After Clippers' Game 5 loss, is the playoff version of James Harden ...

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Knicks fans really caused Sixers ownership to panic and buy up their own tickets for Game 6. ????

About Last Night

Celtics advance, Clippers in trouble

Unfortunately, last night was very light on controversy, drama and close scores. Boston ended Miami’s season with a 118-84 blowout in Game 5 to advance to the semifinals, where it awaits either the Cleveland Cavaliers or the Orlando Magic (Cleveland leads 3-2). The Celtics managed to survive a game without Kristaps Porziņģis, who has a calf strain. That didn’t stop them from turning this one into an early-night laugher, including holding the Heat to 3-of-29 shooting from deep.

The Celtics will have to figure out how to survive without Porziņģis against a tougher, more complete opponent in the next round, so maybe that causes them to hope for the inexperienced Magic squad to advance instead of a Cavs team boasting two high-quality big men in Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley. Regardless, Boston is set up to cruise to the Eastern Conference finals and possibly even straight through to the Finals. But the Celtics will need Porziņģis back at some point.

Last night’s other result saw the Mavericks house the Clippers in a 123-93 Game 5 road win to take a 3-2 series lead. And it was a quick reminder about Dallas’ chance to right some wrongs. Three years ago, the Mavs went up 3-2 in a first-round series against the Clippers after a Game 5 win. The next game at home, Dallas managed just 97 points in a loss before wasting a 46-point, Game 7 effort by Luka to lose 126-111. This Mavs team is a lot better than that 2021 squad, but it must be feeling the pressure to close out this series at home on Friday. Meanwhile, they at least have some help from the Kawhi Leonard-less Clippers, who are posting historically inefficient guard options.

Ben Golliver of the Washington Post tweeted about which players have the most playoff games with 10 or more shot attempts while making 20 percent or fewer of said attempts in the 3-point era (since 1979-80). After going 2 of 12 last night, James Harden has 13 such playoff games, the most of anybody. Clifford Robinson (RIP) had 11 games like that. And Harden teammate Russell Westbrook is third on the list, with nine such outings after going 2 of 11 last night. The Clippers just have an incredible combination of inefficiency going on.

I’m not sure what you do about Harden. This is just part of his playoff experience. A brilliant night can often lead to a head-scratcher in the next game. That’s what happened from Games 4 to 5 in this series. As for Westbrook, the Clippers are mostly putting him in the corner on offense, so Jason Kidd’s Mavs are not respecting that “threat” at all. They’re bogging down the paint, and there’s nothing LA can do to counteract that outside of making Russ a threat with the ball in his hands playing downhill from some pick actions.

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: the Clippers so badly need a healthy Kawhi in this playoff scenario. They just have to hope history repeats itself against the Mavs, and that the Luka-Kyrie combination isn’t too much to beat two games in a row.

You Voted!

Results of our “Start Your Franchise” poll

Earlier this week, I wrote about a debate with some friends about the top five players you’d choose as the star of your franchise. And, after we agreed on Luka, Nikola Jokić and Victor Wembanyama as locks, we got bogged down in deciding the final two spots between Anthony Edwards, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Giannis Antetokounmpo. While my friends couldn’t come to a consensus, we threw a poll at you, the reader! And the results are in! I’m actually pretty shocked at how it shook out.

The Ant Hive is strong in The Bounce. Not only did Edwards finish ahead of SGA and Giannis, but he was actually the top selection overall.

Edwards got 31.1 percent of the vote, the highest selection rate. In second place, Wemby took home 30.3 percent. Despite being 29 years old already, Jokić got 19.6 percent. People love contending! Luka finished fourth with 5.3 percent of the vote. SGA (4.7) is fifth. Giannis had 2.5 percent. Jayson Tatum finished with 1.8.

And then, we had some straggler write-in votes. There are four Antetokounmpo brothers, and we had four votes for Thanasis and one vote for Kostas. Coincidence? I think not. Jalen Brunson got some write-ins. As did Scottie Barnes (some), Stephen Curry (a couple), Paolo Banchero (a couple) and Naz Reid (one). Keita Bates-Diop got some love, with the caveat that he’s healthy. And shoutout to both Cam Thomas and Pete Maravich’s ghost each getting a write-in vote. Did you know one of our editors went to LSU? Coincidence? ????????????

Goodbye, Heat

Miami is done. What is its bigger picture?

No Jimmy Butler meant no deep playoff run. Butler turns 35 in September. Does this core have time left? We say goodbye to the Heat.

Miami’s bright spot from this season? The biggest bright spots were Duncan Robinson adding dribbling to his game, Bam Adebayo’s continued ascension as arguably the NBA’s best defender and Jaime Jaquez Jr. being an immediate-impact rookie. Ultimately, injuries and lack of availability marked Miami’s downfall.

Key free agents for Miami: Caleb Martin (player option), Kevin Love (player option), Josh Richardson (player option), Thomas Bryant (player option), Haywood Highsmith (restricted), Delon Wright, Patty Mills

Biggest position to address: They need creators and shooters. This offense is consistently anemic and they need to find some easy offense from the perimeter. Terry Rozier probably isn’t the real answer there.

What’s the draft pick situation? They have the 15th overall pick.

Will they have cap space? Not even close. They’re in danger of being a second-apron tax team.

2023-24 yearbook quote: “The hardest-working, best-conditioned, most professional, unselfish, toughest, meanest, team in the offseason.”

Bounce Passes

Mat Ishbia says the Suns’ house is not on fire.

The Magic have to feel good about things even after the Game 5 loss.

Tyrese Maxey’s signature moment in MSG was special.

Screen Game (All times Eastern) Main Course Game: Knicks-76ers (9 p.m. TNT). Can New York finally put Joel Embiid to bed, or will we get a Game 7? Eat Your Vegetables Game: Bucks–Pacers (6:30 p.m. TNT). Will the Zombie Bucks force a Game 7? Will Giannis play? Full schedule here.

(Top photo: Ronald Martinez /  Getty Images )