Since the NBA playoffs tipped off on Apr. 18, the tournament has been filled with exciting moments, legendary performances, and history being made.
The NBA is divided into the Western and Eastern conferences, each comprising 15 teams. After an 82-game regular season, teams are ranked by win percentage.
The top six teams in each conference automatically qualify for the playoffs, and teams ranked seventh to tenth compete in a play-in tournament. The play-in tournament basically lets all four of those teams compete for the last two playoff spots.
The playoffs are a bracket tournament where, each round, teams compete in a best-of-seven series. The highest seed gets to play the lowest seed and so on.
This year, the 64-win defending champions, Oklahoma City Thunder, led by league MVP Shai-Gilgeous Alexander, clinched the first seed. Only two wins behind them were the San Antonio Spurs, a team filled with rising stars.
In the Eastern Conference, the Detroit Pistons were able to achieve the 60-win milestone in the regular season and clinch the first seed in their conference.
The Thunder dominated their first round against the Phoenix Suns, winning the series in four games.
After a rocky start, the Spurs beat the Portland Trail Blazers in five games.
Although the Pistons were heavily favored to beat the Orlando Magic, they fell behind 3-1 in games before managing to come back. They won three straight games to move on, but not without showing many flaws.
In the Western Conference, the Denver Nuggets faced the Minnesota Timberwolves in another intense matchup. The Timberwolves were able to establish a strong 3-1 lead on the Nuggets before their star player, Anthony Edwards, suffered a left knee hyperextension. Even without him, the Timberwolves were able to win the series in six games.
Also in the West, the injury-plagued Los Angeles Lakers faced the Houston Rockets. Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves had recently gotten injured and couldn’t play. Many expected the Lakers to struggle. However, the Lakers stunned the league by taking a 3-0 lead in the series. The Rockets couldn’t recover, especially with their star Kevin Durant only playing one game, and the Lakers advanced in six. In the East, the Boston Celtics were ready to eliminate the Philadelphia 76ers after building a 3-1 lead, only to blow it and lose in seven when the Sixers team started to click.
The New York Knicks defeated the Atlanta Hawks after a competitive start to their series. Their game six victory set a record for the largest margin of victory in a playoff game, 51 points.
The Cleveland Cavaliers, headlined by stars co-stars Donovan Mitchell and James Harden, defeated the Toronto Raptors in a tight seven-game series.
In the second round, the Thunder continued their strong run, sweeping the Lakers in four games.
The Detroit Pistons’ matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers became one of the playoffs’ most competitive series. Pistons’ star Cade Cunningham led the league in playoff points per game, but despite going to seven games, the Pistons were eliminated.
The New York Knicks, who had looked strong against the Hawks, overwhelmed the 76ers in a four-game sweep.
Meanwhile, the San Antonio Spurs played the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Spurs had a better record and fewer injuries, while the Timberwolves had more experienced players. Anthony Edwards made a push to come back, but still played off the bench. When the Spurs adjusted to the Timberwolves, they were able to win the series in six games. A large factor was their young phenom Victor Wembanyama, who finished third in MVP voting in his third year in the league.
Looking forward, there are four teams left in the playoffs: the Thunder, Pistons, Cavaliers, and Spurs, with the Thunder still favored to repeat as NBA champions.
