Inside the NBA Playoffs: Shocking Showdowns, Dynasty Collapse, and the Untold Truth About Doris Burke

It’s a rare occasion when the team who ultimately hoists the trophy is not what we, as a collective, will remember about a given season. But this version of the Pacers, who came just two quarters shy of a championship, will live on in the hearts and minds of basketball fans for years to come. In true Hoosiers fashion, this team was all heart, no fear. They taught us perhaps the most valuable lesson of all: unwavering belief may very well be the most powerful skill. Chips down, odds long, down double digits with a minute to go. There was no challenge too big, no order too tall, for the never say die Pacers. Even though their season ended in horrible fashion, with a devastating injury to Haliburton and an everlasting “what if” along with it, their identity as one of the most resilient and joyful teams in recent memory will for ever be the stuff of legend.

It ain’t over till it’s over

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The depth era is here

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You can live by the three, but you may die by it

AdvertisementBurke was only added to the “A-team” at ESPN in recent years, a job that includes being a part of the voice of the NBA finals. But Burke put in time on her way to the top of the basketball broadcasting pyramid. In her 12 years at ESPN alone, she worked her way up the ladder from sideline reporter, to color commentary in less high-profile games, to, eventually, her current seat. The way the internet has been discussing her aptitude during these finals was nothing short of disrespectful – if anyone knows ball, it’s Doris Burke.

Burke was only added to the “A-team” at ESPN in recent years, a job that includes being a part of the voice of the NBA finals. But Burke put in time on her way to the top of the basketball broadcasting pyramid. In her 12 years at ESPN alone, she worked her way up the ladder from sideline reporter, to color commentary in less high-profile games, to, eventually, her current seat. The way the internet has been discussing her aptitude during these finals was nothing short of disrespectful – if anyone knows ball, it’s Doris Burke.

Burke was only added to the “A-team” at ESPN in recent years, a job that includes being a part of the voice of the NBA finals. But Burke put in time on her way to the top of the basketball broadcasting pyramid. In her 12 years at ESPN alone, she worked her way up the ladder from sideline reporter, to color commentary in less high-profile games, to, eventually, her current seat. The way the internet has been discussing her aptitude during these finals was nothing short of disrespectful – if anyone knows ball, it’s Doris Burke.

Burke was only added to the “A-team” at ESPN in recent years, a job that includes being a part of the voice of the NBA finals. But Burke put in time on her way to the top of the basketball broadcasting pyramid. In her 12 years at ESPN alone, she worked her way up the ladder from sideline reporter, to color commentary in less high-profile games, to, eventually, her current seat. The way the internet has been discussing her aptitude during these finals was nothing short of disrespectful – if anyone knows ball, it’s Doris Burke.

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Nikola Jokić is still the best player on Earth …

This trend technically kicked off before the playoffs, when the Memphis Grizzlies and the Denver Nuggets fired their coaches with a handful of games left to play in the regular season. But it was truly crystallized with the abrupt firing of Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau just days after he helped lead the team to their first Eastern Conference Finals in decades, plural. Sure, Thibs had faced (warranted) criticism before. But if upsetting the defending champs and breaking generational playoff curses can’t ensure coaching job security, it’s fair to assume that nothing can.

… But SGA deserved his MVP award

If a single, overarching lesson can be taken from this year’s NBA postseason, it’s this one: no game is over until the clock hits 00:00. Whether it was the New York Knicks stealing victory from the jaws of defeat against the Celtics in Boston in round two, Aaron Gordon’s buzzer-beating dunk sealing a crucial win for the Nuggets against the Clippers in Los Angeles in round one, or the Indiana Pacers defeating the odds over and over again with their clutch time brilliance throughout the playoffs, a lead has never felt less safe in the NBA.

Houston were a piece away (and it’s Kevin Durant)

If there has been one constant this postseason, it’s Gilgeous-Alexander and his dependable, humming offensive output. You could set a clock to it. That’s been the case since day one of the regular season, and it really didn’t wane in the postseason, either. The Canadian had one of the greatest single statistical seasons ever by a guard, and yes, that includes all those on the NBA’s Mount Rushmore. In this season alone, he won the scoring title, league MVP, Western Conference finals MVP, and NBA finals MVP. That’s a historical run, and makes him a truly generational player by any measure.

The NBA has an injury problem

If you buy a plot of land that’s an ancient burial ground, it doesn’t really matter, ultimately, how nice the house is that you build on it. Steve Ballmer is an exemplary NBA owner: deep pockets, smart hires, boundless enthusiasm. The word “ball” is in his name: that’s how much he’s about this life. But he bought a franchise that, for whatever reason, seems to be destined to fail in the most spectacular fashion. This year, it was getting annihilated, with little to no resistance, by the Nuggets in Game 7 of their first-round meeting. This came after the Clippers showed flashes of being a true contender, with one of the best defenses in basketball. Kawhi Leonard was healthy, and the excuses were slim: the Clippers just clipped.

Faith is a skill

It is, admittedly, a little on the nose that the defining characteristic of the Eastern Conference champion Indiana Pacers is that they play really, really fast – but their speed has proven to be their superpower. The Pacers left a graveyard of drained, hands-on-knees stars in their wake: even MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander looked worn down by the end of the first few games when his Thunder, a fast-paced team in their own right, met Indiana in the NBA finals. It’s hard to make shots in the clutch when you’re dead tired, and the Pacers and their unique stamina capitalized on that beautifully.