NBA Playoffs 2017-2018: Key Moments and Game-Changing Plays You Need to Know

I remember sitting in my living room during the 2018 NBA playoffs, watching LeBron James carry the Cleveland Cavaliers through what felt like an impossible postseason run. As someone who's analyzed basketball for over a decade, I've never witnessed a more remarkable individual performance in playoff history. The numbers alone tell part of the story - LeBron played all 48 minutes in Game 7 against Boston, scoring 35 points with 15 rebounds and 9 assists - but they don't capture the sheer willpower he displayed throughout that entire playoff run.

What made that postseason particularly fascinating was how it contrasted with other sports narratives happening simultaneously. I recall following the LPGA tournament where a golfer finished 10 under par at 278, which in any normal context would sound impressive, yet it only earned her a tie for 29th place and $15,426. That parallel really struck me - in basketball, individual brilliance can single-handedly change outcomes, whereas in golf, even exceptional performances sometimes get lost in the crowd. The uncertainty surrounding that golfer's LPGA status for the following season mirrored the high-stakes pressure NBA players faced during those playoffs.

The Eastern Conference Finals provided one of the most dramatic moments I've ever seen. When Jayson Tatum dunked over LeBron in Game 7, giving Boston a 72-71 lead with about six minutes left, I genuinely thought the Cavs were finished. But LeBron's response - playing the entire second half without rest, making crucial plays on both ends - demonstrated why playoff basketball operates on a different level. The Cavaliers were outscored by 10 points when LeBron sat during those playoffs, which explains why Tyronn Lue had to play him 468 minutes through the first three rounds alone.

Houston's Western Conference Finals performance against Golden State showcased another dimension of playoff basketball. The Rockets built their entire system around exploiting mismatches and hunting favorable switches, which worked brilliantly until Chris Paul's hamstring injury in Game 5. I've always believed that series would have ended differently if Paul stayed healthy - the Rockets were up 3-2 and had outscored the Warriors by 25 points with their starting lineup intact. The statistical drop-off was dramatic: Houston's offensive rating plummeted from 114.3 with Paul to 102.8 without him in that series.

Golden State's resilience throughout their championship run demonstrated why continuity matters in the playoffs. Even when Stephen Curry missed the first round and struggled initially upon return, their system maintained its integrity. The Warriors' ball movement created an average of 35.2 potential assists per game during the playoffs, with their signature third-quarter runs becoming almost predictable in their inevitability. I particularly remember Game 6 against Houston, where Klay Thompson's 35 points on 9-of-14 three-point shooting felt like watching a video game performance come to life.

The Finals presented what might be remembered as LeBron's most heroic losing effort. Averaging 34 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 10 assists against one of the greatest teams ever assembled, he essentially willed a limited Cavaliers roster to competitive games. That iconic moment when JR Smith dribbled out the clock in Game 1, mistakenly thinking Cleveland led, perfectly encapsulated the gap between individual greatness and team execution. The Cavaliers actually outscored Golden State when LeBron was on the court during the Finals, which makes you wonder how different things might have been with slightly better support.

Reflecting on that postseason, I'm convinced we witnessed several career-defining performances that will influence how future playoff basketball is played. The strategic emphasis on switching everything defensively, the reliance on superstar isolation in crucial moments, and the physical demands placed on elite players all reached new levels. While the golfer who shot 278 for 29th place demonstrated how fine margins separate success from anonymity in individual sports, the NBA playoffs showed how singular talents can transcend team limitations. Both narratives reveal different truths about competition at the highest level, though I'll always lean toward appreciating the team dynamics that make basketball so compelling to analyze year after year.