A Fresh Post-Season
Last night's game 6 loss for the Lakers was a shocker for some, and an inevitability for others. With AD out and LeBron struggling with his ankle, they just couldn't pull out the series – regardless of the circumstances, this will still be considered an upset by most fans, as James loses in the first round for the first time in his career.
But in my opinion, the Suns' advancement marks a significant paradigm shift in the NBA playoffs. In just the first round alone so far, a lot of young talent has been put on display this year, and they have not backed down from the spotlight; players like Ja Morant, Luka Doncic, Devin Booker, Donovan Mitchell, and Trae Young mark the start of a new era for the NBA. Who know how next season will unfold, or the season after, but for now, the future belongs to players like them.
Just looking at this post-season, though, you can see a lot has changed. For the first time in what feels like years, there is genuine uncertainty regarding who will win the Western conference, and many of the remaining teams are vying to leave their mark as champions for the first time in decades, or maybe even in franchise history. Of the nine remaining teams, five of them have never won a championship before, and of the ones who have, the most recent was the Dallas Mavericks in 2011 (and before them was the Philadelphia 76ers in 1983). On top of that, this year's finals will be the first one since 2010 that featured neither LeBron nor Curry, as well as the first one since 1998 that didn't have the Heat, Lakers, Warriors, or Spurs.
Needless to say, these playoffs are definitely worth tuning into.
