NBA Playoffs Notes: Anthony Edwards Is Awesome, Philly’s Problems, Potential Suns Breakup, More

It’s been a fun first round of the NBA Playoffs thus far! The Timberwolves and Thunder have both looked like they’re more than ready for the spotlight. A few teams also appear to be destined for a breakup this offseason, and the Clippers and Mavericks first-round series is living up to the hype. Let’s get to all of that and more around the NBA.

Around the NBA Playoffs

Anthony Edwards has been the star of the NBA Playoffs
© Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

  • Anthony Edwards is awesome. Last night the Timberwolves completed their sweep of the Suns. In these four games, Edwards averaged 31 points per game to go along with 8.0 rebounds and 6.3 assists per contest. He did it all for Minnesota, and he does it with a swagger and confidence that feels a whole lot like the old-school attitudes of Michael or Kobe. Before the playoffs, I’d have thought there was only a small chance Minnesota could get by Denver in the second round. While I still think Denver will be favored, Edwards’ first-round effort makes it seem a whole lot more possible. Anthony Edwards had an awesome season, and it feels like this NBA playoff is going to be his graduation to one of the game’s top superstars.
  • Let’s talk about the Timberwolves’ first-round opponent – the Phoenix Suns. Where exactly do they go from here? Their big three was a massive flop in year one, and the Bradley Beal fit ended up being as awkward as many thought it would be. Turns out that just not having a point guard isn’t a very sound strategy. So what now? Does Kevin Durant try and force his way out? Could Devin Booker be made available? Beal has essentially no trade value and carries a massive three-year deal paying $50+ million in each of the next three seasons. The Suns also don’t have a tradeable first-round pick until 2029. So what now? It feels almost certain that Frank Vogel will be let go, but is a new coach and minor tweaks enough to fix the Suns’ issues? I kind of think they make a coaching switch and run it back next year, but if KD moves I wouldn’t be at all surprised.
  • Staying in the West, the Clippers and Mavs series has been so much fun. Whoever wins will have a very tall task in the Thunder in Round 2, but so far this matchup has been the back-and-forth battle we hoped for. Kyrie and Luka have both been fantastic. Paul George was amazing in Game 4. James Harden looks like his old self. Kawhi Leonard’s health will be the biggest question mark going forward. He missed Game 1, played Games 2 & 3, then missed Game 4. The Clippers are 2-0 without him in the lineup and 0-2 with him. That’s not to say they’re a better team without him, but they might be a better team without him if he’s not 100 perecent healthy. Kawhi will be evaluated on a game-by-game basis, but I think it’s very possible we won’t see him again in this series.
  • Similarly to the Suns, it’s going to be interesting to see where Philly goes from here. It’s yet another early playoff exit for Joel Embiid and the Sixers. Not that Embiid hasn’t been good – he’s averaging 35 points per game in the playoffs – but the supporting cast isn’t there yet again. Tyrese Maxey has emerged as a very solid running mate with Embiid, and with Tobias Harris’ money (and a good chunk of their roster’s) coming off the books, how they go about this offseason will be interesting to watch. Outside of Maxey and Embiid, the Sixers have just two players scoring in double figures – Kyle Lowry and Kelly Oubre Jr. – so we will likely see a very new-look supporting cast in Philly next year.
  • The Bucks fell down 3-1 in their series with the Pacers yesterday, but it was actually a pretty valiant effort from a roster that was incredibly depleted. Giannis and Damian Lillard both sat and then Bobby Portis got ejected in the first quarter. Can they come back if they get healthy? If they don’t, what does the offseason look like? Could they move on from the Damian Lillard experiment after just one year? They’ve just been such a weird team all year. They’ve had flashes of being the best team in the East at times this season, but there’s just zero consistency. Maybe a full offseason with Doc Rivers in charge helps things, but how they approach the offseason will be one of the top stories in basketball.
  • Jan 29, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers talks with forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) in the fourth quarter against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

  • Another Eastern Conference team with questions this offseason will be the Cavs. The Donovan Mitchell dilemma is one that seems to linger, and this summer it will probably come to a resolution one way or another. Obviously, you never want to move on from a star like Mitchell, but if he’s deadset on exploring free agency … don’t you have to move him? Especially if the Cavs come up short yet again in the playoffs with this group, it feels like a Donovan Mitchell trade could be very likely. Now, that series is nowhere near decided. The Cavs can still very much win it, but a date with the Celtics in Round 2 doesn’t seem all that promising.
  • One story for a non-playoff team worth monitoring popped up today. ESPN NBA Insider Brian Windhorst was on The Pat McAfee show today and said he predicts a star will join Victor Wembanyama in San Antonio. He also inferred that Trae Young might be a top candidate to be that star, but he didn’t go as far as to actually say that name. Anyway, it does feel like someone will want to go play with Wemby, and why wouldn’t they? He’s the future of the league, and Gregg Popovich is still in charge. San Antonio will be on the top of a lot of really good players’ lists this summer.
  • Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs in a game against the New York Knicks
    © Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports

    written by

    Matt is from the Chicagoland area and has been working in Chicago sports since 2015 with stops at WGN Radio, the Chicago Blackhawks, Stadium, and NBC Sports Chicago prior to landing at Betsperts. Matt covers just about everything for Betsperts and Bleacher Nation but focuses on the NHL and college football.

    more bulls news

    Chicago Sky’s Kamilla Cardoso Might Make Her Debut At the Perfect Time

    The Chicago Sky are about to get their top draft pick back. Kamilla Cardoso – who was selected No. 3 overall in the 2024 WNBA Draft – has yet to make her professional debut due to a shoulder injury. The...

    Can the Chicago Bulls Find Their Future Center in the 2024 NBA Draft?

    The big man is coming back in style, and the Chicago Bulls better keep that in mind this summer. Whether it be Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid, Giannis Antetokonmpo, Victor Wembanyama, or Minnesota's towering frontcourt, size is becoming a priority for...

    Angel Reese is Now the Co-Owner of a Professional Sports Team

    It's been quite a couple of months for Angel Reese! On April 15th, the LSU national champion was drafted 7th overall by the Chicago Sky in the WNBA Draft. On May 7th, she became the first WNBA rookie to attend...

    Alex Caruso Earns All-Defensive Second Team Honors (But Totally Deserved First Team)

    Alex Caruso has made his second-straight All-Defensive Team. But the case can be made that he was still snubbed. The Chicago Bulls' defensive guard earned a Second Team honor one year after cracking the First Team. Due to the league's...

    ECF Drought, FAs I’m Scared the Bulls Would Sign, What’s DeRozan’s Market? And Other Bulls Bullets

    The Eastern Conference Finals will begin tonight, officially marking a 13-year drought for the Chicago Bulls. Of course, the last time they made it that far came in 2010-11 when they lost in five games to the juggernaut Miami Heat....

    Caitlin Clark Joins Michael Jordan with Latest Off-Court Milestone

    Caitlin Clark and Michael Jordan. That's it. That's the list. On Tuesday, it was announced that Clark has signed a multi-year deal with Wilson that will net the guard her own signature basketball collection, per Boardroom. In addition to her...

    The Chicago Bulls’ Assistant Coaching Changes Better Be Just the Beginning …

    The Chicago Bulls know that asking Adrian Wojnarowski to tweet out a couple of assistant coaching hires isn't enough, right? Perhaps I've already reached that point in the offseason where I’m overthinking things, but this organization also doesn't deserve the...

    Final NBA Awards, Thibs’ Winning Culture, Newest Coaching Hire, and Other Bulls Bullets

    Think about the Chicago Bulls' missing the playoffs this way – at least we didn't have to see them lose a Game 7 in crushing fashion at home! The final round of NBA end-of-season honors is coming our way this...

    NBA Playoffs: Western Conference Finals Schedule, Odds, Stats, X-Factors, More

    We're down to the final four in the NBA Playoffs and a pair of conference finals series that should be a lot of fun. In the East, the Pacers knocked off the Knicks in Game 7 to advance to the...

    KAT & Anthony Edwards Had One of the Funniest Press Conference Moments I’ve Seen

    I don't feel bad loving everything about this Minnesota Timberwolves. A Western Conference squad with one of the worst playoff resumes of this century, they have never felt like a team that stands in the way of the Chicago Bulls....

    Latest News

    How to Watch Padres vs. Reds: Live Stream or on TV

    The San Diego Padres (25-25), with Michael King on the hill, visit the Cincinnati Reds (19-28) who will hand the ball to Nick Martinez, at 6:40 PM ET on Wednesday in a series opener.The article below will provide you with...

    How to Watch Pirates vs. Giants: Live Stream or on TV

    Jared Jones takes the ball for the Pittsburgh Pirates (22-26) when they host starter Blake Snell and the San Francisco Giants (23-25) at 6:40 PM ET on Wednesday.The article below will give you everything you need to know to watch...

    Brewers vs. Marlins: Free Live Stream, TV Channel, How to Watch

    The Milwaukee Brewers (27-20), with Freddy Peralta on the hill, visit the Miami Marlins (16-33) who will start Jesus Luzardo, at 6:40 PM ET on Wednesday.The article below will give you everything you need to know to watch Milwaukee take...

    Blue Jays vs. White Sox: Start Time, Streaming Live, TV Channel, How to Watch

    Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and the Toronto Blue Jays (21-25) host Gavin Sheets and the Chicago White Sox (14-34) at 7:07 PM ET on Wednesday.See how to watch the Toronto-Chicago matchup below.When is Blue Jays vs. White Sox and when does...

    Yankees vs. Mariners: Start Time, Streaming Live, TV Channel, How to Watch

    Juan Soto and the New York Yankees (33-16) host Caleb Raleigh and the Seattle Mariners (26-22) at 7:05 PM ET on Wednesday.Keep scrolling to find out all the details on how to watch New York play Seattle live.When is Yankees...

    Vic Fangio Got Sniped By One of His Ex-Players

    Vic Fangio is one of the most revered assistant coaches in football. Chicago Bears fans hold Fangio in high regards because of his time with the team from 2015-18. Fangio was the Bears' defensive coordinator under two different head coaches...

    How to Watch Twins vs. Nationals: Live Stream or on TV

    Simeon Woods Richardson takes the ball for the Minnesota Twins (24-23) when they visit starting pitcher Jake Irvin and the Washington Nationals (21-25) at 1:05 PM ET on Wednesday.Keep reading to see how to watch the Minnesota-Washington matchup in the...

    How to Watch Guardians vs. Mets: Live Stream or on TV

    Triston McKenzie will take the ball for the Cleveland Guardians (31-17) when they host starting pitcher Jose Quintana and the New York Mets (21-26) on Wednesday, with first pitch at 1:10 PM ET.If you're planning on watching this game, keep...

    Astros vs. Angels: Start Time, Streaming Live, TV Channel, How to Watch

    On Wednesday, Kyle Tucker and the Houston Astros (21-27) face Taylor Ward and the Los Angeles Angels (19-29), with first pitch scheduled for 2:10 PM ET at Minute Maid Park.See how to watch the Houston-Los Angeles matchup below.When is Astros...

    How to Watch Tigers vs. Royals: Live Stream or on TV

    The Detroit Tigers (23-24), led by Riley Greene, visit Bobby Witt Jr. and the Kansas City Royals (30-19) on Wednesday at 2:10 PM ET.If you're planning on watching this game, keep reading for streaming and TV options for the Detroit-Kansas...

    more bulls news