As the NBA Playoffs are approaching, it is getting more clear what teams might be in and what the potential matchups could be. There are some very good teams, a few fraudulent teams, and some sleeping giants that could make some serious noise this postseason and that’s what I’ll be recapping.
East Contender: Boston Celtics
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The defending champion Boston Celtics are having another great season, sitting at a 59-21 with only 2 games to go. They currently sit in 2nd place in the Eastern Conference, four games behind the Cavaliers. Boston is getting healthy at the right time with no major injuries to speak of and have been surging recently, having won 17 out of their last 20 games. The Celtics have a perfect offensive formula for the playoffs as they are a very good three-point shooting team, turn the ball over the least in the league, and shoot free throws well. Their 3-point shooting is their key attribute, as they lead the league in makes with almost 18 a game to go along with 36.8%, both top 15 in the league. They also have a great defense to go along with their stellar offense, as they currently allow the 3rd least number of points per game with only 107.6 on average. The Celtics are also returning basically their whole entire championship-winning roster from last year, so now they have experience. This roster is littered with stars, but the ones that shine the brightest are superstar wings Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. “The Jays”, as they are nicknamed, are one of the best duos in the association and are some of the most well-rounded stars in the league. They play off each other so well because they are both great shot creators, shooters, passers, and defenders. It also helps that they have a great core around them with a few other former all-stars or borderline all-stars with guards Jrue Holiday and Derrick White, and big man Kristaps Porzingis. These three are all great shooters, defenders, and high-IQ guys who would fit amazingly into any team. To put a cherry on top, the Celtics also have one of the best coaches in the league with fiery Joe Mazzulla leading the charge. The Celtics potent offensive attack, amazing defense, playoff experience, immense star power, and great coaching make them primed for another deep playoff run this season.
East Pretender: Milwaukee Bucks
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Although the Bucks are currently on a 6-game winning streak and have a top three player in the world on their team with Giannis Antetokounmpo, this iteration of their team doesn’t look fit for a deep playoff run. There are many reasons for concern with this team, but a glaring one involves the health of their all-star point guard Damian Lillard, who is dealing with blood clots and will be out for an extended period. The Bucks are already a shallow team that doesn’t have a lot of depth, so losing their second best player will certainly not help them. Dame has been having a solid season next to Giannis, averaging nearly 25 points per game to go along with seven assists and four boards, so his loss will be felt significantly for as long as he is out. Giannis has also been battling through injuries most of this season, as he has dealt with off and on foot, knee, calf, and patella issues. He now must play through these injuries since Lillard is already out and the Bucks will struggle to stay afloat with those two guys on the sidelines. In general, Milwaukee is older, more injury-prone, and less athletic than most other playoff teams. In addition, they are kind of a team without an identity as of now as they are 12th in both offensive points per game with 115.1 points on average, and in opponent points per game with 112.7 points on average. These numbers just don’t stack up to the other playoff contenders in terms of offense or defense. They used to be known as an amazing defensive team, having finished as a top five defense in the league for the last five seasons. However, their defense has taken a big step back this season in hopes of having a better offense, but that hasn’t come to fruition either. Their head coach, Doc Rivers, also is known to be somewhat of a playoff choker and isn’t likely to lift the Bucks to a deep playoff run. The Bucks are just working with too many things against them this season and don’t look set up for a deep run in the postseason.
East Sleeper: Indiana Pacers
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There could be a few potential choices as sleepers in the East, but the Indiana Pacers are the one that intrigues me the most. The Pacers identity lies in them wanting to push the pace and shoot a bunch of three pointers, which results in them being very volatile for the playoffs. If a team runs into them on a night where they are on fire, Indiana will run them out of the gym. However, the flip side of that is if they get cold suddenly, it could become very bad for them. This style could make them a sneaky team that could do some damage in the playoffs. In terms of personnel, the Pacers can go 10-11 guys deep and still receive solid production, which is important in the playoffs. They also have two bonafide stars to go along with their great depth in electrifying point guard Tyrese Haliburton and do-it-all forward Pascal Siakam. These two are a great combination due to Haliburton's amazing playmaking paired with Siakam’s scoring ability at all three levels. Another thing to like about Indiana is they have experience in terms of their team and coach, Rick Carlisle. They are coming off a season where they made a run all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals and returned basically the same exact team, so they know what it takes to get to that stage. Additionally, head coach Rick Carlisle has been around the NBA and has experience in the tough playoff settings from his years with the Dallas Mavericks during their title contender years with Dirk Nowitzki, and in his time in Indiana so far. Another metric in their favor is their lack of turnovers. Turnovers are a very important thing for the playoffs as well, and the Pacers only turn it over about 13.1 times per game, which puts them at 4th least in the league. Overall, the Pacers unique style, excellent depth, great coaching, and experience in tough playoff settings could lead to them making another deep run in the playoffs.
West Contender: Oklahoma City Thunder
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The Oklahoma City Thunder currently boasts a league best 66-14 record, sitting atop the Western Conference with an insane 14 game lead over anyone else. The Thunder basically have as perfect of a team that you can get. They have the likely MVP, 2 amazing co-stars, the best depth and bench in the league, the reigning coach of the year, and are a top five offensive and defensive squad. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is at the forefront of the Thunder’s success as he’s had an amazing season and is currently the far and away leader for the MVP award. Shai is having one of the best offensive seasons of all time as he is currently averaging 32 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists per game with some of the best efficiency in the league. He can score from anywhere and is an amazing playmaker. He is paired with twp All-NBA level defenders with forwards Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren. Williams stands at a stout 6-foot-6 and has versatility to do almost anything the Thunder could ask. He has played all five positions at different points this season as he has functioned as the Thunder’s main ball handler with Shai out at points along with playing center with Holmgren and others being injured. Jalen’s wingspan of 7 foot 2 allowed him to be able to fill in at center without any problems. His versatility, scoring at all levels, and All-NBA defense is a huge element of OKC’s success this season. Oklahoma City also has the ideal modern big man in Chet Holmgren. Holmgren has the skills that any team would dream of in modern day basketball as he can screen and roll like a traditional big man, but he is also an amazing shooter so he can pop out as well. This excellent offensive skill set is accompanied by some of the best defense in the league with the ability to block any shot and defend almost anyone in the league. These three outstanding players pair with some of the best depth in the league to create the overall best roster in the league. Their ability to go 11-12 deep with solid players has allowed them to navigate injuries to Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams, and Holmgren this season and still win a lot of games. On top of this spectacular group of players, Oklahoma City has one of the best young coaches in the association with Mark Daigneault, who is the reigning coach of the year. Furthermore, The Thunder look like a perfect team this year, are on a crazy run, and appear to be the favorites to win the title as of now.
West Pretender: Denver Nuggets
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The Nuggets have been a perennial playoff main stay for years and are only two seasons removed from winning the championship, but a lot has changed since then. They let key role players walk out the door and they haven’t been replaced adequately. A main concern pertaining to this season is the overall vibes around the team and effort being given by the players. This led to long-time head coach Michael Malone and general manager Calvin Booth to be fired with only two games to go until the playoffs. Making such a monumental decision such as deciding to fire two guys who have built this team up to get to this point indicates that there are major problems in Denver. A key problem plaguing the Nuggets that will likely lead to their downfall is the struggles they have on defense, as they rank bottom seven in the league in terms of opponent points per game. As previously mentioned, effort is a main concern and that coincides with overall defense. They have many instances every game where they have miscommunications or mis lapses defensively that led to wide open shots for the other team. On top of a struggling defense, the overall vibes around the team, as mentioned earlier, has been a huge problem. There has been a lot of turmoil and disagreements in the locker room that caused coach Michael Malone to be fired. The defensive problems and vibes have played a part in the Nuggets recent struggles as they have lost four out of their last five and risk dropping to the play-in tournament if they can’t turn it around. Although the Nuggets are good offensively and employ one of the best players in the world with Nikola Jokic, the troubles they have had on defense paired with bad vibes and communication problems will likely lead to them not making it far in the postseason.
West Sleeper: Los Angeles Clippers
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The West is a highly contested race with seeds 4-8 still being up for grabs with two games to go, but I believe that the Clippers profile as the best team out of the group and look solid heading into the playoffs. Los Angeles has been on fire lately as they have wins in 13 out of their last 15 and are currently on a six-game winning streak. The Clippers pride themselves on their blistering defense that only lets up 108.2 points per game on average, slotting them in at the fourth least in the league. This tenacious defense is anchored by breakout center Ivica Zubac, who has been excellent this season. Zubac is an automatic double-double offensively and is a deterrent for opposing offenses defensively. Zubac’s big leap this season has been a big contributor to the Clippers success. Additionally, this great defense is supplemented by a few of the greatest offensive players of the generation in James Harden and Kawhi Leonard. Even though these two are a bit past their prime, they both have always upped the quality of their games in time for the postseason. When they are healthy and at their best, the two aging stars are still one of the best duos in the league. The star-studded trio of Zubac, Harden, and Leonard is complemented by a resurgence from shooting guard Norman Powell. Powell has traditionally been a score-first combo-guard who comes off the bench and provides a spark but has taken a huge step forward this year into an all-star level player. In lieu of Kawhi Leonard’s injuries this season, Powell has gotten the opportunity to start and has taken advantage, increasing his points per game from about 13 to over 24, and has helped keep the team afloat with their best player sidelined. Another reason for optimism for the Clippers is, like the Pacers, they have experience with their team and coach. They have multiple players who have deep playoff experience including Harden, Leonard, Powell, and more. Their coach, Tyronn Lue, also has a lot of playoff experience as he was the coach of multiple Cavaliers teams who made the finals and the 2016 team that won. Therefore, due to the Clippers recent excellent play, tenacious defense, star-studded roster, and experience they look like they could be in for some success in the postseason.
(photo courtesy of Sports Illustrated)