After an almost 4 month wait the NBA has announced that they will be returning to action July 31 at Walt Disney World Resorts in Orlando to start the NBA Playoffs! For these 22 teams remaining there are plenty of high hopes. Let’s meet the contestants!
Western Conference
Phoenix Suns: A team that has missed the playoffs every year since Kobe and Ron Artest brought pain to their fanbase back in 2010 finally has a chance to make the playoffs after a decade of being in the basement of the West. Devin Booker also gets his chance to possibly perform in the postseason after years of putting up some of the best individual seasons in team history. The Suns also have a strong core that features Frank Kaminsky, Deandre Ayton, Aron Baynes, and Dario Saric who can cause some punishment of their own. The problem isn’t them, but who they have to face, a strong group of competition coming out of the West.
San Antonio Spurs: This may be their last chance at a deep playoff run with this core. Most of their players are mostly past their primes, but guys like DeMar DeRozan, LaMarcus Aldridge, and Rudy Gay are all buying a chance at a title before they retire. The playoff streak may be alive still but who am I kidding they probably jumped the shark the same way the Detroit Red Wings did. Good Luck Pop!
Sacramento Kings: Another team dealing with a long playoff drought, SACTOWN. They have waited 14 years for the chance to get back in the playoffs after years of Vlade Divac, and Vivek Ranadive running this franchise into the ground. The good news is that they are led by a playoff warrior in Harrison Barnes as well as the likes of Buddy Hield, Bogdan Bogdanovic (crazy name I know), and Marvin Bagley who can be cornerstones of this team going forward. I like their chances considering they were the hottest team in the West after the All Star Break. Keep it up!
New Orleans Pelicans: If you are wondering why the NBA went to a 22 team tournament with 6 teams from the 2 Conferences competing for the 8 seed in the East and West, one name ZION! He and Brandon Ingram have carried this team after a slow start to making the tournament with a 21-13 record since Williamson debuted. This team could challenge anyone in the West and it would be ironic to see them play the Lakers in the first round after they traded Anthony Davis to LA for Ingram, Lonzo Ball, and countless other names and draft picks. I want to see it!
Portland Trail Blazers: Damian Lillard and his merry band of underachievers are also allowed into this tournament after playing down to competition almost every game this season. Now that Jusuf Nurkic is back in the mix and they have a core that features Hassan Whiteside and Carmelo Anthony who knows where they could go in the postseason. The concern is you will face one of the LA teams in Round 1. It won’t be easy! Everyone knows that they can make a playoff run that is inspiring like they did last year.
Memphis Grizzlies: Ja Morant I have one thing to say. The Pelicans are coming to try to take your playoff spot and Rookie of the Year award! The good news is you have fellow emerging stars in Jaren Jackson, Brandon Clarke and Dillon Brooks to help you get through this insufferable franchise plus an experienced playoff veteran in Jonas Valanciunas. I give a lot of credit to the job Taylor Jenkins has done as a Rookie Head Coach. He deserves it because this was a team that was in the basement last year and now is back in the playoffs. I expect big things from this team in the future with some of their prospects a well.
Dallas Mavericks: The Euro League All Star Team is looking to get its act together tumbling out of the gates after the All Star Break. Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis are going to carry this team past the heavy dose of competition in the West. They need the all around of Maxi Kleber to also come through for this team of consistent role players. Also they have a 3 point shooting duo in Tim Hardaway Jr. and Seth Curry to get them out of trouble too. I just have one more thing to say. I want you guys to pull off an upset in the playoffs, they have the talent yes, but who knows.
Houston Rockets: The two stars of this team happen to be two of the greatest stat men in league history in Russell Westbrook and James Harden. Just like their brothers in the Texans those 2 are the only reasons why this team is relevant. This team has been unlikable by many other fanbases in the league that their fans are claiming despite being the 6 seed they think they are going all the way. This team is either going deep in the playoffs or going out early and are basically trapped into awful contracts. I don’t know what to expect from them, I just don’t know.
Oklahoma City Thunder: I underestimated this organization a lot. I thought when they traded Westbrook and Paul George they were done. This is when OKC realizes that their organization is no longer a soap opera and they can just play basketball with no problems. Chris Paul turns back the clock 5 years and is exactly what he was with the Clippers, they have countless role players living up to their expectations with guys like Dennis Schroder, and Steven Adams. Like the Grizzlies I have to give a lot of credit to the head coach. Billy Donovan deserves this credit. For me they could have a lot of people on their side if they can pull off a great playoff run.
Utah Jazz: I have to say this team was hit hard by COVID19 but that to me is motivation for the Jazz. Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert are looking to make a deep playoff run despite being in the West. Those two are very good two way players that can easily carry this team. The rest of the talent in Bojan Bogdanovic, Mike Conley, and Jordan Clarkson among others are just as deadly as their two homegrown stars. I think this team like the Thunder can get a great amount of people on their side if they go deep in the playoffs. It is ironic that the two might face each other in the first round.
Denver Nuggets: This team should have more credit than what they get. I know people think they live in the shadows of the Lakers or Clippers but they are true finals contenders. A core that has Veteran Paul Millsap, Rising Star Jamal Murray and MVP candidate Nikola Jokic playing a style of basketball that would make Joel Embiid sink below him. I think Mike Malone is tired of living in other powerhouses’ shadows as well and I think they could beat one of the LA teams with that core. I am not sure if they could do that in a 7 game series. I want this team to beat odds, and I mean badly.
Los Angeles Clippers: The other LA team finally got it’s franchise saviors in Kawhi Leonard and Paul George in the summer of 2019. The thing is that this team isn’t just those two players. They have 2019 Sixth Man of the Year Louis Williams, Playoff Veteran Marcus Morris, and Quality Point Guard Reggie Jackson, three players that can also play huge roles come playoff time, not to mention Montrezl Harrell as well who is one of the best Defensive Players in the game. To me this is the Western Conference’s most complete team and Doc Rivers is a great coach as well.
Los Angeles Lakers: All I am seeing right now is people crowning the Lakers Defacto NBA Finals Champions despite a difficult Western Conference of opponents. LeBron and Anthony Davis are two MVP candidates that can establish themselves as the next great Laker saviors and start another Dynasty as well as over taking the Celtics as the most successful franchise in the NBA. Expectations are high and the fans are counting their eggs before they are hatched. I wouldn’t blame them at all after missing the playoffs for 6 straight years.
Eastern Conference
Washington Wizards: This is the team at the bottom of the East Playoff Picture that could eventually take a top playoff contender to the limit in the first round. That is a true statement because Bradley Beal is having the best year of his career and is second in the league in points per game and the other star in DC John Wall is expected to be back after a two year achilles injury. I wouldn’t mess with this squad if I were you, not with the experience of a coach in Scott Brooks.
Orlando Magic: The team that gets to play this tournament in their home area is very lucky and thinks they have a shot at this. They do, that is getting the 8th seed in the East, All Star Nikola Vucivic, Dunking Extraordinaire Arron Gordon, Emerging Point Guard Markelle Fultz, and the rest of the Magic are trying to gain playoff experience but like last year likely fall to a top tier contender in the East in Round 1. At least there’s hope for the future I guess.
Brooklyn Nets: I can hear the drumbeats of fans convincing Kevin Durant to play this postseason on a bad achilles, but even if he doesn’t play they have the wonders of Kyrie Irving and DeAndre Jordan as the focal points of the Nets game plan. I think if there is a Cinderella Story in the playoffs it is Brooklyn. Which is perfect because this postseason only takes place in Disney. That means they would have to knock off Toronto or Milwaukee to do so. Good Luck!
Philadelphia 76ers: I don’t know what to expect of this team. The Sixers have Joel Embiid, and Ben Simmons back to full strength as well as Al Horford trying to overcome a rapid decline. The bench has improved over the span that their two superstars have been injured that leaves me with this. Despite being the 6 seed in the East it could be “Go Big or Go Home” for Philly. Their fans are still crowning them defacto Eastern Conference Champions like they did with the Eagles before the NFL Playoffs last year. I don’t blame them at all.
Indiana Pacers: I have this strange feeling that Indiana will go on a deep playoff run and I don’t know why. That is because Victor Oladipo is back, they have former All Stars Domantas Sabonis, Myles Turner, along with former Buck Malcolm Brogdan who is one of the most consistent players in the league. In my opinion this team is always under the radar because they don’t have a true superstar, but they are a well run organization that does everything in its powers to compete year in and year out. If you are going to overcome being eliminated in the first round the past 4 years, this is the year to do it. I am counting on you.
Miami Heat: As Stephen A. Smith said before the season went on hold. “The Heat are the best threat to the Milwaukee Bucks in the East.” Here is why: They have Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, and Andre Iguodala in their version of the Big 3 along with young stars Kendrick Nunn, Duncan Robinson, and 2020 Slam Dunk Champion Derrick Jones. Erik Spoelstra knows what it is like to win championships, and he is doing everything he can to get that chance again. He certainly has a similar team than what he had with LeBron and D-Wade from 2010-2014. Let’s find out if he is right or not.
Boston Celtics: The so called Lucky Charms are once again back in the mix for another shot at that elusive title. The good news is that unlike last year the Celtics won’t have Kyrie holding back their potential. They lost him and Al Horford, but replaced them with Kemba Walker and Enes Kanter, who both are eager to win their first championship by any means necessary. The rest of the core in Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Daniel Theis is also back and expectations are high in BeanTown. I think they want to maintain their title of the Most Successful Franchise in the NBA as well.
Toronto Raptors: It is weird how people are not making excuses about them having a great regular season and then falling in the playoffs. To all of Canada this is what it is like to defend your title! The monkey is off of their backs, still many great challenges await them. They may even have to face the Bucks yet again, or worse their division rival in the Leprechauns. Everyone on the Raptors except Kawhi is back and expectations are again extreme. I think Pascal Siakum, Kyle Lowry, and Marc Gasol want to prove that it wasn’t just Kawhi that won them the title last year. This team is similar to another Toronto favorite, the 1993 Blue Jays. A team that lost their savior in Dave Winfield after winning the World Series in 1992 in free agency won it all again with most of the same players except they made several in-season moves. Your move Raptors.
Milwaukee Bucks: Spare me the rhetoric of the best regular season in team history until COVID19. What I want to see from the Bucks this postseason is very simple. They need to overcome the Curse of Milt Mason and win their first championship in almost 50 years. They have the likely Back-to-Back MVP in Giannis Antetokounmpo, as well as All Star Khris Middleton, 3 Point Shooting Center in Brook Lopez, Defensive Ace Eric Bledsoe, as well as the Cream City Famous “Bench Mob.” I think they have the deepest team in the whole postseason and coach Mike Budenholtzer knows exactly what is stacked against them, considering that they fell short last year there will be nothing holding this team back again. The best record in the NBA means nothing, look at what happened last year to them, also the murderers row of competition is not slowing down either. This has to be the year that Milwaukee finally gets a chance to taste the National Spotlight.
Overview
I think this postseason is going to be like it was back in the Michael Jordan era of the 1990s and you get the feeling that almost anything can happen. If you want my prediction here it is: Milwaukee vs. LA Clippers. The two teams want to end their title drought or Legacy of Failure in every sense of the word. In fact, that would be a rematch of the Eastern Conference Finals between Giannis and Kawhi last year when Leonard drowned the Greek Freak in 4 straight games after the Bucks took a 2-0 lead in the series. I want that to be the finals because both teams are also well coached and have strong rosters. Knowing the NBA too well they will rig it to be Lakers vs. Raptors, because those are the two biggest fanbases in the league. I expect a great many moments in the playoffs that will remind us of Disney films. Don’t let me down!
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