It’s done! The first round of the 2024 NBA playoffs is history, and we’ve just seen 2 seeding upsets in this preliminary round of hostilities. In the Eastern Conference, the No. 6 seed Indiana Pacers booted out the No. 3 seed Milwaukee Bucks, while in the Western Conference, the No. 5 seed Dallas Mavericks stopped the No. 4 seed Los Angeles Clippers, to complete the cast for the last 8 teams standing.
Moving forward to the second-round, things are expected to heat up fast. In the West, the fast-rising 3rd-seed Minnesota Timberwolves have a return bout with the defending NBA champs and 2nd-seed Denver Nuggets; while the top-seed Oklahoma Thunder tangle with upset-minded Dallas Mavs. In the East, the top-seed Boston Celtics lock horns with the resurgent Cleveland Cavaliers; while the 2nd-seed New York Knicks and the Indiana Pacers tangle for the right to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals.
The Twolves surprised the Denver home crowd by winning Game 1 today, and stealing homecourt advantage from the Nuggets. The Twolves have the size (Rudy Gobert/Naz Reid/Karl Anthony Towns), and the athleticism (the peaking Anthony Edwards); but the Nuggets have the championship experience, and the league’s prospective MVP (Nikola Jokic). With both teams splitting their regular season matches with 2 wins apiece, this match-up is too close to call. The Nuggets should be favored due to their championship pedigree, but the injury hampering Jamal Murray’s performance should be the straw that breaks the camel’s back. I’ve got the Twolves winning in 7.
The Oklahoma Thunder are strong on both ends of the court. They also have a relatively deeper bench. The only question would be their youth and playoff inexperience. But the same holds true for the Mavs. Except for their 2 future Hall-of-Famers: Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic. The experience and the immense talent of these 2 will be a big advantage for the Mavs. But the Thunder are a flexible lot; they can play big or small, fast or slow, a credit to their newly-declared NBA Coach of the Year, Mark Daigneault. With Shai Gilgeous Alexander providing instant offense, and the rim-protecting Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams providing adequate support, the Thunder should be slightly favored. The uncertainty of Maxi Kleber’s availability to play in the series further aggravates the Mavs’ bench woes. Thunder in 7.
In the East, the Knicks – Pacers face-off should remind us of the Patrick Ewing/Reggie Miller rivalry decades back. This should be a battle of opposing styles. The Knicks, by necessity, have the slowest-paced offense in the league, owing to the fact that they have 4 players putting in 40-plus minutes of playing time per game. The Pacers, on the other hand, play at breakneck speed. It will be a Jalen Brunson vs Tyrese Halliburton dance party. Whoever is able to impose his style on the other should take this series. And it looks like Jalen and the Knicks will do just that. Jalen has shown that he thrives under the bright lights of the playoffs, and the Pacers do not have the personnel to put the cuffs on him. The Knicks should survive this in 7.
Even with Kristaps Porzingis questionable to play, the Boston Celtics are still favored to beat the Cleveland Cavs. The Cavs are a pleasant surprise, showing steady development under the leadership of Donovan Mitchell . But the Celtics, owners of the league’s best win-loss slate this year, have a well-balanced team, be it in defense or offense. With resident superstars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown now beefed up by Porzingis and former Milwaukee Bucks’ kingmaker, Jrue Holiday, this team is loaded. And they’re definitely on their way to the Eastern Conference Finals. Celtics in 5.
So there you have it. I’ve got the newbies OKC Thunder and the Minnesota Twolves surviving the Western wars, while the Boston Celtics and the New York Knicks step forward for the Eastern front. It will be the changing of the guards, with only the Celtics joining the fab 4 coming from the traditional powers. Gone are the old guards from the Golden State Warriors, the LA Lakers, the Phoenix Suns, the Miami Heat and the Milwaukee Bucks. For now, only the defending champs Denver Nuggets and the Celtics are left to duke it out. It is youth trumping wisdom and experience this time. We see fresh legs, we see explosive new moves. Feel the new energy, folks, for the youth movement has arrived.
Cover photo courtesy of Star Tribune. Other pjhotos courtesy of FadeAway World, Canis Hoopus, MassLive.com and NBA.com. For a closer look, pls click on the pic.
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