The NBA playoffs are so often determined by individual matchups. Superstar vs. superstar, player vs. scheme, coaching style vs. coaching style. It all ultimately leads to glorious victory or devastating defeat for the whole organization, but the path to both destinations is littered with individual victories and losses. Talent matters, of course, but after a certain point, everybody left in the postseason field is talented; the series is then determined by those individual battles.
Take the first round as an example. The Minnesota Timberwolves took down the Los Angeles Lakers in five games in part because Anthony Edwards solved a confusing defensive scheme from JJ Redick. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown went toe-to-toe with Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner to move onto the second round. Steve Kerr managed to outmaneuver Ime Udoka’s excellent defensive design to get the Golden State Warriors past the Houston Rockets.
