pressure [ presh-er ]

continuous physical force exerted on or against an object by something in contact with it.

the use of persuasion, influence, or intimidation to make someone do something.

As the 2023 NBA Playoffs kickoff today, all 16 teams face some level of pressure. It’s often a mix of both definitions — the physical aspect of talent and skill and then the mental side which includes things like sports IQ and outside pressure from the media and fans.

Expectations play a large role in these pressures. Some teams are happy just to be playing meaningful basketball in April while others have expectations of a deep run with championship aspirations. These rankings aren’t solely dependent on winning the title, but rather having success in the playoffs. Yes I know that’s subjective and muddies the water, but these are my rules.

16. Brooklyn Nets

If you’re creating this list pre-trade deadline they’re probably in the #1 spot but with KD and Kyrie on new teams and the Nets gobbling up assets for payment, there is zero pressure for them. They’ve already exceeded expectations by avoiding the play-in and hanging strong as the 6 seed. Any success they have now is gravy. If Mikal Bridges can drag this squad to a 6 or 7 game series with Philly, that’s the cherry on top.

15. Minnesota Wolves

When the Wolves acquired Rudy Gobert this offseason 99.5% of NBA fans knew that it wasn’t going to launch them into Western Conference contenders. Even the biggest, passionate Wolves fans would tell you that getting a Top 4 seed would’ve been a really good year. Gobert’s contract and decline is such a disaster that there’s little pressure on the Wolves to have success in the playoffs. This team needs Cancun desperately.

14. New York Knicks

It feels a bit odd to put the Knicks this far down the list but they aren’t facing a ton of pressure to go on a run. Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle have become quite the 1-2 punch and ending up as the 5-seed in year one has gotta make Knicks fans cautiously optimistic about the next few years. They’re not favorites against the Cavs, nor should they be. As long as they make it a competitive series, they’ll head into the offseason with a ton of momentum for next season. Making it a competitive series is where the pressure lies, because if the Cavs win it in 4-5 games, then the Knicks are still the Knicks we’ve come to enjoy ridiculing.

13. Trae Young Atlanta Hawks

The pressure is more on Trae Young than the Hawks in my eyes. Rumors have started to leak that the Hawks would be open to moving on from Trae in the offseason. Trae and the Hawks are big underdogs against the Celtics, but if he is truly a franchise player…he has to help make this a pain-in-the-ass series for the Celtics. If he can’t do that – through scoring, playmaking, and being the type of teammate dudes like playing with, then it might be time to go in a different direction. Beating the Heat helped alleviate some pressure, but they can’t get swept.

12. Miami Heat

You can make the case that they belong anywhere from here at #12 to as high as the top 5. The way this season has gone, naturally there aren’t high expectations as the playoffs start and it doesn’t help that they’re playing the best team in the league. Other than the Warriors and a LeBron-led team, there isn’t a team like Miami that gets more of the benefit of the doubt that they can flip a switch and figure it out again. The pressure for the Heat is whether or not this window is closed shut and what that does for the future of Jimmy Butler. Even with that, by going up against Giannis and Co. there’s less pressure. Similar to teams already mentioned, the pressure will be whether or not they make it a competitive series.

11. Sacramento Kings

Once you’ve picked your jaw up off the ground from a 3 seed being so low on my list….hear me out. The last time the Kings made the playoffs was in 2006! Over half the league makes the playoffs and they’ve been so skilled at finding ways not to make it. Granted, the West has been loaded for a while but still! Fox and Sabonis have both taken leaps forward, Mike Brown is the presumed Coach-of-the-Year, and they have the beam! Part of me wanted to say that everything else is gravy, but they’ve demonstrated that this probably isn’t a fluke. And that’s where their pressure will be. Facing the defending champs and team of the decade is an unfortunate matchip, but I think they’re up for the task. If you give these fans 2-3 playoff wins after a decade and a half of not making the playoffs altogether, then I think they succeeded.

10. Memphis Grizzlies

Memphis was ahead of schedule the last few years and for a while it appeared like they were going to take another leap this year. I wouldn’t call it a setback or even a down year. Far from it. After winning 11 in a row to kickoff 2023, they went 2-8 in their next 10 games and then they had to deal with the Ja Morant issue. Between the off court stuff and season ending injuries to two of their big men, I think the pressure is less than what it could be. That said, this Grizzlies team is hungry, tough, and not shy about any fight. They’ve brought that pressure on themselves which is why I think they have more pressure than the Kings but less than the two LA teams that they’re better than.

9. Cleveland Cavaliers

The LeBron-less Cavs are legit frisky ECF contenders. Expectations were rightly raised after the Donovan Mitchell trade and they’ve lived up to them. They’re probably two years ahead of schedule because of that trade but as the #1 ranked defense and plenty of offensive firepower, they have all the critical elements needed to go on a run. Similar to the Kings, the Cavs need to demonstrate that they need to be taken seriously. It’s far from catastrophic if they lose to the Knicks but winning that series and giving Giannis hell will determine how successful they were and what their ceiling is next year.

8. Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers appear on the list before the Clippers because LeBron and AD have won a title together, while their LA counterparts have yet to even make an appearance, let alone look the part of a contender. That said, there’s still a ton of pressure on this Lakers team to make a run. They won their title during the weirdest season ever in the bubble and while some NBA fans like to have fun with Lakers fans about whether it should have an asterisk…the bubble title and the lack of success since, continues to hang over them. Toss in the impacts these playoffs can have on LeBron and AD’s legacy and the pressure rockets up. That said, LeBron is 38 in year 20, AD still has durability issues, and they waited too long to ship off Westbrook for better complementary players. There’s plenty of pressure…but everyone understands the situation.

7. Los Angeles Clippers

I struggled figuring out where to put them. On paper, they should probably be the #1 team on this list. But with Paul George being out for the first round and their overall inability to ever truly gel with consistent lineups and rotations…the pressure is a little less than the #1 spot. You could even convince me that they should be listed earlier. The Suns are a nightmare first-round draw, but if the Clippers can’t go on a run now…will they ever? That’s where their pressure is. And then there’s Kawhi’s legacy which is the quietest elephant in the room. Does he truly belong on the same level as LeBron and KD when you talk about this generation? I’m not so sure.

6. Golden State Warriors

The defending champs have done a half-assed job of defending the title. Draymond punching a teammate, nagging injuries for Steph and Klay, and an Andrew Wiggins sabbatical didn’t help. But for a team who has been here before and has shown the ability to flip the switch, it wouldn’t surprise me – nor should it you – if they go on a run. You halfway expect them to. Defending a title is always hard which is why you rarely see it defended. You’re getting the best from everyone every single night and there’s a natural pressure that comes with that. Add in the uncertain future of many of the key contributors and the pressure is on to go defend this thing.

5. Boston Celtics

They could definitely be higher on this list. Getting your ass kicked on your home court in the Finals is a tough pill to swallow and it will either make or break most, which is why their quick start to the season was encouraging. They’ve hid their skids which is part of every season. With Jayson and Jaylen, the understanding is that the window will be open for the next 5-10 years so there’s not a true sense of urgency. That said, from a legacy standpoint, Celtics history and culture standpoint, and losing the finals standpoint…there’s enough pressure on them to land in the Top 5. But if they don’t make it out of the East or win it all….the sky won’t start falling. I can’t say the same for the next team.

4. Milwaukee Bucks

They’ve won a title in the last five years so they don’t have that “first-one” pressure, but it’s a bit of a Giannis legacy fork-in-the-road moment. He’s not going anywhere anytime soon. But there’s one path where it’s the Kevin Garnett path where an all-timer won his championship…but you feel like he somehow underachieved from a winning standpoint. The other path is the Tim Duncan one. All timer, fantastic teammate, multiple titles…and a dynasty of sorts. Giannis and the Bucks can be that. I really think that. But if they lose to the younger Celtics once again…then where do they go from here? Especially with Middleton turning 32, dealing with nagging injuries, and also a free agent in 2024 (assuming he picks up his player option this summer). With Giannis, the window is always going to be open but is he more KG or more Tim Duncan?

3. Phoenix Suns

Where to start with all their pressures? The aging and less durable Chris Paul? The aging and less durable Kevin Durant? The legacy of both of those dudes? All the draft capital they traded for KD? The potential of Mikal Bridges turning into an All-NBA player while the Suns remain ringless? The new owner who encouraged that trade and wants to win now? The Suns are dealing with multiple pressures and a nucleus that needs to win it all. Reaching another conference finals won’t be enough. It’s Finals or bust for Phoenix. Talk about pressure.

2. Philadelphia 76ers

I find so much joy by having to put Philly in the Top 2. While it’s a different core from 6+ years ago, Joel Embiid is The Process, the origin of “Trust the Process” and all the hope and optimism that’s been brewing in Philly the last decade. He’s been such a fun dude to watch year after year as he’s figured it out. He’s put in the work to make himself better each year and he’ll reap that reward individually with a well-deserved MVP. But with all that success and hope, they haven’t reached the conference finals since 2001 with A.I. I’m not saying there’s more pressure on them to win the Finals than the Suns or Bucks or Celtics, but there’s overwhelming pressure to at least reach the conference finals. Add in James Harden’s playoff failures and Doc Rivers’ epic playoff collapses, the level of pressure is off the chart.

1. Denver Nuggets

I had a tough time figuring out if Denver or Philly belonged in the top spot. I ended up going with Denver largely based on Jokic. As someone who has won back-to-back league MVPs and was very much in the running to win it again this year and three-peat, we need to see the Nuggets go on a playoff run where Jokic takes his game up another level. He just needs to. The same goes for coach Mike Malone and the supporting cast of Murray and MPJ. Yes they made the conference finals in 2020 but that was right before the Nuggets became the Nuggets of today. This team needs to demonstrate that they belong as a legit contender. Similar to Philly, I’m not even saying that they need to win the conference but they need to be in position to do so. Are they on the path of the mid-2000s Mavs of regular season success and underachieving playoffs? Or can they get over the hump and be different? If they get bounced prior to making the conference finals, there’s going to be some roster shakeups.

Playoff predictions real quickly….

Bucks over Celtics, Warriors over Nuggets, with the Bucks hoisting the trophy.