Welcome to Layup Lines, our daily NBA newsletter where we’ll prep you for a tip-off of tonight’s action, from what to watch to bets to make. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox every afternoon.
Monté Morris had 24 points for the Nuggets in their first playoff victory of the postseason. He needed just 11 attempts to notch his season-high.
This may surprise those who don’t follow Morris, who has filled in for Jamal Murray as Denver’s starting point guard in 2021-22. However, the 26-year-old has been a long-time positive-value contributor. During each of the four seasons in which he got playing time, his turnover percentage has ranked in the 94th percentile or better among all players at his position.
Morris is also a three-level scorer whose field-goal percentage at the rim and from mid-range both rank in the 90th percentile, and his 3-point percentage ranks 83rd percentile. He’s rarely going to beat his defender one-on-one or hit nasty pull-up jumpers off the dribble, but he’s reliable shooting off the catch.
A low usage floor spacer like that is exactly the kind of guard you need in an offense built around a ball-dominant player in Nikola Jokic.
The Tip-Off
Ben Simmons could have become the first player to get eliminated from the playoffs in two consecutive games, as noted by Twitter’s @sreekyshooter.
Maybe we never should have believed any reports indicating Simmons would come back. It was never going to happen! But nonetheless, when news dropped that the former No. 1 pick will not play in Game 4 of the opening round against the Celtics, people shared some thoughts.
“That led to the entirety of Twitter — including some big names — to pile on Simmons, despite the fact that the guard coming back to what probably would have been limited minutes wouldn’t have done much to help a Nets team on the ropes.”
Our own Charles Curtis made a roundup of some of the best reactions, including roasts from Shaq and Stephen A. Smith. Check them out here.
One to Watch
Nets (-1.5, -120) vs. Celtics (+100), O/U 219.5, 7:00 PM ET
(All odds via Tipico.)
The Nets are down 3-0 against the Celtics in this series, and yet, somehow, they’re still favored to win Game 4 against Boston.
I guess the oddsmakers believe it’s improbable a team with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving get swept in the first round, but you know you want to watch. If the Nets go down in four straight, what happens next? Is this the last time we see Steve Nash as Brooklyn’s head coach? Does Kyrie decline his option and become a free agent?
You know you’re going to want to watch, no matter the results of this one.
Who’s in and out?
Raptors: Fred VanVleet (hip) is out against the Sixers tonight
Heat: Kyle Lowry (hamstring) is questionable on Tuesday
Bulls: Alex Caruso (concussion) is questionable on Wednesday
Shootaround
— Vince Carter gives a heartfelt message to ROY winner Scottie Barnes
—A photo of Ben Simmons watching Celtics dunk became a hilarious meme
— HoopsHype shares the players who have been swept the most times
— Dwight Howard wants the Lakers’ Big 3 to run it back
Gannett may earn revenue from Tipico for audience referrals to betting services. Tipico has no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. See Tipico.com for Terms and Conditions. 21+ only. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA).