NBA Playoffs Deliver Early With Game 7 Drama, Strong Ratings
It’s unclear whether Luka Dončić will return in the second round.
After a regular season filled with competition issues stemming from tanking, the NBA playoffs have started strong. The first round wrapped up Sunday after a weekend with three do-or-die Game 7s, the most in the NBA’s opening round since 2014. But the lengthy series matchups—which saw the 76ers, Pistons, and Cavaliers advance—mean there’s little break in the action as the second round starts Monday.
The Road Ahead Joel Embiid and the Sixers shocked the NBA by coming back from down 3–1 to defeat the Celtics. The Knicks, another East Coast rival, await in the semifinals, and a revitalized Embiid already has a plea to Philadelphia: “Last time we played the Knicks, it felt like [Philadelphia] was Madison Square Garden East,” Embiid said Saturday . “We’re going to need the support.
Don’t sell your tickets. This is bigger than you. We need you guys.
” The Sixers are trying to limit ticket sales to fans who are residents of the Greater Philadelphia area based on the addresses on their credit cards. But given the proximity of the two cities, it’ll be difficult to completely restrict the Xfinity Mobile Arena from New Yorkers. Out West, perhaps the biggest question looming over the playoffs is the potential return of Luka Dončić, who has been out a month since sustaining a Grade 2 hamstring strain.