NBA Playoffs Lacking Drama

After one of the most exciting regular seasons the NBA has ever seen, fans were expecting the postseason to keep the good times going and provide even more excitement with everything on the line in an elimination format. Both conference playoffs provided compelling storylines, especially in the Western Conference where the top and bottom team were separated by a mere seven games in the standings. The influx of more superstars via blockbuster trades in Dallas, LA, and Phoenix only added to the appeal of the West, but the East, with the rise of the Celtics, Dwight Howard’s emergence as a megastar, and the widespread trash talking between the Cavs and Wizards made the supposed JV league’s postseason have its own set of intrigue.

Through 16 games of the playoffs, the theme of ultra competitive games from the regular season has been replaced by one-sided and uninteresting games where seven of the eight series stand at 2-0, with the Pistons and 76ers the only series that is tied through two games. Outside of the Spurs/Suns epic double-overtime Game 1 thriller, there has been only two games that have been decided by five points or less (Sixers/Pistons Game 1, won by Philadelphia by four and Raptors/Magic Game 2, which Orlando won by one). Most of the games have been decided by the fourth quarter, especially in the stacked Western Conference where the Rockets, Suns, Mavericks, and Nuggets have all looked over matched through two games. The West Playoffs were supposed to be a dogfight right from the start, but the rift between the upper echelon teams and those in the next tier has been clearly defined.

Dallas and Denver have been punched in the mouth, and don’t appear to have the resolve to bounce back against their surging opponents. The Nuggets are allowing a pathetic 125 points a game to the Lakers, giving them no chance of success. Their nonexistent defense has masked the impressive 110.5 points a game they are putting up. Mark Cuban mortgaged the future of the Mavericks in order to acquire Jason Kidd, but in the first round Kidd has been confronted by a point guard that is younger, hungrier, and downright better than he is. Houston is obviously missing Yao Ming, but dropping their first two games at home to the worst road team in the West Playoffs is quite disturbing. The monkey on Tracy McGrady’s back doesn’t appear to be going anywhere anytime soon as the Rockets prepare to travel into the toughest building for a road team to win in. Phoenix let a golden opportunity slip away in Game 1 against the defending champions, and is paying for it now. Shaquille O’Neal has provided a glimpse of hope for the Suns to exploit against their nemesis, but it still hasn’t materialized into a victory. Out of the four teams on the brink of elimination, Phoenix stands the best chance of making it up, but don’t count on it.

The East hasn’t been much better. No one believed Atlanta would provide any resistance to the Boston Three Party, and they haven’t to this point. The final two games in Phillips Arena appear to be a formality as the Celtics prepare for bigger and better things. The only real series to this point has been Detroit vs. Philadelphia where the upstart Sixers have stolen home court advantage. However, even with this series, most believe that Detroit is primed away to run away with it at any point. Toronto had their chances to steal a game from Orlando on the road, but Chris Bosh has paled in comparison to Dwight Howard, who has gone 20-20 in his first two playoff games. Washington and Cleveland have a long and interesting history of competitive games – they split their four games, with the Wizards playing without Gilbert Arenas in each game – but Washington’s trash talking and overconfidence has them two games away from being knocked out at the hands of Cleveland in the first round for the third straight year.

Thursday night provides a change of scenery as three Game 3’s are on tap. Washington and Toronto hope that home cooking can finally conjure up some momentum, and more importantly, some victories; the Rockets will look to clean up the mess they have put themselves in by hitting the road. As a viewer who expected an alluring first round full of drama, I’m pessimistic that things will suddenly change now. If anything, these one-sided first round pairings are inevitably going to give way to conference semifinal matchups that feature teams playing their best ball of the season. Maybe then the NBA Playoffs will actually be worth watching.