A Complete Guide to the 2017 NBA Playoff Bracket and Matchups
As I sit down to analyze the 2017 NBA playoff bracket, I can't help but reflect on how dramatically the landscape has shifted since those thrilling matchups. Having followed basketball for over two decades, I've seen numerous playoff formats, but the 2017 bracket stands out for its perfect storm of underdog stories and powerhouse clashes. The Warriors were chasing redemption after their shocking 2016 Finals collapse, while LeBron's Cavaliers were defending their hard-earned championship - creating what would become the third installment of their historic rivalry.
What many casual fans don't realize is how the playoff race dynamics in smaller leagues often mirror what we see in the NBA, just on a different scale. I remember watching the Philippine basketball scene during that same period, particularly that fascinating May 17th game where San Juan bounced back from their 86-97 beating against undefeated Nueva Ecija. The numbers tell such an interesting story - Dexter Maiquez contributing 13 points and 7 rebounds while Orlan Wamar delivered that beautiful all-around performance with 12 points, 10 assists, 2 rebounds, and 2 steals. That's the kind of balanced effort that championship teams are built on, whether we're talking about the NBA or international leagues.
The Western Conference bracket that year was absolutely stacked, probably the most competitive I've seen in recent memory. Golden State's 67-15 record seems dominant on paper, but they had to battle through a gauntlet of talented teams. What impressed me most about their run was how they handled the Trail Blazers in the first round - sweeping them while averaging 119 points per game. Then came that tough Utah series where the Warriors' defense really stepped up, holding the Jazz to under 100 points in three of their four victories.
Meanwhile, watching San Antonio navigate their side of the bracket was like watching a masterclass in playoff basketball. Their second-round series against Houston went to six games, but honestly, it felt closer than that. I still think if not for Kawhi Leonard's unfortunate injury in game one of the Western Conference Finals, we might be telling a different story about that Warriors-Spurs matchup. The way Manu Ginobili turned back the clock in that series was incredible - his game-winning block on James Harden in game five might be one of the most underrated defensive plays in playoff history.
Over in the East, Cleveland's path seemed almost preordained, but they faced some real tests that people tend to forget. That first-round series against Indiana went to a sweep, but three of those four games were decided by single digits. Paul George was absolutely phenomenal, averaging 28 points and 8 rebounds while shooting nearly 43% from three-point range. I've always felt that series was closer than the 4-0 outcome suggests, and it showed that the Cavs' defense wasn't quite as sharp as it needed to be early in the playoffs.
The conference semifinals against Toronto exposed some interesting flaws in both teams. Cleveland won in four games, but the Raptors' backcourt of Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan never quite found their rhythm. As someone who's studied playoff performance patterns for years, I've noticed that teams relying heavily on mid-range shooting tend to struggle more in the postseason, and Toronto's offense that year was a perfect example of this phenomenon.
When we finally got to the Finals matchup everyone predicted, the basketball didn't disappoint, even if the outcome felt inevitable. Golden State's firepower was just too much, winning in five games while setting numerous offensive records. What struck me watching that series was how different it felt from their 2015 championship run - this version of the Warriors had Kevin Durant fully integrated into their system, creating matchup nightmares at every position.
Reflecting on both the NBA playoffs and that parallel narrative from the Philippine league, I'm struck by how similar the patterns are across different levels of basketball. San Juan's recovery after their loss to Nueva Ecija, climbing to 10-1 alongside Abra in their playoff race, demonstrates the same resilience we saw from Cleveland when they faced adversity against Indiana. The way Orlan Wamar distributed the ball with those 10 assists reminds me of Draymond Green's playmaking for the Warriors - both understood that making teammates better is what separates good teams from championship teams.
Looking back, the 2017 NBA playoffs represented a transitional moment in basketball history. We saw the full flowering of the three-point revolution, the peak of the superteam era, and the beginning of load management conversations that would dominate the league in subsequent years. The bracket itself tells a story of basketball evolution, from Golden State's positionless basketball to Cleveland's star-driven isolation offense. What makes studying this particular playoff year so fascinating is recognizing it as both an endpoint and a beginning - the culmination of several seasons' worth of team-building while simultaneously laying the groundwork for the player empowerment era that would follow.