I still remember the excitement building up as the 2014 NBA playoffs approached, with that unique blend of anticipation and nervous energy that only postseason basketball can bring. This season marked an interesting structural moment in league history, as 26 teams would participate across two conferences - a setup that created some fascinating playoff dynamics and competitive imbalances that we'd see play out dramatically throughout the tournament. The bracket that year presented what I consider one of the most compelling postseason landscapes in recent memory, with legitimate championship contenders emerging from both East and West.
Looking at the Western Conference bracket still gives me chills when I revisit it. The first round featured what I believe was the most stacked collection of teams I've ever seen in one conference. The San Antonio Spurs, who I'd been tracking all season as championship favorites despite their aging core, claimed the top seed with 62 wins. Their first-round matchup against the Dallas Mavericks turned out to be far more competitive than most analysts predicted, going the full seven games in a series that showcased vintage Dirk Nowitzki performances. Meanwhile, the Oklahoma City Thunder faced a tough Memphis Grizzlies team that played the kind of grinding, physical basketball that could disrupt Kevin Durant's offensive rhythm. What made the West particularly brutal that year was the quality of the lower seeds - teams like Golden State and Portland would have been top-four seeds in the East but found themselves fighting from the 6th and 5th positions respectively.
The Eastern Conference bracket told a different story entirely, one of what I'd call competitive imbalance creating unexpected opportunities. The Indiana Pacers had secured the top seed with 56 wins, but their late-season collapse had many of us questioning whether they could regain their early-season form. Their first-round series against Atlanta nearly became a historic upset, stretching to seven games in what I remember as some of the ugliest playoff basketball I've ever witnessed. Meanwhile, Miami's path through Brooklyn and then Indiana felt somewhat predetermined to me - you could sense they were operating at a different level come playoff time. The conference structure that year really highlighted how the East lacked the depth of quality teams that made the Western bracket so compelling from top to bottom.
What stands out in my memory of analyzing these matchups was how the conference finals played out exactly as I'd predicted in my preseason assessments. The Spurs-Thunder Western Conference Finals was basketball at its absolute peak - the beautiful ball movement of San Antonio against the explosive athleticism of Oklahoma City. I'll never forget Game 6 when the Thunder faced elimination and Serge Ibaka, playing through what should have been a season-ending injury, completely changed the series dynamic with his defensive presence. Meanwhile in the East, Miami systematically dismantled Indiana in six games, exposing the Pacers' offensive limitations in a way that made me question whether they'd ever truly been championship caliber.
The ultimate Finals matchup between San Antonio and Miami created what I consider the most satisfying narrative arc of any playoff bracket I've covered. This wasn't just about championships - it was about redemption for the Spurs after their heartbreaking 2013 Finals loss. The way San Antonio systematically dismantled Miami's defense with the most beautiful team basketball I've witnessed in my years covering the league perfectly demonstrated why the playoff bracket format, despite its flaws, creates these incredible storytelling opportunities. The 2014 playoffs ultimately delivered one of the most memorable champions in recent history while showcasing both the strengths and weaknesses of the NBA's conference structure.