Enjoy Basketball: Dorian Finney-Smith explodes, James Harden turns back the clock

Welcome back to another edition of Enjoy Basketball!

As a kid, I grew up playing basketball. I’m sure almost everyone reading this grew up playing basketball, too. NBA players get paid a lot of money to play a childhood game. We are lucky to get the opportunity to watch the best players in the world play that childhood game. Do you see where I’m going with this?

For some reason, the second round of the playoffs has turned toxic. Everywhere I look on Twitter, I see people fighting and arguing. Whether it’s Warriors and Grizzlies fans, Celtics and Bucks fans, Suns and Mavericks fans, or 76ers and Heat fans, no one can seem to get along. Well, allow me to let you in on a bit of a secret:

The only difference between you and a fan of the opposing team is where you were born. And in some cases, it’s not even that. You both love the NBA, you both love your teams, and you both enjoy basketball.

Focus on the enjoyment. Not the negativity.

Let’s get to the games.

Mavs get hot, silence Suns in Dallas

Oh, so the Dallas Mavericks just aren’t missing anymore? I guess so. Dallas shot 14-of-24 (58.3%) from three-point land in the first two quarters, on their way to a 12-point lead at the half. What makes that number even more insane is that Luka Doncic shot 1-of-5. Take that away, and the Mavs would have shot 13-of-19 (68.4%) in the first half. Just wild numbers.

Doncic didn’t even play too well in this one. It was the cast around him that stepped up when it mattered most. More specifically, Dorian Finney-Smith stepped up. He ended the night with 24 points and eight rebounds, nailing eight of his twelve three-point attempts. DFS was an absolute monster on both sides of the floor.

And on the flip side, nothing should be taken away from Devin Booker, who poured his heart out on both ends of the court as well. He finished with 35 points, four rebounds, and seven assists. Booker did everything he could to will his team to a win, but his co-star struggled mightily.

Ever since this series headed to Dallas, Chris Paul has been nonexistent. He's averaged just 8.5 points in Phoenix's two losses but a whopping 5.0 fouls. He fouled out in Game 4 in just 23:01 of action. But fear not, Paul has been one of the most dominant players in the playoffs this year. He’ll bounce back.

That being said, this is a series again! Tied at 2-2, the Mavs have battled all the way back, and now the momentum is in their favor. Doncic is hyped up, DFS is hot, and Brunson got his mojo back. It’s not going to be easy to win on the road at the Footprint Center, but right now, everything is coming up Dallas.

But let’s take a step back from basketball for a moment. What happened to Paul’s family is not okay. Fans go to games to be fans, not to harass the families of opposing players. Hopefully, Paul gets everything sorted out. That type of behavior is unacceptable. Be better, people. Be better.

Harden turns back time, 76ers beat Heat

We have ourselves a series! Both home teams evened up their series on Sunday, as the Philadelphia 76ers took down the Miami Heat. Joel Embiid’s return was the initial spark that got the Sixers back on track, but Game 4 was all about James Harden. The former MVP turned back the clock on his way to a 30-point outing.

Harden looked like his old self, and more importantly, he did it when it mattered most. Sixteen of his 40 points came in the fourth quarter alone, where he shot 5-of-9 from the field and 4-of-6 from three-point land. Two of those four threes were daggers, too. Every time the Heat tried to claw their way back into it, Harden was there to put out the flame.

And now, a live look at Jimmy Butler:

Butler ended the game with 40 points on 13-of-20 shooting, but it just wasn’t enough. The next-leading scorer for Miami was Bam Adebayo with 21 points, and after that, it was Victor Oladipo with 15. However, the real issue was that Butler and Adebayo were the only two players who shot above 43% from the field for the Heat. Just a poor offensive showing.

Philly made a big-time statement with this win. This is a series now. Embiid has always been a game-changing player, and now it’s clear he’s also a series-changing player. Also, before we wrap, let’s just take a moment to appreciate this game-sealing alley-oop Tyrese Maxey threw to Tobias Harris.

Beautiful.

Sacramento Kings hire Mike Brown

As reported by Adrian Wojnarowski, the Sacramento Kings have hired Golden State Warriors assistant Mike Brown as their new head coach. Brown and the Kings agreed to a three-year deal on Sunday.

Brown enjoyed a ton of success this past summer with Team Nigeria at the Olympics. In addition, he also has prior head coaching experience in the NBA, having coached the Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers (and then the Cavs again) from 2005 to 2014.

Morant likely out for Game 4

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant will likely miss Game 4 of their second-round series against the Warriors. Morant exited Game 3 with an apparent knee injury after a couple of collisions.

Morant’s collision with Klay Thompson came early in the third, while the incident with Jordan Poole occurred mid-way through the fourth. After the game, Morant tweeted that Poole “broke the code,” which is a phrase Warriors head coach Steve Kerr had been using to describe Dillon Brooks’ suspension-inducing foul on Gary Payton II.

Plenty have shared their thoughts on the Poole incident, but the NBA will take no action regarding the play. Regardless of your opinion on the matter, one thing is for sure: this series is getting chippy.

(Side note: Who do you think will get ejected in Game 4?)

Hornets could explore Hayward trade

Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported that the Charlotte Hornets could explore trades for Gordon Hayward this summer and that the forward is “a name to keep an eye on regarding the trade market.” He noted that, since Miles Bridges will likely command a near-max contract extension, getting Hayward’s deal off the books would help the Hornets out financially. However, as reported by Scotto, Hayward’s massive contract and past injury issues are a significant concern for potential trade partners.

Regarding a potential trade, teams that come to mind (this is me talking, not Scotto) include the Los Angeles Lakers, LA Clippers, Dallas Mavericks, Portland Trail Blazers, and Utah Jazz. All five teams have the players to match Hayward’s salary and could be looking to mix things up or add a win-now veteran.

More Lakers coaching news

Terry Stotts is the latest candidate to receive an interview with the Lakers for their open head-coaching position. The former Portland Trail Blazers head coach was not on a coaching staff this season, as he parted ways with the Blazers after their first-round exit last year.

The 64-year-old spent nine seasons in Portland from 2012 to 2021. He made the playoffs in all but one season with the team (his first year) but only reached the Western Conference Finals once.

In addition, Marc Stein reported that the Lakers are moving intentionally slow with their coaching decision. They plan to wait and see whether or not Doc Rivers and/or Quin Snyder become available this offseason.

11 years sober, former Celtic Vin Baker turns his attention to helping others as Bucks assistant - Gary Washburn (The Boston Globe)

Every NBA Team's Biggest Hole to Fill in Free Agency - Grant Hughes (Bleacher Report)

Beauty is in the (finger to the) eye of the beholder during NBA playoffs - David Aldridge (The Athletic)

For the Dallas Mavericks, it’s all about belief - Luke Askew (Mavs Moneyball)

Signs of love from Memphis - Joe Mullinax (Grizzly Bear Blues)

Boston Celtics @ Milwaukee Bucks - 7:30 p.m. EST

If you follow Enjoy Basketball, you know that I’m a Celtics fan. So yes, I’m biased. But with how close this series has been, it feels right to believe this series will be tied at 2-2 after tomorrow night. Jayson Tatum (hopefully) won’t play that poorly again, and Boston’s defense has been solid (despite what Giannis Antetokounmpo did on Saturday). I got the C’s.

Memphis Grizzlies @ Golden State Warriors - 10:00 p.m. EST

Am I crazy for thinking that, by the end of the night on Monday, every series will be tied at 2-2? Yes, the Warriors wiped the floor with Memphis in Game 3, but the Grizzlies don’t seem like the type of team to take that lightly. I expect a big-time game from Memphis, regardless of Morant’s status. Give me Memphis. I want 2-2 series all around.

I said it at the top of the newsletter, and I’ll say it again here: be kind to each other. Basketball is a game that is meant to be enjoyed. It’s not worth fighting over. 

Twitter has become a toxic, toxic place lately. If you’re reading this, help be a part of the change, not the problem. Say something nice to a fan of an opposing team today. Here, I’ll give you some ideas.

Celtics fans: Giannis has been playing amazing basketball.

Bucks fans: Al Horford is playing like he’s 25 again.

Grizzlies fans: Jonathan Kuminga looks primed for an amazing NBA career.

Warriors fans: Brandon Clarke is a menace on the offensive glass.

Heat fans: Tyrese Maxey is a joy to watch.

76ers fans: Jimmy Butler is a demon.

Mavericks fans: Devin Booker is a future MVP.

Suns fans: Doran Finney-Smith is one of the most underrated players in the league.

Now it’s your turn. Spread some positivity. Enjoy basketball and enjoy each other.

That'll be it for me. Thanks for reading. See y'all next time.

- Jack Simone

Last Trivia Answer: The answer to Friday’s trivia question was Anthony Johnson! He scored 40 points for the Indiana Pacers in the first round against the New Jersey Nets in 2006. Unfortunately, the Pacers lost that game (and the series).

Trivia Question: Jimmy Butler just scored 40 points in a loss, so that got me thinking: who has scored the most points in a loss in the playoffs? Well, the answer was Michael Jordan with 62 points (which felt boring to me). However, the next four on the list (who scored 57, 55, 51, and 51) have all occurred over the past six years. Can you name one (or all) of them?