NBA Mailbag: Biggest surprise from playoffs so far?

The NBA Mailbag is here to answer your questions throughout the 2024 NBA Playoffs! Have a question for Jamal? Submit it at the bottom of this edition of the NBA Mailbag. 

What team has surprised you the most?

– from KP in Cleveland, OH

Minnesota. I knew they were good. But the way they swept Phoenix and the swagger they did it with was impressive. We all know what Ant can do. They’re strongest as a group, though, and they showed that throughout the series. Jaden McDaniels stepped up. KAT played perfectly off Ant. Gobert held down the defense. Conley was as sturdy as always. And Coach Finch did an unbelievable job (hopefully he gets well soon). They surprised me the most and it should be an incredible series against the Nuggets.

What was the most impressive part to you about Jalen Brunson’s Game 4?

– from Michelle in Buffalo, NY

The most impressive part to me was that he made all the right calls. And that’s tough to do in the playoffs. Whether it was calling his own number or calling his teammates number, he kept making the right decisions. That’s impressive in a game with so much intensity and stakes on the line. It was a legendary performance.

What differentiates Anthony Edwards from other young stars?

– from Devin in Chicago, IL

His mentality. We throw around the word “dog” a lot, but there are a lot of fake dogs out there. He’s not one of them. He’s attacking everything that’s in front of him and trying to impact the game as much as possible. It’s a mindset that not many players can tap into, and even those that can usually don’t have superstar skills like Ant.

Is this the best Wolves team you’ve ever seen?

– from Matt in Duluth, MN

Let’s wait a couple of weeks and I’ll let you know. They’re in the conversation with my favorite Wolves team, the 2003-04 version with Garnett, Sprewell and Cassell that lost to the Lakers in the West finals.

As of Monday morning, who do you think is going to win the championship?

– from Justin in New York

The Denver Nuggets.

Are the Thunder still being slept on? I’ve heard so many say that they are the weakest 1 seed of the decade, but it seems that after sweeping New Orleans they deserve some more respect. What do you think?

– from Joshua in South Carolina

They’re absolutely still being slept on. But it’s not because they’re the No. 1 seed. It’s because of how they play for each other. If you play that hard and that well and that smart together, then there are few things that can slow you down. Their game is young, but their mind is mature. And that’s what makes them dangerous.

What do you think the closest first-round series is going to be?

– from Asher in Marysville, OH

Clippers-Mavs. I think that will go seven games.

What changes for the Clippers with Kawhi sidelined?

– from Carlos in San Diego, CA

He’s their best player, so obviously they’re different without him. You’ll see the other stars be more aggressive. And it should give more opportunities to Norman Powell and big Zu to get involved. While they would prefer to have Kawhi healthy, they’ve also gotten used to playing without him over the last couple of seasons. So they’re definitely not out of it just because Kawhi is out.

What happened to my beloved Suns? Is it schemes, chemistry, injuries or what?

– from Jake in Iowa

I thought they gave in. They gave in to adversity. They didn’t give in to the team. And they gave in to “the disease of me.” That isn’t necessarily about “my shots”, “my this” or “my that”. It’s when something’s not going right for ME, then I focus on getting ME right and not getting the TEAM right. That problem reared its ugly head for Phoenix. On all fronts, accountability wasn’t there.

How can the Bucks persevere while dealing with so many injuries? Were you ever on a team that dealt with playoff injuries like this?

– from Michael in Los Angeles, CA

Yeah, I was on a team that dealt with something similar. When I was with LA, Chris Paul and Blake Griffin got hurt within 5 minutes of each other in the same game against Portland. That was crazy. But the thing about the playoffs is nobody’s going to feel sorry for you. They’ll say, “Hey, we wish this guy was playing.” But they’re going to continue to play the game. So you have to stay focused on the goal and not get distracted by who isn’t available to play.

Going deeper into the playoffs and next season, what areas would you like to see Paolo improve?

– from Bryce in Orlando, FL

For Paolo, since he’s such an unselfish person by nature, I want to see him impose his will on the game from the jump and have a dominant mindset. He has all the skills and intangibles to dominate, but he’s still only 21 years old. So as time goes on, he’ll lock into that mindset on a more consistent basis. I would love to see him go into every game with the mindset that he’s going to show everyone he’s the best player on the court.

Have you been particularly impressed by any team on the defensive end so far this postseason? Which one if any?

– from Jack in the United Kingdom

OKC. They ATTACK you defensively. They don’t just play defense. They attack you on defense. They don’t even let you make entry passes. They’re blowing up handoffs. It was unbelievable to watch in person to see the speed and physicality they play with. They’re the most impressive team I’ve seen on defense in these playoffs.