On The Watch “It’s All About The NBA PLAYOFFS 2024”

NBA Playoffs 2024 (Sweet 16)

With another full 82-Games NBA Season now over and the NBA Play-In Tournament successfully completed, we are now officially ready for the NBA Playoffs 2024.

“King of The Court” and the No. 1 Seed in the entire league belong to the Boston Celtics (64-18). Them Boys balled hard the entire season looking motivated and focused from the jump. Their squad looks complete from top to bottom and battle ready for whatever the Playoff runs have in store for them. This could definitely be their year.

The No. 2 Seeded New York Knicks (50-32) impressed all year and battled their way through to earn their spot. With Julius Randle out of commission for the Playoffs, the Knicks still managed to bring a worthy team to the dance. The way they finished the regular season is proof enough to me that they are ready for what awaits them in the first round of the Playoffs.

The No. 3 Seeded Milwaukee Bucks (49-33) faught hard to hold on to their spot but are coming in wounded with their star player Giannis Antetokounmpo and other key players still battling injuries making them vulnerable in surviving the first round.

The Cleveland Cavaliers (48-34) hold the No. 4 Spot in the tough and improving Eastern Conference but for some reason peeps are sleeping on them. Them Boys over there have a chip on their shoulders and they are driven to prove to the naysayers out there that they belong in the Playoff run as well, so be on the lookout for them Boys.

The Orlando Magic the No. 5 Seed (47-35), the Indiana Pacers No. 6 Seed (47-35), the Philadelphia 76ers the No. 7 Seed (47-35) and the Miami Heat No. 8 Seed (46-36) all fought exceptionally hard to hold on to a spot in the Playoffs but that being said, they also could have been seeded much higher in the standing if it wasn’t for some unexpected injuries to key players throughout the season. Nevertheless, any one of these teams could steal the show on any given night so stay tuned in to a very intriguing first round of Playoff action.

The stronghold of the Western Conference continues again but there are new faces dominating the hierarchy this time around with two top teams with identical records. The Oklahoma City Thunder have captured the No. 1 Seed (57-25) over the Defending Champs the Denver Nuggets the No. 2 Seed (57-25) who are looking at a repeat run at the Championship. That won’t be easy with the Thunder squad looking prime and ready for the challenges ahead.

The Minnesota Timberwolves the No. 3 Seed (56-23) are the sleepers in this year’s Playoff run that peeps need to keep an extra eye on. Them Boys have a bonafide star in Anthony Edwards and a solid squad that could easily disrupt and outplay any of the Teams looking past them if they are not taken seriously.

The Los Angeles Clippers the No. 4 Seed (51-31) are coming in a little shaky with the uncertainty of Kawhi Leonard’s availability for the first round series, leaving the squad quite vulnerable. Nevertheless, the Clips still have enough firepower to hopefully stand up and hold it down until Kawhi is able to resume play with the team.

The Dallas Mavericks No. 5 Seed (50-32) are finally gelling with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving who have been playing in sync Basketball, complementing each other the way two superstars should do and peaking at the right time. They are battle tested and healthy and are ready to do damage in this year’s Playoff run.

The Phoenix Suns No. 6 Seed (49-33), the Los Angeles Lakers the No. 7 Seed (47-35) and the New Orleans Pelicans the No. 8 Seed (49-33) all have their work cut out for them if they have any plans to disrupt the new hierarchy developing in the Western Conference. These lowered seeded teams could definitely shake up their Playoffs standing if caught sleeping.

The game is changing and moving at a faster pace. This year’s Playoff runs are attention-grabbing from top to bottom so tune in and witness the outcome.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About The NBA-Who’s On Top?”

THE NBA Who’s On Top?

We are officially past the midpoint mark for the NBA Season with 42 plus games played to date and still holding down the No. 1 Spot in the league are the Boston Celtics (35-10). Them Boys haven’t lost a beat and seem to be getting stronger as a unit game by game on both ends of the floor. Once again, the competitiveness of the Eastern Conference is vastly improving, keeping things quite interesting throughout the season so far. Creeping up behind them are the Milwaukee Bucks (31-13), the Philadelphia 76ers (29-14), the New York Knicks (28-17), the Cleveland Cavaliers (26-16), the Indiana Pacers (25-20), the Miami Heat (24-21) and the Orlando Magic (23-21). The Eastern Conference is definitely heating up!

The usual suspects at the top have taken quite the hit this year but surprisingly still holding down the No. 1 Spot in the Western Conference are the Minnesota Timberwolves (32-13). Them Boys have been looking the part game by game showing the basketball world that they are on a mission to silence the naysayers out there but, breathing down their necks looking to overtake them are the Oklahoma City Thunder (31-13) and the Defending Champions Denver Nuggets (31-13) while the Los Angeles Clippers (28-14), the Phoenix Suns (26-18), the New Orleans Pelicans (26-18), the Sacramento Kings (25-18) and the Dallas Mavericks (24-20) are all staying within striking distance to overtake one another in the standings at any given time. Real Talk!

The power struggles within both conferences continues to give the second half of the season that much more “HYPE” so stay locked in.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About The NBA-Who’s On Top?”

The NBA Who’s on Top?

We are officially at the Quarter mark of this year’s NBA Season and with the successful completion of the first NBA In-Season Tournament, the changing of the guards is looking quite optimistic within the early standings updates making some teams quite uncomfortable at the moment.

The NBA In-Season Tournament created some traction and some competitiveness that kept the players involved and motivated to reach the destination in Las Vegas and the two surprising teams to represent their respective coasts for this In-Season Tournament were none other than the two No. 5 Seeds in the Indiana Pacers (12-8) and the Los Angeles Lakers (14-9). Staged on a neutral floor both teams balled out like the NBA Finals and brought us a serious game this early into the season. LeBron James and Anthony Davis took it to the next level and raised the bar with LeBron closing out the game with 24 points and 11 boards while Davis finished off a run that secured him the first NBA Cup MVP Award with a performance of 41 points and 20 boards. Unbelievable! The Laker’s one-two-punch was simply too much for Indiana to contain. The Lakers were the In-Season Tournament’s best team from the jump and proved it by walking away with the Trophy of the NBA’s first In-Season Tournament. As the In-Season Tournament Champion all the players and coaches on the Lakers will receive $500.000 each and as runners-up, the Indiana Pacers will receive $200,000 each. Incentive well-earned.

In Season Tournament aside the championship game will not count for either team’s regular season record, unlike every other game played in the event.

Although the In-Season Tournament was interesting, the true and surprising team holding down the No. 1 Spot is none other then the Minnesota Timberwolves (17-4). Them Boys have been looking like true contenders game by game. The season is a long one but if they can maintain the right nucleus and keep growing as a unit, they could see themselves creating some serious havoc come Playoff time.

Another surprising team on the come up is the Oklahoma City Thunder (14-7). With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander increasingly improving year by year and leading this team to stardom, the Thunder seems to have the right attitude and competitiveness to maintain their position amongst the tough Western Conference.

The Dallas Mavericks (13-8) have been maintaining but have also been hit with the injury bug to key players like Kyrie Irving. Depending on how long Kyrie could be out they could find themselves in the hole quickly if Luka can’t hold down the fort for the time being.

The Defending Champs the Denver Nuggets (14-9) haven’t been themselves as of late but still maintain a certain presence in the league as Defending Champs. Health is key and when healthy they are damn near unstoppable. Nikola Jokic is still piling up the stats in an impressive fashion and has proven capable to carry the team when needed.

With new faces climbing up the standing in the Western Conference the Los Angeles Lakers (14-9) (In-Season Tournament Champion), Sacramento Kings (12-8) and the Phoenix Suns (12-10) could find themselves moving up in no time.

The Boston Celtics (16-5) are holding the No. 2 Spot in the league and are in a very competitive Eastern Conference where the new players on the squad have been gelling just right. Them Boys are proving to be legit and can ball with the best of them from either coast. Definitely early contenders on the watch.

The Orlando Magic (15-7) have showed mass improvement and seem to be getting it together. They have been competitive night in and night out but still have lots to prove but are definitely willing to put in that work.

The Milwaukee Bucks (15-7) have proven to have the fire power on the offensive end to hold onto their standing for now but where they fall is at the defensive end. With the loss of Jrue Holiday, the defense has taken a major hit that needs to be addressed if they are to compete towards a Championship.

The Philadelphia 76ers (14-7) have been competitive for the time being but do also suffer from weak defense that needs to be addressed as well. Two-way player MVP Joel Embiid is playing at an all-time high but can’t cover every part of floor at the same time.

The Indiana Pacers (12-8) (In-Season Tournament runners-up), the Cleveland Cavaliers (13-9), the New York Knicks (12-9), the Brooklyn Nets (12-9) and the Miami Heat (12-10) all have the talent but lack consistency but with the right momentum going their way could find themselves bumping the higher ups down from their pedestals.

So much can change from game to game so stay locked in as the season progresses.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About The NBA FINALS 2023”

2023 NBA FINALS

With the completion of the NBA’s version of the Final 4 now officially over, the two remaining teams to represent their respective coasts are the No. 1 Seeded Denver Nuggets for the WESTSIDE and No. 8 Seeded Miami Heat for the EASTSIDE.

Denver stayed true to their identity and their No. 1 Seed by running through their competition and crushing them with an iron fist one series at a time, proving that they were destined to grace the NBA Finals for their first appearance.

As good as the Nuggets have been looking throughout the Playoffs, it’s been the Heat stealing the spotlight with their No. 8 Seed placing and still standing after a hard, gruelling battle with the No. 2 Seeded Boston Celtics went down to a game 7 on enemy territory to decide who would be representing the Eastern Conference in the NBA Finals.

Miami nearly dropped the ball on this one, going up 3-0 on the Celtics to eventually losing their choke grip on Boston who managed to make it a very interesting series by rallying back to an unforeseen 3-3 series tie, in a blink of an eye.

Boston was back in the game and the favorite to pull it off on home court. However, Miami saw the writing on the wall, drying up rapidly and they had to revert back to what got them there: nonstop toughness from both ends of the floor, teamwork and a very motivated Jimmy Butler leading the way hitting big shots after big shots eventually crushing the Celtics to submission and winning a ticket to the NBA Finals.

Regardless of how this NBA Finals unravels, history will be in the making. The Denver Nuggets have never won an NBA Title let alone been the No. 1 Seed in the Western Conference. Denver has looked overpowering throughout the Playoffs and steadily peaking round after round. With Nikola Jokic and a healthy squad leading the way, the Nuggets should be the Finals favorite to win it all.

That being said, No. 8 Seed has ever won an NBA Championship and the Miami Heat squad is determined to enter the record books as the only team to accomplish the impossible. The Heat have displayed some exceptional play throughout the Playoffs and knocked off some serious competition on their way to the Finals. Them Boys are a legit threat and deserve to be in the NBA Finals. The Nuggets may have the better team but them “heat seekers” have the “DOGG” in them and have proven to be the higher seed killers of these Playoffs series. Another Seed must fall for them to become NBA Champions once again.

Tune in this Thursday night June 1, 2023 and be part of this intriguing NBA Finals matchup.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About 2023 NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS”

2023 NBA Western Conference Finals

The NBA’s version of the Final 4 is set to start this Tuesday night May 16, 2023 in the Western Conference, with the No. 1 Seed Denver Nuggets still going strong and ready to fend off the Play-In Tournament survivor Los Angeles Lakers who are fresh off a solid game six series win with the Golden State Warriors.

The way the season went on for the Lakers this year nobody expected them to crack the Playoffs let alone reach the Western Conference but they are here now and ready to rekindle the rivalry of their 2020 Western Conference Finals where the Lakers prevailed and eventually took the Crown that year.

Times have changed and this version of the Nuggets has gained massive experience and has a much healthier squad this time around to compete with the Lakers who have been playing some serious impressive ball as of late and will show resistance when push comes to shove.

The way the Lakers dismantled the No. 2 Seed Grizzlies and the Defending Champion Warriors is proof enough that the Lakers mean business and are quite motivated to win another NBA Championship but they have a formidable opponent that they must go through first in the Denver Nuggets, making this particular series must see TV.

Tune in this Tuesday night May 16, 2023 for game one of the NBA Western Conference Finals.

Blaze

ON The Watch “It’s All About The NBA PLAYOFFS WESTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS”

Western Conference Semifinals

The western Conference has finally reached completion. The No. 1 Seed Denver Nuggets stayed true to their position and dispatched of the pesky No. 8 Seed Minnesota Timberwolves in a very convincing fashion. The Nuggets have had plenty of rest and considerable time to strategize for their next foe in the No. 4 Seed Phoenix Suns who them too dispatched of their opponent, the No. 5 Seed Los Angeles Clippers in a convincing fashion as well. Considering their early dominance of the first round, both teams have already engaged in their battle, giving the Nuggets a 1-0 win over their formidable adversary. Definitely a series to keep an eye on.

The same can’t be said for the No. 2 Seed Memphis Grizzlies who talked a good game all the way up to the Playoffs and looked the part right until they fell short to the No. 7 Seed Los Angeles Lakers. The Grizzlies made that series competitive up until they got the attention of LeBron James. The excess trash talking sent his way woke up a sleeping giant waiting for a reason to unleash his unstoppable assault and that he did. LeBron and company showed levels above the Grizzlies and shut the show down and crushed the Grizzlies into submission and went on to round two. Waiting for them are the No. 6 Seed Golden State Warriors who took down No. 3 Seed Sacramento Kings fresh off the only game 7 series in the first round but they are still hungry to prove the naysayers wrong. Truth be told, the Warriors have been horrendous on the road throughout the season but still managed enough quality wins to be able to attempt to defend their previous NBA Championship. Beating the young gunning Kings was a tough obstacle but the challenge ahead with a very motivated LeBron James and the Lakers, will be must see TV considering these are the No. 6 and 7 Seed trying to get to the NBA Finals. Both squads are starting to get it together game by game. I can’t wait to see how this particular series unfolds.

Tune in and witness the outcome.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About The NBA PLAYOFFS 2023”

NBA Playoffs 2023 (Sweet 16)

With a full 82 Games NBA season now over and the NBA Play-In Tournament successfully completed, we are now officially ready to proceed with the NBA Playoffs 2023.

This year the Milwaukee Bucks (58-24) have reclaimed the “King of The Court” and No. 1 Seed in the entire league while battling it out with key members of their squad missing quite a few games but nonetheless were still able prevail throughout a very competitive season. The Bucks are getting it together at the right time and are driven to reach the mountain top once again.

That being said the No. 2 Seeded Boston Celtics (57-25) marginally fell short of the No. 1 Spot but maintained a very strong dominance throughout the league pinning any opponent to be in deep water when coming face to face with the surging Celtics come Playoff time. They showed up this year now it’s time to complete the run to the NBA Finals.

The Philadelphia 76ers (54-28) hold the No. 3 Seed and have been looking quite motivated to silence the naysayers who have been questioning their direction. With Joel Embiid playing at an MVP level and James Harden running the show, the squad is now peaking at the right moment and hopefully on track to reaching the NBA Finals.

The Cleveland Cavaliers (51-31) hold the No. 4 Spot while surprisingly being quite competitive night in and night out proving to be a team to be taken seriously throughout this Playoff run. The Cavs have a bonafide star in Donovan Mitchell and a solid nucleus of players looking to follow his lead.

The New York Knicks No. 5 Seed (47-35), the Brooklyn Nets No. 6 Seed (45-37), the Atlanta Hawks No. 7 Seed (41-41) and the Miami Heat No.8 Seed (44-38) all fought extremely hard to have a spot in the Playoffs but will have an even greater time knocking out the higher seeded favourites off their block come “Game night”, resulting in a very intriguing first round of Playoff runs.

The stronghold of the Western Conference has dipped again this year with only two teams crossing over the 50-win column. The Denver Nuggets have secured their No. 1 Seed with a modest (53-29) record and seem to be getting their full squad fully operational at the right time if they plan on reaching the NBA Finals this year. Breathing down their necks are the youngins Memphis Grizzlies (51-31) No. 2 Seed determined to prove they belong at the top but that being said, actions speak louder than words. Them youngins have to show up big and make some serious waves this time around deep into the Playoffs

The Sacramento Kings (48-34) is the surprising No. 3 Seed looking to prove that this is not a fluke. This squad got here the hard way but this Playoff run will be the truth teller of how far they go throughout the Playoffs. The Phoenix Suns (45-37) hold the No. 4 Spot but had to climb from the bottom to get back into the game and with Kevin Durant joining the squad this team is looking more and more like they might have found the missing piece.

The Los Angeles Clippers (44-38) No. 5 Seed, the Defending Champions Golden State Warriors (44-38) No. 6 Seed, the Los Angeles Lakers (43-39) No. 7 Seed and the Minnesota Timberwolves (42-40) No. 8 Seed don’t have much separating them at this point other than the Championship pedigree that the Warriors and the Lakers have over the rest of the Western Conference Playoff teams. They are the two teams that could definitely shake up their Playoff standings after the first rounds of play come to completion.

This year, Playoff runs are interesting from top to bottom so tune in and witness the outcome starting this Saturday April 15, 2023.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About The NBA-Who’s On Top?”

The NBA-Who’s on Top?

We are officially at the Quarter mark of this year’s NBA Season and the changing of the guards within the early standings updates is making some teams quite uncomfortable at the moment. Although the NBA Season is in its early stages the panic button is staying at arm’s reach for some particular teams.

Holding the No. 1 Spot in the league are the Boston Celtics (18-5) who lost their Coach Ime Udoka for disciplinary reasons early at the start of the season, but have maintained a level of competitiveness night in and night out keeping them on pace to the task at hand.

The Milwaukee Bucks (16-6) are staying at arm’s length of the Boston Celtics ready and willing to relieve them of the No. 1 Spot. With Giannis playing at a Super Star level night in and night out with a competitive squad having his back, no one in their right mind should ever sleep on the Bucks regardless of their standing because the Bucks want next no matter what.

The Cleveland Cavaliers (15-8) surprisingly keep moving up the ladder a lot quicker than expected and are showing some serious grit in the way they’ve been balling at this early stage. They are definitely a team to keep a close eye on. While the Atlanta Hawks (13-10), the Indiana Pacers 12-10, the Brooklyn Nets (13-11), Philadelphia 76ers (12-11), and the Toronto Raptors (12-11) are all in position to readjust their standing as the season progresses.

The Phoenix Suns (15-7) have re-emerged at the No. 1 Spot for the time being, proving to be key players still in a championship run regardless of any previous outcomes. That said, holding on to their No. 1 Spot in the tough Western Conference won’t be easy with new faces climbing up the standings like the Denver Nuggets (14-8), the New Orleans Pelicans (14-8), the Memphis Grizzlies (13-9), the Sacramento Kings (12-9) who are making some early noise.
The defending Champs the Golden State Warriors who have been going through an unexpected slow start sitting in the 6th seed (13-11) working their way back to a respectable seeding one game at a time. (Still not to be slept on).

The Los Angeles Clippers (13-11), the Utah Jazz (14-12) and the Portland Trail Blazers (12-11) could all climb up the standings but these two particular teams on the outside looking in at the Dallas Mavericks (11-11) and the Los Angeles Lakers (9-12) who have the right nucleus to rise all the way up (Fat Joe voice) if your team gets caught slipping throughout the season.

Stay locked in cause this roller-coaster ride of an NBA Season is just getting heated.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About The NBA Season 2022/2023”

The NBA Season 2022/2023

With the Golden State Warriors reclaiming last years 2022 NBA Championship, the Warriors have once again proven to be a major player in this year deep Western Conference. With a healthy squad and a few new faces added to the rotation, the Warriors will be looking to defending their Championship with an iron fist from start to finish. Last year opposing teams counted them out and paid the ultimate price when it was all said and done.

With key players the likes of Kawhi Leonard (Clippers), Zion Williamson (Pelicans), Jamal Murray (Nuggets) and Damian Lillard (Trail Blazers) now healthy, they all possess the missing ingredients to help propel their teams throughout the hardship of the tough Western Conference.

The Los Angeles Clippers have a real good chance at making some serious noise this year. If they can stay healthy enough, the squad that this team is showing up with on opening night is as legit as it gets. They have the right balance of talent to definitely stir the pot throughout the league.

Last year’s shorthanded Denver Nuggets made quite a splash throughout the league and the Playoffs. With returning 2022 NBA MVP Nikola Jokic hitting the floor alongside a healthy Jamal Murray and a tight squad, the Nuggets will be looking to disrupt the league in a very competitive way.

The return of a healthy Zion Williamson has all eyes on the New Orleans Pelicans who will be coming in with a solid starting 5 that will keep the fans interested throughout the year but how far they can go will be up in the air considering just how strong the Western Conference is just surviving the regular season.

Lebron James entering his 20th NBA Season at 37 years old is just amazing. This man is a walking machine that if healthy, alongside another healthy Anthony Davis for a full season, has enough fire power to make some serious noise. Although their Pre-Season games didn’t show it, I personally wouldn’t sleep on them just yet.

The Western Conference is a tourney within itself. The Memphis Grizzlies are a bubbling team prime and ready for the big stage. Their squad is built to compete from top to bottom. They are must watch T.V. when they step foot into the arena. The Phoenix Suns have taken a fall in the standings but still managed to bring back the squad that brought them to the 2021 NBA Finals, giving them a good chance to make some serious strides back to the top. The Dallas Mavericks are coming in with an in-shape Luka Doncic who has proven to be a handful on any given night. With a healthy Tim Hardaway Jr. coming back and a solid all-around squad, the Mavericks will be in the mix. As for the remaining Western teams, the Houston Rockets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Portland Trail Blazers, Utah Jazz, Sacramento Kings, San Antonio Spurs, Oklahoma City Thunder, the jury is still out. The Western Conference is not for play.

The talk of the Eastern Conference right now is the Brooklyn Nets coming into this season with a healthy-looking squad of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and Ben Simmons who will be gracing the court together with some serious swag. The Nets feel very optimistic of guaranteed success this time around. They will have the fire power to hang with any opponent but will the chemistry hold up?

That said, ignoring the Boston Celtics who reached the NBA Finals last year but were unsuccessful, is an understatement. The Celtics have had a taste of the Finals now and will want retribution for their failed attempt. With their squad still intact with a solid one two punch in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown leading the way, the top of the food chain is not farfetched.

Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks wreaked havoc throughout the league last year and fell short late in the Playoffs due to injuries to some key players but with a healthy squad and arguably the best NBA player in the league in Giannis leading the way, the Bucks will be making this Eastern Conference run that much intriguing and must watch T.V. whenever they step foot in the house.

The Philadelphia 76ers might be the sleeper team to move up and do some damage or completely drop if they don’t get it together soon. They have a solid squad well-balanced squad that could put fear throughout the league but they have to lay it all together. Joel Embiid showed up big last year playing at an MVP level but in order to have a successful run James Harden is going to have to bring back his MVP type play for them to have any kind of inspiration of reaching the NBA Finals.

The Miami Heat has the right balance of experience from young to old that have reached the NBA Finals. They are strong on both ends of the floor and can hang with the best of them on any given night. They will be a solid team vying for position. That said, they do have the potential of being a sleeper team as well if not taken seriously by their opponents.

The Eastern Conference teams have steadily been improving year after year with surprising, unexpected teams rising out the trenches disrupting the hierarchy of the usual suspects in the Division.

That being said, the Toronto Raptors, Atlanta Hawks, Chicago Bulls, New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Charlotte Hornets, Washington Wizards, Indiana Pacers, Orlando Magic and the Detroit Piston will all have to show and prove that they belong amongst the top teams in the league or risk being labelled unworthy of keeping up in the Eastern Conference.

The league is steaming up with talent and new faces. Tune in this Tuesday night October 18, 2022, and be part of another captivating NBA Season 2022/2023.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About The NBA PLAYOFFS 2022”

NBA Playoffs 2022 (Sweet 16)

With a full 82 Games NBA season now over and the NBA Play-In Tournament effectively completed, we are now officially ready to proceed with the NBA Playoffs 2022.

This year’s shocking “King of The Court” and No. 1 Seed in the entire league are the dominating Phoenix Suns (64-18). Them Boys fell short last year in the NBA Finals but worked their way back into a powerhouse team this year that dominated the entire league with such presence on both sides of the court that, short of reaching and winning the NBA Finals this year, would be a disappointment for this focused squad. With home court advantage secured throughout the Playoffs the path to the Finals should be very interesting.

The No. 2 Seed are the surging Memphis Grizzlies (56-26) who have caused havoc throughout the league with their young core of stallions making a name for themselves by dominating their opposition and making pure highlight reels night in and night out. Lack of experience aside, this squad has the goods to outduel any challenger on any given night. They are undeniably must watch TV.

Coming in as the No. 3 Seed are the Golden State Warriors (53-29). The Warriors have steadily worked their way back into the Playoffs and could surprise quite a few teams who underestimate their squad who are not at full strength as of yet but still possess the experience to overcome tough challenges If a healthy Curry, Klay and Draymond can grace the floor together, their chances of advancing throughout the Playoffs increase dramatically.

The No. 4 Seed are the Dallas Mavericks (52-30). Them Boys have had a slow start but managed to get it together in time to build that confidence needed to raise hell throughout the Playoffs. Their squad is intact and well balanced but absolutely need a healthy Luka Doncic to lead the way to any victory.

The stronghold of the Western Conference has dipped this year but rounding up the remaining playoff spots are at the No. 5 Seed Utah Jazz (49-33). The Jazz have had an up and down type season but still managed a respectful seeding while battling it out to the wire. They could cause a problem throughout the Playoffs on any given night. The No. 6 Seed Denver Nuggets (48-34) have maintained their respectful standing throughout the season by playing hard night in and night out but surviving the Playoff run will be challenging, especially without the services of Jamal Murray still out recovering from a torn ACL but with Nikola Jokic running the show, their odds of success are still good. Making a new entry as the No. 7 Seed are the Minnesota Timberwolves (46-36). Them boys making it to the dance is a positive and good for the experience but other than that, I see a quick exit out. The same can be said about the New Orleans Pelicans (36-46) fresh from the Play-In game against the Clippers, them Boys fought hard to get to the dance but their stay might be short lived.

Representing the Eastern Conference with the No.1 Seed are the Miami Heat (53-29). Grabbing that No. 1 Seed in the Eastern Conference wasn’t easy this year. The Eastern teams have improved dramatically making the conference very competitive all around. Any team from 1 to 5 had a chance at claiming the No. 1 Seed. That said Miami earned it but will still have a hell of time defending it throughout the Playoffs. The No. 2 Seed are the Boston Celtics (51-31). Them Boys literally came from the bottom seed all the way up into the standings giving themselves a legitimate chance at a good run in the Playoffs. Their squad is solid with two very good All-Star players in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown playing at an all-time high-level night in and night out. In the No. 3 Seed are the Defending Champions Milwaukee Bucks (51-31). Them Boys had it rough at times throughout the season with injuries disrupting their line up but with their MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo holding the team down on every level, these Defending Champs will remain a problem to any team trying to derail them from reaching the NBA Finals.

The Philadelphia 76ers hold the No. 4 Seed with their revamped squad balling out. They are hoping to reach the NBA Finals this year with Joel Embiid playing at an MVP level at both ends of the floor and newly acquired point guard James Harden running the show. Over all they have a tight squad that can get the job done but actions speak louder than words and they gotta get it together and not choke this time around. The No. 5 Seed are our Canadian Team the Toronto Raptors (48-34) who worked their way up to a respectable standing considering they were at the bottom riddled with injuries slowing them down throughout the season. Fully healthy now they have an opportunity to give it a good solid run.

The Chicago Bulls hold the No. 6 Seed and at one point held the No. 1 Seed but dealt with some close losses that eventually knocked them down the standings. They have a solid squad that can get it done but will have a hell of a time competing with the Heavy hitters sitting ahead of them but the Bulls shouldn’t be slept on just yet.

The 7 Seed Brooklyn Nets (44-38) and the 8 Seed Atlanta Hawks (43-39) both needed the Play-In Tournament to get in this year’s Playoff run but truth be told, they are also the two teams capable of beating the No. 1 and No. 2 Seed to move on and completely disrupt the Playoffs. Neither team is gun-shy and can rack up the scoring board in very little time. They both possess the playmakers who can individually win games on their own when on fire. Definitely two teams to keep a close eye on during the first round of the Playoffs.

Tune in this Saturday April 16, 2022 for this year’s NBA version of the “Sweet 16” Playoffs run.

Blaze