Much has been made of the toll that 82 games can take on the human body over the course of an NBA season, as it pertains to the players in those games and their ability to stay healthy enough to participate in most (let alone all) of them. But even for fans of the sport, 82 can be a lot of games to keep up with. As we find ourselves, once again, at the best time of the year – the NBA playoffs – it’s understandable to feel a little scrambled about what it is we’re looking at. So, here’s a primer of sorts. A CliffsNotes, if you will, for all of the first-round matchups: what to expect, what to be excited about, and what to look out for.
Eastern Conference
No 1 Milwaukee Bucks v No 8 Miami Heat
The Milwaukee Bucks are the favorite to win it all this year by many, if not most, devoted followers of the NBA, for the simple fact that they’ve simply been head and shoulders above the pack for the better part of the season. That, and they have arguably the best player on the face of the planet in their arsenal in Giannis Antetokounmpo. But that doesn’t mean you can pencil them in for a 4-0 series against the 8 seed Miami Heat. ‘Playoff Jimmy’ (Butler) is still very much in play, Bam Adebayo is one of the best defenders in the league, and if sharpshooter Max Strus is as hot from the perimeter in this series as he was in their play-in besting of Chicago, the Bucks could be in for an exhausting road to round two.
No 2 Boston Celtics v No 7 Atlanta Hawks
It was a bit of a curveball to see the Hawks, who have predominantly been in the news this season for trade rumblings (many believe their star point guard, Trae Young, could be on the move this off-season), in the 7 seed that most had earmarked for the Heat. But the Hawks overcame a stumbling Heat in the play-in game, and with all their faults, they can still shoot the lights out. However, Boston are a more-than-formidable 2 seed, whom a fair number of pundits still have winning it all this year. As long as stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown show up, the C’s should handle the Hawks easily.
No 3 Philadelphia 76ers v No 6 Brooklyn Nets
The Sixers hope this is the year they finally overcome their playoff demons, and this time, they actually have reason to believe. Joel Embiid is having his best year yet (and after being an MVP runner up a few years running, that’s saying something). And James Harden seems to finally have figured out the best version of his role on the team. The Nets have seen Mikal Bridges take an absolutely scintillating star turn since he landed in Brooklyn in the Kevin Durant trade, but a 6 seed is a bit misleading for this roster as currently constructed: they are sub-.500 since their seismic trade deadline changes, which included moving Durant to Phoenix and Kyrie Irving to Dallas, and what’s left does not yet a contending team make.
No 4 Cleveland Cavaliers v No 5 New York Knicks
Cavs v Knicks might very well end up being one of the most competitive first-round series on the docket, both because this feels like a relatively even matchup, and because both of these teams play hard. The Cavaliers had the best defensive rating in the league this regular season, and the Knicks, coached by hard-nosed Tom Thibodeau, have formed something of an identity as a blue-collar basketball team of late. Both teams are led by veteran guards new to their respective squads, who are having tremendous, All-NBA caliber seasons (Donovan Mitchell on the Cavs and Jalen Brunson on the Knicks), and both have a robust supporting cast to match. Whoever wins this round will surely emerge with scars.
Western Conference
No 1 Denver Nuggets v No 8 Minnesota Timberwolves
The Timberwolves have had a tumultuous go of things this year, to say the least. They took a big swing, met with a lot of likely warranted criticism, for center Rudy Gobert in the off-season, had players in and out of the lineup, and no shortage of drama (it was less than a week ago when Gobert threw a punch at team-mate Kyle Anderson during a heated argument on the bench, after all). So even if they’re a long shot against the West-dominating Denver Nuggets, it’s still absolutely worth tuning in for the soap opera of it all. Denver and Minnesota also have a history as conference rivals, which adds an extra layer of intrigue. And watching dazzling two-time (soon-to-be three?) MVP Nikola Jokic is alone worth the price of admission.
No 2 Memphis Grizzlies v No 7 Los Angeles Lakers
These Lakers are not your mom’s 7 seed. Or, to be more specific, not the first half of the season Lakers, who started the year 2-10. Some shrewd trade deadline moves made impressive lemonade of the disastrous Russell Westbrook contract, bringing them back a much deeper, more competent bench and breathing life back into the fledgling team. This version of the Lakers has a league-best defense since the All-Star break, and, due to LeBron James and Anthony Davis’s current health, are favored in some circles to win against an injury-riddled Memphis team, despite their lower seeding. The Grizzlies’ Ja Morant, however, may have something to say about that, as he puts his recent off-court controversies in the rear view and gets back to basketball dominance, and besting Defensive Player of the Year frontrunner Jaren Jackson Jr will be no easy hurdle.
No 3 Sacramento Kings v No 6 Golden State Warriors
There are a lot of great storylines within this matchup. For one, it’s the battle for Northern California: Sacramento’s historically troubled Kings franchise has lived in the shadow of their dynastic neighbors in the Bay for the last decade. But the Kings have turned it around of late, with a league-best, record breaking offensive season. They have Coach of the Year Mike Brown to thank for that, who, incidentally, honed his skills down I-80 with the defending champion Warriors. This series also marks the return of Andrew Wiggins, who’s missed several months dealing with family health issues. With both teams known more for their high-octane offense than their defense, this should be a high-scoring affair.
No 4 Phoenix Suns v No 5 Los Angeles Clippers
“What if?” has haunted this Los Angeles Clippers team since the beginning of the injury plagued Kawhi Leonard and Paul George era, and this season is in danger of becoming more of the same. George is still a question mark for their first playoff series, and maybe longer, with a knee sprain. And the Clippers had the misfortune of drawing a stacked Suns team (who added superstar Kevin Durant to their roster at the deadline in a blockbuster) in the first round. But Phoenix, in some ways, are operating on their own, more positive spin on a “What if?”: Durant sprained his ankle during warmups on what would’ve been his home debut with the team, and the sample size since his return, while very promising, has been small. Besides the enormous star power between the two teams, the series offers fun side-plots like Suns guard Chris Paul v his former team, and Durant v his former team-mate Russell Westbrook. And the stakes are high as ever for these two teams given their win-now windows. Expect fireworks.
