With the NBA Conference Finals here, two surprising teams have willed their way into contention.
In the Eastern Conference, the Miami Heat have shook the basketball world with their lights-out performance throughout the playoffs. The Heat have continuously beat all odds to make it to the conference finals.
The Heat are matched up against the highly touted Boston Celtics. Miami started out the finals hot, putting the pressure on Boston with a 2-1 start to the best-of-seven series.
Some may think that the Heat are too hot right now to be stopped. Here’s a reality check: that cold Boston air is headed to freeze up Miami.
Jimmy Butler has been a man on a mission from the start of the playoffs and looks to be unstoppable. The problem is that the ones who look unbeatable usually fall the quickest.
Jayson Tatum and the Celtics have been poised for greatness since the first tip-off of the season. Boston’s depth on the roster is unmatched. Tatum is one of the league’s best young stars. Once the series moves past game five, Miami will have nothing left in the gas tank to compete with the young and hungry Celtics squad. Boston will win the series in six games and be crowned the 2020 Eastern Conference Champions.
In the Western Conference, the Denver Nuggets have surpassed most expectations by stamping their ticket into the conference finals.
Jamal Murray has average 26.6 points per game in the playoffs and has been a monster in doing so. The only problem is his only running mate is Nikola Jokić, and that will not be enough to stop a stacked Los Angeles team.
And of course, it is no surprise to see that LeBron James and the Lakers are in the position they are in currently.
Now that the Houston Rockets and the Los Angeles Clippers are both eliminated from playoff contention, the road to a fourth ring for James seems inevitable with the Lakers sitting happily in control at 2-0.
With LeBron losing the MVP race to now two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, James is out for blood. He felt disrespected to receive only 16 first-place votes out of 101. And for the Nuggets, it is unfortunate to be James’ punching bag in his time of grief.
Denver can stay optimistic in knowing that making it to the conference finals and losing to King James is not that bad. Build off the good playoff run and move on. It is safe to say that the broom and dustpan can be broken out for the Western Conference Finals because this will be a clean 4-0 sweep for the Lakers.
