Legend claims that after the British army surrendered to George Washington, it left Yorktown to the ballad, “The World Turned Upside Down.” It was unthinkable, the most powerful nation on Earth beaten by a bunch of colonials.
You want a world turned upside down? Try this year’s NBA playoffs. No LeBron James. No Cavs-Warriors Finals.
Now that’s unthinkable.
For the first time since 2005, James will watch while others try desperately to overthrow the Warriors in the West or doggedly survive in the East.
Regardless of opponent, the Warriors remain the favorite to win their fourth title in five years.
“If we play this brand of basketball,” Golden State’s Kevin Durant said Sunday, “everybody touching it, everybody getting to their spots, knocking down shots, we should be solid.”
Isn’t that what opponents want to hear?
James’ absence is one of many intriguing playoffs storylines. The Spurs enter the first round as an underdog. New York City has an NBA playoff team — relax Knicks fans, there was no pardon from the commissioner. Instead, the Nets are back in the postseason against Philadelphia. Can Houston’s style break through? The East is wide open for four legitimate contenders, including Milwaukee, led by universal darling Giannis Antetokounmpo.
It starts Saturday. Here are some storylines to watch:
1. All Hail Giannis Antek … Anto … Ank … The Guy From Milwaukee!
“Greek Freak” is an appropriate nickname for Giannis Antetokounmpo. Here’s how one opposing scout described the 24-year-old stud.
“If LeBron is a freight train, he’s a bullet train. He’s not going to overpower you. He’s just so quick and explosive off the dribble. Not a consistent outside shooter, but he can score on anybody in the paint. As freakishly long as LeBron is freakishly strong.
“He is the MVP. Period.”
The 60-win Bucks led the league in point differential under Mike Budenholzer, but will need everything from Antetokounmpo. The Bucks have not been out of the first round since 2001. And that marked the only time they advanced in 30 years.
2. Seriously? A postseason without LeBron James? Can’t someone trade for him?
The Lakers became a dysfunctional mess. Much of it resulted from the midseason public trade campaign for Anthony Davis. Team president Magic Johnson’s stunning resignation followed. The sludge will halt James, the greatest playoffs scorer ever, from a shot at a ninth straight Finals, 10th overall.
“Obviously, it’s been a tough season for all of us,” James said after the Lakers’ playoff hopes died. “It’s not what we signed up for. … Playoffs are never promised.”
3. Gee, this sounds familiar. Can Houston win it all with a style so reliant on James Harden?
Last year ended in agony for the Rockets as they lost Game 7 to the Warriors in the Western Conference Finals. Chris Paul was hurt and Harden shot 2-of-13 on 3s while the team was a dismal 7-of-44.
They return with the same style, being ultra-dependent on Harden, the NBA’s runaway scoring leader. He’s going to shoot it most of the time he has it. He makes, the Rockets win. He misses, they lose. And Harden was probably more dominant with the ball this year than last. He took 24.5 shots a game this season, 20.1 a year ago.
Even with a healthy Paul, the Rockets need guys to step up from a supporting cast that has Eric Gordon as the top candidate.
4. The wide, wide open East.
One obvious casualty of LeBron James’ move to the Lakers was a Warriors-Cavs V Finals. No two other teams in any of the major sports ever met in four straight championships.
“Someday they’ll do a ‘30-for-30’ on Warriors/Cavs,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said.
So there will be a fresh feel to the Finals. Finally.
The East has four prime challengers. Milwaukee is the No. 1 seed and features Antetokounmpo. Toronto is armed with Kawhi Leonard plus versatility, size and experience. Philadelphia is dangerous with the monster that is Joel Embiid, a powerful player whose enthusiasm and ability impact the game on both ends — but he has knee and back issues. And there is inconsistent Boston with a gigantic question mark over its talented collective head.
5. What happens if teams with big-name impending free agents flame out?
In Boston, Kyrie Irving professed his love for the situation at the start of the season, but then was noncommittal. Philadelphia figured to lack cap space this summer so there were trades for free-agents-in-waiting Jimmy Butler and Tobias Harris. In Toronto, candles are being lit in the hopes of keeping Kawhi Leonard.
But what if they exit early? Will the Sixers be willing to pay max salaries to Butler and Harris for a second-round team? Would the Sixers let them walk and acknowledge they don’t have cap space? Logic says they keep one. Or try. Plus, Ben Simmons is extension-eligible. The Irving situation in Boston is similar. How much will the Celtics pay if there’s an early flameout? Toronto will do whatever it takes to keep Leonard, but if he bolts, there could be a rebuild. However, the Raptors can offer five years and $190 million while competitors can do four years and $141 million. Roughly $50 million can sway most.
6. Denver, the team without expectations at the start, has expectations at the end.
Even after missing the 2018 playoffs by one game, the Nuggets were just another nice team out West. They were basically young with star power at center. Folks didn’t expect much at season’s start. Now folks expect a lot from a No. 2 seed.
Making their first playoff appearance since 2013, the Nuggets have a stud in center Nikola Jokic, a unique player who’s tough to guard. He’s a playmaker who makes everyone else better. Point guard Jamal Murray has made terrific strides. Forward Paul Millsap is a pro and one of the few with playoff experience.
7. LeBron is gone. So you’re up, Raptors.
For three straight years, the Raptors met the Cavs in the playoffs. The results: a pair of 4-0 Cleveland sweeps and one 4-2 series.
No team is more thrilled than Toronto to see LeBron golfing. The Raptors feel their time for the Finals is now. They have talent, depth and big-game experience. Leonard addressed that notion Sunday. As a Spur, he faced the likes of James and Dwyane Wade in Miami.
“That Miami Heat team is the greatest team I have ever played,” Leonard told reporters. “Being that young and having to guard Wade and LeBron, it got me to where I am today.”
Where he is today is one of the premier two-way players in the league. Along with ex-Spur Danny Green, Leonard provides a vat of big-game experience. Forward Pascal Siakam has improved light years. Kyle Lowry is always capable of dominating and Marc Gasol was a terrific in-season acquisition. The bench might have taken a step back from last season but is still formidable.
8. If ya can’t beat ’em, break ’em up. Maybe.
Some view this as a last hurrah for the Warriors.
Amid free-agency questions (Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, DeMarcus Cousins) and facing a potential payroll that could overshadow the national debt, the Warriors seek a fourth title in five years.
With Cousins and Draymond Green, the Warriors are always a snarl, flagrant foul or groin kick away from implosion. As one scout put it, “Will Cousins and Green keep it together or will they erupt and disrupt?”
But Cousins can be such a force and, according to Steph Curry, that is his mission.
“He wants to let people know that he’s still DeMarcus Cousins. He can dominate a game,” Curry said.
They’ll need it. If the Warriors make the Finals against either Milwaukee or Toronto, they would not have home-court advantage, which they have enjoyed in four straight title series.
9. OK, Celtics. You can turn the switch on now.
People have been waiting for the Celtics and Irving to turn on the turbo-charged switch all season and it just has not happened. Will Boston be the team from last spring or continue as this year’s Club Schizo?
As one opposing exec said, “This year was supposed to be the big leap and it hasn’t been. Basically been status quo and it kind of stalled.”
Fourth-seeded Boston, which lost Marcus Smart (oblique), faces a tough first-round draw against Indiana. Figure the other three East series will see the higher seeds prevail (sorry, Nets).
Said Boston coach Brad Stevens, “It’s going to be an extremely physical series.”
Not what you want in the first round, especially while you search for that switch.
Boston was inconsistent all season and forged a pedestrian 21-20 road record. The bench hasn’t impacted like last year. Balancing the rotation was tough and chemistry problems seemed to affect matters. Then there’s Irving. He had a good — not great — season, and last year Boston advanced to the East Finals without him as he sat the playoffs with a knee injury.
10. Western first-round night sweats.
You work your butt off all season for first-round home court. So you want to start with an opponent that couldn’t beat this season’s Knicks.
You don’t want the migraines looming out West.
The Clippers (No. 8) are young, hungry, unaware they’re supposed to be first-round fodder. The Warriors (1) will prevail in a series seemingly more lopsided than it is.
There are the Spurs (7) who, while not a typical San Antonio team, remain a pain in the pants because of the likes of LaMarcus Aldridge and whatever Gregg Popovich concocts in his mad-scientist coaching lab for his 22nd straight playoff run. The home-court edge could prove huge for Denver (2).
Houston (4) and Utah (5) are a contrast in style. The Rockets don’t need this Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert-led headache.
Then there is Oklahoma City (6), primed for a first-round upset of Portland (3). A second-half swoon dropped OKC in the standings, but did anyone really want to face triple-double machine Russell Westbrook, plus second-leading NBA scorer and steals king Paul George and blue-collar brute Steven Adams?