Viva Las Vegas
The NBA's First In-Season Tournament Has Now Reached The Final Four Teams, But What Players Hold The Key To Each Team's Success?
When the NBA decided to do an In-Season Tournament, it was met with complete skepticism. People thought no one would pay attention, the players didn't care, and that it didn't make sense to do it. With the tip-off just hours away, the NBA world heads to Las Vegas for the very first In-Season Tournament Final Four.
Four teams are left standing, two from the East and two from the West. They include two of the NBA’s Powerhouses (Milwaukee and the L.A. Lakers) and two upstart teams (Indiana and New Orleans). Now let’s take a look at one player on each team that could change the fortunes and bring their team the $500,000 per player Grand Prize.
Indiana Pacers- Buddy Hield
(Thanks NBA.com)
Everyone is talking about Tyrese Haliburton, and it's well-deserved. Haliburton has been playing so well that he might even be named the MVP of the entire tournament. However, the performance of Buddy Hield will be crucial for the Pacers. Hield has been outstanding during the most critical moments of the tournament, and his play will determine the Pacers' success.
Hield is currently ranked second in the tournament in points scored during clutch games. (A clutch game is a game where the score is within five points and less than five minutes are remaining in the final quarter.) Buddy has an impressive record of 22 points scored in clutch games. He has maintained an outstanding shooting percentage of 88.9% from the floor and 83.3% from beyond the arc in the four clutch games that he has played so far in the tournament.
Haliburton has a total of eight assists in clutch moments, and most of them have gone to the sharpshooting Hield. If Hield maintains his shooting pace, not only will the Pacers' star point guard get more assists, but the team will also have a chance to win $500,000 each on Saturday night.
Milwaukee Bucks- Brook Lopez
In a league where defense is highly valued, the Milwaukee team's chances of winning the NBA championship could depend on the performance of one of the top shot blockers in the league. While every team has players who can block shots, none of them can match Lopez's exceptional abilities in this regard.
Lopez leads the league in blocked shots during the Tournament, with an average of 4.2 blocks per game. If we add up his regular season stats, he has blocked 69.9% of all the Bucks roster's blocked shots. Therefore, every opportunity Lopez gets in a Thursday game, no matter how few, could potentially change the outcome of the game.
Milwaukee has won all seven games this season in which they blocked four or more shots. Therefore, Head Coach Adrian Griffin must urge his team to force more shots in the paint if they want to win the championship in Vegas.
Los Angeles Lakers- Christian Wood
LeBron James and Anthony Davis are well-known for their contributions to the Lakers' chances of winning in Las Vegas. However, the Lakers' success may also depend on the performance of Wood.
Davis has been performing exceptionally well throughout the tournament, but Wood's contribution cannot be overlooked either. With an average of 9.8 rebounds per game, he has been a strong support for Davis, allowing him to play as a Power Forward right beside him. Whether it's giving Davis some extra time to rest on the bench or making him feel comfortable on the court, Christian Wood's contribution is crucial for the Lakers to have a chance of winning two games in three days.
Among the players who have played at least three games and have an average of 20 minutes per game, Wood is one of only three players who have a rebound rate of 20%. If he continues to maintain this level of performance and effort, the Lakers' fans, who have a short plane ride from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, will likely see them win the upcoming tournament.
New Orleans Pelicans- Herb Jones
Herb Jones is responsible for guarding some of the best players in the NBA every night. During his recent stint in Las Vegas, Jones faced a tough challenge. On Thursday, he had to guard LeBron James, and in the Championship game, he may have to guard either Haliburton or Giannis Antetokounmpo.
If anyone is up to the job it’s the Pelicans best defensive player. This season, Jones allows his man to shoot 33.7% from the floor and forcing a turnover 15.2% of the time. Those numbers a key especially when James is shooting 54.5% from the floor and 38.7% from beyond the arc.
Jones is a valuable asset to the Pelicans because of his ability to guard multiple players. He may not only guard James but also have to cover Davis, Austin Reeves, and D’Angelo Russell. Therefore, his defensive versatility will be crucial for the Pelicans and their chances of winning the NBA In-Season Championship.