NBN Playoff Pulse: Two Dynasties Cruising, One Series Breathlessly Close

The NBN playoffs have officially separated the survivors from the send-home messages. Two teams sit three wins from the conference finals, the Mavericks and Thunder are grinding through a suddenly dangerous semifinal, and the 76ers and Nets are trying to keep pace beneath a tightening championship window.

While the league’s leading scorers continue to headline the regular-season résumé, postseason urgency changes the equation. Ron Mercer is averaging 29.9 points for Dallas, Lester Conner is putting up 29.2 points for Oklahoma City, and Shawn Marion is doing the dirty work for Brooklyn with 29.2 points and 12.2 rebounds per game. Championship-caliber numbers are nice. Closing out a live series is better.

chart]}

Round 1: Eight Clusters, Eight New Decisions

The Mavericks made the cleanest early statement, advancing 4-1 over the Supersonics. That was clinical work, with Bill Russell anchoring the interior at 15.0 rebounds per game while Mercer supplied the scoring punch. San Antonio? Seattle? Either way, the Sonics’ season is over, but the Mavericks did not allow sentiment to write their ending.

The 76ers also advanced 4-1 against the Knicks, while the Jazz did perhaps the league’s most emphatic route, sweeping the Kings 4-0. Utah never surrendered a game and has carried that championship instinct into its semifinal collision with Dallas. The Wizards survived a longer test, advancing 4-2 over the Bucks.

Then came the tightest opening chapter. The Thunder finally escaped the Suns in a Game 7-style thriller, winning 119-99 on Day 130 to complete the series 4-3. The Thunder are advancing; the Suns are eliminated. Twenty points of separation looked comfortable in the final margin, but after seven games, everyone involved knows how quickly this postseason can flip from coronation to crisis.

The Nuggets needed seven games too, advancing 4-3 over the Grizzlies. Their reward is an Oklahoma City team waiting with a 3-0 conference-semifinal lead. The Nets advanced 4-1 over the Pacers, while the Raptors knocked out the Hawks 4-1. Atlanta’s season is over, though Chris Paul’s 28.3 points and 10.3 assists per game ensure his name will linger in offseason conversations.

Conference Semifinals: The Chase Begins in Earnest

chart]}

Dallas 2-1, Utah: The Mavericks own the lead, but this is no country club. They beat the Jazz 124-96 on Day 133, then escaped with a 105-102 nail-biter on Day 134. A listed 116-107 Jazz result on Day 136 further underscored the danger: Mercer may be Dallas’ scoring engine, but Utah keeps changing the speed, the matchups and the conversation. The official series ledger has the Mavericks ahead 2-1. That lead looks much slimmer than a numbers-only glance suggests.

Philadelphia 2-1, Washington: The 76ers lead the Wizards, who are trying to turn their Round 1 survival into a deeper run. Philadelphia has the cleaner résumé, but Washington already proved it can play loose when elimination approaches. At 2-1, one bad quarter remains enough to reset the entire series.

Oklahoma City 3-0, Denver: This is the conference’s command performance. The Thunder have not merely won three games; they have seized control. Conner’s 29.2-point average provides the blade, while Nate Thurmond supplies the force with a league-leading 15.2 rebounds per game. Denver and Jermaine O’Neal 14.4 rebounds per game have found no seam. The Nuggets are one defeat from elimination, and Oklahoma City is one sweep from the conference finals.

Brooklyn 3-0, Toronto: The Nets are equally ruthless. Marion is producing 29.2 points and 12.2 rebounds, while Jay Williams is orchestrating the offense with 10.5 assists per game. Toronto is on the ropes, but Brooklyn’s next test could be the best team still standing.

Most Dramatic Series—and the Bold Call

Mavericks-Jazz is the most likely to produce the loudest arena and the heaviest heartache. Dallas has the edge, Utah has the fearlessness, and that combination usually means a bruising, chaotic finish. Meanwhile, Oklahoma City and Brooklyn remain the most comfortable conference finalists in waiting.

Here is the prediction: the Thunder will edge the Nets 4-3 and reach the NBN Finals. Oklahoma City’s rebounding advantage gives it the tiebreaker in a series that will be far tighter than either three-win lead suggests.

← All Articles