The first round of the NBA playoffs is well underway, with most matchups in both the Western and Eastern Conference having already played Game 1 and setting the tone for their respective series.
On Sunday, the top-seeded Boston Celtics got their first-round series underway against the underdog Miami Heat, who will likely have to play the entire series without superstar Jimmy Butler.
Without Butler, who is on the mend with a knee injury, the Heat didn’t stand a chance against the Celtics, with Jayson Tatum recording a triple-double and the East’s top seed winning by 20.
ESPN’s Mike Greenberg believes that the Celtics are the team with the most pressure to succeed during these NBA playoffs, considering how well they played in the regular season and all the expectations the storied franchise has this season, via ESPN Radio.
.@Espngreeny unveils who is under the most pressure in the #NBA this postseason 🏀 pic.twitter.com/WXU5Dal1QM
— ESPN Radio (@ESPNRadio) April 19, 2024
After the Celtics, Greenberg believes veteran head coach Doc Rivers of the Milwaukee Bucks is under a ton of pressure, which already doesn’t bode well for him with Giannis Antetokounmpo dealing with a calf injury that could keep him out of the first round and beyond.
Then Greenberg goes with Kevin Durant, who hasn’t seen much success since leaving the Golden State Warriors, even though he’s on a very talented Phoenix Suns.
The Suns haven’t lived up to expectations and are already off to a slow start, with Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves crushing Phoenix by 25 in Game 1.
The Los Angeles Clippers come in at No. 4, and while the team started their series against the Dallas Mavericks without Kawhi Leonard, they were able to prevail in Game 1.
Finally, Greenberg makes his most head-scratching choice in Jalen Brunson, who led the New York Knicks to the second seed in the East but will be without star teammate Julius Randle in the postseason.
NEXT:
Kristaps Porzingis Sends A Clear Message After Game 1 Win
