truth that there’s no way Anthony Davis is changing his mind about the Pelicans and that the Pels shouldn’t be invested in that outcome anyway given the clarity Zion Williamson provides them about their future.

Five winners and four losers from the NBA draft lottery. What the Lakers do at No. 4 will shape the rest of the draft. A case that this was the best NBA draft lottery ever. Zach Lowe on what happened behind the scenes at the lottery.

Alex Wong on how three different teams are watching Kawhi’s postseason run.

For the first time ever, the WNBA has a commissioner: the outgoing CEO of Deloitte.

Emmet Ryan previews the Euroleague Final Four. Three of the teams are regulars in the championship round. The fourth is decidedly not.

Who is taking the fall in the college basketball scandal? Black assistant coaches, mostly.

Wow. Dick Garrett, who played for the Bucks in the 1970 and 1974 Finals, now works security at Milwaukee games.

An excellent Knicks jape from The Onion.

Chris Ballard on the echoes of Don Nelson found in these playoffs.

I really feel the actual stress the Currys feel about rooting for their sons as the face off in the West finals. And not because my kids are also NBA players.

And finally: Giannis through the eyes of Milwaukee’s refugees.

Be excellent to each other.

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https://www.sbnation.com/nba/2019/5/16/18627507/nba-playoffs-lebron-james-raptors-vs-bucks-gmib

2019-05-16 11:28:19Z
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