NBA Playoffs: Power Ranking Every First-Round Playoff Matchup's Watchability

To a basketball fan, the NBA playoffs are the ultimate heaven. Sixteen teams battle and give it their all to achieve their goal: win an NBA championship.

To set the record straight, there is no such thing as a “bad” playoff game. With that being said, however, some games are just more exciting to watch than others.

With each team having played at least two games up to this point, we should have a pretty good idea of which series will be the most interesting to watch.

Read on as I rank each NBA playoff series by its "watchability."

8. Indiana Pacers (3) vs. Orlando Magic (6)

No playoff series is ever dull, or lacking in excitement. But this one is as close as it can get.

The Indiana Pacers really came out of nowhere, surprising a lot of people by jumping into the three slot in the Eastern Conference.

It’s just a shame that their fanbase never shows up. Indiana was second to last in attendance figures in the regular season, averaging just a bit over 14,000 people a game.

But this is understandable. George Hill, David West, and Paul George are not exactly household names.

Couple the Indiana Pacers and the Orlando Magic, who are playing without star center Dwight Howard, and this makes for a very low-rated series.

Which explains why the games are shown on NBA-TV. 

7. San Antonio Spurs (1) vs. Utah Jazz (8)

This series is low on the watchability list because the Spurs have straight up destroyed the Jazz in the first two games, winning both by double-digits.

The Spurs are the best team in the NBA, facing off against a rather weak eighth-seeded Utah Jazz team.

With no real star-power on the Jazz, San Antonio has shown that they clearly are the better team, making this a rather lob-sided series.

Just another stepping stone on the road to another potential championship for the Spurs.

6. Chicago Bulls (1) vs. Philadelphia 76ers (2)

The loss of Derrick Rose for Chicago really stings, as the 76ers managed to tie up the series at one with a rout of the Bulls in Game 2.

Which is why this series is pretty much over, heading to Philadelphia for two games.

A team without its best player (or in this case, MVP), is not going to beat another playoff team three times, earning this series a low-seed on the "watchability" standings. 

5. Miami Heat (2) vs. New York Knicks (7)

What looked like a marquee matchup between the Miami Heat and New York Knicks on paper has become an absolute one-sided series, favoring the Heat.

With their win Thursday night, Miami is now ahead 3-0 in the best of seven.

This series must have been No. 1 on everybody's "watchability" list before the start of the playoffs, but key injuries to the Knicks (Amar'e Stoudemaire, Jeremy Lin), coupled with superb play from the the "Big Three" of the Miami Heat has turned it into a rather "un-watchable" series.

4. Los Angeles Lakers (3) vs. Denver Nuggets (6)

This series has potential to be real good—if the Denver Nuggets can fight their way back in the series. The Lakers are up 2-0 on Denver, but only won Game 2 by four points.

Like the Jazz, the Nuggets don't really have much star power, but they are giving the Lakers their best effort.

Knowing the rabid fanbase in Denver, a few wins by the Nuggets could push this series up the "watchability" list.

3. Memphis Grizzlies (4) vs. Los Angeles Clippers (5)

After blowing a 27-point lead in Game 1, the Grizzlies rallied to win Game 2, tying the best of seven at one game apiece.

Just that alone makes this a very "watchable" series.

Both the Clippers and Grizzlies have had one of the best regular seasons in their respective franchises' history. 

These are two very evenly matched teams battling it out for the right to advance in the playoffs.

2. Oklahoma City Thunder (2) vs. Dallas Mavericks (7)

I had this series at No. "1" on this list before the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Dallas Mavericks in Dallas to take a commanding 3-0 lead in the best of seven.

After two tightly-contested games—in which the Thunder barely squeaked out two victories—the Mavericks looked sluggish and tired, losing by double-digits in Game 3.

But it should be interesting nonetheless. The Thunder have the defending NBA champions on the edge of elimination.

Will there be a new NBA champion? That very question proves that this series should still be high up on the "watchability" list. 

1. Boston Celtics (4) vs. Atlanta Hawks (5)

This has been one of the best series for me to watch. Tied 1-1, it is evident that both of these teams want to win bad. Both games have been low scoring, with neither team wanting to give in to their opponent.

The Hawks have not won an NBA championship in over 50 years, while the Celtics are trying to squeeze one last championship out of their veteran roster.

And there has been drama. Rajon Rondo was suspended for Game 2 for bumping an official, then fired right back:

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“The end result is all that matters,” Rondo said, via Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald. “If there had been a different result, it would have been very difficult. But since we won [Game 2], it felt like we won the series already.”

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Let's see that quote again:

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"But since we won [Game 2], it felt like we won the series already.”

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Wow. Just imagine how hostile the Atlanta Hawks' crowd will be in Game 5.