7 Memorable Moments From the 2023 NBA Playoffs So Far

• The 2023 NBA playoffs have given us unforgettable moments
• From Stephen Curry's 50-point game and Miami's underdog run to the 76ers' epic collapse, the playoffs have lived up to the hype
• Sports Brief looks at the top moments from the postseason so far

The 2023 NBA playoffs have lived up to the expectations. We've witnessed upsets; players rise to the occasion, and disappointing performances from players and teams.

Miami Heat have definitely caught the eye of many, while the Denver Nuggets have taken care of business in the Western Conference.

Defending champions, Golden State Warriors were eliminated in the second round by the Los Angeles Lakers, meaning we will see a new winner crowned in June.

The Nuggets practically steamrolled the Western Conference and looked like a team that could beat anyone. Favorites Milwaukee Bucks were shocked in the first round by Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat. So are the top moments from the 2023 NBA playoffs as we enter the home stretch? Sports Brief takes a look.

Miami Heat beat Knicks in Game 6, advance to conference finals

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Top 6 from 2023 NBA playoffs

Stephen Curry's 50-point masterclass

The Warriors were stunned by playoff newcomers Sacramento Kings, going down 0-2 in the first two games in the first round. However, The defending champions roared back and won three straight to take a commanding 3-2 lead. However, they dropped Game 6 at home, setting up a mouth-watering winner take all Game 7.

Stephen Curry was having a decent series, but in Game 7, he was on fire. He scored 50 points, an NBA record then, to lead the Warriors to a 120-100 win to seal a Round 2 spot. He shot 20-of-38 from the field, including 7-of-18 from deep, per NBC Sports. It remains arguably his best performance in the postseason.

Dillon Brooks vs. LeBron James

Memphis Grizzlies swingman Dillon Brooks ruffled feathers in Round 1 when he called LeBron James "old" after Game 2, per the Athletic.

Top 7 most unbreakable NBA playoff records

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“I poke bears — I don’t respect no one until they come and give me 40 (points),” Brooks said.

Those comments were met with widespread criticism. He was then ejected for hitting James in the groin area in Game 3. The Grizzlies would win one more game before losing Game 6 by 40 points, which effectively ended their season.

Miami stuns Milwaukee

The story of the playoffs so far has been Miami Heat's underdog run to the Western Conference finals. They shocked the world of sports when they eliminated favorites Milwaukee Bucks in five games in the first round.

Jimmy Butler was the story of the series helping the Heat overcome double-digit deficits in Games 4 and 5 to eliminate the Bucks. He scored 56 in Game 4 and 42 in Game 5 to cement his legacy as one of the best performers in the NBA playoffs in the last few years, per ESPN.

Jayson Tatum excited about Celtics vs.Miami Heat East finals rematch

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76ers collapse

The Philadelphia 76ers season ended in the second round of the NBA playoffs for the third straight season. They lost 112-88 to the Boston Celtics, but the scoreline doesn't tell the whole story. They were thoroughly outclassed by the Celtics. It was an embarrassing exit from a team that looked like contenders in the regular season. Newly crowned MVP Joel Embiid was poor, just like James Harden. They allowed Jayson Tatum to score 51 points, an NBA record in a Game 7 in the playoffs, per Fox Sports.

The exit resulted in the immediate dismissal of Doc Rivers as coach. The veteran coach has now lost for the 10th time in a Game 7, including five in a row.

Phoenix Suns' embarrassing exit

For the second season in a row, the Phoenix Suns suffered a humiliating exit from the playoffs. This time around, they were eliminated in the second round by the Denver Nuggets. They lost Game 6 125-100. They trailed by 30 at halftime, just like last season against the Dallas Mavericks in Round 2.

Stephen A. Smith blasts James Harden for Game 7 performance vs. Celtics

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They were Western Conference favorites after acquiring Kevin Durant from the Brooklyn Nets in February. Their bench was depleted, and Durnat missed the last part of the regular season, meaning he wasn't able to build chemistry with his new teammates. The exit cost Monty Williams his job as the coach, per AP.

Jayson Tatum scores 51

Jayson Tatum is having a strange postseason. He has scored 7 points in a game and has multiple 30-point games and a 51-point game. The good news is he has scored when the team needed him to step up. In Game 7 against the 76ers in the second round, he rose to the occasion. he scored 51 points, breaking Stephen Curry's Game 7 record of 50 points Stephen Curry set two prior.

As the Celtics try to come back from 0-3 down in the East finals, they will need such performances from Tatum.

Ranking all 12 NBA playoff series so far, Warriors vs. Kings tops all matchups

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Jokic triple-double history

Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets completed their sweep of the Lakers, sealing their first-ever NBA Finals trip. Jokic was named Western Conference finals MVP after averaging 27 points, 14.7 rebounds, and 11.3 assists for the series, per CBS Sports.

In Game 4, he finished with 30 points, 14 rebounds, and 13 assists. It was his eighth triple-double of these playoffs, an NBA record for a single postseason, breaking the record for most triple-doubles in a playoff run, which was set by Wilt Chamberlain in 1967.

Who's forced Games 6, 7?

Sports Brief earlier reported on teams that forced a Game 6 and Game 7 after going 0-3 down in the playoffs.

NBA teams are 0-149 when trailing 3-0 in a best-of-seven series.

After Celtics' Game 5 win, 12 NBA teams have now forced a Game 6. Only three teams in NBA history have forced a Game 7.