The NBA conference finals are set, with three teams (Indiana, Oklahoma City, Minnesota) in a position to win their first championship while the other (New York) could end a longstanding title drought.
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It sets up an intriguing pair of series to decide who books their spot in the finals.
But first, foxsports.com.au has taken the opportunity before Wednesday’s games to look back at some of the biggest talking points to come out of the semifinals.
From the daunting reality facing Boston after the Jayson Tatum injury to an Oklahoma City standout starring and, in the process, exposing Denver’s biggest flaw.
TATUM INJURY COULD TRIGGER MAJOR CELTICS SHAKE-UP
There was always a sense that this version of the Boston Celtics could only last so long.
There was an expiration date. There had to be. The NBA’s new collective bargaining agreement guaranteed it.
But still, there was one final chance to run it back and, in an Eastern Conference that paled in comparison to the might of the West, win consecutive titles for the first time since 1969.
Even as Cleveland aced the regular season on its way to the top speed, Boston was still the favourite to come out of the East and face Oklahoma City in the NBA Finals everyone had expected from the day the season tipped off.
Instead, in just a matter of days, Boston’s season — not just this year, but next year too — was already over.
Just one injury, just one ruptured Achilles tendon was all it took.
What follows will be major changes to Boston’s roster over the summer and it sounds like almost anything could be on the table.
After all, the league was already “bracing for some level of change” from the Celtics this offseason. That is what ESPN’s lead NBA insider Shams Charania forecast earlier this month.
Jayson Tatum down injured. Elsa/Getty Images/AFP
Jayson Tatum down injured. Elsa/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP
“Sources have been telling me for weeks now that the Celtics will be exploring trade options in the offseason,” Charania said on the Pat McAfee Show at the time, which was well before the Tatum injury.
“This iteration is just not going to be sustainable for this team and no one around the organisation, from players to staffers, would be surprised if there were changes coming to this roster.”
Just what kind of changes that could include was up in the air, although it seemed unlikely Jaylen Brown would be moved. But now?
The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie said on his ‘Game Theory Podcast’ that “it wouldn’t stun” him if the Celtics did just that.
To be clear, that wasn’t reporting from Vecenie. Instead, it was just an acceptance of reality; both of the Tatum injury and what it means along with the daunting salary cap position Boston finds itself in entering the summer.
“It basically ends the era of Celtics basketball,” Vecenie said of the injury, while The Athletic’s Jared Weiss wrote that it would not only send a “seismic wave” through Boston but that “the aftershocks will be felt throughout the NBA”.
“It’s rare that this caliber of player suffers this devastating an injury at this catastrophic a time of year in this seminal a moment for a marquee franchise,” he added.
“This is a cruel reminder that winning is a privilege in this league, especially under the newest CBA, which has harsher penalties for high payrolls. Most years, the best healthy team wins. It is the truest through-line between champions.”
Celtics defence over! NYK make ECF | 00:57
Speaking of that CBA, the Celtics have a lot of shedding to do to get under the projected luxury-tax line of $187.9 million ($A293m).
Tatum and Brown alone are set to earn a combined $107.3 million ($A167m) next season. Jrue Holiday, meanwhile, is owed $32.4 million ($A50m) while Kristaps Porzingis is on an expiring $30.7 million deal.
Porzingis and Holiday look like the most likely to be moved. Trading Porzingis’ expiring contract, for example, would help get the Celtics below the second apron.
Sam Hauser (four years, $45 million extension) is another player who could be traded as is Derrick White, who is on a four-year, $118 million ($A184m) extension and set to earn $28.1 million next year.
But White is on a team-friendly deal and while will certainly have rival front offices interested, it also makes him a valuable piece for the Celtics beyond next season, especially considering his high level of play.
Of course, any move Boston makes from this point will largely depend on how competitive last season’s champions want to be with Tatum sidelined for the entire 2025-26 season.
If the Celtics still view the East as winnable, even with Tatum unavailable, they could keep core players like Brown and White while moving veterans like Porzingis and Holiday with an eye to also accruing future draft capital.
But if they see next season as a lost cause, Brown may well be on the table too. He signed a five-year supermax extension worth up to $303.7 million ($A474m) in 2023.
It sets up an interesting summer.
Big changes could be coming. Brian Fluharty/Getty Images/AFP
Big changes could be coming. Brian Fluharty/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP
SHOULD CLEVELAND GO ALL-IN FOR GIANNIS?
The Celtics aren’t the only team in the East who could make changes in the summer.
The Cavaliers were a juggernaut in the regular season, coasting their way to a 64-18 record and looked a near-certainty to steamroll their way to the conference semi-finals after demolishing the Grizzlies in the first round.
Instead, it was the Pacers who looked virtually unstoppable as they cruised to a 4-1 series victory.
In some ways, it wasn’t surprising that Indiana advanced given the tough match-up it represented for Cleveland.
The Pacers play at an insane pace on offence when they get going, which makes it hard to stop their momentum, while they also employ relentless on-ball pressure on the defensive end.
That pressure completely disrupted a historic Cavaliers offence that boasted the NBA’s best offensive rating (121) in the regular season and second-best since the league started tracking it in 1996-97.
Pacers eliminate Cavs, Thunder lead 3-2 | 02:05
Cleveland’s excellent ball movement, which was a prominent feature of its success during the regular season, vanished and instead the Cavs were forced into isolation dribbling and contested shots.
With that, they failed to find any real rhythm and an injury to guard Darius Garland only made matters worse.
That injury, and Garland’s ineffective performances even when he was ‘healthy’, makes it hard to judge Cleveland’s postseason and whether there is a genuine need for major changes.
Both Garland and Jarrett Allen have been mentioned as the most likely trade chips if the Cavs decided to make any all-in moves, while Bill Simmons suggested a Giannis Antetokounmpo for Evan Mobley straight swap.
Now, the chances Milwaukee accepts that deal seem pretty slim, because you’d have to think the Bucks can get a much more appealing package from more desperate teams.
But Antetokounmpo’s name is obviously one to monitor in the summer, although the Cavs would likely have to give up Allen, Garland along with draft capital and or young assets.
Cleveland has a 2031 and 2032 that it can trade, but the Cavs can’t move both. They also have four seconds available.
But does the Tatum injury change the timeline, at least for next season?
With the Celtics out of the picture, the East is again wide-open. The Knicks and Pacers should both be ultra-competitive again, the Pistons and Magic could both take leaps while the 76ers are a sleeper team to watch with a potentially healthy Joel Embiid and top-three draft pick.
None of that should scare the Cavaliers into shaking up their roster though and so there is credence to the idea of just running it back and either hoping they don’t play Indiana again in the postseason or that they can make the necessary adjustments for that match-up.
Plus, nothing is guaranteed in the NBA so who is to say the Pacers or Knicks will be right up there again. The Tatum injury proved fortunes can turn in an instant.
Aaron Gordon played through injury. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)
Aaron Gordon played through injury. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)Source: AP
INJURIES REIGNITE NBA DEBATE WE’VE BEEN HAVING FOR YEARS
Speaking of Tatum, he wasn’t the only big name to go down during the playoffs.
Damian Lillard also tore his Achilles tendon, Steph Curry and Aaron Gordon suffered hamstring injuries while both Darius Garland and Evan Mobley missed time during Cleveland’s series defeat at the hands of Indiana.
Golden State’s Steve Kerr has previously been quite vocal about the length of the regular season, telling reporters in November the NBA is “asking way too much” of its players.
“The game has never been more difficult to play at a high level night after night after night,” Kerr said at the time.
“We should account for that. We all need to be thinking about that, for sure.”
NBA commissioner Adam Silver said last month that “nothing is off the table” when asked about the possibility of shortening the regular season, although he later added that there was “no data” supporting the idea that fewer games would lower the injury risk.
Meanwhile, 80 per cent of players surveyed by The Athletic in its anonymous poll last month were against shortening the season.
But NBA insider Zach Lowe said on his podcast that it was a topic of conversation at the GM’s meeting earlier in the week and is something the league seriously needs to consider.
Tatum wheeled off after CRUEL injury! | 00:40
“Every NBA season it feels like whichever team gets injured the least wins the title,” he said.
“... It’s too anecdotal to draw firm conclusions but there is a discussion to be had here about how physical the games have gotten in the playoffs.
“It’s a third rail issue for the players union and the league but it’s time to talk about, is 82 games too many games. We don’t need 82 games other than that’s where they get the pool of money from.”
Gordon, who played through a reported grade two hamstring strain in Denver’s Game 7 loss to the Thunder, said the league’s congested playoff schedule is reducing the quality of basketball being played in what are supposed to be the best games of the season.
“I would really, really appreciate it if there were a couple of days in between games in the playoffs instead of every other day,” Gordon said.
“The product of the game would be a lot better. You’ll see a higher level of basketball. Probably less blowouts.”
The Nuggets and Thunder were made to play each other on 36 hours rest at one point in the series and the result was a 17-8 first quarter. It matched the record for fewest in a first quarter in the shot clock era.
PLAYOFFS PROVE GIDDEY-CARUSO TRADE A WIN-WIN
So often in the NBA, and sport in general, we want there to be winners and, as a result, also losers in trades.
But this may be the case where that rule doesn’t apply, because Alex Caruso’s performances in the playoff series against Denver were proof the Thunder’s Josh Giddey trade with Chicago was a win-win.
Giddey was unplayable in the postseason last year, forced into a role that didn’t play into his strengths and instead left him battling for confidence and as an easy target for the opposition.
In Chicago, the 22-year-old thrived in a more ball-dominant role, particularly after the All-Star break when Zach LaVine was out of the building and even showed improvement on the defensive end to potentially emerge as a key piece of the Bulls’ future.
At the time, when Giddey was a walking triple-double and Caruso was at times only managing single figures on off shooting nights. it was easy to say that the Bulls won the trade.
But it was unfair to judge the move at that point given the very reason Oklahoma City dealt Giddey was because his deficiencies showed up most in the postseason and this was a Thunder team that, while still young, had very real championship ambitions.
Josh Giddey had a great end to the season. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Josh Giddey had a great end to the season. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Caruso, one of the league’s best 3-and-D wings, was a seamless fit and while he didn’t have to do too much in the Memphis series, his minutes against Denver were invaluable.
Whether he was hitting corner 3-pointers, wreaking havoc on defence like he did in his five-steal, Game 1 performance or just making hustle plays on both ends of the floor, Caruso left coach Mark Daigneault with no choice but to play him in clutch minutes when some of Oklahoma City’s starters weren’t feeling it.
“He’s a riser. He rises to the occasion,” Thunder MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said of Caruso after Game 4.
“It’s clear as day how special he’s been to us. His ability to impact the game and winning and whatever it calls for. Whether it’s making shots, getting deflections or steals or stops, picking up full-court, rebounding, cracking back.
“He does whatever it takes and he does it at a high level. He’s the only player on this team that’s won a championship and it’s no coincidence he does what it takes to win basketball games at the highest of stage.”
Alex Caruso came up big for the Thunder. (AP Photo/Kyle Phillips)
Alex Caruso came up big for the Thunder. (AP Photo/Kyle Phillips)Source: AP
Caruso saved his finest performance of the series for last, finishing with a plus-minus of +40 in Game 7 as made life difficult for Nikola Jokic with his swarming defence.
Sure, there is an argument to be made that Caruso may have got away with contact but that is a savvy veteran pushing the right buttons and finding a way to make Jokic uncomfortable without being too obvious as to force the referee’s hand.
As for suggestions the Bulls could have at least got some draft capital of a pick swap back as part of the Caruso trade, that certainly is fair but even if they didn’t get optimal value, Giddey at least gives their fans a reason to believe.
Really, the biggest takeaway was just how disruptive and versatile a defender Caruso can be and how he is the exact kind of play Denver desperately needed.
FATAL FLAW COMES BACK TO HAUNT NUGGETS
Speaking of which, Gilgeous-Alexander may be the heavy favourite to take out MVP, but in a lot of ways this series loss to Oklahoma City is a microcosm of why Jokic had an even stronger case for back-to-back honours.
Sure, Jokic was uncharacteristically poor early in the series, missing the mid-range floaters he would usually make in his sleep while also struggling through ice-cold stretches from deep.
But when Jokic is on, he is on. The problem? When Jokic needed his teammates to step up most, deep in the fourth quarter of Game 5 as an eight-point lead slipped away, they had no answer.
Jokic did all he could, hitting circus 3-point shots on his way to 44 points, and was Denver’s only source of offence down the stretch, with just one of their field goals in the final quarter not coming from the reigning MVP.
That one basket was a Jamal Murray layup with 17.9 seconds on the clock and the Nuggets trailing 111-103. In essence, the game was already lost at that point.
Although it is hard to be too critical of Murray. He had 29 points in the game and couldn’t miss in the third quarter.
Russell Westbrook struggled this series. (AP Photo/Kyle Phillips)
Russell Westbrook struggled this series. (AP Photo/Kyle Phillips)Source: AP
The opposite was true for Michael Porter Jr. who, while obviously injured, was a non-factor yet again with just two points. Russell Westbrook, meanwhile, airballed a pair of shots.
The former Thunder fan favourite came up clutch in Game 1 and had his moments in the playoffs, but was far from the dependable bench piece Denver needed.
In fact, he finished the series with a plus-minus of -92, averaging 9.9 points, 2.4 assists and 2.6 turnovers while shooting 34.8 per cent from the field and 21.9 per cent from deep.
Porter Jr., meanwhile, scored double figures just twice in the entire series and managed over 10 points only once.
Julian Strawther had his moment in the sun but was a streaky shooter all season, and so it wasn’t a surprise to see him struggle to get anything going in Game 7.
Peyton Watson, meanwhile, is a disruptive defender but still refining his finishing skills at the rim while he is an inconsistent 3-point shooter at best.
Oklahoma City, meanwhile, didn’t have to look far for help off the bench and that went far beyond Caruso.
Take the fourth quarter of Game 4, where both Aaron Wiggins and Cason Wallace provided much-needed spark off the bench as the Nuggets tired on just 36 hours of rest.
In some ways, it is surprising the Nuggets were even able to take the Thunder as far as they did but that is a credit to Jokic, Murray (to some extent despite his Game 7 dud) and Gordon.
Outside of those three, Christian Braun was a consistent presence on defence and at times Denver’s best source of offence when pushing the pace in transition.
Christian Braun was a shining light. (AP Photo/Kyle Phillips)
Christian Braun was a shining light. (AP Photo/Kyle Phillips)Source: AP
The problem for the Nuggets is that there isn’t any obvious solution to bring in more depth next season to make sure they aren’t wasting Jokic’s prime.
Sure, they have one tradeable pick (a 2031 first-rounder) and could attach that to Porter Jr. to try land either an upgrade to the starting line-up or two role players.
But given how low Porter Jr.’s trade value would be after his playoff performances, it may be hard to truly get the difference-making type of upgrade the Nuggets so desperately need.
Meanwhile, Westbrook and Dario Saric have player options for next year and while that could free up money to bring in rotation pieces if they opt out, there is every chance both come back and leave Denver in a tricky position with a glaring flaw and not much room to fix it.
‘CRAPPED ON HIM FOR YEARS’: WARRIORS STAR HEADED FOR THE EXIT?
Golden State has resisted trading him for four years but now, the Warriors will be forced to make a call on Jonathan Kuminga and if coach Steve Kerr’s actions before the postseason are any hint, it seems like the 22-year-old is good as gone.
First, came Kerr’s decision to bench Kuminga in Golden State’s final game of the regular season.
It didn’t prove to be a one-off either. He continued to record DNPs in the playoffs before an injury to Jimmy Butler and then later Steph Curry forced his hand — and made the Kuminga debate even more interesting.
You see, Kuminga had some of his best games in a Warriors jersey in the Timberwolves series, managing double figures in four-straight games including a 30-point effort in Game 3.
Former ESPN analyst Zach Lowe, who has been one of Kuminga’s biggest supporters throughout his career, took the opportunity to criticise Kerr and Golden State.
“Hey, is maybe Jonathan Kuminga not horrible?” Lowe said on his ‘The Lowe Show Podcast’.
“Should maybe you have tried to nurture — I know he’s not a Warriors kind of player. He’s not a beautiful game kind of player. He’s not the most intuitive read-and-react guy. But now you need him, and he’s coming through for you. Maybe you should have not crapped on him for months and years.”
Kerr had hinted Kuminga’s poor fit alongside Butler was behind the decision to bench him at the end of the regular season, telling 95.7 The Game in early April that the Warriors “leaned into the lineup combinations that enhanced Jimmy because we were winning”.
He then went on to straight up “frankly” admit that the Kuminga-Butler-Draymond Green line-ups didn’t “fit really well”.
T-Wolves eliminate GSW in 5 games | 01:13
“We need more spacing. We’ve found other lineups that have clicked, and this is just part of the deal, being in the NBA, and you’ve got to adapt to whatever’s happening with the team.”
At the time, The Athletic’s Anthony Slater called it an “alarm bell ringing” for Kuminga’s contract talks with Golden State, adding there are “definitely some sour feelings”.
Ultimately, everything Kerr said was true.
Since returning from an ankle sprain earlier in the season, Kuminga’s shooting woes made it near-impossible to play him next to Butler and even in the Minnesota series, when he thrived in a larger role, Kuminga still struggled outside of going 3-for-4 from downtown in Game 3.
Of course, outside shooting isn’t Kuminga’s strength. He has athleticism and size. He has confidence too, and isn’t afraid to drive to the rim like he did constantly against the Timberwolves.
But the only reason Kuminga was able to do that was because Curry was out injured and without their superstar guard, the Warriors needed another primary option.
Kuminga thrived in that role. It just won’t be there in Golden State with Curry and Butler around.
It leaves the Warriors in a tricky position with Kuminga set to enter the summer as a restricted free agent.
They are in win-now mode. The Butler trade was evidence of it. But Kuminga, as talented as he may be, doesn’t fit into those plans.
Jonathan Kuminga had his moments. Ezra Shaw/Getty Images/AFP
Jonathan Kuminga had his moments. Ezra Shaw/Getty Images/AFPSource: AFP
It doesn’t sound like his camp wants him to be a part of those plans either.
ESPN’s NBA insider Shams Charania reported in April that Kuminga’s camp was “exhausted” by the disrespect after two straight DNPs, and then after Golden State’s elimination said that the Warriors are expected to see if there is a potential sign-and-trade landing spot for him.
That would give Golden State the opportunity to continue building around Curry, Butler and Green, with Charania reporting their “priority” is a “playmaking wing defender” or “center”.
HOW TRADED STAR FLIPPED THE SCRIPT IN PLAYOFFS REDEMPTION
Steve Kerr was not expecting Julius Randle to author his Warriors downfall.
Randle had two disappointing postseasons with the Knicks as he battled injuries. When he was traded to the Timberwolves this offseason, many felt the Knicks had won the deal while landing Karl Anthony-Towns.
Kerr would have agreed earlier in the season after playing Minnesota — but not anymore, not after Randle put up massive numbers and helped lead Minnesota to the Western Conference Finals for the second straight year.
After the Timberwolves eliminated the Warriors in five games, culminating with a 121-110 win Wednesday where Randle led all scorers with 29 points in a 13-of-18 shooting performance, the Warriors coach sung the big man’s praises.
“Julius Randle was incredible. What a series,” Kerr said postgame.
“He’s always been a really good player in this league. I think he has taken a leap. I remember playing here early in the season and it looked like a tough fit. They didn’t have the spacing … They missed (Karl-Anthony) Towns. Fast forward to now, he’s 13 for 18. He was incredible the whole series. We couldn’t stop him.”
Julius Randle stood tall. (Photo by Ellen Schmidt/Getty Images)
Julius Randle stood tall. (Photo by Ellen Schmidt/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
The Randle playoff turnaround certainly quiets any narratives he picked up during his time as a Knick, where he shot 29.8 and 37.1 percent from the field in the 2021 and 2023 playoffs, respectively.
Randle wasn’t just criticised for his poor play on the court prior to this postseason, but also his body language and attitude were a sight for sore eyes as he appeared to unravel as the heat turned up.
The Timberwolves’ big man has been a force on the inside this postseason, shooting 50.9 percent from the field in 10 playoff games and ranking second on the team with 23.9 points per game.
His high-level performance has been the X-Factor for Minnesota’s playoff run, led by Anthony Edwards with Randle as his running mate.
Coming up short in the playoffs with the Knicks sure seems to be a thing of the past, but his next test could bring those bad habits back out for Minnesota.
The Timberwolves easily bested the big man-less Lakers in five games in the first round, while the Warriors — also without a traditional center — fell in five with Steph Curry missing the last four contests.
Golden State typically opts to play 6-foot-6 forward Draymond Green as its lone center.
Having down the Nuggets in the other West semifinals series, Oklahoma City has loads of defenders and big men to throw at Randle.
Randle would matchup with old teammate Isaiah Hartenstein, as well as Chet Holmgren and Jaylen Williams, among other potential stoppers.
— Erich Richter, New York Post