The NBA Playoffs have been something this year. Scoring has gone down, the officials have let their players play for once, and we’ve gotten gobs of chaos that no other major sports league has offered this year despite the ratings being down (NFL and MLB you in particular should take notes from this postseason). In 2025, The Year of the Blowout, tensions are at extreme levels of insanity. Now how did we get to this point?
Sacramento Kings (You Don’t Deserve This Bounty): Let me put it this way. In no way should the Kings be in this situation currently speaking. That’s what happens when Vivek Ranadive can’t stop staying out of his own way. This man, just like in the last regime, traded away the face of the franchise and fired a coach with championship DNA in his blood. (A prime example of not being able to judge talent) The result is more agonizing mediocrity and being a whipping boy for teams in the West. The game against Dallas proved that thinking. Despite home court advantage Sacramento was mauled by a team that was literally being dragged by Anthony Davis to relevance. The DeRozan and LaVine experience hasn’t panned out, how shocking to my own eyes. The loss to the Mavericks isn’t even the worst outcome for Kings fans. Remember Kevin Huerter? One of your top players from that Cinderella 2023 season, who you shipped off to Chicago for LaVine at the trade deadline. It turns out that the price you paid to get him a few years ago has come back to bite you. SacTown’s 1st Round pick which is a Top 15 selection now belongs to the Hawks. The only thing that this franchise can blame is itself. “I EXPECT NOTHING AND I’M STILL LET DOWN!”
Dallas Mavericks (The Horror Ride Is Over): This was an outcome people saw coming from a mile away. Nico Harrison and the NBA’s answer to Mike Keenan in Jason Kidd must receive punishment from the Basketball Gods for trading the franchise’s answer to Dirk Nowitzski at the deadline. That being Kyrie Irving tearing his ACL, Anthony Davis being on the IL for a long period of time, and then collapsing to the point where they nearly missed the playoffs entirely (They’re lucky that the Suns have turned into the Carolina Panthers of the NBA). Even after surviving the Land of Cowbells, the Mavs got hammered by a Grizzlies team with Ja Morant on one leg. AD had 40 in that game and it didn’t matter because they couldn’t stop a 3 point shot if their lives depended on it. Nico you’ve got your work cut out for you and it’s going to take a miracle to get out of the mess you dug yourselves. No not in terms of roster construction, but in terms of how you’re being treated by the fans and Dallas Media. But all it takes is one big move this offseason or the gods handing you a prime draft position to turn the tide. You can manage right?
Chicago Bulls (PredictaBull): I’m starting to sound like a broken record aren’t I? The play-in tournament other than 2023 mostly has awarded mediocrity. The Bulls are a prime example (Well it was either them or the Hornets for a few years). They got mauled by Miami in front of a sell out crowd at the United Center, AND I MEAN MAULED! They let Tyler Herro off the hook all night, and while Josh Giddey tried, he didn’t have the depth around him in that game like Herro did. Although I must admit this. At least Chicago is considering a rebuild and tanking project. This should have happened back in 2021, but it never did because Reinsdorf got triggered over the Bucks winning a title that year. Even though he doesn’t have many years left on this earth, he at least has chosen to do the right thing with the Bulls in theory (Whether or not this will happen for the White Sox is up for debate). Coby White is really good, but something tells me the price he’ll be demanding for in trade talks will be steep (Also Vucevic is a free agent). If this turns out to be a lie and they have impressions on being competitive, it proves that this past its prime organization has learned nothing.
Atlanta Hawks (When Will You Stop This Trend?): Outside of 2021, this has been quite a theme for the Hawks. A great offense with Trae Young in his prime being wasted thanks to a terrible defense resulting in either a 1st Round or play-in tournament exit. But even then, that offense just died against the Magic. I get Jalen Johnson is injured, and you traded away DeAndre Hunter but where was Risacher and Dyson Daniels in this game. Both guys had come on strong for them in March, and they did THAT? Not to mention they gave up 26 points to Cole Anthony. COLE ANTHONY! Even for this dud performance, Atlanta still had a chance to beat Miami at home to earn the invitation towards an ass kicking by Cleveland. Look at Ice Trae, pulling off some late game heroics to force OT. (BUZZER!) And then the rest of the team fell apart as Tyler Herro and Andrew Wiggins put the dagger in their hearts. Season over. Now how long will Trae be patient in regards to his status in the ATL. I don’t know, but he needs help in the worst way possible. Well even though the Hawks have underachieved over the last half decade at least you have the Braves… THE HELL DO MEAN THEY STARTED 0-7! “DID I EVER TELL YOU THE DEFINITION OF INSANITY”
Memphis Grizzlies (Sucked Up By Gravity): At least I can say it’s better than where they were last year. Well if Taylor Jenkins was still the coach. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, when your organization trusts Ja Morant aka the modern day Gilbert Arenas you have serious problems. (If Jenkins were still there they would still have lost this series but not like that) This series proves why Memphis is and always will be an inferior complex. The Thunder didn’t even do anything that special outside of a 51 point drubbing in Game 1, and they still destroyed them. Ja dealing with a bad ankle from the play-in tournament is like adding gasoline to the fire. At this point if I’m the Grizzlies I don’t know what to do. Morant is a great player but he and Jaret Jackson can’t do every single thing imaginable. The Marcus Smart experiment stalled out and Desmond Bane will be demanding huge money in the future. At least they have their 1st Round pick… OH RIGHT! Both of their picks this year belong to the Hornets. You really gave that franchise a chance of drafting a great player of all things.
Los Angeles Clippers (Never Change Clippers): The Curse of Donald Sterling never takes a day off doesn’t it. No matter what the Clippers do in regards to bringing in talented players, solid coaching, and being relatively healthy, they can’t seem to break through. Hell Kawhi was finally healthy for the first time in what feels like an eternity. Denver was without a coach for crying out loud (Well their coach in that series technically was Nikola Jokic). Not to mention they overcame a 20 point 4th Quarter deficit in Game 4, the chance to bury the Nuggets was there in sight. “HERE I COME TO SAVE THE DAY!” But then Aaron Gordon happened. His buzzer beater changed the entire momentum of the series. But Mike you say, the Clippers won Game 6, James Harden is going to the Mile High City to exorcise his demons as well as the entire franchise. (BUZZER!) And then they laid another massive egg to lose the series. Out of all the players to cost LA, I never thought it would be Kawhi. He was outplayed by Christian Braun in Game 7. At this point, I don’t know what you do if you’re Balmer or Sedra. You have a new arena, you’ve gone all in, had a ridiculous hot streak in March, and you still can’t win the big one. I do have good news for you, you didn’t suffer the fate your older brother did…
Los Angeles Lakers (OKC, KFC, UFC, You Know The Rest): HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! What I’m about to say is something that I have been screaming for years. The Los Angeles Lakers are the most overrated franchise in all of sports (Cowboys, Maple Leafs, and Mets fans all approve of this). All the talk about how they were going to run through the entire Western Conference and they can’t even win a game in the 1st Round without the aid of REFBALL Their only win of this series was due to horrible officiating against the Wolves. Other than that it was a complete slaughter (When a team owned by Alex Rodriguez is considered the more likable squad at least in my book, that’s saying something). Minnesota straight up dominated the Lakers and their sidekicks donning zebra stripes. It wasn’t even Anthony Edwards who did the majority of the damage despite being his usual self. It was Rudy Gobert and Julius Randle. The man that Lakers fans were calling the most overrated defender in basketball and a guy who they considered as a massive bust. THATS WHO BEAT THEM! If that was bad enough, it gets worse. JJ Redick to the surprise of no one was massively out-coached by Chris Finch. The fact that he played his starters for an entire half of Game 4 is grounds for firing. But NOOOOOOO! Jeannie Buss needs someone to be a yes man for LeBron. Lakers you have your answer to Steve Nash. And speaking of LeBron he has a player option this offseason. He’s gonna finish his career in LA, right? “YOU BLEW IT BOY! YOU REALLY BLEW IT!!!”
Houston Rockets (HouSteph = LeBronto): This season was the jolt that the Rockets organization desperately needed after how the Harden Era ended. Making the playoffs as a high seed with a young and talented core is something that you can hold your head high on. Sadly for Houston they were up against the worst possible opponent they could have faced. The Warriors own the Rockets in the playoffs And that’s despite Houston matching up well with Golden State this time. It doesn’t matter who they have behind the bench or on the court, DubNation will always be one step ahead of them (Dillon Brooks aka Steph Curry and Draymond Green’s whipping boy). But even then there was still hope. Despite the free throw shooting duds in Games 3-4, the Rockets dominated in Games 5 and 6. Alfren Sengun and Jalen Green had signature performances to give them the chance to exorcise their demons. (BUZZER!) And then Toyota Center was forced to relive 2018. Agony, thy name is Stephen Curry, AGAIN! (Leaving Buddy Hield off the hook in the 2nd Quarter was a death blow) Unlike previous losses to the Warriors, this was more of a learning experience for Houston than anything. I know everyone will say that they should go for an outside superstar, but to me. I’d say run it back. The more often you go to the playoffs with the current core, the better off you’ll be in future (Their boogeyman went through this pre-2015). In other words, somebody tell me how they did it (I HAVE TO KNOW!)?
Miami Heat (SpiderTac): The less said about this the better. The Heat were waving the white flag once they traded Jimmy Butler. And while Andrew Wiggins had his moments as did Tyler Herro and a resurgent Bam Adebayo, it wasn’t enough to even compete. This series was Cleveland’s way of getting payback on Miami for taking LeBron from them 15 years ago. The Cavs straight up destroyed the Heat in every sense of the word. I mean the first two games, Eric Spoelstra’s boys ran out of gas, but back in South Beach. It was a complete slaughter. And it wasn’t even Donovan Mitchell or Darius Garland that ate them alive. It was Sam Merrill, DeAndre Hunter, and Ty Jerome. In layman’s terms, the whole team. If there’s anything that this series proves it’s that the HeatCulture might be near its expiration date. But to be fair we said this back in 2019 and look how that turned out. Don’t worry Pat Riley, if Devin Booker wants out of Phoenix you guys will be right there waiting for him. You can manage right (That or Zach LaVine).
Milwaukee Bucks (Dame Trade = Deshaun Trade): People really had the Bucks winning this series. With their lack of depth, not having home court advantage, and Indiana being a matchup nightmare for Milwaukee? Those folks were all lying right from the start. I knew the Bucks were getting blown out during the first quarter of the first game. The perfect way to describe this series was if Slade captured the Teen Titans leaving Robin all by himself to fight his nemesis. That’s what happened to Giannis. Hell, he was the only reason why this wasn’t a four game sweep. But the piece de resistance was still yet to come. Somehow, some way, the Bucks were able to get Dame back from injury just in time for this series and he puts up a beauty in Game 3 to get them back in the series. I guess there’s hope for them after all. (DRAMATIC MUSIC!) Damian Lillard suffered the same injury as Deshaun Watson did, in the same exact way, with Jimmy Haslam giving Lillard the exact same contract as Watson. (It’s one of the few times I’ve laughed at a player getting injured because the Gods got ticked at Haslam AGAIN!) And who knows if he’ll ever be the same player again. And all that’s left is a Game 5 buzzer beater by Tyrese Haliburton as well Haliburton’s dad getting in a scrum with Giannis. Honestly if this is truly it for him as a Buck, it would be a sad way for him to go out. And I don’t blame Giannis if he wants to leave. He’s won a championship, broken nearly every single franchise record, and has nothing else to gain if he stays in MKE (And if I’m him, I’m not dealing with Haslam turning this team into the Browns of the NBA). As long as he and Khris Middleton don’t go to Boston and win a championship there like Ray Allen, Glenn Robinson, and Sam Cassell did before them, I think Bucks fans will accept him wanting a new challenge (Now why are Jon Horst and Doc Rivers still employed? BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHO!).
Detroit Pistons (THAT CLOSE!): Welcome Back to Reality Pistons fans (Had to use an Eminem quote there). It’s been a while since you’ve been here. Yes you won a playoff game for the first time in almost 20 years. Yes you have a young core led by Cade Cunningham who’s not only healthy, but playing up to his #1 overall selection. But there’s just one thing I must ask. HOW THE HELL DID YOU GUYS NOT CLOSE THE DOOR ON THE KNICKS! There were three separate times where Detroit had New York on the ropes only to blow it in the final minute. Well maybe not Game 1 they blew a 14 point lead in the 2nd Half because they got caught up in the big moment, but Games 4 and 6 were just rough. The chance to create the moment that kick starts another legendary era for this franchise, only for Jalen Brunson to rip it out of their hands. Vintage Detroit. Although I can’t go too hard on the Pistons because they aren’t ready for the big time, and most of their young guns aren’t in their prime. Their time will come but at least it’s better than it was a year ago. As usual JB Bickerstaff cannot beat the Knicks. At this point I feel like he has PTSD from the words Madison Square Garden (Thats twice in three years).
Orlando Magic (Devoured By Limping Irishmen): Remember how much hope there was for this franchise last year. Well lets say its been put on hold. As I mentioned earlier, Orlando slipped a bit this season due to the element of surprise not being there, as well as an inconsistent offense. Wouldn’t you guess it, those two things came into play big time in this series. Boston was doing everything they could to hand the Magic momentum. Including injuries to Jayson Tatum and Jrue Holiday. But even with Disney levels of Deus Ex Machina landing in their opponents laps and being a bad matchup for Boston, the Celtics still managed to put these boys out of their misery in 5 games (Had the C’s blown Game 4, it would have been ugly in Beantown the next morning). Orlando has pieces like the Wagner Brothers and Banchero but they lack overall structure. And I don’t know where they’re going to find it if given the chance. Did Dwight Howard really curse this franchise after he got traded? That’s the only explanation I have.
Denver Nuggets (One Man Can’t Do It All): Frank Sinatra said it best. That’s life and that’s what the people say. You’re riding high in April yet you’re shot down in May because reality slaps you in the face. This is what the Nuggets are going through. Anyone with logic knew they weren’t going to go far once they fired Mike Malone, but they at least gave it their best shot. And by that I mean Nikola Jokic and Aaron Gordon (I thought OKC was doomed after Gordon’s heroics in Game 7) Those two were the only reasons why Denver even had a chance in this series. The Thunder had all of the advantages on their side throughout this series, yet the Nuggets had heart and tenacity. Even though they lost a heartbreaker in Game 5 because SGA solidified his MVP status, Denver did put together an excellent all around performance in Game 6. (BOOM!) Then came Game 7. Jokic and Gordon ran out of gas while Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr couldn’t wake up from their postseason slump. It’s interesting that I say that about Murray. From how I see it, if Stan Kroenke didn’t make a rare coaching and executive overhaul, they might still be playing right now but they would’ve backed into it. Well at least you have all summer to regroup and find the right coach Stan. As long as Jokic doesn’t want out you’ll be fine (I don’t think he will. He doesn’t have the personality to constantly deal with big market media crews)
Golden State Warriors (Poor Jimmy Butler): I really thought this was going to be the second coming of We Believe. With how the Dubs overcame a rough start to the season and finally managed to play up to their potential down the stretch plus holding off a furious comeback effort by Houston in the 1st Round. It looked as if America’s Worst Nightmare would be coming true once again. But then the Basketball Gods had other plans. The one person that couldn’t go down with injury went down early in Game 1. (CRACK!) I didn’t want to admit this at the time, but I knew when Steph Curry got injured that Golden State was dead in the water. Over the next four games, Minnesota had their way with them, especially at Target Center. For as much heat as the media gave Jimmy Butler throughout this series, he was the only reason why the Warriors had a chance to win Games 3 and 4 (If only Anthony Edwards didn’t destroy them in the 3rd Quarter of each of those two games). Especially since Steve Kerr’s so-called depth went MIA for the final four games. Podziemski? Moody? Hield? Post? You can show up at any time boys. The only thing that concerns me going forward for the Dubs is that Father Time won’t be kind to them. Steph, Draymond, and Jimmy are all in their mid 30s, and who knows how many years of elite play are left in them. They might need to go to the high stakes table yet again even if Joe Lacob desires loyalty more than anything in this organization. Ugh, please make a trade for Giannis in the offseason! (That or Joel Embiid given that he too needs a change of scenery badly)
Cleveland Cavaliers (The Factory Of Sadness): You can’t escape your fate Cavs. You can’t avoid the inevitable reality of it coming to undo your dreams of glory. You can tell me that Kenny Atkinson is the right coach for this team, how loaded they are both with their starting five and off the bench, and how Dan Gilbert has learned from his mistakes over the years… DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT CITY THIS IS! Even with one of the deepest rosters in franchise history, the Cavs can’t escape the Cleveland Sports Stereotype. Delivering their fans endless amounts of pain just as they get close to the ultimate prize (Excluding 2016 we were cancelled that year due to an incident in Oakland). The Pacers were a tough draw for them yes, but the Cavs had countless chances to establish control of the series. In Game 1 they overcame a 15 point deficit… (BUZZER!) And then got mauled in the final minutes by an avalanche of points. In Game 2, the Cavaliers were up 20 in the 3rd Quarter, and 7 with 90 seconds left… (BUZZER!) And they choked. Why is Jarrett Allen covering Haliburton of all people? Then they got massacred on Mother’s Day in Indianapolis just like the Knicks did last year, and they blew another lead at home to close the series. I feel like Cleveland just can’t get any breaks no matter what the sport is. Don’t get me wrong I love watching their fans suffer as a fan of a rival, but sometimes you just feel bad for them. This is one of those times especially given the riches they had during the season (At least they aren’t losing any significant players to free agency)
Boston Celtics (RUN FOR COVER): We really thought we were safe. We finally thought that the Celtics playing down to their competition in the playoffs would be yesterday’s news after lifting Banner #18. Well guess what? It never left, those habits took a much needed nap before waking up again. I get that Boston was banged up going into this series but how does that explain blowing not one but two games in this series when leading by 20 points? AT HOME! If they win those two games, Boston wins in 5. But that wasn’t even the most devastating blow of them all. In Game 4, Jayson Tatum had one of the better postseason games of his career, shutting up his doubters, and single handedly bailing his teammates out of an awful shooting night. (BOOM!) And then the worst case scenario happened. Torn achilles, done for the rest of the postseason and all of 2025-26. Even though Jaylen Brown may be the better player in my eyes, this injury and the events that took place in Game 6 proves how much both he and Tatum need each other side by side (Then again the whole team feels this way). What looked like the next great Celtic dynasty has now reached a fork in the road. I don’t know what’s going to happen now. Although knowing Brad Stevens and Joe Mazzulla they’re going to find some low key acquisition who fits their scheme and becomes a game changer as is tradition. In other words, prepare the bunkers. Knicks fans have come out of hiding to lorde over us all. URK!
Cooper Flagg Draft Lottery (NICO HARRISON YOU’RE FREE): Remember when every single basketball nerd and media expert bashed Nico Harrison for trading away Luka Doncic? Apparently Adam Silver felt symptomatic for Nico and told him you know what? You may have lost the second coming of Dirk but I’ve got a plan for you this offseason. “The 2nd pick goes to… the San Antonio Spurs.” THE MAVS WON THE LOTTERY! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! This has to be one of the most hilarious outcomes in recent sports memory. The Mavericks go from losing Luka Doncic to the Lakers and Kyrie Irving to a torn ACL to winning the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes which will pair him with Kyrie and Anthony Davis (Not to mention they’ve been linked with Kevin Durant too). Sometimes in sports when you make sacrifices you can get rewarded in the long run. And Nico as well as Jason Kidd are a prime example. Rest easy boys.
Minnesota Timberwolves (Full Minneapolis): I know the narrative is to say that the Timberwolves blew a golden opportunity like last year but that is so not the case. The fact that they made it back to the Western Conference Finals is seen as an accomplishment. When you consider that they traded away the longtime face of the franchise, and dealt with injuries early in the season it’s impressive that they made another deep playoff run and took out the Lakers and Warriors in the process. Unlike the Dallas series a year ago, this time they were up against a potential empire firing on all cylinders. Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle were good. SGA and Jalen Williams were even better REFBALL aside. Other than Game 3, the Thunder dominated this series and Minnesota couldn’t match their scoring depth especially in Games 1 and 5. As a result the clock struck midnight on the Wolves. They’re close to a championship, but something feels missing right now. They have a solid supporting cast around AntMan, but he might need another star to help get him over the top. This is where they could have used someone like Karl Anthony Towns, it’s a shame they couldn’t but that’s what happens when you try to add more pieces to the roster. Anyways, how’s KAT doing over there in New York? (At least we won’t get to see Alex Rodriguez gloat about being the owner of a team in the NBA Finals. Thats always a positive)
New York Knicks (Is That Reggie Miller Over There?): I don’t know if I’ve ever seen the Basketball Gods troll a team so hard the way they did so to the New York Knicks. Just when it appeared that all the stars were aligning for their first championship in over 50 years especially after they took down the Mighty Leprechauns, New York suffered a harsh reality in the Eastern Conference Finals. You may have slayed one boogeyman but you’re about to get victimized by an even bigger one. Since 1990, teams leading by 8 or points with less than a minute to go in the 4th Quarter only lost twice out of 2428 times. The Knicks were the team that lost both games, against the Pacers, in Madison Square Garden, AND in Game 1 of said series against Indiana. Once Tyrese Haliburton hit that buzzer beater toe on the line or not, I knew that the Pacers were going to win this series. Not only because they had all of the momentum, but two key factors soon came into play. Stamina, and depth. Indiana had a massive advantage in both categories. Not even KAT and Jalen Brunson could overcome this. Both of those guys were amazing especially Towns given that he was playing on one leg and they still couldn’t win the series. Remember when Reggie Miller gave Spike Lee the choke hold in Game 1 in 1995, both Haliburton and Pat McAfee did the same to Spike and Ben Stiller throughout this series. No matter what the Knicks did this year, bringing in Towns and Mikal Bridges, finally beating the Celtics, Tom Thibedeau proving his doubters wrong, and showing their long suffering fans that the future is brighter than ever, they still can’t beat the Pacers when it matters It’s like we never left the 90s at all (I hope Stephen A is ok right now, he must really be going through it). PAUSE.
We thought we’d get rest after how chaotic and insane the regular season was? Heck no, the playoffs were just as bonkers especially given how many big names and teams went down early. Do you want proof as to why the NBA is the most unpredictable league among the four American major sports? Look at the NBA Finals matchup. What do we have out West this year?
Oklahoma City Thunder: (Thunder by Imagine Dragons playing) It’s been quite the journey for OKC to make it back to this point after a 13 year wait. Through all of the nonsense and heartbreak that this organization has had to deal with makes this year that much sweeter. This run to the Finals for the Thunder has been the result of half a decade’s worth of clever drafting, shrewd trading, and excellent player development. Three major assets that an organization must have in order to compete for championships in the modern NBA. You think Howie Roseman is a mastermind of a GM, then so is Sam Presti. In fact Presti is Roseman on steroids. Not only has he constructed the next great empire but Presti has done so in a way that the sports world hasn’t seen since Jimmy Johnson was the coach/GM of the Dallas Cowboys back in the early 90s. Remember the Paul George Trade from 2020? The Thunder got four 1st Round picks to work with plus a future League MVP (This has the potential to be the NBA’s Herschel Walker Trade if the Thunder become a dynasty). That man’s name? Shai Gilgeous Alexander. For years he was labeled as the most underrated player in the league. Now, he’s another in a long line of international superstars that have taken over the league especially with how he’s taken charge this postseason on both sides of the ball. The dream Point Guard. One that every organization wants to emulate going forward. And look at the depth that Presti surrounded him with. Chet Holmgren was seen as a generational talent coming out of Gonzaga. Even though he’s had to fight injuries since coming to OKC, he’s been an excellent pick and roll partner for SGA. Another big prize in the PG13 trade was Jalen Williams, who has emerged as one of the best young players in the game today. He not only has an excellent jump shot but he can play great defense as well. Just ask AntMan and Michael Porter Jr. It’s not only trades and draft picks either. In free agency this offseason, the Thunder hit two home runs back to back in the form of Isaiah Hartenstein and Alex Caruso. Hartenstein showed flashes in New York but nothing consistent. Here, he’s starting to realize his potential. Caruso on the other hand has dealt with injuries this year, but he made it back into the lineup at just the right time, and is playing like he did with the Lakers in 2020. And that’s including the talent they have off the bench (This year the Thunder had 8 players average 10+ PPG this year, an NBA Record). Luguentz Dort as a sharp shooting 3 point specialist, Cason Wallace as a quality backup to SGA (Also a prize in the PG13 Trade), Aaron Wiggins is another young stud and perhaps their secret weapon. Isaiah Joe and Ajay Williams would be 6th Men on most teams but here, they’re buried deep into the bench as is Jaylin Williams. Not to mention they have a Top 10 pick in next year’s draft to work with thanks to taking on Al Horford’s contract after he was traded out of Philadelphia (. Mark Daigneault may not be a household name among NBA head coaches, but the system he’s implemented fits his team’s strength. They’re young, they’re exciting, and most importantly they’re unselfish. Look at their postgame interviews. The majority of the team is usually huddled around SGA or Holmgren as they’re taking questions from reporters. That’s how much of a bond these guys have. And their raucous fanbase is no different. Oklahoma City is finally getting their chance at glory once again. After coming up short time after time after time during the 2010s given that they had Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant, and many other star players all in their primes, the Thunder are now four wins away from exercising those demons and staking their claim as one of the greatest single season teams in NBA History. A hard earned title is in sight following series wins over Memphis, Denver, and Minnesota, but to get there OKC will have to take down an opponent that is ironically a mere image of them.
Indiana Pacers: (Gonna Make You Sweat/Everybody Dance Now playing) Basketball in the state of Indiana has had a rich tradition over the years, however it hasn’t been kind to the locals in the playoffs especially to the Pacers. They have had several great teams over the years that have been undone mostly by things out of their control. No matter what this franchise did to try and get over the hump, someone was always bigger and better than they were. Those being Jordan, Kobe, and LeBron for the most part (Plus the Pistons of the mid 2000s took them out a few times). Now after 25 years of waiting the Pacers finally get another shot at the NBA Finals and ending their long standing Legacy of Failure. Last year they had a Cinderella run to the Conference Finals but were punched in the mouth by Leprechauns in 4 straight games despite putting up a good fight. The question going into this year was how would they build off of that? Well the answer to that question is by breaking the internet almost literally. Seriously every team that they’ve beaten this postseason has been broken. Milwaukee got straight up dominated for the 2nd year in a row to the point where the greatest player in franchise history might have played his last game as a Buck. Cleveland went from the class of the Eastern Conference to getting nuked in 5 games (Plus there are questions about how their roster is currently constructed). New York went from team of destiny to reinforcing why they are still the property of Reggie Miller, and none of this happens without a massive gamble at the trade deadline in 2022. In the middle of a forgettable season, the Pacers traded away Domantas Sabonis to Sacramento who had just signed an extension with the team not too long ago. In the end it was worth it because now Reggie Miller isn’t the only Pacers great that enjoys nothing but delivery agony to the fans at Madison Square Garden in the playoffs. Tyrese Haliburton is the other. Remember when people called him the most overrated player in basketball? He took those comments personally and has responded by being the destroyer of those players’ hopes and dreams. You can punish his father for trash talking Giannis all you want, but he’ll keep coming until you’re finished and have nothing left. The same goes for Pascal Siakum. He was always a fan favorite in Toronto and now in Naptown he’s provided that same energy on both sides of the ball (“SI-AKUM!” -Every Bucks fan). And we haven’t even gotten to Myles Turner. The longest tenured member on this squad has been able to hang with the big boys consistently this postseason, and he’s opened up his game from the outside as well. Their Big 3 has led the way, but the depth around them is the key. Andrew Nembhard and Aaron Newsmith come to mind. They may not be household names from a National perspective but they have played key roles for the Pacers this postseason, and like Haliburton they are experts at delivering in the clutch. Bennedict Mathurin is another blessing to an organization full of young players with everything to prove. Obi Toppin and TJ McConnell may have been seen as busts in Philly and New York, but in Indy they’ve been under the radar contributors who play their roles well. Even though this may be a young and hungry squad, they do have championship DNA in them. Well that’s because Rick Carlisle was the coach of that 2011 Mavericks team that upset the Big 3 Heat in the Finals (Which is saying something considering that Dallas had Dirk Nowitzski, Jason Kidd, Vince Carter, and Tyson Chandler among others on that team) and his fast pace style is perfect for the modern NBA. But he’s not alone. Larry Bird has been in this organization for almost 30 years. And yes he won 3 titles as the cornerstone of the Celtics dynasty in the 80s, he’s always wanted to bring an NBA Title back to Hoosier State. Now the team that he and Carlisle have built is getting that chance. The Curse of Bobby Knight is at stake, and the Pacers are going to do everything they can to break it. If they’re going down they’re going down swinging, the future be damned. PAUSE.
(Personal Jesus playing) OH DOCTOR! We have reached a groundbreaking moment for the NBA. For the first time in almost 20 years, the NBA Finals will feature not one but two cities that are in the bottom half of the league in terms of TV and population markets. Think about this for a second, Adam Silver the commissioner who has gotten the most negativity thrown at him by sports fans around the country is in charge of the league that currently has the most parity (Even more than Rob Manfred). LOOK AT IT! Last year the MLB had Yankees vs Dodgers in the World Series and it’s probably leaning towards that again this year, the NFL has featured the same four teams in the Super Bowl for the better part of the last decade (Chiefs, Eagles, 49ers, Patriots), and the NHL has a Stanley Cup Finals rematch between the Oilers and Panthers. Three leagues that had plenty of parity are now predictable while the league that was once viewed as the most predictable now has the most parity. The ratings may be down but honestly this is great for basketball. There is so much talent spread over the entire league and right now there isn’t a true face of the league since most of those players who qualify as such are international players. As for this series, it’s two teams who I think see a lot of one in the other. They’re two of the youngest teams in basketball, they both are Top 5 in total offense, they have incredible speed, they execute the fundamentals, and they both have two of the most underrated fanbases that the NBA has to offer. Not to mention they enjoy bringing salt to people around the country. While Indiana made ESPN eat gigantic amounts of salt for taking down Giannis as well as their beloved Knicks, Oklahoma City has literally triggered the entirety of PSNTV. You wanna know how much damage there was there. The entire 360 Sports panel had the Thunder losing in the 2nd Round, hell Jack Harrison didn’t even have them winning a game in that round (Who’s laughing now buddy). Looks like that entire 4 man crew who was on air for the NBA Postseason Preview will be receiving Christmas cards from the Thunder organization if they win the title. Well at least they’re not Seattle. They’re probably the one city that’s rooting just as hard for the Pacers as Indy is. The way that fanbase was given the middle finger by the Sonics 17 years ago when they left town for OKC was unforgettable, and if they have to watch their old franchise win a championship, it further proves that the Emerald City is definitely cursed (Other than the 2013 Seahawks, the gods have not been kind to them at all). One way or another this is in my opinion the 2021 Finals on steroids. The winner of this series will shed years upon years of failure and agony and be rewarded with the Larry O’Brien Trophy. Please let the ratings for this series be high!
Prediction: We’ve somehow made it this far. Do you want a prediction? Well if the oddsmakers have a say in it, this is another case of it being a lopsided series on paper. But here’s the thing, these games aren’t played on paper. I think this is going to be an epic series where there is no margin for error. With the speed and physicality that Indiana has it’ll be a tough out. Will it be enough to take out a future empire? Who knows, but it’ll be interesting to see how that plays out. In reality, the Thunder despite the Pacers putting up a great fight wins their first title in 6 games. Get your bowl of popcorn ready because this is going to be an epic series! DON’T LET ME DOWN!
Bragging Rights Sports 