The dream postseason matchup for each potential NBA playoff team
By Evan Kelly
The NBA has enjoyed some of the best parity it has seen across its history these last few seasons, with this year being no different. While there are plenty of great teams, the lack of a dominant superpower like the peak Warriors or the Big 3 Heat before them has made the playoffs much more intriguing from a fan perspective.
Given how exciting the playoffs have been in recent years, it is only fair for fans to dream ahead and imagine what some classic battles could look like this Spring. Below, we will be mapping out what the ideal first-round matchups could realistically look like, based purely on entertainment value.
Eastern Conference:
1 vs 8: Celtics vs Heat
The Celtics and Heat may very well have the best rivalry in the game today. They have met in the Conference Finals three of the past four seasons, including each of the last two, both of which were incredibly competitive seven-game series.
In 2022, Jimmy Butler missed a three-point attempt that would have put the Heat up by 1 with just under 15 seconds left, and the Celtics hung on to win. Last year, the 8th-seeded Heat stunned the Celtics by jumping out to a 3-0 lead. The Celtics rallied back to force a game 7 at home before Caleb Martin’s heroics sent the Heat to the NBA finals, becoming just the second 8 seed to ever make it there.
This season, the Celtics have been the best team in the NBA and would certainly be heavy favorites in this hypothetical matchup. However, there is no Celtics fan who wants to see the Heat in round 1, no matter how uninspiring they may look throughout the regular season. If anyone can give the NBA's best team a fight in round 1, it is Erik Spoelstra, Jimmy Butler, and company.