Sometimes when you’re watching basketball playoffs, you have to question if what you just saw was real. We, as humans, seek out compelling stories in every sporting event we watch, and the NBA is absolutely brimming with the types of moments that start, end and intensify those stories. No matter what outcome happens, a narrative always emerges or becomes validated as the playoffs march on. So today, I’m looking at and ranking the most compelling stories of the NBA’s remaining squads to see which potential finals winner could create the perfect cap to this wild season of basketball.
1. The Grizzlies’ fairy-tale ending
The Memphis Grizzlies have been basketball’s most electrifying new contender this season, and it’s not hard to see why. Ja Morant has made the leap to superstar, producing night-in, night-out thunderous highlights for all the world to see. But this team’s standing as the West’s No. 2 stems from a thoughtfully constructed young core with a surefire identity, one that was able to sustain 26 missed games from Morant. What the Grizzlies are doing is the culmination of a swift and savvy rebuild. It would surely bring countless fans immense joy to see the small-market franchise win with homegrown talent. But this young team is here to stay, and an early playoff exit would merely make its players hungrier for future seasons. While it would be remarkable to see them win it all, Memphis has an even brighter future ahead than their present day.
2. The Warriors extend a dynasty
How great is it to see Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green all together on the court again? Klay’s devastating two seasons away from the sport have made this team’s resurgence back to contender status all the sweeter for Bay Area fans and likely spurred nightmares in just about every other fanbase. The Warriors’ run of titles a few years back was incredible, but many pundits were quick to declare them dead once Kevin Durant left. The Warriors’ return to the big dance with the same superstars that made them a proper dynasty all those years ago would be truly remarkable and a testament to the Hall of Fame cases for Steph, Klay and Dray. But at the end of the day, do that many fans really want to see this after so many earlier titles? No, I think we can do better.
3. The Suns achieve redemption
Last year’s NBA finals was a shame because one team had to lose. Giannis Antetokounmpo’s hoisting of the trophy was incredible to see, and I don’t think a single non-Suns fan should be mad at such an outcome. But the Suns had built something truly special, and seeing them fall just short was absolutely brutal. Chris Paul’s greatness is only missing a championship ring to tie it all together, and the clock is ticking for the Suns to deliver it to him. With the Suns pushing through a championship hangover and a lengthy Paul injury to build a team that’s arguably even more devastating, they seem poised to cap their three-year odyssey from tanking mess to bona fide contender.
