A Complete Breakdown of the 2018 NBA Playoffs Table and Results
Looking back at the 2018 NBA Playoffs, I still get chills thinking about how unpredictable and electrifying that postseason was. As someone who’s spent years analyzing basketball at both professional and collegiate levels, I’ve come to appreciate how every playoff run tells a unique story—one shaped not just by star power, but by the collective efforts of teams and players, much like what we see in college games. Take, for instance, the scoring distribution in that NATIONAL U game where Figueroa dropped 24 points, backed by Santiago’s 13 and contributions from John, Padrones, and Palacielo, each hitting double digits. It’s a reminder that in the playoffs, depth often trumps individual brilliance, and that’s a theme that echoed throughout the 2018 NBA showdown.
I remember sitting through those early-round games, marveling at how teams like the Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets leveraged their rosters in ways that mirrored balanced college squads. The Warriors, for example, didn’t just rely on Curry or Durant; they had role players stepping up in clutch moments, similar to how Jumamoy and Manansala chipped in with 9 and 8 points respectively in that NATIONAL U matchup. It’s this kind of teamwork that made the 2018 playoffs so compelling—you had underdogs rising, favorites stumbling, and every game feeling like a chess match. Personally, I’ve always been drawn to the underdog stories, and that year, the Cleveland Cavaliers’ run to the Finals, despite their rocky regular season, felt like a testament to playoff resilience. LeBron James carried that team, but it was the unsung heroes, much like Dela Cruz or Francisco in the college game, who made key plays when it mattered.
Diving into the numbers, the 2018 playoffs saw some staggering stats that still stick with me. The Warriors finished with a 16-5 record in the postseason, clinching their third title in four years, while the Rockets pushed them to seven games in the Western Conference Finals—a series I argue was one of the most intense in recent memory. Houston’s reliance on three-point shooting, hitting around 36% as a team, reminded me of how squads like NATIONAL U spread the scoring; in their game, they had multiple players contributing, with Padrones and Palacielo each adding 10 points, showing that balanced attacks can pressure even the best defenses. From my perspective, though, the playoffs also exposed some flaws—like the Cavaliers’ defensive lapses, which allowed opponents to average over 110 points per game in certain series. It’s a lesson I’ve seen in college ball too: without a solid defense, even high-scoring efforts, say Figueroa’s 24 points, can fall short if the other side capitalizes on weaknesses.
As the playoffs progressed into the Finals, the Warriors’ sweep of the Cavaliers felt almost inevitable, but I’ll admit, part of me was hoping for a Cinderella story. Watching Kevin Durant dominate with back-to-back Finals MVP performances, averaging something like 28.8 points per game, was a masterclass in efficiency—something that resonates when I see college players like Santiago or John putting up steady numbers without forcing shots. In that NATIONAL U game, their combined 24 points from Santiago and John came on what I’d guess was efficient shooting, maybe around 50% from the field, though I don’t have the exact stats handy. That’s the beauty of playoffs: they blend raw talent with strategic execution, and in 2018, it was clear that teams who shared the ball, like Golden State, often outlasted those reliant on iso-plays.
Reflecting on it all, the 2018 NBA Playoffs weren’t just about crowning a champion; they were a showcase of basketball’s evolving dynamics, where depth and adaptability proved crucial. In my experience, whether it’s the pros or a college clash like NATIONAL U’s, the playoffs teach us that success hinges on more than just star power—it’s about how well a team functions as a unit. So, as we look back, let’s not forget the lessons from that season: embrace the underdogs, celebrate the role players, and always expect the unexpected. After all, in basketball, as in life, the most memorable stories often come from the collective effort, not just the highlight reels.
