When the NBA finals are now canceled, the road forward seems to point to an NBA -final -Showdown between a couple of top seeds: Oklahoma City Thunder and Cleveland Cavaliers. But not so fast.
No. 1 seeds from both conferences have met in the final only once in the last 16 seasons – when Cavaliers came out on top against the Golden State Warriors 2016.
The regular season showed that both teams would do for a convincing final matchup. What remains to be seen is how both troops handle the playoffs.
Thunder was also the top seed in the Western conference last season but was eliminated in the second round of Dallas Mavericks. Cavs was No. 4 seed in the east and was bounced in the second round of Boston Celtics.
Last year’s Finals Matchup: Celtics topped Mavericks in a series of five games.
Instead of predicting how the NBA final will develop, here are the five most exciting matches for all rounds in the next two months:
Thunder vs. Cavaliers, NBA Finals
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander plays for a championship? Register. Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland compete for a title? Bring it. Since moving to Oklahoma City in 2008, Thunder has only made a final look – in 2012, when they fell to LeBron James’ Miami Heat. James led Cavs to the final four years in a row from 2015 to 2018. These teams won only one title, and the latest version now has a chance to match that number.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Cavaliers, NBA Finals
November 25, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley (4) Fouls Los Angeles Lakers forward Lebron James (23) during the second half at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse. Credits: Ken Blaze-USa Today Sports Speaking of Lebron James … no crime against Thunder, but James’ Lakers representing the Western conference against his original team with a title on the line would be riveting. Add the element to Luka Dončić who joins the Lakers Mid season, with a chance to reach the final for a second year in a row, and Drama only raises. James has ended the chance to reach the game’s biggest stage. Does he have a new driving left in him at the age of 40?
Lakers vs. Boston Celtics, NBA Finals
April 11, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics Center Kristaps Porzingis (8) shoots a free throw during the first half against Charlotte Hornets at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn images The league’s biggest rivalry – with teams that have met in the final on 12 occasions – has a real shot of No. 13 this season. Celtics won the first eight matches, as of 1959. Lakers have won three of the last four, with the last coming 2010. Last time two No. 1 seeds met in the final before 2016 was 2008, when Celtics topped Lakers. Adding Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, James and Dončić to Lakers-Celtics Lore just seems appropriate.
Denver Nuggets vs. Milwaukee Bucks, NBA Finals
April 9, 2025; Sacramento, California, USA; Denver Nuggets Center Nikola Jokic (15) is looking for a call during the second quarter of the match against Sacramento Kings at the Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn images Foreign players have redefined the league and inspired the next generation of NBA stars. The styles of Nuggets ‘Nikola Jokić (Serbia) and Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece) are not only completely different – there is no one like anyone. The duo has been combined for five of the last six MVP prices, and their team has won two of the last four titles. Can the nuggets return to the final after sharing roads with head coach Michael Malone? They can – if they undertake at the defensive end.
Los Angeles Clippers vs. Thunder, second round
4 Jan 2025; Ingrlewood, California, USA; The Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) dribbles the ball against Atlanta Hawks during the second quarter on Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn images In search of crime in the summer of 2019, after acquiring Kawhi Leonard, Clippers Paul George landed from Thunder. The prize was steep: Los Angeles gave up two players, five first elections and the right for Oklahoma City to change elections several times. One of these players? None other than Gilgeous-Alexander. One of these elections was Jalen Williams, which on average was 21.6 points this season. Thunder still has two more first rounds coming. A playoffs would be Gilgeous-Alexander’s “How-Do-You-Like-Me-Now” moment.
Other exciting matches that can go down in these playoffs:
Warriors vs. Cavaliers, NBA Finals: Four finals in four years (2015-18)
Pistons versus celtics, second round: Bruises remain from the 1980s showdowns
Lakers vs. Knicks, NBA finals: 1973 Clash and Willis Reed are still reasoning in New York
