The NBA Conference semi-finals: The teams as they stand
It is quite hard for me to believe that we are here already. The Conference semi-finals are underway with Denver being the last to qualify after beating San Antonio 4-3 in a nail-biting thriller. There have been some freak injuries as well as some fantastic performances. Each team has completed two games except for Houston and Golden State and while it is easier to predict the outcomes for some, it is much harder for the others.
All said and done, let's take a look at these eight teams and their chances for coming out on top of this season of the NBA.
#1 Golden State Warriors
Let the list off with the reigning champions at Oracle Arena.
It’s true that the Golden State Warriors finished the regular season on a high note with a 57–25 record and were supposed to have a breeze into the semis but that’s where things got messy.
The Clippers managed to draw two wins on the board before the Warriors went through and this was not something that was expected out of last years champions. They are in the process of clearing those doubts away as they lead the Rockets 2-0 as of now.
Otherwise, on paper, Golden State still has one of the best teams and stand a fair chance in taking the trophy home this season as well.
#2 Denver Nuggets
On to the second team in the Western Conference regular-season standings, Denver is a team that I think is currently discovering the difference between the regular season and the playoffs.
This is their first playoff appearance since 2012–13 and their first semis appearance since 2008–09. Having edged past Spurs, there is no denying that this team relies heavily on Nikola Jokic. However, it will be tough for Jokic to lead them to the finals alone, something that you would probably associate LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers with. The Nuggets are currently down 1-2 to the Trailblazers.
#3 Houston Rockets
A rematch of the 2017-18 season conference finals is not going to happen as the Houston Rockets will be forced to take on the Warriors the semi-finals this year. Houston would want to be careful and not repeat the mistakes of last year's finals where they were three games to two against Golden State before the tables turned on them.
Although their record isn’t as good as it was last year, James Harden probably is and given the excellent form, he is proving to be the X-factor in more than one game. Chris Paul, Eric Gordon, and Clint Capela can also step up their game to give the Rockets the boost it needs to pull through to the finals. They are 2 games down to the Warriors and need to quickly secure a win in order to keep the series alive. Houston fans would be relieved to hear that Harden is very likely to play game 3 after the eye injury in game 2 as there is no major damage to his corneas.
#4 Portland Trailblazers
One of the most surprising teams in the semis the Portland Trailblazers don’t have a great team on paper with just one all-star reserve in Damian Lillard. But he is set to prove that he deserved to be in the all-star starters as he was the main contribution in Portland’s sweep over Oklahoma City. The question still, lingers as to how far this team can go with Lillard and maybe CJ McCollum as the rest of the players are not ones that you might easily recognize.
With Jusuf Nurkic ruled out for the rest of the season, Enes Kanter is making most of the opportunity he’s getting. They lost the first game to the Nuggets once again with Damian Lillard doing most of the scoring. Despite that, they fought back in the second game which saw the rest of the team collectively contributing to the scoreboard and won the third with a brilliant performance by CJ McCollum They would want to continue playing this way the coming matches. Although it is going to be hard, it is never impossible for them to win the title.
#5 Toronto Raptors
Although the Raptors fell to the second seed under their new head coach Nick Nurse there was no LeBron to stop them and beat Orlando 4-1 in the first round of the Playoffs. They would be looking forward to winning their first ever championship. One of the best things about team currently after the addition of Marc Gasol is the ability to score threes. Nearly everyone in the team can shoot from beyond the arc. They took the risk in trading DeRozan and it paid off. The improved performance of Pascal Siakam is also helping them greatly. Kyle Lowry has more or less recovered from his poor performance in the first game against Orlando. All said and done, it wouldn’t be a surprise if it finally is their year. They also are one of the best defensive teams but lag behind as they are 1-2 with the 76ers.
#6 Boston Celtics
The Celtics are one team that would want to think it over once more before trading their players in the off-season, especially if they pull it through. With Kyrie Irving teeming with his usual efficiency, Gordon Hayward finding his grip again and Al Horford being excellent on defense, there aren’t many reasons as to why the team shouldn’t win. They reminded the Pacers as to how much they need Victor Oladipo and thrashed them 4–0. What strikes me about the Celtics is the ability to win games collectively and their lack of hesitation in rotating the ball on the court.
Like the Raptors, they too have been great beyond the perimeter and Kyrie would be looking forward to repeating his 2016 performance again as the Celtics, who have the most titles in NBA history (17) would be looking forward to adding one more to their collection. They are currently losing 1-2 to the Bucks, but given the intensity of the games, the Bucks cannot feel too happy about that.
#7 Philadelphia 76ers
Now let's have a look at what I think to be the best team on paper in the Eastern Conference. They have three all-stars in their starting five including one of the most dominating centers of the league in Joel Embiid. The team overall I feel is quite balanced with players who can play from inside the perimeter as well as beyond the arc. They got the good trades and players like Tobias Harris and Jimmy Butler have been a huge help to the team despite their poor performance in the first round of the playoffs. What’s left to be seen is if the team can overpower the Raptors and move into the finals with whom they are at present leading 2-1.
#8 Milwaukee Bucks
The final team on the list has the best record in the season high atop the eastern conference table. With a plausible MVP and Coach of the Year in their midst, the team would eagerly be looking forward to this year being theirs. Khris Middleton and Eric Bledsoe have been a constant support to Giannis Antetokounmpo and vital to the team as well.
They decimated the Pistons in the first round and went in looking great but seemed to lose their grip in the first match of the semi-finals, something which they more or less recovered in the second and third. They would like to continue being on the top of things like they have the entire season and would want to extend their winning streak in the third match as they are currently ahead of 2-1.