NBA Playoffs Underway for VFLs in the Bubble

Vols in the NBA / Credit: UT Athletics

NBA Playoffs Underway for VFLs in the Bubble

Vols in the NBA / Credit: UT Athletics

ORLANDO, Fla. – The 2020 NBA playoffs are nearly through the first round. Here is a look at how four former Vol hoops standouts are faring in the bubble.

Tobias Harris | Philadelphia 76ers
Playoff Stats: 4 GP, 4 GS, 15.8 PPG, 9.5 RPG, 4.0 APG, .383 FG%, .133 3FG%, 0.5 SPG, 0.3 BPG, -31, 37.1 MPG
Bubble Stats: 11 GP, 11 GS, 19.5 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 3.5 APG, .439 FG%, .327 3FG%, 0.5 BPG, 0.5 SPG, -27, 34.1 MPG

Despite being swept by the Boston Celtics in the first round of the NBA Playoffs, Tobias Harris was one of Philadelphia’s top producers in its first-round series.

He averaged close to a double-double, posting 15.8 points, 9.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists in four games against the Celtics. In the 76ers final game, on Sunday, Harris suffered a facial laceration after falling headfirst on the court. But he returned to the court and contributed in the game’s closing minutes.

Harris closed his first full season in the City of Brotherly Love averaging slightly less than 20 points and more than seven rebounds per contest, while starting in every game in which he appeared.

Josh Richardson | Philadelphia 76ers
Playoff Stats: 4 GP, 4 GS, 16.8 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 3.3 APG, .357 FG%, .357 3FG%, 0.5 SPG, 0.5 BPG, -20, 36.1 MPG
Bubble Stats: 11 GP, 11 GS, 14.5 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 2.5 APG, .406 FG%, .397 3FG%, 0.4 BPG, 0.8 SPG, -29, 32.9 MPG

In his first season in Philadelphia, Josh Richardson was a key focal point in the 76ers’ game plan.

He started in all but two appearances for Philly this season and was relied upon heavily during the bubble restart.

Arguably, his most consistent stretch of games came in the playoffs, where he scored 15-plus points in all four games against Boston and was one of Philadelphia’s best performers on the defensive end of the floor.

Grant Williams | Boston Celtics
Playoff Stats: 4 GP, 4.8 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 0.8 APG, .833 FG%, 1.000 3FG%, 0.0 SPG, 0.5 BPG, +13, 9.8 MPG
Bubble Stats: 11 GP, 3.5 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 0.8 APG, .480 FG%, .467 3FG%, 0.5 BPG, 0.2 SPG, -2, 10.4 MPG

Grant Williams took on a more advanced role for the Celtics during the playoffs, appearing in all four games against the Philadelphia 76ers and scoring in the final three contests of the series.

He put together his most complete performance for the men in green on Wednesday night in game two, when he came off the bench to score a bubble-high nine points in 21 minutes while pulling in six rebounds, dishing off two assists and blocking one shot. He also finished the night with an impressive plus/minus of +21.

Williams has also been perfect from behind the 3-point line in the postseason, knocking down all four of his attempts from beyond the arc.

The Celtics are set to play the second-seeded Toronto Raptors in the next round, with game one scheduled for Thursday at 6:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Kyle Alexander | Miami Heat
Kyle Alexander has yet to appear for the Miami Heat in the 2020 Playoffs after logging minutes in a pair of games since the restart.

Miami swept the Indiana Pacers in its first-round series and will await the winner of the Milwaukee Bucks and Orlando Magic in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

VFL Team Schedule and Results

Boston Celtics
7/31 vs. Milwaukee Bucks, 119-112 Loss
8/2 vs. Portland Trail Blazers, 128-124 Win
8/4 vs. Miami Heat, 112-106 Loss
8/5 vs. Brooklyn Nets, 149-115 Win
8/7 vs. Toronto Raptors, 122-100 Win
8/9 vs. Orlando Magic, 122-119 Win
8/11 vs. Memphis Grizzlies, 122-107 Win
8/13 vs. Washington Wizards, 96-90 Loss
8/17 vs. Philadelphia 76ers, 109-101 Win (Boston Leads 1-0)
8/19 vs. Philadelphia 76ers, 128-101 Win (Boston Leads 2-0)
8/21 vs. Philadelphia 76ers, 102-94 Win (Boston Leads 3-0)
8/23 vs. Philadelphia 76ers, 110-106 Win (Boston Wins Series 4-0)
8/27 vs. Toronto Raptors, Gm. 1 6:30 p.m. ET ESPN
8/29 vs. Toronto Raptors, Gm. 2 TBD
8/31 vs. Toronto Raptors, Gm. 3 TBD
9/2 vs. Toronto Raptors, Gm. 4 TBD
9/4 vs. Toronto Raptors, Gm. 5 (if necessary) TBD
9/6 vs. Toronto Raptors, Gm. 6 (if necessary) TBD
9/8 vs. Toronto Raptors, Gm. 7 (if necessary) TBD

Philadelphia 76ers
8/1 vs. Indiana Pacers, 127-121 Loss
8/3 vs. San Antonio Spurs, 132-130 Win
8/5 vs. Washington Wizards, 107-98 Win
8/7 vs. Orlando Magic, 108-101 Win
8/9 vs. Portland Trailblazers, 124-121 Loss
8/11 vs. Phoenix Suns, 130-117 Loss
8/12 vs. Toronto Raptors, 125-121 Loss
8/14 vs. Houston Rockets, 134-96 Win
8/17 vs. Boston Celtics, 109-101 Loss (Boston Leads 1-0)
8/19 vs. Boston Celtics, 128-101 Loss (Boston Leads 2-0)
8/21 vs. Boston Celtics, 102-94 Loss (Boston Leads 3-0)
8/23 vs. Boston Celtics, 110-106 Loss (Boston Wins Series 4-0)

Miami Heat
8/1 vs. Denver Nuggets, 125-105 Win
8/3 vs. Toronto Raptors, 107-103 Loss
8/4 vs. Boston Celtics, 112-106 Win
8/6 vs. Milwaukee Bucks, 130-116 Loss
8/8 vs. Phoenix Suns, 119-112 Loss
8/10 vs. Indiana Pacers, 114-92 Win
8/12 vs. Oklahoma City Thunder, 116-115 Loss
8/14 vs. Indiana Pacers, 109-92 Loss
8/18 vs. Indiana Pacers, 113-101 Win (Miami Leads 1-0)
8/20 vs. Indiana Pacers, 109-100 Win (Miami Leads 2-0)
8/22 vs. Indiana Pacers, 124-115 Win (Miami Leads 3-0)
8/24 vs. Indiana Pacers, 99-87 Win (Miami Wins Series 4-0)

-UT Athletics

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NBA Playoffs Underway for VFLs in the Bubble

Vols in the NBA / Credit: UT Athletics

NBA Playoffs Underway for VFLs in the Bubble

Vols in the NBA / Credit: UT Athletics

ORLANDO, Fla. – The 2020 NBA playoffs are nearly through the first round. Here is a look at how four former Vol hoops standouts are faring in the bubble.

Tobias Harris | Philadelphia 76ers
Playoff Stats: 4 GP, 4 GS, 15.8 PPG, 9.5 RPG, 4.0 APG, .383 FG%, .133 3FG%, 0.5 SPG, 0.3 BPG, -31, 37.1 MPG
Bubble Stats: 11 GP, 11 GS, 19.5 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 3.5 APG, .439 FG%, .327 3FG%, 0.5 BPG, 0.5 SPG, -27, 34.1 MPG

Despite being swept by the Boston Celtics in the first round of the NBA Playoffs, Tobias Harris was one of Philadelphia’s top producers in its first-round series.

He averaged close to a double-double, posting 15.8 points, 9.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists in four games against the Celtics. In the 76ers final game, on Sunday, Harris suffered a facial laceration after falling headfirst on the court. But he returned to the court and contributed in the game’s closing minutes.

Harris closed his first full season in the City of Brotherly Love averaging slightly less than 20 points and more than seven rebounds per contest, while starting in every game in which he appeared.

Josh Richardson | Philadelphia 76ers
Playoff Stats: 4 GP, 4 GS, 16.8 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 3.3 APG, .357 FG%, .357 3FG%, 0.5 SPG, 0.5 BPG, -20, 36.1 MPG
Bubble Stats: 11 GP, 11 GS, 14.5 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 2.5 APG, .406 FG%, .397 3FG%, 0.4 BPG, 0.8 SPG, -29, 32.9 MPG

In his first season in Philadelphia, Josh Richardson was a key focal point in the 76ers’ game plan.

He started in all but two appearances for Philly this season and was relied upon heavily during the bubble restart.

Arguably, his most consistent stretch of games came in the playoffs, where he scored 15-plus points in all four games against Boston and was one of Philadelphia’s best performers on the defensive end of the floor.

Grant Williams | Boston Celtics
Playoff Stats: 4 GP, 4.8 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 0.8 APG, .833 FG%, 1.000 3FG%, 0.0 SPG, 0.5 BPG, +13, 9.8 MPG
Bubble Stats: 11 GP, 3.5 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 0.8 APG, .480 FG%, .467 3FG%, 0.5 BPG, 0.2 SPG, -2, 10.4 MPG

Grant Williams took on a more advanced role for the Celtics during the playoffs, appearing in all four games against the Philadelphia 76ers and scoring in the final three contests of the series.

He put together his most complete performance for the men in green on Wednesday night in game two, when he came off the bench to score a bubble-high nine points in 21 minutes while pulling in six rebounds, dishing off two assists and blocking one shot. He also finished the night with an impressive plus/minus of +21.

Williams has also been perfect from behind the 3-point line in the postseason, knocking down all four of his attempts from beyond the arc.

The Celtics are set to play the second-seeded Toronto Raptors in the next round, with game one scheduled for Thursday at 6:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Kyle Alexander | Miami Heat
Kyle Alexander has yet to appear for the Miami Heat in the 2020 Playoffs after logging minutes in a pair of games since the restart.

Miami swept the Indiana Pacers in its first-round series and will await the winner of the Milwaukee Bucks and Orlando Magic in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

VFL Team Schedule and Results

Boston Celtics
7/31 vs. Milwaukee Bucks, 119-112 Loss
8/2 vs. Portland Trail Blazers, 128-124 Win
8/4 vs. Miami Heat, 112-106 Loss
8/5 vs. Brooklyn Nets, 149-115 Win
8/7 vs. Toronto Raptors, 122-100 Win
8/9 vs. Orlando Magic, 122-119 Win
8/11 vs. Memphis Grizzlies, 122-107 Win
8/13 vs. Washington Wizards, 96-90 Loss
8/17 vs. Philadelphia 76ers, 109-101 Win (Boston Leads 1-0)
8/19 vs. Philadelphia 76ers, 128-101 Win (Boston Leads 2-0)
8/21 vs. Philadelphia 76ers, 102-94 Win (Boston Leads 3-0)
8/23 vs. Philadelphia 76ers, 110-106 Win (Boston Wins Series 4-0)
8/27 vs. Toronto Raptors, Gm. 1 6:30 p.m. ET ESPN
8/29 vs. Toronto Raptors, Gm. 2 TBD
8/31 vs. Toronto Raptors, Gm. 3 TBD
9/2 vs. Toronto Raptors, Gm. 4 TBD
9/4 vs. Toronto Raptors, Gm. 5 (if necessary) TBD
9/6 vs. Toronto Raptors, Gm. 6 (if necessary) TBD
9/8 vs. Toronto Raptors, Gm. 7 (if necessary) TBD

Philadelphia 76ers
8/1 vs. Indiana Pacers, 127-121 Loss
8/3 vs. San Antonio Spurs, 132-130 Win
8/5 vs. Washington Wizards, 107-98 Win
8/7 vs. Orlando Magic, 108-101 Win
8/9 vs. Portland Trailblazers, 124-121 Loss
8/11 vs. Phoenix Suns, 130-117 Loss
8/12 vs. Toronto Raptors, 125-121 Loss
8/14 vs. Houston Rockets, 134-96 Win
8/17 vs. Boston Celtics, 109-101 Loss (Boston Leads 1-0)
8/19 vs. Boston Celtics, 128-101 Loss (Boston Leads 2-0)
8/21 vs. Boston Celtics, 102-94 Loss (Boston Leads 3-0)
8/23 vs. Boston Celtics, 110-106 Loss (Boston Wins Series 4-0)

Miami Heat
8/1 vs. Denver Nuggets, 125-105 Win
8/3 vs. Toronto Raptors, 107-103 Loss
8/4 vs. Boston Celtics, 112-106 Win
8/6 vs. Milwaukee Bucks, 130-116 Loss
8/8 vs. Phoenix Suns, 119-112 Loss
8/10 vs. Indiana Pacers, 114-92 Win
8/12 vs. Oklahoma City Thunder, 116-115 Loss
8/14 vs. Indiana Pacers, 109-92 Loss
8/18 vs. Indiana Pacers, 113-101 Win (Miami Leads 1-0)
8/20 vs. Indiana Pacers, 109-100 Win (Miami Leads 2-0)
8/22 vs. Indiana Pacers, 124-115 Win (Miami Leads 3-0)
8/24 vs. Indiana Pacers, 99-87 Win (Miami Wins Series 4-0)

-UT Athletics