The NBA semi-finals are born, and a new Thunder dynasty is coming!

The 2024-25 NBA playoffs has entered a white-hot stage. After nearly a month of fierce competition, the semi-finals have ushered in the birth of the semi-finals. What is most surprising is that the young team of Thunder, with its strong performance, has become the most optimistic contender for the championship this season. Can Thunder be successfully crowned the new king? Is the answer to all this already destined?

NBA semi-finals were born: the first time in history, the situation of heroes separating the world

With the Celtics and the Nuggets successively eliminated, the NBA semi-finals in the 2024-25 season was officially announced. The Pacers and Knicks in the East, and the Thunder and Timberwolves in the West, the four teams walked to the final stage with their respective stories.

Pacers easily eliminated the Bucks 4-1 in the first round and defeated the Cavaliers 4-1 in the second round. The Knicks shone with the double star of Barrett and Brunson, who beat the Pistons 4-2 and reversed and eliminated the Celtics in the following game.

In the West, the Thunder's performance was domineering, sweeping the Grizzlies 4-0 in the first round and defeating the Nuggets 4-3 in the second round. And the Timberwolves are also amazing. He defeated the Lakers 4-1 in the first round and easily defeated the Warriors 4-1 in the second round, and his overall performance was almost impeccable.

Travel Team is wiped out: The end of the veteran era

The traditional "traffic team" in the NBA has always been the focus of hot discussion among fans - whether it is the Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, the Los Angeles Clippers and the Suns, these teams with top stars have long become popular championship teams at the beginning of the season. However, their performance this season is surprising.

The Lakers were troubled at the beginning of the season, and the "super dual-core" pair of James and Doncic failed to spark as expected. The team lacked effective inside protection and had loopholes on the defensive end. In the end, when they encountered the Timberwolves in the first round, they were eliminated with a 1-4 defeat and bid farewell to the playoffs early. The situation for the Clippers is even more complicated. Leonard missed most of the seasons due to a knee injury, while Harden's form in the playoffs is sometimes good and sometimes bad, making it difficult to give the team stable support. Although the team successfully entered the playoffs in the playoffs, they were eventually reversed 4-3 by the Nuggets in the first round and stopped.

As for the Warriors, their situation is not ideal. Butler's joining once gave fans hope for the championship, but Curry was injured due to a hamstring, and the Warriors' offensive firepower was obviously limited. In the second round, he was swept by a "gentleman" 1-4.

Even the Suns, despite having the "big three" of Durant, Booker and Bill, failed to achieve ideal results in the regular season and ultimately failed to enter the playoffs, which is a pity.

These former "traffic brigades" seem to have lost their former glory. The era of veterans is slowly coming to an end, and the NBA's pattern has undergone earth-shaking changes. Old superstars such as James, Curry, and Durant are no longer the center of the topic. Young forces are gradually rising and becoming the dominant players of the league.

The new king ascended the throne: The strong rise of the Thunder, the odds of winning the championship are far ahead

The rise of the Thunder seems to confirm the fate of the "new king ascends the throne". In the regular season, they ranked first in the league with a record of 68 wins and 14 losses, shocking everyone. During the playoffs, the Thunder also performed very well, especially in the second round of the showdown with the Nuggets. With Alexander's outstanding performance, they successfully reversed and advanced to the Western Conference Finals.

At present, the Thunder's odds for winning the championship are as high as -175, far ahead of other opponents and becoming the biggest favorite to win the championship. The odds of the Timberwolves and the Knicks are +550 respectively, ranking second. The Pacers are the least optimistic about the odds of +750, but even so, the rise of these four emerging teams also heralds the arrival of a new pattern in the NBA league.

If the Thunder finally wins the championship, then Alexander is undoubtedly the biggest contender for the MVP. As the league's scoring champion, his performance this season is impeccable. If he can lead the Thunder to be king again and become the FMVP, he will completely inherit the "throne" of the NBA and become the new face of the league.

The heroes compete for the new era, basketball has arrived, and the emergence of the NBA semi-finals, heralding the arrival of a new era. The Thunder, Timberwolves, Knicks, and Pacers are all possible to win the championship. Do you think this is the reason?