Headline: A New Era Unfolds: NBA Playoffs Set for Dramatic Showdown Among Championship Rookies

The concept of “championship experience” is currently observing from the sidelines.

This year, the last three winners of the NBA title—the Boston Celtics, Denver Nuggets, and Golden State Warriors—were all ousted in the conference semifinals. Consequently, we are looking at a span of seven years (2019-2025) during which seven distinct teams have claimed the NBA championship.

Not only are we on the brink of witnessing another relatively fresh champion, but three of the four remaining franchises (excluding the Oklahoma City Thunder’s prior identity in Seattle) have yet to secure an NBA title, while the New York Knicks have been title-less for an astonishing 52 years.

Very few players among the remaining teams boast championship experience. Within the four teams still in contention, only three rotation players—Oklahoma City’s Alex Caruso, New York’s OG Anunoby, and Indiana’s Pascal Siakam—have played meaningful roles in the playoffs on championship-winning squads.

This unfolding situation is unprecedented, and it promises to be intriguing to watch how the upcoming three series develop.

Plus-Minus Players of the conference semifinals

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Earlier…

OffRtg: Points scored per 100 possessions (League Rank)
DefRtg: Points surrendered per 100 possessions (League Rank)
NetRtg: Point differential per 100 possessions (League Rank)
Pace: Possessions per 48 minutes (League Rank)

Throughout the playoffs, the 16 teams have averaged 112.0 points scored for every 100 possessions and saw 95.7 possessions (per team) in 48 minutes, a decrease from the 113.7 points and 99.6 possessions recorded during the regular season for all 30 teams.

The NBA.com Power Rankings, published every Monday in the season, reflect the opinion of one individual. If you have any concerns about the rankings or would like to reach out to John Schuhmann, feel free to send him an email or connect through threads.