They played the Milwaukee Bucks, the favorites to win the title, in the first round and dispatched them in five games. After benefiting from atypically strong 3-point shooting in the first round (45%, easily best of any team), the Heat regressed to the mean in the conference semifinals (31%) yet still controlled the series against the Knicks. Kevin Pelton: The Heat, who are now tied for the best record in the playoffs (8-3) with the top-seeded Nuggets. To see the turnaround they've made in such a short amount of time - Miami trailed the Chicago Bulls in the final minutes of the East's final play-in matchup - is one of the most unexpected runs I've seen during a decade and a half covering the league. This team looked like it was on the brink of a retool just a few weeks ago. Which team are you most surprised to see in the conference finals? Our experts break down the biggest matchups and storylines ahead of the conference finals, and they reveal what they're looking forward to most on basketball's biggest stage.ġ. The Nuggets passed their toughest test yet in felling a star-studded Phoenix Suns team that featured Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Chris Paul. LeBron James and the Lakers are not done yet, defeating Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors in six games in the King's quest for another Finals run. The Heat have been on an historic run of their own as the only 8-seed since 1999 to advance to the conference finals after defeating the New York Knicks - and it's thanks to Jimmy Butler. Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and the Celtics outdueled league MVP Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers, as Tatum put together a historic Game 7 performance in the East semifinals. 8 seed via the play-in, take on the second-seeded Boston Celtics for a spot in the NBA Finals. Meanwhile, the Miami Heat, who are the No. 1 seed with the league's best record - in the West. 7 seed Los Angeles Lakers, who advanced through the play-in tourney, will face the Denver Nuggets - the No. Of those four teams, however, two made the playoffs through the play-in tournament. ET, ESPN), with just four teams remaining in the fight for the NBA title. The Eastern and Western conference finals begin Tuesday (8:30 p.m. NBA, Boston Celtics, Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat ![]() NBA playoffs 2023: Our insiders dissect the Eastern and Western conference finals Here are predictions for the complete standings in the upcoming NBA season in the Eastern and Western Conference.You have reached a degraded version of because you're using an unsupported version of Internet Explorer.įor a complete experience, please upgrade or use a supported browser The Bulls have hopes of getting back to the postseason for the first time in five years. After acquiring Nikola Vucevic at the trade deadline, Chicago added Lonzo Ball and DeMar DeRozan in free agency. The Chicago Bulls have been as active as any team in 2021. Miami is only a year removed from reaching Game 6 of the 2020 NBA Finals. The Miami Heat acquired Kyle Lowry in the biggest move of free agency. Klay Thompson's return from injury could help the Golden State Warriors get back into championship contention. The Los Angeles Clippers are no longer among the championship favorites because of the injury to the two-time NBA Finals MVP. Denver will be without guard Jamal Murray for much of the season as he recovers from a torn ACL.Ī torn ACL could keep Kawhi Leonard off the court for all of the upcoming season. Reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokic led the Denver Nuggets to the West’s third-best record. Milwaukee had the league’s best record in 20 before winning the 2021 title as the East’s No. The defending champion Milwaukee Bucks are almost certain to be one of the league’s top teams, yet again. Following a surprising first-round postseason exit, the Lakers gave LeBron James and Anthony Davis another star teammate in Russell Westbrook. Brooklyn was derailed by injuries last season, and concerns about the roster’s ability to stay on the court haven’t gone away. The Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Lakers are overwhelming favorites to meet in the 2022 NBA Finals. Both teams were upset in the second round of the playoffs and face questions about their ability to compete for a title. ![]() ![]() The Utah Jazz finished atop the overall 2021 NBA standings, and the Philadelphia 76ers earned the No. A few teams that didn’t even reach last year’s conference finals have the highest expectations for the 2021-2022 season, though the top championship contenders won’t necessarily have the most regular-season success. Following a pair of regular seasons that were shortened by the pandemic, the NBA is going back to an 82-game schedule.
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