DENVER NUGGETS (3) vs OKC THUNDER (4)
It was obvious from the get-go that Aaron Gordon shouldn't have been playing. The fact that he was forced or compelled to do so anyway, even though it was a Game 7, is indicative of how thin Denver's bench is or how little faith they have in their backup players.
Speaking of David Adelman, it also shows a lack of creativity on the part of the team's coaching staff. Steph went down, and they told him not to come back 'til Game 6, and he didn't try to force himself back, even though his team got their asses bust. I still believe, if Curry were healthy, the Warriors would have won.
But anyway, the point is that sometimes you just have to man-up and take the lost, if it's like that. At least the younger dudes, like Peyton Watson - who would have most logically replaced Gordon in the starting lineup - would have gotten invaluable playoff experience in the process.
MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES (0) vs OKC THUNDER (0)
Speaking of the Timberwolves, I know that they're a formidable, even if lucky, team. But I totally expect OKC to dominate them in the next round.
NEW YORK KNICKS (4) vs BOSTON CELTICS (2)
It felt like Boston threw Game 6, maybe not intentionally per se, but it was clear, at least to me, that they didn't really-really try. The Knicks were dominating, and very early in the game the Celtics gave up. They're saying something now like Brown was playing through injury, so that probably has something to do with it. What's the use of making the Conference Finals when you already know that Jaylen needs rest also? Chasing those championships, some NBAers finally get the trophy but can never make it back again.
The Knicks destroyed the Celtics, at MSG, in Game 6. But that was something to have been more expected than celebrated. NYK has the most-stacked starting lineup in the league, and they're all healthy. Boston, at full strength, is not as talented as the Knicks but have more of a winning culture.
They're saying that Tatum's injury is so serious that the Celtics should more or less initiate a rebuild in the name of saving money, or something like that. I was saying since before last postseason ended that Boston needed some upgrades, most specifically to cover for the fragility of Porzingis who, ironically enough, did manage to play in Game 6. In hindsight, maybe they should have went after a Jimmy Butler type , like a third superstar. That's what they need instead of just gutting the team, but obviously they can't afford it.
I've also been critical of Boston from the get-go for more or less forcing Jrue Holiday to become one of those solely-defense type of players, like Matisse Thybulle, if you will. Jrue is a traditional PG, stuck in league where old-school, pass-first PGs no longer exist.
Teams are built these days whereas virtually anyone from the 1 to the 5 can bring it up the court. But reportedly, he's like the player most likely to move, and I guess logically so, since being forced to play that way limits Holiday's overall effectiveness.
But it'll be interesting to see if BOS or anyone else lets him play traditional point next season. There are certainly teams, like the Magic, who could use a traditional point, if the stars are actually willing to conceded ball handling. And speaking of Holiday, is it just me, or does he look like he's grown a couple of inches?
INDIANA PACERS (0) vs NEW YORK KNICKS (0)
Both the Knicks and Pacers have had lucky breaks during the 2025 postseason. But n all honesty, I'm more impressed with Indiana. The way they dominated the Cavs, even when Cleveland was more or less at full strength, was more impressive than they way NY beat BOS.
But that said, congratulations to NYK. I would assume that most NBA fans don't want opposing players, especially stars, to get hurt, even if they party like 1999 if their team beats a limp opponent. So regardless of how the Knicks may or may not have made it, at least they're there. But it'll still be a disappointment if they can't get pass the Pacers.
HAS PARITY BEEN ACHIEVED?
These Playoffs have been pretty exciting, but we're once again met with a postseason where dudes are being commonly and let's say randomly beat by 20 or more points. Has parity been achieved, Mr. Silver? I guess we won't really know until the next round.
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