The N.B.A. playoffs at long last are here. Even though teams dealt with waves of the coronavirus, this was the most normal season the N.B.A. has had in three years. It was the first full 82-game season since the 2018-19 campaign.
The season has also given rise to the most wide open championship race the league has seen in some time. Playoff seedings came down to the final day of the season, and there’s no clear-cut favorite in either conference.
Nearly every postseason team has at some point looked like a potential threat to win a ring. The Golden State Warriors are seeking to recapture their former glory, with Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green on the court in the playoffs for the first time since 2019. The Nets will try to salvage their superteam construction behind…
