The field is set for 2024 NBA Postseason, and Bradley Beal Elite will be well-represented as it begins this week with the play-in tournament.
Six BBE alums will play in the postseason, led by Bradley Beal, who finds himself in the playoffs for the first time in three years. Brad played a big role in helping the Phoenix Suns avoid the play-in portion of the postseason, with a key steal on Friday night to clinch a win, followed by a monster game in Sunday’s season finale with 36 points while connection on a perfect 6-of-6 from three in a win over Minnesota that pushed Phoenix into the sixth seed. The Suns will play the Timberwolves in round one, a series that begins on Saturday afternoon.
“[I’m] beyond excited. It’s kind of hard to put into words,” Brad said. “I just embrace every moment. I don’t take a moment for granted or an opportunity for granted. It’s a special group and I want to embrace that. I came here to play in these type of games and I’m fortunate to have that opportunity.”
Also returning to the playoffs will be Jayson Tatum, who led the Boston Celtics to the top seed in the East with a NBA-best 64 wins. JT averaged 26.9 points, 8.1 rebounds and a career-best 4.9 assists per game in the regular season and is looking forward to getting back to the playoffs, which the Celtics have made every year of his career.
Boston’s first round opponent is to-be-determined by the play-in tournament so the Celtics must be ready for anything.
“The playoffs present a lot of different challenges from game to game,” Tatum said. “You’ve got to be ready to respond and react. You never know exactly what’s coming.”
That’s also true for the East’s No. 2 seed, the New York Knicks, who have been buoyed down the stretch by the strong play of BBE alum OG Anunoby, who was acquired in a trade with the Raptors in December. Anunoby overcame a late-season injury to play in New York’s final six games and helped them end the season on a five-game winning streak to jump to the second seed in the East.
OG brings a championship pedigree and defensive mindset to a Knicks team that is hoping to make a run to the Conference Finals for the first time since 2000, and New York’s star scorer Jalen Brunson is happy to have him back in time for this run.
“It makes life a lot easier for all of us the things he’s able to do on that [defensive] side of the ball,” Brunson said. “He’s a talent when it comes to that side of the ball, and obviously offensively he’s able to shoot from where anybody wants. He can knock down corner-3s, he can knock down contested shots and get to the rim. He can do it all.”
Darius Garland will also be representing BBE in the postseason for the second straight season as a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers. After missing six weeks in the middle of the season, DG returned to be a key contributor for the fourth-seeded Cavs down the stretch. He finished the season averaging 18 points and a team-best 6.5 assists per game.
After a disappointing first round exit against the New York Knicks last year in the playoffs, Darius and his Cleveland teammates are working to flip the script in their upcoming series with Orlando.
“That was our first playoff series, our first playoff experience at all. I don’t think [the lights] were too bright. We just lost the series,” Darius said. “We’re just using that for motivation now and trying to go to war on Saturday.”
Two more Bradley Beal Elite alums will be attempting to secure a place in the NBA Playoffs in the Play-In Tournament — Moses Moody with the Golden State Warriors and E.J. Liddell with the New Orleans Pelicans. Moses has been a key contributor for the Warriors this year, playing in a career-high 66 games and averaging 8.1 points and three rebounds per game.
E.J. has played in just eight games in what is effectively his rookie season after a knee injury ended his 2022-23 season before he could get started. But he’s staying ready in the event his number is called in the postseason.
