NBA playoffs are starting to get into the action. With the first round already in the books, who are the favorites to win, what are the top matchups, and how did the first round finish for these teams?
For the top teams, in the Eastern Conference, there is the Detroit Pistons with a 60-22 record. There is also the Boston Celtics with a 56-26 record. The third team in the East is the Knicks with a 53-29 record. The Pistons would start a severe rebuild phase in 2020 and focus on building in the draft with a player like Cade Cunningham. After historic losing records they would change philosophies and hire head coach JB Bickerstaff to end this stretch and lead them to the number one seed. The Boston Celtics have been dominant for the past 4 years led by stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. They would make a finals appearance in 2022 and would win the finals in 2024. The Knicks would collect stars like Karl-Anthony Towns and Jalen Brunson. They would focus heavy on defense and lead them to the three seed in the East.
Who are the favorites to win the finals? The main favorite is the Oklahoma City Thunder. Though having much controversy for flopping, they are the top team with plenty of young stars like Shai and Chet. With this mix of young talent and good coaching, they are the heavy favorites to win the finals.
The San Antonio Spurs are the next favorite, being led by a young Victor Wembenyama. He is a 7’2 monster that shoots like a point guard and dunks like a center. With freakish athletic ability and great shooting ability, he is the highest potential players in the NBA.
The Boston Celtics stay relevant consistently after a finals win in 2024. Led by Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, they have a star studded cast ready to get their second finals win in 4 years. Boston is not new to winning having won multiple championships over their long history and they are hoping to add another.
This years NBA finals have plenty of great storylines to follow. They also have great teams, great players and teams that want to win more than anything. Don’t miss out on the action this playoff season.
