2023 NBA Playoffs: Underdog Aspirations
June 9, 2023
The NBA playoffs are underway! In fact, we’re already a few games into the 3rd round of the playoffs. For those that don’t follow, here is a quick explanation: the NBA playoffs are comprised of four rounds of seven-game series with a total of sixteen teams and fifteen individual matchups. The four teams that remain have all fought hard to get to the conference finals.
In the Western Conference Finals, the Nuggets seek their first finals appearance in franchise history against the Lebron-led LA Lakers. After missing the playoffs the prior year, the Laker’s season started off pretty rocky with a 2-10 record in their first twelve games. With the second-worst record in the West, the Lakers were given a 0.3% chance of even making the playoffs (nba.com). However the Lakers General Manager, Rob Pelinka, expertly took advantage of the trade deadline and many of the desperate teams involved in trade talks to completely rearrange his roster. After the Russel Westbrook experiment failed in LA, the team quickly moved on and surrounded Lebron James and Anthony Davis with a competent defense and efficient shooters to rocket them into the 7th seed in the Western Conference. The Lakers are now the second team to ever make the conference finals as a 7th seed. Ramapo teacher, Mr. Desalvo says that “I’m not too surprised that the Lakers have done as well as they have, since their season was hampered due to injuries, and LeBron is one of the greatest playoff performers we have ever seen”
In contrast to the Laker’s comeback season, the Denver Nuggets have been dominating from the beginning to the end of the season. All thanks to their two-time MVP, Nikola Jokic, the Nuggets held the best record in the West and fourth-best in the NBA. During the regular season, Jokic sought his third straight MVP award by averaging nearly a 25-point triple-double but placing second behind the 76er’s Joel Embiid (nba.com). However, the Nugget team’s success shouldn’t have been a surprise to anyone. For the first time since their last conference finals appearance in 2020, other key players like Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr have been healthy. Now the Nuggets lead 3 – 0 over the Lakers and are looking like the favorites to win the series and the championship. Ramapo Junior, Ben Fischer, had this to add on the Nuggets: “I believe the Nuggets are going to win because they are the most well-rounded team in the playoffs by a mile and they have the most talented player in the league”.
In the Eastern Conference finals, the Miami Heat face the heavily favored Boston Celtics for the third time in the last four years. Like the Lakers, the Heat are also making a historic playoff run that will be remembered for years to come. Throughout the season, the Heat disappointed and began to plummet out of the playoff picture. However, unlike the Lakers, Miami’s comeback did not take place in the regular season. After losing the first play-in game to the Atlanta Hawks and winning a must-win game against the Chicago Bulls, the Heat didn’t look back and took off. Pushing through their team’s injuries and critics, the team took down the championship favorite Milwaukee Bucks in a quick five games and the New York Knicks in six games, to become the second eighth seed ever to make the conference finals. While the Celtics hope to get to the finals, the Heat are making that dream fade quickly. After a steady regular season holding the 2nd best record in the NBA and Eastern Conference, the Celtics have lost 2 home games in a row and are now down 3 – 0 to the Heat.
Now the question remains, will the underdogs continue to pull through or will the postseason favorites meet expectations? We must wait and see.
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