large fluctuations
This particular trade deadline is a bit stifling, as many teams are choosing to maintain the status quo. But the two teams that made the biggest changes — Indiana (which acquired Pascal Siakam shortly before the deadline) and Dallas (acquired P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford and took away the cantankerous Grant Williams Both teams were rewarded hugely for their gumption: in the form of surprise appearances in the Eastern Conference Finals and NBA Finals, respectively.
Baby, Nick is back
Just as the basketball gods intended, the Garden is rocking again. An avalanche of injuries ultimately derailed this year’s reunion for kids in New York’s favorite sport, but ask any Knicks fan: This team has never been more fun or well-liked in the last few years. Billions of years. Ask any basketball expert, they’re all pretty good.
Luca still needs to mature a bit
The title of best player in the world is within reach. Nikola Jokic was eliminated in the second round by young Anthony Edwards, and some exaggeratedly suggested that he might inherit the throne if he leads the team to the promised land. Luka Doncic had the same opportunity to topple his Serbian friend, but his tendency to lose his cool, complain about the referees, and ignore defense was exposed in the finals. He’s extremely talented and will likely develop into the best player today — he did show flashes during the Mavericks’ enthralling playoff run — but he’s not quite there yet.
quick guide
2024 NBA Finals
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The last true uniting force within the NBA
In the polarized times we currently live in, it’s rare for everyone to come together for a common cause. But this spring, a public force rallied across the web: No one, I mean nobody, hoping that “Inside NBA” will be stopped. The NBA television rights deal is one of the most boring topics imaginable, but if it costs us Ernie, Kenny, Shaq and Chuck (as Barkley himself recently announced his retirement), That would be a declaration of war.
The Suns are screwed
This year, new home owner syndrome hit the desert like a flaming asteroid, the enemy of mortgage tycoons Dan Gilbert and Matt Ishbia. He enters the picture with enthusiasm, which, in theory, could be a good thing. Except his flashy spending and wild swings may require more forethought: Phoenix now has a pair of allegedly disgruntled stars in Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, who is making $50 a year in Booker. Radley Beal averaged 16 points per game in the playoffs, and the limited depth and future assets are worth mentioning. oops.
The Cavaliers need to shake things up
The Cavaliers have an embarrassment of riches: two star point guards in Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland, and two star big men in Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley. But it’s a bit “water here and there” as they all have slightly different timelines and provide a certain amount of redundancy. They’ve made the (correct) decision to move on from their head coach, but it’s time for Cleveland to shake up its roster. At least one of Mitchell and Rowland is expected to transfer this summer, if not Allen or Mobley.
Nothing better than a buzzer beater
There are plenty of plays with high entertainment value on NBA courts: thunderous dunks, ankle-breaking spin moves, half-court Hail Marys. But whether it was Jamal Murray facing Anthony Davis at the end of Game 2 of Denver’s first-round series against the Lakers, or Andrew Nembhard’s three-game set for the Pacers against the Knicks in the conference semifinals. Point-winning prayer, one thing is clear: a dramatic buzzer-beater to keep the game undefeated.
Anthony Edwards is next
There was a fleeting moment after the Timberwolves defeated the defending champion Denver Nuggets on their home court in high altitude Colorado, when the NBA proletariat prepared to crown Edwards their new king. His inconsistency in the following series suggested he wasn’t ready to dominate, but based on his performance in the early rounds of this year’s playoffs, it was inevitable that he would eventually do so.
Every team needs a TJ McConnell
No one will mistake him for a superstar, or even a star, but if McConnell hits the NBA open market this year with the Indiana Pacers and plays an integral role in their Cinderella journey, then He will have many suitors for the Eastern Conference Finals (and Season Championship Finals). The main force of Mars Plug does the dirty work: Who says no?
No lead is safe
In the 3-point era, leads can disappear quickly. But it feels like the double-digit buffer is less, um, upholstered than ever before. For example: The defending champion Golden Nuggets were on both the winning end (against the Lakers in the first round) and the losing end (against the Timberwolves in the second round) when their 20-point lead in the second half was blown, and the latter happened Dramatic fashion on the floors of their homes at height.
LeBron may have missed his last chance
Speaking of the aforementioned 20-point lead against the Denver Nuggets, it represents one of several “what if” moments for the Los Angeles Lakers this season. Head coach Darvin Ham understandably ended the season as Darvin Spam (canned ham, get it? I’m sorry) after a disappointing first-round exit. of. But it wasn’t all his fault: The Lakers’ front office didn’t make aggressive moves at the deadline, and that proved fruitful for the Western Conference champion Mavericks. LeBron James is having an amazing and miraculously healthy 21st season, but he’s turning 40 this year, What-if analysis In hindsight, this year may have been even more profound.
If you can, go to a bar and watch
You’re not obligated to absorb it, but it’s easy to forget just how great a playoff viewing experience can be when you’re surrounded by fans who are passionate, loud, and maybe even on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Of course, there’s nothing better than being there and hearing McBreen’s “Bang!” The reverberation of a shoddy TV speaker system is a real close second when someone spills a bit of beer on your shoulder.
East and West need balance
Boston was the best team all year and deserved to win the championship. But their dominance in the East reveals a problem the NBA has had for years, perhaps to its most obnoxious degree: Not all divisions are created equal. Sure, there are several good teams in the East that have had injury issues, but the bottom half of the league is clearly horrible. On the other hand, there are teams in the West with nearly 50 wins that completely miss the playoffs. Expansion or some form of restructuring cannot come soon enough.
young people are here
While I firmly believe that the old guard is not completely dead yet, it is clear that the next generation will not wait for any seats to become vacant before seizing power. Whether it’s Luka, Ant, Shea, or Tatum and Brown, it’s clear that Gen Z basketball players aren’t content to wait any longer for their turn.
Moderate bits
I’m not saying that the reason the Timberwolves were ultimately defeated by the Dallas Mavericks in Minnesota’s first Western Conference Finals appearance in 20 years was karma because they ran Anthony Edwards’ instant classic “Bring Ya Ass” quote into the ground, but I no no Put it this way, either. When even the local Sheriff’s Department (true) is jumping on the bandwagon, and it’s safe to say that this one has come to an end and then some.
No award is more controversial than DPOY
Whether it’s reigning Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert’s reaction to being instigated by Luka Doncic in the conference finals, or the indisputable fact that the Boston Celtics actually don’t have a “soul” “With former DPOY Marcus Smart also playing great, it’s been a tough few months for the current and former Defensive Player of the Year. We collectively can’t say enough about someone winning that award. Qualifications are agreed upon and this only seems to deepen.
Jokic is still the best player on the planet
“Is Luka the best player today? Is it an ant? As mentioned earlier, it was fun for us as NBA proletarians to speculate on who would steal the title away from Jokic after the Serbian enigma suffered an early exit in the second round and his title defense was cut short. But the longer the playoffs go on, the more weaknesses in his competition emerge, and one fact emerges (at least for now): It’s still Jokic.
We’re going to have an exciting NBA Finals
There’s no shade to the Boston Celtics or Denver Nuggets (okay, maybe a little), but putting aside the speculative experience of those teams’ superfans, the past two NBA Finals have been a bummer. Sure, we may have been spoiled by the intense rematches between Steph and LeBron over the past few years, but the NBA can certainly do better.
The era of the Big Three is over
Remember the not-so-distant past, when every team was clamoring for a Big Three, bringing together big-name players like Voltron at all costs? Yes, those days are gone. Kapt. There’s not even a consensus on which big shot will win the Celtics title. two Literally the best player in the series, and neither is a consensus top-five player in the league. A few stars on the roster are still key, but depth is king. Long live cosplayers!
Good things take time
If there was one overarching, overarching thesis to take away from this year’s playoffs, it would be this one. Virtually every team that has had any level of postseason success has shaken off at least a year, if not several, of questions about its core. Whether it’s Dallas’ Luka and Kyrie missing the playoffs entirely last year, Minnesota’s supersized lineup of Towns and Gobert being eliminated, or perhaps most notably, Boston’s duo of Tatum and Brown Group: Every year there is speculation about the pair’s breakup and this year finally got over Sisyphus’s dilemma. Not all success is achieved overnight.
