NBA Playoffs: Conference Finals

Only four teams remain in contention as the NBA Playoffs head towards its decisive stages. The Western and Eastern conferences will see familiar faces as well as new contenders. Interestingly enough, three of the four teams still alive also formed part of the NBA Cup's final four, creating a connective thread between the NBA's two competitions. Needless to say, these teams have been really good all year long.

I managed to correctly predict three of the four 2nd round winners, with the chaotic Pistons-Cavaliers series the only one I missed. I correctly predicted the Spurs would win in 6, and overestimated the Lakers and 76ers' abilities to make their respective series competitive. My finals pick is still going strong, but the hardest challenges await.

Western Conference

(1) Oklahoma City Thunder vs (2) San Antonio Spurs

In what can only be described as the Finals before the Finals, the two best teams in basketball will face each other in one of the most anticipated series in recent memory. This is the first matchup between two 62+ win teams since the 1998 Finals featuring the Bulls and Jazz. These two teams have faced each other five teams, most notably in the NBA Cup semifinals and on Christmas Day, with the Spurs winning both. This will be the fourth playoff matchup between these two teams, and the first in this era.

Both the Thunder and Spurs are young teams that play like battle-hardened veterans. The Thunder are led by their recently crowned 2x MVP Shai Gilgeous Alexander, and are getting All-Star guard Jalen Williams back from a hamstring injury. With Ajay Mitchell and Jared McCain enjoying breakout playoff campaigns, the Thunder will be able to count on at least three outstanding playmakers outside of their MVP.

San Antonio has a bevy of young superstars, headlined by none other than Victor Wembanyama. Wemby is more than living up to the hype, and has become the center of attention during these playoffs. He is not alone however; the Spurs can count on players such as De'Aron Fox, Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper, Devin Vassell, and Keldon Johnson. This constitutes one of the most stacked young cores the NBA has seen in a long time, and represents by far the most credible threat to a potential OKC Thunder dynasty.

The Spurs gave the Thunder serious trouble during their regular season matchups, three of which took place in December. San Antonio's young guards picked apart OKC's usually stout defense, and Wemby neutralized Chet Holmgren in a way no other player possibly could. OKC coach Mark Daigneault seemed at a loss of what to do, as the Thunder suffered losses in the NBA Cup and on Christmas.

Then in January, during their fourth matchup of the season, things changed. The Thunder started playing with more energy and made their shots. They attacked Wemby in a way they hadn't and tired him out. The confidence and swagger that had largely been missing during those December days came back. The Thunder blew them out, showing that the 7'5 giant can indeed be slayed.

The Thunder will have to scrap and hustle like never before. I believe that they will not give Holmgren the assignment of guarding Wembanyama, instead employing a committee-like approach with smaller guys such as Dort, Caruso and Wallace to annoy and bog down the Frenchman. On offense the Thunder will have no choice but to be fearless and relentlessly attack Wemby in the paint; many shots will be blocked, but the hope will be to grind him down game by game and reduce his effectiveness on the other side of the floor.

In a clash of heavyweights, I give the slight edge to the defending champs, who will enjoy home court advantage. I don't give much weight to San Antonio's supposed lack of playoff experience, but I do believe that the Thunder will be able to make more adjustments as the series drags on. OKC's coaching edge as well as their fearsome home court advantage will be just enough to tip the scales in their favor.

Thunder in 6

Eastern Conference

(3) New York Knicks vs (4) Cleveland Cavaliers

This series faces an uphill climb in holding its own when considering what the other series has in store. Whichever team manages to win this series and advance to the Finals will be a significant underdog against the Western Conference champion. The Knicks and Cavaliers have had uneven seasons, but both seem to be peaking at just the right time.

Undoubtedly the highlight of this series will be New York's passionate rabid fans. This bunch has been starving for any type of success, and right now the Knicks are NYC's best hope for sporting glory and a ticker-tape parade. The Knicks have not been to the Finals since 1999; an entire generation of New Yorkers have never seen their beloved team in the Finals.

Now is as good a time as ever to break that drought. The Pacers, who for decades have been New York's nemesis, were nowhere to be found in the playoffs. The Celtics crashed out in the 1st round, and the Pistons, who throttled the Knicks during each of their regular season matchups, got blown out in Game 7 on their home floor.

This time it's the Cavaliers, a solid yet flawed team who seem to always be flirting with disaster. The Cavs went to Game 7 in both of their series, each game provoking a flurry of dissonant conflicting feelings in their fans. This Cavaliers team is a rollercoaster, which is very fitting considering James Harden's playoff career.

I believe the Knicks have everything they need to dominate the Cavs. Jalen Brunson will pick apart Cleveland's weak defense, and New York's outside shooters will stay hot and punish the Cavs for their poor defense. The Knicks will neutralize Harden and force Donovan Mitchell to carry much of the offensive load. Karl Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby will play like stars, and the Knicks will complete their rampage through the Eastern Conference and into the NBA Finals.

Knicks in 5