NBA Playoffs Predictions: Three Underdogs That Are Most Likely to Make a Run

April 17, 2023

Aaron identifies three playoff teams who could pull off first-round upsets in the 2023 NBA playoffs and make a run at the NBA title.

The 2023 NBA playoffs are now underway and filled with exciting matchups. While we have many familiar faces in this year’s playoffs such as LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Stephen Curry, there are also many young players making their postseason debuts. Looking to make some noise in the playoffs are rising stars like De’Aaron Fox, Jalen Brunson, and Darius Garland. 

To spice things up even more, there are some underdogs with overwhelming talent that rivals their higher-seeded opponents. Combined with the playoff experience of some of the lower-seeded teams, there will definitely be some underdogs that can make a deep run in this year’s postseason. 

In this article, we will list three of the underdogs that have the highest chance to upset their first-round matchup and make a run for the championship. Note: “Underdogs” will be considered as the lower-seeded team (seeds 5-8) in the first-round matchups.

The Los Angeles Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers are undeniably one of the teams with the most playoff experience this year. They are led by superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis, who have a combined 5 rings, one of which they won together in 2020. With this level of expertise guiding the team, the Lakers should have the advantage in clutch situations and long, drawn-out series.

This squad also has many key pieces to support James and Davis. The return of D’Angelo Russell gives the Lakers another deadly asset to their offense. He can run the pick-and-roll beautifully with Davis or get a bucket when necessary. Second-year Austin Reaves is another threat that teams have to be wary of. He is great at attacking the gaps, which can lead to an open Lakers three or an easy layup. Filling up the Lakers bench are great three-point shooters in Malik Beasley and Lonnie Walker IV and a well-rounded forward in Rui Hachimura. 

What’s even scarier is that the Lakers have been getting into a rhythm to end the regular season, winning 11 of their last 15 games, including the play-in game against the Timberwolves. This momentum could transfer to their postseason run, allowing them to go further than expected.

Of course, the Lakers’ first-round matchup should not be taken lightly. They will need to overcome a tight Grizzlies core that has played together for a few seasons. The key to this matchup will be whether the Lakers can stop the explosive driving power of Ja Morant. Despite a tough series ahead of them, the Lakers have the tools necessary to challenge even the favorites for the chip.

The Golden State Warriors

Coming off an NBA title just last year, it is surprising to see the Warriors sitting at a low 6th-seed. Their season has been full of struggles, especially in their away games. The Warriors have the worst away game record of all the teams in the postseason, only winning 11 of those 41 games. Being the underdog, as a result, could prove challenging for them, as they will likely not have the home-court advantage for any of their series. 

However, it would be a mistake to count them out this early. The Warriors are a seasoned team, having won 4 championships with their core of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green. These players not only know how to lead their team to success, but they also have unmatched chemistry that can only come from years of playing together. 

The X-factor of this squad is All-Star Andrew Wiggins, who was a solid scorer and provided valuable defense during last year’s title run. He has missed significant time during the last stretch of the season due to personal issues, making him a bit rusty coming into the postseason. If he can get himself to play at a level similar to last year’s playoffs, there are very few teams that can stop the Warriors.

If the Warriors want to make a deep playoff run, they will first need to beat the young and talented Kings squad. Their main point of attack is De’Aaron Fox, a quick guard who can score at ease. Alongside him is another deadly scorer in Malik Monk and reliable big man Domantas Sabonis. This trio will certainly present a challenge for the Warriors, but the championship experience of the Dubs should carry them through the series. 

The New York Knicks

The Knicks are a team with very little playoff success in the past decade. Since 2014, they’ve only made the playoffs once in 2021, when they lost to the Atlanta Hawks in the first round. However, their previous playoff record should not be any indication of what they can do this year.

In the 2022 offseason, the Knicks added Jalen Brunson to their roster, a crafty point guard who can get a bucket in a multitude of ways. He has risen to the challenge of leading his new team, averaging an impressive 24.0 PTS on 49.1 FG%. Accompanying Brunson is power forward Julius Randle, who averaged a double-double this season with 25.1 PTS and 10.0 REB. Throughout the entire year, these two have been the foundation for the Knicks.

What can give this team the edge in the first round of the postseason is their sixth man Immanuel Quickley. He ended this season with some insane performances, averaging 23.6 PTS over his final 5 games. Although he will most likely not play at this level in the playoffs, he can give the Knicks a much-needed spark off the bench.

The first round will definitely be a close one, as the Cavaliers also have the talent to rival the Knicks. Guards Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland provide a lot of offensive firepower for the squad, while Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen protect the paint. Either the Knicks or Cavs can take this series, making it a must-watch for NBA fans.