Northwest Playoff Check-In: How Each Team Got Here And What Comes Next

So far, these NBA playoffs have delivered everything that we love to see as fans of the game. Buzzer-beaters, upsets and a fair share of trash-talking has dominated the narrative of the first round as teams begin to navigate the postseason. Checking in on the Northwest division teams, each of the three teams have wrapped up their series in dominant fashion, with Denver’s Game 4 loss representing the only blemish so far. How did each team win their first round clash so easily? What is the next obstacle for all three squads? Here’s a preview of what stands in front of the Oklahoma City Thunder, Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves. 

Oklahoma City Thunder

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First Round: Def. New Orleans Pelicans 4-0

Second Round Opponent: Winner of Los Angeles Clippers vs. Dallas Mavericks

Entering the playoffs, the Thunder were overlooked despite being the number one seed in the uber-competitive Western Conference primarily because of their youth and lack of size outside of Chet Holmgren. Four wins over the Pelicans later, the Thunder are finally getting the respect their record has earned them. The Pelicans, albeit without their best player in Zion Williamson, posed challenges to the Thunder in the first round, namely Jonas Valanciunas’ prowess down low and the numerous perimeter defenders that they could throw at Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams. After a close Game 1 though, the Thunder settled in and gradually took over the series. Key contributions from Josh Giddey and Luguentz Dort throughout the four games ensured that SGA and J-Dub didn’t have to put the team on their backs until absolutely necessary in the fourth quarter, particularly in Game 1. 

As the team looks forward to their second round matchup, it is difficult to pick which of Dallas or Los Angeles they wish to face. If Kawhi Leonard isn’t healthy, then the obvious choice is the Clippers, despite the fact that they match up poorly against players like Paul George and James Harden. If The Claw comes back and is indeed healthy, the Mavericks become a much more enticing matchup based on how OKC’s roster lines up against theirs. Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving pose their own daunting challenges to a young Thunder defense, but looking past them, the Mavericks have yet to find a consistent tertiary scorer. P.J. Washington has been the third scorer for Dallas through four games, averaging 12.3 points per contest. Compare that to the Thunder, whose entire starting lineup has averaged double digits, and the OKC project to win a clash against the Mavs if they end up moving forward. 

Denver Nuggets

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First Round: Def. Los Angeles Lakers 4-1

Second Round Opponent: Minnesota Timberwolves

There was never any concern for the Nuggets in the first round, was there? As mentioned on last week’s episode of Full Court Press, there seems to be one word that describes Nikola Jokić and Co. perfectly: inevitable. Even after dropping Game 4 in Los Angeles, Denver was sure to end the series at home, just as they did in last year’s Finals against the Miami Heat. That being said, this series was much more competitive than the box scores say it was. The Nuggets needed late game Jamal Murray heroics to win two games and they had to weather the best playoff series of Anthony Davis’ entire career in order to move on. Had the Lakers played any other team in the first round, they would have been favored to win the series, but unfortunately, their play-in win against the New Orleans Pelicans doomed them. 

Looking forward, the Nuggets are in for a howler against the Timberwolves. Looking at the X’s and O’s, no team matches up better against Denver than Minnesota. Mike Conley, Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker will each get their turn against Jamal Murray while presumptive Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert gets an opportunity to banish his playoff demons against who many consider to be the best player in the world. This series tests Denver’s defense more than anything else. Can they stop Minnesota enough to keep the game close and give their one-two punch of Murray and Jokić chances to secure close wins like Round 1?

Minnesota Timberwolves

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First Round: Def. Phoenix Suns 4-0

Second Round Opponent: Denver Nuggets

The Phoenix Suns swept the Timberwolves in the regular season, and many thought that this first round draw was super unlucky for Anthony Edwards and Co., predicting that they would be heading home courtesy of Devin Booker and Kevin Durant. Those same people are in the process of eating their words after Minnesota showed little trouble, manhandling the Suns thanks to the emergence of Jaden McDaniels and the scoring clinic put on display by ANT. What sets Edwards apart from others, though, was his willingness to check both Booker and Durant in the second half of Game 4 when they got hot. He didn’t necessarily stop either of them (Booker finished with 49 points and Durant dropped 33), but he kept pace with them, scoring 40 and receiving enough help from those around him, which the Suns couldn’t find no matter where they looked. 

This Wolves team has shown that they aren’t afraid of anyone, making them perfect candidates to end Denver’s title defense. Their defensive style and offensive weapons are sure to give the Nuggets all they can handle in the next round in what could be a preview of future playoff faceoffs between the two squads. Many fans are eager to bestow the superstar label onto Anthony Edwards, but a series against Nikola Jokić and the battle-tested Nuggets will go far to show where he truly stands among the NBA’s elite. Regardless, this is the premier matchup of the second round.