2018 NBA Playoffs: Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Utah Jazz preview

1. Can Carmelo Anthony find his playoff magic again?

One player to keep an eye on in this series is Oklahoma City Thunder forward Carmelo Anthony. Anthony got over one hump this year by making the playoffs. It is his first appearance in the postseason since the 2013 NBA Playoffs.

In that one, Anthony was bounced from the playoffs as a member of the New York Knicks in the second round. He averaged 28.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.1 steals per game during that year. It was the furthest the Knicks went into the postseason with Anthony as well.

Anthony brings a different dynamic to the fold with the Thunder, he just needs to get out of his own way. In a league that’s fallen in love with the 3-point shot, Anthony is shooting 35.7 percent from beyond the arc. Against Utah during the regular season, he was 28.6 percent from 3-point range.

Still, Melo averaged 18.5 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game against the Jazz this year. He’ll need to assert himself as the better player against Derrick Favors, but the playoffs always seem to bring out the best in Melo. He may show some early signs of rust but he’s got Russell Westbrook and Paul George to bail him out.