It doesn’t matter which team you’re supporting; If you’re a sports fan, this past week of playoff basketball has been an absolute treat sent from the sports gods above.

Here’s a recap of some of the most absurd things to have happened in just the last four days: The Los Angeles Clippers, who came into Game 2 as 100-1 underdogs, overcame a 31-point deficit, and defeated the Golden State Warriors 135-131 in the biggest comeback in NBA playoff history; the Brooklyn Nets, a team that has not clinched a playoff spot since 2015, stole a road win from a Philadelphia 76ers team predicted to make a deep playoff run; the Portland Trailblazers, who came into the matchup as underdogs against the Oklahoma City Thunder, are now leading 2-0 in the series as the club makes it way to the road; and Kyrie Irving scored 37 points and the Boston Celtics rallied a late 4th-quarter comeback last Tuesday to defeat the Utah Jazz, 99-91.

In what has been a series of nail-biting comebacks, straight up ridiculous underdog victories, and unpredictable turns of events—it makes it increasingly difficult for a sports fan to guess what the future holds. Here are some things you should be looking out for as the first round of the NBA Playoffs continues.

First of all, if you haven’t been paying attention to these players… Well, you should.

1. Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum of the Portland Trailblazers are forces to be reckoned with. Despite losing Jusuf Nurkic late in the regular season, the Trailblazers miraculously won two games against the Thunder. The Blazers’ backcourt, who combined to score 62 points on Tuesday, should be rightfully credited for the team’s success. Lillard is a prolific scorer who can contribute from the three, from the paint, and from literally anywhere on the court. He is also a genius in distributing the ball to his teammates. If Lillard and McCollum were to continue their hot streak, the Thunder will be going home much earlier than expected.
2. D’Angelo Russell, who is in the middle of a breakout season with the Brooklyn Nets, may prove to be a serious threat against the Sixers. Unlike the Sixers, the Nets lack any big-name superstars. Yet, the team’s continued grit, persistence, and tenacity may be what can lead them to upset Philadelphia. No other player can be attributed for leadership and charisma as the young Russell, who earlier this year made his All-Star debut. When Russell’s shots fall, as they did on Sunday, the Nets have real potential to upset the Sixers.
3. And finally, Lou Williams will continue to prove to be a difference-maker for the Los Angeles Clippers. It was Williams’ 36 points and 11 assists from the bench that fueled the Clippers’ late comeback on Tuesday. If Williams and forward Montrezl Harrrell continue to perform and produce at this level, they might just steal another win in this series.

While the Clippers rightfully made headlines for upsetting the Warriors on Monday, it is unlikely that they will continue to pose any serious challenges for the Dubs. Even after losing DeMarcus Cousins in the first quarter of Game Two, the Warriors remain favorites to win the West. The return of Andrew Bogut may also be quite convenient to replace the role Cousins played at the 5 during their post-season run. So the question on on the minds of any sports fans not from the Bay Area is: Who will overthrow the Warriors?

In an article I wrote in February, I picked the Thunder as the largest threat to overthrowing the Golden State in the West. Given that they are currently struggling in a series against a much weaker opponent in Portland, I must take back that prediction after realizing the fundamental issues with the Thunder that I failed to see before.

With the exception of Paul George, the Thunder lack serious range in the 3. We’ve seen Russell Westbrook, who just two years ago was averaging 2.5 threes per game, dip that number to just 1.6 threes per game. Contrast that to the backcourt in Lillard and McCollum—not to mention whom they will face in the future, the Splash Brothers. Further, Westbrook’s free throw percentage has also taken a massive dip from 84.5% in the 2015-16 to 65.6% this season, which is absolutely abysmal for a guard of his caliber in this league. Furthermore, the Thunder bench is also seriously lacking. Against a deep team like the Warriors, the Thunders’ starters will likely be of no match.

Instead, I will now say that the Houston Rockets are by far the most capable team to defeat the Warriors. While perhaps the biggest takeaway from Tuesday’s win over the Utah Jazz was Harden’s 32-point triple double, the Rockets are good all around. With shooters in Chris Paul, Eric Gordon, P.J. Tucker, and elite rim protector Clint Capela, Harden has a solid team to bring with him to the Conference Semifinals that can match the Warriors’ intensity.

Yet, the real threats for the Warriors will likely come out of the East. In my last article, I wrote of how the Toronto Raptors are the top contenders in the Eastern Conference and be a worthy opponent against the Dubs, if they were to meet. I still stand by that judgment. But after seeing Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks’ complete annihilation of the Detroit Pistons in the first two playoff games, it would be brainless for me to discount them completely. Milwaukee has been absolutely stunning this whole season and has what it takes to be a championship team. Both the Raptors and the Bucks are as good as any team to stop Golden State Warriors from winning its fourth championship in five years.

In what has been a crazy first few days of playoff basketball, it is clear that this post-season will be highly unpredictable. There is no clear forerunner. It may even result in the end of a dynasty. But what’s for sure is that it will be one hell of a ride.

First-Round Predictions:

West:

1. Golden State Warriors (1) vs. Los Angeles Clippers (8) – Golden State in 5
2. Denver Nuggets (2) vs. San Antonio Spurs (7) – Denver in 7
3. Portland Trailblazers (3) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (6) – Portland in 7
4. Houston Rockets (4) vs. Utah Jazz (5) – Houston in 5

East:

1. Milwaukee Bucks (1) vs. Detroit Pistons (8) – Milwaukee in 4
2. Toronto Raptors (2) vs. Orlando Magic (7) – Toronto in 6
3. Philadelphia 76ers (3) vs. Brooklyn Nets (6) – Philadelphia in 6
4. Boston Celtics (4) vs. Indiana Pacers (5) – Boston in 5

 

Franklin Ribli can be reached at fribli@wesleyan.edu.