The Boston Celtics aim to break the trend of unsuccessful title defenses by repeating as champions, a feat they haven’t achieved since 1969. Historically, repeating was more common, with teams like the Celtics and Lakers dominating in past eras, but modern challenges, such as player movement and salary cap constraints, have made it difficult. This season, the Celtics won 61 games, joining a select group to win over 60 games post-championship, and they enter the playoffs motivated by past criticisms and strong team chemistry, starting their title defense against the Orlando Magic.
Full Article
The Clippers face a significant challenge in their playoff series against the Nuggets, particularly in defending three-time MVP Nikola Jokic, who averaged a triple-double this season. Clippers center Ivica Zubac acknowledges the difficulty of guarding Jokic, while coach Tyronn Lue plans to employ various defensive strategies. Despite the challenge posed by Jokic, the Clippers have been in strong form, winning 18 of their last 21 games, and have multiple scoring threats, including James Harden, Norman...
Read more