Ranking the NBA's 1st-round playoff matchups by watchability
There are 1,230 NBA games in a season, and it wasn't until the end of the very last one Wednesday that the postseason seeding was finalized.
So which matchups are the most intriguing? What are the best storylines? And which teams could pull off an upset? Here's our ranking of first-round matchups by watchability:
8. Golden State Warriors vs. San Antonio Spurs
A battle of teams we've come to know as Western Conference powerhouses, this matchup should warrant more hype. However, both teams are expected to be without their franchise players, as Stephen Curry is nursing an MCL sprain and Kawhi Leonard has been MIA with a mysterious quad injury for all but nine games this year.
Two very different systems will be on display. Steve Kerr's Warriors boast a potent, fast-paced, free-flowing offense, while Gregg Popovich's squad moves like molasses and doesn't shoot particularly well or score a lot, but is disciplined and solid defensively. The Spurs will need a lot from LaMarcus Aldridge, who has played well against Golden State this season after struggling in their 2017 WCF matchup. Still, even without Curry, the Warriors have three All-Stars and should be able to continue their title defense beyond the opening round pretty handily, though it's unlikely they'll roll through the postseason with a 16-1 record again.
7. Houston Rockets vs. Minnesota Timberwolves
This matchup features two teams that upgraded personnel last summer, with varying results. Chris Paul joined forces with James Harden in Houston to form an elite backcourt and orchestrate one of the most dangerous offenses ever seen, with a steadfast commitment to hoisting threes and getting to the free-throw line.
The Timberwolves reunited coach Tom Thibodeau with elite two-way swingman Jimmy Butler and some of his former Chicago Bulls teammates. They too have a powerful offense (fourth), but unlike their first-round opponent, they're averse to the 3-point shot, doing most of their damage in the paint and from the charity stripe. Expect a whole lot of points, but more from the Rockets, who swept the head-to-head matchup 4-0 after hanging 491 points on Minny's 23rd-ranked defense. It won't be a long run for the Wolves, but at least that awful 13-year playoff drought is over.
6. Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Indiana Pacers
The Pacers have been the feel-good story of the campaign, exceeding all expectations thanks in large part to a breakout campaign from MIP favorite Victor Oladipo. He made his first All-Star appearance, has been one of the best two-way talents in the league - not unlike his predecessor Paul George - and has been clutch to boot.
Unfortunately, his team is going up against the NBA's most clutch player in LeBron James, who in his 15th year has enjoyed arguably his best season. The four-time Most Valuable Player put forth yet another MVP-caliber year that helped Cleveland stay afloat despite season-long roster instability, which included a trade-deadline overhaul. As it turns out, having the best player in the world and an elite offense is enough to secure a fourth-place finish in the East. But the question of whether the Cavs can take their defense up a notch remains. With the second-worst defensive rating in the league, they'll need to in order to have any shot at making their fourth straight Finals appearance.
Related: Pacers have skill, need moxie to dent LeBron's 1st-round armor
Indiana will challenge them, but not enough to impede "Playoff LeBron" and his first-round dominance. But at least we can revel in the highly anticipated matchup between James and Lance Stephenson, who share a fun little history.
5. Boston Celtics vs. Milwaukee Bucks
Who wants to watch a one-man wrecking crew? Like most players, Giannis Antetokounmpo aspires to be the best and to win a championship. But unlike most, he has the drive and tools to accomplish such feats someday. For now, expect the 23-year-old phenom to pounce on the wounded Celtics so he can get out of the first round for the first time.
While entering as the seventh seed, Milwaukee has more talent than the version of Boston that's limping into the playoffs. The Celtics are without their top two players and depend heavily on one guy who isn't legal drinking age and another who just turned 21 last year. It'll be a lot to ask of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown to contain The Greek Freak, who has his second-highest scoring average against Boston (33.5 points over four games, which they split). To their credit, the young C's duo has stepped up immensely and has helped the Celtics become the best defensive team in the NBA. They also have a huge advantage on the sidelines, with COY contender Brad Stevens expected to get crafty against interim Bucks coach Joe Prunty.
4. Toronto Raptors vs. Washington Wizards
Can the Raptors exorcise their demons? Sure, they submitted their best season ever and finished atop the East, but they're up against a Wizards team that, as the lower seed, swept them in the first round in 2015. The Raps have flamed out in the majority of their playoff runs over the past four years after strong regular seasons, and many will expect the same until the success carries over.
There's reason to believe this year is different, as Toronto underwent a massive culture change that's culminated in it becoming the only team ranking in the top five in both offensive and defensive rating. Their new system figures to hold up better in the postseason - provided their stars don't revert to isolation ball - and DeMar DeRozan said Thursday the team's "swag is at an all-time high."
Related: Despite No. 1 seed, Raptors are still playing for legitimacy
The Wizards, on the other hand, have had an up-and-down campaign, with John Wall missing half the season due to injury. He sat out all matchups with the Raptors, yet Washington managed to split the series and has confidence in its chances against the Canadian opponent.
3. Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Utah Jazz
The pressure is on for the Thunder after making win-now moves last summer in bringing on Paul George and Carmelo Anthony to join reigning MVP Russell Westbrook. But will they win now? Will their star power be enough to send their Northwest Division rivals packing? Will Russ try to take over again or will he trust his teammates more this time?
Don't let Westbrook's second straight season averaging a triple-double distract you from the fact that George has been slumping and Melo is 33 and having the worst year of his career. George, who'll become an unrestricted free agent after the season, said the Thunder don't need to win the title for him to stay, but surely they've got to get out of the first round.
Utah will make it tough on them, as Quin Snyder's men closed out the regular season with a ton of momentum. Upon Rudy Gobert's return from injury, the team won 30 of its final 38 games and stifled opponents with their second-ranked defense. Offensively, they benefited from ball movement and the speedy rise of rookie Donovan Mitchell, who already leads the club in scoring. The Jazz weren't supposed to be this competitive so soon after Gordon Hayward's departure, but here they are right back in the playoffs ready to give the Thunder a run for their money.
2. Portland Trail Blazers vs. New Orleans Pelicans
This has the makings of a memorable matchup based on how evenly matched the two star-reliant teams are. Don't let the 3-6 seedings fool you, as the Pelicans finished just one game back of the Trail Blazers and trailed by a point differential of 1.3.
Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum have experience on their side, having now made five straight playoff appearances, though they've yet to advance past the second round. Fortunately for them, they'll have home-court advantage after a well-timed post-All-Star-break surge saw them finish with the third seed. They have one of the best home crowds in the NBA and a 28-13 record at Moda Center.
Anthony Davis has played at an MVP level this season and will continue to show out in his second crack at the postseason. Although Portland has been one of the better teams at defending the interior, containing Davis is a tall order. The Pelicans lead the league in pace as well as points in the paint, and are exceptional at rebounding and blocking shots. The series will come down to which club controls the tempo and which stars shine brighter on the big stage.
1. Philadelphia 76ers vs. Miami Heat
The 76ers are fun to watch and have a blindingly bright future, but could they accelerate The Process and make a deep run now? Led by wunderkind Ben Simmons, they finished the season on a historic 16-game winning streak to lock up the No. 3 seed in their first playoff appearance in six years - and they didn't even need their best player for half of it.
Joel Embiid is recovering from a facial fracture but is expected to be back early in the first round, which is good news for them and the rest of the world (except maybe the Heat). The inclusion of the All-Star center alone make this series must-watch television given his on-court dominance and beef with his Miami counterpart Hassan Whiteside. The two have an intense rivalry that goes beyond banging in the paint, with the animosity seeping into the social-media realm and then back into the game with their ruthless trash-talking.
Related - Big Meets Bigger: Embiid vs. Whiteside is heavyweight bout years in the making
Beyond the big men bringing out the best in each other, it'll be interesting to see how the Heat handle Simmons and whether Dwyane Wade has another vintage playoff performance left in him. Given their youth, lack of playoff experience, and easy schedule down the stretch, it's fair to be skeptical of how good, and how ready, the 76ers truly are. Consider this: they boast the third-best defense in the NBA while the Heat rank in the bottom 10 offensively, which is the worst among all playoff squads. It could get ugly, but at least Embiid will be sure to keep it entertaining.
(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)