Thursday, May 22, 2025
BasketballNBANBA Playoffs: How Far Can These Teams Reach?

NBA Playoffs: How Far Can These Teams Reach?

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Now that the NBA regular season is over, here’s my personal take on how far can these 20 teams can reach both in the Play-In Tournament and Playoffs.

Play-In Tournament Exit

  • Sacramento Kings
  • Dallas Mavericks
  • Atlanta Hawks 
  • Miami Heat
  • Chicago Bulls

Yes, I didn’t include both the Golden State Warriors and the Memphis Grizzlies, considering that they are the #7 vs #8 seed matchup in the West. This is because I firmly believe that these can be the ones that will complete the Playoff Brackets in the Western Conference.

Even though the #7 Orlando Magic is technically going to the Play In Tournament, I also don’t think that the duo of Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner can go out that early.

Oh and Dallas’ GM Nico Harrison can’t pull off any upset by the way. Regardless if their lineup is headlined by a healthy Anthony Davis. Hopefully, Klay Thompson can forget his infamous 0-10 field goal shooting in the Play-In last year.

1st Round Exit

  • Memphis Grizzlies
  • Minnesota Timberwolves
  • Los Angeles Clippers
  • Houston Rockets
  • Orlando Magic
  • Milwaukee Bucks
  • New York Knicks
  • Atlanta Hawks
  • Chicago Bulls
  • Miami Heat

Any of the Magic, Hawks, Heat, and Bulls will come out of the Play-In Tournament, I still don’t think any of these 4 teams can go deep in the Playoffs. Their lineup isn’t properly constructed to withstand any of the top-tier teams in the East. 

In the match of Bucks against the Indiana Pacers match, I don’t think that the trio of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kyle Kuzma, and Brook Lopez will win against the trio of Myles Turner, Tyrese Haliburton, and Pascal Siakam. Knowing that Damian Lillard is out indefinitely for the side of the Bucks, The Greek Freak simply cannot do it all. 

I think that the 6th seeded Detroit Pistons can pull off an upset against the 3rd seeded Knicks. Cade and company are playing more team-oriented basketball, and their offense has developed into allowing their veteran players to space the floor in shooting threes while both of their big men and guards can drive to the basket. 

Nonetheless, the #3 vs #6 and #4 vs #5 matches in the Eastern Conference will go to a Game 7.

The 6th seeded Wolves also won’t be lasting that much against the 3rd seeded Los Angeles Lakers. Head Coach JJ Reddick has found the perfect recipe in possibly giving LeBron James his 5th ring. 

The Clippers will have their hands full dealing with the 3x MVP Nikola Jokic. The Joker is leading his own squad in all of the categories and has finished this season averaging a triple-double. The defense of Kawhi Leonard, Derrick Jones Jr., Ivica Zubac and Ben Simmons must always be on point in stopping the Joker. Though this series may go down to a Game 7 as well.

I still am not fully convinced that the  Houston Rockets can win the NBA championship. Their guards have not made the “All-Star” level improvement this season, and they simply lack the experience to win it all. Despite being the #2 team in the West, either the Warriors or Grizzlies can actually crush their 2nd Round Playoff dreams.

Same goes if the Grizzlies ever reach the Playoffs; they’ll just be eliminated early.

2nd Round Exit

  • Golden State Warriors
  • Los Angeles Lakers
  • Detroit Pistons 
  • Indiana Pacers

Hypothetically speaking, even if Stephen Curry leads the Warriors to make it out alive from the Play-In Tournament and 1st Round Playoffs, I don’t think they can win a series against either the Oklahoma City Thunder or the Denver Nuggets. They don’t have enough bigs to match against their opponents, and Jimmy Butler can only do so much on the offensive side of the floor.

As well as their inconsistent 3-point shooting? The Dubs will surely have a big problem winning games.

For the Lake Show, as comedic as the “OKC, UFC, KFC, Lakers in 5” jokes have been, they can’t actually win a series facing the Thunder. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, and Jalen Williams may all be very young, but they can surely reach the NBA Finals as they have proven to beat the more-experienced teams in the West during the regular season.

Who do the Lakers have to match against Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein, and Jaylin Williams? 

Jaxson Haynes? Dorian Finney-Smith? Rui Hachimura? C’mon now. 

Lakers, Skechers, Tax Payers, OKC in 5.

Conference Finals Exit

  • Cleveland Cavaliers
  • Denver Nuggets

As historic as this season may have been for the Cavs, they still are not dethroning the defending NBA champions, the Boston Celtics. Donovan Mitchell has been stellar in the entire season for the Cavs, but the Celtics are just too talented to be beaten in the ECF. Though I expect that their Eastern Conference Finals match will go to a winner takes all Game 7.

But for my prediction of a Denver Nuggets against OKC Thunder in the Western Conference Finals, the Joker may actually be “gentleman swept” by potential MVP of this season, SGA.

And after all of this, here is who I believe will be the 1st runner up in the NBA Finals…

NBA Finals Runners Up

  • Oklahoma City Thunder

I got the Celtics winning their 2nd straight title. With Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Kristaps Porzingis, Derrick White, and Jrue Holiday as your starting lineup, there’s no way teams can beat you in a series. Plus the fact that they have a talented bench of Luke Kornet, Al Horford, Payton Pritchard, and Sam Hauser, this team may experience their first loss during the NBA Finals and not in the Playoffs.

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Brian Callada
Brian Callada
Hi I'm Brian, a B.A. Broadcasting graduate and no I'm not passionate about basketball, I'm obsessed with it. Always remember, love what you do in life.

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