2024 NBA Playoffs will be Upset City
The 2024 NBA Playoffs will be immensely exciting, and every basketball fan in the world should be ecstatic. Maybe not the diehard fans of the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors, two of the biggest fanbases in the Philippines, but for basketball in general, it is very promising.
The Western Conference is wide open, with surprise entries like the Minnesota Timberwolves and Oklahoma City Thunder at the top. There are also interesting match-ups like the Indiana Pacers and Milwaukee Bucks, which everybody wants to see.
Since there are match-ups yet to be determined due to the play-in, here is a short peek at the match-ups that are already set.
LA Clippers vs Dallas Mavericks
Here is another match made in heaven. In 2020 and 2021, the Clippers booted out the Mavericks twice. Those were two, thrilling and hard-fought series.
The Clippers won those two series when Luka Doncic had little help, and the Clippers had two of the best two-way players in the league. Three years since their last outing, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George have aged, and have gone through numerous changes in their core rotation.
The Mavericks also went through changes, specifically with Luka's sidekick, but this team is seen as the best one assembled around Luka. They have young rim protectors like Derrick Lively and Daniel Gafford.
But the difference maker should be Kyrie Irving. Perhaps, Jalen Brunson was the best sidekick Luka got, but Kyrie Irving is a transcendent talent and an NBA champion.
The big risk to Kyrie surprisingly did not manifest in Texas. Without that hindrance, all he had was brilliance and championship experience that Brunson did not have. This is the best chance that the Mavs have to avenge their heartbreaking losses.
Pacers vs Bucks
The new rivalry developing in the East was already wrapped as a present to hoops fans. They did have one caveat: the best player in the series may be sidelined.
Giannis Antetokounmpo is injured with a calf strain. Of course, the Bucks can employ smokescreens to throw off the Pacers, but the Greek Freak is hindered any which way you look at it.
Giannis averaged over 42 points, 13 rebounds, and 5 assists in the 5 games against Indiana, including the 64-point career high game. That game got infamous because of the battle for the game ball, which ignited the rivalry between the two teams.
Losing that much production takes a toll on the Bucks which has a shallow bench at the onset. Damian Lillard would have to carry a team by himself, at least for the first two games. The Pacers are hungry to gain some success, and Tyrese Haliburton will pose a huge challenge to Dame.
This will be the acid test for coach Doc Rivers, if he really is a worthy coach. He would love to have an excuse, but he should be more interested in defying the odds. He's mostly had the upper hand, but he can't seem to finish the job since 2008.
Other upset possibilities
Former finalists LA Lakers and Miami Heat are both on the lower end of the seedings, and it would be a mistake to write them off. The Heat will have a rematch with the Boston Celtics but without injured Jimmy Butler, Miami will have a difficult time advancing.
Despite their dominance, the Celtics are not seen as runaway favorites. Coach Erik Spoelstra's job is secure, but his counterpart Joe Mazzulla has the pressure to exceed Ime Udoka's achievement, since he has a stronger team.
The Celtics super duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are also under scrutiny, since they have wilted under pressure before. Boston should pray that the Heat won't get through the play-in to heave a sigh of relief.
The Minnesota Timberwolves are also tagged as a higher-seed takedown since they face the Phoenix Suns. We'll finally see whether star veterans or young stars will prevail.
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