Africans to Watch in the 2020-2021 NBA Playoffs
The 2020-2021 NBA Playoffs tip-off today. The star-studded rosters heading into the post-season are peppered with African players. Africans In Sports breaks down the Africans playing for the top prize.
Joel Embiid
The MVP finalist is having the season of his life and now has the chance to make history by becoming the first center to snatch the Maurice Podoloff Trophy since Shaquille O’Neal back in 2000. His stat line is his best one yet, averaging 28.5 points, 10.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.4 blocks per game for the Philadelphia 76ers, who sit comfortably top of the Eastern Conference.
Surrounded by the likes of Seth Curry and Danny Green, accurate shooters with good spatial awareness, Embiid has been able to blossom into a more efficient and fluid version of himself. The 50 point game against the Bulls in February was just a prelude of things to come, and his team seems ready to make a run in this year’s playoffs.
His throw-back playstyle – posting up on the regular thanks to his imposing frame, relying more on accurate off the paint shooting inside the arc, as opposed to three-pointers – makes him a blast from the past in a day and age when the game has shifted a lot from tradition. But will Embiid take Sixers deep into the playoffs and bring home another Larry O’Brien Trophy to Cameroon?
Giannis Antetokounmpo
The back-to-back reigning MVP is a no-brainer on the list and continues to present a force to be reckoned with. During the regular season, the Milwaukee Bucks swept the top two seeds in the East. In February, Giannis became the third player in NBA history, after Michael Jordan and Kevin Garnett, to win an MVP, All-Star MVP and Defensive Player of the Year award in his career.
Yet, it is no secret that The Freak has not been as dominant this year, and the dip in his numbers is noticeable, even if they are still better than most players’. In addition to not being shortlisted for the MVP award, Antetokounmpo will also have to resign from his reigning DPOY title.
The Bucks will have a chance to avenge last year’s conference semifinal loss against the Miami Heat in this year’s first round. Erik Spoelstra’s team is going to have to do more than just isolate Antetokounmpo this time around, as the superstar has been given new weapons by the front office in Jrue Holiday and P.J. Tucker.
Antetokounmpo went 16 for 16 from the field in the All-Star game, illustrating his hard work on his shooting – traditionally The Freak’s kryptonite. His mid-range percentage actually went up this year. A snubbed Giannis that continues to get better? Sign us up!
Bam Adebayo
While on the subject of players that were snubbed for the DPOY, the Miami Heat ace had the following reaction to the shortlist announcement:
Adebayo’s defensive heroisms are well-documented, and many would argue he was the deserving winner this year. We have repeatedly seen him capitalize on and expose any weaknesses in the opponent’s game.
However, in a similar fashion to his predecessor on the list, he has also spent the majority of this season becoming an all-around better shooter. He is averaging career-high PPG and APG and, perhaps most impressively, has worked to increase his range. Bam is shooting from longer distances, while also converting more field goals. This is a bad omen for opponents, as it is sometimes easy to forget he is only 23 years old and with his best days ahead of him.
But will Adebayo, together with Jimmy Butler and the rest of the Heat ensemble, find a way to stabilize what has been an oscillating campaign for last year’s runners up? The fans should hope so, if Bam manages to remain injury-free. Any absence in the playoffs can turn the tide of a series, and his absence in the finals was certainly a needle-shifting storyline.
Andre Iguodala
Should the Heat repeat their play-off run from last year, the third oldest active player in the league would appear in his seventh consecutive finals series. Despite the abundance of talent, as well as the chip on the shoulder from the bubble’s conclusion, Iguodala knows that it will not be easy, and thus is making sure the locker room stays grounded.
Thankfully, his hip injury sustained at the very end of the regular season turned out to be nothing serious, and he will be fully available for Game 1. Iguodala boasts a Finals MVP with the Golden State Warriors, but at Miami he has turned into an old head that drops wisdom and enjoys the validation of his peers.
Despite his statline not jumping off the page, Iguodala continues to stand out with his smart play reads and his intangibles. His body language, his ability to motivate teammates, his hustle to recover the loose ball or cause the potential turnover – there is no count for those, but players on the court (on both sides) take notice. At 37, any playoff campaign can turn into your “Last Dance.” Vince Carter’s career was crowned by a deep three right before the pandemic hit. Will Iggy’s conclude on the other side and with one last ring to show for it?
Serge Ibaka
Ibaka managed to return to action just in time for the playoffs, after missing over 30 games in a little over two months due to back concerns. The Los Angeles Clippers will certainly be happy to have the NBA journeyman back, although Ivica Zubac has been a phenomenal stand-in, prompting coach Ty Lue to say the Croatian will keep his spot even after Ibaka’s return.
After joining the Clippers as an NBA champion, Ibaka’s first season in LA was a rollercoaster of pandemic induced improvisation. This season, on the other hand, has been marred by injury, yet the fans were pleased to see him get out of a shooting slump right beforehand, registering a string of double-doubles that show he still has what it takes to contribute to a team whose roster promises a lot on paper.
While his former side, the Raptors, are still suffering the self-inflicted wound of letting him go without a suitable replacement, the Clippers enjoyed an invigorated Ibaka on his return against the Rockets. Despite the loss which dropped them to the fourth seed, it is hard not to wonder just how much his sharpness and solidity is going to add during the home stretch of an unconventional season.
Georges Niang
Niang’s NBA progress has been a true rags to riches story, culminating in his best season to date. Having played every single game of the season so far, while starting ten times in the process, the former Iowa Cyclone and G-League journeyman has established himself as a reliable part of the Utah Jazz rotation.
Niang has needed to fight for his spot in the NBA ever since he was cut from the Indiana Pacers following his rookie campaign. After earning his wings in the Warriors and Jazz G-League teams, he was offered a two-way contract that turned pro after a year. After four years in Salt Lake City, he is headed towards free agency at the end of the season and this playoff stretch might just be the best way for him to showcase himself.
“The Minivan,” as the fans call him affectionately, has improved tremendously on his footwork and anticipation, getting ever-increasing minutes on the court due to his eagerness to drop back and defend. He has been averaging double scoring digits in the last eight games, and his coaches praise his confidence. He comes into this series with seven playoff games under his belt, and looking at the strength of the West top seed; it will be intriguing to see just how far Niang will go.
Jordan Nwora
When high seeded teams “taper” before the postseason, rookies get a golden ticket to try and showcase what they can do with more minutes. The smart ones make the most of this opportunity, and Jordan Nwora did just that as the Bucks gave him the keys for the regular season closer against the Chicago Bulls.
If you think the 34 points and 14 rebounds in that game were an outlier, think again – Nwora averages a little over 20 points in all games where he played at least 15 minutes. The former Lousiville Cardinal has demonstrated accuracy and composure, which will serve him well as he grows into more of a presence for Milwaukee.
Jordan’s father, Alexander, is the Associate Head Coach of the Nigerian National Team, and Jordan’s siblings have also taken up basketball. Though it is unlikely that the rookie will take center stage against the Heat, this playoff season must be a great time in the Nwora household, rendering their dreams more tangible than ever.
Mamadi Diakite
The second Bucks’ rookie on the list, Diakite also made an impression in the Bulls game, putting up 13 points and 7 rebounds, while staying on the court longer than any other player. While his stat sheet may not be the most abundant one, the coaches saw the expected intensity on the defensive side of the ball which earned the rookie a contract extension for another two seasons.
Although Diakite’s odds of seeing substantial play-off action are not in his favor, it is worth noting that the Bucks front office engaged in quite a bit of salary cap gymnastics to be able to accomodate his contract. So much so, in fact, that they risked going into luxury tax.
While Antetokounmpo and Brook Lopez have a strong foothold on the frontcourt, it appears the front office believes in Diakite and his depth contribution to the squad. As is the case with Nwora, it seems that the main benefit of his presence against the Heat will be his proven readiness to come off the bench and deliver if need be.
Frank Ntilikina
The young point guard is a product of the Euroleague, spending his formative years at SIG Strasbourg, before getting drafted by the New York Knicks in 2017. Although for most players on this list, postseason expectations come as a continuation of their season’s upward trajectory, this year has not been kind to Ntilikina, who has seen his starts, ergo his minutes, diminish significantly.
In his case, the playoffs come as a bit of unexpected salvation. Ntilikina’s proven ability to lock up Trae Young may very well prove to be his get-out-of-jail card, as the Knicks are poised to face the Atlanta Hawks in the first round. Multiple sources quoted coach Tom Thibodeau as keen on the idea. With his reach, stamina, and defensive IQ, Ntilikina has been able to mitigate the threat of the Hawks’ superstar on more than one occasion during their past encounters.
The Knicks are in the playoffs for the first time since 2013, and should the Ntilikina experiment prove successful, who is to say that it stops after the first round?
Dennis Schröder
In a similar redemption-seeking story, the Los Angeles Lakers point guard will be looking to shake off an abysmal play-in game performance against the Warriors. There is added pressure on him to perform, following his rejection of an $84 million contract extension earlier in the season. It is evident that Schröder believes he is worth more, and now he has to show it against the Phoenix Suns.
Make no mistake though, he has all the reasons to believe he will. Schröder has started all of his games this season, making only two COVID-related absences. His adjustment from Oklahoma has been smooth in terms of performance on the court, but rumours say that he is looking for somewhere that offers him a more central role, which would indicate his days in LA are numbered as he heads towards free agency.
Schröder has failed to make the playoffs in only one of his seven seasons in the league, but his shooting needs some serious improvement, should he expect any franchise to break the bank for him. Yet, his seemingly never-ending fuel tank and his never-say-die persona, combined with proven playmaking ability, render him an asset for any team. Should he play a role in the Lakers going back-to-back, it would be fair to assume his stock will shoot up.