May 8, 2025
In classrooms across Erie High School, the usual spring chatter about finals and prom has found stiff competition in another kind of drama—playoff basketball. The NBA postseason has delivered chaos, upsets, and no shortage of surprises, and for juniors Jayden Lawson and Christopher Smith, this year’s road to the Finals is as riveting as ever.
“I picked the Nuggets, just because I’m a Nuggets fan,” said Smith with a grin, leaning into his loyalty despite a tough Western Conference field. “Hopefully they can beat OKC and win it all.”
Lawson, on the other hand, is betting on the East’s No. 2 seed and the defending champions.“I’m going Celtics because they have a very deep team,” he said. “They have very good three-point shooting, and no other team stands a chance against them—except for the Nuggets.”
Their differing picks underscore the dynamic unpredictability of this year’s playoffs. The Celtics, despite a dominant regular season and a strong first-round showing against Orlando, find themselves unexpectedly trailing 0-2 against a surging New York Knicks squad, losing both home games so far in the series. And while Denver has been consistent behind Nikola Jokic’s brilliance, they face a dangerous Oklahoma City team tied 1-1 in the Western Conference Semifinals.
As fans and analysts alike try to make sense of the madness, Smith and Lawson are offering their own insights—equal parts fan perspective and basketball analysis.
Jokic and White: Different Names, Big Impacts
Ask Smith who he sees as the most impactful player in the Finals, and there’s no hesitation.
“Obviously Jokic,” he said. “He’s the best player in the world. He’s been the best player in the world. So yeah, he’s going to do his thing.”
It’s a sentiment echoed by many, as the three-time MVP continues to put up staggering numbers in the postseason. In Game 1 against OKC, Jokic posted a historic 42 point and 22 rebound performance, with Aaron Gordon knocking down the game winning shot, reminding fans why Denver is still a serious threat to repeat. Jokic looks to bring another championship to the city of Denver and possibly a 4th MVP award to his name.
Lawson, however, looks elsewhere for Finals impact—not to a superstar, but to a role player he believes is undervalued.
“Probably Derrick White,” he said. “You know, he’s just a little underrated shooter out there.”
White, known for his perimeter defense, timely threes, and bald head, has quietly become a glue guy for Boston. White has been one of the team’s better shooters. He made the 4th most 3’s across the whole league in the regular season and has shot 46% from the field so far in the playoffs, which is the 2nd highest amongst Boston’s starters. He often flies under the radar while Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown grab headlines. For Lawson, that’s exactly why he sees him as a potential x-factor if Boston can turn their series around.
Underdogs and Unexpected Runs
If this year’s playoffs have proven anything, it’s that no seed is safe. The top-seeded Cavaliers, dominant in the first round with a 4-0 sweep of the Miami Heat, now find themselves in a 0-2 hole against the Indiana Pacers—raising eyebrows across the league.
“Looking at their last two games against the Cavs, [the Pacers] have done really good,” Lawson said. “I know the Cavs are injured, but they’ve still done good, and they have a good leader in Tyrese Haliburton.”
Tyrese Haliburton has shown up when the Pacers have needed him the most. He hit two game winning shots, one against the Milwaukee Bucks in game 5 of the first round to win the series and one against Cleveland in game 2. He has also recorded 5 double-doubles. The Pacers have a commanding 2-0 lead on the Cavaliers as they head back to their home court.
Smith, while less high on Indiana, sees another underdog with potential: the Warriors.
“I mean, they’re not really an underdog,” he admitted, “but they’re the 7 seed, so I think they can make a run just because of their experience.”
Golden State, despite a turbulent season and a narrow 4-3 escape from the Rockets in round one, remains alive in their series against the Timberwolves. With Stephen Curry sidelined due to injury, however, the Warriors’ odds are murky.
Injuries and Trades: The Playoff Wildcards
Injuries have loomed large across the bracket. Both students pointed to health—or the lack thereof—as a major factor in shaping the Finals outlook.
“It made a big impact,” said Smith. “Especially with the Cavs because they were missing probably three of their starters last game. Now they’re down 2-0 to the Pacers. I thought they were gonna win the East.”
Cleveland was without 2 starters in game 2 against Indiana, one of them was their stellar starting point guard in Darius Garland and the other was the 2024-25 Defensive Player of The Year in Evan Mobley. They were also missing a key off-the-bench player in De’Andre Hunter, a player who they acquired from the Atlanta Hawks in a midseason trade.
Lawson agreed, adding that even the West hasn’t been immune. “Curry’s injured. Cavs have three players injured. It’s really impacting their team to make the Finals.”
These injuries haven’t just changed the results—they’ve changed the narratives. Instead of a Cavs-Celtics clash in the East or a Warriors-Nuggets rematch out West, new contenders are emerging. Minnesota, led by Anthony Edwards and a reinvigorated Julius Randle, is tied 1-1 with Golden State, with a dominant 117-93 game 2 win and they’re looking hungry.
“I’m going Timberwolves,” said Lawson when asked who could stop his Celtics. His pick underscores how fluid these playoffs have become—favorites today can be eliminated tomorrow.
If Not Them, Then Who?
Both students have their dream matchups—Celtics vs. Nuggets—but are realistic about the possibility of upsets.
“If the Nuggets don’t win it all, it’s probably OKC,” Smith said. “They’ve got good guards. SGA is kind of tough.”
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the breakout star leading the Oklahoma City Thunder, has been sensational, helping OKC tie their series against Denver while providing leadership beyond his years. OKC bounced back from the game 1 loss with a dominant 43 point victory in game 2. However, questions still arise about how far they can go, as they lack extreme playoff experience. They have the second youngest team in the league. But their stifling defense, stellar backcourt, and first round dominance still crown them as heavy favorites to win the western conference.
Lawson, as mentioned, sees Minnesota as Boston’s biggest threat, but maintains faith in his pick despite the 0-2 deficit to New York. “They’ve got to bounce back,” he said. “They’re too deep to go out like this.”
The Minnesota Timberwolves are led by their young guard Anthony Edwards. Edwards has only been in the league for 5 years, but his impact in Minnesota was immediate. He averaged 27.6 points per game in the regular season and also drained 320 three-pointers, leading the league with that number. He brought his team to the 6th seed in the western conference, where they shocked the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round, taking down LeBron James and Luka Doncic in just 5 games, winning the series 4-1. They are also led by multiple time Defensive Player of The Year Rudy Gobert at the Center position. He was top 5 in blocks and top 10 rebounds in the regular season, heavily contributing to an outstanding Timberwolves defense that had the 6th best defensive rating in the regular season. The Timberwolves aim to advance to back-to-back conference finals appearances.
The Voice of the Fans
For Smith and Lawson, these picks are more than predictions—they’re reflections of their fandom, their basketball IQ, and their connection to the game.
“We’ve been watching all season,” said Smith. “You kind of just get a feel for what teams are capable of.”
Their perspectives are a reminder that sports analysis doesn’t have to come from TV studios or podcasts. Sometimes, the most authentic takes come from the hallway between second and third period, or the buzz of a lunchtime debate.
Both juniors plan to follow the rest of the playoffs closely, texting reactions, posting memes, and arguing passionately as the bracket narrows.
“Anything can happen,” said Lawson. “That’s what makes it fun.”
And with the Finals still weeks away and every series hanging in the balance, one thing is certain—these Erie fans will be watching until the final buzzer
