NBA West playoff preview capsules: Thunder-Suns, Spurs-Blazers, Nuggets-Wolves, Lakers-Rockets
Victor Wembanyama makes his playoff debut as Denver and Minnesota renew a rivalry, while LeBron James and Kevin Durant meet again in the first round.
- Defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder open against the Phoenix Suns , who advanced by eliminating the Golden State Warriors.
- San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama makes his postseason debut against the Portland Blazers, a matchup where statistical indicators suggest a significant defensive challenge for the Spurs.
- Denver Nuggets bring a winning streak of 12 into the postseason, renewing a rivalry featuring Nikola Jokic and Rudy Gobert against the Minnesota Timberwolves .
- Featuring stars James and Durant, the Los Angeles Lakers square off against the Houston Rockets , though the Lakers navigate injury absences for Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
- James ties Karl Malone and John Stockton with his 19th postseason appearance, reflecting the urgency for veteran stars across the Western Conference chasing another NBA title.
12 Articles
12 Articles
NBA West playoff preview capsules: Thunder-Suns, Spurs-Blazers, Nuggets-Wolves, Lakers-Rockets
The NBA playoffs begin Saturday. In the Western Conference, the defending champion and top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder will play the eighth-seeded Phoenix Suns. Victor Wembanyama and the No. 2-seeded San Antonio Spurs open against the No. 7 Portland Trail Blazers.…
NBA Playoffs: Western Conference First Round Preview + Picks
At the start of the season, it seemed like the Oklahoma City Thunder would be able to cruise through the Western Conference relatively unscathed. Then emerged the San Antonio Spurs, who racked up 60+ wins themselves en route to becoming true contenders entering this playoff run. The Los Angeles Lakers showed plenty of promise throughout the season, but with both Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves nursing injuries, it’s all up to 41-year-old LeBron J…
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