NBA Playoffs Overview

NBA Playoffs Overview

Ryan Dean, Sports Writer

 

The NBA playoffs have been quite the treat so far. All the first round series are almost ending. Some of the higher seeded teams have struggled and some of them have dominated their competition thus far. But some have been upset and injured. There have been many surprises, big-time games, shots, and drama involved. There have been some comebacks as well. Let’s dive in.

The Sixers-Nets series is the first series to be over with the sixers sweeping the Nets in dominating fashion. The Sixers will play the Celtics in the 2nd round. The much-anticipated Warriors-Kings series is now a Warriors 3-2 lead after the Kings took a 2-0 lead in the first 2 games, even after Warriors veteran Draymond Green got suspended for game 3. Steph Curry and the defending champions are back in business.

The Heat shocked the Bucks who were the title favorites. They won the series 4-1. After Jimmy Butler’s historic 56-point game 4 performance, he followed it up with another 42-point performance. The Knicks have a date with the Heat in the second round after the Knicks won the series 4-1 lead over the Cavaliers. Do the Cavaliers have what it takes like 2016 to come back from down 3-1? We’ll see.

The Nuggets outlasted the Timberwolves in game 5 and are moving on to face the Suns in the second round after they won game 5 in their series as well vs the Clippers. The Lakers are shocking the Grizzlies. Now up 3-2 after a thrilling OT game 4 finish in LA with a lot of tension and drama due to Dillon Brooks antics with LeBron James calling him “old” and allegedly hitting him in the groin intentionally. 

My Celtics are in a hard-fought series. We are up 3-2, but this series should have already been over. We were up on the Hawks 109-96 with 5 minutes left in the 4th quarter. We were at home, and the Hawks did not have their star PG Dejounte Murray due to a suspension after he visibly bumped into an official on purpose in game 4.

The Hawks went on a 23-8 run in the final 5 minutes to take game 5 from the hearts of Celtics fans. Down 117-116, Hawks point guard Trae Young hit the game winning three with 1.8 seconds remaining winning the game for the Hawks. The Celtics will look to bounce back and close the series out in 6 games. The Hawks will have Dejounte Murray back for game 6 in a win or go home game for them. It will be a great action-packed game.

Game 6 was an incredible, back and forth game. The Celtics defeated the Hawks 128-120. The Celtics have now won the series and will now play the Sixers in the 2nd round. A dominant performance from the Celtics superstar duo Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Tatum had 30 points and Jaylen Brown had 32 points and the Celtics never looked back.  

There have been a lot of superstars with great performances and some entertaining games thus far and it is only the first round. Some of the 2nd round matchups are aspiring to be entertaining and a great series. Celtics Sixers will be tight but my series prediction for my Celtics is the Celtics are going to win in 6 games. They next play this on Monday, May 1, against the Philadelphia 76ers.