NBA Playoffs: Teams to Fade as Postseason Begins

The NBA playoffs are just underway, and given the field with no clear frontrunners that are expected to walk through the competition, here are some teams that we’re not so confident in putting together an extended playoff stay and looking to fade.Los Angeles Clippers

The Clippers came into this season with rather lofty postseason goals. Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, and a ton of high-quality role players were expected to make a run in this playoffs, but health was a huge factor, given past seasons. Well, the injury bug has reared its ugly head already, as Paul George will miss the opening round against the Suns. Drawing Phoenix is a brutal first-round opponent shorthanded, as the Suns are the frontrunner to get out of the Western Conference. On the off chance that LA got by the Suns, a second-round matchup against the No. 1 seed Denver Nuggets will cause trouble.

The Cavaliers are still a year in my eyes from posing a real threat in the Eastern Conference. A core of Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, and Evan Mobley is great to build off of, but they don’t have enough just yet to be real factors in the East. It almost feels like they are just ‘there’ this time around. I wouldn’t say I like their draw against the Knicks, who have already won the season series 3-1. There is a very real chance New York can knock off Cleveland, who have been playing well down the stretch. If not, the Cavaliers could fall to the Bucks quickly in the Semifinals.

It’s one thing that the Grizzlies are only -142 favorites to advance to the second round in their opening-round matchup against the Lakers. It’s one thing to think that the Lakers are being put on a pedestal because they are the Lakers, but they are now a significant threat in the Western Conference. They are at full strength health-wise, with their trade deadline additions meshing exceptionally well in their roles. Winning nine of their last eleven and the Play-In spot, this is the best the Lakers have looked in two years, representing a real chance to knock off Memphis. A potential matchup with Golden State would spell trouble if Memphis were to escape, given recent history.