Tonight will be a night where young men’s basketball dreams are realized, as they will be drafted into the NBA. We’ve given our readers thoughts on how tonight’s draft will end once the dust settles, but we wanted to go one step further and see how the draft would go if these fictional basketball players were on the board from some of our beloved moves.
Before we get starts there is one rule to what characters are not eligible to be included in Sneaker Reporter’s Fictional Mock Draft, and that is if the player is from a basketball movie based on real-life players, for example, any players from Disney’s Glory Road seeing that this movie was based off the improbable run of Texas Western College (now known as University of Texas at El Paso or UTEP) to win NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship.
So let’s get started…
1. Detroit – Neon Boudreaux, Blue Chips
2. Houston – Moses Guthrie, The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh
3. Cleveland – Jesus Shuttlesworth, He Got Game
4. Toronto – Butch McRea, Blue Chips
5. Orlando – Ty Crane, Coach Carter
6. Oklahoma City – Will Smith, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
7. Golden State (from Minnesota)- Erick Scott, High Flying Bird
8. Orlando (from Chicago) – Rick Roe, Blue Chips
9. Sacramento – Terron Forte, Amateur
10. New Orleans – Junior Battle, Coach Carter
11. Charlotte – Saleh, The Air Up There
12. San Antonio – Clarence Withers aka Coffee Black, Semi-Pro
13. Indiana – Jimmy Chitwood, Hoosiers
14. Golden State – Marcus Stokes, Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
15. Washington – Steve Urkel, Family Matters
16. Oklahoma City (from Boston) – Kenyon Stone, Coach Carter
17. Memphis – Odin James, ‘O’
18. Oklahoma City (from Miami via the LA Clippers, Philadelphia, and Phoenix) – Brian, Thunderstruck
19. New York –Stacey Patton, Eddie (1996)
20. Atlanta – Cam Calloway, Survivor’s Remorse
21. New York (from Dallas) – Kyle Lee Watson, Above The Rim
22. Los Angeles Lakers – Quincy McCall, Love & Basketball
23. Houston (from Portland) – Scott McKnight, Just Wright
24. Houston (from Milwaukee) – Lonnie Dukes, He Got Game
25. LA Clippers – Calvin Cambridge, Like Mike
26. Denver – Billy Hoyle, White Men Can’t Jump
27. Brooklyn- Sidney Deane, White Men Can’t Jump
28. Philadelphia- Kenny Taylor, The 6th Man
29. Phoenix – Todd Anderson, The Cookout
30. Utah – Lewis Scott, Celtic Pride
The making of this list was really fun to create let’s not forget in only a few hours from the resetting of the schedule, and certain trade scenarios will be growing into reality in the coming hours leading up to tonight’s draft. Cade Cunningham is the prominent selection at No. 1 in a lot of people’s top projections, but from picks two and below, that’s where it can get a little tricky. There’s no certainty over what can, or will happen during one of the NBA’s most unpredictable nights.
As the most condensed period of NBA Basketball in history comes to an end, it appears that some normalcy is returning to the NBA yearly schedule as the 2021 NBA Draft will be taking place inside the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York this Thursday with the potential to fill the stands to 100% capacity.
We are only but a few hours away from the resetting of the schedule, and certain trade scenarios will be growing into reality in the coming hours leading up to Thursday’s draft. And what makes this draft even more compelling? Those trade rumors have just about more substance than ever, with multiple teams like the Pistons, Magic, Thunder, and more having enough capital to make some deals before they hand in their picks to NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.
Cade Cunningham is the prominent selection at No. 1 in a lot of people’s top projections, but from picks two and below, that’s where it can get a little tricky. There’s no certainty over what can, or will, happen leading up to Thursday in what could be one of the most unpredictable nights in NBA Draft history. And as we do every year, this mock draft that covers the First Round is going to paint the picture of what could happen from the basis of if teams don’t decide to make any moves and pick in the order presented to them from the Draft order and position from this year’s Draft Lottery.
1. Detroit Pistons (Finished 2020-21 Season 20-52, 15th in Eastern Conference)
With the first pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, the Detroit Pistons select…Cade Cunningham, G, Oklahoma State. – Troy Weaver isn’t showing his hand yet, and as the Pistons aren’t committing to a decision just yet, we should come to expect the unexpected from him and his organization as they have the holy grail of assets to potentially deal in what’s growing into an abundant trade market. Last year’s selection of Killian Hayes appeared to be more of a wait-and-see developmental pick, so Weaver pulling the trigger and selecting the Big 12’s best player and top guard in the nation seems like a no-brainer should they keep their pick.
Detroit finished last season both 26th in total Offensive Rating and 19th in Defensive Rating, and not to mention that they averaged the 27th-most points in the league. So scoring the ball, and not having the backcourt power to generate consistent offense proved to be their biggest difficulty. But luckily for them, this draft class is deep with talented guards that can put the ball in the net with a special proclivity. That class is headlined by Cunningham, the 6’8 two-way three-level scorer that, as described by most, could be a generational talent in the right system.
The pass-first OK State guard showed flashes upon flashes of being NBA ready in one year of collegiate play with the prototypical frame and skill set to fit in a modern NBA offense, and at times displayed that unselfish – and profuse – knowledge of the game with a clear understanding of playmaking, footwork, and attention to detail on the defensive end. There are questions about his jumper, which will come with time and proper coaching at the next level, but the intangible of truly knowing how to play is one thing Troy Weaver and the Pistons simply cannot pass up.
2. Houston Rockets (Finished 2020 Season 17-55, 15th in Western Conference)
With the second pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, the Houston Rockets select…Jalen Green, G, G-League Ignite. Increasing in likelihood by the day, the Houston Rockets are expected to select another exceptional scorer at the guard position, a few months following their prior All-Star scorer at the guard spot opting for greener pastures in Brooklyn. Houston too has a bunch of assets they can use on draft day and earlier as well, including some possible deals with some other teams to acquire some extra first-round picks to improve a roster severely lacking in talent.
But for this pick, Green looks to be the favorite to land in Houston, considering the Rockets are the only team that Green scheduled a workout with. In his lone season as a G-Leaguer, the 19-year-old averaged 17.9 points, 2.8 assists and 1.5 steals per game off 46 percent shooting and 36.5 percent from downtown through 15 games. And those numbers are significant, considering those were put up against way tougher competition and tighter spacing than what he would have seen in College had he played for a Power 5 school.
Since the Rockets are committing to keeping him as the guy to build around for the foreseeable future, the Rockets need a guy to take a large chunk of the scoring load off of Kevin Porter Jr. And Jalen Green is that guy. The dimensions of shot creation and an advanced skill set were taken away in Stephen Silas’ offense from James Harden’s departure, and John Wall, who was traded there to fill that gap, wasn’t able to show that he was still the same guy due to his Achilles injury taking away some of his burst. something.
Green is a bucket, through and through, and as the Rockets are not going to be in win-now mode any time soon, his quick first step and ability to defeat his 1v1 matchups off the dribble is worth keeping as the core of the offense during the Rockets’ rebuild.
3. Cleveland Cavaliers (Finished 2020 Season 22-50, 13th in Eastern Conference)
With the third pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, the Cleveland Cavaliers select…Evan Mobley, C/F, USC. – The Collin Sexton rumors that continue to create a spectacle in the news rotation could flip the probability of this pick becoming true, but should Cleveland decide to stick with their former First-Round pick, he’ll earn some floor-spacing help from arguably the most skilled stretch forward in this year’s draft in 7-footer Evan Mobley out of USC.
This pick makes even more sense with the news surrounding Jarrett Allen’s long-term status in Cleveland becoming more confirmed as the 2021 season inches closer, so should they decide to keep Allen in this offense, they’ll likely take Mobley and the benefits he provides in dual-big minutes since his offensive versatility and length as both a rim protector and adept perimeter ball-stopper off switches seem like enough of reason to use that first-round pick on.
Just thinking about it, the lineups even including Darius Garland with a unicorn-like player in Mobley (averaged 16.4 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 2.4 assists off 57 percent shooting and 30 percent shooting from deep in 33 games played as a Trojan) and any other talented forward on Cleveland’s roster provides some creativity that Head Coach J.B. Bickerstaff could utilize in the Cavs’ offense, such as a variety of Pick and Roll sets, Pick and Pop looks, and a choice of free driving lanes for Cleveland’s guards should Mobley’s efficient offensive game translate to the professional level. And for the Cavaliers, that should be enticing enough to take Mobley with the third pick.
4. Toronto Raptors (Finished 2020 Season 27-45, 12th in Eastern Conference)
With the fourth pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, the Toronto Raptors select…Jalen Suggs, G, Gonzaga. – The 2019 World Champions are up next, and following four out of the last six years where they were mainstays in the Eastern Conference Playoffs including the 2019-20 season where they were within a game of heading back to the Eastern Conference Finals, the Raptors find themselves selecting early as a lottery team for the first time in nearly a decade. For the first time since 2014, the Raptors missed out on the postseason, as they were simply marred by injuries and COVID-19 all year long. Additionally, as franchise centerpieces Kyle Lowry and Pascal Siakam, and just about the rest of the roster, are not deemed untouchable, that indicates that Toronto is due for some major changes this offseason, and a rebuild seems imminent.
And for the big segway into this pick and why Toronto should select a guard with their First-Round selection, they shouldn’t look any further than the best passer in this year’s draft, Jalen Suggs out of Gonzaga. An elite plug-and-play type of floor general in Suggs will provide stability as a team-first player, which is exactly what Toronto needs in their acquisition of talent during this important offseason.
Toronto finished 20th in total assists this year as a team, which isn’t like a Nick Nurse-coached team at all – that is contributed to their roster woes this year due to reasons mentioned above – but as a team that will need shot creation and a true quarterback on the floor, Suggs is the safe pick here, should he fall in Toronto’s hands at No. 4. Pairing him with former champion and sharpshooting guard Fred VanVleet could directly compensate for the Raptors in Lowry’s probable departure, as the Gonzaga product (who averaged 14.4 points, 4.5 assists, and 1.9 steals as Gonzaga’s best player during their 37-game winning streak) could fill his shoes right away and get the Raptors back in the playoffs.
5. Orlando Magic (Finished 2020 Season 21-51, 14th in Eastern Conference)
With the fifth pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, the Orland Magic select…Scottie Barnes, F, Florida State. – Multiple executives believe the Orlando Magic could use their two top-8 picks to make some trades and move up or down before their pick, but if they stay put at the fifth selection spot, they will likely go ahead and draft Florida State’s Scottie Barnes with their First-Round selection who could, perhaps, be the best defender in this year’s draft.
In early mock drafts following the 2020 NBA Draft, names like Cade Cunningham, Jalen Green, and Jonathan Kuminga rose to prominence, their reputations multiplying in size due to their NBA-ready bodies and intangibles before they even set foot on a collegiate or G-League court. But like every season, certain names arise out of nowhere and turn heads as the season progresses. Consider FSU’s Barnes as one of those names.
Standing at 6’9 and weighing 225 lb, Barnes’ strength, favorable 7-foot-3 wingspan, defensive prowess, and upside as a “scary athlete” with a galvanizing work ethic have grown his notoriety as a cant-miss prospect in the span of one season in the ACC. And he isn’t just known for taking a team’s best scorer out of the equation, he’s also displayed some eye-opening passing skills to spread the floor as well. His offensive numbers don’t quite stand out, but he’s the quintessential Jon Hammond pick; a long, physical, and pesky defender that fits into the status quo of length and defensive versatility that potential future teammates in Mo Bamba and Jonathan Isaac already possess.
6. Oklahoma City Thunder (Finished 2020 Season 22-50, 14th in Western Conference)
With the sixth pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, the Oklahoma City Thunder select…James Bouknight, SG, UConn. – And so continues the Sam Presti experiment. OKC has the King’s ransom of First-Round picks and all the variety in the world to choose what to do with them leading up to Thursday’s draft while having plenty to fall back on. They’ve been pretty mum on what they are planning to do come draft day, but if they don’t decide to ship off one of their First Rounders for this year’s draft, it would be wise of them to scoop up a player who could be the steal of the draft in James Bouknight, a 6’5 guard out of Uconn.
Thanks to Bouknight’s sophomore season, the Brooklyn, New York native quickly shot up draft boards as this season progressed, averaging a monster 18.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game off 44.7 shooting and 29.3 percent shooting from deep in 15 games.
His massive offensive improvement from his Freshman year (in which the big and crafty three-level scorer averaged only 13 points per game) is the main takeaway here, as he developed a sense of utilizing collegiate spacing to his advantage to go and get a bucket for the Huskies and also grew a tenacity and toughness to attack the rim and create highlights above the cup in his second year in a Huskies uniform.
That only says good things have yet to come for the prospect, who is still growing into his body and skill set as a shot creator in the midrange. Granted, he didn’t shoot all too well from deep this year, but a shooter’s touch is something that can be mechanically taught, and with his 6’8 wingspan his physical intangibles mixed with his raw ability makes this pick worth OKC’s while. Going to a team like the Thunder has its positives and negatives, of course.
Unlike his situation in Connecticut, the offense will not largely revolve around him as a ball-dominant scorer; that’s largely on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s onus. And not to say the two won’t compliment off of one another, but an initial role off the bench as their go-to sixth man could be more suitable for him.
7. Golden State Warriors – From Minnesota (Finished 2020 Season 39-33, 9th in Western Conference)
With the seventh pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, the Golden State Warriors select…Davion Mitchell, G, Baylor. – With Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry planning to reunite for the 2021-22 season, getting a swingman at the seventh spot would make the most sense for the Warriors. A litany of wings are at GSW’s disposal in this year’s draft, like the G-League Ignite’s Jonathan Kuminga or Michigan’s Franz Wagner, but should either of the best forwards be selected earlier, it would be sufficient to pick the best player available on their draft boards – the starting guard for the National Champion Baylor Bears.
Davion Mitchell provides the best offensive and defensive bang for your buck off the jump. His winning attitude, adamant gamesmanship, competitive nature, and ability to be an X-Factor on defense could send shockwaves through a locker room with an established hierarchy among their best players.
And while undersized at the guard position at 6’1 with a 6’4 wingspan, the role that the Hinesville, Georgia native could play right away in Steve Kerr’s rotation could be a meaningful one off the bench as a two-way sixth-man, or during Curry – Klay lineup minutes as an aggressive, “head-down-to-the-basket” slasher and isolation scorer that could also take the defensive pressure off of Steph Curry when the two share the floor, since his nickname was “off night” as he kept opposing teams’ best scorers under their preferred efficiency when he guarded them.
He wasn’t a great shooter from deep, but he was not a bad shooter either, knocking down 37.6 percent of his attempts from three in three years as a Bear. Mitchell’s drawn obvious comparisons to Utah’s Donovan Mitchell, and not just because he wears the same number and gear; his profound ability to stop and start, change speeds and directions, and show a high motor on both ends of the floor.
8. Orlando Magic – From Chicago(Finished 2020 Season 21-51, 14th in Eastern Conference)
With the 8th pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, the Orlando Magic select…Jonathan Kuminga, F, G-League Ignite. – For most of last year, many slated Jonathan Kuminga as a lock as a top-5 pick. His 6’8 frame, 7-foot wingspan, speed, and overwhelming strength weighing 220 pounds as a prospect was an easy sell, initially at least, to scouts across the league as a potential All-Star type of player that could set the tone of a game on both ends.
And then, the Wing scorer didn’t do so well in getting his intangibles to translate into the G-League as a starter. In 13 games in the G-League, he did very little to accentuate his game on the offensive end, as he only averaged 14.3 points off 38.7 percent shooting and 24.6 percent shooting from three.
He can be very ball-dominant with not too much omnipotence to affect a game as an off-ball scorer and floor spacer but remains a highly-touted prospect due to his athleticism. This means it’s possible but very unlikely he falls out of the top-10. Orlando had two top-8 picks in the first-round play into their hands mightily, and they’ll really be able to bolster their frontcourt if Kuminga is still available by then.
Kuminga’s ceiling could be as high as Boston’s Jaylen Brown in comparison, with out-of-the-gym explosiveness and simultaneous body control to boot. Additionally, it’s on the defensive end where he catches your attention, where he has shown he can stop positions 1-4 and as a switchable and dependable body off screens to stop a team’s primary scoring option.
9. Sacramento Kings (Finished 2020 Season 31-41, 12th in Western Conference)
With the ninth pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, the Sacramento Kings select…Alperen Sengun, F/C, Besiktas (Turkey). – Sacramento is a team heavily favored to deal this pick in exchange for more pieces to improve the team, especially with news surrounding Marvin Bagley II, Buddy Hield, and DeAaron Fox’s availability in the trade market. But if they don’t deal the pick, the Kings have been reported as heavily interested in the 18-year-old big man out of Turkey, and considerably so following his workout with Sacramento this past week. Finishing at the rim, passing skills out of the post, and a determination to display his toughness on the glass are his biggest strengths, and he’s a big that embraces drawing contact while fighting down low underneath the bucket.
Sacramento is high on Sengun because of his potential to be a productive big man in Luke Walton’s system as not just a strong back-to-the-basket scorer, but one with finesse directly applicable to the modern NBA game. He’s shown that he can ruin the floor nicely, fill lanes when guards are handling the ball on the baseline and at the top of the key and is also an 80% shooter from the FT line.
But, as we know, the competition here in the states is ions more advanced and skilled than overseas, so it’s yet to be confirmed if his dominance as Besiktas’ primary scoring option will tell the same story once he sets foot in an NBA that constantly devalues post-centric centers that aren’t confident perimeter scorers. His borderline average height limited his ability to protect the rim in Turkey, and will undoubtedly limit his potential for growth that the next level, but there is no denying that his offensive talent makes him a lottery talent, that with the right player development staff, could make him a viable piece for the Kings to integrate into their lineup.
10. Memphis Grizzlies – From New Orleans (Finished Season 38-34, 8th in Western Conference)
With the tenth pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, the Memphis Grizzlies select…Josh Giddey, G, Adelaide 36ers, Australia. – You gotta love trade season, amirite?
The first Woj bomb of the Trade season exploded on Monday afternoon, as the New Orleans Pelicans, slated to draft tenth in the draft this season, traded away the tenth and 40th pick, Eric Bledsoe, and Steven Adams as well as their 2022 first-round pick to the Memphis Grizzlies, and Memphis gave away Jonas Valanciunas, the 17th pick, and the 51st pick. That’s a lot.
And so as this trade has commenced, this means that Memphis’ backcourt is going to decrease in offensive talent due to Steven Adams’ limited offensive output as a roll man and low-post center, and with two-way Eric Bledsoe’s arrival in Memphis as part of the trade.
The team will require shooters to help rising star Ja Morant space the floor and have enough space to generate offense himself since that’s what he does best, and as Memphis was in the lower 1/3 of teams shooting and making the three-ball this season as one of the more aggressive teams in finishing at the rim this year, it’ll be on them to supply their roster this offseason with outside shooting to allow Taylor Jenkins to run all of their actions for guys like Dillon Brooks and Jaren Jackson Jr. at all three levels of the floor.
6’8 Australian wing Josh Giddey has been touted as one of, if not the, best overall players in this year’s draft. A workable jumper that he has crafted is more than feasible, and as an 18-year-old is already battle-tested from playing in the Australian National Basketball League, one of the toughest pro basketball leagues on the planet. He has a true feel for the game and an advanced skill set for his age, and is just as good, if not better, as a passer.
His interpretation of space, innate understanding of angles, and just knowing where to put the ball into shooting pockets for cutters and weakside shooters is stuff to marvel at, but even with a soft touch at the rim using his 6’8 size, he’s not the best athlete and struggles making separation while driving past defenders. He is young and will have plenty of time to grow into his body, so it is too early to set a ceiling for a player with his skill range.
11. Charlotte Hornets (Finished 2020 Season 33-39, 10th in Eastern Conference)
With the 11th pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, the Charlotte Hornets select…Kai Jones, F/C, Texas. – It would be in Charlotte’s best interest to add some artillery up front both in the draft and in free agency, so drafting a big man that only adds to the arsenal of LaMelo Ball to grow even more as a passer and helps Charlotte’s stretching of the floor in a multitude of ways can be achieved if they decide to select Texas’ Kai Jones as a potential target for their First-Round selection. Jones fits right into the mold of reliable rim protectors who prioritize the law of verticality to make looks at the rim difficult and can finish with authority when rolling to the cup.
And as a stretch five, he’ll be walking into the league with the skill of knocking down threes as a Pick and Pop big man. Through 26 games in a Texas uniform this past season, Jones’ offensive numbers didn’t jump off stat sheets, but what did is his efficiency from deep. He knocked down 38 percent of his shots from deep on an average of 1.3 attempts per game. He’s shockingly quick for his size and provides a spark as a big that runs the floor, which makes him one of the higher-upside prospects in this year’s draft that won’t be a top-10 selection.
He will be a project for the Hornets, and at the next level, his game will require development to see its full optimization. No doubt about it. But looking at intangibles, he’s a seamless fit in Charlotte that’ll fit right in such a heavy screen and roll league, and he will be a lob target for LaMelo Ball starting day one in James Borrego’s rotation.
12. San Antonio Spurs (Finished 2020 Season 33-39, 10th in Western Conference)
With the 12th pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, the San Antonio Spurs select…Corey Kispert, SF, Gonzaga. – With the rising ceiling of Keldon Johnson, the possible departure of DeMar DeRozan, and San Antonio adopting a new style of play after being in the 28th percentile of 3PT-shooting teams in the NBA for the past three seasons, getting a guy that was a knockdown shooter during Gonzaga’s historic 33-game winning streak leading up to their National Championship appearance seems to be the way to go since it’s on San Antonio to build for the next generation of Spurs.
Kispert, a 6’7 stretch forward, ranked in the 95th percentile of Division I collegiate spot-up shooters, and since the Spurs aren’t a team that historically craves moving up in the draft by making aggressive trades to get more assets, Kispert may just fall into their lap with the 12th pick.
Kispert benefitted greatly from the Zags’ multidimensional methods of collapsing opposing defenses with a variety of multiple Point Guards on the floor, and as a kick out-to-weakside kind of shooter, he knocked down 44 percent of ’em. On-ball creativity isn’t his thing, but it doesn’t need to be since he can display his impact on a team on various spots on the floor (perimeter and in the post) considering the guard talent S.A. already has on the roster.
13. Indiana Pacers (Finished 2020 Season 34-38, 9th in Eastern Conference)
With the 13th pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, the Indiana Pacers select…Keon Johnson, G/F, Tennessee. – Purely off of their need for a second ballhandler, and if the guy they are heavily linked to in Davion Mitchell is picked up earlier, it is logical for the Pacers to go for the best guard available in Tennessee’s Keon Johnson. A freakish athlete who actually broke a 20-year record at the NBA Draft Combine earlier this month, jumping 48 inches in the air, and that doesn’t even begin to explain the athletic capabilities of the 19-year-old. He’s one of the quickest guards in the open court and has that quick first step you can’t teach as a viable threat with the ball in his hands in the halfcourt as well.
Additionally, he has the ideal size and skill set to be a modern two-guard in the NBA: he stands at 6’5 with a 6’8 wingspan, has some solid footwork, maintains body control, and can remain in the air when finishing at the rim, and possesses a competitive nature about himself that can help reinvigorate the core of a team. He only shot 27% from deep in his one season as a Volunteer and averaged 11.3 points per game, showing he still needs work as a shot creator. But even as a work in progress, he’ll have an advantage going to an organization with both Malcolm Brogdon and Caris LeVert to play off of and elevate his game.
14. Golden State Warriors (Finished 2020 Season 39-33, 9th in Western Conference)
With the 14th pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, the Golden State Warriors select…Chris Duarte, G, Oregon. – For the second of two First-Round picks that Golden State possesses in the 2021 Draft, the Dubs (if they don’t trade this pick even though we can assume they will) should be taking another well-rounded shooting guard they scheduled a workout for – Chris Duarte, the 6’6 24-year-old out of the Dominican Republic that played all four years under Dana Altman at the University of Oregon. A gifted and natural scorer at heart, Duarte averaged over 17 points per game in his senior season while shooting 53 percent from the field and 43 percent from deep, while also shooting 81 percent from the free-throw line.
PAC-12 defenses gave him little trouble to flash his decision-making prowess, on-ball aggressiveness, and fervent to put the ball on the floor and embrace contact as a slasher when ran off the three-point line or during the spotting of favorable switches and mismatches. He knows when to score vs. when to shoot, and the Ducks benefitted from his unafraid approach to the game, advancing to this year’s Sweet-16. Duarte is one of the oldest and more experienced players in this year’s draft, so should the Warriors decide not to trade this pick and select him, he’ll be a nice offensive complement to the core of Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and their glut of guards.
15. Washington Wizards (Finished 2020 Season 34-38, 8th in Eastern Conference)
With the 15th pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, the Washington Wizards select…Moses Moody, F, Arkansas. – The Washington Wizards will be drafting at No. 15, and they’ll be making a decision solely off what happens next in the Bradley Beal saga if the All-Star shooting guard requests a trade. But should he stay put, the Wizards would be wise to bolster their roster with talent. As they made the playoffs last year, their offensive and defensive efficiency was suboptimal nearly all season, though a step-up from the 2019-20 season. They need scorers and defenders, so better to look at the draft if the Free Agency situation won’t turn in their favor.
Moses Moody is the type of multifaceted volume scorer that can immediately invoke his will into a game’s complexion as one of the most versatile 3-and-D wing creators in this draft. If he is still available by now, the Wizards will like having the 6’6, 205 stretch wing in the building as he’s showed that, even at his young age of 19 years old, he can hold his own against older competition with a sweet stroke and broad shoulders to finish at the rim when he utilizes his 7-foot wingspan. He’s a challenging and discouraging defender, opting to use his length against shifter guards as well as to be a presence on the glass. However, his lack of speed and explosiveness raises questions about his ceiling and developmental timeline, making his draft board position fluctuate.
16. Oklahoma City Thunder (Finished 2020 Season 22-50, 14th in Western Conference)
With the 16th pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, the Oklahoma City Thunder select…Jalen Johnson, F, Duke. – In exchange for Moses Brown being dealt to the Celtics and getting Kemba Walker and the 16th pick from the Boston Celtics, OKC will be picking here. The Thunder are in a position to be high sellers before draft day on Thursday, with the possibility of Sam Presti trading back even further to acquire more assets being relatively high. So this pick here wouldn’t be surprising if it was dealt with someone else, since the Thunder already selected earlier in the First Round. But if it isn’t the Thunder shouldn’t waste any time and pick up former Duke Blue Devil Jalen Johnson, a 6’9 forward that has tons of upside.
Johnson fell out of the lottery pick projections in a lot of mock drafts, so OKC shouldn’t have any major difficulty getting a player of his caliber, and his size, ball skills, and floor vision at such a young age. He’s a natural point forward who excels as a passer and initiator of the fast break, and he’s a high-level defender who can hold his own defending against bigs in the paint as well as guards on the perimeter. However, he is not a good shooter, and there are some red flags pending his foot health and, of course, his abrupt departure from Duke. OKC has some time and roster space to develop some extra forwards with their second first-round pick.
17. New Orleans Pelicans – From Memphis (Finished 31-41, 11th in Western Conference)
With the 17th pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, the New Orleans Pelicans select…Miles McBride, G, West Virginia. – As part of Monday’s massive trade involving the Pels and Memphis Grizzlies that (a) both freed up cap space for the Pelicans in off-loading both Steven Adams and Eric Bledsoe’s contract while also (b) adding a veteran big man in Jonas Valanciunas to space the floor more for stars Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram, the Pelicans picking a guard with their First-Round selection seems reasonable of a decision.
And as they traded down seven spots to get some assets in return, the guy they want could land to them and could provide immediate value as their guard rotation needs someone new and ready to contribute in the Pelicans’ progression towards a playoff spot next year. Consider McBride that guy. He can play the PG position and deliver the same impact that Lonzo Ball provides in the offense, and as a player that could be coached into being a solid sixth man in an average NBA rotation, he is a speedy, long guard that can operate and make split decisions in the PnR as well as be a quick ballhandler that is equally adept at getting downhill, since he is as good as a creator for himself as he is for others. He slides his feet well defensively, and with the ideal 6’8 body frame, he is a pesky ball-stopper that makes his 6’8 wingspan felt against opposing scorers.
18. Oklahoma City Thunder – From Miami (Finished 2020 Season 22-50, 14th in Western Conference)
With the 18th pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, the Oklahoma City Thunder select…Jaden Springer, G, Tennessee. – For the third and final Thunder pick in the First Round, the Thunder will make it known to bolster their guard department by selecting the second Volunteer on many people’s draft boards, and a guard that could very well be selected as low as 40 in the second round and as high as 18 in the first round.
Jaden Springer’s upside and promise as a prospect are what could be attractive to Thunder scouts so much that they decide to pull the trigger and draft another rookie with their third selection in the First Round, but there is a growing belief that Springer could be one of the best guards in a draft awash with talent in the position. In his lone season in Knoxville, Springer – a 6’4, 204-lb guard with a 6’7 3/4ths-lengths of a Wingspan – was really good at getting his own shot and was pretty lethal from the mid-range, which is practically an admirable quality to use playing alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. And defensively, he enjoys the challenge of slowing down opposing guards and gets after them to mentally take them out of it.
He missed a majority of his Freshman year with a myriad of injuries but will have an ample amount of time to grow into being an ideal starter at the guard spot someday in a low-pressure environment like Oklahoma City since he’s still a teenager.
19. New York Knicks (Finished 2020 Season 41-31, 4th in Eastern Conference)
With the 19th pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, the New York Knicks select…Jared Butler, G, Baylor. – And so, the Knicks are suddenly in the business of competing right away, and they have one of the best cap space situations in the league with over $70M in allotted space to land a max free agent, with additional multiple First-Round picks at the helm. All of a sudden, trusting in the development of a borderline lottery pick isn’t of priority to them at the moment. A big summer could be on the horizon for New York’s team in the anticipation that they could land a big-time All-Star and still have enough left after a trade to generate a solid core of what could become a championship roster in a few years.
But if they don’t deal the first of their three picks, it’s only fitting that the Knicks decide to jump on taking the Final Four Most Outstanding Player in Jared Butler with the 19th pick, who many speculate is a top-5 guard in this draft class with his passing and scoring acumen. The 6’3 guard would be the perfect personality for a guard playing in the Garden: hard-nosed, defensively stout with a strong upper body who also, offensively, can score from all three levels as a contributor in nearly all aspects of the game.
Much like his teammate at Baylor in Davion Mitchell, he shares this burning passion for winning and is dually a creative and tough finisher around the rim. As an on-ball scorer, he’s steadily improved as a three-point shooter who knocked down 43 percent of his attempts and averaged a little under 50 percent from the field in general.
20. Atlanta Hawks (Finished 2020 Season 41-31, 5th in Eastern Conference)
With the 20th pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, the Atlanta Hawks select…Day’Ron Sharpe, F, North Carolina. – During Atlanta’s shocking 2020-21 season where they just so happened to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals, they found that their youth and their development plan for their younger and more impressionable players they drafted and cultivated into being postseason players is working so far. And as the free agency market opens up in a few days and weeks, the Hawks are one of the teams under the big microscope as prognosticators are waiting with conviction to see how they will top this past season. And during this draft, it would add up if the Hawks went and addressed their need for depth at the power forward spot.
In the wake of Onyeka Okongu – their 2020 First-Round pick – and his torn labrum that will keep him out for the first six weeks of next season, the Hawks need to target someone to fill the void he will leave in Nate McMillan’s scheme as the backup to Clint Capela. UNC’s Day’Ron Sharpe, who has done the work to slim down and had a solid predraft process, could be the prospect they make their selection on. Sharpe is a highly competitive, high-effort rebounder and at UNC, was too much for low-post defenders to handle underneath the bucket as a 6’11, 265-lb force of nature.
He’s also prone to showing off some passing ability and is relatively nimble for his size. Sharpe isn’t highly regarded as one of the most talked-about prospects in this draft, which could be to Atlanta’s advantage should he be on the board at pick No. 20 as a diamond-in-the-rough player for Trae Young and Atlanta’s guards to use at their disposal.
21. New York Knicks – From Dallas (Finished 2020 Season 41-31, 4th in Eastern Conference)
With the 21st pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, the New York Knicks select…Isaiah Jackson, F/C, Kentucky. – Isaiah Jackson is an intriguing prospect, mainly due to his potential as a shot-blocker and rim runner. As a team, one of the Knicks’ most pertinent needs was for depth in the big man department as a result of star forward Mitchell Robinson missing the rest of the season due to a hand fracture (just weeks after returning after three months with a foot fracture), and should they not deal this pick, selecting Kentucky’s Isaiah Jackson with the 21st pick – and with their second of three First-Rounders – seems like the right choice here.
Jackson was a bright spot in what was a putrid season for a Kentucky team that started 1-6 and missed out on the national tournament for what felt like the first time in decades. Though a raw prospect with quite a little polishing of his game, he shows promise at the next level as an exceptional athlete and already has a connection with the Knicks through the predraft process, noting the clear Kentucky connection that the Knicks have. The 6’10, 205-lb 19-year old emerges as a First-Round candidate as someone who can protect the rim and understands the law of verticality, but what raises questions is his offensive skill set and feel for the game.
22. Los Angeles Lakers (Finished Season 42-30, 7th in Western Conference)
With the 22nd pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, the Los Angeles Lakers select…Cameron Thomas, G, LSU. – Granted, the Lakers will be under the microscope over whether they deal this pick or not to move up in the draft, so while selecting so late doesn’t seem likely as they want to acquire more assets to add another significant player, we’ll assume they decide to pick here. And if Jared Butler or Chris Duarte don’t appear on the draft board by the time they’re on the clock, the Lakers shouldn’t pass up on the opportunity to go ahead and pick LSU’s Cameron Thomas.
The 6’4, 210 offensive savant’s tunnel vision and excessive shot-chucking have been a debate topic amongst scouts and draft experts, but what cannot be ignored is his production under Will Wade and in the LSU offense. He is, without a doubt, one of the most consistent, and multitudinously-skilled, scorers in this year’s draft. His 668 points scored his Freshman year is 11th all-time in the Tigers’ Men’s Basketball program, and he led all NCAA D1 freshmen in scoring by averaging 23.1 points per game in the SEC. But the burning question is, what happens to his productivity when an NBA offense chooses to rely on other stars and he’ll have to play off-ball?
Why this Lakers pick makes more sense than you think: for starters, he’ll be playing alongside LeBron James, the greatest passing Small Forward ever, so not only will he be able to play off the natural point forward as a scoring threat, he’ll be able to carve out a role for himself in Frank Vogel’s rotation as an extra scorer off the bench, in which the Lakers need. His playability as a ball-dominant two guard who isn’t great at scoring and creating for others away from the ball raises doubts, but the scoring ability and the shot opportunities will come in an abundance playing in a system that shares the ball.
23. Houston Rockets (Finished2020 Season 17-55, 15th in Western Conference)
With the 23rd pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, the Houston Rockets select…Usman Garuba, F/C, Spain. – Draft scouts have fawned over the potential of Spain’s Garuba, a 6’8, 230-lb 19-year-old experienced big man who cut his teeth in a solid season in the Spanish League. He’s got great length and some impressive defensive acumen for his age and is a switchable ball screen defender at the top of the key that can also guard whoever he wants in the frontcourt. His athleticism is questionable and what is also unknown is if his offensive skill won’t be enough at the NBA level, even if he displays an ability to pop the three at times and display the physical strength to be a force on the offensive glass like a big who plays above the rim.
His 7’2 wingspan, lateral quickness, and gravity as a roll threat will remind Rockets fans of the successful Clint Capela experiment, and with them potentially drafting a superstar guard with their second-overall pick, it will only add to the spacing that Stephen Silas would need to run his sets in the halfcourt. Houston is looking for as much talent as possible, and with what Garuba can bring to the table already, he’ll make a solid pairing with Christian Wood and the rest of the Rockets’ frontcourt.
24. Houston Rockets – From Milwaukee (Finished2020 Season 17-55, 15th in Western Conference)
With the 24th pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, the Houston Rockets select…Joshua Primo, G, Alabama. – The Rockets earned this pick in negotiations with the Milwaukee Bucks when they dealt P.J. Tucker to the eventual NBA Champions as well as some additional assets, and while it’s unclear if the Rockets combine two of their three First-Round picks to get some better players or higher picks, making a long-term investment in a guard who can be worked with into being a perennial spot-up scorer in an NBA rotation in a few years is exactly within their timeline. A notable predraft process and solid combine bumped Primo into the First Round, and there is some real growing interest in the Alabama guard whose excellent ballhandling and scoring ability are not to be passed up.
And at 6’5 and 190 lbs., he’s shown that he’s confident in the off-the-bounce scoring field and has drawn comparisons to former Duke prospect and current Portland Trail Blazer Gary Trent Jr. as a dual catch-and-shoot threat that can cook their matchup off the dribble and score at all three levels at a respectable efficiency. He will have time to grow as a player in a low-pressure environment like Houston and will have all the opportunity to translate his game to the NBA level as a project pick.
25. Los Angeles Clippers (Finished 2020 Season 47-25, 4th in Western Conference)
With the 25th pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, the Los Angeles Clippers select…Na’Shon “Bones” Hyland, G, VCU. – If this year’s postseason told any lessons to the Clippers, it is to heavily invest in building their guard depth. And they have been primarily linked to guards at this spot with a lot of their cast hitting the Free Agent market. Hyland impressed scouts with a solid combine with his ability to score naturally as an on-ball threat off the dribble, but that tough shot-make quality isn’t one all too quantifiable among prospects. His slender frame is one factor that can turn off multiple prognosticators from persuading them over the quality of this pick, but his natural ability as a plug-and-play hooper is enough reason for the Clippers to take a chance on a sleeper pick as such as this sleeper pick of a hooper.
26. Denver Nuggets (Finished 2020 Season 47-25, 3rd in Western Conference)
With the 26th pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, the Denver Nuggets select…Ayo Dosunmu, G, Illinois. – For his Junior season, Dosunmu returned to play for the Fighting Illini, and with a jumper steadily improved from a solid offseason training regimen. Illinois’ 2020-21 season was one for memory, though not ending in the ideal way they expected with an early loss to the Ramblers of Loyola-Chicago in the National tournament. Dosunmu was the leading charge behind Illinois’ magical season, shooting above 38 percent from downtown just a year after shooting under 30 percent and he also showed strides of improvement as an overall passer.
Denver is both a contender and hotbed for projects like RJ Hampton and Bol Bol, so getting the B1G’s second-leading scorer (behind Iowa’s Luka Garza) could do early wonders for a team that needs depth at the shooting guard position. Jamal Murray’s ACL tear makes his return table unclear into next season, which means this First Round selection will be able to do a lot of things well and get consistent minutes in Michael Malone’s rotation early.
27. Brooklyn Nets (Finished 2020 Season 48-24, 2nd in Eastern Conference)
With the 27th pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, the Brooklyn Nets select…Quentin Grimes, G, Houston. – Widely regarded as one of the most slept-on prospects in this draft, all the 6’5, 205-lb two-guard needed was a change of scenery during his collegiate years to truly maximize his game, and get scouts noticing. Following two suboptimal seasons as a Kansas Jayhawk, Grimes reformed himself into being one of the nation’s most consistent and deadly shooters from around the arc at Houston, shooting around 40.3 percent from deep.
With a natural shooting ability and length on the defensive end, Grimes could carve out a malleable spot within Steve Nash’s lineup – especially for a team that desperately needed outside shooting and couldn’t get it consistently against the world champion Bucks through seven games.
28. Philadelphia 76ers (Finished 2020 Season 49-23, 1st in Eastern Conference)
With the 28th pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, the Philadelphia 76ers select…Tre Mann, G, Florida. – Daryl Morey is no stranger to being noncommital to his draft picks, and as history suggests that Philly will probably listen and entertain here, none more has been more pertinent than now in the anticipation of seeing what Philadelphia will do now that Ben Simmons is on the trade block. However, because this draft is awash with guard talent, it might be logical for Philadephia to select one of the best available with their First-Round pick. There is uncertainty in Tre Mann’s position on this draft board, and many have him equally being as high as an early 15-20s kind of pick and slipping to as far as the second round.
Mann is a confident, skilled ballhandler and tough shot maker, which he displayed in large sums during his two years in Gainesville and this year’s National tournament. While he could stand to put on extra muscle, he’s got good size on him standing at 6’4. But a question mark towards his defensive effort, mixed with his more-of-a-scorer-than-setup-man-off-ball quality shows that he will need a lot more polishing. He shows a ton of upside as a pure scorer, and with a guard situation like Philadelphia’s, he’ll complement a second unit that already has Tyrese Maxey as one of its most integral pieces with some time under his belt.
29. Phoenix Suns (Finished 2020 Season 51-21, 2nd in Western Conference)
With the 29th pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, the Phoenix Suns select…Sharife Cooper, G, Auburn. – Concerns involving his outside jumper and slender frame standing a 6’1 are valid, but Cooper has some serious lottery pick talent as Auburn’s leading scorer in his Freshman year. Averaging more than 20 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 8.1 assists as the 8th-best guard prospect in this year’s draft, Cooper’s playmaking ability, ballhandling skill, quick decision making, dribble manipulation savviness, and explosive first step all say “impact player”.
And the Suns need more guards in the rotation with multiple bench players like Cameron Payne becoming unrestricted Free Agents this offseason and Chris Paul demanding a three-year, $100M deal, so they’ll need to have some stock in that position and not consider trading this pick.
30. Utah Jazz (Finished 2020 Season 52-20, 1st in Western Conference)
With the 30th pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, the Utah Jazz select…Joe Wieskamp, G, Iowa. – The Iowa prospect and second-best Hawkeye behind Luka Garza will get selected before him since it’s malpractice to pass up on drafting one of the best shooters in the draft. Wieskamp had a pretty good combine and is coming off of a career year in Iowa City, knocking down 46.2 percent of his 158 attempted threes this season.
Averaging 14.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.7 assists, he showed he was more than just a spot-up shooter; his 6’7, 205-lb frame adds to his ability to be tenacious on the glass as well as bothersome on the perimeter as a reliable defender off switches, which further adds to his credibility of being a First-Rounder. Utah sounds as if they will be in the trade market, potentially dealing their all-time leader in 3PT percentage, so getting a shooter in the draft who can develop into a solid 3-and-D project makes the most sense.
There’s a reason why our countdown has only been 5 pairs for a few weeks now. It’s just slim pickings when you only have two teams left playing and 2-3 players wearing heat on the court. Nonetheless, our Kicks Through the Lens for this week had some bangers in it. P.J. Tucker brought out a new player exclusive colorway in the Kobe 6 Protros. One Milwaukee Bucks player turned back the clock and sported some Kobe 10 Elite Highs. Tucker also rocked one of the rarest Jordan samples you’ll ever see. Scroll below to check out this week’s Top 5.
5. Nike Kobe 6 Protro P.E. – Khris Middleton
4. 2015 Nike Kobe 10 Elite High “What The” – Jeff Teague
In what is likely the final Power Rankings article for the 2020-21 season, it comes at a bittersweet time considering the year could end this evening with the Bucks having the opportunity to close the Phoenix Suns out at home up 3-2 in the series.
It has been a transformational series for a group of players on both teams, both good and bad, but it’s been incredibly helpful to the building of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s legacy with the way the Bucks have been able to rip away a road victory in this series after defending home court for two straight games. And conversely, it hasn’t been all too helpful for the Suns and Chris Paul, who is in imminent danger of losing a title opportunity in his first NBA Finals appearance.
These Finals have been the entire package, and of course a lot more enjoyable with a home-court presence for both teams. However, it seems that the Bucks are intent on finishing off their opponents inside the Fiserv Forum and winning their first championship in over 50 years.
And from what we’ve seen this past week, they have a probable shot at it.
The ubiquitous “Bucks in 6” proclamation made by Milwaukee legend Brandon Jennings nearly a decade ago could come true in its most significant way tonight during Game 6 of the 2021 NBA Finals, and should the Bucks handle their business as they have at home all postseason (9-1 at home during the playoffs), this series could end tonight.
But don’t expect the Suns to fall over and concede the series even if they’ve lost three straight games to the Bucks. For two straight games at home, this series started out with the Bucks not just on the ropes, but nearly falling out of them as it seemed that Mike Budenholzer was being outcoached and outmatched by Monty Williams’ Phoenix Suns. But as the old saying goes, a playoff series never really starts until a home team loses a series game at home, and it seems to be that a series like this can teeter in many directions once that first domino falls.
As for how those dominoes have fallen, well, we will get into that in the final Power Rankings article of the season, and the last one you’ll read until October.
(46-26, Won 4-0 vs. Miami Heat in First Round, Won 4-3 vs. No. 2 Brooklyn Nets in ECSF, Won 4-2 vs. Atlanta Hawks in ECF, Up 3-2 vs. West’s No. 2 Phoenix Suns in NBA Finals, Last Week’s Ranking: 1)
If you could, just for a measly second – disregard Jrue Holiday’s two-way effort in erasing Chris Paul and 61 combined points through Games 3-5, Khris Middleton’s three-game revival and rise to prominence as the best halfcourt scorer in this series, and obviously Giannis’ historical production. Look at the bench points, and more specifically the output of the second unit guys in what was probably a decisive game 5 victory inside Talking Stick Resort Arena. Those tell the story.
Many were out on Milwaukee when they lost Donte DiVincenzo in the first round of the playoffs, bench points were predicted to be hard to come by with no true scorer at point or at the two guard spot off the bench. Pat Connaughton was looked at to fil that very role, but he has succeeded in spacing the floor and using his gravity as a spot-up shooter when the paint collapses on Giannis, Jrue, or Khris Middleton. In the past three games of this series, Connaughton hasn’t dipped below 52.6 percent shooting from deep, averaging 2.75 made threes per game off an average of 6.6 attempts per game.
More impressively, take a look at Bobby Portis’ value. He and Connaughton scored a combined 23 points in Game 5’s 123-119 road win, and when Brook Lopez or Giannis weren’t there to fulfill the defensive responsibilities during their minutes of rest, the Bucks earned a kick-out shooter and reliable defender who pressured the ball and showed a body off the switch. As Chris Paul couldn’t find a way to etch his mark in the game – until the fourth quarter, that is – Budenholzer’s efficacy instilled in his men allowed for the Bucks to maintain their matchups and fluctuate towards different zone looks periodically, so much so that it was on Devin Booker (who finished Game 5 with 40 points for the second-straight game) and his 33 attempts from the field to just keep the Suns in the game.
Their gameplan to keep CP3 relatively quiet and Devin Booker overwhelmed and hyperactive worked in the grand scheme of things to grant Milwaukee the lead in this series, but now it’s largely up to them to seal the deal tonight with the same plan in place. Chris Paul has not looked good, safe to say and was vehemently outplayed by Holiday in Game 5, barring his 21 points and 11 assist with one turnover compared to Holiday’s 27 points and 13 assists with two turnovers.
While that’s caused from Jrue Holiday keeping him to only 15 shots, that hiccup made from the Bucks’ defensive tenacity could be the determinant of this series’ conclusion. Plus, Jrue’s nail help and steal on Devin Booker that finished with a lob to Giannis in the game’s final play will live on in history should the Bucks win this series.
(51-21, Won 4-2 vs. No. 7 Los Angeles Lakers in First Round, Won 4-0 vs. No. 3 Denver Nuggets in WCSF, Won 4-2 vs. No. 4 Los Angeles Clippers in WCF, Down 3-2 vs. East’s No. 3 Milwaukee Bucks in NBA Finals, Last Week’s Ranking: 2)
My my…how the turn tables.
Just a few days ago, the Phoenix Suns were riding high, licking their chops to the sounds of prognosticators fawning over their domination and otherworldly performance in what sounded like 2021’s signature feel-good story. Their defensive edge and execution, ball movement, and playmaking from first-ballot Hall of Famer Chris Paul and “Baby Kobe” Devin Booker was as pristine as a a trinket designed by Tiffany and Co., their delegation of shot attempts to role players ample. Deandre Ayton’s domination as a PnR big was too much for the Bucks to overcome as they looked nearly unbeatable at home.
And then, they got away from Talking Stick Resort Arena, into the confines and enemy lines of the Fiserv Forum. The Deer District’s roar rocked the Suns to their core, as they’ve dropped three straight games in this Finals series, their last one at home the most demoralizing of all.
Phoenix now finds themselves on the rocks as they play their first elimination game of the 2020-21 postseason tonight, and they’re still without concrete answers on how to stop Giannis Antetokounmpo as is. But now, the cavalry has arrived in Khris Middleton AND Jrue Holiday producing mightily in Milwaukee’s race to four wins?
Game 6 lives in ominous infamy in Suns history, since the last time they played in one during the NBA Finals back in the year 1993, it did not result in their favor, even if they “thought” they had the better team. It feels like yesterday (or not, a lot of people probably reading this weren’t even born during Phoenix’s Finals appearances) that the Suns battled the Chicago Bulls, failing to extend the series to seven games as Finals MVP Michael Jordan defeated season MVP Charles Barkley’s Suns in six games.
The ebb and flow of the game is determined by its players, and as Giannis is proving all of his doubters who think he isn’t contributing in a “hooper” kind of role as the team’s likeliest candidate to win Finals MVP, Phoenix is hoping history doesn’t repeat itself and allows the Bucks to celebrate their second-ever title on the Bucks’ home floor of the Fiserv Forum.
So to prevent that, the Suns cannot afford to trade bucket for bucket with the Bucks, especially in transition. There were too many times when the Suns offense got the look they wanted, only for the Milwaukee fast break to be ahead of them with mismatches aplenty at their disposal. They allowed the Bucks to score 21 points in the open court, slightly above their series average of 17.2 fastbreak points.
And when the Suns offense went stagnant, it led to a 16-point lead evaporating during a seismic 19-point Milwaukee swing before the end of the first half.
The offensive tactics for opportunities to score in the halfcourt are there, but the game is also about getting timely stops, something the Suns uncharacteristically went away from during this losing streak. They’ll need to defend at a high level to force a Game 7.
If they don’t, and fail to raise their play to the level that an elimination game requires, then the Milwaukee Bucks will be your 2020-21 NBA Champions by the end of the night.
With only a week or so left of the 2020-21 NBA season our Kicks Through the Lens articles are about to wrap up until the fall. Devin Booker wanted to remind all of us this past week that he too can pull out some heat like Tucker and Galloway. It is now clear that the Kobe 4’s are most likely Booker’s favorite Bryant signature sneaker as he broke out a never-before-seen UNDFTD collab of them this past week. Tucker sported some major Oregon P.E. heat as well as a Kobe 4 of his own. Due to there only being two teams left, our Kicks Through the Lens articles for the rest of season will feature on-foot images from both practice and games. Scroll below to see who snagged our five spots this week in our countdown.
Through three Finals games, a couple of things are certainly uncertain: this series is far from over, but at the same time feel as if they’re only a few key adjustments from really being over in a sum of five to six games.
The Milwaukee Bucks seemed down and out after throwing their best punch in Game two, only to have it demoralizingly dissipate as the Suns pounced on them with ferocity during their 118-108 win to jump ahead 2-0, with only two more wins needed to capture the Franchise’s first NBA Championship.
Devin Booker mentally tweaked his game and was unfazed with Milwaukee’s activity and pesky length on defense, dropping 31 of the team’s 118 points off of a fairly efficient 12-for-25 shooting and 7-for-12 shooting from beyond the arc, and Chris Paul took over in the third and fourth quarters with another signature closeout performance, scoring 23 points and accompanying his scoring efforts with 10 assists even with Jrue Holiday in his face.
Milwaukee mostly went away from the aggressive switching plan that didn’t work out too well for them in Game 1, but two straight forgettable efforts on offense by both Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday only dampened what was a solid defensive gameplan and an all-time Finals showcase from Giannis Antetokounmpo, who not only scored 42 points off 15-for-21 shooting with 12 assists to boot (albeit, coming off a significant knee injury) but did so while singlehandedly keeping the Bucks in the game as the first player with 20+ points in a single NBA Finals quarter in the last 25 years. Antetokounmpo scored 20 points all by himself and was up to 32 points by the third’s end.
Bur for the rest of the Bucks, who entered the third quarter down by 11, they only cut into the deficit by a mere point, ending the quarter down 10. Khris Middleton struggled the entire night to get into a consistent rhythm and finished with only 11 points off 5-for-16 shooting, and the same was said for Jrue Holiday, who finished Game 2 with only 17 points off 7-for-21 shooting.
However, Game three on home soil told a different story, but not one the Suns would have particularly enjoyed listening to. Another signature Giannis Antetokounmpo masterclass was put on Sunday night, in which the two-time MVP and Defensive Player of the Year went for his second-consecutive 40+ point night and became the fourth highest-scoring player in NBA Finals history during their championship round debut as the Bucks won their first Finals game in 47 years.
But that’s a story we’ll get into during these weekly Power Rankings, where we break down the remaining teams in this year’s playoffs and who has the most salient advantages and injurious disadvantages in this Final postseason series.
(46-26, Won 4-0 vs. Miami Heat in First Round, Won 4-3 vs. No. 2 Brooklyn Nets in ECSF, Won 4-2 vs. Atlanta Hawks in ECF, Down 1-2 vs. West’s No. 2 Phoenix Suns in NBA Finals, Last Week’s Ranking: 2)
What we’re witnessing from Giannis Antetokounmpo isn’t human, in more ways than one.
When Clint Capela made his knee bend backwards during a routine drive to the rim in transition during Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals, it seemed like every championship hope that Bucks fans had during their greatest opportunity to win a championship just faded away as he sustained that hyperextended knee (accidental) injury at the hands of the Hawks center. Until Game one of the Finals, that is. Antetokounmpo looked as explosive as he could’ve, scoring a pedestrian-yet-respectable 20 points off 6-for-11 shooting as he tried to get back to repeating the motions prior to his injury.
But best believe, as Antetokounmpo ground his teeth together and put on the affect display of a man who didn’t want to die just yet, Games two and three have been some showings of legend, that in which we likely will not see for quite some time unless he and the Bucks are back in the Finals next year.
Head coach Mike Budenholzer strategized a gameplan to put even more pressure on rising star Suns center Deandre Ayton in the halfcourt by primarily keeping Giannis at the center spot which limited the Suns’ capabilities at running their Pick and Roll sets ad nauseam atop the key, while also upping the pace both in the halfcourt and in transition, where Ayton unsuccessfully impeded the path of Antetokounmpo in Game three. Giannis continued his already legendary 2020-21 postseason with his 41 points off 13-for-21 shooting with 13 rebounds and 6 assists.
And while ethering the spirit of another dominating big man who wreaked havoc and wore purple and gold, Antetokounmpo became as he put up a second-straight stat-line of 40+ points and 12+ rebounds, joining Shaquille O’Neal in the 2000 Finals and LeBron James in the 2016 Finals.
And where Paul and Booker were unable to find daylight during the Bucks many runs to go up by as many as 25 points, Ayton was bombarded on the offensive glass and in the open court, where Milwaukee made it an emphasis to get him in foul trouble.
And from there, the Bucks busted the game open.
Phoenix losing Dario Saric may not have bruised them on the offensive end – well, maybe, if ever so slightly due to Saric’s role as a Pick and Pop Power Forward off the bench – but he presented a viable asset of height during Phoenix’s running of small lineups when Ayton sat. And with Ayton picking up four fouls before the third quarter even concluded, it gave Budenholzer’s Bucks the opportunity to gash the opening even further with running Antetokounmpo, Bobby Portis, and PJ Tucker with Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday, a lineup that has helped to produce a +7.4 net rating and a 70.0 Defensive Rating this postseason.
Lineups like this heavily assisted the Bucks on the glass as they outrebounded the Suns 47-36 though four quarters, and as a team roles from Games two and three were switched in the turnover margin, as the Suns committed a total of 15 turnovers compared to the Bucks’ nine.
And speaking of Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday, the bad mojo finally wore off, and schematically, allowing two volume scorers and floor setters at the point and the two/three to dictate the pace of the offense, rather the game, by keeping Giannis Antetokounmpo on the block and as a high screener did wonders for the scoring duo who are playing in their first Finals together.
The duo monumentally improved in their scoring ability in Game three at home, and Middleton (18 points on 14 shots, 7 rebounds, 6 assists) made his impact as their venerable isolation scorer as well as a defense-bending setup man. Holiday on the other hand (21 points off 8-for-14 shooting and 5-for-10 from deep) did the same, but made sure to aggravate Chris Paul on the other end who only got up a total of 14 shots as the team’s primary scorer. And with Devin Booker struggling as he did, it just made shrinking the floor that much easier.
And again, more importantly, as Devin Booker (10 points on 21.4 percent shooting) wore what looked a to be a demure facial expression thanks to the exemplary defensive masterpiece put together by Budenholzer and his coaching staff in Sunday night’s beatdown, Phoenix realizes they’re in for a fight .
(51-21, Won 4-2 vs. No. 7 Los Angeles Lakers in First Round, Won 4-0 vs. No. 3 Denver Nuggets in WCSF, Won 4-2 vs. No. 4 Los Angeles Clippers in WCF, Up 2-1 vs. East’s No. 3 Milwaukee Bucks in NBA Finals, Last Week’s Ranking: 1)
Two straight wins over the second-best defensive team in this year’s playoffs were not flukey wins by any means, and getting hot at the right time is an attribute many teams and players would favor having on their side with the benefits getting in the zone provide for a team playing off the steam of momentum. But like all fiery runs, and a flame itself really, they cool off every now and then and decrease in volume.
Metaphorically, that was the case in Game three for the Phoenix Suns, who haven’t (yet) seen the sky fall onto their heads as they still lead the NBA Finals 2 games to 1, and adjustments permitted could be headed back to Phoenix with a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals with the opportunity to close out the series later this week and win their first title in franchise history.
But, like we explained up in the Bucks’ section, a few things will have to happen to ensure the best road team in the league this year reverberates their reputation in the second-biggest series the franchise has ever competed in:
For starters: Deandre Ayton cannot – and I repeat *cannot* – be off the floor for an entire duration of a quarter and more. There were too many times in Sunday’s contest in which Ayton’s foul trouble resorted in the Suns getting desecrated on the offensive glass by the likes of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bobby Portis, PJ Tucker, Brook Lopez and others, and it largely resulted in a litany of second-chance points.
The lack of a domineering rim presence that Ayton provided which cut off nearly 2/3rds of the floor for Milwaukee in Games one and two was deliberately noticeable, and there existed a semblance of open leeway for the Bucks to get whatever they wanted during the operations of Monty Williams’ small lineups.
Offensively and defensively, the Suns could not crack the height-heavy Bucks lineups when Ayton was off of the floor during the Bucks’ 30-9 run to end the first half, and as they remained small due to their depth becoming involuntarily anemic due to some injuries and shifting of less-skilled defenders in Dario Saric’s spot to supplement the responsibilities he’d be tasked with, they paid for it with an embarrassing 20-point loss to a Bucks team that now has life. Frank Kaminsky and Cameron Johnson were the second and third options to counter the Bucks’ size in the paint, but wooden planks would’ve been more sufficient as the Bucks flowed into their PnR sets and ran a majority of their actions on the areas they stood at.
However, keep in mind: the Suns were only down three at the end of the first quarter prior to Ayton picking up his third and fourth fouls, and when that happened, Budenholzer’s Bucks did not take the opportunity for granted, employing that Portis-Antetokounmpo-Holiday-Middleton-Tucker lineup to run up the points in the paint stat column. As these playoffs go, runs are countered by runs, but even as the Suns cut it to within four with 5:22 remaining in the third quarter, the Bucks responded with a emphatic 24-6 run to close the quarter and put the game out of reach. Phoenix couldn’t score and got cold due to the tenacity on D that the Bucks displayed in a must-win game and therefore, took the tandem of Chris Paul and Devin Booker out of the equation in the second half.
Which brings us to our second point: the outside shooting, and Devin Booker, have to be better.
Granted, a lot of the Suns spacing largely revolves around the positioning of the bigs in this Phoenix offense, and the off-ball movement of every action is dependent on the ball handlers’ ability to dribble-manipulate their defender into call for more help so that the centers can receive the balls in their favorite spots, and equally have the liberty to facilitate the rock around the perimeter to find the weakside shooter.
But, for a player of his caliber who is adept at tough shot-making, it’s on Monty Williams’ onus to get Booker into his spots and stay the course so he doesn’t see a repeat of his homely Game 3 performance. PJ Tucker covered Booker for the time they did not switch their matchups, but when they did Giannis Antetokounmpo waited in the wings for him off every ball screen on the wings.
Chris Paul (team-high 19 points off 8-for-14 shooting) saw bodies off switches and the same stingy, air-tight defense that his backcourt cohort saw, but during the massive runs they gave up to Milwaukee, the Suns saw driving lanes close up faster than a Venus Fly Trap as Milwaukee responded with defensive ferocity, hard close-outs, stunts-and-recoveries, and physicality coming towards the Suns in bunches. Those all got D. Book out of whack, resulting in a 10-point, 3-for-14 disaster of a playoff performance he’d like to throw in the garbage.
Those tough jumpers he made in their home games this series didn’t go in as much as he wanted them to during the beginning of Milwaukee’s home stand, but they’ll have to in Game four if the Suns don’t want to lose their series lead to a Bucks team that feel like they have the formula to success.
Phoenix largely found success in the scoring department with a rousing outing from Cameron Johnson on the offensive end, kickstarted after a thunderous poster on PJ Tucker as the second half commenced. He went on a flaming-hot scoring streak in the third, and finished Game 3 with 14 points off 5-for-11 shooting. But he only knocked down one three as opposed to the four threes he’s made as a kickout-knockdown shooter last night. And as a team, the outside shooting shockingly cooled off, as Phoenix only hit on 9 of their 31 attempts from downtown (29 percent). That won’t cut it.
So, as game four approaches, the Suns have their work cut out for them in a game that’s transformed into a high-pressure must-win contest. They still do not have an answer for Giannis Antetokounmpo, who by all means will put on one of the greatest (top-5, even?) Finals performances of all-time should the Bucks see this through by getting all favorable looks in the halfcourt for him and his teammates – both by design and by his their own accords – and if Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday are spotting their mismatches, consistently scoring and creating in the half-court for themselves and others…it might not be over just yet.
