From 30 teams, the NBA is down to four survivors in the race for the Larry O’Brien championship this season. There will be a seventh different winner since Toronto started the trend in 2019 as the four remaining contenders – Oklahoma City, New York, Indiana and Minnesota – are hoping to follow in the footsteps of the Raptors, LA Lakers, Milwaukee, Golden State, Denver and Boston. The Pacers and Timberwolves are two of 10 existing franchises still searching for their first NBA crown. Oklahoma’s first and only title came when it was based in Seattle in 1979 while the Knicks won their last championship in 1973.
It’s been a wild and wooly NBA playoffs so far with 30 road and 36 home wins so far. Six of 12 series were clinched on the road, a startling message that contenders couldn’t care less where they close out. But there were two instances where teams appeared to choose to clinch before home fans. In the New York-Boston series, the Knicks surrendered a 127-102 blowout in Game Five on the road despite the Celtics playing without Jayson Tatum and came back to end it, 119-81, in Game Six at Madison Square Garden. In the OKC-Denver duel, it seemed like the Thunder gave up Game Six, 119-107, on the road to close it in Game Seven, 125-93, at home.
Of 66 playoff games up to the end of the Conference semifinals, 11 were decided by one to three points and four went into OT. The New York-Detroit series was particularly unpredictable as five of the six games were won on the road. Three of the four remaining contenders took at least 50 wins in the regular season with Minnesota the only exception, finishing sixth in the West at 49-33. Six teams that won at least 50 games are out – Cleveland at 64-18, Boston at 61-21, Houston at 52-30 and the Lakers, Clippers and Nuggets at 50-32 each. The top team in the East is now on vacation with the Cavs dispatched by Indiana in five after blanking Miami in the first round.
In the West, OKC coach Mark Daigneault is ready to go all the way with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, Lu Dort and Twin Towers, 7-1 Chet Holmgren and 7-foot Isaiah Hartenstein in a powerful starting cast. Minnesota will challenge with dynamic Anthony Edwards and former Knick Julius Randle averaging over 23 points each in the playoffs. In the middle is 7-1 Rudy Gobert, a veteran whose physicality will be a test for either Holmgren or Hartenstein. In the East, New York is tough as nails with Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart, Karl Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby but the Knicks’ edge lies in coach Tom Thibodeau’s mastery. The Pacers rely on a deep rotation with six players averaging in double figure points in the playoffs. Pascal Siakam is Indiana’s leading scorer and Tyrese Halliburton isn’t far behind but his average of 9.3 assists is an indication that coach Rick Carlisle preaches teamwork. OKC against New York would be a dream clash in the Finals.
