The N.B.A. playoffs at long last are here. Even though teams dealt with waves of the coronavirus, this was the most normal season the N.B.A. has had in three years. It was the first full 82-game season since the 2018-19 campaign.
The season has also given rise to the most wide open championship race the league has seen in some time. Playoff seedings came down to the final day of the season, and there’s no clear-cut favorite in either conference.
Nearly every postseason team has at some point looked like a potential threat to win a ring. The Golden State Warriors are seeking to recapture their former glory, with Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green on the court in the playoffs for the first time since 2019. The Nets will try to salvage their superteam construction behind Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks are trying to build a dynasty of their own with a repeat championship, while other teams, like the Boston Celtics and Memphis Grizzlies, are hoping that the next generation of stars takes them to the top.
There are many opportunities for redemption at stake too. Joel Embiid, James Harden and the Philadelphia 76ers will try to put years of playoff failures behind them. Chris Paul, one of the greatest point guards in N.B.A. history, is chasing his first championship ring, with the Phoenix Suns, after coming tantalizingly close last year.