The NBA Playoffs are officially underway, and every West playoff team has one big question they must answer to make a deep playoff run.
1. Oklahoma City Thunder: Who can challenge them?
The Thunder dominated the West so thoroughly that they finished 16 games ahead of the second-seeded Rockets. They outscored their opponents by 1,055 points this year. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is an MVP favorite, and this team is deep with rugged defenders and versatility.
It felt like all year OKC was on a different level than the rest of the West. So who can challenge them? Yes, this Thunder core has yet to make a deep run, and they are young, and there are seasoned teams like the Clippers, Lakers, Nuggets, and Warriors that could give them trouble. That may not matter given their two-way dominance and the fact that they will have the best player in every series they play in, Alexander.
2. Houston Rockets: How are they going to score?
The Rockets winning formula is simple: relentless defense and rebounding for 48 minutes. Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson are budding stars, Jalen Green has put his game together, and veterans Dillon Brooks, Fred VanVleet, and Steven Adams round out a rugged team.
The problem is, Houston has a bottom-ten half-court offense and a true shooting percentage that ranks in the bottom six. Green has put his offensive game together, and Sengun is a budding star, but both are young and making their playoff debuts. Houston’s defense will translate, but can they score enough to make a run?
3. Los Angeles Lakers: Can they get stops?
The Lakers offense will likely be among the elite ones this playoffs with Luka Doncic, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves as their primary creators. Either one of those three can take over games and Doncic and James are two of the best playoff scorers ever.
The issue is the other end of the floor, where all three have their shortcomings. That trio has a defensive rating of 120.3 together. Yes, LA will be potent offensively, but relying solely on offense will not win them a championship. Manufacturing stops are far more important, and Coach JJ Redick will have his work cut out for him scheming up defenses.
4. Denver Nuggets: Which Jamal Murray will show up?
Murray has a history of showing up in the postseason, mostly against the Lakers. Last year, he struggled with the length and physicality of the Timberwolves and that led to Denver’s exit. This year, he averaged 21 PPG, but was also very inconsistent.
With Nikola Jokic playing the best basketball of his career, Murray is going to need to step up as his Robin. Will the Nuggets get the guy who took over the bubble and led them to the conference finals in 2020? The guy who gamed the Lakers twice? Or are they going to get the guy that came up small against the Wolves?
5. Los Angeles Clippers: Can Kawhi Leonard make it through healthy?
Since March 1st, Leonard has been one of the best players in the league. He is averaging 26 PPG on better than 50/40 shooting splits and almost 36 minutes per game. He looks as healthy as ever and is playing his best basketball in a couple of years.
The unfortunate thing with Leonard is his health, and we have seen him break down before. If he breaks down, so do the Clippers’ championship hopes. Leonard at his best, along with the supporting cast of James Harden, Ivica Zubac, Norman Powell, and others, can compete with anyone in the league. But can he stay healthy for a whole playoff run?
6. Minnesota Timberwolves: Who’s helping Ant-Man?
Anthony Edwards followed up a career year with another stellar one this year, leading the league in three-pointers made (320) and turning into an all-around offensive weapon. Edwards is also a playoff riser, coming off a postseason where he averaged almost 28 PPG. The question is, who will step up to help him?
Julius Randle, who was brought in as part of the Karl-Anthony Towns trade, is not exactly a playoff riser, but he has been playing his best basketball. It will take a collective effort from Randle, Naz Reid, Donte DiVincenzo, and others, but Minnesota cannot be a one-man show this playoffs.
7. Golden State Warriors: How much is left in the tank?
Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler are one of the most dangerous duos in these playoffs. Both are playoff risers, and both can take over games whenever they want. Golden State wanted to avoid the play-in so they could get a top-six seed but had to clinch the seventh seed via that route.
With their core of Curry, Butler, and Draymond Green all 35 years of age or older, do they have one more deep run in them? Going up against a Rockets team that is relentless for 48 minutes will not be easy and will take a lot of energy to pull out for the Warriors. We’ve seen them shock the world before, but can they do it one more time?
8. Memphis Grizzlies: Can they be frisky?
Ja Morant is battling a nasty ankle sprain, but was able to muster enough strength to lead Memphis out of the play-in and into the playoffs, avoiding disaster. Morant has shown the ability to take over playoff games and he along with Jaren Jackson and Desmond Bane offer enough scoring to hang with anyone.
Losing Jaylen Wells is obviously a big blow, and it will be tough to hang with the Thunder, but the Grizzlies have nothing to lose. They lost their coach with weeks left in the season. OKC is the one seed and a huge favorite. With no expectations to succeed, can Memphis use that to their advantage?