The NBA Playoffs are a time where anything can happen. Teams that were written off during the regular season can suddenly come alive and make a deep run in the postseason. This year, we’ve seen several underdogs defy expectations and make a strong showing in the playoffs.
One of the biggest surprises has been the Phoenix Suns. The Suns hadn’t made the playoffs in over a decade, and many experts didn’t give them much of a chance against the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers in the first round. However, led by star guard Devin Booker and veteran point guard Chris Paul, the Suns pulled off a stunning upset, dispatching the Lakers in six games. They followed that up with a sweep of the Denver Nuggets in the second round, advancing to the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2010.
Another unexpected success story has been the Atlanta Hawks. The Hawks were the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference and were seen as heavy underdogs against the top-seeded Philadelphia 76ers in the second round. But behind the play of All-Star guard Trae Young and a balanced scoring attack, the Hawks pulled off a stunning upset, winning the series in seven games. They now find themselves in the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2015.
The Utah Jazz have also been a surprise in this year’s playoffs. Despite finishing with the best record in the NBA during the regular season, the Jazz were missing their star guard Donovan Mitchell for the first few games of their series against the Los Angeles Clippers. Many wrote them off, but the Jazz rallied behind their strong defense and team chemistry to take a 2-0 series lead. While the Clippers have since fought back to tie the series, the Jazz have shown that they are a force to be reckoned with in these playoffs.
The emergence of these underdog teams has added an exciting element to this year’s NBA Playoffs. Fans love a good Cinderella story, and seeing teams like the Suns, Hawks, and Jazz make deep runs is what makes the postseason so compelling. It just goes to show that in the NBA Playoffs, anything can happen, and no team should ever be counted out.
As we head into the conference finals and eventually the NBA Finals, it will be interesting to see if these underdog teams can continue their surprising runs, or if the more established powers will assert themselves and come out on top. Either way, one thing is for certain – the NBA Playoffs are full of surprises, and anything can happen when the stakes are at their highest.