The NBA playoffs will not feature LeBron James, Kevin Durant or Stephen Curry in the second round for the first time since 2005. Let that happen.
But while many fans may lament this fact, it’s an opportunity for other stars to shine. Yes, there is still a lot more basketball to enjoy this postseason.
Here’s why:
The ant Man
We were waiting for a new kind of star, some way to move away from Steph/LeBron/KD, and although the collective energy was poured into Ja Morant for a period, he wasn’t ready for everything that came with being a superstar. . Anthony Edwards feels like someone who’s been here before and something we’ve never seen, all at the same time. There is a magnetism when he plays, when he speaks. A country accent that feels very authentic and familiar. His game brings all the comparisons, but having someone embrace everything that comes with it – the pressure, the attention and his ability to say the things we’re thinking – brings us closer to him.
Mercilessly, he released KD and then hugged him. Now he faces the reigning king, or rather, the Joker, in the unmissable second round clash. He has all eyes on him and an opportunity in front of him. An American face, an All-Star, a true superstar. He has the game and charisma to be one of the next guys, and the beauty of that is that the Timberpups don’t need to win this series. They just need to behave well in front of the champions and we will know all their names. But first, let’s start with it. – Vicente Goodwill
Knicks-76ers: The best kind of constant heart attack
During 245 minutes of basketball, two stinky spots separated New York and Philadelphia… and the team on the positive side in point difference is down 3-2 in the series. In an era of 3-point bombing variance-induced explosions, the biggest lead in the series was 15 points; there was not a single second of rubbish. Four out of five games they reached the decisive hour, with the score at five points in the final five minutes. This was a heavyweight fight conducted inside a phone booth. No blows, all hay; all gas, no brakes.
We saw Philadelphia’s elite half-court defense, New York’s elite transition offense, and unparalleled individual performances — 50 points for Joel Embiid in Game 3; 47 points and 10 assists for Jalen Brunson in Game 4; 46 points for Tyrese Maxey in Game 5. We saw breathtaking last-second comebacks, with Donte DiVincenzo’s double triple banger in Game 2 and Maxey saving Philly’s season in Game 5.
Relentless physicality. Line pitch chippiness. Amazing shot. Devastating defense. Manic trainers squeezing every last drop out of their ever-tightening rotations. Superstars playing at the height of their talents, writing and revising legacies with every possession. A robust regional rivalry, renewed with venom and vitriol. Add it all up and you get one of the most exciting series we’ve seen in recent years – one that, thanks to Maxey’s miracle at MSG, isn’t over yet. Tips for Game 6 on Thursday night in South Philly. Tune in. You will not regret. – Dan Devine
Denver title defense
The Nuggets have the most complementary five-man lineup in the entire NBA, playing 958 minutes together during the regular season – the most of any such lineup in the NBA at 199! – with an impressive net rating of 13.6. The numbers match the aesthetic synergy behind Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray’s late-game picks. Aaron Gordon continued his dominance out of the depths. No one in the league can compete with Michael Porter Jr.’s efficiency at “no…no…yes!” 3s. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, even with an ankle injury, always seems to get timely buckets and get a needed steal. And still …
The way Denver handled LeBron James’ Lakers through five games felt like an absolute struggle for the Nuggets compared to the series’ lopsided outcome. The Lakers have led for more than 150 minutes in their five games against the defending champions, compared to the Nuggets’ lead time of about 50 ticks. As much as the Western Conference still passes Denver — Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves will certainly have to earn their way into the conference finals — the Nuggets don’t look as invincible in their slate of opening playoff games as Denver announced last spring, even that the Nuggets still feels like an inevitability no matter how big a deficit they face in any given game. And who doesn’t want to see an overwhelming favorite suddenly have to face some adversity? – Jake Fisher
The rumbling thunder
The Thunder made easy work of the Pelicans, sweeping New Orleans in four games to earn their first postseason victory since 2016. Much of the talk in the West is about the Wolves and Nuggets, but don’t sleep on OKC. The playoffs ushered in a new era, and the Thunder, the second youngest team in the league, is at the forefront of this change, embodying the “out with the old, in with the new” narrative.
After the Game 4 victory, OKC coach Mark Daigneault said, “There’s a difference between age and maturity, and we have a mature team, we have a committed team.” Age is nothing, but a number has been this team’s vibe all season, and with the perfect blend of star power, potential, and chemistry, they are one of the most entertaining teams in the postseason. And yes, it helps to have a leader and MVP finalist in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, but his calling card has been mutual commitment and advocacy.
Until Wednesday, the Thunder have a ridiculous situation 93.5 defensive rating after holding the Pelicans to 40% from the field and 27% from 3 in the first-round series. While that’s unlikely to hold the rest of the way, the Boston Celtics were the only other team in the top five in offensive and defensive rating this season. OKC’s youth movement is in full force, and with plenty of days to rest, the Mavericks or Clippers will be very busy in the second round. – Dan Tito
Boston’s legacy
LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant may be passing the NBA torch, but to who exactly? Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo and Denver’s Nikola Jokić already carry the flame, each winning two MVPs and a championship in the previous five years. Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards and Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander headline the league’s large and talented 25-and-under crowd as both look to topple Jokić’s Nuggets atop the Western Conference.
In the middle are Boston’s Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, perennially on the fringes of MVP and All-NBA conversations, and still championshipless with five Eastern Conference Finals appearances in this series.
The Celtics failed to draft Durant in 2016 in free agency. The consolation prize was Al Horford and the impending No. 3 overall selections of Tatum and Brown. All this time later, they are still here. As teenagers, Tatum and Brown challenged James’ Cavaliers in 2017 and 2018. Their rise as under-25 stars has been evident from 2021, when they lost to Durant’s Nets in the first round, to 2022, when they beat the Nets on their way to the NBA Finals, where they were still too young to take the crown from Curry’s Warriors.
Tatum and Brown are now armed with the best roster they’ve ever had and still trying to get Horford the ring that eluded him in his illustrious career. Their rise is an old-school NBA rise. They are among the defining teams of this season and are the only ones who have yet to stand out. If you could go back and give a team like the 2002 Sacramento Kings or the 2007 Phoenix Suns a title, wouldn’t it? Now is your chance to see it. – Ben Rohrbach
