Is the NBA on the verge of playoff chaos?
The NBA may be headed toward an unusually unpredictable slate of conference finals games this postseason.
The Kevin Durant-led Brooklyn Nets have been the favorite to take home the title most of the year, and they're still standing, but they're facing elimination in a Game 7 against the Milwaukee Bucks in the Easter Conference semifinals on Saturday night. The other Eastern conference series, a back-and-forth affair between the Atlanta Hawks and Philadelphia 76ers, will also require a decisive seventh game. Meanwhile, in the Western Conference finals, the upstart Phoenix Suns will face the Los Angeles Clippers, and both teams may be without their respective superstars Chris Paul and Kawhi Leonard, making what was already likely to be a competitive series even more of a toss up.
A Brooklyn title run still feels like the safe bet, but if Milwaukee upsets the superstar-laden squad on the road Saturday, the remaining field will be wide open. Philadelphia, Milwaukee, Atlanta, Phoenix, and Los Angeles are excellent teams that have championship aspirations, but they're evenly matched and any potential Finals combination seems plausible.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Regardless of the outcome, though, the league will get some fresh faces in the Finals. Phoenix hasn't been to the big stage since 1993 and has never won a title, the Clippers have never even won their conference, and Milwaukee and Philadelphia haven't won a championship since 1971 and 1983, respectively. The Nets also don't have an NBA title, and the last time they made the Finals they were still playing in New Jersey. The Hawks won all the back in 1958, when they played in St. Louis.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.
-
How can you save on homeowners insurance?
The Explainer With the rise in extreme weather, house protection is a non-negotiable
By Becca Stanek, The Week US Published
-
Donald Trump is downplaying his position on abortion
The Explainer He says it's a state issue, but opponents have concerns
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
5 spellbinding new books to read in October. Witches and colonization tales included.
The Week Recommends Ta-Nehisi Coates shines a light on Palestine, and Louise Erdrich takes us to North Dakota
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
The economics of taxpayer-subsidized stadiums
In Depth Shiny new stadiums can end up costing taxpayers billions
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Caitlin Clark the No. 1 pick in bullish WNBA Draft
Speed Read As expected, she went to the Indiana Fever
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Is legalized betting hurting sports?
Today's Big Question A 'building avalanche of gambling scandals' threatens competition
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
South Carolina ends perfect season with NCAA title
Speed Read The women's basketball team won a victory over superstar Caitlin Clark's Iowa Hawkeyes
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Iowa's Caitlin Clark breaks NCAA scoring record
speed read College basketball star Caitlin Clark set the new record in Iowa's defeat of Ohio State
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Eight-year-old Brit Bodhana Sivanandan makes chess history
Speed Read Sivanandan has been described as a 'phenomenon' by chess masters
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Watch Simone Biles win her record 8th US gymnastics championship
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Spain beats England 1-0 to win its first Women's World Cup
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published