What’s up, Enjoyers! We know what you like, so we’re about to dive into a whole newsletter’s worth of playoff basketball analysis… and some crucial numbers to remember about each matchup. Buckle up!

One more thing: DEEEEETROIT BASKETBALL!

Today’s Lineup

🎉 Happy birthday to 70s Laker legend and HOFer Gail Goodrich! 🎉

Tuesday’s Game Twos

Lakers ride Luka’s hot start to gritty 94–85 win over Minnesota

Sometimes in the playoffs, all you need is one monster quarter—and a whole lot of defense to back it up.

That was the formula for the Lakers in Game 2. They came out swinging behind Luka Dončić (32 PTS, 12 REB, 9 AST), who exploded for 16 points in the opening frame—that’s more than the entire Timberwolves roster (15). It set the tone, and from there, LA just had to hold on.

Minnesota never fully went away, though. Julius Randle (27 PTS) and Anthony Edwards (25 PTS) kept pushing, stringing together hot stretches that kept the Wolves on the edge of striking distance. But every time the crowd started to get worried, the Lakers responded—whether it was LeBron James (21 PTS) attacking the rack or Austin Reaves (16 PTS) exploring mismatches.

A lot of credit goes to JJ Redick and the Lakers' defense, as they clearly made it a priority to run Minnesota off the arc. It worked, as the LakeShow limited them to just 5-of-25 shooting from deep. With the series tied at 1–1, things head to Minnesota for a pivotal Game 3. 👀

Number to Remember: 31.0

That’s Luka Dončić’s career playoff scoring average, the highest among all active players and second all-time only to Michael Jordan’s legendary 33.4 PPG. It’s a reminder of just how special Luka is when the lights are brightest, and how rare this level of postseason scoring really is. Performances like this don’t come around often, so take a moment to appreciate the kind of company Luka’s keeping.

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Pacers drop Bucks 123-115, seize 2–0 series lead

This is what happens when a team knows exactly who they are.

Indiana’s offense was powered by world-class playmaking from Tyrese Haliburton (21 PTS, 12 AST), who served up a buffet of open threes to anyone who moved during Game 2 against Milwaukee. And when the game slowed down, Pascal Siakam (24 PTS, 11 REB) went to work in isolation, attacking mismatches and finishing tough looks in the paint. Indiana’s defense also did a solid job keeping Damian Lillard (14 PTS) quiet in his return to the Bucks’ lineup.

It was all enough to build a double-digit cushion late into the fourth, but just when it felt like Indy might coast, Milwaukee flipped the switch. A relentless performance from Giannis Antetokounmpo (34 PTS, 18 REB) and a massive spark off the bench from Bobby Portis (28 PTS, 6 3PM) helped the Bucks claw all the way back, cutting the lead to just two with two and a half minutes to go.

But Indiana didn’t blink. Back-to-back threes from Siakam and Andrew Nembhard (16 PTS) slammed the door shut and helped the Pacers walk out with a 2–0 series lead as things shift to Milwaukee. 👏

Number to Remember: 14.4%

That’s the percentage of NBA players who voted Tyrese Haliburton as the league’s most overrated player in The Athletic’s anonymous player poll—he ranks #1. With 24 assists to only four turnovers in the playoffs so far, maybe they’re just jealous he’s not setting the table for them?

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Thunder crush Grizzlies again, win 118-99 to go up 2–0

When you win your playoff opener by 51, the only way to go is down. For the Thunder, that just meant coming back down to earth… but still being in complete control.

The Thunder were locked in from the jump, using two punishing defensive stretches to put Memphis on the ropes as the series moves on to Game 3. The first came right out of the gate, as OKC opened the game on a 9–0 run while holding the Grizzlies scoreless for nearly four minutes. The second came when it mattered most—right after Jaren Jackson Jr. (26 PTS) helped Memphis cut the lead to single digits in the third. To start the 4Q, the Thunder clamped down again, holding the Grizzlies scoreless for another four-minute stretch to shut the door.

And while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (27 PTS, 10-29 FG) struggled with his shot, OKC’s offense kept humming thanks to Jalen Williams (24 PTS), Chet Holmgren (20 PTS), and a steady stream of pure hustle.

Number to Remember: 34.1

That’s the Thunder’s net rating through the first two games of the playoffs! After setting the record for the best regular season net rating in NBA history, OKC is carrying that dominance straight into the postseason. If this keeps up, and the Thunder go all the way, this group will have the numbers to stand alongside some of the greatest teams ever…

Monday’s Madness

Kawhi’s 39 powers Clippers past Nuggets 105-102, evens series at 1 apiece

Giannis treating defenders like human ragdolls or Steph hitting physics-defying shots will always have our jaws on the floor. But there’s something different about a Kawhi Leonard gem. It feels methodical. Clinical. Inevitable.

For 39 excellent minutes on Monday, Kawhi (39 PTS) was in a rhythm that felt almost meditative, carrying the Clippers’ offense with smooth buckets from midrange and from deep. They needed every one of those makes to even the series, because this one ended up going down to the wire—no team led by more than six after the first quarter.

Despite major turnover troubles, the Nuggets hung around thanks to some gritty work on the offensive glass led by Michael Porter Jr. (15 PTS, 6 OREB) and good shooting nights from Jamal Murray (23 PTS) and Nikola Jokic (26 PTS, 12 REB, 10 AST). But when it mattered most, L.A.’s defense showed they could handle the Joker as well as anybody in the league—multiple critical turnovers down the stretch all but sealed it for the Clips.

Number to Remember: 9

That’s how many 30+ point, 80%+ true shooting playoff games Kawhi Leonard has, the most in NBA history. There’s a reason the Klaw is so high on people’s all-time lists despite his injuries—when you need a big game, he can deliver like no other.

Detroit outlasts New York 100-94 at MSG to even series

A moment that could’ve been too big for this young Pistons squad became a statement win instead.

Cade Cunningham (33 PTS, 12 REB) looked completely at home in Monday night’s MSG chaos, attacking the rim with confidence and hitting tough shots all night. He became just the third player in Pistons franchise history to post 30+ points and 10+ rebounds in a playoff game, joining some pretty elite company.

But this wasn’t a solo mission. Jalen Duren (12 PTS, 13 REB) and Tobias Harris (15 PTS, 13 REB) were relentless on the offensive glass, creating second-chance opportunities that helped swing the momentum late. And there’s no way we can talk about this game without giving a round of applause to Dennis Schroder (20 PTS), who still showed out when it mattered despite enduring getting traded three separate times this season.

The Knicks got another big night out of Jalen Brunson (37 PTS), but by the final minutes, his legs looked heavy and the touch wasn’t quite the same. New York also struggled to get Karl-Anthony Towns (10 PTS) going, something they’ll need to figure out quickly if they want to bounce back in Game 3 at Little Caesars Arena.

Number to Remember: 15

That’s the number of playoff games the Pistons had lost in a row before Monday night, when they broke the longest postseason losing streak in league history. Just a year after setting the NBA record for the longest single-season losing streak, it’s a symbolic moment that represents just how far Detroit has come in such a short time.

Three in the Key

Signing Off

Thanks for reading! With the playoffs heating up, we—

Wait… you thought we were gonna forget about Payton Pritchard winning Sixth Man of the Year? Come on now. Huge congrats are in order for the Celtics' ultimate spark plug, who has blossomed into a great all-around guard and one of the best shooters in basketball this season. We love seeing the work he’s done to improve his game year after year pay off! 💙🏀

Alright, that’s really it. Talk soon, Enjoyers!

Spencer Poole