This has been a fascinating playoffs. Chaos is the name of the game, and nothing makes sense in this league anymore. That’s why we love sports. Because just when you least expect things, they end up happening. This NBA Playoffs was full of those moments. How did we get to this point you ask? Wala…
New Orleans Pelicans (The Wrath of Mickey Loomis): The Pelicans have to be cursed. Each year their best laid plans are usually bitten in the dust. Zion Williamson once again was injured early in the year and didn’t return. (Not to mention that contract will be BAAAAAD) But even without Williamson, New Orleans should have been able to beat an up and coming Thunder team even with home court advantage. I feel bad for Brandon Ingram, and CJ McCollum. They deserve to be on real teams not this dumpster fire. But then again the key of this franchise is the health of Zion. Please for the love of the basketball gods, get a better conditioning coach. Losing 3 of your better players to injury to end the season isn’t going to sit well. Such a shame.
Toronto Raptors (The NBA’s “You Lost to a Zamboni Driver”): This year was a letdown for the Raptors. I expected big things out of them especially after the run they had to end the 2022 regular season. Instead the Canadians played down to their competition all season and it cost them even if they were able to sneak into the play-in tournament. On the surface things looked well. Toronto had a 19 point lead in the 3rd Quarter. But then, they forgot to realize that today’s NBA is a make or miss league, and they let Zach LaVine off the hook. Remember how your city dealt with the Maple Leafs losing to a 42 year old Zamboni Driver who works for the organization. Well you have your answer to that with DeMar DeRozan’s daughter screaming every time the Raptors were at the free throw. The damage? 16-32 in the 2nd Half. The bad news for Nick Nurse is that he won’t have his contract renewed. He wasn’t fired, he wanted a new challenge, and didn’t like the offer he got from the front office. Hold onto 2019 with all your might. It may be the only title you win for a while.
Oklahoma City Thunder (Getting Your Feet Wet): I must say when a team misses their top draft pick who is a potentially generational talent for the entire season, yet still makes the play-in and nearly pulls off a miraculous run to the playoffs must be taken seriously. That’s what happened with the Thunder. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander dragged this rebuilding squad kicking and screaming towards this point. The bad news is that he ran out of gas by the time they got to Minnesota. Even though they had a chance to make us laugh at the Wolves failing in their all-in push,, OKC proved that they are still a year or two away from being title contenders. I will say, if Chet Holmgren is healthy next year, the pairing of him and SGA will be a duo to fear. I expect big things out of you guys come 2024 and 2025. Good luck gentleman.
Chicago Bulls (Frozen Hamburgers): You made the meme lords laugh at Toronto for recreating the David Ayres incident. But at what cost. This season was pure agony for the Bulls. Lonzo Ball missing the entire season due to knee surgery, injuries to Alex Caruso, and Coby White, being desperate for the ego of Patrick Beverley, and being the definition of hot and cold on a nightly basis. Although they still had a shot to shock the world. They led by 14 in the 4th Quarter against Miami in a do or die game for the right to go to the playoffs, a chance to get their asses kicked by their brothers up I-94 was in reach, but then you realize DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine are the definition of mystery box. In this case, they were ice cold, and the Heat took full advantage of it. The worst part about this loss is not what their opponents did afterwards but the circumstances that Chicago will face in the offseason. Do they have enough to compete with the Big Boys in the East? I’m not sure but as long as Jerry Reinsdorf is the owner they will boast that they can overtake Milwaukee only for their ambitions to be shot down. Just ask the White Sox about how that’s working for them.
Minnesota Timberwolves (DNA of the City): You call this an all-in year. Really? After that display all season, despite Anthony Edwards emerging into a generational talent? That was rough. Just like most times in Minnesota sports, there is nothing but relentless underachieving and being exposed by the big boys. No, I’m not surprised that they got crushed by the Nuggets. Denver was by far the better team. Edwards averaged over 30 PPG and they still ended up getting crushed. By the way, how’s that experiment working for Rudy Gobert? Sure you got him to pair with Karl Anthony Towns, but Nikola Jokic ran roughshod over those two despite being doubled all series. The worst part for the Wolves is that they are back in the same traps that they fell into when they traded for Jimmy Butler. Just like in the Butler Trade, Gobert hasn’t panned out because he isn’t a fit in their scheme. I don’t even have to say the line, it’s the same nonsense with this franchise and city and it isn’t ending anytime soon. KAT and AntMan please demand trades to real teams. You don’t deserve this gongshow led by Alex Rodriguez and the rest of the ownership crew they have.
Los Angeles Clippers (Ain’t No Rest For the Wicked): Will this team ever get what they want? It depends on who you ask. The Clippers on paper are solid championship contenders. But like most years their ambitions get shot down just as they reach for them. Being without Paul George was going to be tough especially against Phoenix, but the Basketball Gods wanted the forgotten LA franchise to suffer even more. Remember how the talking heads said that Kawhi was back in 2019 form? CRACK! Yeah turns out that the knee problems came back up again. The Klaw would be sidelined for the last three games of the series, and once that happened, the Clippers were dead on arrival. They have no answers for Devin Booker just like in 2021. Now the question is what do you do? They are moving into a new arena in Inglewood. And Steve Balmer isn’t taking no for an answer. He wants Kyrie, and he wants him badly. What’s his solution in order to land this superstar in his prime? (Nets PA Announcer Sedra accepts a similar role with Clippers) HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! (Prepare for the Ultimate Shotgun Wedding come July)
Sacramento Kings (Don’t Count Your Eggs!): What to say about a team that was the feel good story of the NBA and brought endless joy to a fanbase that needed it. Heck the entire basketball world outside of the Bay Area was rooting you guys on for crying out loud. The whole Light the Beam campaign. Those were special times. The bad news for Sacramento is that they got to witness the first lesson in becoming a great team. You can never count out a dynasty, especially one with Steph Curry still dominating like few before him. The Warriors may not be what they were in years past but they can still excel when needed to. And to me that’s why the Kings lost this series. Everyone will blame Harrison Barnes for not making that buzzer beater at the end of Game 4, but they had the Dubs on their home floor for Game 7 and still gave their fans PTSD of 2002. They’re still very early into their contending window, and they’ll be back here again. Especially with DeAaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis becoming cornerstones for a potential run at the Finals in the future. But hey the playoff drought is over am I right? (Light the Beam… IN GOLD BLOOD)
Memphis Grizzlies (Fine With Getting Crushed): The Basketball Gods show no mercy. If you mess with them, you will suffer grave consequences. I knew this was going to happen with Memphis. They were getting way too cocky throughout the season, and it showed. If you’re going to talk that much trash to anyone especially close rivals you better back it up. Whether it was Dillon Brooks claiming them as a dynasty, to him poking the bear known as LeBron, or Ja Morant saying I’m fine in the West. (Not to mention the Gun incident) You’re just asking for trouble. It says something that the Boys Club of the Lakers was easier to root for in this series. That’s what happens when you run your mouths. To me the biggest difference was Game 1. If Memphis wins that game they probably win this series in 7. But just like last year against Golden State, that loss set the tone of the whole series. Their biggest flaw all season was playing on the road. They lost all 3 games in LA. How does this get worse for the Grizzlies? (YoYo Sound) Ja having a gun with him in a Social Media clip again? I don’t care if Tennessee law states that you can get away with that, THIS IS THE NBA! If you do something like that, you will be caught. Even if Adam Silver is forgiving to the superstars of the league. If Ja gets suspended I hope he takes Dillon Brooks with him. Those two need to take a long look in the mirror after the nonsense they pulled this year. They better because if they don’t they will continue to be toyed on by the rest of the league. NBA you have your answer to Gilbert Arenas and the mid 2000s Wizards. Thank you LeBron and AD, thank you for exposing these frauds who thought they were hotshots.
Milwaukee Bucks (Welcome to Hell): I knew something was wrong about them for the last couple of months. I don’t care that the Bucks were the #1 seed. They only got it because they had unsustainable streaks thanks to playing weak opponents or teams missing their superstars. I could literally copy and paste the same script I had from the bubble in 2020 and there wouldn’t be much of a difference. Even down to the Giannis injury. The only difference was that this happened in the 1st Round of the playoffs. Two reasons as to why Milwaukee was knocked out. The core aged about 10 years, and Mike Budenholzer did his best John Harbaugh impersonation of blowing winnable situations. (Having to deal with his brother dying was also a big factor for Coach Bud) I don’t care if Jimmy Butler was unstoppable and Giannis wasn’t 100%, if you can’t beat a Heat team missing two of their better scorers as the Podoloff Trophy winners that is inexcusable. The worst part is that this may be the end of the golden age of Bucks Basketball. You know why? THEY’RE BLOWING IT UP! They have a ton of free agents including Khris Middleton, and Brook Lopez, have no draft picks until 2028, no elite prospects, and under the new CBA are $50M over the cap. I realistically think that this was Giannis’ last game as a Buck. I don’t see him sticking around, especially with his friends leaving and Jimmy Haslam turning this organization into the NBA’s version of the Cleveland Browns. Thanks to Giannis’ reaction to the question of whether this season was a failure or not, Eric Nehm now has his answer to The Walkout. (It’s interesting that the Greek Freak did this to his two closest peers in the Bucks media department) But to be honest, how do you blow 15+ point leads in back to back to lose the series? Wait, why are you firing Coach Bud, he wasn’t the main reason they lost! And you replaced him with a guy who’s never been a head coach who was around bad teams his whole career as an assistant? Giannis if I were you I’m getting out of this gongshow. Long live Jimmy Haslam! (If there was one man that would cause me to not be a Bucks fan anymore, IT’S HIM! I don’t want to root for this man)
Cleveland Cavaliers (The Learning Experience): I don’t understand why there are a lot of people thinking that this was a letdown for the Cavs. They had the best season they’ve had since LeBron left. Donovan Mitchell is becoming a franchise savior almost immediately. Not to mention a young core is starting to emerge into potential greatness. However this just happened to be the learning experience year. The one difference that the Knicks had in this series was playoff experience. JB Bickerstaff tried the best he could to gameplan for Jalen Brunson, but in the end Cleveland just didn’t have an answer for him nor Josh Hart. Like I said, the Cavs despite the solid season they had just aren’t ready for the big time. That’ll come eventually but this series just happened to be the cost of trading all your depth for Spida. They don’t have the assets for another star player, but if they get a couple of guys that fit their scheme they could make some noise in the future. You better hope that Utah doesn’t become a superpower in the future with all the picks you gave them just saying. (Same goes for the Timberwolves, although theirs is worse)
Brooklyn Nets (A Lost Era): Who would have thought this would have been the Nets fate back in 2021? Not many. That’s what happens when you make desperate moves for superstars who are half-in and half-out, be successful in spite of having a hack of a head coach holding the team back, and then sabotaging the core thanks to things both in and out of their control. What you get is this modern tragedy. The worst part about this series for Brooklyn was that Philly was handing them plenty of chances, but besides Mikal Bridges no one showed up. Embiid was injured for half of the series, and the Nets still ended up getting swept. They may have gotten great returns for KD and Kyrie but an era is over. You know what the worst part is? This is the 3rd superteam that they’ve squandered in 20 years. And all they have to show for is 2 fluke wins in 03 NBA Finals. (Kidd Era = Pierce/Garnett Era = Big 3 Era) That’s catastrophic failure right there. Even better news for the rest of the NBA internet trolls, Olivier Sedra is leaving Brooklyn for the same role with the LA Clippers. (That new arena needs an arena voice like Sedra especially with the product that Steve Balmer has assembled on paper) A bandwagon if there ever was one. Now watch him take Kyrie with him to Inglewood.
Atlanta Hawks (You Had One Job): Dang it I wanted chaos. It would have been hilarious to see the Celtics get knocked out in the 1st Round. But in reality there was no way Atlanta was going to go blow for blow for an entire series. Maybe a game or two, but not 4 out of 7. The difference in this series was the High End Talent of Boston. When they needed to shut the door they did. Excluding Game 5, Marcus Smart had Trae Young on lockdown for the whole series. When that happens despite Dejounte Murray living up to preseason expectations you are doomed right from the start. I shouldn’t go too hard on them. Considering that the Hawks fired their coach during the season, and drank the stupid juice for Quin Snider it’s a miracle that they took Boston to the limit. The bad news for the ATL is that they are going to be dealing with the same nonsense next year because that’s how life works around Tony Ressler. DID I EVER TELL YOU THE DEFINITION OF INSANITY! (Don’t rest on your laurels when it comes to replacing John Collins just saying)
Phoenix Suns (Was KD Really the Solution?): Money can’t buy happiness. And in this case it can’t buy a championship despite massive resources spent to chase that prize. Phoenix this is why you don’t trade all of your depth and future for one man. Yes Kevin Durant is still one of the best players in the game, but if you want to win a championship especially with Devin Booker, and Chris Paul YOU DON’T MAKE THAT TRADE! Especially considering that Denver has the one thing they lack, good scoring options off the bench. By the time Game 5 came around, the Suns were out of gas and it showed. Everyone is going to blame CP3 for getting injured as to why they lost but when you are paying DeAndre Ayton almost $40M a year just to get schooled by the Joker in every game in this series you have no excuses. (Especially since he dominated Jokic in 2021) Have fun becoming the new age Washington Redskins with Mat Ishbia as owner. You can’t just come in guns blazing and throw away key pieces of the core that led you to the Finals two seasons ago for no reason. Just because KD was on the trade market doesn’t mean you have to do that. That never works in the sports world. Wait a minute, why are you firing Monty Williams? He wasn’t the problem! Have fun with Cap Hell, Phoenix.
Golden State Warriors (Stop Doing This To Me!): The rest of the NBA grins in delight. The old bully may have seen better days. And the worst part about this is that the boomerang finally came back to bite them. That boomerang just happened to be the man they crunched in the Finals 3 times in LeBron. Except in this case, the Warriors had no answers for Austin Reaves, nor Anthony Davis. To me there are two games that Golden State wishes that they had back. Games 1 and 4. Game 1 you could say they got lucky just to get back in that game, but when you have a 12 point lead with 5 minutes left and a chance to tie the series up heading home, you better close the deal. Speaking of which, can I find anyone not named Steph, that didn’t struggle in this series. Klay? Jordan Poole? Draymond? (Other than Game 5) You can show up any time you guys. The question now is what do they do to fix this. They have a lot of bad contracts, and it will be tough for them to get out of it, not to mention Bob Myers’ future is also uncertain. Let me guess, they’re recreating the KD signing with a potential trade for the Greek Freak or Karl Anthony Towns. Having followed this organization for a decade they’re gonna do something just like that. Well at least they didn’t get eliminated at home I guess. (I took a trip out to the Bay Area after Final Exams were over to watch Game 5. Boy was that fun.)
New York Knicks (Endless Salt Ensuing): This has been the best season that the Knicks have had in a decade. Getting a franchise player in Jalen Brunson, winning a playoff series, and the fanbase roasting Donovan Mitchell for not coming to the Big Apple. Good times indeed am I right? However this is the part when all good things must end. Remember when New York upset the Heat as an 8 seed in 1999? Well guess what? Miami returned the favor even if Jimmy Butler wasn’t 100%. The Knicks had no answers for Bam Adebayo nor Butler once he came back from injury. I know Knicks fans will want to run Julius Randle and RJ Barrett out of MSG, but honestly you could have trotted out prime Carmelo, and Iman Shumpert out there and they still probably would have lost this series. Erik Spoelstra’s out coaching Tom Thibodeau did the rest. Yes Stephen A you can gloat about how you’ll get Dame in the offseason, but hey hold your head high. You’ve earned this after exceeding expectations. (Just don’t repeat the collapse of 2022. Nothing else to be said)
Philadelphia 76ers (DEJA VU ALL OVER AGAIN!): CONGRATULATIONS YOUR TEAM STILL CAN’T MAKE IT PAST THE 2ND ROUND OF THE PLAYOFFS! This time you gave Philly all the false hope in the world with a 3-2 series lead heading home with a chance to close it out, only to go full Sixers in Games 6 and 7. This was supposed to be your year. Both the Bucks and Warriors were knocked out early, the West was wide open, and your city already had 3 teams make the Final Round in their respective leagues, Joel Embiid had the supporting cast of his career, the opponent was on the ropes! But the 76ers once again crumbled when it mattered most. And worse it was against the team that has tormented them since the 1960s in the Celtics. Philly’s defense made Jayson Tatum look like Larry Bird in his prime over the last two games. (Tatum was about to get slaughtered by the Boston Media before that) At least in Game 6, they had a chance to close it out. Once that game was over, the death sentence of going to TD Garden for Game 7 was inevitable. Doc Rivers was sacked in front of a mob outside of Wells Fargo Center after the beating Philadelphia took in that game. Blame him all you want but you know what really undid them? Embiid, Harden, and Maxey combined for 24 POINTS! That’s not coaching, that’s having deer in the headlights in the big moment. This is the 6th year in a row that they’ve underachieved with this core and it’s obvious that they can’t get it done. You know I’d do. NUKE! BLOW IT SKY HIGH! BRING ON THE YOUTH MOVEMENT! They should do it but then again this is Philly. Now watch them drink the stupid juice for Nick Nurse. Speaking of which, meet their new head coach. If I’m him, I don’t want to be near this gongshow that’s all hype every single year. Now he has to deal with the Philadelphia fans and media breathing down his neck. OOF!
Victor Wembanyama Draft Lottery (Long Live the Empire): There was no way I was leaving this out of the document. The stakes of this lottery are way too big and whoever gets the #1 pick is going to be unbelievably insufferable for years to come. (Well the #2 and #3 picks are also excellent prospects this year) With the Spurs, Rockets, Pistons, Blazers, and Hornets all having equal odds the winner will be revealed shortly. (After the Rockets got the 4th pick, and the Blazers got the 3rd pick) “The 2nd pick will be made by… The Charlotte Hornets. (Spurs Executive: Let’s Go!) And that means that the #1 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft goes to the San Antonio Spurs.” San Antonio, Congratulations! The greatest draft prospect that the NBA has seen since LeBron is yours. The Empire shall be awoken once again. Considering that they drafted David Robinson, and Tim Duncan the last two times they had #1 pick, this is going to be excellent isn’t it. Good luck boys, the basketball gods approve this message.
Los Angeles Lakers (Overhyped Commodities): ESPN thought this team was a championship caliber squad. I get why, whenever LeBron James has a squad with excellent shooters around him he normally has a cakewalk to the Finals. This time around they forgot that there was a budding superpower ready to feast on them.`LA had all the media rooting them on and the refs trying to hand them the series and they still got swept. To me the Lakers got beat where it really mattered. Coaching adjustments, and clutch decision making. It’s why they got off to the slow start that they did this year and it came back to haunt them at the worst time. Their playoff run was deceiving, LA was being carried by LeBron and AD, as well as a weak schedule in the first 2 rounds. The tough part about this loss is that this may have been LeBron’s last chance at trying to catch Michael Jordan as the GOAT. Considering that Rob Pelinka threw everything at the kitchen sink to save his job, (Which was somehow saved thanks to their run in the playoffs) and with the new CBA setting in, there’s not much they can do to retool the roster. Yet ESPN and FS1 will ignore this and say that the Lakers will get Kyrie. How delusional can those pundits get?
Boston Celtics (Unfinished Humiliation): ABSOLUTELY PATHETIC! All the accomplishments of the year. “57 wins on the year, the most points scored in a season in team history, a roster that rivals the Celtics of the 80s in talent, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown averaging a combined 58 PPG, the best bench in the league, destroying every contender they faced in the regular season, breaking the souls of the Sixers in another Game 7, an 8th seed as their opponent with a Finals berth at stake, a 13 game differential in wins, A 97% CHANCE TO WIN THE SERIES! THE 2ND COMING OF 4 DAYS IN OCTOBER!” Throw all those narratives in the Boston Harbor right now! Despite all the stars aligning for the Celtics to make it back to the Finals, 5 words that have haunted them all season came to haunt them. PLAYING DOWN TO THEIR COMPETITION! There are several key elements as to why this is. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown not being clutch, their formula of live and die by the 3 came back to bite them in the ass, Joe Mazzulla got schooled the same way Brad Stevens did by Miami in 2020, blowing multiple 10 point leads in Games 1 and 2. And having no answers for Gabe Vincent and Caleb Martin in Game 7. Remember how devastating the Bruins loss to the Panthers was in Game 7 in the 1st Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs? This is worse. Not only because they blew the chance to recreate 4 Days in October, It was 4-1, and 28-3. BUT THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THE YEAR! Now I have no idea what they do. I know Boston fans will say get rid of Jaylen Brown. But to me out of their two stars, the one that needs to go is Tatum. Can this guy ever be consistent for one damn minute! He’ll drop 51 in a Game 7 against Philly, let lay a massive egg when everyone expects him to rise to the moment. Here’s to making Derrick White’s heroics in Game 6 look irrelevant. (Go join Carlton Fisk and the 1975 Red Sox in the incredible comebacks that didn’t matter room) PAUSE.
And now we are down to 2. This crazy season deserves a Finals matchup that no one outside of those fanbases saw coming. In the West a new power has risen to the top of the food chain.
Denver Nuggets: (NFL Films A Day to Forget playing) The most successful franchise to never make the Finals. That has been one of the many titles placed upon the Denver Nuggets over the last 4 decades. That and being bridesmaids and the red headed stepchild of the Western Conference was something that no one thought they could get out of. They were punching bags for teams like the Lakers and Spurs to consume over the course of their history. And every time they got close to the Finals they were destroyed. Even with a generational talent, plus a great coach, and excellent supporting cast around him It looked as if Denver was falling into those traps again. 2 straight injury prone seasons in 2021 and 2022 made everyone question whether this franchise could get over the hump. At times it felt like that day where they would finally end the narratives would never come. (Let it Rock by Lil Wayne playing) That was until this year. The Nuggets beat 3 teams that made bold and brash moves to go all in at a title, and beat them convincingly. The Wolves with Anthony Edwards, KAT, and Gobert. DESTROYED! The Suns with KD and Booker carrying CP3 to a title on a team of destiny. DESTROYED! The Lakers with LeBron and AD back in 2020 form with an excellent bench. DESTROYED! And unlike those teams, Denver has played the patient game and trusted in what they have. It took time but it’s finally paid off. Leading the way is quite possibly the most talented Center the NBA has ever seen. Nikola Jokic. A man who has been the X Factor for the success of this franchise. This postseason he has not only added to quite possibly the best season by a Center in League History. But has taken his game to new heights. (Him not winning a 3rd straight MVP was all hype in favor of Joel Embiid) The supporting cast around him has evolved from underwhelming boys to burly men. Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr missed all of last season due to injury. Now they have come back and exceeded the expectations placed upon him. Murray himself had 20 point 4th Quarters in back to back games against the Lakers. That takes skill. And they’re not alone. KCP and Aaron Gordon may not be what they were in 2020 but they are still solid players for who they are. They’re crucial elements when it comes to opening things up for their Big 3. The bench is led by two former Nets finally getting a chance at glory as well. Bruce Brown, and Jeff Green. With their balanced skills on offense and underrated defense, they add an element to their bench that few teams can rival. Rounding out the bench is Christian Braun, Thomas Bryant, Reggie Jackson he of $25M a year given out by Steve Balmer, and DeAndre Jordan repeat what I said about Jackson. In some ways this team reminds me a lot of the 2021 Bucks. A franchise considered an afterthought by the NBA, finally getting over the hump after years of coming up short and their superstar cementing his legacy as one of the best players of this generation. And like Giannis during that postseason, the Joker is coming off back to back MVPs, and he’s shed every negative accolade placed upon him and the rest of the team. One of those just happens to be Mike Malone. The fact that this man is not considered a top coach in the NBA baffles me. The way he has kept those guys locked in despite all the injuries and playoff setbacks has been excellent. He is proving Sacramento should have never lowballed him almost a decade ago. The main benefactor of the Nuggets’ run to the Final is Stan Kroenke. This man gets the chance to win his 3rd title in just over a calendar year. Over the last 8 years he has gone from one of the worst owners in sports to one of the best. And it’s because he lets the guys below him do their jobs to the best of their abilities. That’s what happened with the Rams and Avalanche, and the same is happening with the Nuggets. Now that the sins of the past are mostly out of the way, Denver has the chance to end their Legacy of Failure once and for all by winning their first ever NBA title. Although their opponent in this final showdown is trying to make history in their own right.
Miami Heat: (Narco Extended Version by Timmy Trumpet playing) SOUND THE TRUMPETS OF CHAOS! I’m standing here in shock like the rest of you guys are. For the first time since the inception of the play-in tournament in 2021, a team that began the postseason as a play-in team has made the NBA Finals. To me this is not your ordinary play-in team. Miami has been building their way towards this opportunity ever since they went big game hunting in the summer of 2019. The last time they made the NBA Finals they ran out of gas against the Lakers in 6 games. After two near misses thanks to injuries, and bad matchups the Heat are getting a chance at redemption. But to get to this point many said they would need a miracle. Inconsistency and injuries to many key players throughout the season hampered their production. They had to survive nearly missing the playoffs. There were rumors that most of the core was getting shipped off in an all-in the summer if they failed. They were crushed at home by the Hawks and nearly lost to the Bulls in the play-in tournament. If you were to tell me that this squad who had stumbled all season to the point of being an 8 seed would not only turn it around but make the Finals that same season. I would have laughed so hard that I would be crying in laughter. Turns out fantasy has become reality, the Miami Heat, a team that was considered by many to be the worst team going into the playoffs myself included has defied all odds and made the big dance in convincing fashion. It’s not like they dominated against scrub opponents. They went through a gauntlet. Milwaukee, the inaugural winner of the Podoloff Trophy with Championship DNA across the board, Zach Lowe and Malika Andrews labeling them as locks to become the next great dynasty in the NBA, the most stacked team on paper during the Giannis Era. Shades of the Orlando Bubble all over again. (Rachel Nichols smiles at this feat) The Knicks, the ultimate redemption story. All of New York City cheering them on, possibly the best team they’ve had in almost 30 years. Revenge for 1999. Boston, a franchise with a legendary past, the ghosts of Bill Russell shining down on them, the best squad that they’ve had in at least 15 years, maybe longer, coming back from a 3-0 deficit, and the chance to join the 2004 Red Sox, 2011 Bruins, and 2016 Patriots in Boston Sports lore. The Heat did to the Celtics, what the Panthers did to the Bruins only this time they didn’t need OT. (Really NESN and CSN New England, you’re gonna compare the C’s to their 1986 team?) The star of this postseason has been a man who has captured the imagination of every Basketball fan in the country. Jimmy Butler. He’s always been an amazing player to watch in the playoffs, but this year. He’s not only lived up to the Playoff Jimmy reputation, he has become a prodigy of the game in front of our eyes. Averaging 35 PPG against Jrue Holiday, dominating through injury against New York, and destroying Marcus Smart effortlessly even if Butler struggled in Games 4-6. That’s no easy task. He’s the kind of player the NBA has lacked since at least the Kobe Era, maybe longer. But like their run in 2020 he’s not alone. The supporting cast around him is not known nationally thanks to most of them being undrafted players, but thrive under pressure. Bam Adebayo is one of those guys. He may not be the elite 2 way force he was in 2020 but he has shown flashes of that form. Max Strus went from a guy who no one thought would be a reliable scoring option to their best 3 point shooter of the playoffs. His performance against the Bucks and Knicks is evidence. This postseason has seen the revival of Duncan Robinson. His contract was considered one of the worst in the NBA going into the playoffs. Now he, like Bam, is back to being a force like in their Bubble run 3 years ago. Then there is the duo of undrafted players that carried them past Boston in Game 7. Caleb Martin and Gabe Vincent. Like many on this roster, they have gone from no names to key contributors immediately. Vincent had basically 30 points in Game 3. And rounding out this core is two former champions getting another chance at glory. Kyle Lowry and Kevin Love. Both of them were acquired by the Heat to be veteran leaders despite their declining abilities yet have had several clutch moments all postseason. Note that I’m forgetting one name. Tyler Herro. The Reigning 6th Man of the Year has been injured since the first game of the postseason despite averaging 20 PPG this season. He’s on track to return in the Finals. (If only Victor Oladipo were healthy too) Him adding another element to their attack is huge. This comes to show you that Erik Spoelstra has etched his name into icon status when it comes to the Greatest Coaches in NBA History. 6 Finals appearances with 2 different play styles, and becoming the 1st 8 seed in 24 years to make the Big Dance. He and Pat Riley the reasons why all those undrafted have bought into the system they have around Jimmy Butler. The Heat have overcome every single doubter and naysayer this postseason to make it to this point, now can they finish it off? PAUSE.
This is what we call a matchup that no one saw coming. But to be honest this has the makings of an awesome series. Two teams that have been disrespected all season by talking heads are getting their chance at glory. Honestly these have been the two best teams this postseason. Denver dominated 3 teams who went all-in at a title. Miami did the same thing despite the Celtics taking them to a Game 7. Plus there are a lot of likable characters and storylines in this series. I would love to see either Jimmy Butler or Nikola Jokic hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy for the 1st time. I would love to see Erik Spoelstra prove that he can win a title without D-Wade or LeBron. I would love to see Mike Malone after a long respective career as an NBA Head Coach get his first ring. Not to mention both of these rosters reflect the image of their coaches and best players. This series will match up one of the most successful figures in NBA History against the current Emperor of the Sports World. Pat Riley vs Stan Kroenke. Riley has a chance to win his 9th ring as a coach or executive. Kroenke has the chance to win his 3rd title in just over a calendar year. What also makes this matchup fun is that these two teams have one thing in common. Roasting ESPN and Fox Sports figures all postseason. The Nuggets have roasted Skip Bayless, Colin Cowherd, and Nick Wright during the playoffs. (Skip even had them on upset alert in the 1st Round. Boy he’s regretting that right now) Miami meanwhile has roasted 3 of the biggest NBA personalities that ESPN has to offer thanks to beating the teams that they are associated with either as a reporter, fan, or player. Malika, Stephen A, and Big Perk. (MA was even crying after the Bucks lost Game 5 to the Heat, and Perk wants the Jays of Beantown broken up) In a way this reminds me of the Stanley Cup Finals this year as well The Heat are doing what the Panthers have done in the NHL and made as an 8th seed. While the Nuggets have been the #1 seed all year and haven’t gotten attention. Just like in that series something has to give. We’re either witnessing the 1st 8 seed to ever win an NBA Title, or the end of a long standing Legacy of Failure. Regardless of the outcome, we will see something we’ve never seen before, plus the talking heads and officials will lose decisively. GIVE US MORE CHAOS!
Prediction: This has been quite possibly the craziest season in NBA History. So it only makes sense that the Finals is going to be anyone’s game. On paper Denver should win this but it’s going to be full of drama and excitement. Despite the Nuggets having the edge, the return of Tyler Herro cannot be ignored. You know what. I’m making a bold prediction. The home team is going undefeated in this series. That means the Nuggets are winning their first championship in 7. Why? Because this season has been so crazy that it’s only fitting that the ending will mirror what’s happened in this league since October. Thank god my Finals prediction before the playoffs never happened!
Bragging Rights Sports 