Goeiedag, enchantée and welcome to this week's episode of Eight 2 Four presents: All-NBA Team of the Week. We’re in the Conference Finals, the last four teams standing and battling for a spot in the NBA Finals. This week, we’ll give you a few reasons why each team deserves to win the title this year. Get ready for your All-NBA Team of the Week.
PICK #1
My number 1 pick to win the title is the Phoenix Suns. Chris Paul is back, the Clippers are falling apart and they are 3-1 up on the Clippers. What could possibly go wrong for the Phoenix Suns? A lot still, unfortunately. If we have learned one thing these Playoffs, it is that nothing is set in stone and the Clippers are very good at coming back from a lost position. They did it against Dallas, the Jazz and even today, they got back into the game after playing the worst half of basketball anyone has ever seen. The Suns are at full strength, sort of, with Chris Paul back, a maskless Devin Booker and Cam Payne seemingly having very little issues with his ankle. All they need is one more win to get them to the Finals, and once they are there, who can stop them from taking it all the way.
The Suns made it to the NBA Finals twice in franchise history and twice they bowed out in 6 games. In 1976 they lost against the Celtics and in 1993, Charles Barkley lost against the Michael Jordan Bulls. Since then, Steve Nash led them a few times to the Western Conference Finals but more often than not, the Spurs would be too good for them. The last decade Phoenix fans had to watch other teams in the West make it to the Playoffs, while their own team had to go through a rebuild. They picked Booker in 2015 with the 13th pick and Ayton in 2018 with the first pick. GM James Jones, who only just won NBA Executive of the Year, surrounded his 2 stars with quality role players and eventually Chris Paul. This team has been built to win a championship, and I believe that of all teams left this season, they have the most chance of bringing it home.
PICK #2
My second pick to win the title is the Milwaukee Bucks. As the highest team ranked in the East left in the Playoffs, the Bucks deserve the right to be named favourites to come out of the Eastern Conference Finals. Especially after the show Giannis and his mates put up in Game 2 against the Hawks. In a 34 point blow out, Giannis finished with 25 points and 9 rebounds in less than 30 minutes and was dominating in the paint. If the Bucks are to win this series, this is how. The Hawks don’t really have anyone who can guard the Greek Freak when he plays like this. It’s funny but the easiest way the Bucks can be beaten is by themselves. When Giannis believes he can play like Kobe and Coach Bud starts to make silly mistakes, they usually shoot themselves in the foot.
The Bucks have won the NBA Title before, in 1971, led by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Oscar Robertson. Since then they have made it to the NBA Finals once more, in 1974, but lost against the Celtics. In the 80’s they settled for a few Conference Finals but really, this period with Giannis is their best chance for another title in 50 years. They had 2 opportunities already and most fans are hoping that third time's the charm for the Bucks. And it could be, because this season they have a fantastic chance. They already snuck past the Nets, who will be stronger next year, didn’t have to worry about the Sixers, who yet again imploded, and if they get past the Hawks, they will not have to worry about LeBron or the Warriors who might be at full strength again next season. Realistically, for the Bucks it is now or never. Do or die.
PICK #3
My third pick to win the title is the Atlanta Hawks. The Hawks are the biggest surprise left in the Playoffs. So far they have been predicted to lose in every round. The Knicks were supposed to be stronger in Round 1 but they ran out of steam after an impressive regular season. Then the Sixers would sweep the Hawks in Round 2, but they imploded instead. Clearly that was going to happen at any stage in these Playoffs but the Hawks definitely sped up the process, no pun intended. And finally, the Bucks would sweep the Hawks as well but end up losing in game 1. These Hawks are playing with house money, aren’t scared of anyone and never give up. Their biggest downside? This relatively young team doesn’t have any winners on its roster. The most experienced veterans are Danilo Gallinari, Solomon Hill and Lou Williams. All good players but none of them made it very far in the Playoffs. Hill played the Finals last year for Miami but only got decent minutes in the first game against LA.
It’s not the first time the Hawks go deep against all odds. In 2014-2015, the Hawks surprised the whole league when they secured the number 1 seed in the Eastern Conference and made it all the way to the Conference Finals, only to be swept against LeBron and the Cavaliers. But before that, we have to go back to the 60’s for the Hawks to make it deep into the Playoffs and we have to go back to 1958 for the Hawks to actually win a title. If Trae Young, John Collins and the rest can win the title for the Hawks, it would be one of the biggest upsets in history.
PICK #4
My fourth pick to win the title is the LA Clippers. The Clippers have been dead and buried so many times already this postseason and it looks like this time it is for real. They are 3-1 down against the Suns and have to travel back to Phoenix for Game 5. There is no sign that Kawhi will return, in fact it is unlikely he’ll even travel to Phoenix because the elevation in the plane could cause more issues for his knee. Paul George is carrying this team as well as he can but seems to crack under the pressure at certain points. And besides Terrance Mann, the Clips don’t have any role players that can heat up on the court. But even considering all of these points, if there is one thing that Clippers have earned these Playoffs, it is our trust. Every time we sound the funeral bell, they get up from the dead.
The Clippers have a very bleak Playoff history. Besides the Chris Paul era, the Clippers never really achieved anything at all in the NBA. Point in case, this is the first time they made it to the Conference Finals in franchise history. We don’t have time to bring up all the poor decisions that have been made by previous owner Donald Sterling, I wrote an article about it that you can read on Medium. The link will be on our website. What is important to remember is that new owner, Steve Ballmer has sacrificed everything to get Kawhi and PG to LA and if they don’t get a title this year or next year, the Clippers could be in for another painful rebuild.
This is our All-NBA team of the Week. Please share our podcast and give us 5 stars. If you have any questions, you can contact the show on eight2fouroffice@gmail.com. Thank you for listening, ballers out!
Comments