By: Aaron Silcoff
For much of the NBA season, the narrative has been that the 2024 playoffs will not be as entertaining as years past. All year, the Boston Celtics have dominated the Eastern Conference, while in the West, it is tough to imagine anyone taking down Nikola Jokic and the defending NBA champion Denver Nuggets if healthy.
Sure, the NBA Finals would be some of the highest level basketball played in years if it were the Celtics and Nuggets playing for the Larry O'Brien Trophy in June, but the NBA's fear has to be that the lead-up to this matchup could be considered underwhelming. If I were Adam Silver, I would be praying for competitive matchups all post-season long that capture the eyes of the public and could put the NBA back on the right track going into next season.
Here are my picks for the most ideal NBA Round 1 Playoff matchups from a storyline perspective.
East: 1. Boston Celtics Vs 8. Miami Heat:
Would it feel a little unjust that after being the best team all season, the Celtics would have to face off against the franchise that has given them the most trouble over the past five years? Yeah, probably, but this is the rubber match we need after splitting the last two years in the Conference Finals.
East: 2. Milwaukee Bucks Vs 7. Philadelphia 76ers:
Joel Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo have never faced one another in the playoffs. They have been the two best players in the Eastern Conference over the last few seasons which already makes it must-see television, not to mention we also would get to see Doc Rivers go up against his former team, while Nick Nurse tries to build a wall against Giannis like he did with the Raptors in 2019.
East: 3. Cavaliers Vs 6. Knicks
Last year, the Knicks embarrassed the Cavs in round 1 defeating them in 5 games. With Donovan Mitchell's future in Cleveland murky to keep it simple. It has long been talked about that he would love to play for New York. If the Knicks take him down again, would they even want to give up all their capital or cap space for Spida?
East: 4. Magic Vs 5. Pacers:
Casual fans probably wouldn't be rushing to their TVs to watch this matchup, I get that, but Tyrese Haliburton and Paolo Banchero are two of the NBA's brightest young stars. The league needs to start prioritizing the next generations of marquee players, this matchup would be a great start.
West: 1. Nuggets Vs 8. Lakers:
It probably is in the league's best interest for the Lakers to go as far as possible in the playoffs, and facing the Nuggets in round 1 would not help that case. Unfortunately for the Lakers, they put themselves in this position. The Nuggets have dominated the Lakers in terms of winning these matchups over the last year, but, almost every game has gone down to the wire, and it is always elite basketball when you get Nikola Jokic going up against LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
West: 2. Thunder Vs 7. Suns:
The storyline is obvious, Kevin Durant going up against his former team. Durant hasn't seemed truly happy since he left Oklahoma City in 2016, even with the two titles he won in Golden State. The Thunder have been a great story all year, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander officially becoming a superstar and potential MVP finalist. If he can lead the Thunder to a series win over their former MVP player Durant, Thunder fans and GM Sam Presti will get the last laugh sending Durant home early once again.
West: 3. Timberwolves Vs 6. Pelicans:
Zion Williamson and Anthony Edwards are two of the best under-25-year-old players in the league, being two of the most exciting players in the association. The pace would be electric, and you would never know when you'll see the next great highlight play in NBA history with these two sky walkers going full speed towards the rim.
West: 4. Clippers Vs 5. Mavericks:
Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving make their return in the post-season going up against a familiar opponent for the Mavericks. Doncic has put up great stats in their two previous playoff matchups, but Kawhi Leonard and Paul George led the Clippers to series wins in 2020 and 2021 over Dallas. The Mavs would look to finally take down the Clippers, and we would also get to see former teammates James Harden and Kyrie Irving go up against one another whose backcourt partnership in Brooklyn did not seem to end on great terms.
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