Mar 2, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward De’Andre Hunter (12) celebrates after hitting a three point basket during the second half against the Portland Trail Blazers at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images Gotta give Hollywood credit for sparing no expense when it came to the shiny new red carpet for its gala event Sunday night.
The Academy easily could have saved a few bucks by borrowing the used one the NBA rolled out for the Celtics in the playoffs last season.
Hey, no disrespect intended for the champs. They were clearly the NBA’s best in 2024, regardless of who dressed in clowns’ outfits in the other locker room.
But suffice it to say: If a collection of lightweights from within the conference and the other’s fifth-best team show up again this postseason, any of this year’s contenders would take it.
Speaking of the potential banner-raisers, only six remain who should concern themselves with clearing out space in the rafters. The Celtics’ competition in the East will come from the Cavaliers and Bucks, while the West representative under the NBA’s brightest lights this year will be either the Thunder, Nuggets or Lakers.
Each must attempt to avoid one another for as long as possible in the postseason, which gives the final six weeks of the regular season at least a sliver of significance.
Here’s why all six will be doing some scoreboard-watching …
CAVALIERS
You heard it here first… OK, for the 100th time: The Cavs will not beat the Celtics in a playoff series this May.
Yeah, we all saw the Donovan Mitchell show last week. Impressive, but lacking his shadow – Jrue Holiday, who watched from the sidelines.
Remember Kyrie Irving’s performance in last year’s Finals? Of course you don’t. Holiday made him disappear in a display surely worthy of Jayson Tatum’s four MVP votes.
Mitchell must come up big against the Celtics, and that’s not going to happen if Holiday is healthy. So the Cavs have to pray for a Bucks-Celtics matchup in Round 2 and hope Holiday tries to take a charge on Giannis.
CELTICS
Mar 2, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jaylen Brown (7) dribbles down the court defended by Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray (27) during the first half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images The Knicks were constructed to beat the Celtics. Epic fail. If Boston draws New York in the second round of the playoffs … wonder if the Academy rents out its carpet.
The Celtics visit New York in April. It would behoove them to leave Holiday and Jaylen Brown behind while encouraging Tatum to shoot even more than usual.
If the difference between the Knicks and Bucks in their battle for the No. 3 seed is one game at season’s end, it would be wise for the Celtics to have dictated the order.
I know what you’re thinking: Boston has swept three straight from Milwaukee this season, so why does it matter? Well, because the games have gotten progressively closer, and the addition of Kyle Kuzma forces Tatum to have to guard somebody, and that’s a recipe for green disaster.
BUCKS
Feb 27, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard (0) celebrates a three-point basket with forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) and forward Kyle Kuzma (18) in the fourth quarter against the Denver Nuggets at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images The Bucks probably don’t belong on the list, but at least they’re intriguing. Giannis guarantees it.
But presuming the Bucks finish fourth in the East, their chances of making a run through Indiana, Cleveland and Boston are Packers-like. At least the basketball cousin has a playoff-tested quarterback.
A Bucks-Celtics matchup would mean death to both, but it would make for good TV. The loser of that slugfest would get a much-deserved fishing trip. The winner … well, they better hope the Knicks await.
THUNDER
Mar 2, 2025; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Ousmane Dieng (13) dunks in front of San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell (24) in the second half at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images You might be asking: Why no mention of the first round in the East? Suffice it to say: If they post a total wins prop on seeds 5-8, and it’s higher than 3 1/2, take the under.
No such boat races in the West, and that’s to the Thunder’s benefit. They’re young; the Nuggets, Pacers, Mavericks … well, just about everybody else isn’t.
That’s an advantage in Round 3, but not in Round 1. So beware, OKC.
Alas, it’s Round 2 that the new kids on the block need to worry about. The Thunder cannot beat the Lakers and Nuggets – or Nuggets and Lakers – in consecutive series. So like the Cavaliers with the Celtics and Bucks, the top seed needs a Lakers-Nuggets death match while they mop up on – hopefully – the Grizzlies or the Rockets.
NUGGETS
Feb 28, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) gets ready to drive to the basket against the Detroit Pistons in the first quarter at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images I’m not sure anybody’s beating Luka’s Lakers, which puts the Nuggets in an interesting spot.
If the Lakers appear headed to the No. 2 seed, the Nuggets have to ask themselves: Do we really want to bust our butt to finish third, only to draw LeBron & Co. in Round 2?
Like the Knicks with the Celtics in the East, Denver’s chances of returning to the Finals after last year’s hiccup increase significantly the longer they can avoid the Lakers. So if Nikola Jokic and every talent north of Dario Saric need to be rested at least once a week from here on out to assure a fourth-place finish, then that’s the way it’s going to have to be.
The Nuggets can beat the Thunder. It’s as simple as this: In a classic Immovable Object vs. Irresistible Force showdown, Denver has more capable bodies (led by Russell Westbrook, Aaron Gordon and Peyton Watson) to throw at OKC’s one-man gang than the Thunder have to battle Denver’s big galoot.
LAKERS
Feb 28, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) defends LA Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) during the first quarter at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jason Parkhurst-Imagn Images I seriously doubt the Lakers truly care who’s next up on their path to the championship. But remember, this team is playing Jaxson Hayes at center, which means they can’t be too comfortable with seeing Nikola Jokic.
Or Alperen Sengun or Jaren Jackson Jr. or Rudy Gobert or Domantas Sabonis or … you catch my drift. As you might have noticed on the Lakers’ nice run of late: Nothing has come easy.
Surprisingly, given the addition of Luka No-D Doncic, the Lakers have been quite adept at protecting the hoop since the All-Star break. That’s bad news for the Thunder, as most of L.A.’s top defenders are size-SGA.
That’s why the Thunder have to be rooting for Lakers-Timberwolves in the first round. Then Lakers-Nuggets in Round 2.
If that happens, then it’s anybody’s game … depending upon how the seedings shake out and how many teams follow the sage advice offered here.
If not, everyone’s playing for second.
