Fast Break: Looking at the NBA playoffs
It’s finally here. I never thought it’d see the light of day. For those of us who have waited, anticipated, yearned for it, our time has come. “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” is out in theaters. I obviously purchased my ticket on day one and had the experience of a lifetime. I recommend you do the same while it remains in theaters, or else you’ll miss 92 minutes of uninterrupted euphoria. Thank you, Illumination, for the gift you have bestowed upon our undeserving world.
Oh yeah, and the NBA playoffs start this week. Still a clear second place on my list of priorities, but they should be pretty fun. The Milwaukee Bucks and Denver Nuggets nabbed the top seeds in their respective conferences, marking the only time the top seeds haven’t reached 60 wins since the 2000-01 season during a full season.
The Bucks are still incredibly strong and stand a solid chance of adding another banner in Milwaukee; after all, most of their nucleus from 2021 is still around. NBA All-Star Jrue Holiday and Defensive Player of the Year candidate Brook Lopez are better than ever. Not only that, but three-time All-Star Khris Middleton reportedly will be able to practice and potentially get on the floor for the opening game. The Bucks have that Giannis Antetokounmpo guy, too. I’ve heard he’s not bad.
The Nuggets aren’t too shabby either. Back-to-back Most Valuable Player award winner Nikola Jokić doesn’t quite have the same supporting cast fellow MVP Antetokounmpo has at his disposal, but don’t you dare underestimate them. Guard Jamal Murray showed what he can do scoring-wise in the postseason in 2019 and 2020. Forward Michael Porter Jr. is an absolute sniper from beyond the arc, while fellow forward Aaron Gordon provides sneakily efficient value from the post. In addition, guards Reggie Jackson and Bruce Brown lead a deep second unit that universally understands its role.
Hey, there’s a reason why this team is the No. 1 seed in the West. They’re a good team. On an NBA scale, I’d give them an 8.5 out of 10. The first round should be a breeze. After that, well …
They’ll be matched up with the Phoenix Suns in the second round. That’s just bad luck. As a fan on the outside looking in, it’s hard to imagine what teams are really thinking. However, I think it’s a safe bet that teams across the Western Conference feel utter terror when thinking about the Suns. I don’t blame them.
With Devin Booker, Chris Paul, Deandre Ayton and Kevin f*cking Durant, it’s just not fair for Phoenix to be the No. 4 seed.
Unfortunately for the Sacramento Kings, who dragged their pitiful franchise into the playoffs for the first time in 17 years, they had to be matched up with the Golden State Warriors in their first go at the postseason since George W. Bush was in office. Despite their status as a No. 6 seed, the defending champions are nothing to scoff at. After months of disappointment, the Warriors turned it around after the All-Star Break, posting a 15-9 record over their final 24 games. Klay Thompson is finally back to the level of play that cemented him as a Hall of Famer years ago, and Steph Curry did his usual three-point shooting thing. Look, as long as those two and future Hall of Famer Draymond Green share the floor, they always have a chance at a championship. They’ll make it out of the first round, at least.
Now for the East. The Bucks and Boston Celtics will win in the first round, no matter who they play.. Why can’t the Eastern Conference be more fun?
Thankfully, the series between the New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers really interests me. I think the Cavaliers have the stronger starting five. Former Trojan Evan Mobley probably deserves Defensive Player of the Year, and Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland make up the best backcourt outside Golden State.
The Knicks are nice, however. Julius Randle is a dominant force on the block, and RJ Barrett finally lived up to his third-overall-pick potential this year. When his back is against the wall, Jalen Brunson plays like the greatest player to ever grace the hardwood. Remember, those situations tend to occur a lot in the playoffs. Don’t forget about Immanuel Quickley, either. I honestly see them as either a first-round exit or an Eastern Conference heavyweight. Just for fun, I’ll take them over the Cavs. Good for you, Spike Lee.
The third-least and, by default, second-most interesting first-round matchup should be between the Philadelphia 76ers and Brooklyn Nets. The Sixers nearly controlled the top seed in the East not too long ago, and deservedly so. This is a No. 3 seed that, were they to be placed in the West, would hold the best record. Joel Embiid averaged 33(!) points per game from the center spot, and I can see him doing everything in his power to go on a run this year. He can’t lose MVP again, can he? Having two 20-point-per-game scorers in James Harden and Tyrese Maxey should help with the former.
The Nets should be a lot worse than they are, especially after flipping Durant and Kyrie Irving at the deadline. They kept winning, for the most part. I don’t really care if they win a single game in this series. I just want Cam Thomas to be given the ball. Everyone in the league is a basketball player; not everyone is a hooper. That guy is a hooper. They won’t win the series, but the Thomas show should be in full force. I beg.
With that, those are my first round picks. Hopefully when I see you again in two weeks, the second round matchups will be … better? Maybe just a little bit? Call me pessimistic all you want. Yeah, sure, the Celtics-Hawks series should be a blast (no, it won’t). At the end of the day, these are just my opinions. And remember, mine are better than yours. I’ll see you next time!
Dominic Varela is a sophomore writing about all things NBA as the playoffs draw ever closer. His column “Fast Break” runs every other Thursday.