5 biggest storylines going into the 2021 NBA Playoffs

by Raffy Santamaria / May 19, 2021

It’s that time of the year again — the 2020-2021 NBA Season has reached its climax and several teams are currently fighting for a place in the Playoffs with the very first play-in tournament determining the 7th and 8th seeds for both Eastern and Western Conferences.

But that’s not the only thing that will unravel in the coming weeks. As we end what has been a crazy season so far, here are the five biggest storylines to look out for this postseason. After all, who doesn’t love a good story to set the tone for the intense playoff atmosphere.

Redemption in LA

After being the favorites to win it all last season, the Los Angeles Clippers fell to the Denver Nuggets in an embarrassing fashion. The Nuggets came back from a 3-1 deficit and the Clippers never heard the end of it. Ever since that loss, the Clippers have been associated with various internet memes including Paul George and his iconic alter ego Playoff P, Damian Lillard extending his Cancun invitation to Patrick Beverly, and Doc Rivers being the only coach to blow a 3-1 lead, twice.

Since last season, there hasn’t really been much hype surrounding the Clippers but for them, winning this year’s playoffs would mean redemption. After several playoff failures, George is looking to prove that he is still one of the best players in the league. For Kawhi Leonard, winning his third ring would mean cementing his legacy as one of the all-time greats.

Though, should the Clippers fall short this time around, questions will emerge on where Leonard’s loyalty lies since he did not guarantee that he would be playing for them in the future. At the same time, teams might not be able to see the value in George if he fails to perform the way they expect him to during the playoffs. With all these taken into account, it’s now or never for the Clippers this postseason, and the stakes might even be greater than they were last year.

The Clippers are currently sitting at third place in the West and will play against the Mavericks in the first round for the second straight year.

The Ultimate Warrior

The Golden State Warriors were off to a very rough, if not embarrassing start to begin the season. They lost by a total of 65 points across their first two games and as a result, the bay-area fans knew they weren’t getting the same team that brought them three championships in the last seven years. Throughout the past few seasons, the Warriors dominated the Western Conference with ease, having one of the all-time greats in Kevin Durant, and one of the best two-way players in the league with Klay Thompson.

Entering the 2020-2021 season, things were a bit different. The Warriors have entered unfamiliar territory, being one of the underdogs of the season. The team has been battling key injuries, acquired a new and younger roster, and had just lost Durant to free agency the year before. After completing the 72 game season, it became clear that if there was anyone who can put this team back on the map it was Stephen Curry.

Curry has put up some of the most stand-out performances of the year and is undoubtedly one of the favorites to win MVP despite where the Warriors rank in the standings. Curry broke several records this season including:

• Surpassing Wilt Chamberlain to become Golden State Warriors’ all-time points leader
• Surpassing Reggie Miller on all-time threes made
• Scored 200 or more three-pointers for the eighth consecutive season
• Most three-pointers made in a three-game span
• Made 10 threes or more in consecutive games for the second time in his career
• Most consecutive 30-point games by a player aged 33 or older
• Most three-pointers in a month

Safe to say, we won’t be that surprised if Curry puts up ridiculous numbers in the play-in tournament to help the Warriors secure that playoff spot. The Warriors currently hold the 8th spot and are set to face the Lakers in the play-in tournament to determine the 7th and 8th seeds.

The Underdogs

There have been a lot of surprises this season with new teams climbing the ladders in both the East and West. For instance, the Knicks overcame odds by finishing as a top-four team in the East, breathing new life into what was believed to be a hopeless franchise. The 76ers made a strong statement, claiming the first seed in the East thanks to an MVP type season from Joel Embiid and the acquisition of Doc Rivers as their new head coach. Let’s not forget how the Utah Jazz have also made an all around team effort to come out on top in a very competitive Western Conference.

However, the biggest surprise of this season would have to go to the Phoenix Suns, as they ended their 10-year playoff drought and came out second in the West.

Despite not making a Playoff appearance last season, the Suns had a promising run in the Orlando Bubble after winning all eight of their remaining games. This season, they acquired 36-year-old all-star Chris Paul, who has proven time and time again that he is the best pure point-guard in the league. Adding Paul, alongside several rising talents in Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton, have helped make the Sun’s one of the top basketball teams entering the Playoffs. The biggest question is, do they have what it takes to win it all?

The Suns will face the 7th seed which will be determined after the play-in tournament.

The Return of the King

Lets face it, we can’t talk about the playoffs without bringing Lebron James into the discussion. Entering what feels like his hundredth season in the league, Lebron was sidelined for the longest period in his career after a high-ankle sprain that caused him to sit out for almost two months. Additionally, the Lakers had just come-off a title run, winning the 2020 NBA Championship just two months before the 2020-2021 regular season began. As a result, fatigue slowly kicked in as the Lakers were barely clinging on to a spot in the Western Conference due to the absence of their two superstars with Anthony Davis also sitting out for majority of the season.

With the NBA Playoffs fast approaching, so is a well rested playoff Lebron, which we have already witnessed make a huge impact on any team especially in times they need him the most. Despite Lebron’s playoff impact, age is definitely coming along and it will be interesting to see what the King has left in the tank for this year’s title run. The Lakers are currently sitting in the 7th spot and are set to face the Warriors in the play-in tournament to determine the 7th and 8th seeds.

Championship or Bust

The idea of superteams has come a long way since “the decision” in 2010, where Lebron James decided to leave Cleveland to play alongside Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami. From that day on, we have seen a trend in which superstars leave their respective teams for a chance to create NBA dynasties with other top-level talents. As you would expect, some have failed (2013 Lakers) and some have gone on to win multiple championships (2017 Warriors). But this year’s Brooklyn Nets lineup will, hands down, be one of the scariest teams to face on paper, and possibly the biggest cheat code of all time on 2K, and here’s why.

After a slow start, GM Sean Marks decided he wasn’t satisfied with having a dynamic duo and instead, decided to pursue the 3x scoring champ James Harden to start a new Big 3 era in Brooklyn. In addition to this, the Nets have also surrounded their star players with elite role-players with Blake Griffin, Joe Harris, and a probable playoff return from Spencer Dinwiddie. Despite the Big 3 having limited playing time during the regular season due to injuries, having three all-time players along with a solid supporting cast in one team should still be a matchup nightmare for any team come playoff time.

However, if the Nets experiment fails, all eyes will be set on where the three stars end up during the off-season. The play-in tournament has already taken place earlier today as the Indiana Pacers beat the Charlotte Hornets to move on and face the Washington Wizards who are looking to bounce back from their loss against the Boston Celtics. The Celtics will now advance as the 7th seed to face the Brooklyn Nets (2nd seed) in the first round.

We hope after this breakdown of the top storylines to look out for before the playoffs serves as an appetizer for what’s to come in the next couple of weeks. As the postseason progresses, these storylines will continue to unfold, new ones will develop, and some will inevitably reach a disappointing end. Which ones are you looking forward to the most?

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