NBA Playoffs, the most exciting time of year for most basketball fans. Underdogs rising to the top, your favorite players making the game-winning shot, and much more. Watching each game unfold to determine this year’s champions. Round one holds most of the power to make or break a team’s chance at becoming the next champions. Here is a look at the ups and downs of the first and second rounds of the 2023 Playoffs.

In the Eastern Conference, the number 1 seed Milwaukee Bucks were defeated by the number 8 seed Miami Heat. The Bucks were the favored team to win as the team had previously won the championships in 2021. The Miami Heat were the severe underdogs to beat the Bucks and were not expected to advance to the next round. Following the defeat, the Bucks and Giannis Antetokounmpo received much backlash saying the organization was a failure. The Bucks were the number 1 overall team in the NBA under head coach Mike Budenholzer who was ultimately fired after the loss. The other eastern conference matchups went as predicted with the Boston Celtics beating the Atlanta Hawks, the Philadelphia 76ers beating the Brooklyn Nets, and a slightly surprising New York Knicks victory against the Clevland Cavaliers.

Western Conference matchups ended in a twist of events with the Los Angles Lakers and the Golden State Warriors winning their matchups despite their performances during the regular season. The Lakers being the number 7 seed in the west managed to pull the victory against the number 2 seed, the Memphis Grizzlies. Memphis was expected to beat the Lakers due to their poor performance during the season. The Golden State Warriors were also expected to lose against the Sacramento Kings also due to their regular season performance. The other two matchups went as predicted with the Denver Nuggets defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Phoenix Suns taking the victory over the Los Angles Clippers.

The conference semi-finals have just finished up and now only four teams remain. The Nuggets have taken the victory against the Suns four games to two. This was an expected victory even with the Suns’ roster. The Heat have taken victory against the Knicks. They are now one of few teams that have made it to the conference finals as the eighth seed. The Celtics have taken down the 76ers and are now in the conference finals. The Lakers have took the victory against the Warriors.

In conclusion, the Playoffs are very competitive and truly show each team at its greatest. Each game is unpredictable until it happens. The championship is anyone’s game at this point. Who do you think is going to win the championships?