The news of Victor Wembanyama’s concussion suffered in Game 2 against the Portland Trail Blazers has thrown a wrench into what was previously expected to be a lopsided series.
The San Antonio Spurs were riding high after the Defensive Player of the Year’s outstanding playoff debut in Game 1, but now the series is in real jeopardy as the question becomes, when will the Frenchman be back?
The Blazers could find no offense outside of All-Star forward Deni Avdija in the first game of the series, but had a much more balanced effort to steal Game 2.
In order to have any chance at pulling off what would be the major upset of the first round, Portland needs to capitalize Friday night against a San Antonio team that will most likely be without its best player.
Over in the East, the most shocking Game 2 result was the Philadelphia 76ers stealing a game over the favorite to come out of the conference, the Boston Celtics.
Rookie VJ Edgecombe’s 30 points and 10 rebounds led Philadelphia to a 1-1 tie heading back home, as he and the 76ers look to buy more time for Joel Embiid to return from injury.
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First Pick: Portland Trail Blazers +2.5 over San Antonio Spurs
Rundown: The Spurs identity as a team all season has been aggressive perimeter defense buttressed by the best rim protector in the league in Wembanyama.
While San Antonio has a bevy of plus defenders in its rotation, playing defense on the perimeter knowing you have the 7-foot-4 blocks leader roaming behind is a cheat code, allowing much more freedom to play aggressive and gamble on reaches.
Without Wembanyama, who is likely to miss Game 3, the math changes entirely.
San Antonio posted a defensive rating of 116.6 in games the DPOY missed this season, which would have ranked 22nd in the league.
Offense will be much easier to come by for Portland, who is now back at home and has its role players rounding into postseason form.
Point guard Scoot Henderson reminded the NBA world that he was picked just two spots after Wembanyama in the 2023 draft, dropping 31 points with five threes made in Game 2.
The role player bump that teams typically get at home in the postseason in conjunction with what will likely be a much better showing for Avdija than he had in Game 2 should result in another Blazers upset on Friday night.
Second Pick: Boston Celtics -7.5 over Philadelphia 76ers
Eric Lambkins II
Los Angeles Lakers guard Marcus Smart (36) defends Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) in the first half at crypto.com Arena.
Rundown: The Celtics’ proclivity to jack up threes and stay committed to that philosophy even when the shots aren’t falling makes them susceptible to shocking playoff upsets like the one we saw in Game 2.
Boston shot a putrid 13-for-50 (26%) from beyond the arc in Game 2, while Philadelphia shot 19-for-39 (49%).
Two outlier shooting nights in opposite directions is really the only way the 76ers have a chance to steal games in this series, and it’s unlikely lightning strikes twice in consecutive games for Philadelphia.
Boston ranked eighth in the league in three-point percentage this season, while Philadelphia clocked in at 23rd.
While head coach Joe Mazzulla’s offensive philosophy can sometimes be described as ugly but effective, the 76ers just have very little answers for what Boston does defensively without the scoring threat of Embiid.
Expect a resounding response from the Celtics in Game 3, setting up the 76ers in a do-or-die situation in Game 4 in order to prolong the series far enough to get their star center back.