2022-23 NBA Playoffs (3rd Round)

Celtics over Sixers in 7

Weird series in that it struck me that the Celtics were the superior side in 6 of the 7 games, should've wrapped up this series much sooner. But James Harden was kinda great down the stretch in Game One, Joel Embiid made big plays down the stretch in Game Four, and the Celtics were supremely awful in Game Five and that was enough to get this to a Game Seven. As for Game Seven, well, it was a replay of the Warriors-Kings Game Seven, no? Close game at the half, then the Sixers (Kings) utterly self-destructed in the 2nd half and the Celtics (Warriors) ended up winning in a blow out. Jaysun Tatum was great in Game Seven, overcoming a serious funk that plagued him in the previous two games, and while I don't want to diminish his performance, man, this was all about the Sixers coming apart. Embiid got torched on defense, Harden's playmaking dried up and the Sixers flailed badly on both ends throughout the 3rd quarter. The Celtics were better, so much better that they should've won much sooner. 

Heat over Knicks in 6

Jalen Brunson! Unfortunately, he was the only one that showed up for the Knicks in this series and that's why the Knicks are heading for a soul-searching summer (*). The Heat over the last few seasons have shown that they can turn it on at a moment's notice as well as anyone around. If I were to tell you that a #8 seed was heading to the conference finals, would you be shocked it was the Miami Heat? Would you be surprised it was Coach Spoelstra? Would you be shocked the squad was led by Jimmy Butler? (Yeah, that's three straight "nah"s) So while I was skeptical of their offense (especially w/out broken-handed Tyler Herro), they just keep knocking down shots and finding ways to outscore their opponents. Not only did they knock out the #1 seed and the most exciting Knicks team in a coupla decades, they did it with seemingly much less effort than the Celtics expended dispatching the outmanned Hawks and the schizophrenic Sixers. Butler is balling, Bam Adebayo is playing good (but can play better), Duncan Robinson is back in the rotation, Kyle Lowry looks rejuvenated, and they're getting substantial contributions from Max Strus, Gabe Vincent and Caleb Martin. 

Nuggets over Suns in 6

The Suns had a coupla big time home games from Devin Booker and Kevin Durant (and a killer night out of Landry Shamet) but that was all they had in them. The Nuggets are a blistering home team and just deeper and better and more reliable than this skimpy Suns team. When Chris Paul went out, to my mind it didn't make that much difference, but when the much-maligned Deandre Ayton sat out Game Six (good for you, young man, let those grumpy old assholes get a W without ya) that was all she wrote for the Suns (**). The Nuggets are the best team in the West and they're still getting better. 

Lakers over Warriors in 6

I thought, the Warriors needed at least 2 big games out of Klay Thompson just to have a chance and they got none. They needed Draymond Green to be extra-Draymond-y and....hmmmmm....he was rather placid in this series. They needed Jordan Poole to awake from his season-long slumber and that did not happen. They needed Andrew Wiggins to be his super human self, but in this post-season he never quite looked like his usual greatest-athlete-in-the-world self. Steph was great, Kevon Looney was solid and I thought Donte Divincenzo was a worthy contributor, but that just wasn't enough to even make a dent in this series. This Lakers team is sloppy and weird and took them the whole season to really get going, but at their best they have a nice collection of rotating contributors (Rui Hachimura, Austin Reaves, Lonnie Walker, Dennis Shroder all had big time games) around their anchors of Lebron and Anthony Davis. The Lakers post-season hopes have always been all about the health of AD and so far he's balling out. 

Conference Championships

Heat - Celtics

The Heat have shown the ability to win games they shouldn't win and the Celtics have shown the ability to lose games they ought to win. So....the Celtics should be nervous even though they are clearly the better squad--better than the squad that beat the Heat in this spot last season! I will stick with the Celtics but, man, I would implore them to finish it in 6 because a Game Seven will be a tightening experience for them. *sigh* Okay, I'll take Celtics in 7. 

Lakers - Nuggets

The Nuggets have been the best team in the league this year, they have a unique home court advantage and they're still rounding into shape. The Lakers have played well, they've gotten good effort from the entire roster, rookie coach Ham doesn't look nervous out there, they're kinda playing with house money and as long as AD stays upright, they're gonna be a tough out. But the Nuggets are the better team and I think they're roll right by the Lakers. Nuggets in 6. 

(*) This summer's free agent class is not impressive and since the new CBA doesn't kick in until next summer, I expect a lot of trades this summer. Crazy trades, exotic deals, multiple-team trades. Virtually every team has at least one "problem" to deal with and the agents are gonna be wheelin' and dealin' behind the scenes and I think we're gonna see a truly weird summer. Looking forward to it!

(**) The Sixers and Suns have since already fired their coaches....why not the Knicks?