One month into the NBA playoffs, the excitement is just building within the NBA community. The competition is intense, and there’s been a significant increase in technical fouls, displaying the passion and emotion that the NBA players experience come playoff time.

“Although my team is out of the playoffs, I still have tons of fun watching the exciting games that go down to the last wire. Right now, I’m siding with Luka Doncic and the Mavericks to win it all,” said Jaylon Shaghasi (‘24).

With the Mavericks closing out the Suns this past weekend, the conference finals are now set to begin. The heated matchups will consist of the Mavericks vs. Warriors for the Western Conference, and the Celtics vs. Heat for the Eastern conference. Two highly anticipated matchups between teams with tons of superstars.

“I think both series will go to at least six games. There is no clear advantage between both of these matchups. I also feel like these final four teams have the best team chemistry in the league, which plays a huge factor when making a deep run to win a championship,” said Ryan Rodriguez (‘24).

The playoffs have already been exciting, to say the least. The Brooklyn Nets, who were expecting to be competing in the NBA Finals with their stacked lineup, were swept in the first round by the Boston Celtics. In addition, the Los Angeles Lakers failed to even make the playoffs. The run for the title is as open as it has ever been. There is no clear cut winner, which only increases the excitement and anticipation.

“Despite LeBron and KD losing early on, I still had the Warriors from Day 1. I believe with the championship DNA and experience they possess, it will be very difficult for these young teams to overcome the heat of the Dubs,” said Danny Huang (‘22).

The final matchups include Steph Curry vs. Luka Doncic and Jayson Tatum vs. Jimmy Butler. Two out of these four stars are still very young, seeking their first championship to build off their NBA legacy. Jimmy Butler has yet to receive a ring at 32 years old, hoping to do so with a stacked Miami defensive lineup. Finally, Steph Curry, who has three rings under his belt, is looking to solidify himself as a top 10 player of all time.

“I already believe Steph Curry is the best point guard in NBA history, but he’s just outside the top 10 players all time. If Curry could win another championship with a Finals MVP, he will undoubtedly be a top 10 player to ever live, and I think everyone should agree with me on that take,” said Rodriguez.

Many NBA fans are already casting their predictions for the ultimate champion. Most bets are siding with the Golden State Warriors to face the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals, two of the best defensive teams in the league. However, at this point, the run for the title is anyone’s to win.