NBA Playoffs Explained

By Joshua Berelowitz ‘26
The National Basketball Association playoffs are underway and it certainly is one for the history books, with several extremely close games starting off the postseason. 

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In the first round, the Brooklyn Nets played the Boston Celtics, with the expectation being that this series would last six or seven games. However, the Boston Celtics stunningly beat the Nets 4-0. 
Kyrie Irving, the Net’ point guard, used to play for the Celtics, and dramatically left their team in 2019. During these games, Celtics fans could only boo him in frustration. 
Jayson Tatum, a current Celtics player, has made it clear that he can carry a team on his shoulders by averaging 29.5 points throughout the series. 
Middle schooler Ashton Weiss said of Tatum and other young stars, “The NBA playoffs have shown the talents of many young players, [and] it will be fun to watch how they develop in the future.”
Although some games were nail-biters, in the end, the Celtics completely outplayed the Nets, marking the first time in both Kevin Durant’s and Irving’s award-filled careers that either athlete was swept. 

Middle schooler, Henry Sacks commented, “The NBA playoffs are unpredictable and you never know what might happen, that is what I love most about them.”
 In another series, the Philadelphia 76ers played the Toronto Raptors. After leading 3-0, the 76ers eventually won four games to the Raptors’ two. Joel Embiid, an MVP candidate this year, led the 76ers to victory, averaging 26.2 points and 11.3 rebounds throughout the series. 

Kawhi Leonard’s famous buzzer-beater in 2019 sent the Raptors to the finals and the 76ers home. The former team went on to beat the Golden State Warriors in the finals, and crowned themselves as NBA Champions. This year the Sixers had their sweet revenge.
As the playoffs continue through June, more fireworks, upsets and surprises will make this NBA postseason another for the ages.
As middle schooler Simeon Migdal said, “It has been very entertaining to watch and it will only get better from this point on.”