NBA Notebook: Should we still trust the process?

The last week of NBA action has been riveting, to say the least. And with the conference finals upon us, it promises to stay that way as the league's top four remaining teams battle for a spot in the history books.

In the West, the Los Angeles Clippers and Phoenix Suns have never won a championship, while in the East, the Atlanta Hawks haven’t won one since 1958, and the Milwaukee Bucks haven't lifted the Larry O'Brien Trophy since 1971. One franchise is on the verge of achieving generational glory. With that backdrop, let’s take a look at the incredible week that was in this edition of our NBA Notebook.

Terance Mann’s Big Night

On an unbelievable Friday night in Los Angeles, backup guard Terance Mann took a perpetually unsuccessful franchise and elevated it to a level not experienced in 51 years. The Clippers haven’t been to the conference finals in over five decades, and have never won them, but thanks to Mann’s 39 points on 15-21 shooting the Clippers moved on past the favored Utah Jazz.

Mann doesn’t have the look of a big-time scorer, but he is the ultimate do-everything player who understands the game and does whatever is needed to win. On Friday, that meant scoring. Let’s hope we see more signature performances like this from Mann in this year's playoffs and in the years to come.

Should we still trust the process? 

Following Philadelphia’s devastating collapse against the underdog Hawks, many across the league are asking if the 76ers' roster is worth trusting. Joel Embiid played well in defeat, but still committed a number of key turnovers, while Ben Simmons showed a shocking lack of confidence in key moments. Tobias Harris played well for the series, but he might be overpaid and probably isn’t a long-term staple anyway.

At this point in the proceedings, 76ers management really needs to ask if they have the core needed to win a championship, or if it’s time to see what they can get for Simmons to build more shooters around Embiid.

Simmons clearly has the physical tools associated to succeed, but his deferment late in games and his inability to shoot from outside is a liability for a team that worked hard to earn the top seed in the Eastern Conference.

Pistons are big winners at NBA Draft Lottery

The Detroit Pistons were the lucky winners of the first pick in this year’s draft Lottery, and all indications are that they will be selecting Oklahoma State star Cade Cunningham. Cunningham has all the skills and athleticism to make an impact on Day 1, and he will be a good addition for the Pistons.

The depleted Houston Rockets got the second pick, and will likely nab either USC center Evan Mobley or dynamic guard Jalen Suggs. Either player should help to speed up the timeline on their aggressive rebuild.

The Suns are Streaking 

The Phoenix Suns have now set a franchise record with nine straight playoff victories. Their most recent win came in the most dramatic fashion, as a lobbed dunk by Deandre Ayton with under a second left powered them to a 2-0 series advantage.

Ayton got the camera time and final two points, but it was Jae Crowder who deserves the praise for making one of the best passes you’ll ever see, given the scenario. Crowder has been a winner wherever he has gone, and the Suns are clearly benefiting from his leadership and veteran savviness.

Chris Paul is returning on Wednesday for Game 3, and the Suns now deserve to be the favorites to win the title.

The Celtics’ next chapter 

After Danny Ainge retired from the Boston Celtics and Brad Stevens was promoted, it was just a matter of time before a new head coach would be chosen to lead one of the league’s most storied franchises. That time has come, and the Celtics have selected former Brooklyn Nets’ assistant, Ime Udoka, to lead their roster.

Udoka came highly recommended from Celtics’ players Jayson Tatum, Marcus Smart, and Jaylen Brown, all of whom played for Udoka at the 2019 FIBA World Cup, where he served as an assistant coach. Prior to that experience, Udoka spent seven years with Gregg Popovich.

It's still unclear what kind of impact Udoka will have on the court and in the standings, but Boston fans have to like the fact that their three key players are on board.