NBA Playoffs Articles - Page 56

The final week of the 2024-25 NBA season is set to be a bloodbath in the Western Conference standings. Although the Oklahoma City Thunder are sitting pretty at the top, everyone else is still fighting to claim their actual playoff spot. The Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, and many others find themselves in a […]

The Cleveland Cavaliers’ dreams of a deep playoff run may now hinge on the stability of one injured ankle — Donovan Mitchell’s left one. It was supposed to be a celebration. With the Eastern Conference’s top seed within reach and a raucous home crowd behind them, the Cavs were poised to clinch. But when Mitchell […]

The writing went on the wall when the San Antonio Spurs announced that Victor Wembanyama would not play another game for the remainder of the 2024-2025 season. A month later that writing might as well been noted in ink when the team shut down De’Aaron Fox. While both are relevant as to why the Spurs […]

Donovan Mitchell and the Cleveland Cavaliers had every reason to rise against Zach LaVine and the Sacramento Kings. One win away from clinching the Eastern Conference’s top seed, the city buzzing, a sellout crowd roaring, and the playoffs just two weeks out—this was supposed to be a celebration. Instead, Sacramento turned it into a wake-up […]

The Houston Rockets are poised for a playoff run as they stand as the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference. While the Rockets have had a great regular season, they are a young roster that could be upset with a nightmare matchup. Houston has built a defensive team that has a ton of depth. […]

Revenge games always hit different. But when the Cleveland Cavaliers host the Sacramento Kings, it isn’t just about payback — it’s about power. Heading into this matchup, the Cavs are 48 minutes away from locking up the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. One more win, and the path to the NBA Finals could […]

From the opening tip, Evan Mobley made one thing clear: this wasn’t going to be a typical night — not for him, and not for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Against the shorthanded but scrappy San Antonio Spurs, Mobley came out blazing, drilling three straight three-pointers to begin the game, then punishing defenders in the paint, before […]

Not a lot was expected out of the Detroit Pistons heading into the 2024-25 season, as they set the bar quite low for themselves after a horrific 14-win 2023-24 campaign. But a coaching change, the addition of a few veteran players who fit well, and the continued development of Cade Cunningham into a full-blown superstar […]

Although the Phoenix Suns are in the hunt for a play-in spot, this season has been one to forget. A team with Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, and Bradley Beal should register more than the 35 wins they have. However, there have been a multitude of issues this season. For starters, the Suns benched Beal at […]

The Cleveland Cavaliers are on the road once again, facing off against the San Antonio Spurs in what might seem like just another late-season game. But with the playoffs looming and key role players sidelined, this contest carries more weight than it appears for the Cavs. Cleveland has shown flashes of dominance, but inconsistency has […]

The Memphis Grizzlies are always dubbed as a dangerous team, especially when Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr are at full health. Unfortunately, that hasn’t been the case this year, with Morant missing 31. Moreover, the Grizzlies also made a questionable move late in the 2024-25 season when they decided to fire head coach Taylor […]

For a while, it looked as though the Atlanta Hawks were going to be a shoo-in for a playoff spot. They were playing so well to start the year, even scoring upset wins over the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics on multiple occasions. But the Hawks sputtered a bit in the middle of the season, […]

The Oklahoma City Thunder are in cruise control at the moment; they are in the middle of an 11-game winning streak, with seven of those wins coming in blowout fashion. They have the best record in the NBA and have looked like every bit of the contending team that every critic and fan had them […]

Amid an 0-3 start to his NBA coaching career, Tuomas Iisalo finds himself thrust into the heart of an all shook up Memphis Grizzlies locker room grappling with the sting of defeat and the weight of a franchise-altering decision. With just six games remaining in the regular season, the front office’s stunning move to replace […]

Cleveland Cavaliers superstar Donovan Mitchell used to think that scoring was everything. It’s not surprising—when you’re known as one of the NBA’s most electric offensive threats, pouring in points becomes second nature. But something has changed this season for the Cavs superstar. Something more profound and mature has taken hold, driven by one simple yet […]

The Minnesota Timberwolves turned some heads last season by eliminating the Denver Nuggets in the second round, going all the way to the Western Conference for the first time since the Kevin Garnett era. However, prior to the 2024-25 season, their foundation had already been compromised, caused by a trade that saw the team part […]

The Cleveland Cavaliers turned some heads to kick off the 2024-25 season by going on a historic 15-0 run. While they failed to maintain their undefeated streak, it’s safe to say that they’re still the hottest team in the NBA. The Cavs are most likely headed to the postseason as the No. 1 seed in […]

Milwaukee Bucks point guard Damian Lillard was diagnosed with a blood clot in his right calf in late March. Since then, he’s been sidelined to deal with the scary situation with no real timetable to return. However, it sounds like Lillard and the franchise are optimistic that he could be cleared to play before the […]

After a disheartening 134-125 loss to Stephen Curry’s Golden State Warriors (44-31) on April Fool’s Day, the totally reset Memphis Grizzlies (44-32) dropped to sixth in the Western Conference standings. A team sitting in second place for most of the season is now in an intensifying fight to secure a top-six seed and avoid the […]

Coming off banner number 18, the Boston Celtics look ready to win another one. The Celtics are currently the second seed in the Eastern Conference NBA playoffs race with a solid 54-19 win-loss record. Given that the team is keeping the same core, it’s easy to see why Boston has maintained its stronghold in the […]

Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson won’t take credit for the Cavs’ stunning rise to the top of the Eastern Conference. He insists it’s about roster construction—praising the Koby Altman-led Cleveland front office for assembling a deep, versatile team. He points to continuity, with 13 of 14 full-time players returning from last year’s conference semifinal […]

A lot has changed in the last month for the Chicago Bulls, as they are one of the hottest teams in the NBA right now. The Bulls have been scorching hot during the month of March, as they are 9-4 and they have won nine of their last 11 games. For most of the season, […]

Things aren’t looking great for the Milwaukee Bucks. After bucking in a slow start to the 2024-25 season, the team resurrected their championship hopes when they conquered the NBA Cup. But forward to today, a wrench was thrown into the Bucks’ plans of becoming the first team to win the NBA Cup and NBA Championship […]

For months, the NBA’s Coach of the Year race has boiled down to two men: Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson and Detroit Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff. Now, in a poetic twist, the Cavs and the Pistons collide in a game that could tip the scales. Both coaches have orchestrated remarkable turnarounds. Bickerstaff inherited […]

Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns are in striking position in the Western Conference to contend for one of the final spots in the play-in tournament. Donning his newest Nike KD 18 sneakers as he puts the city of Phoenix and the franchise on his back, Kevin Durant is walking on rarified ground when it […]

As the Cleveland Cavaliers march toward the playoffs, head coach Kenny Atkinson faces one of the toughest challenges a coach can encounter. Atkinson has to tackle shortening the Cavs’ rotation while keeping players engaged and confident. During the regular season, teams like the Cavs enjoy the luxury of experimenting with lineups and keeping everyone involved. […]

There’s no question that Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets are out to redeem themselves after a failed title defense last season. In fact, The Joker is playing well enough to warrant a case for a fourth NBA MVP this season. Currently, Denver sits at the third seed in the Western Conference with a respectable […]

The Los Angeles Lakers certainly look good enough to punch a ticket to the playoffs without needing to go through the Play-In Tournament. Despite engaging in a blockbuster trade for Luka Doncic in exchange for Anthony Davis at the trade deadline, the former’s fit in Los Angeles has been nearly perfect. In fact, LeBron James […]

It’s safe to say that the 2024-25 season hasn’t been kind to the reigning Western Conference champions. The Dallas Mavericks are only at the 10th seed with a 36-38 win-loss record. Nonetheless, this is still good enough to still have a place in the Play-In Tournament conversation. However, Dallas does have an injury problem. The […]

Ever since the Sacramento Kings surprised the world during the 2022-23 season by snapping their postseason drought and being the league’s darling with their Light The Beam gimmick, they have been itching to reclaim the heights they were once on. Since then, things have gone downhill for the Kings, as for the second consecutive season, […]

The Indiana Pacers are coming off a heartbreaking defeat to the Los Angeles Lakers courtesy of a LeBron James game-winner, but they have managed to get back on track with a win over the Washington Wizards on the second night of a back-to-back. They are currently sitting in fourth place in the Eastern Conference standings, […]

The Los Angeles Clippers have mostly made good on Norman Powell’s “addition by subtraction” declaration in the offseason in the aftermath of losing Paul George to the Philadelphia 76ers in free agency. While they are guaranteed to finish with a worse record this year than last, they have held strong while dealing with the routine […]

The New York Knicks are on relatively uneven ground right now. They are still without star point guard Jalen Brunson—although Brunson appears to be heading for a return before the playoffs. And Mitchell Robinson remains on a recovery plan that will hopefully (but not definitely) cease to exist once the playoffs begin. But, whether the […]

The New York Knicks’ front office moved to improve the roster last offseason. They inventively circumvented some of the newer salary cap rules, saying goodbye to Donte DiVincenzo, Julius Randle, and Isaiah Hartenstein to add Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns. Their 50-32 squad became a thing of the past and they had a new-look core. […]

It is getting hard to ignore how the fifth-placed Memphis Grizzlies have been getting bullied off of the boards and out of the paint recently. Unfortunately, Santi Aldama is more of a sharpshooting, backdoor-cutting swingman who cannot be counted on to come up with rebounds or rim protection consistently. Thankfully, the fix is straightforward. Jaren […]

The Memphis Grizzlies are searching for answers with just under a dozen games left in the regular season. Taylor Jenkins needs someone to step up soon or Ja Morant and Desmond Bane will have to shoulder immense offensive burdens. Sure, Santi Aldama, Scotty Pippen Jr., and Jaylen Wells are a formidable secondary trio but the […]

The Minnesota Timberwolves are proving they have the depth, chemistry, and defensive intensity to make a serious playoff push. The Timberwolves’ 134-93 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday night was a clear statement, highlighting their path to success as they eye the playoffs. Minnesota delivered a mesmerizing two-way performance, fueled by relentless energy […]

The Memphis Grizzlies are facing odd-man-out situations in more ways than one as the 2024-25 NBA regular season winds down. Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, and Jaren Jackson Jr. have been battling injuries all season, leaving Taylor Jenkins to make some difficult rotational decisions. Lineup inconsistency has been the main factor in Memphis falling down the […]

The Memphis Grizzlies are still waiting for an X-factor to emerge from a rotating cast of bench options while Santi Aldama heals up. Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Desmond Bane have all spent significant time on the shelf recently as well, putting even more pressure on the second unit. However, these absences have given […]