The NBA Is Two Games Away From New Champions
And the first round has barely begun
There are few events as significant as the changing of a kingdom’s ruler. The end of one reign as another is ushered in is a momentous occasion as onlookers reflect on the era that was while looking ahead to see what the future holds under the new ruler.
From 2015 to 2018, two dynasties battled for the right to rule the NBA. From the West, the arrows of Golden State Warriors rained down in such abundance that they seemed to blot out the very sun itself. And in the East, King James’ Cavaliers ruled year after year with an iron fist. As the Cavaliers and the Warriors forged an epic saga, it felt as if the NBA’s future was set in stone.
But in the North, a rebellion was brewing.
The campaign of the 2019 Toronto Raptors was the stuff of legend. Led by Kawhi Leonard, the Raptors felled many of their oldest foes in the 76ers and the Bucks, as well as burgeoning powerhouse including the Celtics. Yet even so, it seemed a foregone conclusion that the unlikely contender would eventually bend the knee to the Warriors dynasty. But the winds of change had begun to blow. And they would not be denied. As fate would have it, the Raptors would fell the juggernaut. Though the reign was shortlived, their victory did lead to the dawn of a new era. Not just for the Raptors, but for the NBA as a whole.
Since 2019, each year has brought us a new NBA champion. It has been a renaissance for the league, where several teams feel like legitimate contenders. In 2020, the Los Angeles Lakers took their seat on the throne. In 2021, the Milwaukee Bucks claimed dominion over the league for the first time in a half-century. But the more things change, the more they stay the same. In 2022, the Golden State Warriors’ arrows once again blotted out the sun, and when the dust settled they were once again at the top of the mountain. Some predicted that this was a harbinger of things to come. That the reign of Golden State would resume in earnest, as the old dynasty proved it still had life in it.
Which brings us to the present, and what a gift these playoffs have been thus far. There have been no shortage of epic battles waging all throughout the league. But arguably the most shocking has been the series between the reigning champions and the Sacramento Kings. ‘The Battle of California’ that few would have expected to ever see has already seen two battles begin and end. And in both cases, the Sacramento Kings have won the day. The results have shook the NBA world to its core. The seemingly resurgent dynasty being battered in its own state, by an outsider that has quietly been building itself up right under their noses. There is not a better illustration of poetry in the league.
But the war is far from over. Sacramento may have struck heavy blows against the Warriors, but the Kings would be wise not to be blinded by the glow of their beam until their foe has been vanquished. They have taken a pound of flesh and that is to be commended, but a wounded warrior can be even more dangerous than a healthy one. Will the Sacramento Kings defeat the Golden State Warriors and ensure that a new face will stand atop the NBA as champions? Or will the Warriors rally back and stave off elimination? Predicting the future is a foolhardy game. But I feel confident in making one proclamation.
