Andrew Norton

New Orleans' Brandon Ingram will be swarmed on every possession defensively, while Larry Nance Jr. could be in line for an increase in minutes due to Jonas Valanciunas being played off the floor.

After securing a double-digit Game 4 win behind a franchise-best 22-for-43 shooting night from behind the arc, the Indiana Pacers will look to close

Without Kawhi Leonard available to play in Game 5 due to a lingering knee injury, James Harden will have to step up in order to give the Los Angeles Clippers their best chance at taking a 3-2 series lead over the Dallas Mavericks.

Indiana's Andrew Nembhard will again be an impact player on the offensive end of the floor, while backup guard T.J. McConnell is well-positioned to knock down at least one 3-pointer.

Six points in 28.9 seconds. That's the deficit the 76ers overcame and the time it took them to do it in the fourth quarter of Game 5 against the Knicks.

It is never a great sign for the Clippers when their leading scorer is Ivica Zubac, a player who relies on receiving passes in pick-and-rolls and finishing putbacks to be effective on the offensive end of the floor.

Lukas Coch/AAP Andrew Norton Professor in the Practice of Higher Education Policy, Australian National University

The first Western Conference semifinals series features a battle between the Nuggets and Timberwolves, two teams that faced off in the first round of last season's playoffs.

Here's why we like the Nuggets to bounce back after Game 1. Remember when Warriors coach Steve Kerr boldly claimed last season that Jamal Murray was the “head of the snake” for the Denver Nuggets, not Nikola Jokic?

If the Knicks can successfully force the Pacers to play at a slower pace, they will be in a favorable position.