I still remember the excitement building up as the 2017 NBA playoffs approached - that unique blend of anticipation and speculation that only basketball fans truly understand. Looking back at the bracket now, it's fascinating how some teams arrived at the postseason with their positions already secured, much like how Vietnam had locked up the top seed before their final Pool A match against Australia in that other tournament. The Warriors, for instance, had essentially clinched their top seeding weeks before the regular season ended, giving them the luxury to rest players and strategize for the long playoff haul ahead.
The Western Conference bracket told such an intriguing story right from the start. Golden State entered as the clear favorite with their 67-15 record, but the Spurs weren't far behind at 61-21. What made this particularly interesting was how both teams had essentially secured their positions with games to spare, allowing for some strategic lineup decisions in those final regular-season contests. I recall watching those last few games thinking how different it must feel for coaches when the pressure's off versus when every game matters until the final buzzer of the regular season. The first round gave us that epic Warriors-Trail Blazers series where Damian Lillard put on an absolute show, even though Golden State ultimately prevailed in four games. Meanwhile, the Spurs handled the Grizzlies in six, but those games were far from easy - Memphis pushed them in ways few expected.
Over in the Eastern Conference, the narrative felt completely different. Boston claimed the top seed with just 53 wins - a number that would have placed them fifth in the West. That always struck me as revealing about the conference imbalance that year. Cleveland, despite their late-season struggles, still entered as the second seed with 51 victories. The Cavaliers' path felt predetermined in some ways, much like how some teams in other sports arrive at tournaments with their fates already shaped by earlier performances. I remember thinking how psychological advantages work in these scenarios - when a team knows they're already through, does it change their approach? LeBron and company certainly played like they had another gear reserved for the postseason, sweeping Indiana in the first round despite those regular-season concerns.
The conference semifinals brought us some unforgettable basketball. Golden State's sweep of Utah felt inevitable, but the Spurs-Rockets series provided genuine drama. That Game 5 where Manu Ginobili blocked James Harden's potential game-tying three-pointer remains etched in my memory - one of those playoff moments that reminds you why we love this sport. Meanwhile, Cleveland continued their dominant run through the East, sweeping Toronto in a way that made me question whether the Raptors were ever truly contenders that year. Boston and Washington battled through seven grueling games, with Isaiah Thomas playing through personal tragedy in what became one of the most inspiring individual performances I've witnessed.
When the conference finals arrived, we got the matchup everyone anticipated in the West - Warriors versus Spurs. But that series took such an unfortunate turn when Kawhi Leonard went down with an injury in Game 1. I've always wondered how different that series might have been if he'd stayed healthy. The Cavaliers, meanwhile, absolutely dismantled Boston in five games, with LeBron putting up numbers that bordered on ridiculous - averaging about 29 points, 9 rebounds, and 9 assists for the series. The ease with which Cleveland navigated the East that year still surprises me when I look back at the bracket.
The Finals gave us the trilogy matchup everyone wanted - Warriors versus Cavaliers for the third straight year. What made this particularly compelling was how Golden State had added Kevin Durant, creating what felt like an unstoppable force. The Warriors' 16-1 record through the playoffs still stands as the most dominant postseason run in NBA history, though that single loss to Cleveland in Game 4 showed that even superteams have vulnerable moments. I'll never forget watching Durant hit that dagger three-pointer in Game 3 over LeBron - one of those shots that felt like it shifted the balance of power across the entire league.
Reflecting on that entire playoff bracket now, what stands out is how certain teams arrived with their positions and momentum already established, while others fought until the final moments. There's something fascinating about how teams perform when they've already secured their standing versus when they're fighting for survival. The Warriors played with a kind of assured confidence that comes from knowing you're the team to beat, while the Cavaliers seemed to embrace the underdog role despite being defending champions. It's these psychological dynamics that make studying playoff brackets so compelling years later - each line tells a story beyond just wins and losses, revealing something about team mentality, preparation, and that intangible quality we call championship DNA.
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