Four teams remain in the 2023 NBA Playoffs, the Denver Nuggets vs. the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Finals and the Boston Celtics vs. the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals.
The latest look at the #NBAPlayoffs bracket! šæš„@Ticketmaster | #NBAPlayoffs Presented by Google Pixel pic.twitter.com/z8nPwoDGQ5
— NBA TV (@NBATV) May 14, 2023
First, we kick things off with the Denver Nuggets, the Nikola Jokic-led Nuggets came into the playoffs as the 1 seed in the West with a record of 55 wins and 29 losses. The Nuggets easily handled the eight seed-Minnesota Timberwolves, winning the series 4-1 in the first round. The Nuggets’ competition got a bit stiffer in the Western Conference semi-finals when they faced the new and improved four-seed Phoenix Suns, fresh off of the addition of Superstar Player- Kevin Durant. Nuggets were handed a silver platter as Suns Point Guard- Chris Paul suffered a groin injury in game two and although projected to return in a possible game seven, the Nuggets finished the job in game six with Suns Center- Deandre Ayton out with injury as well, winning 125-100 to win the series 4-2. Two-time MVP Jokic had a triple-double in the final game of the series, 32 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists.
Keep it goin', Jok š pic.twitter.com/24ko8j82CW
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) May 15, 2023
On the other side is the Los Angeles Lakers, the Lakers roared into the playoffs. Starting 2-10 in the regular season, the Lakers post-trade deadline went on to win 18 of their last 27 games of the regular season, which was one of the best records in the NBA during that stretch. The Lakers faced the confident Memphis Grizzlies looking to make a name for themselves by defeating a LeBron James-led team in the first round. The Lakers had other plans as they defeated the two seed-Grizzlies in six games, winning 4-2. Next for LeBron and the Lakers was the much-anticipated matchup against arguably James’ greatest rival- Steph Curry and the sixth seed-Golden State Warriors. An entertaining matchup indeed but the Lakers and LeBron, along with an ultra-dominant Anthony Davis, especially on the defensive end, disposed of the defending champs in game six, winning the series 4-2. The Lakers won game six, 122-101 behind a dominant performance from James, 30 points, 9 rebounds, and 9 assists.
30 and the win for the King pic.twitter.com/4PAfdSOrYj
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) May 13, 2023
The Lakers and Nuggets meet starting in game one tomorrow night, May 16th at 8:30 P.M. EST.
The number two seed Boston Celtics seems to go as star forward- Jayson Tatum goes. In their first-round matchup, the Jaylen Brown and Tatum-led Celtics disposed of the seventh-seeded- Atlanta Hawks in six games, winning the series 4-2. Next for the Celtics was a back-and-forth battle with newly crowned MVP- Joel Embiid and the three-seed- Philadelphia 76ers. Going to a maximum of seven games, Tatum came to shine and grab the series by the throat as he exploded for 51 points, 13 rebounds, and 5 assists to win 112-88, winning the series 4-3 overall.
last night was a movie šæ pic.twitter.com/ssOb0ups29
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) May 15, 2023
The underdogs didn’t stop with the Lakers as the eight-seed-Miami Heat added upset after upset, shocking the world in the first round. The Heat defeated Giannis Antetokounmpo and the number one seed-Milwaukee Bucks surprisingly in only five games, winning the series 4-1. The Heat then faced off against the Jalen Brunson-led fifth-seed, New York Knicks. Playoff Jimmy Butler didn’t slow down after the first round and led the Heat to defeat the Knicks in round two in six games, winning the series 4-2.
Jimmy doing what Jimmy does āļø pic.twitter.com/T0DbTIoqYW
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) May 13, 2023
The Heat and Celtics meet for game one Wednesday, May 17th at 8:30 P.M. EST.
