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NBA Playoffs Preview: Playoff Races, Matchups, Storylines

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Photo Credit: Kyle Terada/USA Today Sports

As we approach the end of the season and the beginning of the NBA playoffs, both excitement and disappointment begin to sit with fanbases around the league. Some of the typical championship contenders remain the cream of the crop, but the current playoff picture looks far different from years prior.

The Western Conference is, still, extremely clustered. Seeds four through 11 are all within five games of each other. There’s less parity in the East, but the play-in seeds remain jumbled. With less than two weeks remaining in the season, let’s take a deep, detailed look at the NBA playoff picture.

Play-In Tournament

Eastern Conference

Here’s a look at the current play-in standings in the Eastern Conference (standings accurate as of March 30, 2023).

  • #7) Heat 40-37
  • #8) Hawks 38-38
  • #9) Raptors 38-38
  • #10 Bulls 36-40

Play-in matchups: Bulls @ Raptors, Hawks @ Heat

It’s worth noting that the Nets own the sixth seed, although they are just 1.5 games ahead of Miami. Either the Nets or Heat could occupy the seventh seed by the time the season ends.

Here, we have some solid matchups. The Heat easily put away the Hawks in the first round last year, although they clearly aren’t on that level anymore. Meanwhile, both the Raptors and Bulls have had disappointing seasons, and one will get dumped after the first play-in game. The Wizards own the 11th seed, but remain two games behind Chicago.

Western Conference

  • #7) Timberwolves 39-38
  • #8) Lakers 38-38
  • #9) Pelicans 38-38
  • #10) Thunder 38-39

Play-in matchups: Thunder @ Pelicans, Lakers @ Timberwolves.

This conference is far more jumbled. The Timberwolves find themselves in a play-in spot, yet are just one game behind the sixth seeded Warriors. They’re also just a game and a half out of the fourth seed.

Still, Minnesota will face the Lakers in their first play-in matchup. The Warriors has had a very up-and-down season, as has Los Angeles. The Pelicans and Thunder is a matchup of two teams going in very different directions. Bpth teams are young, up and coming franchises, and they’ll be battling for a spot in the playoffs here.

The Mavericks sit a full game behind the Thunder, and the Jazz are one and a half games back.

Current NBA Playoffs Matchups

Eastern Conference

  • (1) Bucks vs. #8 seed.
  • (2) Celtics vs. #7 seed.
  • (3) 76ers vs. (6) Nets
  • (4) Cavaliers vs (5) Knicks

The Bucks and Celtics have led this conference from the very beginning of the season. Both of these teams stand out apart from the rest of the competition, and both will be heavy favorites over whichever play-in team they face. Milwaukee could face the Hawks, Raptors or Bulls, while Boston would likely face Miami or Atlanta.

The Nets have been a bit of a surprising team. After trading Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, most expected them to tank. However, some players have blossomed in the new system, and they’ve risin to contention. They’d pose a tough matchup against a 76ers team that has been in a bit of a freefall recently.

Finally, the Cavs and Knicks present a very even matchup. Both teams are very similar, and this series has a good chance of going seven games.

Western Conference

  • (1) Nuggets vs. #8 seed.
  • (2) Grizzlies vs. #7 seed.
  • (3) Kings vs. (6) Warriors
  • (4) Suns vs. (5) Clippers

This conference is incredibly clogged, and by the time the season ends these standings could look very different. The Nuggets and Grizzlies have been the top two in this conference for most of the season, and they’ll face one of the play-in sides.

The Kings and Warriors are a very interesting matchup. Golden State has had the Kings’ number for quite awhile now, but Sacramento is a different beast this season.

The Suns and Clippers have both had plenty of ups and downs this season, but remain right in the thick of the playoff race. A playoff series between these two might be one of the better matchups around the entire league. Both teams have star power and large expectations, and it would be a very intense first round matchup.

NBA Playoffs Storylines

Young, New Playoff Contenders

One of the biggest aspects to this postseason is the new up-and-coming franchises that will be new to the playoff landscape. We will see a couple of them on display this season.

In the Western Conference, the Kings and Thunder are the two most surprising playoff contenders. Sacramento recently clinched their playoff berth for the first time in 17 years. Meanwhile, Oklahoma City has accelerated their rebuild far quicker than anybody might have guessed as they contend for a play-in spot.

In the East, the Cavaliers remain the new darlings in the playoff scene. Cleveland made the play-in last year, but couldn’t advance. This year they’ve earned a playoff series. The Nets have been in the playoffs before, but their new, young core will be leading the playoff charge for the first time as well.

Continuance of NBA Playoffs’ Rivalries

Rivalries are vital to the NBA’s popularity. The league thrives off of rivalries, and those that occur in the playoffs make for a legendary atmosphere. This year, we have a ton of potential rivalry matchups.

In the West, the most well-known squabble is between the Warriors and Grizzlies. Both teams have made their dislike for the other clear, and as it stands, there is a very real chance this can be a first, or second round matchup.

The Celtics and Heat played each other in the Eastern Conference Finals last year. That game came down to the final seconds in game seven, in one of the most evenly-matched series’ in recent memory. If Miami comes out of the play-in as the seventh seed, this re-match will be a first round matchup.

One of the brightest parts about the playoffs in general is the creation of these rivalries. We’ll see some very exciting, tough matchups this time around, and some of those will create rivalries that extend into next season.

2023 Eastern Conference Championship Contenders

Championship Contenders: Eastern Conference

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2023 Eastern Conference Championship Contenders
Photo Credit: Halftime Productions

As we slowly creep closer and closer to the 2022-23 NBA season, excitement is beginning to build around the league. The new year brings new hope and possibility for franchises all around the league, especially for these Eastern Conference championship contenders

For some teams, the new year presents another chance at chasing the illustrious goal of an NBA title. For others, it involves hope as their franchises hope to finally turn the corner. In this article, we will take a look at the Eastern Conference, and take a look at which teams have the best chance to be contenders for an NBA Championship.

Eastern Conference Championship Contenders

Tier 1: True Eastern Conference Championship Contenders

Celtics, Bucks, Heat

These three teams all have the best chance to come out of the Eastern Conference, and it’s far enough to clearly separate them from the rest of the conference.

First, we have the Boston Celtics. The Celtics are clearly capable of being in this category, with them being the team to come out of the Eastern Conference last year. They didn’t lose any major pieces, and were even able to add Malcolm Brogdon to the fold this offseason. They should enter as the favorites to come out of this conference.

The Milwaukee Bucks and Miami Heat should be considered the same. Neither team lost a key player, and both have been actively looking to add talent this offseason, albeit unsuccessfully — for now.

The Bucks nearly knocked the Celtics off last year without Khris Middleton. The Heat, on the other hand, were a missed-three-pointer from Jimmy Butler away from making the Finals last year. Both teams should be considered favorites.

Tier 2: Fringe Eastern Conference Championship Contenders

Nets, Cavaliers, 76ers

These three shouldn’t be considered favorites, but they all do still pose a real threat to make it out of this conference. The Brooklyn Nets have been surrounded by drama all off-season, but as of now it looks like they’ll be able to hold onto Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant. Those two alone pose a threat, and with the right squad around them they can certainly make some noise.

The Cleveland Cavaliers just made a splash move, trading for Donovan Mitchell. Mitchell, a proven star who has performed very well in the playoffs throughout his career, will join a very talented young corps. There isn’t enough star talent on the roster yet for them to be in tier one, but this team is extremely talented.

As for the Philadelphia 76ers, the perennial playoff disappointing team will have another crack at it this year. This time, James Harden and Joel Embiid will likely get to play a full season together. If Philadelphia can put it all together in the playoffs this time around, they’ll be a real problem.

Tier 3: Playoff Contenders

Bulls, Hawks, Raptors, Knicks, Hornets

These five teams should still be around come April, but they don’t have everything it takes to truly be championship contenders in the Eastern Conference — yet.

The Chicago Bulls started 2021 strong, but faded as the year went on, and haven’t made any major upgrades this summer. The Atlanta Hawks added Dejounte Murray, and they’re the only team in this tier that has a legitimate argument to be in Tier 2. Unfortunately, the team around Murray and Trae Young isn’t quite good enough yet.

The Toronto Raptors grabbed a playoff spot last season, but were quickly bounced by the Sixers. This unit has a ton of young talent, and they could be a true contender very soon. The New York Knicks added Jalen Brunson, but their inability to add any other star power leaves them down in this tier.

As for the Charlotte Hornets, well they seem to be the same team from last year. With the Bridges issues, and their silence on the market this offseason, they’ve shown no signs of improvement.

NBA Schedule Leaks: Most Exciting Matchups

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Photo by Harry Howe/Getty Images

On Wednesday at 3 P.M. Eastern Time, the full, official NBA schedule for the 2022-23 season will be released. However, thanks to the fact that NBA insiders exist, we’ve gotten a sneak peak at some of the biggest matchups throughout the season. Let’s take a look at some of the most intriguing games in the new season.

Christmas Day

Christmas Day is universally known in the sports world as NBA-day. For many years now the NBA has dominated the sports world on one of the biggest holidays, with exciting matchups every year. This season will be no different.

This year’s slate has headlines written all over it. There will be rematches of last year’s playoffs with the Bucks playing the Celtics and the Warriors hosting the Grizzlies. The Bucks and Celtics have been crowned as the last two Eastern Conference champions, with both teams expected to contend again this year. The Warriors and Grizzlies have had some very public bad blood since their playoff series last year, and this game should have no shortage of storylines.

The remaining meetups on the slate are the Knicks vs. 76ers, Nuggets vs. Suns and the Mavericks vs. Lakers. These games all have a large amount of star power. Overall, almost every team playing on Christmas day has the potential to reach the NBA finals, so we should see some exciting performances.

Opening Night

Opening night is one of the biggest days on the NBA calendar, as it marks the return of meaningful basketball. This year, opening night will feature two huge matchups. The defending champion Golden State Warriors will play Lebron James and the Lakers. Before that, the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers will kick the new season off.

The Warriors will receive their rings, and will begin a new year against the Lakers for the second straight year. Last year that happened in Los Angeles, but this time the two squads will meet in San Francisco. In the other game, the Celtics and 76ers will clash. This game brings a ton of star-power, and both teams have the potential to win the Eastern Conference as a whole.

Other Exciting Matchups on the NBA Schedule

On October 21st, the Atlanta Hawks and Orlando Magic will face off in Georgia. This will be a significant matchup because it will be the first time Dejounte Murray and the first overall pick, Paolo Banchero will play against each other. Those two have been quite public with their recent beef on social media, making for an exciting game as the two start to settle it on the court.

On October 19th, the second night of the season, the New Orleans Pelicans and Brooklyn Nets will square off in New York. This will mark the return of two stars who have missed time; Ben Simmons and Zion Williamson. Both players have seen themselves stuck in the spotlight recently, but will soon finally have a chance to get back on the court.

Finally, we have the battle for Los Angeles. The matchups between the Lakers and Clippers are always contentious, but they matter more now that both teams are competitive. The two southern California squads will face off four times, on October 20th, November 9th, January 24th and April 5th. These three matchups are some of the most interesting on the NBA schedule.

Thunder vs Bucks

Thunder vs Bucks: Post game report

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Thunder vs Bucks

The Milwaukee Bucks had no real trouble beating the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday night, beating them 130-110. Don’t fear Thunder fans, there were some positives vs the Bucks as well! We’ll break them down here — along with the not so positive. 

Luguentz Dort is the best shooter in NBA history

Ok, I’m kidding obviously. Dort had a great showing offensively tonight much like he did against the Rockets during Game 7 in 2020. Dort started the game going 4/4 from three, and finished 4-6 from three with 19 points on a total 7-11 from the field. Luguentz has vastly improved offensively since entering the NBA, and he still has more untapped potential — which to the rest of the NBA should be as terrifying as being chased by Michael Myers, Jason Vorhees, Chucky, and Leatherface all at the same time. 

Josh Giddey all around game

If you asked me what I expected a Josh Giddey statline to look like, I would say something close to what Giddey put up tonight. Josh struggled a little from the field going 3-9, but he did finish with nine points, six rebounds, and six assists. I definitely expect the rookie to get a triple double this season if he can stay healthy. 

Scary Pokusevski

We knew when the Thunder drafted Poku that development would take time. His performance on Sunday night has to give the fans and Oklahoma City front office cause for concern, however. Pokusevski posted two points on 1-6 from the field, and looked completely lost at times. This is not the time to give up on young Poku though, as he is still just that, very young. But this was in way a positive performance. 

Defense

We knew coming into the season the Thunder would struggle on defense at times. Milwaukee showed everyone just how bad it could possibly be / get. The Bucks went an astounding 54% from the field, and 54% from three. That is just brutal. Milwaukee scored 50 of their 130 points in the paint highlighting just how desperate the Thunder are for post length. Hopefully getting Derrick Favors back soon will remedy that if even little.

In closing

The Oklahoma City Thunder are what we thought they were. A young team that would struggle mightily on the defensive end but has potential to be very fun to watch on the offensive end (even though the final numbers say otherwise). The Thunder need to put this loss vs the Bucks behind them as they host the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday night at 8 pm EST. A game I assume will be available to watch on the Thunder website.

thunder vs bucks

Thunder vs Bucks: Preseason Preview

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thunder vs bucks

The Oklahoma City Thunder will be back in action this coming Sunday as they travel to Milwaukee, Wisconsin for an intriguing matchup vs the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks. 

The Thunder most likely will not have to play against the majority of the starting lineup that won the NBA Championship last year as the Bucks are choosing to be precautious with Giannis Antetokoumpo , Khris Middleton, Bobby Portis, Jrue Holiday, and Rodney Hood. Here are my projected starters for each respective team, and a preview of what to expect from Thunder vs Bucks. 

Bucks

Point guard- George Hill

Shooting guard- Grayson Allen 

Small forward- Jordan Nwora 

Power forward- Thanasis Antetokoumpo

Center- Brook Lopez

Thunder

Point guard- Shai Gilgeous Alexander

Shooting guard- Josh Giddey 

Small forward- Luguentz Dort

Power forward- Darius Bazley 

Center- Isaiah Roby

In their last game against the Hornets the Thunder had a difficult time scoring the ball, going 38% from the field, and 31% from three. I don’t believe they are that bad of an offensive team, so I do look for a bounce back game here. On the flip side, the Hornets went 49% from the field and 27% from three. Oklahoma City did a good job it seems on defending the perimeter, but struggled guarding in all other situations. As predicted, the Thunder were putrid in the paint on defense, giving up 62 of Charlotte’s 113 points in the paint. That will most likely carry over and be a huge storyline throughout  the season. 

And in their last game against the Memphis Grizzlies the Bucks struggled on the offensive end without their veteran leaders, going 41% from the field and 28% from three. This game on Sunday does have the potential to get ugly offensively. Oklahoma City would probably prefer for it to. On defense, Milwaukee gave up 46% from the field, and 31% from three to the Grizzlies.

As mentioned earlier, this has the potential to be an ugly game that could go down to the final buzzer. I do expect the Bucks to exploit the Thunder’s weakness in the paint, and I predict Milwaukee pulls off the win.

Oklahoma City Thunder 88 | Milwaukee Bucks 104