The 2023 NBA Playoffs are right around the corner as the regular season is winding down. We have a pretty great indication of which teams will be title contenders and which teams will be trying to make it out of the first round. Perhaps unlike most other seasons, the anticipation of some teams going up against each other will be extremely high. Specifically, there is bad blood between sides that want to take each other out in the Western Conference.
The Western Conference has bad blood brewing, and there are a host of players and teams that do not appreciate each other. Devin Booker has become a major irritant in the NBA as he has issues with a host of teams including Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks, and reigning champions Klay Thompson and the Golden State Warriors. What about Dillon Brooks, the NBA’s ultimate villain? Whether it is getting into it with All-Star players or even pushing a cameraman for no apparent reason, Brooks is trying to make a case that the Memphis Grizzlies are a tough team to handle in the West.
Of course, there are also rivalries and history between teams such as the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers. The modern NBA is often criticized for its lack of competition for the way top stars leave their teams and join up with other players, or for the lack of real hatred for one another. Perhaps those critics are not looking too closely because there are a host of teams that simply do not like each other, and most of them are condensed in the Western Conference.
Narrowing down the potential playoff teams, it is time to uncover the most heated and most interesting matchups in the Western Conference we are all anticipating. The most heated ones will be based on team rivalry and also individual rivalries of certain stars, whereas the most interesting matchups could lead to some all-time exciting results. Without further ado, here are the ten most heated and most interesting matchups we can look forward to in the postseason.
10. Dallas Mavericks vs. Memphis Grizzlies (Heated)
Credit: Fadeaway World
This series would be heated. As we will see throughout this article, the Memphis Grizzlies are the biggest villain in the NBA right now, led by ultimate villain Dillon Brooks. Brooks has done a fantastic job to make a name for himself in the NBA despite being a starting-caliber player at best, as he is always in the news for his on and off-the-court antics. If there is one team Brooks (and the Grizzlies) do not like, it is the Dallas Mavericks.
Remember, the Grizzlies are 2-1 in the regular season so far after the Mavericks ripped the opposition 137-96 in the opener. Since then, Memphis has won two straight, 112-108 and 104-88 with another game coming Monday evening. Other than Dillon Brooks’ kiss to the Mavericks crowd, which sparked a response from Luka Doncic, who might be “avoiding the matchup,” both teams are extremely talented with star names (Luka Doncic, Ja Morant, Kyrie Irving) and a postseason showdown between these two franchises would be simply fireworks.
9. Los Angeles Lakers vs. Memphis Grizzlies (Heated)
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The Los Angeles Lakers, much like the Grizzlies, will appear more than once. They are simply the most intriguing team in the NBA thanks to the continued brilliance and media overexposure of LeBron James, and the drama constantly surrounding the team and Anthony Davis. The Lakers improved after the trade deadline, getting rid of Russell Westbrook and adding D’Angelo Russell, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Malik Beasley. No doubt, once (or if) James returns from his injury, the Lakers have a good enough team to be a dark horse for the Western Conference Finals. Guess who they could face in a very heated matchup?
The team that forced Shannon Sharpe to get into it with Tee Morant, Ja Morant’s father. Interestingly, a verbal fight broke out between Dillon Brooks and Shannon Sharpe, who was a spectator, and it escalated from there. Tee Morant got involved, and a shouting matchup ensued, which made for some interesting television.
Other than the drama, Memphis has its own franchise star in Ja Morant, who should be returning soon after his off-court drama got him suspended for 8 games. Morant wants to lead Jaren Jackson Jr, Dillon Brooks, and Desmond Bane to a deeper playoff run than last year, and how amazing would it be if they played LeBron and the Lakers? Memphis has the third seed, so if the Lakers finish 6th, they could face them in the first round. Otherwise, a later matchup would be even more fascinating.
8. Memphis Grizzlies vs. Los Angeles Clippers (Heated)
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The game between the Memphis Grizzlies and the Los Angeles Clippers on March 5th, 2023, was simply wild. The game ended 135-129 for Los Angeles, and it was tight all the way until the end. We would all love another matchup like this in the playoffs, but before that, there is another game between the two franchises on March 29th and yet another one on March 31st. So buckle in, everybody.
Memphis seems to get scrappy when the other team has stars, and the Clippers are loaded with those thanks to Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and Russell Westbrook. A playoff showdown between two teams that were picked before the season to be title contenders would make for some very interesting basketball. This would be a heated matchup only if Ja Morant and Kawhi Leonard are available because, without them, everything changes for both teams.
7. Sacramento Kings vs. Dallas Mavericks (Interesting)
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Finally, the Sacramento Kings are relevant. It has been too long since the Kings were a playoff team (2006) which is why the franchise opted to trade budding star Tyrese Haliburton for an established All-Star in Domantas Sabonis last season. It has worked this year, as Sabonis and De’Aaron Fox have led the Kings to a very solid 43-27 record which is second in the West. Make no mistake, the Kings can play ball, and the improvement of Fox has made the team a legitimate team to watch out for.
A very fascinating matchup could come down to the Kings and the Mavericks in the playoffs. Both teams are extremely talented offensively, as the Kings managed an incredible 176 points against the Los Angeles Clippers in a regular-season game! Dallas can always score with the best of them thanks to Luka Doncic (33.0 PPG) and Kyrie Irving (27.4 PPG). Old heads might not like the scoreboard in their games, but it would be interesting for them to trade bucket after bucket.
6. Denver Nuggets vs. Los Angeles Lakers (Interesting)
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Are the Denver Nuggets for real? That is what everyone keeps asking as the team holds firmly onto the number one seed in the Western Conference, led by their two-time MVP Nikola Jokic. Whether Jokic wins another MVP or not remains to be seen as he has stiff competition from Joel Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo, but the big man will want more than that. Jokic and crew want to make the Western Conference Finals again as they did in 2020, except this time, they want to win and make the Finals.
They could very well do that, but it won’t be easy. Could a potential first-round matchup with LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and the Los Angeles Lakers deter them? Possibly, since Davis matches up well with Jokic and LeBron can still power by almost any defender in the NBA. The Lakers are currently in a play-in seed, and they could end up facing the Nuggets in the playoffs. Remember, the Nuggets and Lakers are tied 2-2 for the year, which means they have been equally as competitive. Can one imagine if LeBron and the Lakers knock off the number one-seeded Nuggets in the first round? That would not be a good look for Denver and it would surely be interesting to see.
5. Dallas Mavericks vs. Phoenix Suns (Heated)
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The Dallas Mavericks and Phoenix Suns do not like each other, plain and simple. No surprise, the beef runs deep between the two franchise stars Luka Doncic and Devin Booker. Last year, Luka embarrassed Phoenix and destroyed them in a pivotal Game 7 in the playoffs, ending the series thanks to a 123-90 victory. That was ugly for Phoenix, and Luka always seem to know how to troll based on his facial reactions. How about this season, when Booker trash-talked the Slovenian for missing a game-tying shot?
Luka did have some words after the game, making it clear that Booker should “not wait” with three seconds left in the game before acting tough and talking trash.
Perhaps even more interesting is the fact that the Mavericks have Kyrie Irving and the Lakers have Kevin Durant, both players who played together in Brooklyn this year. Can you imagine the fireworks and media drama that would happen if Luka and Booker go to battle while Kyrie and Durant faced each other? That would be simply fascinating basketball.
4. Golden State Warriors vs. Phoenix Suns (Interesting)
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Let’s start this one off with how Klay Thompson gained the first ejection of his career, thanks to Devin Booker. Booker does not seem like the type of man to get under opposing players’ skins, but he simply is. If you want to see why the Warriors and Suns would be a fascinating matchup in the playoffs, just watch these highlights:
Phoenix has a 3-1 series lead in the regular season, but that last game was simply fireworks. Klay Thompson made it clear to Booker that he has four rings to the player’s zero, and that is enough to end most arguments. Golden State is not the same team that won the championship last year, as they look inconsistent on both ends of the floor. In many ways, since Durant is in Phoenix now, the spark is even more interesting. Durant was a Golden State Warrior, gifting Steph Curry, Klay, and Draymond two rings, and him becoming their enemy in the playoffs would be beyond interesting considering the underlying drama.
3. Golden State Warriors vs. Memphis Grizzlies (Heated)
Credit: Fadeaway World
Golden State and Memphis do not like each other, spearheaded by the NBA’s two major villains in Dillon Brooks and Draymond Green. Brooks and Green have been chatting over the past few weeks, and it is getting really ugly. Green called Brooks an “idiot” while the latter does not seem to appreciate what Draymond has brought to Golden State. In other words, both players do not respect each other, and that’s a shame… for nobody.
Player beef is needed in the NBA because aggression and competition have been somewhat minimized in the modern era, and we need more players who hate each other. It did not stop there, as Klay Thompson once again mentioned his four rings at the expense of the Memphis Grizzlies, and Draymond got in Brooks’ face (rather awkwardly) once again. Since Golden State beat Memphis last year in the playoffs, there is bad blood between the franchises, and it would be amazing to see them battle it out on the court in the playoffs.
2. Los Angeles Lakers vs. Los Angeles Clippers (Heated)
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The Clippers are the Lakers’ younger cousin franchise that sits in the basement. That is simply the fact considering the Lakers have 17 NBA championships while the Clippers have not even made the NBA Finals once. These two franchises are always battling it out, especially when Kawhi Leonard stiffed the Lakers in the 2020 preseason and recruited Paul George to form a dynamic duo with the Clippers.
Can it be more interesting to see Leonard and George take on LeBron and Davis? What about the fact that Russell Westbrook had an awful stint with the Lakers and is now a Clipper? We were robbed of a 2020 playoff showdown with the Clippers and Lakers after the former choked despite being up 3-1 against the Denver Nuggets. At the same time, the Lakers want to prove they are a legitimate title contender, and their getting past the Clippers could prove that once and for all.
1. Los Angeles Lakers vs. Golden State Warriors (Interesting)
Credit: Fadeaway World
As mentioned before, the Lakers will be fortunate to avoid the play-in and finish with a guaranteed playoff spot. But even if they make the play-in tournament, their potential to pass the first round is possible. Things can change as the Warriors can lose games and end up competing with the Lakers in the play-in tournament or face the Purple and Gold later in the playoffs. Either way, this showdown would be very interesting.
The rivalry between the two runs deep. Remember, the Golden State Warriors have defeated LeBron James three times in the NBA Finals, and The King can’t afford to lose another series to them. At the same time, it would be extremely competitive between two teams that have been inconsistent all year and battle it out to prove they are title contenders for real. Golden State is fresh off the 2022 NBA title, while Los Angeles won the 2020 title, so a competition between them would be must-see basketball.
Source: fadeawayworld
