NBA playoffs underway

I’m a semi-defender of the NBA’s predictability. I understand that the conglomeration of superstars onto a few teams means that only a handful of them have any real chance of winning a championship. The seven-game playoff format further fuels this determinism; to beat a team four out of seven times, you really just have to be better than them, and that distinction is fairly easy to spot.

I defend this because it’s essentially what you want. You want superstars dueling with superstars, and you want a tournament that, unlike those of the NFL or college basketball, tends to crown the right champion.

But of course it’s way more fun when unexpected things happen, even though they almost never do. Remember, for example, how awesome the 2011 NBA playoffs were? The Eastern Conference proceedings sucked, but the West had Memphis’ upset of San Antonio, a killer Grizzlies-Thunder seven-game series, and Dirk and the Mavs just coming out of nowhere to play two months of the best basketball I’ve ever seen. That was wayyyy more interesting.

And it’s not happening this year. Aside from some crappy surprises—how terrible the Lakers turned out to be, the injuries of Kobe Bryant, Russell Westbrook, Danilo Gallinari and David Lee, et cetera—things are pretty much going as planned. But before the Heat collect the championship that they will most certainly collect, let’s try our best to cherish the journey. Here are a few points of interest from each of Round 1’s matchups.

(1) Miami Heat vs. (8) Milwaukee Bucks

Check that. Here are some points of interest from each matchup except this one. Nothing to see here.

(3) Indiana Pacers vs. (6) Atlanta Hawks

As a Pacers fan, this is the series that is closest to my heart. All year long, Indy has had the league’s best defense, but they have a putrid offense and are, sadly, named the Pacers. Atlanta, meanwhile, is a rudderless franchise whose fan base hates them. This one has been a bit rough on the eyes so far, but I still foolishly believe in the Pacers’ ability to challenge in the East. Watch for Paul George’s emergence and Josh Smith’s teddy-bear-like face.

(4) Chicago Bulls vs. (5) Brooklyn Nets

If every team played with the intensity and masochistic effort that drives coach Tom Thibodeau’s Bulls, the average superstar’s career would last roughly four years. Those four years would be a war, an absolute bloodbath. In the long run it’s better for the league that most teams don’t play as hard as Chicago, but it is amazing to see sheer will in action. This series has already had one classic triple-OT game. Oh, and the Nets—they’re playing, too.

(2) New York Knicks vs. (7) Boston Celtics

For the last three years, the Boston Celtics have been the old-man handshake of the playoffs—shockingly strong despite their weathered exterior. But age and injury have finally caught up with these grizzled warriors. This series will be almost over by the time you’re reading this, so take a moment to reflect on the end of an era in Boston and how truly excellent Carmelo Anthony has been. And then hope that Indy beats him in the second round.

(1) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (8) Houston Rockets

Games 2 and 3 in this series were thrilling affairs set up by spectacular runs on both sides. This one has been about as fun as it could have hoped to be given the wide disparity in talent and experience between the two teams, but it, too, is basically much over at this point. All is overshadowed, of course, by the loss of Russell Westbrook, who is out for the rest of the playoffs with a torn meniscus in his knee. For the Thunder to reach their potential as a threat to the Heat now will require a superhuman effort from Kevin Durant. Do not put it past him.

(3) Denver Nuggets vs. (6) Golden State Warriors

All those pundits who looked at Denver’s regular-season finish and had them as the chic pick to come out of the West are remembering now how the advantages of a fluky, unconventional style are mitigated in a seven-game series. Luckily for them, their opponents happen to be unconventional as well. No defense, unorthodox styles, excellent home courts, great jerseys—this one is going seven thrilling games. Or not. Who knows.

(2) San Antonio Spurs vs. (7) Los Angeles Lakers

I’ve never understood why people think the Spurs are boring. In the last two years, at least, they’ve been an offensive machine. Plus, they have some of the most unique players in the league; Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, Kawhi Leonard, Matt Bonner, Tiago Splitter—each of them contributes something interesting and aesthetically pleasing. It’s amazing how much better they were than a Lakers team that, despite Kobe’s injury, still has Dwight Howard and Pau Gasol.