Some groups and fan bases deal with the NBA’s second season – the playoffs – as if they’re a birthright.
Effectively, to be trustworthy, most groups and fan bases really feel that means, even when 14 wind up disillusioned every spring. (Bear in mind, the Play-In video games don’t really qualify as “postseason,” irrespective of how a lot some coaches or execs with jobs on the road would possibly need us to consider.)
Yearly, although, there are groups that rise by meticulous planning or sheer success. Concurrently, some groups fall, both by accidents or different dangerous luck or as an indication that an overhaul, a firing or a rebuild is coming.
This spring, because the 2024 playoffs start with 4 collection openers Saturday and the opposite 4 Sunday, 5 groups that have been on the surface trying in nonetheless are very a lot alive. To the 5 that fell quick from 2023 – Atlanta, Brooklyn, Memphis, Sacramento and Golden State – get properly and get higher.
Here’s a have a look at the 5 franchises that discovered their means again to the massive tourney:
Orlando Magic
This season: 47-35, No. 5 seed
Final season: 34-48, 13th place in East
Current historical past: That is Orlando’s first playoff look since 2020. The Magic haven’t gained a playoff collection since 2010.
What modified: Although they missed the playoffs final season, the Magic did win 12 extra video games from 2021-22. Now they’ve added one other 13. What made the largest distinction as Orlando snagged the Southeast Division title was its protection.
The Magic tightened up from 18th final season to 3rd general. They restricted opponents to the fewest photographs per sport (84.0), ranked third in permitting fewest 3-point makes an attempt and gave up a league-stingiest 8.9 offensive rebounds.
Then there was the trouble beneath coach Jamahl Mosley of the growing core led by Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and a fleet of plucky guards. As Philadelphia’s Buddy Hield mentioned through the season, “Their onerous play is what separates them.”
Indiana Pacers
This season: 47-35, No. 6 seed
Final season: 35-47, 11th place in East
Current historical past: The Pacers’ streak of 9 playoff appearances in 10 years resulted in 2020. The 5 most up-to-date have been first–spherical solely.
What modified: Come for the assault, keep for the prevention. The offense acquired many of the consideration – Indiana led the league in complete factors, upping its buckets by 5 per sport over final season. It ranked sixth all-time in scoring common (123.3 ppg) and third all-time in complete assists (2,522).
The Pacers additionally allowed the fewest 3-point makes within the league, outscoring foes by 7.5 factors per sport from the arc. The roster and offense have been reconfigured to play sooner round level guard Tyrese Haliburton, with a inexperienced gentle from coach Rick Carlisle and teammates match for a observe meet.
Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder
This season: 57-25, No. 1 seed
Final season: 40-42, 10th place in West
Current historical past: Like this 12 months’s climbers within the East, the Thunder final reached the postseason within the Orlando “Bubble” in 2020.
What modified: From 14th within the West two years in the past to 10th to first, OKC now appears forward of what felt to many like ready for paint to dry.
Redshirt rookie Chet Holmgren dropped into GM Sam Presti’s jigsaw as the ultimate puzzle piece, at the least for now. Kia MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander emerged as the kind of cornerstone many assumed the Thunder nonetheless would wish to import by buying and selling younger expertise and draft capital.
Coach Mark Daigneault most likely will likely be named Coach of the Yr for managing 4 years of steady enchancment. This season, OKC leaped from 16th to 3rd in offensive ranking and from 13th to fourth in defensive ranking.
Dallas Mavericks
This season: 50-32, No. 5 seed
Final season: 38-44, 11th place in West
Current historical past: The Mavericks reached the convention finals simply two years in the past. It was their third consecutive look after a three-year hole from 2017-2019.
What modified: That is extra of a half-season transformation than a totally completely different entire season. By means of Feb. 3, Dallas was 26-23, barely higher than final season’s tempo, and in eighth place after blowout losses to Minnesota and Milwaukee. Then a pair of in-season maneuvers got here to the rescue.
The Mavericks acquired middle Daniel Gafford and ahead P.J. Washington. With these two, coach Jason Kidd’s squad went 21-9 and Gafford and Washington mixed for 22.9 factors and 12 rebounds per sport. It didn’t damage that Kyrie Irving, who averaged 25.6 factors in 58 video games, went basically drama-free in comparison with his current seasons in Cleveland, Boston, Brooklyn and even his partial in Dallas a 12 months in the past.
New Orleans Pelicans
This season: 49-33, No. 8 seed
Final season: 42-40, ninth place in West
Current historical past: New Orleans has scattered 4 postseason appearances since 2009, failing to achieve the playoffs two years in a row in that point. They misplaced within the first spherical two years in the past.
What modified: The Pelicans barely grabbed the final rung on this record by surviving Friday in a Play-In win over Sacramento. They have been dealing with the prospect of tumbling from the sixth seed to the seventh to the eighth to out fully if that they had misplaced a 3rd consecutive house sport.
Satirically, the largest distinction this season wasn’t an element on the evening they salvaged the season: Zion Williamson had his finest general season, taking part in in 70 video games whereas averaging 22.9 factors, however missed the sport in opposition to the Kings (hamstring pressure).
Accidents have been the largest downside – six rotation guys missed between 15 and 23 video games – however New Orleans managed to complete sixth in defensive effectivity and ranked High 10 in discipline purpose proportion, 3-point proportion, factors within the paint, factors off turnovers and opponents’ discipline purpose proportion.
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Steve Aschburner has written in regards to the NBA since 1980. You may e-mail him right here, discover his archive right here and observe him on X.
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