Top first-round matchups in NBA playoffs

2. Los Angeles Clippers (4) vs. Dallas Mavericks (5)

There's a stunning amount of star power in this 4-5 matchup, plus some personal animosity from two of the NBA's most divisive players. The Clippers have Paul George and Kawhi Leonard, two players whose injuries have doomed them in past postseasons. The Mavericks have scoring champ Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, whose poor relationship with then-teammate James Harden in Brooklyn led to that super team combusting.

It's the third time in five seasons that these two teams are meeting in a first-round series, which the Clippers won in six games in 2020 and in seven in 2021. While both teams have enjoyed strong seasons, losing in the first round would represent a disappointing season for both teams.

3. Minnesota Timberwolves (3) vs. Phoenix Suns (6)
Minnesota got waxed in the season finale by the Suns, who stunned the Timberwolves with a 44-point first quarter. But the matchup gained a lot more intensity after Bradley Beal and Anthony Edwards got into two separate confrontations during Sunday's game.

The Timberwolves dropped from second to third with the loss, an unfortunate fall after a year where the Suns swept their season series. None of the games were especially close, with the Suns scoring the first 15 points of the game in a blowout win nine days ago. In this series, we'll see if the NBA's top defense can stop the Devin Booker-Kevin Durant-Beal three-headed monster. To keep pace on the offensive end, Wolves will need Karl-Anthony Towns to get back in game shape, and fast.

4. Cleveland Cavaliers (4) vs. Orlando Magic (5)
There's not much of a natural rivalry between the Orlando Magic and the Cleveland Cavaliers. They've met in the playoffs only once, when Dwight Howard stunned LeBron James in the 2009 playoffs, ruining an elaborate, puppet-based Nike ad campaign.

But after Cleveland seemingly tanked Sunday's game to ensure a matchup with the Magic — J.B. Bickerstaff pulled his starters after three quarters — Orlando now has clear bulletin board material to fire them up. Bickerstaff was playing two guys, Isaiah Mobley and Pete Nance, who aren't even the best basketball players among their own siblings. Will the Magic take this as disrespect? Will the Mobley brothers duke it out with the Wagner brothers?

It's not likely to be a high-scoring matchup, but with both squads loaded with talented young players, it could be the first in a string of playoff battles between Orlando and Cleveland, much to Adam Silver's chagrin as he negotiates a new TV deal.