2018 NBA Finals Preview
Mar 12, 2018 0:50:09 GMT -5
Tampa Bay Bull Sharks and fernans (MIAMI HEAT) like this
Post by Miege22 on Mar 12, 2018 0:50:09 GMT -5
(My love for the old NBA on NBC intros combined with my new free time got me a little excited for this preview. Hopefully it's not over the top. First, start the video below and read as the music plays to get the full experience.)
An NBA Championship. The ultimate goal for 20 teams as training camp commences in September. With each new season, comes new storylines, new expectations, and a renewed sense of hope. A hope that, finally, this will be the year the pieces come together. For the Portland Trailblazers and the Brooklyn Nets, that feeling of hope created what many considered to be outsized expectations. While both franchises believed they had the potential be the last team standing in March, both would head into the season as clear underdogs in their respective conferences. And, as the season wore on, one thing became clear: these two were working from a very similar playbook.
Two years ago, the Blazers and Nets were on top of their divisions and one win away from meeting in the NBA Finals. They both fell short and into disarray. For Portland, 2017 became a lost season as injuries derailed their title chances before the first game tipped. Meanwhile in Brooklyn, the Nets’ conference finals loss signaled the end of an era, as the team went into a youth movement ending a run of sustained excellence unmatched in this league. The two finished a combined 5-27 and embarked on a journey that would reshape their rosters. By the time the 2017-2018 season started, only James Harden (Brooklyn), DeAndre Jordan (Portland) and Draymond Green (Portland) had reached the postseason with their respective teams in 2016.
After several mid-season moves to fortify depth, the Blazers and Nets entered the postseason, still as underdogs, but with a shot. They both watched as injuries derailed a formidable opponent, then took matters into their own hands defeating the conference favorites. And now, here they are. One win away from achieving their ultimate goal. Blazers. Nets. The NBA Finals. Next.
Cue the NBA on NBC theme music!
How They Got Here
Brooklyn is the #1 seed from the East. They finished 11-5 and won the North Division. The Nets defeated Orlando 6-3 in the first round and knocked off Washington in the conference finals, 7-2.
Portland is the #2 seed in the Western Conference, finishing 13-3. They were first in the Pacific Division. They defeated Houston in the first round, 6-3, and upset undefeated Memphis in the conference finals, 5-4.
Regular Season Meeting
These two faced off in week 14 (Jan. 15 - Jan. 21), a 6-3 victory for the Trailblazers
Key Injuries
Brooklyn - Cedi Osman (hip), Hassan Whiteside (hip), Cody Zeller (knee)
Portland - Andrew Harrison (wrist)
LET'S GET IT STARTED!
An NBA Championship. The ultimate goal for 20 teams as training camp commences in September. With each new season, comes new storylines, new expectations, and a renewed sense of hope. A hope that, finally, this will be the year the pieces come together. For the Portland Trailblazers and the Brooklyn Nets, that feeling of hope created what many considered to be outsized expectations. While both franchises believed they had the potential be the last team standing in March, both would head into the season as clear underdogs in their respective conferences. And, as the season wore on, one thing became clear: these two were working from a very similar playbook.
Two years ago, the Blazers and Nets were on top of their divisions and one win away from meeting in the NBA Finals. They both fell short and into disarray. For Portland, 2017 became a lost season as injuries derailed their title chances before the first game tipped. Meanwhile in Brooklyn, the Nets’ conference finals loss signaled the end of an era, as the team went into a youth movement ending a run of sustained excellence unmatched in this league. The two finished a combined 5-27 and embarked on a journey that would reshape their rosters. By the time the 2017-2018 season started, only James Harden (Brooklyn), DeAndre Jordan (Portland) and Draymond Green (Portland) had reached the postseason with their respective teams in 2016.
After several mid-season moves to fortify depth, the Blazers and Nets entered the postseason, still as underdogs, but with a shot. They both watched as injuries derailed a formidable opponent, then took matters into their own hands defeating the conference favorites. And now, here they are. One win away from achieving their ultimate goal. Blazers. Nets. The NBA Finals. Next.
Cue the NBA on NBC theme music!
How They Got Here
Brooklyn is the #1 seed from the East. They finished 11-5 and won the North Division. The Nets defeated Orlando 6-3 in the first round and knocked off Washington in the conference finals, 7-2.
Portland is the #2 seed in the Western Conference, finishing 13-3. They were first in the Pacific Division. They defeated Houston in the first round, 6-3, and upset undefeated Memphis in the conference finals, 5-4.
Regular Season Meeting
These two faced off in week 14 (Jan. 15 - Jan. 21), a 6-3 victory for the Trailblazers
Key Injuries
Brooklyn - Cedi Osman (hip), Hassan Whiteside (hip), Cody Zeller (knee)
Portland - Andrew Harrison (wrist)
LET'S GET IT STARTED!