The NBA is on the final stretch to Playoffs 2023 and some are starting to appear First round crosses. However, due to the similarity of classification, especially in the Western Conferencethere are still many variables when it comes to imagining them correspondences. Even more so with the league maintaining its form play-in.
What might be the most attractive matchups of this First Round of the Playoffs? Five of them below.
Golden State Warriors vs. Phoenix Sans
It’s not necessary to go into too much detail about why a Warriors-Suns would be of great interest, especially after The arrival of Kevin Durant in Phoenix. It would be a cross between defending champion and maybe the a top contender to represent the Western Region in the 2023 Finals.
The series would not only pit KD against his former team, but pit them against each other again Chris Paul vs. Stephen Currytwo point guards who have dominated the Western Conference (especially Steph, of course) for the past decade and who also have their own history in the postseason, with those games between the Clippers and the Warriors.
Sacramento Kings vs. Los Angeles Lakers
Sacramento is back in the playoffs and if we talk about Kings and postseason, it is immediate to think of them Centers in the early 2000s against the Lakers. The franchise today led by Mike Brown has never been as close to a championship (since moving to Sacramento) as it was in that era of Chris Webber, Vlade Divac, Peja Stojakovic and company, but ended up clashing with Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, the key to Robert Horry’s hat-tricks… and some less controversial refereeing blunders.
That Sacramento’s return to the playoffs is against the Lakers it would be a perfect story.
16 years ago today, Robert Horry hit a game-winning three-on-one. Kings in the 2002 WCF to tie the series at 2-2 pic.twitter.com/19u20QZxKJ
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 26, 2018
Although of course, basically any first-round cross for Los Angeles would have special appeal: vs. Denver will rerun the 2020 Conference Finals, with a beautiful Davis vs. Jokic? Memphis would have the spice of what happened in the current regular season, with this matchup starring Dillon Brooks. Phoenix would be KD vs. Awesome LeBron. Clippers the Los Angeles classic. the Warriors have all kinds of stories facing James…
Philadelphia 76ers vs. Miami Heat
The Eastern Region doesn’t offer as many potential crossovers spicy like the West, but among them the possibility of a 76ers vs. Heat that would be more than interesting. For what he faced two of the last five playoffs (they did in 2022), but mostly because of the history between Jimmy Butler and the Sixers. Including this mocking rant, referring to Philadelphia choosing to pay Tobias Harris instead of him.
“Tobias Harris on me?” — Jimmy Butler after eliminating Philly 😳
(via @Local10Sports)pic.twitter.com/xaAtUM6Fkx
—SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 13, 2022
Dallas Mavericks vs. Denver Nuggets
Denver would be a clear favorite in this crossover, even less so than the rest of the proposals, but Who wouldn’t want to see Nikola Jokic take on Luka Doncic in the playoffs? Spectacular duel between two Balkan great talents, who are already fighting to be considered among the best in the entire league.
As of now we haven’t seen them face to face in the postseason and there is a quite realistic scenario in which this happens in 2023.
LA Clippers vs. Phoenix Sans
The Suns also have several centers that would be attractive for different reasons and not just against the Warriors or Lakers, but also against the Clippers. basically for him spectacular one-on-one duel that would mean having Kawhi Leonard and Kevin Durantin a passage quite disappointed by K.D.’s injuries at Finals 2019.
probably the better two-way forward of these years, in front of one of the top scorers of all time. And watch out, because the way the West ranks to this day, the First Round would run right through those of Lue and Williams.
The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of the NBA or its organizations.
