Post by ESPN on Mar 21, 2022 14:38:09 GMT -5
#1 Cavaliers GM (Brandon) (17-2) vs #2 Bulls GM (Sean) (15-4)
The Eastern Conference playoffs have always been rather predictable, with last season's Bulls team being the only one to force an upset in any of the first three rounds since the league first started. Aside from the 6th seeded Bulls going 2-1 vs higher ranked opponents, underdogs in Eastern Conference playoff matchups had been 0-18 from 2018-2021. While 5th seeded Miami & 6th seeded Milwaukee were able to buck the trend (get it?) in 2022, this year's ECF once again has the top two seeded teams facing off for the third time in four normal playoff years.
Both of these teams certainly deserve to be here, though. Cleveland has dominated the Eastern Conference for three seasons now, going 44-3 in conference play over that period. Five of those wins have come during the past two postseasons, each one over a different Eastern Conference team. The team to give Cleveland the biggest challenge, though, was Chicago in last year's Conference Finals.
While not nearly as dominant, Chicago has turned it around since a rough 1-6 start to the 2020 season. They've gone 27-7 since that point and they've certainly looked like the second best team in the conference since then. Their record does not match up to Cleveland's, but they've managed to keep pace with the Cavaliers throughout the first two weeks of the playoffs and that is all they'll need to do for the next week in order to give themselves a chance at another upset.
Despite the loss of Jarrett Allen, Cleveland has handled business with ease through two rounds and they should still be the favorite here in the ECF. And Chicago's late season addition of Donovan Mitchell, while expensive, looks like it has paid off so far. While it is unlikely to be as high scoring as last season's ECF, this one projects to be a close one with both teams having a real shot to come out of the East.
#1 Grizzlies GM (Zach) (18-1) vs #3 Kings GM (Griffin) (15-4)
Typically the Western Conference playoffs have been less predictable than those in the East, but this postseason the only upset through two rounds is the Kings semifinals win over Minnesota. While the winner of the Eastern Conference has always been the #1 seed, the West has had a different seed represent the conference every postseason so far (2018 - #2, 2020 - #1, 2021 - #3). The Grizzlies are looking to join the 2019 Timberwolves as the second #1 to advance to the Finals, while the Kings are looking to join the 2021 Timberwolves as the second #3 seed to advance.
Enough about the Timberwolves though, this will be the first real FNBA Finals to feature a Western Conference team besides Minnesota since 2018. And currently, Memphis should be the favorite to do it. After consecutive rebuilding seasons, the Grizzlies came back and not only crushed their own franchise win record but also tied the FNBA record for single season wins, finishing 18-1. Aside from an early season loss to Portland, Memphis has been the most dominant team in the league with wins over each of Sacramento, Chicago, & Cleveland.
While they may not have looked like the favorite to come out of the West at the beginning of the playoffs, the Kings have played just as well as the Grizzlies up to this point, only being outscored by 5.5 points through two weeks. What's even more impressive is that their current playoff run includes ending Minnesota's seven game playoff win streak over Western Conference opponents. The Timberwolves only other playoff loss since 2018 came in last year's Finals to Cleveland. This week is not about Minnesota but it must be noted that the Kings technically won a championship* in the middle of the Wolves' two Finals appearances and this year could be Sacramento's opportunity to prove that they are more than just the Bubble Champs*.
As mentioned, there is no reason to believe that Memphis isn't the WCF favorite, but Sacramento is hot and look like they'll absolutely keep this one close. Like in the East, both of these teams are worthy of a Finals appearance and regardless of the winners, we are in for a very good week of matchups.
- CLE 4-2 All Time vs CHI (1-0 in Playoffs)
- CLE beat CHI in Week 9
The Eastern Conference playoffs have always been rather predictable, with last season's Bulls team being the only one to force an upset in any of the first three rounds since the league first started. Aside from the 6th seeded Bulls going 2-1 vs higher ranked opponents, underdogs in Eastern Conference playoff matchups had been 0-18 from 2018-2021. While 5th seeded Miami & 6th seeded Milwaukee were able to buck the trend (get it?) in 2022, this year's ECF once again has the top two seeded teams facing off for the third time in four normal playoff years.
Both of these teams certainly deserve to be here, though. Cleveland has dominated the Eastern Conference for three seasons now, going 44-3 in conference play over that period. Five of those wins have come during the past two postseasons, each one over a different Eastern Conference team. The team to give Cleveland the biggest challenge, though, was Chicago in last year's Conference Finals.
While not nearly as dominant, Chicago has turned it around since a rough 1-6 start to the 2020 season. They've gone 27-7 since that point and they've certainly looked like the second best team in the conference since then. Their record does not match up to Cleveland's, but they've managed to keep pace with the Cavaliers throughout the first two weeks of the playoffs and that is all they'll need to do for the next week in order to give themselves a chance at another upset.
Despite the loss of Jarrett Allen, Cleveland has handled business with ease through two rounds and they should still be the favorite here in the ECF. And Chicago's late season addition of Donovan Mitchell, while expensive, looks like it has paid off so far. While it is unlikely to be as high scoring as last season's ECF, this one projects to be a close one with both teams having a real shot to come out of the East.
#1 Grizzlies GM (Zach) (18-1) vs #3 Kings GM (Griffin) (15-4)
- MEM 3-2 vs SAC All Time
- MEM beat SAC in Week 11
Typically the Western Conference playoffs have been less predictable than those in the East, but this postseason the only upset through two rounds is the Kings semifinals win over Minnesota. While the winner of the Eastern Conference has always been the #1 seed, the West has had a different seed represent the conference every postseason so far (2018 - #2, 2020 - #1, 2021 - #3). The Grizzlies are looking to join the 2019 Timberwolves as the second #1 to advance to the Finals, while the Kings are looking to join the 2021 Timberwolves as the second #3 seed to advance.
Enough about the Timberwolves though, this will be the first real FNBA Finals to feature a Western Conference team besides Minnesota since 2018. And currently, Memphis should be the favorite to do it. After consecutive rebuilding seasons, the Grizzlies came back and not only crushed their own franchise win record but also tied the FNBA record for single season wins, finishing 18-1. Aside from an early season loss to Portland, Memphis has been the most dominant team in the league with wins over each of Sacramento, Chicago, & Cleveland.
While they may not have looked like the favorite to come out of the West at the beginning of the playoffs, the Kings have played just as well as the Grizzlies up to this point, only being outscored by 5.5 points through two weeks. What's even more impressive is that their current playoff run includes ending Minnesota's seven game playoff win streak over Western Conference opponents. The Timberwolves only other playoff loss since 2018 came in last year's Finals to Cleveland. This week is not about Minnesota but it must be noted that the Kings technically won a championship* in the middle of the Wolves' two Finals appearances and this year could be Sacramento's opportunity to prove that they are more than just the Bubble Champs*.
As mentioned, there is no reason to believe that Memphis isn't the WCF favorite, but Sacramento is hot and look like they'll absolutely keep this one close. Like in the East, both of these teams are worthy of a Finals appearance and regardless of the winners, we are in for a very good week of matchups.