NBA Panic Meter: Which Top Seed Is in Trouble?

The second round of the NBA Playoff has already delivered some classic moments. Road teams are 5-0 thus far, as the home teams are seemingly finding new ways to give away games late on a night basis. Seeing as they’re all down in their respective series, which top seed should be the most worried? Let’s check in on the Panic Meter for the four hosting teams in this round of the NBA Playoffs.

Boston Celtics

The Celtics’ reliance on the three-point shot cost them in Game 1. They missed 45 three-point attempts, a postseason record. It was just that they were missing. In the first half, the Celtics shot 21-percent from three but were still leading 61-45. The third quarter was a puzzling effort from Joe Mazzulla’s crew. Boston attempted 20 shots, 19 of which were from beyond the arc. 34 of their 41 second-half field goal attempts were threes, and they only made nine.

Last year’s Finals MVP Jaylen Brown was especially rough, going 7-of-20 from the the field and 1-of-10 from three. New York’s OG Anunoby and Jalen Brunson both poured in 20 second-half points and were crucial down the stretch for the Knicks. New York made the big plays in the closing minutes, including Mikal Bridges snatching the ball from Brown to seal the win.

Kristaps Porzingis is dealing with an illness that limited him to just 12 minutes in Game 1. The Celtics missed a ton of open looks. And, any close game versus the Knicks can be frightening when they have one of the game’s best closers in Brunson. Boston was up 20 at one point in Game 1, and basically got whatever shot it wanted. Those jumpers will begin to fall at some point in this series.

Panic Meter: 6/10

Oklahoma City Thunder

The Thunder cruised through the first round, defeating the Memphis Grizzlies in four games. Meanwhile, their second-round opponent, the Denver Nuggets, is coming off a grueling seven-game series versus the Clippers. While some might look at that as an advantage for the rested Thunder, that didn’t turn out to be the case.

After three solid quarters of basketball, Oklahoma City fell apart down the stretch. They had a lead as big as 13 in the fourth quarter, but the Nuggets kept chipping away. As expected, the Thunder had no answer for Nikola Jokic who finished with 42 points and 22 rebounds. In the game’s closing seconds, OKC’s Chet Holmgren missed a pair of free throws which allowed Denver’s Aaron Gordon to sink a three-pointer for the win.

The Thunder were the best team in the league throughout most of the regular season. Their defense is elite, and they have the likely MVP in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. However, they won’t win an NBA title unless Holmgren or Jalen Williams steps up as a No. 2 option. The pair combined for 28 points on 31 shots in Game 1. That’s not going to cut it. Williams was excellent against Memphis but needs to show it against better competition. The Nuggets lack depth but have enough firepower to steal this series.

Panic Meter: 7/10

Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cavaliers now find themselves down 2-0 after one of the wildest endings in postseason basketball history. Cleveland dropped Game 1 due to a lousy defensive effort. The Pacers got whatever they wanted, and scored 121 points while shooting 52-percent from three.

Game 2 was a different story. With Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, and De’Andre Hunter out (Garland also missed Game 1 with a sprained toe), Donovan Mitchell took on more offensive responsibility. Mitchell ended with 48 points, but it wasn’t enough.

Cleveland had a 14-point going into the fourth, and a seven-point lead with 48 seconds remaining. Indiana scored the final eight points of the game in a flurry, including a Tyrese Haliburton three-pointer to seal the win. The Cavaliers unraveled, committing two turnovers and giving up a pair of offensive rebounds off of missed free throws.

Even if Garland, Mobley and Hunter can return, the Cavs — who went 64-18 during the regular season — are in serious trouble. The Pacers are playing with extreme confidence after completing their second improbable late comeback of this postseason. Now the series goes back to Indiana, and the Pacers are one of the better home teams in the league (29-11). The No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference could be on the verge of a second-round exit.

Panic Meter: 10/10

Minnesota Timberwolves

The Timberwolves were just awful on Tuesday. Stephen Curry exited the game for the Warriors in the first half with a hamstring injury. And, Minnesota was still unable to close the gap against a team that already lacked depth.

They couldn’t buy a bucket from the outside. At halftime, the Timberwolves were 0-of-15 from three. They missed their first 16 attempts from beyond the arc, while the Warriors were a red-hot 14-of-29 through the first three quarters.

Shooting has become a glaring issue for this Minnesota team. They’re now the second-worst three-point shooting team in the playoffs ahead of only the Orlando Magic. Remember, the Timberwolves began this postseason shooting 21-of-42 in Game 1 versus the Lakers. Since then, they’re 44-of-173 (25.4-percent).

Dating back to Game 5 versus LA, the Timberwolves had a stretch missing 34-of-35 attempts from three. This is a team that finished No. 4 in three-point percentage during the regular season. Anthony Edwards made more threes than anybody in the league this year. They rely on the three-pointer and will keep hoisting them up regardless of outcome.

Losing without Curry is a brutal outcome, but the Wolves played as badly as they could have. The Warriors cannot rely on Buddy Hield having 22 second-half points every night. Curry will be without for at least a week, and Jimmy Butler is also ailing. Minnesota isn’t going to cakewalk to the Western Conference Finals, but it shouldn’t be completely worried, yet.

Panic Meter: 8/10