With the first round of the NBA playoffs nearing a close, there are many things to take away from the matchups we saw. There were many game-winners and clutch-time moments in the first round, this is what to take away from the first round.
The Suns need to blow it up: Going into their first-round matchup with the Minnesota Timberwolves, there was a quiet confidence from the Phoenix Suns. They had gone 3-0 vs them in the regular season and their big three of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal looked to be a difficult matchup for the Wolves coming in. However, Anthony Edwards came out and dominated the Suns, averaging 31.0 points per game, 8 rebounds, and 6.3 assists in a 4-0 sweep. This leaves the question: where does Phoenix go from here? They have no protected first-round picks until 2030, so they are stuck with the big three that they have right now. As seen in the first round, they are in no position to contend for a championship. It seems like they are directionless as an organization.
Jalen Brunson is a superstar: In this series against Philadelphia, many were skeptical of the Knick’s ability to keep up with Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and the 76er’s offense. Jalen Brunson put all of those doubts to sleep, as he was able to will his team and advance them to the second round in 6 games over the Sixers. The 76ers are left disappointed after another year of missing the Eastern Conference Finals, and it seems as though the championship window is slipping away.
A new era of players is forming: This year more than ever there are so many young and upcoming teams in the playoffs. The Indiana Pacers, led by young star guard Tyrese Haliburton took down the Milwaukee Bucks in 6 games, and many felt that the Bucks’ aging players against Indiana’s youth was a mismatch. The Orlando Magic, led by Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, and Jalen Suggs have given the Cavaliers everything they can handle, dominating them at home. Anthony Edwards has taken the league by storm, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has led the Thunder to the second round with a sweep of New Orleans.
Donovan Mitchell needs more help in Cleveland: The Cleveland Cavaliers have had an interesting postseason to say the least, after defending home court and going up 2-0, they proceeded to lose the next two in Orlando by a combined 61 points. Then, they won by one point at home with an Evan Mobley game-winning block and then lost in a game where Mitchell put up 50 points on the road. The Cavs have had struggles scoring the ball in the postseason, and when Mitchell or Garland isn’t scoring, there are question marks surrounding who will fill those holes in the offense. While they did win the series in 7 games, the ceiling for this team is still low.
This is the end of an era: With all these young stars taking over, the older stars have had trouble keeping up. With eight teams remaining in the postseason, the oldest superstar still in the playoffs is Nikola Jokic, who is only 29 years old. LeBron James and the Lakers couldn’t keep up with the new kings of the West in Denver. Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and James Harden got sent home by Luka Doncic and the Mavericks. Even though they were without Giannis, the Bucks still couldn’t contend with the Pacers even with Damian Lillard, and Stephen Curry, and the Warriors missed the playoffs entirely. These playoffs have marked the end of one era and the beginning of another in the NBA.
