NBA Playoffs 2020: 5 franchises that could spring a surprise
The NBA Playoffs are on as basketball returns in 2020 starting on July 30th, 2020. It will be nearly four months because of the COVID-19 pandemic since the NBA was last in action on March 11th, 2020. There will be 22 franchises playing eight games for seeding purposes and then the grind of the NBA playoffs will begin. Eventually, one franchise, one team will get to raise the Larry O'Brien Trophy.
The COVID-19 break has allowed all NBA teams, including the defending champions Toronto Raptors, to recharge their batteries. Toronto Raptors' centre, Marc Gasol, who spent two stints this season on the injured list due to a hamstring injury, used the time off to get fitter and healthier. Brett Brown, the head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers NBA team, is confident that Ben Simmons, who suffered a back injury, will be able to play even if he's not 100% when play resumes.
The two Los Angeles franchises, the Lakers and Clippers are among the favourites for the Larry O'Brien Trophy. However, in the backdrop of the uncertainty brought about by the pandemic and the bubble in Florida, games will be played in empty arenas and the improbable could happen. Once play resumes, here are five franchises that could surprise in the 2020 NBA Playoffs.
Five NBA teams that could surprise in the 2020 Playoffs
5: The Toronto Raptors
The 2019 NBA Playoffs ended with the Toronto Raptors being crowned as the NBA Champions. However, the Toronto franchise didn't get due credit for their win. Firstly, many want an asterisk beside their name in the NBA record books. That is because Toronto beat an injury-riddled Golden State Warriors franchise that lost shooting guard Klay Thompson and a returning Kevin Durant tore his Achilles tendon in game five of the series.
When the 2019/20 NBA season began, with Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard, now playing for the Los Angeles Clippers, many experts dismissed Toronto as even a playoff team. The Las Vegas betting line has Toronto at +2400 to repeat in 2020.
The reality is that the Toronto Raptors are returning to the NBA Playoffs in 2020 for the seventh consecutive year. During this period, they have played in two Eastern Conference Finals, and won an NBA Championship. They have won over 50 plus regular-season games in the past four seasons (maybe five consecutive 50 + win seasons if they win four more games this season).
There is also the fact that last NBA season's fifth-best defence is this season's second-best even after considering the loss of two starters in Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green. Also, last season's Most Improved Player in the NBA, Pascal Siakam, may repeat upping his scoring average from 16.9 to 23.6 points a game this season. Pascal Siakam has also moved up to the top-scoring option in the team.
Further, point guard Kyle Lowry is the heart and soul of the team. After taking a step back last season to be a distributor offensively, Kyle Lowry has averaged 19.7 points a game, which is up over five points from his last season's average.
The Toronto Raptors are a deep team with strong bench support coming from players like Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, rookie Terence Davis and Norman Powell who has a game average of 16.9 points. This team has been through the NBA Playoffs' numerous times and have a core group that has played together for a while. Their experience and youth cannot be underestimated nor can their defensive prowess, which could be lead to another improbable NBA title.
4: Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets have a record of 43-22 to this point. Their current roster is full of young up and coming talent with only power forward Paul Milsaap, who is 34 years old, who is aged over 30 in their core group of players.
Led by shooting guard Jamal Murray who struggled somewhat in the 2019 NBA Playoffs, Denver will look to get a more consistent performance this year from their young star. In his first-ever playoff last year, Murray averaged 21.3 points a game but in six of 14 playoff contests, he produced less than his average, that included a game 3 first-round output of six points against the San Antonio Spurs.
The Denver Nuggets are somewhat where the Toronto Raptors were about five years ago. They are young and talented but in dire need of experience to get to the next level in the NBA. As with the Toronto Raptors, the Denver Nuggets roster is deep with ten players getting 17 or more minutes of playing time per game.
What also makes the Denver Nuggets a tough matchup in the 2020 NBA Playoffs is the presence of Nikola Jokic . The Denver Nuggets' centre is not only a double-double machine averaging over 20 points and 10.2 rebounds a game, but he is a premier passer out of the centre spot, making an average of 6.9 assists a game.
The Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers may be the favourites in the Western Conference but Denver is a NBA team who are on the rise and a franchise to watch out for.
3: Miami Heat
The Miami Heat added Jimmy Butler to their roster in the summer of 2019. They are a young team with great talent throughout their roster. In addition to Jimmy Butler, they have relied heavily on two rookies, Kendrick Nunn and Tyler Herro.
All three of these players have reposed the faith shown in them by the management of Miami Heat. Jimmy Butler averages 20.2 points a game, Kendrick Nunn 15.6 and Tyler Herro 12.9. These new faces in the Miami Heat lineup have been key in the Heat amassing a record of 41-24 this season to occupy the fourth position in the Eastern Conference. Miami will appear in the NBA Playoffs for the first time since 2018.
Miami have eight double-digit scorers led by Jimmy Butler. Under Eric Spoelstra, who has been the head coach of the team since 2008, Miami ranks sixth overall offensively and 12th overall defensively in the NBA this season.
This season, Miami have had multiple wins over Toronto and Milwaukee and could be a tough team to face in the 2020 NBA Playoffs.
2: Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks, who have not made the NBA Playoffs since 2016, are in the hunt for the Larry O'Brien Trophy in 2020. Their record was 40-27 when the season got suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Thanks to a mid-season deal for centre Kristaps Porzingis last season when he was still recuperating from a leg injury, Dallas have a great inside-out game with Luka Doncic's perimeter game.
Luka Doncic, who was drafted in 2019 by Atlanta and then traded to Dallas for Trae Young, has electrified the NBA in his first two seasons in the competition. He averages 28.7 points, 9.3 rebounds and 8.7 assists per game this season. He fills out the stat sheet every time he touches the floor, and as a sophomore is perhaps in contention for the League MVP.
In Kristaps Porzingis, Luka Doncic has help in the offensive department. Kristaps Porzingis contributes 19.2 points a game and 9.5 rebounds. There is a significant amount of parity among the teams in the West, and Dallas could emerge as a major player in the NBA Western Conference Playoffs.
The one major concern, though, is that Dallas have injury worries as Jalen Brunson, Courtney Lee and Dwight Powell are all out with long term injuries, but they have enough star power to catch other NBA teams by surprise.
1: Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz is another team in the talent-rich NBA Western Conference that could surprise some people in the 2020 playoffs. They were 41-23 when the 2020 NBA season was suspended due to the pandemic. This would be Utah's fourth consecutive playoff appearance in the NBA Western Conference.
They are rated eighth in offence and 11th overall in defence but employ dominant players at both ends of the floor. Donovan Mitchell is a young and explosive athletic guard who averages 24,2 points per game.
Rudy Gobert is an elite last line of defence at the centre position who averages 15.1 points, 13.7 rebounds and two blocked shots per game. Considering that the Utah Jazz's offensive output is around 111 points a game and they allow opponents 107.9 a game, Rudy Gobert's two blocks per game can play a major role in the outcome of their games.
This season in the NBA, the Utah Jazz have beaten top teams like Milwaukee Bucks, Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Clippers. The Jazz does have playoff experience and are battle-tested. They could surprise some top tier teams in the 2020 Playoffs.