The NBA Playoffs are off to a rollicking start with the sixth annual Play-In Tournament. The No. 7 vs. No. 8 battles are done, with both of the higher seeds — the Orlando Magic and the Golden State Warriors — advancing.
Next up, the Nos. 9 and 10 seeds will battle for their postseason lives. The Sacramento Kings and Dallas Mavericks will wage war in the West, while the Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat duke it out in the East. I'm not sure any of these fan bases really want to be here, but there's no going back now.
It's impossible to ignore the disparity between each conference's landscape right now. The West is stacked, with eight-plus viable postseason teams with enough talent to mount a deep run. The East ... not so much. Beyond Cleveland and Boston at the top, it's a grim picture. The Knicks are uber-talented, but defense is a concern. The Bucks are hurt, the Pacers just aren't quite there and the Pistons probably need a few more pieces around Cade Cunningham.
OKC stands above the rest as arguably the most stifling defense in NBA history, with a presumptive MVP in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander enjoying production even Michael Jordan would be jealous of.
Here is how the NBA Playoffs bracket currently shapes up.
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Updated NBA Playoffs bracket as Play-In Tournament unfolds
Orlando's win over the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday was hardly a surprise, but it puts the Magic in an impossible spot. There's just no way Orlando's low 3-point volume can sustain them against the most prolific shooting team in NBA history. Boston wins with math. Even on a cold shooting night, the Celtics will probably outgun the Magic by a healthy margin.
We know the Magic are trending in the right general direction. Both Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero are bonafide stars, the sort of tall, dynamic playmaking wings every "modern" team dreams of. The Magic actually match up fairly well with the Celtics on defense — at least as well as a team can — but so often, the postseason comes down to better offense beating better defense. That will be the story of this series. Orlando is still a few pieces (and a lot of shooting) away from really making noise in the playoffs.
As for Golden State, their next series after defeating the Memphis Grizzlies feels like a toss-up. The No. 2 seed Houston Rockets are undeniably the "better" team on paper. This season has been a constant proving ground for Houston's young roster, which seems to have the perfect blend of dynamic youth, seasoned complementary vets and a high-level coach.
That said, Jimmy Butler is a notorious postseason assassin. He poured 38 points on the Grizzlies the other night; Stephen Curry was Batman to Butler's self-proclaimed Robin, dropping 37. That team has a ton of high-level experience and veteran poise. The Dubs are 24-8 with Butler on the roster. Houston may still be a year away. A lot of green, fresh-faced postseason teams are in for a rude awakening eventually.
OKC and Boston stand tall as presumptive favorites in their respective conferences, but we cannot ignore the 64-win Cavs, nor can we discount the presence of top-shelf stars in the West. Luka Dončić and the Lakers, Nikola Jokić and the Nuggets, Stephen Curry and the Dubs. Anthony Davis and the Mavs. (Okay, I'm just kidding on that last one.) But the West is stacked, so expect lots of quality basketball in the weeks ahead.