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A Giannis Antetokounmpo-less Milwaukee Bucks walked into the State Farm Arena and closed out the Eastern Conference Finals series in the 2021 NBA playoffs to advance to their first NBA Finals since 1974. They defeated the Atlanta Hawks in 6 games and has had quite the historic playoff run.
They swept aside the Eastern Conference reigning champions, Miami Heat, in the first round, and then defeated the fancied Brooklyn Nets superteam in the conference semifinals.
The NBA playoffs stage is where one gets to see the most intense and strategic basketball. Every possession, bucket and defensive strategy is calculated as teams try to win a seven-game series and avoid elimination. The lights are the brightest in the NBA playoffs and the best stars shine on the big stage.
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The 2021 NBA playoffs have given us some incredible moments that will be remembered for years to come. Trae Young took the Atlanta Hawks to the Eastern Conference Finals in his first-ever playoff run, while Devin Booker went one step further in his playoff debut and led the Phoenix Suns to the NBA Finals.
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There were several historic games and many memorable moments that have defined the ongoing postseason. So without further ado, let's dive into the top 5 moments of the 2021 NBA playoffs.
#1 Damian Lillard drops double-nickel and sets single-game NBA playoff record for most three-pointers made
With the series tied at 2-2, Damian Lillard went ballistic and dropped 55 points in a double-overtime thriller in the first round of the 2021 NBA playoffs. The Portland Trail Blazers were up against a Jamal Murray-less Denver Nuggets and the reigning MVP, Nikola Jokic. Lillard entered the record books with his performance as he broke Klay Thompson's NBA playoff record and dropped 12 threes en route to a 55 point total.
Lillard shot incredibly efficiently from the field, making 17 of his 24 shot attempts (70.8%) and shot 12-17 from beyond the arc (70.6%). He also made 9 out of 10 (90%) of his free throws and had 10 assists, 6 rebounds, a steal and 3 blocks with just one turnover in 52 minutes.
Damian Lillard hit four of his three-pointers in critical clutch moments, forcing both overtime and double-overtime. He left everyone in awe of his talent that night.
Nuggets coach Michael Malone said after the game:
"Damian Lillard was superhuman"
#2 Injuries to stars have defined the 2021 NBA playoffs
The image of an NBA star writhing in pain on the hardwood was unfortunately quite a common sight this season. There have been almost 10 All-Stars who have missed time in the 2021 NBA playoffs, the most in league history. The NBA finalists Milwaukee Bucks and Phoenix Suns have both faced injured teams in their path.
Many analysts and fans have speculated that if Kawhi Leonard was not hurt, the LA Clippers would have beaten the Suns, and if Kyrie Irving and James Harden were not hurt, then the Brooklyn Nets superteam could have gone all the way to the title.
The Phoenix Suns were trailing 2-1 against the reigning champions, the LA Lakers, in the first round when Anthony Davis hurt himself and the Suns won the next three games in a row. They then faced a Jamal Murray-less Denver Nuggets in the second round and finally faced a Kawhi Leonard-less LA Clippers in the conference finals.
The Milwaukee Bucks, on the other hand, faced a Brooklyn Nets team without James Harden for the first four games and then Kyrie Irving got hurt. Harden returned while Irving sat out but he wasn't the same with his hamstring injury. They then went on to face the Atlanta Hawks in the conference finals and Trae Young managed to hurt his ankle.
Although credit must be given to Mike Budenholzer and his men as their own talisman Giannis Antetokounmpo had got hurt during the series as well.
#3 Stars fighting back against all odds to win games for their teams
Some of the best moments in NBA playoffs involve a superstar going berserk and single-handedly winning games for his team. We saw several such inspiring performances in the 2021 NBA playoffs as well.
In the first-round series between the Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets, Jayson Tatum didn't have his second All-Star in Jaylen Brown, and Kemba Walker wasn't like his usual self.
The oddsmakers gave no chance to the Celtics to win any game in this series, but Jayson Tatum did the unthinkable and stole a game from an entirely healthy Brooklyn Nets superteam. He hit the clutch dagger for his 50th point to put Boston up by 7 with 40 seconds left in the game.
Nobody predicted the Atlanta Hawks to go as far as they did in the 2021 NBA playoffs. Trae Young and Co. fought against all odds and showed incredible resilience and grit.
In game 1 of the 2021 Eastern Conference Finals, Trae Young showed the league he is built for the bright lights as he dropped 48 points and dished out 11 assists to help him team take a 1-0 series lead against the heavily favored Milwaukee Bucks. Young also sunk the game-winner in his first-ever NBA playoff game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden with a crowd that was cursing and booing him.
Moreover, Ja Morant dropped 47 in Game 2 of the first round against the Utah Jazz. Paul George dropped 41 points when his team needed him the most and led the LA Clippers to the victory after losing Kawhi Leonard.
Devin Booker dropped 47 points against the LA Lakers in Game 6 to close out the series. He started the game hot from the get-go and dropped 6 three-pointers in the first quarter.
#4 Ben Simmons underperforming in the 2021 NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals
Ben Simmons' performances became a major storyline in the 2021 NBA playoffs. It led to everyone commenting on his future and All-Star status. LA Lakers legend Magic Johnson, arguably the greatest point guard ever, has said that Ben Simmons needs to leave the franchise and play for another team. The Philadelphia fans want him gone, and even his coach and teammates blamed him subtlely for the loss in the second round.
Joel Embiid was asked after the game what he thought was the moment that turned the scales in the Hawks' favor. He replied:
"I'll be honest - I don't know how to say it - but I thought the turning point was we had an open shot, we missed and we made one free throw"
Referring to Ben Simmons and his missed open dunk/layup, Embiid was visibly frustrated with his co-star as he was fighting through an injury and pain trying to get it done. The Hawks deployed the "Hack-a-Simmons" strategy and he was abysmal from the free-throw line. He barely attempted shots in the entire NBA playoff series and was visibly afraid to hold the ball fearing he will be fouled.
Doc Rivers once said that people who criticize Ben Simmons for his free-throw shooting, "don't know basketball" but he quickly changed his tune when he realized that Simmons is a liability on the floor. When asked if Simmons can be a championship-caliber point guard, he answered:
"Yeah...I don't know that question or the answer to that right now"
This sparked trade rumors in the middle of the playoff series and ultimately led to an upset by the Hawks of the 1st-seeded 76ers.
#5 Kevin Durant puts on a show for the ages with a historic NBA playoff performance
Kevin Durant stepped up when his team needed him the most and dropped a 49-point triple-double in Game 5 against the Brooklyn Nets. With Kyrie Irving absent and James Harden practically a no-show, Durant came one point shy of a 50-piece and had one of the best performances in NBA playoff history. He grabbed 17 boards and dished out 10 assists along with 3 steals and 2 blocks.
Kevin Durant silenced all the critics who said he could not carry a team on his back. He shot at a ridiculously efficient clip, making 16-23 (69%) shots including 4 of 9 (44%) from three-point range, and made 13 of his 16 (81%) free throw attempts. He led the Brooklyn Nets to a 17-point comeback and dropped 20 points in the fourth quarter by himself when the Milwaukee Bucks had 21 as a team.
Also Read: Eight active players to score 50 or more points in an NBA Playoff game
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