The NBA playoffs are about to begin. And it might be a wide-open race to the title again
There was Toronto in 2019, the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020, Milwaukee in 2021, Golden State in 2022, Denver in 2023 and Boston in 2024.
Six different seasons, six different champions. A run of parity like none other in NBA history.
And now the Celtics get their turn at bucking that trend. Boston will try to win back-to-back NBA titles, something no franchise has managed since Golden State did it in 2017 and 2018. The NBA playoffs start Saturday with four Game 1s, continue Sunday with four more Game 1s and just like that a 16-team, two-month journey will be off and running.
“It’s the best time of the year,” Golden State coach Steve Kerr said.
Favored to win the title, according to BetMGM Sportsbook, are the 68-win Oklahoma City Thunder, the top overall seed and No. 1 seed in the Western Conference — a team that set an NBA record this season by outscoring teams by 12.9 points per game. Their fellow No. 1 seed out of the Eastern Conference: the 64-win Cleveland Cavaliers, a group that put together the second-best regular season in franchise history.
The Thunder haven’t been to the NBA Finals since 2012. The Cavaliers haven’t been there since the end of LeBron James’ second era in Cleveland in 2018. Over the last six seasons, nine different franchises have made at least one finals appearance — further speaking to the parity leaguewide right now, and the Thunder and Cavs both have eyes on adding to that list.
“This is what you compete for, is to be able to compete on the biggest stages,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. “We’re now entering that. We’ve earned the opportunity to be there just like everybody else. We’re certainly excited.”
The Cavs aren’t even favored to win the East; oddsmakers list Boston as the pick to represent that side of the league in the NBA Finals. Cleveland — a team that led the NBA in scoring this season and finished second in field-goal percentage — may be turning that into fuel.
“I think I’ve been saying we’re humble and hungry,” Cleveland coach Kenny Atkinson said. “I don’t know if that rings, but it’s kind of who we are. … Within the humility, there’s a hunger in that locker room. They want to prove people wrong.”
Among the others in the playoff field: James and the Lakers, Stephen Curry and the Warriors, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Milwaukee, Nikola Jokic and Denver. All past MVPs, all past champions, and all of them looking to do what Boston did last year.
“We’re not defending a championship. We won last year. Can’t nobody take it from us,” Celtics forward Jayson Tatum said. “But last year was last season. That’s out the window. We’re not worried about anything besides the Magic right now.”
It’s Boston vs. Orlando, New York vs. Detroit and Indiana vs. Milwaukee and Cleveland vs. Miami in the East. In the West, it’s Oklahoma City vs. Memphis, Houston vs. Golden State, the Lakers vs. Minnesota and Denver vs. the Los Angeles Clippers. The Heat and Grizzlies both got the last spots and No. 8 seeds on Friday night with play-in, win-or-go-home victories. And Dallas’ loss means the West won’t have a repeat champion; the Mavericks — with Luka Doncic, now James’ teammate with the Lakers — made the finals last season.
James and Curry have four titles apiece. Nobody has gotten to five as a player since Tim Duncan in 2014, when San Antonio won its most recent title. And both have to believe they have a realistic chance of getting through a loaded Western Conference — James and the Lakers bolstered by the addition of Doncic, Curry and the Warriors bolstered by the addition of Jimmy Butler.
“Means a lot to match up against him,” Minnesota star Anthony Edwards said of facing James, his Olympic teammate last summer, in Round 1. “Probably goes down as the greatest player to ever play basketball. So, trying to get putting him out of the playoffs under my belt is going to be a tough one — but it’s going to be a fun road.”
There’s one Round 1 rematch from last season: Milwaukee vs. Indiana. The Pacers took advantage of a hobbled Bucks team last year and won in six games, and this year they’ll be facing a Bucks team that doesn’t have Damian Lillard for at least Game 1. Lillard has been sidelined by a blood clot, though was cleared to resume basketball activity this week.
“We’re always going to get their best shot. They’re always going to get our best shot,” Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton said. “Plain and simple, we don’t like each other.”
There are tons of other storylines.
Denver is seeking its second title in three years, only this time with interim coach David Adelman — who replaced Michael Malone with three games left — at the helm, and the Nuggets open against Kawhi Leonard, James Harden and the airtight defense that the Clippers bring. Detroit is back in the playoffs, now with eyes on ending a 14-game postseason losing streak that goes back to 2008. Houston is back in the field, ending a five-year drought and climbing all the way to the No. 2 seed out West.
The Thunder are the favorite. The Cavs — who will face a 37-45 Heat team in Round 1 — and Celtics both won 60-plus games. The Lakers, Warriors and Nuggets certainly have reasons for confidence. The Timberwolves were the surprise team that made a deep run last year. The Pacers might be that team this year.
Parity may reign again.
“We have something to look forward to now,” Curry said. “And I’m excited about the challenge.”
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
By TIM REYNOLDS
AP Basketball Writer
