NBA Playoffs 2025: The key factors behind three games 6
Three series reach a game 6 in the first round of the NBA playoffs. What do each team need to advance or stay alive?
Despite some very unequal initial clashes, the First round of the NBA playoffs It is underway: Surprises! Removes! Whatever the Lakers are doing! And there are some 6 crucial in the next two days.
The New York Knicks and Detroit Pistons They have possibly played the most competitive and chaotic first round series to date, and on Thursday night, Detroit has the opportunity to tie the series three games each in front of their local audience.
It has been a tense series since the initial jump, and competition has become even more intense as it advances. The teams come from three consecutive games They have decided for three points or less. And each of the last four games of the series has been resolved at the decisive moment, when the score is five points of difference in recent five minutes of play.
Meanwhile, the Denver Nuggets They have put the The clippers on the edge of the abyss after the magic of Aaron Gordon In the fourth game and an open victory in the fifth. Gordon’s voyage on the horn matched the series on Saturday, before Denver defended his court with a overwhelming victory of 131-115 Tuesday.
The series now returns to Los Angeles, where Kawhi Leonard And the clippers try to extend their season.
The Houston Rockets they became the third team of the first round to force a Game 6 After a 131-116 victory over the Golden State Warriors Wednesday night. The teams will face Friday night in San Francisco, with the Warriors with a 3-2 advantage.
So what do they need to do the Pistons, Clippers and Rockets To stay alive and force a seventh game? And what can the Knicks, Nuggets and Warriors to close your series in six? Our NBA experts answer both questions.
How can Knicks close the series on Thursday?
New York It simply needs Take care of the ballespecially in what appears to be a hostile environment in Detroit.
The Knicks They lost the battle of ball losses, although by a narrow margin, for the first time in the series during the fifth game. Seeking to avoid the defense of the Panha court, they played at a faster pace that seems to favor Detroit. In addition, New York, unusually, forced several passes to the alternate pivot Mitchell Robinson, and several resulted in ball losses.
“Offensively, I didn’t make good decisions,” said the star base Jalen Brunson.
Knicks have little margin of error at this time; Especially with Brunson twisting his ankle almost every time he plays. New York won the two games in Detroit at the beginning of the series, and by limiting united errors, he can also win the sixth game of Thursday.
What do the Pistons do to force a seventh game?
We had a look at Detroit’s clearest winning plan in the fifth game: the second year forward Ausar Thompson, The best team defender against Brunson, You just have to play well enough in attack And, at the same time, avoid Failure problems.
Thompson played his best offensively on Tuesday, by far, noting 22 points in just 10 shooting attempts in 29 minutesits greatest amount throughout the series. He took better care of the ball that before in the series, and did it while pressing Brunson to score 4 of 16 shots and 16 points, a significant achievement, since Brunson had scored 30 points or more in each of the first four games.
The Pistons took a lot of benefit from Thompson’s connective passes as a short-raoll player on Tuesday, so they hope to see more of that in the sixth game when the situation improves. If it is useful there, it is a change of play because it allows BickerStaff to use it against Brunson instead of Dennis Schroder, whom Brunson has given problems throughout the series .– Chris Herring
How can nuggets close the series on Thursday?
To the Continue physically pressing clippers and caring for the ballDenver has a +5 in ball losses in his three victories and a -14 in his two losses.
Denver seemed defeated just two games: beaten, demoralized and without hope after an overwhelming defeat in the third game in the intuit dome that left injured to Russell Westbrook and Michael Porter Jr. But the Nuggets responded in the fourth game and maintained the intensity in their party at home on Tuesday.
They are also doing a much better job defending the clippers in the perimeter, forcing someone other than James Harden or Kawhi Leonard. Despite the solid actions of Ivica Zubacthat has not happened.
What do the clippers have to do to force a game 7?
Harden He defined “The system” When he arrived at the clippers, and You have to play like this again. When Harden is on a roll, the clippers control the rhythm of the game. But Christian Braun He has been winning that confrontation in recent games, leaving Harden completely out of what he, and clippers, want to do.
From the first game, when he scored 32 points with a 11 of 22 in efficient field shots, Harden has averaged only 16 points per game with 41% success in field shots. The coach Tyronn Lue You have to find ways that Harden gets more involved, or it will be a failure of the system in the sixth game. – Ramona Shelburne
How can Warriors close the series on Friday?
If Golden State manages to keep Jalen Green under control As he has done in all the meetings, except in the second game of this series, a significant part of Houston’s scoring power will subtract him.
Green averaged 21 points per game in the regular season, but in Houston’s three defeats in this series, he has averaged 8.0 points, with a 29% success in field shots and 14% in triples. Green illuminated the Warriors with 38 points in the second game, while the Rockets dominated the paint with a score of 46-28. Limiting Green’s effectiveness is essential for Golden State Close this series.
Warriors also need to improve ball care. In the second game, Houston scored 14 points after 15 Losses of Golden State ball. The Rockets scored 18 points after ball losses in the fifth game.
What do rocks have to do to force a game 7?
Yes Golden State yesGue limiting Green’s effectivenessHouston needs Fred Vanvleet Keep having great effectiveness in triples. Vanvleet has led 12 of 18 triples in the last two games.
Meanwhile, Alperen Sengun, Dillon Brooks and Ames Thompson They need to be aggressive and get the open shots that all the attention centered on Green should generate. Houston can improve its performance if it continues to dominate offensive rebounds to have the opportunity to get valuable second chance points. The Rockets coach, Ime Uudoka, has been saying that the team’s mantra is to convert the defense into attack.
Houston did it in the first half of the fifth game, and he needs to continue so for the rockets to take the series to the seventh game. – Michael C. Wright
