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As we entered the first Eastern Conference finals since 2010 without LeBron James, I wondered if there was anything missing. LeBron is the best player of his generation, a central and indispensable presence. He had been to eight consecutive series of conference finals to the east, and led his team to victory in all of them. What would a series be with a shot to represent the East in the NBA Finals without him?
Incredible, it turns out.
The Bucks won an exciting 1: 108-100 game against the Raptors. Toronto led most of the evening and got an incredible performance from Kyle Lowry. Kawhi Leonard was unusually cold late and Brook Lopez exploded in flames. Kawhi and Giannis Antetokounmpo, the defenders of the two superstars in the series, were fascinating – even if they were not alike, they were central to everything. A good game, a good finish, it should be a good series.
LeBron, meanwhile, can not be found, he moved to the west last summer. It is clear that none of these candidates will be considered a junior challenger when one of them will go to the final: these teams will both deserve the title. In fact, one might wonder if LeBron's East Crown race would have ended in 2019 even though he would have stayed with the Cavaliers. The Bucks and the Raptors just look this well this season.
The scores
Raptors 100, Bucks 108
Milwaukee leads the series 1-0
Program
Blazers at Warriors, 9 ET, ESPN
Golden State leads the series 1-0
Connections
Some smart people have expressed the feeling of being in Toronto had win this game if they want to win the series given Lowry's performance, the relatively effective defense on Giannis and a long series of colds at Bucks in the middle of the fight. The Raptors won the previous round by 20 feet in the ring of match 7, which bounced four times on the ledge. The series are long. Let's not bury a team for not having held the first game on the road.
I wrote about the obvious truth that Anthony Davis would not change his mind about Pelicans and that the Pels should not be invested in this result, given Zion Williamson's clarity about their to come up.
Five winners and four losers from the NBA draw. What the Lakers do at No. 4 will shape the rest of the project. A case that it was the best lottery NBA project ever. Zach Lowe on what happened behind the scenes of the lottery.
Alex Wong explains how three different teams are watching Kawhi's playoff race.
For the first time, the WNBA has a commissioner: the outgoing CEO of Deloitte.
Emmet Ryan presents the Final Four of the Euroleague. Three of the teams are regulars in the championship round. The fourth is definitely not.
Who takes the fall in the university basketball scandal? Black assistants, mainly.
Sensational. Dick Garrett, who played for the Bucks in the 1970 and 1974 finals, is now working on safety at the Milwaukee games.
An excellent Knicks Jape from The Onion.
Chris Ballard on the echoes of Don Nelson found during these playoffs.
I really feel the stress that the Currys feel about rooting their sons in the West Finals. And not because my children are also NBA players.
And finally: Giannis through the eyes of the Milwaukee refugees.
Be excellent to each other.
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