We’ve been through a wave of restless starters and stealth tanking over the last week, and we’ve been rewarded with what honestly is a pretty fascinating playoff bracket. The Lakers would have to fight in a round one a highly overqualified No. 8 seed, and their opponent in Los Angeles faced one of the greatest phenomena in recent memory. There are former teammates out west and a fete re-emerging in the East. Even with two snoozers at the junior varsity conference, there is a lot of good basketball to keep us happy for the next few weeks.
So which series are we most excited to see as the playoffs begin on Monday? We ate The Crossover ranks here as the most exciting postseason series.
Clippers vs. Mavericks
This may be a bit of an interesting choice, given the status of Los Angeles as a major favorite, but the talent on display is just too hard to ignore. Kawhi Leonard and Paul George have been hilariously efficient in the bubble, calming any panic over a lack of coherence on the roster. But to be honest, Leonard and George are for the most part well-known entities. Dallas delivers the real plot.
What exactly will Luka Doncic do in his first playoff series? It is difficult to place any kind of limit on the Slovenian sensation. Doncic has already ripped a 30-20-10 performance into the bubble, and he fell two days for 40 at Phoenix (RIP). Kristaps Porzingis is also healthy and fit, and Los Angeles does not have the staff to cover the 7’3 “Unicorn. Leonard and George are two wings of the All-Defense that fight against the most efficient misdemeanor in the NBA. history.that needs to add something.It’s likely Dallas’ offense will disappear when push comes to shove, but there is no guarantee.Maybe Doncic’s first extended playoff run will come much sooner than one expected.
David E. Klutho / Sports Illustrated
Donner vs. Rockets
This series of trusted enemies could take the lead if for no other reason than pure competitiveness. Oklahoma City won two of three over Houston in the regular season, and with Russell Westbrook out at least a few games, the Thunder have a legitimate chance to draw an insurgent. Oklahoma City has a three-headed monster in the back. Steven Adams has to party on the offensive glass. Billy Donovan may not have the deepest rotation in the league, but the Thunder are certainly bigger than the sum of their parts.
Then there is the obvious emotional element to playing. The Rockets were one Chris Paul hamstring injury away from the Finals in 2018. Last season marked a relegation from the second round, and Paul was treated to Oklahoma City in what should have been at least a slightly bitter divorce. Paul is one of the most competitive players in the league. He’s not one to be forgotten. Defeating James Harden and Co. in the playoffs could serve as the highlight of his career.
Paul is still facing a slight rise, even if Westbrook misses the entire series. Harden is by far the best player on the floor, and he’s in the middle of a dominant scoring stretch in Orlando. Half of Houston’s defense is the best in the bubble, and Mike D’Antoni’s small ball, switch-all scheme is executed with aplomb. Let Steven Adams be placed on the farm. The Rockets does not matter. Due to an outbreak of injuries, it is difficult to end Houston’s experiment before coming up against LeBron and the Lakers.
Sixers vs. Celtics
It’s a real shame that Ben Simmons will miss the rest of the postseason, especially considering this matchup one round. But this series still brings a lot of intrigue, in large part due to the stylistic difference on display.
These two teams are effectively Bizarro World versions of each other, creating a serious headache for both Brett Brown and Brad Stevens. The Celtics are a tuned machine that often sports five playmakers and a healthy range of shots on the outside. Philadelphia is dependent on brute force, by feeding Joel Embiid or using Simmons to punish teams in transition. The Sixers were a crazy team all season, and things were not exactly going well for Simmons’ injury. But their sheer size and athleticism made for a terrific round of one opponent. A first off for Boston was not entirely out of the question.
Can Philadelphia steal a series without its star point guard? There is not much evidence that it can be done, but there is a blueprint. Philadelphia will continue to play bully ball, and Al Horford’s performance will be critical. If Horford is close to its Boston form, the Sixers have twin towers that Boston can expose. We have not seen that version of Horford for much of 2019-20. Do not rely on a sudden resurrection in round one.
Lakers vs. Blazers / Grizzlies
We could see this series at the very top vaulte as the Lakers vs. Blazers is, and only the terrible East series would be under Lakers vs. Grizzlies rank. Let’s divide the difference. What Ja Morant and Co. as of now, Memphis will have an early downfall against the Los Angeles juggernaut hands as it advances to the first round. No Years Jackson Jr. does not help matters, and there simply is not the talent available to compete. A sweep would probably wait, though Morant could at least get some playoff experience under his belt. You know the upcoming Rookie of the Year will not be intimidated by his Hall-of-Fame opponents.
Could Damian Lillard and the Blazers really upset the Lakers? It’s pretty unlikely. The Portland defense got Swiss cheese in the paint in 2019-20, and its interior problems continued in Orlando despite the arrival of Jusuf Nurkic. Expect Anthony Davis to perform like he did against Portland in the 2018 playoffs, yet it’s not exactly as if the Lakers were cruising. Los Angeles has serious backcourt problems without Rajon Rondo and Avery Bradley, which is not exactly an encouraging statement against a guard of Lillard’s caliber. We’ve already seen a lot of magic from Lillard in Orlando. Maybe he has more theaters in store one in round one.
Nuggets Vs. Jazz
Both of these teams have the flash of a true Finals finalist, but this still remains the interesting matchup. Both Denver and Utah sport great men, with restrictions on the opposite ends of the floor, and the rest of their respective grids are not exactly idiotic. Donovan Mitchell could very well be the best player of the series. There’s a universe where the same goes for Michael Porter Jr. Still one of the teams is at a crossroads, though there may be a summer of discontent (moreso for Utah) with another early departure.
Who should have the upper hand in what could potentially be a sand game series? Denver deserves to take advantage of the doubt after an impressively regular season, though the matchup could be as close as the Nuggets’ double overtime win on August 8th. Jokic proved all of his playoff mettle in some of the excellent series last year, and Utah finally feels one score short. Consider Denver a slight favorite in the mountain season matchup.
Heat vs Pacers
There is, of course, the potential for a brief TJ Warren-Jimmy Butler splash in this Eastern Conference series, but the actual basketball should be quite intriguing in what may be the most competitive matchup of round one. Indiana continues to overcome all obstacles in its path, most notably Domantas Sabonis’ foot injury. Nate McMillan does not seem to care. He has the offense of Indiana to center Warren in the middle of a best stretch in his career, with Victor Oladipo serving as a slasher and secondary player. The Indiana ceiling is well defined, but a small turnaround is not out of the question.
It would be a shame if Miami’s season ended before they faced a top Eastern Conference team in the second round. The boys of The Heat have grown up fast this season, and the entire roster is infested with success stories. Bam Adebayo flourishes as a true point center. Duncan Robinson is the best shooter of the game after playing in Division III. We have McMillan credit line above, and Erik Spoelstra is equally engaging. He wrestles the most out of every roster. Each player is placed in a position to succeed. Heat culture never disappeared after the LeBron era. The talent now matches the organizational infrastructure.
Bucks vs. Magic
Another year marks a few relative breakthroughs for the top teams in the Eastern Conference, with both the Bucks and Raptors likely to face No. 1 in one day. 7 and no. 8 bags. So why is this series avoiding the basement? Well, in large part because of Giannis Antetokounmpo, who sometimes thinks of peak Shaq as a purely physical force. There’s also some slight intrigue to see Markelle Fultz lead Orlando’s backcourt, and head coach Steve Clifford was able to set up a game well. Be unlucky, expect a lot of second halves spent on the bench for Antetokounmpo.
Raptors Vs. Nets
Can the Nets just go home at this point? They have crowned themselves better than expected with a skeleton crew in Orlando, and Jacque Vaughn has proven himself as a real candidate for head coach for Brooklyn. Why ruin the positive journey with a beatdown in the hands of the defending champions? The Nets will be sent home soon enough.
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