Over the last seven years, the NBA has been in a never before seen era of parity, with seven different teams winning the championship over the last seven years, starting with the Toronto Raptors in 2019, followed by the Lakers, Bucks, Warriors, Nuggets, Celtics and last year’s Thunder. With a combination of the NBA’s harsher financial restrictions to crack down on super teams, front office decision-making and post-season injury in recent years, the NBA has changed from a league filled with dynasties in the ‘90s, ‘00s, ‘10s to one where no team can stay on top for back to back seasons in the ‘20s.
“It’s very good for the league, because it means it’s not a repetitive product,” said senior Brayden Nguyen. “But as a Warriors fan, I think it’s horrible. I miss when it was just Warriors [vs.] Cavs [in the finals].”
Currently, there are four teams remaining in the NBA playoffs: the Thunder and Spurs in the West and the Knicks and Cavaliers in the East. Only one of these teams has won a championship in the last seven years, meaning there could be a new champion once again this season. Personally, I’m rooting for a new champion, whether that be the first Knicks victory in half a century, the first Cavs win since LeBron and a redemption for James Harden or a first Spurs win since Tim Duncan and the start of Victor Wembanyama’s all-time dominance.
Realistically, the Thunder have the highest odds to win the championships as the favorite, with -175 odds in Vegas.
“Most likely to win is the Thunder or the Spurs,” said senior Kaleb Brodeth. “The refs are on the Thunder’s side. They flop and get a bunch of fouls.”
Led by MVP superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, known for his foul-baiting tendencies, the team has amassed much hate for their leader’s ability to make his way to the free throw line through questionable foul calls.
“It’s not unethical,” Nguyen said. “I think he’s playing the game to the rules that it’s conformed to, but I think the NBA needs to adjust to how he’s playing. He doesn’t need to adjust at all.”
Having won 64 games this season and last year’s championship, they pose a looming threat to all teams left standing in the playoffs, already sweeping the Lakers and the Suns. The Thunder are not only filled with elite star power with Gilgeous-Alexander and all star Chet Holmgren, but they also have one of the deepest bench rotations in history. Ten players that could easily start on other teams are frequently coming off their bench, including the likes of bench scorers Jared McCain and Isiah Joe, as well as elite defenders Alex Caruso and Luguentz Dort.
While the team seems unstoppable, there have been cracks in their seemingly perfect lineup, namely Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs. In the regular season, they went 4-1 against the Thunder, notably ending the Thunder’s 16 game winning streak and eliminating them from the NBA Cup.
“The Spurs have a good amount of star power and are very connected,” Brodeth said. “They have Wembanyama. He is a smooth player and able to score from all three spots. He plays good defense. That could catapult them to an NBA championship.”
This difference in defense could be the deciding difference in a Spurs-Thunder series.
“I think that the Spurs are gonna win the championship because I think Wembanyama, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper are all just so good,” said junior Will Kelley. “They’re an athletic team, they’re so good defensively that I think they’re gonna beat the Thunder. They have more size, more athleticism, way more skilled, they’re a better team overall. The Thunder is really the only obstacle they have because whoever is coming out of the East is not gonna be a good team.”
Interestingly, the Spurs are leading the league in defensive rating, while the Thunder are leading in offensive, though the Knicks have the highest net rating. This creates an interesting conference finals picture, with top rated teams actually making it out of their conferences.
While some, including myself, believe in Wembanyama and the Spurs’ ability to beat the Thunder in a seven game series, others think that the Cavaliers are best suited to win the East and the finals.
“Cleveland Cavaliers are going all the way,” Nguyen said. “2017 James Harden is back, fear the beard. I’ve never seen James Harden hoop like this since 2017 when he took the prime time Warriors with Kevin Durant to game seven … [He’s not bad in the playoffs because] he just scored 30 points [in game five against the Pistons] and hit a game winner [in game four].”
Though the Thunder may be the favorite by Vegas odds, many NBA fans are hoping to crown a new champion and continue the era of parity.
Whether it be the Spurs defense, the Knicks overall rating and huge fan base or James Harden’s recent return to greatness on the Cavaliers, there are many pathways, though unlikely, that could lead to a shocking Thunder defeat in the NBA playoffs over the next month.
