At this stage of the NBA playoffs, there’s less room required for guesswork as identities have been revealed, adjustments have been made, and the separation between contenders and pretenders is starting to show.
With the Minnesota Timberwolves, Boston Celtics and San Antonio Spurs looking to close it out in their respective Game 5s and the Detroit Pistons trying to avoid a 1-3 hole, here’s one reason why you shouldn’t miss these games on Disney+ in the Philippines.
Can Duren get it going? (April 27, 8 a.m. PHT: Pistons vs. Magic)
Through three games, the Pistons have felt the absence of Jalen Duren as a consistent second scoring option behind Cade Cunningham.
After a breakout regular season where he imposed himself as a rim-running and interior force, Duren has struggled to translate that same presence in the playoffs. He’s been limited to just nine points per game on 41.7% shooting, with the Orlando Magic consistently taking away his easy looks in the paint.
Anchored by Wendell Carter Jr., the Magic have done a strong job meeting him early on rolls, crowding his catches, and forcing him into tough finishes or turnovers.
That has made life tougher for Cunningham, who continues to draw the bulk of the defensive attention and is coming off a subpar Game 3 with 27 points on just 50.1 TS%.
If Duren can’t re-establish himself as a reliable rim threat and interior finisher, the Pistons’ offense becomes far more predictable — and that opens the door for Orlando to keep controlling the series behind Paolo Banchero‘s downhill scoring and Desmond Bane‘s shotmaking.
Will the Wolves have enough to finish off the Nuggets (April 27, 10:30 a.m. PHT: Wolves vs. Nuggets)
The Timberwolves are riding a high of three straight wins over the Denver Nuggets to take a commanding 3-1 lead in their series — but will have to continue on with key players out for its remainder.
Minnesota will likely be without Anthony Edwards, who was averaging 23.0 points and 8.0 rebounds in the series prior to his injury, along with Donte DiVincenzo — who had been contributing 14.3 points per game and knocking down 11-of-22 from three through the first three contests.
But the good news from Game 4 was the 43-point explosion of Ayo Dosunmu on an efficient 96.5 TS% that steered Minnesota to a strong second half finish.
As Rudy Gobert and other big men have done a good job of neutralizing Nikola Jokić in this series, the Wolves will need more performances like Dosunmu and help from guys like Julius Randle, Naz Reid and Jaden McDaniels to be able to beat the Nuggets for a second consecutive playoff matchup.
Pritchard’s offensive creation (April 28, 7 a.m. PHT: 76ers vs. Celtics)
While it’s expected that Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are going to carry the bulk of the offensive load for the Celtics, the emergence of Payton Pritchard as a secondary creator that can consistently break down the point-of-attack defense and generate his own looks has offered another dimension.
In Game 4 against the Philadelphia 76ers, that was on full display — as the scoring guard erupted for a playoff career-high 32 points on 60.9 TS%, including 6-for-12 shooting from beyond the arc.
His ability to attack closeouts, operate out of high ball screens, and create separation against Philadelphia’s second unit gave Boston a different dimension offensively, especially in non-Tatum minutes where shot creation can stagnate.
More importantly, Pritchard’s scoring punch forces the defense to stay honest. With the 76ers often loading up on Tatum and Brown, having a guard who can punish mismatches and capitalize on tilted defenses keeps the Celtics’ offense flowing.
If he continues to provide that level of production and decision-making, it not only eases the burden on Boston’s stars, but also makes them significantly harder to scheme against as they look to take care of business in Game 5.
Wembanyama is built for the big stage (April 28, 9:30 a.m. PHT: Blazers vs. Spurs)
For a player as young as Victor Wembanyama, the question was never about talent — it was about how quickly he could translate it when the stakes rise for San Antonio. Game 4 against the Portland Trail Blazers gave a loud and definitive answer.
After missing Game 3 due to a concussion he suffered in Game 2, Wembanyama returned and immediately reasserted control on both ends of the floor. He finished with 27 points, 12 rebounds, four steals and seven blocks in a dominant two-way performance, anchoring the Spurs to a win and a commanding 3-1 series lead.
His impact wasn’t just in the numbers but on how he bent the game. Portland’s drives were deterred, their interior scoring disrupted, and every possession around the rim became a decision — as they were able to erase a 19-point deficit.
What stood out most was the lack of hesitation. Coming off a concussion absence, Wembanyama didn’t ease his way back — he dictated the game immediately, finishing with a +28 in 34 minutes and reestablishing himself as the series’ most impactful player.
For a Spurs team that already showed resilience in Game 3, his return doesn’t just stabilize them because it raises their ceiling, and puts them firmly in position to close out in Game 5.
