A Complete Guide to the 2018 NBA Playoffs Table and Results
As I look back at the 2018 NBA Playoffs, what strikes me most isn't just the dramatic finishes or superstar performances—it's how every single game contributed to that beautiful, chaotic narrative that only postseason basketball can deliver. Having followed the playoffs religiously for over a decade, I can confidently say the 2018 tournament was particularly special because of how perfectly it balanced predictable dominance with shocking upsets. The journey began with that familiar tension of elimination basketball, where every possession felt like it carried the weight of an entire season.
I remember tracking the Eastern Conference first-round matchups with particular interest, partly because I had money riding on the Celtics overcoming their injury woes. Watching a young Jayson Tatum develop into a legitimate star during those early series was like witnessing basketball evolution in real time. The numbers still stick with me—Tatum averaged 23.6 points in his first playoff series against Milwaukee, an incredible feat for a rookie. Meanwhile, LeBron James was doing LeBron things, carrying the Cavaliers through what felt like an impossible seven-game marathon against the Pacers. His Game 5 performance where he dropped 44 points on 14-of-24 shooting remains burned into my memory as one of the most dominant individual efforts I've ever seen.
The Western Conference first round delivered its own drama, though I'll admit I found the Warriors' sweep of the Spurs somewhat anticlimactic. What truly captured my imagination was the Pelicans' surprising dismantling of the Trail Blazers in just four games. Anthony Davis put up 33 points per game that series, looking every bit the superstar we'd been promised. I distinctly recall arguing with friends about whether New Orleans had what it took to challenge Golden State—turns out we were all wrong, but the debate was thrilling while it lasted.
When we reached the conference semifinals, the intensity ratcheted up considerably. The Rockets-Jazz series particularly fascinated me because it pitted Mike D'Antoni's offensive genius against Quin Snyder's defensive schemes. James Harden's step-back threes became must-watch television, though I've always been partial to Chris Paul's methodical dissection of defenses. The numbers from Game 5 of that series still boggle my mind—Harden and Paul combined for 56 points on just 38 shots, an efficiency level that's rare even for superstars. Meanwhile, Boston and Cleveland were renewing their rivalry in the East, with that incredible Game 7 where the Celtics nearly overcame LeBron despite being massive underdogs.
The conference finals gave us two dramatically different narratives. In the West, we witnessed the Rockets pushing the Warriors to the brink—that Game 7 where Houston missed 27 consecutive three-pointers still haunts me whenever I think about what might have been. I've rewatched that fourth quarter multiple times, and each viewing reinforces my belief that Chris Paul's hamstring injury fundamentally altered NBA history. In the East, LeBron delivered what I consider his most impressive conference finals performance, dragging a mediocre Cavaliers roster past the Celtics despite Boston's home-court advantage. His stat line in Game 7—35 points, 15 rebounds, and 9 assists—was almost comically dominant.
The Finals themselves delivered the expected Warriors victory, but the path there contained surprises. When J.R. Smith committed that baffling blunder in Game 1, I actually laughed out of sheer disbelief—it was one of those moments that reminds you why we watch sports live. The sweep doesn't properly reflect how competitive those games were, particularly Game 3 where the Cavaliers had multiple chances to steal a victory. Kevin Durant's consistency throughout the series—he averaged 28.8 points on 52% shooting—cemented his status as one of the greatest scorers I've ever witnessed.
Reflecting on the complete playoff picture, what stands out to me is how the 2018 postseason served as a perfect microcosm of that NBA era. The Warriors' dominance felt inevitable yet fragile, LeBron's greatness remained breathtaking, and emerging stars like Tatum and Davis gave us glimpses of the league's future. The statistical storylines were equally compelling—teams combined to average 108.7 points per game throughout the playoffs, a significant jump from the regular season average of 106.3. Three-point attempts reached what felt like saturation point at 29.4 per game, though we'd see that number climb even higher in subsequent years.
What I take away from revisiting the 2018 playoffs bracket isn't just the championship outcome, but how every team's journey through that tournament shaped their subsequent trajectories. The Rockets never quite recovered from that Game 7 collapse, the Celtics' young core gained invaluable experience, and LeBron's final Cavaliers run felt like the end of an era. Even looking at that National University box score with Figueroa's 24 points reminds me how every playoff game, whether in the NBA or collegiate levels, represents countless individual stories converging into a single narrative. The beauty of playoff basketball lies in these intersections between team destiny and personal legacy, and the 2018 tournament delivered that in spectacular fashion.
