There are few things guaranteed in this world, and the NBA Playoffs are no exception to that. With two rosters that made minimal changes at the trade deadline like the Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks, though, the 82-game regular season offers reasonable expectations for the upcoming first round series.
After recapping the best moments from this season, in this article we look at those near guarantees and possible surprises in an attempt either to predict the upcoming entertainment or discredit any future predictions I offer. Let’s begin.
Surefire event No. 1: Mitchell vs. Brunson Clash of the Titans
Donovan Mitchell has been no stranger to going blow for blow against terrific score-first guards in the NBA Playoffs. Nobody can forget the Jamal Murray vs. Donovan Mitchell showdown in the 2020 NBA Bubble. In fact, in that series Donovan Mitchell recorded his first two 50-point outings in the playoffs.
In last year’s postseason, Mitchell faced off against a dynamic backcourt duo of Luka Doncic and Jalen Brunson himself. Similarly to the Denver series, Mitchell shouldered Utah’s offense with an absolute spectacle of scoring prowess. Unfortunately, in both series, the Jazz fell short. As expected, Doncic gave nothing short of a masterful performance as well, and the series served as the pinnacle of Brunson’s breakout into stardom that season.
There is no doubt that this year will continue the saga of Mitchell’s instant classic guard battles. Tensions will be high between Mitchell and Brunson as they both look to prove themselves as leaders on a completely new team. If this holds true, the series may prove to be a starting point of a rivalry between the two elite talents.
Although the series is sure to give its fair share of bucket for bucket highlights, Mitchell’s chances to come out on top have never been better. With Darius Garland by his side now as a steady co-pilot, Mitchell will likely not need to carry the backcourt scoring as heavily. Secondly, Mitchell is now playing with two dynamic big men, and the world already saw how well he could match up with one early in his career.