Looking back at the 2021 NBA playoffs, I still get chills thinking about how the bracket unfolded. As someone who’s followed the league for over a decade, I’ve rarely seen a postseason so rich with storylines, upsets, and sheer individual brilliance. It’s funny—when I read about teams in other sports, like the FIVB volleyball hosts facing Tunisia, Egypt, and Iran, I’m reminded of how the NBA’s underdogs came into these playoffs knowing they were up against giants. The parallels are striking: just as in global volleyball, the NBA’s lower seeds weren’t just there to participate; they arrived with belief, even when the odds seemed impossible.
Let’s start with the Western Conference, where the Phoenix Suns truly captured my imagination. I’ll admit, I didn’t see them making the Finals at the start. They finished the regular season with a 51–21 record, good for the second seed, but it was their chemistry that stood out. Chris Paul’s leadership, Devin Booker’s scoring outbursts, and Deandre Ayton’s emergence created this perfect storm. I remember watching their first-round sweep of the Lakers—LeBron and AD were hobbled, sure, but Phoenix executed with a poise you rarely see from a relatively young team. Then came the Nuggets series, where they held Nikola Jokić’s supporting cast to under 100 points in three of the four games. That defense was no fluke.
Over in the East, the narrative was all about the Brooklyn Nets and their star power. Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Kyrie Irving—on paper, it felt unfair. But as we saw, health became the great equalizer. I’ve always believed that playoff success hinges on availability as much as talent, and Brooklyn’s injury woes, especially Harden’s hamstring issue in the second round, derailed what could’ve been a historic run. Still, Durant’s Game 5 masterpiece against Milwaukee, scoring 49 points in a must-win, is something I’ll tell my kids about someday. The Bucks, meanwhile, showed incredible resilience. Giannis Antetokounmpo’s 40-point, 13-rebound closeout performance in the Finals? That wasn’t just dominance; it was legacy-defining.
The bracket itself had some delicious twists. The Clippers, after dropping their first two series openers, rallied each time—becoming the first team in NBA history to win multiple series after trailing 0–2. I loved that grit. On the flip side, the Jazz’s collapse against the Clippers in the second round was tough to watch, especially after they’d posted the league’s best regular-season record. It reinforced my long-held view that regular-season success doesn’t always translate when the pressure mounts. And let’s not forget the Hawks, the surprise of the playoffs. Trae Young’s 48-point explosion in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals? That wasn’t just a statement; it was a arrival.
When I step back and look at the complete standings, from the Bucks lifting the trophy to early exits like the Lakers and Celtics, it’s clear that the 2021 playoffs were a reminder of why we love sports. The unpredictability, the emotional rollercoaster, the way role players like Bobby Portis or Cameron Payne stepped into the spotlight—it all mattered. In my opinion, this postseason will be remembered as one where balance and health ultimately decided the fate of superteams. And as a fan, I wouldn’t have it any other way.