The 2019 NBA Playoffs is shaping up to be better than we’ve seen in the last few seasons, even more so after what transpired at the trade deadline
For the past four seasons, the NBA playoffs have gone the exact same way. The Golden State Warriors come out of the Western Conference and usually have little resistance and whatever team has LeBron James comes out of the Eastern Conference.
For nine straight seasons, LeBron James has made the NBA Finals and the last four years have seen him and his Cleveland Cavaliers teammates square off with the Warriors. The Warriors have dominated those four meetings, winning 15 of the 22 games and capturing the championship three out of four times.
This season, however, should be a much needed change.
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The Warriors are still the favorites to win the title but they have a much deeper Western Conference to deal with as well as a potential first round matchup with LeBron James and his Los Angeles Lakers. Golden State also could have a Western Conference Finals opponent in either the Denver Nuggets or Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Nuggets have been outstanding all season and pose a legit threat to the Warriors especially once they are fully healthy.
The Thunder have one of the leagues top defenses and Paul George has been playing arguably the best basketball of his career this season. The Warriors also could matchup with the Portland Trail Blazers or Houston Rockets in the second round. The Rockets are struggling with injuries this season but if they could be completely healthy come playoff time then that’s another series that could be tougher than usual for the Warriors.
After nine years of being embarrassed by LeBron James, the Eastern Conference is finally competitive again and while the West is still the best Conference, the best playoff series should come from the East.
The East has four legit Finals contenders in the Milwaukee Bucks, Toronto Raptors, Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers. Barring any first round upsets those four teams would be playing each other in the second round.
Based on current standings, the potential second round matchups would be the Bucks playing the 76ers and the Raptors squaring off with the Celtics. Those series would have the talent and capability of being amazing seven game series and the winners would be rewarded by facing off with one another for the right to advance to the NBA Finals.
After years of the NBA playoffs being mostly chalk with very few upsets or supervises this season appears to be different. The possibility of the some very good matchups that could be must-see tv for any NBA/basketball fan.
Some matchups that NBA fans could see come April through June:
Golden State vs. Los Angeles
Portland vs. Houston
Denver vs. Utah
Golden State vs. Houston
Denver vs. Oklahoma City
Golden State vs. OKC/Denver
Milwaukee vs. Philadelphia
Toronto vs. Boston
Milwaukee vs. Toronto
Milwaukee vs. Boston
Golden State vs. Milwaukee
Golden State vs. Toronto
Golden State vs. Boston
No matter what happens over the last few weeks of the 2018-19 NBA season, one thing’s for sure: the 2019 NBA Playoffs are going to be exciting and intriguing to watch unfold.