The NBA Playoffs are finally here!
Hopefully, your favorite team made the cut.
If so, what a great time to be alive!
If not … It’s okay. Feel free to sulk until next year.
As a Knicks fan, this is the story of my life.
There’s no doubt that the playoffs are an exciting time of year for all basketball fans and this year’s bracket is as stacked as ever.
We just helped you narrow down your bracket for March Madness, now come along as we take you through who has the best odds of going all the way in the NBA playoffs.
The Golden State Warriors
Vegas Odds: 1/3
Why They Will Win:
Is there any other team in the NBA that resembles the Avengers more than an actual team?
With Kevin Durrant, Steph Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson all listed in Sports Illustrated’s to 25 NBA players of 2017 list, it’s pretty hard to dispute that they are a firing squad unlike any other in the league.
Besides, let’s not forget about how dangerous Steph Curry can be inside and outside the paint. He is shaping up to be one of the all-time great shooters the NBA has ever seen.
How They Might Blow It:
Well, we saw what happened last year against Cleveland. But you know … that could have been a fluke.
Plus, with the addition of league’s best player (I mean … second best player), there’s a good chance that the Warriors will dominate the playoffs this year.
The Cleveland Cavaliers
Vegas Odds: 13/5
Why They Will Win:
What else can you say about King James?
LeBron is a living legend. He should have an old-timey folk written about him and his hero-like status.
The dude continues to put up insane stats.
His performance in last year’s NBA finals was like it was written for Hollywood and finally justified those many comparisons to another midwestern basketball great.
He’s one of the few players that can make his team play better just by being on the court.
With his skills and qualities as a leader, we are definitely in for a surprise during this year’s NBA playoffs.
How They Might Blow It:
LeBron James is (feel free to let me have it in the comments) the best player the NBA has seen since Michael Jordan.
But can he carry the Cavs to victory all on his own?
They were able to pull off one of the greatest comebacks last year, but who’s to say that wasn’t just a fluke?
With how jam packed the Warriors are this year, it may be difficult to win back to back championships.
The San Antonio Spurs
Vegas Odds: 10/1
Why They Will Win:
Sure, the Spurs have a lot of talent on the court, but the main reason they have been such a dominant force in the NBA for so long:
Coach Gregg Popovich.
Just take it from LeBron as he told reporters that Popovich is “the greatest coach of all time. I’ve said that over and over and over. You’ve got to be to do what he’s done in the era of basketball when it’s changed so much and he’s been able to have a growth mindset and be able to change with the game. He’s continued to build around Timmy [Duncan] and Manu [Ginobili] and Tony [Parker] and bring pieces in and out throughout his whole tenure”
Popovich knows the game inside and with five championships under his belt, he knows what it takes to win it all.
How They Might Blow It:
With the Spurs’ star point guard Tony Parker’s knee injury seeming a little more serious than they hoped, they may have a tough time getting the momentum they need to topple some the giants in their bracket.
Kawhi Leonard has been having a great year, but that might not be enough for the Spurs to take it all.
The Houston Rockets
Vegas Odds: 10/1
Why They Will Win:
James Harden is a BEAST!
Now that we’ve taken care of that, it should be said: The Houston Rockets are a great team and should not be ruled out this year.
The Vegas odds have them neck and neck with the Spurs probably due to Parker being sidelined for the rest of the playoffs, but honestly, they should have been considered a contender from the start.
In his article for the Ringer, Mark Titus lays out that with the first two games of their series with the Spurs, the Rockets have become the underdog team that we should be rooting for and that if they can get their act together, really have a shot at going far in this year’s NBA playoffs.
Which brings me to my next point …
How They Might Blow It:
Who knows, Titus could be right.
Or he could be dead wrong.
And that’s the beauty of rooting for the underdog.
Chuck Klosterman makes the case that the reason why Sports are totally invigorating is that it is one of the only things that can go completely one way or the other.
This is live television without a script. Anything could happen!
We could have another scrappy team that wins it all like the Pistons did with Iverson and Wallace in 2004 or a disappointing Knicks franchise that does not know how to utilize Carmelo Anthony.
Ugh. The Knicks.
There You Have it! Our Picks for the 2017 NBA Playoffs!
My apologies go out to the Boston Celtics, the Toronto Raptors, the Washington Wizards, the Utah Jazz, the Los Angeles Clippers, the Atlanta Hawks and the Chicago Bulls.
There is always room for an upset in the NBA playoffs, but I don’t want to steer my readers wrong!
It just wouldn’t be right.
And let’s face it – This Warriors team is no joke. If you can get past the Cavs to beat them, then miracles DO exist!
I’m sure most of you will have a few bones to pick with our favorites, so feel free to set us straight in the comment section below or send us a message through our contact page.
Good luck!
