The NBA Conference semifinals are already defined, after the victory in Game 7 of the Cavaliers over the Magic, who wasted an 18-point lead. In the West the Thunder face off against the Mavericks and the Timberwolves against the Nuggets, while in the East the Celtics face off against the Cavs and the Knicks face off against the Pacers.
So far, only one semifinal game has been played, between the Wolves and the current champions, the Nuggets. The Minnesota team took the victory in Colorado and stole the court factor from Michael Malone’s team, which seemed unbeatable after passing the Lakers in the first round.
For their part, Doncic’s Mavs, who have just beaten the Clippers in a thrilling tie, will face the young Thunder, with an average age of 24 years. Mark Daigneault’s team, selected as coach of the year, was the leader in the West and will seek to end the hopes of the Slovenian and a reborn Irving.
On the other side of the table, in the East, there is a rival to beat, the Celtics. The best team of the regular season beat the Heat without too many setbacks and will face the Cavaliers, who have just played seven games against the Magic.
The Cleveland franchise came back 18 points in Game 7, the largest comeback in the history of a seventh game. The performance of Donovan Mitchell, with 39 points, was key for the Cavaliers, who will have to improve in attack if they want to stand up to the Celtics in the most unequal tie of the second round.
The other duel in the East is made up of two of the surprises of the playoffs, the Knicks and the Pacers. The New York team, led by Brunson, finished in six games with Embiid’s Sixers, who remains the only MVP in history who has not played in the Conference Finals.
The Pacers, the revelation of the playoffs, finished off the Bucks, weakened by Antetokounmpo’s injury and Lillard’s constant physical problems. The Indiana team is the team with the lowest classification that still has a chance for a ring, as they finished the regular season in sixth place.
Only eight franchises remain of the 30 that participate in the NBA. The Nuggets are looking to repeat the title, while the other seven will want to win a trophy that they have not achieved for years, since the last team that was champion of the remaining eight, beyond those from Colorado, was the Cavaliers in 2016, LeBron James’ hand.
