On Thursday night the 2024 NBA Playoffs offered up a pair of Eastern Conference games with potential eliminations on the line. In the first matchup of the evening, the Indiana Pacers advanced to the semifinals for the first time in a decade by sending division rivals the Milwaukee Bucks home in the first round for a second straight season.
The Philadelphia 76ers and New York Knicks again went to war in an outstanding Game 6 clash that saw the Knicks eliminate reigning NBA MVP Joel Embiid and his squad in the first round. With all of that in mind, let’s look at the 10 biggest winners and losers from Thursday night’s NBA Playoffs games.
Loser: Damian Lillard, Milwaukee Bucks
After years of loyalty, Damian Lillard did what many of his superstar contemporaries have done before him and forced his way to a contending team for the back nine of his impressive career. Unfortunately, things did not go according to plan in 2023-24. The Bucks were a messy 49-win team this season and when left to a familiar role as the main star — due to an injury to Giannis Antetokounmpo — he couldn’t deliver just like his days in Portland.
The Bucks’ early elimination in the 2024 NBA Playoffs may have solidified a narrative that the eight-time All-Star is an elite B-side instead of a legit A-side player.
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Winner: Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks
Jalen Brunson won’t win the 2023-24 NBA MVP award and isn’t even a finalist, but no player is more valuable to their team and proves it at an elite level than the Knicks point guard. In another massive game against a tough defense focused on him the All-Star dropped 41 points and also added in 12 assists to send New York to the semis for a second straight year.
He deserves respect on his name and should have been a finalist for MVP this season. But he will just have to settle for being the hero of Knicks fans and the favorite player of basketball aficionados around the world that love an underdog who can become a superstar without otherworldly athletic gifts.
Loser: Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers
While Joel Embiid will get a bit of a pass for the 76ers’ first-round elimination since he battled through injuries, it still added to the same old narrative. When it mattered most the team’s top player wasn’t healthy enough to take Philly deep into the playoffs.
Furthermore, this series added to a growing reputation as a dirty player who likes to complain. This will put more heat on him around the league next season from those who used to sympathize with his difficult situation in the past.
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Winner: Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana Pacers
While Tyrese Haliburton was far from a bust with the Sacramento Kings, he was clearly viewed as a first-round disappointment when he was sent packing to Indiana three years ago. Well, during this season and in the opening round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs, he has lived up to the potential of being a 12th overall pick by leading the Pacers to their first series win in a decade.
For the first time in a long time, Indiana has a player who can be a perennial All-Star for the next decade.
Loser: Patrick Beverley, Milwaukee Bucks
Patrick Beverley is a respected player around the league, however, there is a reason why he has played on seven different teams during his career. He often wears out his welcome with odd choices or teams realize he is no longer a fit. While his future in Milwaukee is unclear, he did himself no favors in the final minutes of their loss when he had a random altercation with a Pacers fan behind the Bucks bench.
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Winner: Tom Thibodeau, New York Knicks
Sure, Tom Thibodeau has had his failings in the past in the NBA Playoffs, and some question his ability to manage in-game, but his strategy to focus his team’s outstanding defense in Game 6 on Tyrese Maxey instead of Embiid played a huge role in their win. After the young star burned them late in Game 5 to force tonight’s matchup, the Knicks defense limited him to 17 points on just 6 of 18 shooting.
Loser: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
While he did not play a minute in the Milwaukee Bucks series against the Indiana Pacers, Giannis Antetokounmpo was a big loser on Thursday night. For a second straight season, his body failed him just before the NBA Playoffs began which led to another year of being eliminated in the opening round. The organization made many big moves this offseason to make him happy and it created a messy situation all year, and Antetokounmpo’s season is again over far earlier than anyone expected.
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Winner: Josh Hart, New York Knicks
Josh Hart is one of the most underrated players in the league. He won’t be an All-Star and get anywhere near the credit he deserves, but no one is a better grinder and quietly puts up 16 points, 14 rebounds, and seven assists as he did on Thursday than Hart. Furthermore, the 76ers dared him to beat them late, and he did with a fatal dagger three that gave New York a lead in the final minute that they never gave up.
Loser: Tobias Harris, Philadelphia 76ers
Tobias Harris is one of the most loathed players on the 76ers by his own fans due to his sizable contract and a belief he does not earn it on the court. He did nothing to change their opinion in Game 6 when he posted zero points in 29 minutes. He was a -10 when he was on the floor and there is no doubt his days in Philly are now over after this season.
Winner: TJ McConnell, Indiana Pacers
Backup point guard TJ McConnell has always been a fan favorite since he joined the Pacers five years ago. While he has never been a star player, he has been a rock-solid contributor off the bench for much of that time. However, on Thursday he played like an All-Star as he posted a playoff career-best 20 points and hit several big shots in the second half. When the 32-year-old was on the court in Game 6, he was a +22 for the Indiana Pacers.