NBA Playoffs 2017: Breaking Down Potential First-Round Matchups
Playoff basketball is less than two weeks away.
Only four teams in the Eastern Conference have punched their tickets; the rest of the conference is a smorgasbord of mediocrity. The Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers are locked into a battle for the No. 7 and No. 8 seeds. The Charlotte Hornets remain a dark horse to sneak in.
While the East is fluid, the picture out West is more concrete; seven teams have clinched a berth, and the Portland Trail Blazers have pulled away from the Denver Nuggets in recent days.
With that in mind, let's say that the regular season ended today. What would the first round look like?
Standings
| Warriors | 63-14 |
| Spurs | 59-17 |
| Rockets | 52-25 |
| Jazz | 47-30 |
| Clippers | 47-31 |
| Thunder | 43-33 |
| Grizzlies | 42-35 |
| Blazers | 38-38 |
| Celtics | 50-27 |
| Cavaliers | 49-27 |
| Wizards | 47-30 |
| Raptors | 46-31 |
| Bucks | 40-37 |
| Hawks | 39-38 |
| Bulls | 38-39 |
| Heat | 37-40 |
| Pacers | 37-40 |
First-round bracket
| Warriors (1) vs. Blazers (8) | |
| Spurs (2) vs. Grizzlies (7) | |
| Rockets (3) vs. Thunder (6) | |
| Jazz (4) vs. Clippers (5) | |
| Celtics (1) vs. Heat (8) | |
| Cavaliers (2) vs. Bulls (7) | |
| Raptors (3) vs. Hawks (6) | |
| Wizards (4) vs. Bucks (5) |
Most intriguing matchups
West: Rockets (3) vs. Thunder (6)
Barring something historic, either Russell Westbrook or James Harden will have a serious chip on their shoulder in the first round.
It's tough to imagine one of them not winning the Maurice Podoloff Trophy. Westbrook's averaging a triple-double and is on pace to break Oscar Robertson's single-season record for triple-doubles (41). Harden is the first player in hoops history to score and assist over 2,000 points in the same year (h/t Fox Sports' Andrew Lynch).
They've both been unprecedentedly dominant. But there have never been co-MVPs in the regular season.
Kawhi Leonard and LeBron James will likely get some love from voters, but it seems to be a two-man MVP race in the final stretch of the year. Unless Harden and Westbrook both win, like retired Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant suggested on ESPN at the end of March, one will be robbed—and subsequently enter the first round with a thirst for revenge.
That doesn't mean there would be any ill-will between the former Oklahoma City Thunder teammates. They're actually friends. But each star has reason to believe he is more valuable than the other. Not getting that trophy will kick anger-Russ or anger-Beard into high-gear.
A shared trophy would be fair, but it would also dim the flames in this potential first-round bout. Assuming only one pair of hands touches the hardware, though, this will arguably be the most must-see showdown in Round 1.
East: Celtics (1) vs. Heat (8)
After beginning the season 11-30, Coach of the Year candidate Erik Spoelstra's Miami Heat have gone 26-10. Included in that seemingly impossible run was a 13-game winning streak in late January.
So, don't let the 37-40 record fool you; Miami is a threat.
The Boston Celtics are no joke, either, of course. Having unseated LeBron James' Cleveland Cavaliers from the Eastern Conference throne, Isaiah Thomas and Co. should be treated with due respect.
But it'd be foolish to overlook the Heat.
Hassan Whiteside is an absolute load in the middle, which could cause problems for Al Horford and Boston's front line. The 7-footer also ranks third in blocks per game (2.1) and first in cleaning the glass (14.0 boards). That's not who Boston, which ranks 26th in team rebounding, wants to see when its best player is 5'9".
Miami pushed the Celtics to their limit on Sunday, March 26, but fell 112-108. Whiteside had 19 points and 15 rebounds, and it took 30 points from Thomas to overcome 'Spo's overachieving squad. That's a tough ask over the course of a seven-game series, where fouls become play-ons and there's more contact than ever.
Make no mistake—Boston would be favored. But 1-8 series are rarely even worth watching, aside from narratives (like in 2013, when Brandon Jennings infamously proclaimed "Bucks in six" over LBJ and Dwyane Wade's Heat). On the court, they're almost always beatdowns. But Miami would have a legitimate shot at beating the Celtics, assuming they continue to hold off James' Cavs.
That alone is enough reason to tune in.
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