2024 NBA Playoffs pt. 1 | heading into wcf/ecf
The NBA Playoffs are back and we have finished 2 rounds to end up with a final four teams: Mavericks, Timberwolves, Celtics, and Pacers.
Now before we get into everything we just gotta address the clown among these teams that is the Pacers because WOW lol even though I wanted them to beat the Knicks, this run is such a fluke, it reminds me of Trae Young and the Hawks making ecf in like 2021 or something. Pacers just playing against hospital teams and almost lost.
Here's my predictions to share out that I made before the playoffs and playin started. You can see I got the west playin spots right but mixed up the east playin spots so whatever.
Ok anyway here I will run down each playoff series that's happened so far, giving a nice preview heading into the wcf and ecf, where I will make my predictions on who makes the finals and who wins the championship.
First Round: West
Thunder Pelicans
Didn't watch this series like at all, I think I watched part of game 1. Pelicans got swept which doesnt rly make sense, like how does CJ Mccolum just completely disappear like that, he used to be rly solid, I remember there were times where he was like playing like an all star. Now he's just like Tobias Harris.
Clippers Mavericks
Rly happy the mavericks won this series in 6, which I knew would happen. Everyone predicted the Clippers to win this series, some even put them coming out of the West. Kawhi was injured so that played a role but either way the Mavs depth won them the series, they got some nice centers like Lively, Gafford, and also like Kleber. Kyrie also played rly good this series which was definitely super comforting, MY GOAT IS NOT WASHED.
Timberwolves Suns
I lot of ppl were saying Suns were gonna win but their whole team composition and depth is just so bad. THey really have to rely on Nurkic carrying their frontcourt which is crazy LMAO they were doomed. This series is when Ant really started to shine and so did KAT and Gobert. This sweep really made ppl take the Wolves seriously. I bet if the wolves played the suns 8 times, the wolves wouldve still swept them 8-0. Maybe one of the games Booker drops 50 pts but like even with taht the Wolves just have so many wings and rim protection they don't even gotta try and they can beat Phoenix. Phoenix is now cooked, I'm curious to see what their roster is gonna look like next year. I feel like Beal playing horribly was just a fluke, I think you give him another chance and he'll start popping off, he was really showing signs towards the end of the season. U just gotta give him some growth and experience with the roster.
Nuggets Lakers
This series was an investment, the Nuggets just really showed that they are the defending champs in this series. They were super consistent and poised throughout the series, and won the series through the third quarter in a lot of the games. In game 2 that Jamal Murray dagger really was depressing, because if it went OT I think the lakers had a really good shot. It sucks that the Lakers had to go up against them in the first round. D'lo would oscillate between a 0 pt game and a 25+ pt game so thats great, but overall it was kinda fun watching the series although they lost a lot of games. At least they weren't swept. LeBron and AD both played really well, they just gotta get a better frontcourt. A pure shooter could help them. Also they just got clapped on the defensive end too, and it didn't help that MPJ would go like 6/6 for 3 in like every game.
First Round: East
Celtics Heat
Other than that random game 2 win we all expected Boston to dominate the Heat. They didn't have Butler or Rozier, and even with that they still somehow beat them in game 2. This guy Spoelstra could coach a squad of pickup players from LA Fitness and still win a game somehow. Also it's worth mentioning that literally the MVP of this series is like Derrick White which is crazy. If you're a celtics fan you gotta worry about Brown and Tatum.
Cavs Magic
Somehow my cavs took SEVEN GAMES to beat the Magic. We are clearly like 1000x more talented, Garland was just trash and we got blown out in games 3 and 4 which was concerning af. Either way we closed it out in game 7, if we were a first round exit with the season we had and the roster we had that would've been depressing. The wagner brothers are on my hitlist after this series, especially after injuring Jarett Allen in the rib. We litearlly need him bruh. SO glad we won this series. How are the magic even good they just have Paolo who isn't even like a top 20 player in the league. THey got like suggs and Joe Ingles and like thats it bruh.
Bucks Pacers
Somehow the Bucks just didn't have Dame and Giannis to end off the series which must be a depressing way to end the season if you're a Bucks fan. Give credit to Indiana though, they played well. It's just sad that the Bucks ended up this way so straightup. They could've made a nice run to the ecf or even the finals if they beat Boston. Let's see how Dame and Giannis do next season. Also Doc Rivers is NOT IT LMAO idk what they were smoking when they hired him bro if this guy doesnt get fired by the start of the playoffs next season they should just pack up their bags again.
Knicks 76ers
This was a great series. We have Embiid who is so dominant and physical, it really made a very intense and grueling matchup in the paint with Robinson and Hartenstein guarding him. And then there's Maxey who played straight up insane this series, he's arguably the face of the 76ers. His heroics at the end of game 5 to save the series was something special, it reminded me of a young Luka Doncic or Ant Edwards a year ago hitting the game winner in the first round. Maxey is def gonna be a future superstar. Also brunson played very well which I kinda expected, he was pretty much unstoppable. Knicks deserved it at the end after a well fought series.
Second Round
Thunder Mavericks
I really wanted the Mavs to win, I don't like SGA. They got it done in 6, was a good series where the Thunder shouldn't have won that game 4 but they did. I'm ngl I think the Thunder are a bit overhyped, I don't think they can make any playoff pushes in the future, SGA is definitely a great player to build around but they are just so raw, all their players are drafted, like I feel like they gotta trade for another superstar to go over the hump. Anyway, Lively played really well this series, Luka played mediocre, and they went this series without Kleber which was a bit concerning but their depth and bench really didn't let them down. Interested to see how this wcf plays out. You can see I predicted mavs to wcf, IM LIKE THAT.
Wolves Nuggets
What a weird series, with every game besides game 7 being a blowout.
Like wtf is this I guess they just didn't want to both be good at the same time or something. Also mainly the order of who won which game. It's just so confusing to me, this isn't natural to a playoff series, it really does intrigue me to see like how this all happened and all the adjustments that led to this outcome.
Anyway, I'm REALLY HAPPY the wolves came back in that game 7 and won the series. It really felt like the nuggets were gonna win after game 5, I was already envisioning their dynasty continuing, now it feels weird with the Nuggets out.
Now if it were someone to beat the Nuggets, it would be this Minnesota team. They have three options to guard Jokic in KAT, Gobert, and Reid, and they ended up going to KAT the most surprisingly. Gobert got cooked by him which was ironic considering hes dpoy. Additionally, all those wings in Minnesota in McDaniels, Alexander-Walker, Anderson, Reid just provide so much versatility to the Minnesota defense. And then they got Ant Edwards who is reliable in the clutch and as your go-to scorer, along with just being a freak athletically. And then they got Mike Conley to round everything out along with a great coaching staff in Micah Nori and Chris Finch, this roster was just perfect, I didn't expect Gobert and KAT to work out but it ended up being so key to beating the Nuggets and now advancing to the WCF. I really really wanted Minnesota to win just so they didn't waste this opportunity and wow they somehow got it done on the road in game 7. I really believe this series was the true Finals matchup in the NBA. If the Nuggets won this series, they win the chip. But the Wolves won and they are my pick to win the chip. Which is crazy to think about but they've proven it.
Celtics Cavs
Didn't watch much of this series, but we got cooked and also Mitchell missed the last like 3 games. Allen didn't play much, and LeVert was out in game 5. We got Dean Wade back which helped but we really need our entire roster healthy in order to fight back against Boston. THey had to have Al Horford go hero mode in game 5 which is crazy, I'm telling you the Boston Celtics are a bit concerning on how often their stars don't show up. Jrue Holiday also didn't appear on my radar so I don't know how he played. My impression of him tho is that he's just straight up a playoff performer and a dog on the defensive end along with being the DNA of a championship team. He's just straight up what a team needs to win a championship.
Knicks Pacers
An interesting series where the Knicks got progressively banged up and you could tell a lot of their players were fighting so hard. They had to go to Alec Burks to help them out off the bench which is sad. They missing bogdonovic, julius randle, robinson, and partially Hart, Brunson, Anunoby. Pacers also shot like a record field goal percentage in game 7 on the road somehow so yea. An entertaining series here, I wanna give a shoutout to TJ Mconnell becuase he is rly underrated not only as a defender but as a scorer. Without him the Pacers don't make it this far. I'm a big fan of him, he is a pure hooper. I would hate to play against him.
Previewing
So there you go. We got the Wolves vs. Mavericks, in which I ensue a Wolves win. It def won't be easy, I think theres a really good chance this series goes to 7 games. I could see the Mavericks winning this series, it just depends if Doncic shows up to me.
And then Celtics will beat the Pacers easily, prob in 5 games. There's no way Indiana wins that series, "their run to the ecf is a fluke, someone had to get there, it's the east!" -Draymond Green said, which I somehow agree with. So then we end up with a Celtics Wolves finals in which will be very exciting to watch. A wolves championship is truly CRAZY, but definitely possible. I think this will be their first franchise championship. Cool to see Minnesota represented. Finals MVP will go to Ant Edwards. LIke I said tho, if Denver wins that game 7 then they win the championship. That series is the NBA finals to me. The two most well-rounded championship-built rosters goes Denver, then Minnesota, then Boston.
I'll see you during mid-June, where by then the Timberwolves have hoisted the trophy and parade the twin cities.
Lyric(s) of the Post:
"
"
Comments
Post a Comment