How Did the 2021 NBA Playoffs Standings Shape the Championship Race?

Looking back at the 2021 NBA playoffs, I still get chills thinking about how dramatically the standings reshaped the championship landscape. As someone who’s followed the league for over a decade, I’ve rarely seen a postseason where the bracket alignment mattered this much right from the opening tip. The condensed schedule and unique conference standings created a perfect storm—one where adaptability became just as crucial as raw talent.

I remember thinking early on how the Brooklyn Nets, despite being favorites, faced an unusually tough path due to their seeding. They finished second in the East with 48 wins, just a game behind Philadelphia, and that small gap meant facing Milwaukee earlier than many expected. That series alone felt like a conference finals preview, and it drained both teams physically and mentally. Giannis’ knee injury in Game 4? That moment shifted the entire playoff narrative. You could argue it altered at least two franchises’ trajectories.

Out West, things were even wilder. The Jazz clinched the top seed with 52 wins, but their playoff run exposed some real flaws in their defensive schemes against small-ball lineups. I’ve always felt Utah’s regular-season dominance was a bit misleading—their system works beautifully until they face elite wing scorers in a seven-game series. The Clippers, sitting fourth, had to battle through Dallas and Utah just to reach the conference finals. And let’s be honest, Kawhi’s ACL injury in the second round was a brutal turning point. Without that, I’m convinced LA makes the Finals.

What stood out to me, though, was how teams navigated unexpected hurdles—injuries, COVID protocols, and relentless back-to-backs. The phrase from Dy keeps echoing in my mind: "Despite the possible schedule conflicts, Dy expressed confidence that they can sort things out with the stakeholders." That mindset felt embodied by Phoenix. The Suns finished second in the West, but their real advantage was organizational stability. Chris Paul’s leadership, Monty Williams’ calm demeanor—they turned potential disruptions into minor footnotes. When CP3 missed games early in the Lakers series, Cameron Payne stepped up without missing a beat. That doesn’t happen by accident.

Milwaukee’s championship run was a masterclass in perseverance, but let’s not ignore how the Eastern Conference standings played to their favor. Beating Miami in the first round set a physical tone, and facing Brooklyn instead of Philadelphia in the second round was, in my opinion, a lucky break. The Sixers’ style would’ve given the Bucks more trouble with Embiid dominating the paint. Instead, Milwaukee survived a Nets team running on fumes after that grueling seven-game series. By the time they faced Atlanta in the conference finals, the path felt almost destined.

Finals-wise, Phoenix versus Milwaukee was a clash of two teams that capitalized on their standings advantages. The Suns avoided the Lakers and Clippers at full strength, while the Bucks never had to go through Philadelphia. Some call it bracket luck; I call it smart positioning. Both teams entered the playoffs with clear identities and adapted on the fly—something Dy’s statement perfectly captures. They sorted things out, whether it was Paul’s shoulder injury or Middleton’s shooting slumps.

In the end, the 2021 NBA playoffs standings didn’t just influence the championship race—they defined it. The margin between a top seed and a fourth seed felt thinner than ever, and home-court advantage mattered less in half-empty arenas. Teams that embraced flexibility, like Milwaukee tweaking their drop coverage against Phoenix’s mid-range game, reaped the rewards. If there’s one takeaway I’d emphasize, it’s that modern playoff success hinges on navigating uncertainty. The standings set the stage, but the teams that shaped their own destiny were those who, to borrow Dy’s words, sorted things out when it mattered most.

By Heather Schnese S’12, content specialist

2025-11-12 11:00