NBA Roundtable: Looking back at an action-packed postseason

The 2022-23 NBA playoffs have come to an end, and so there’s now an opportunity to reflect on some standout moments and low points from the postseason.

Favorite moment

White saves Celtics’ season

It doesn’t get much better than the ending of Game 6 between the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics. Boston’s chances of forcing a Game 7 looked bleak after Jimmy Butler sank three free throws to give Miami a one-point lead with three seconds left. Then Derrick White somehow beat everyone to rebound a Marcus Smart three and score. Heat fans initially cheered as the shot appeared to come after the buzzer, but the replay showed White got it off just in time. Although losing Game 7 probably tarnished the moment, White still produced one of the greatest season-saving buzzer-beaters ever. – Jonathan Soveta

Kings play 1st home playoff game in 17 years

It was special to see postseason basketball back in California’s capital. Sacramento hadn’t made the playoffs since 2005-06, and you could feel the excitement from the opening tip of Game 1. The ring of cowbells from a sold-out crowd evoked memories of the franchise’s heyday at Arco Arena. It was a thrilling back-and-forth affair against the Golden State Warriors, with the Kings eventually prevailing thanks to massive fourth-quarter efforts from De’Aaron Fox and Malik Monk. The beam was then lit to cap off a memorable evening for the long-suffering fan base. – Chicco Nacion

LeBron turns back clock for raucous Lakers crowd

In LeBron James’ first opportunity to play postseason games in front of a full Los Angeles Lakers crowd (L.A. had limited capacity in 2021 due to COVID), he didn’t disappoint. With the Lakers holding a 2-1 series lead over the Memphis Grizzlies and looking to take full control in Game 4, the 38-year-old was up to the task. James played over 45 minutes, the most he had logged in a postseason contest since 2018. Sure, 22 points probably isn’t what you think of as a vintage performance, but he collected a playoff career-high 20 rebounds and came through in the clutch. James finished a game-tying layup in the final seconds of the fourth quarter and later sealed the overtime victory with an and-1. – Lior Kozai

Best single-game performance

Butler explodes for 56 vs. Bucks

Maybe this was the first sign that Butler had a unreal postseason run in store. Butler detonated for a career-high 56 points at home, including 21 in the fourth, to put the 8-seed Heat up 3-1 against the top-ranked Milwaukee Bucks in the first round. His exploits were highlighted by a pair of clutch 3-pointers. He got buckets from all over the court – bullying his way into the paint for layups, using screens to get open mid-rangers, and drilling contested threes. Butler found himself in the record books after setting a franchise high for most points in a playoff appearance and tying Michael Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain, and Charles Barkley for the fourth-highest scoring total in a postseason game. – Donald Higney

Tatum puts on show in Game 7

Tatum’s 51-point display in Round 2 against the Philadelphia 76ers was one of the lasting performances of the postseason, and not just because he broke a Game 7 scoring record that Stephen Curry had set just two weeks prior. Tatum was far from convincing in his team’s Game 6 win, shooting 5-of-21 for 19 points. But he returned to form in the series finale, following up a 25-point first half with 17 in the third quarter, including a two-minute stretch when he scored 10 straight for the Celtics. Philly simply had no answer for Tatum in one of the NBA’s greatest Game 7 performances. – Soveta

Jokic drops historic triple-double in Finals

Nikola Jokic posted the NBA Finals’ first-ever 30-point, 20-rebound, 10-assist triple-double in Game 3 against the Miami Heat, and it was as crucial as it was effortless. After losing home court in Game 2, the two-time MVP absolutely dominated in the paint on the road. Twenty-four of his 32 points came inside the arc, and his 21 boards helped the Nuggets crush the Heat 58 to 33 on the glass. Jokic’s series-saving performance perfectly encapsulates him as a player. There was no flash, no dunks, and only one made three, but The Joker’s historical brilliance trumped any stat line the all-time greats have mustered in the championship round. – Matthew Winick

Biggest revelation

Caleb Martin steps up amid injuries

Miami’s run to the Finals as an 8-seed might have not materialized without Martin. Whether it was providing shotmaking or crashing the glass, the fourth-year forward did whatever the Heat asked. With Tyler Herro and Victor Oladipo sidelined, Martin adopted a more aggressive mindset on offense. His scoring punch off the bench kept the team afloat whenever Butler sat down.

Martin played arguably his best stretch of basketball during the East finals, averaging 19.3 points on 60.2% shooting – including 48.9% from deep – to go along with 6.4 boards and 1.7 assists. The 27-year-old stepped up in both of his starts that series, tallying 21 and 26 points in Game 6 and 7, respectively, as he finished one vote shy of capturing East finals MVP honors.

Martin is the latest success story from the Heat’s player development system, and the club has him locked in through at least next season at a team-friendly $6.8 million. – Nacion

Jamal Murray shines in playoffs … again

Murray showed off his talent and knack for elevating his game in big moments with his terrific playoff performances in 2020. However, many people remained skeptical of how “real” his play was, given the bubble environment and the fact that Murray has never been an All-Star. Three years later – two removed from an ACL tear that caused him to miss consecutive postseasons – the Canadian guard has eliminated any doubt. Murray averaged 26.1 points and 7.1 assists as the Nuggets dominated throughout the playoffs, spearheaded by the two-man game between him and Jokic. The dynamic guard proved to be the perfect No. 2 option for a championship squad. – Kozai

Austin Reaves takes another leap

Reaves played a crucial role as the Lakers reached the playoffs but took another step when they got there. Averaging almost 17 points per game in 16 postseason contests, the 24-year-old was a steadying force in the backcourt as D’Angelo Russell struggled. Reaves scored at least 20 points in three of four games against the Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals, consistently showing up alongside James and Anthony Davis as a reliable option over the postseason and sometimes even taking over as the main source of scoring. The restricted free agent will be rewarded handsomely with a nice contract this offseason. The Lakers would be wise to match any offer that comes Reaves’ way. – Higney

Most intriguing series

Heat avoid epic collapse, upset Celtics

Calling the Eastern Conference finals a roller coaster might be the understatement of the season. Going into the series as massive favorites, the No. 2 Celtics dropped the first three games to the No. 8 Heat, including two at home. Suddenly, the presumed winners were now without a hope. After all, teams down 0-3 in an NBA playoff series were 0-150. However, after two blowout wins and the aforementioned miracle tip from White, a different outlooked emerged. The Celtics were widely expected to win Game 7 on their home floor and complete a historic four-game comeback, but yet again, expectations were upended. Of course, the Heat won the series finale with ease because if there’s anything Boston versus Miami taught us, it’s that the unexpected is simply just the norm. – Winick

Warriors top upstart Kings in 7-game thriller

There was a lot of Golden State in this season’s Sacramento squad. Kings head coach Mike Brown, who spent the previous six years on Steve Kerr’s staff, designed an offensive system similar to his former colleague’s. The decision paid immediate dividends as Sacramento snapped its NBA-record playoff drought and set a new single-season league mark for offensive efficiency.

Brown and Kerr’s familiarity with one another made for an intriguing chess match. There were times when the younger Kings looked to have the upper hand, using their superior pace to take a 2-0 series lead. However, Golden State’s experience eventually prevailed as Curry dropped a then-Game 7-record 50 points on the road to put away the upstart Kings. – Nacion

Lakers tame Grizzlies

The budding 2-seed Grizzlies seemed like a nightmare matchup for an older Lakers squad led by 38-year-old James. And no one cast more doubt on them than Dillon Brooks, who called the 20-year vet “old” after Memphis won Game 2. Cue the Gob Bluth GIFs.

After James tersely addressed Brooks in person before Game 3, the Lakers looked like an entirely different team the rest of the series. By the time L.A. won Game 6 to move on, it was obvious Brooks had poked the wrong bear. A little trash talk always ups a series’ excitement factor for neutrals, but Brooks’ mind games backfiring so disastrously made this one of the playoffs’ must-watch matchups. – Soveta

Most disappointing exit

Milwaukee Bucks

Yes, Giannis Antetokounmpo missed all but 11 minutes of the first three games as the Bucks fell into a 2-1 series deficit. Yes, the Heat proved to be far better than a typical No. 8 seed. Even with those caveats, there’s simply no excuse for how Milwaukee’s season ended. After going 58-24 with an elite regular-season defense, the Bucks were absolutely shredded by Butler and the Heat’s shooters. Milwaukee blew double-digit leads in the fourth quarter of Game 4 and Game 5, falling apart at the seams. Head coach Mike Budenholzer was fired as a consequence of his failure to adjust while his squad’s championship hopes slipped away in the first round. – Kozai

Los Angeles Clippers

Another season, another disappointing playoff exit for the Clippers. The team has no shot at a championship without Kawhi Leonard, who reportedly tore his meniscus and only played in the first two games of the series. The 31-year-old hasn’t played in more than 60 games in a campaign since winning a championship with the Raptors in 2019, the infamous load management season. The days of his reliability feel like a mirage at this point in his career, which isn’t his fault. However, without some sort of miracle in player development for the rest of the roster or an equally miraculous return to health for the core, it’s hard to envision the Clippers winning anything of note. – Higney

Philadelphia 76ers

The 76ers finally seemed poised to end their streak of second-round exits, leading their series with the Celtics 3-2 and with a home Game 6 on deck. Instead, they scored just 86 points in defeat and then got walloped on the road in Game 7. Everything is now up in the air for the 76ers. Doc Rivers was relieved of his head coaching duties, with the team now hoping Nick Nurse can regain the magic he wielded during the Raptors’ championship run in 2019. James Harden’s future is yet to be settled with his impending free agency this summer. And even though Joel Embiid finally won this year’s MVP, the league saw rival big man Jokic breeze through the playoffs immediately after watching the Cameroonian fall on his face yet again. Things may have turned out so differently if Philadelphia was able to close out Boston. – Winick