NBA: What if the playoffs were only best-of-five series?

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NBA Houston Rockets James Harde (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /

2018 NBA Finals: Celtics vs. Rockets

Imagine a world where we not given the fourth installment of the Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Golden State Warriors. Houston and Boston won that decisive fifth game and would have made for a sort of refreshing NBA Finals matchup.

Keep in mind, the Celtics were minus Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward but were still able to break past LeBron James on the back of rookie Jayson Tatum. Out in the Western Conference, we finally are able to see Chris Paul in the NBA Finals and watch James Harden move past Golden State for what seems like it has been an eternity. It seems like a toss-up as to who wins this series, but experience wins out in the end and Houston brings home their first title in 23 years.

2016 NBA Finals: Thunder vs. Cavaliers

The Oklahoma City Thunder never blows a 3-1 lead! We are able to have a Russ/KD vs. LeBron rematch and while it would prove to be tough to stop that one-two punch, Cleveland’s depth would still have them winning their first NBA title.

My focus is more on the ramifications that would loom large out in the Western Conference. Remember, this was a Golden State Warriors team that went 73-9 but were clearly embarrassed by OKC. If Kevin Durant does not lose to the Warriors, does he leave the Thunder? How do the Warriors recover from an upset of this magnitude? Would we ever see Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson in the Finals again?

If not, then who would be champions of the Western Conference?