By Jack Dusek
Both the NBA and NHL are in the final four, with exciting matchups in both leagues. In the NBA, the defending champs Oklahoma City Thunder take on the San Antonio Spurs. The Thunder are yet to lose a game in the playoffs, sweeping their first two series but San Antonio have also been dominant. Look out for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander the league MVP for OKC, and Victor Wembenyama, the 7-4 DPOY winner for the Spurs.
In the Eastern Conference, the New York Knicks take on the Cleveland Cavaliers. New York had a shaky first three games, but since then they have won seven in a row, with six of the games being blowouts. The big difference for them has been Karl-Anthony Towns playing as a facilitator, creating shots for everyone on the court. The Cavs are coming off back-to-back game sevens, including coming back from a 2-0 deficit against the Pistons. Their offensive rebounding has been elite, and Donovan Mitchell is leading the way in terms of scoring.
In the NHL, the Colorado Avalanche are taking on the Vegas Golden Knights. Both teams have been perennial playoff teams, and have won titles in the past five years. Colorado is led by Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar, while Vegas leans on Jack Eichel for goalscoring.
In the East, the Carolina Hurricanes have been knocking on the doorstep of a Cup for the past decade. This year, they are yet to lose a game with dominant performances in the first two rounds. They will face of against major underdogs in the Montreal Hurricanes, who have upset both the Lightning and Sabres in seven games en route to the conference finals appearance. Montreal is trying to bring Lord Stanley’s Cup back to Canada for the first time since 1993 and add another cup to their league-leading 24.
