The Toronto Raptors in 2019, the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020, the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021, the Golden State Warriors in 2022, the Denver Nuggets in 2023 and the Boston Celtics in 2024.
Six different seasons, six different champions. A run of parity like none other in NBA history.
And now the Celtics get their turn at bucking that trend. They’ll try to win back-to-back NBA titles, something no franchise has managed since the Warriors repeated in 2018 for their third championship in four seasons. The NBA playoffs start Saturday with four opening games for first-round series, continue Sunday with four more, and just like that a 16-team, two-month journey will be off and running.
“It’s the best time of the year,” Golden State coach Steve Kerr said.
Favored to win the title, according to BetMGM Sportsbook, are the 68-win Oklahoma City Thunder, the top overall seed and No. 1 team in the Western Conference after setting an NBA record this season by outscoring teams by 12.9 points per game. Their fellow No. 1 seed out of the Eastern Conference: the 64-win Cleveland Cavaliers, who put together the second-best regular season in franchise history.