The NBA playoffs are all about matchups, both on the team and player level.
Contenders that lean on size could be forced to adjust before a small-ball team that can pour in 3-pointers runs them off the court. A speedy guard who thrives in transition could be forced to grind out possessions in the half court.
Which matchups are deciding the first round? The top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder and Cleveland Cavaliers won just about every matchup throughout their sweeps, but what about the back-and-forth series of Nuggets-Clippers, the down-to-the-wire finishes of Knicks-Pistons and the brewing upset of Lakers-Timberwolves?
Let's dive into both the individual and schematic showdowns playing the biggest factors in the six remaining series still up for grabs, starting in New York, where the Clutch Player of the Year is showing why.
Jump to a series:
Pacers-Bucks | Knicks-Pistons
Celtics-Magic | Nuggets-Clippers
Rockets-Warriors | Lakers-Wolves