After enduring a grueling 82-game season that lasted over six months, the NBA finally entered the offseason. Only 16 out of the 30 teams, including the Mavericks, Lakers, Celtics, Pacers, and Knicks, made it to the playoffs.

Following an astonishing first round of the playoffs, teams considered favorites to advance to the finals, such as the Los Angeles Lakers, found themselves exiting in the first round. In an interview after the game, LeBron James, a famed player for the Lakers and a 21-year veteran of the sport, said, “I started looking at the schedule for the US team, but I’m mainly looking at family. The main goal is to play with my kid.”

Throughout the NBA season, a popular activity is betting on the teams through sites like DraftKings. Senior Ciaran Snyder expressed, “From what I’ve seen so far, the most surprising team is the Minnesota Timberwolves. They’ve been really solid to me, and I believe the Timberwolves will face the Boston Celtics in the finals, with the Celtics winning in 6 games.” Similar sentiments are echoed by other LJHS students, including sophomore Max Wendel, who predicts, “In the finals, the Timberwolves will prevail in 6 games against the Celtics. My favorite team, the Heat, lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Celtics.”