The four teams left in the 2022–23 NBA playoffs are the same ones from the 2020 Disney Bubble, as the Celtics meet the Heat in the ECF, while the Lakers and Nuggets clash in the WCF.
The Lakers and the Nuggets made it this far by defeating the Warriors and the Suns, respectively, in six games, while it also took the Heat the same number of games to beat the Knicks in the last round.
The Celtics were the last team to be in the final four after successfully coming back from a 3-2 deficit against the Sixers earlier today.
In other NBA 2023 news, Ja Morant is banned from the Grizzlies after his latest gun video, while the Suns have parted ways with their head coach, Monty Williams.
Celtics and Heat meet again in the ECF
The Celtics are eight wins away from winning Banner No. 18, but the Heat are in their way once more.
Just like last season, they needed to overcome a 3-2 deficit in the ECSF, and they did so through Jayson Tatum’s heroics in Games 6 and 7.
Tatum actually struggled with his shot in the first three quarters of Game 6, but he came alive in the final period, outscoring the Sixers 16-13 to win the pivotal road game.
And then in Game 7, the basket looked like the ocean for Tatum, as he dropped 51 points on 17-for-28 shooting from the field. He also recorded 13 rebounds, five assists, two steals, and zero turnovers in the 112-88 victory.
Tatum’s 51 is the most points scored in a Game 7 in NBA history, while he has the most number of playoff games with at least 50 points, five rebounds, and five assists in Celtics franchise history.
The SBOTOP NBA 2023 odds favour the Celtics making it back to the NBA Finals, but you can never count out the Heat.
Not everyone expected the Heat to make it this far because they were a play-in team to begin with. They stunned the top-seeded Bucks in the first round, and then they became the second eight-seed to make it to the ECF after eliminating the more talented Knicks.
“Playoff Jimmy” has been leading the way for the Heat this postseason, averaging 31.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game. He’s also shooting 53-per cent from the field.
Can the Nuggets finally get past the Lakers in the WCF?
The Nuggets have been the best team in the Western Conference, and it’s not hard to see why because they are deep, potent on both ends, and they have the most recent two-time MVP in Nikola Jokic.
Jokic has been on an absolute tear so far this postseason, averaging 30.7 points, 12.8 rebounds, and 9.7 assists, while shooting 55-per cent from the field and 48-per cent from three-point range.
And he has a great supporting cast this time, as Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. are back at 100-per cent. Murray is averaging 25.9 points and 6.5 assists per game, while MPJ is averaging 14.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game.
For the Lakers to have a chance against the Nuggets, they must have someone who can outplay Nikola Jokic, and that guy could very well be Anthony Davis.
Davis is capable of putting up huge scoring and rebounding nights while being a menace on the defencive end, but he has been inconsistent at times, particularly on offence.
And another factor for the Lakers is the fitness of LeBron James. The King still doesn’t look right physically, but he’s capable of having a great game or two.
Morant in hot water, Suns search for new HC
The Grizzlies have suspended Ja Morant from all team activities after he was seen brandishing a gun on a recent Instagram live video. This is not the first time that this has happened to Morant, as he entered a counseling program after being given an eight-game suspension in March.
The Grizzlies’ offseason is now off to a bad start, especially after head coach Taylor Jenkins said that the team has to get rid of “unnecessary drama” following their first-round exit in the playoffs.
Meanwhile, in Phoenix, the Suns have fired head coach Monty Williams after four seasons, where he compiled a 194-115 record and won Coach of the Year last season.
In 2021, Williams guided the Suns to their first NBA Finals appearance since 1993. But since then, they’ve endured consecutive second-round exits via blowout defeats at home.
Reports claim that the Suns have identified three coaches to replace Williams: Kevin Young, Mike Budenholzer, and Nick Nurse.
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