Will we get to see Tyler Kolek take the floor for the Knicks at some point?
AND NOW THE ACTUAL NBA PLAYOFFS START!
The Play-In Tournament was fun (unless you were the Chicago Bulls, I guess), but it’s time for normal seven game series NBA Playoff Basketball now. We have three teams with a Marquette representative as either a player or head coach in the playoffs as I write this on Thursday afternoon. It is possible that we get a fourth team when the Play-In Tournament actually concludes on Friday night buuuuuuuuuut that fourth team would be Dallas and OMax Prosper is out for the year after wrist surgery. Even if it’s Mavs-Thunder in that series, we won’t see Prosper on the court for Dallas.
So, we’ll add the Mavericks on here if they make through on Friday night, but seeing as we’ve got series starting on Saturday, we’ve got to get this schedule post up ahead of those.
Tyler Kolek — New York Knicks
For a second round draft pick, I’d say that playing in 41 games, half the NBA schedule, is a pretty good rookie year for Tyler Kolek. He ended up averaging 2.0 points and 1.7 assists in just over seven minutes a game when the New York Knicks assistant coaches managed to hypnotize head coach Tom Thibodeau into playing any of his bench players. Most of Kolek’s appearances came in the front half of the season for New York, logging 24 games in their first 40 contests. With that said, he did have a stretch of 10 straight appearances in March and April, and Kolek averaged 2.3 points and 4.4 assists in nearly 13 minutes a game there.
The Knicks went 51-31 this year, earning the #3 seed in the Eastern Conference bracket. It’s the second straight year with at least 50 wins for New York, something that hasn’t happened since 1994 and 1995.. They were a distant third, coming in 10 games behind Boston in second place and 13 behind Cleveland. Part of the reason why it was a little bit hard for Kolek to earn minutes is because point guard Jalen Brunson led the Knicks in scoring this season at 26.0 per game, and his 7.3 assists topped the team, too. They also got a double-double on average from Karl-Anthony Towns on 24.4 points and 12.8 rebounds per game.
The #3 seed earns them a first round series with the #6 seeded Detroit Pistons, who finished 44-38, giving them a winning record for the first time since 2016. Cade Cunningham is the top scorer there at 26.1 points per game, and he’s darn close to a double-double on 9.1 assists a night, too. Jalen Duren leads Detroit in rebounding at 10.3 per game.
Game 1: Saturday, April 19, 5pm Central, ESPN
Game 2: Monday, April 21, 6:30pm Central, TNT
Game 3: Thursday, April 24, 6pm Central, TNT
Game 4: Sunday, April 27, Noon Central, ABC
Game 5*: Tuesday, April 29, TBD
Game 6*: Thursday, May 1, TBD
Game 7*: Saturday, May 3, TBD
Doc Rivers — Milwaukee Bucks
Doc guided the Milwaukee Bucks to a 48-34 record this season, which earned them the #5 seed in the playoffs and a first round series with #4 Indiana. It’s the 21st time that Rivers has coached a team in the playoffs, and his second straight with the Bucks. Giannis Antetokounmpo is the #1 guy here, averaging 30.4 points and 11.9 rebounds per game, and adding in 6.5 assists for giggles. The challenge for Milwaukee will be whether or not they can get out of the first round without Damian Lillard. The 34 year old guard was diagnosed with a blood clot in his calf in late March and hasn’t played since. He’s already announced as out for Game 1 of the Bucks’ first round series.
The Pacers won 50 games this season, their first 50 win campaign since going 56-26 in 2013-14. Pascal Siakam is Indiana’s leading scorer at 20.2 points per game, but they rely on 18.6 per night and 9.2 assists as well from Tyrese Haliburton as well.
Game 1: Saturday, April 19, Noon Central, ESPN
Game 2: Tuesday, April 22, 6pm Central, NBA TV
Game 3: Friday, April 25, 7pm Central, ESPNU/NBA TV
Game 4: Sunday, April 27, 8:30pm Central, TNT
Game 5*: Tuesday, April 29, TBD
Game 6*: Friday, May 2, TBD
Game 7*: Sunday, May 4, TBD
Jimmy Butler — Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors continued their hot run since acquiring Jimmy Butler in a trade by knocking off Memphis in the #7 seed game of the Play-In Tournament on Tuesday night, 121-116. Butler was a pretty big reason why, going for 38 points on 12-for-20 shooting, including knocking down half of his four long range attempts. The former Golden Eagle also added seven rebounds, six assists, and three steals in just under 40 minutes. Golden State also got a 37/8/4 from Steph Curry, and if you’re playing the Warriors, you’re in a lot of trouble when Steph hits 46% of his threes.
The Play-In victory sent GSW along to a first round series with the #2 seeded Houston Rockets. Ime Udoka led Houston to a 52-30 record this season, which is their first winning season since going 44-28 in 2019-20, which is also the most recent playoff season for the Rockets. Jalen Green is their scoring leader at 21.0 points per game, but Alperen Sengun is probably their most important player at 19.1 points and 10.3 rebounds per game.
Game 1: Sunday, April 20, 8:30pm Central, TNT
Game 2: Wednesday, April 23, 8:30pm Central, TNT
Game 3: Saturday, April 26, 8:30pm Central, ABC
Game 4: Monday, April 28, 9pm Central, TNT
Game 5*: Wednesday, April 30, TBD
Game 6*: Friday, May 2, TBD
Game 7*: Sunday, May 4, TBD