This year’s NBA playoffs have been absolutely phenomenal and it seems that every series is full of story lines that will define the league for the next few years.  Here are the ones that stood out to me:

1. It’s Probably Over: This may have been the year that the two teams of grizzly veterans that refused to die, really finally died.  The Celtics and Spurs, two teams that everyone has learned to not take for granted, perhaps finally gave up the ghost.  Garnett and Duncan respectively look like shells of their former self that a winning team can no longer revolve around.  Yet with them conceivably gone or further muted, what is the identity of these teams?  What is left?  It’s probably going to be a rough next few years for each.  

2. Not Primetime Players: The Bulls and Thunder showed a lot of promise, yet ultimately disappointed when they came up short.  Nothing but the best was expected of them, which was probably unfair given that their stars are still in their early 20s.  They really weren’t supposed to be this good this soon.  The good thing is that Rose and Durant want nothing more to win and will learn from this.  The Thunder in particular look poised to break out for many years to come with two more players making a name for themselves in these playoffs that don’t have the name of Westbrook or Durant.  A starting five next year of Ibaka-Durant-(point forward) Harden-Westbrook-Maynor looks terrifying indeed.  Hopefully coach Scott Brooks won’t hold that back.

3. Burnt Out: The Lakers and Magic just didn’t look like they wanted to be there anymore.  At least the Lakers have two straight rings and that third in the row is always the hardest.  The Magic look to be in a nose dive now with the inescapable Arenas contract around their neck and the ever-increasing talk of Howard leaving Disney World.

4.  A Fantastic Peak: The Grizzlies were a pure joy to watch with their troubled power forward Zach Randolph finally, for once in his life, living up to his talent.  Conceivably the most dominant player of the entire playoffs, when his jab-step jumper was working he was the most entertaining.  Yet in my opinion Memphis’ improbable run was probably the best that it’ll get for this organization.  Even with Rudy Gay healthy next year and assuming a re-signed Gasol, I just can’t see the magic staying next year.  Tony Allen’s production still doesn’t make sense to me and he did noticeably fall off in the Thunder series.  Just can’t see lightning striking twice with them.

5. Good vs. Evil: And the Finals, starting in mere minutes, is the closest that you’ll get to Good vs. Evil in all of sports.  The long beleaguered German shooter that is Dirk Nowitzki up against the Evil Empire itself in the Wade-James-Bosh Heat.  If the Heat win, and I’m afraid that they will, then everything they have done and said over the last 10 months will turn out to be right and “the haters” (ie., everyone) were wrong about them.  Dirk, now the source of all that is good of working hard, being determined and strong-willed, has only a gang of specialized veterans behind him to fight off the athleticism and pure force that the Heat can unleash.  It feels like the whole NBA is at stake.