

attempted to rectify this by flipping embattled guard Jordan Poole for 12-time All-Star and future Hall of Famer Chris Paul.Ģ024 NBA mock draft: Early look at Bronny James, Matas Buzelis and more New Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. The Game 4 performance of Lakers guard Lonnie Walker ended up being the deciding factor in the series. The Warriors didn’t have the same energy and chemistry as last season when they won the NBA Finals as they had no answer for Anthony Davis. Golden State just couldn’t put it together as LeBron James and the Lakers took down the team in six games. It will be fascinating to see Phoenix’s next steps as they look to return to the NBA Finals. The next task for the Suns is to fill out a roster surrounding Beal, Devin Booker, and Kevin Durant. The organization is not being shy about its desire to compete however, this top-heavy roster will be a huge experiment with the new CBA agreement.

Phoenix has performed another blockbuster trade that sends Chris Paul and Landry Shamet to the Washington Wizards for Bradley Beal. It will be interesting to see how the team returns for the 2023-’24 season. Still, the Nuggets will likely make some improvements overall. Jokic is the best player in the NBA while Jamal Murray proved he is still a force to be reckoned with in the league. Denver has the majority of its team under contract with the startling lineup set to return next year. The Nuggets won the 2023 NBA Finals and there are plenty of reasons to believe this is not a one-hit wonder. Neither of these teams will put it together and reach our NBA playoff predictions as of right now. The Bulls have the talent to get it done but can they put it together on the floor? Meanwhile, the Magic are predicted to show major improvement with Paolo Bancero but it might not be enough to surpass the Brooklyn Nets or Atlanta Hawks. Now, the next steps are going to be surrounding Brunson with more talent and making sure his playoff success is maximized.Īs for non-playoff teams, the Chicago Bulls and Orlando Magic stand out in the crowd. Plus, guard Jalen Brunson looks like a playoff star.

The team beat the Cavaliers and proved it belongs. It was a disappointing end to the season for New York but one it should be proud of when looking back. The Knicks entered the semifinals with a great shot at making the next round but the Heat took them down in six games. The looming James Harden trade will have wide-ranging implications for reigning NBA MVP Joel Embiid and Co. The 76ers have a new face in town with Nick Nurse as the head coach and inevitable player movement on the way. Then, they got destroyed in Game 7 in Boston.

#NBA FINALS BRACKET SERIES#
The 76ers had a 3-2 series lead and should’ve closed out Game 6 in Philadelphia but a major fourth-quarter collapse ended that possibility. Philadelphia fell short of the Celtics, and it was certainly disappointing in the way it happened.
#NBA FINALS BRACKET FREE#
NBA Power Rankings: Latest rankings after first weekend of NBA free agency 2023 Will Butler and Adebayo be able to carry the Heat back to the NBA Finals or do they need help? If so, could Damian Lillard be the answer? Now, the focus will be on trying to return to the championship and finding a way to make the next step. 8 seed in a non-lockout season to make the NBA Finals and lost to the league’s most lethal team. The Heat came up just short but it was nothing to be ashamed of for them. For now, it will be a “what if” story for Milwaukee when it relates to the 2023 playoffs but this could be a wake-up call moving forward. It is one of the biggest upsets in NBA History and led to the firing of head coach Mike Budenholzer. The Bucks were one of the best teams over the course of the 2022-’23 season but an injury to Giannis Antentokoumpo and Butler’s lethal play knocked them out of contention. The major story of Boston’s offseason has been the trades of Marcus Smart and Grant Williams while acquiring Kristaps Porzingis from the Washington Wizards. It was a disappointing end to the 2022-23 season that saw them lose to a No. The Celtics had an opportunity to make history by becoming the first NBA team to ever come back from a 3-0 series deficit but fell flat on their face in Game 7.
