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Playoff Matchups Draft: Luka Doncic Is About To Show The NBA Who He Really Is

August 26, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

“I’ve never had more fun watching basketball,” Davin Shaw says about a single playoff game, and that level of excitement is the throughline of this episode. Shaw (Locked On Knicks) and Danny Cunningham (Locked On Cavs) draft the NBA playoff matchups they are most excited to see in the upcoming season, using the exercise as a vehicle to argue that the league has never been deeper or more compelling. The conversation moves from the Western Conference’s clear top two to the Eastern Conference’s wide-open chaos, from superstar proving grounds to potential play-in drama, and from established rivalries to the arrival of young stars like Cooper Flagg.

The Thunder-Spurs Rematch and the Luka Doncic Problem

Cunningham takes the first pick with a Western Conference Finals rematch: Oklahoma City Thunder vs. San Antonio Spurs. He argues these are the two best teams in the West, and their seven-game series last season produced the highest level of basketball he saw all playoffs. “The level they hit in game one… was the game of the playoffs,” he says, and he wants to see round two. A key subplot is the genuine animosity between Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren. “Victor Wembanyama, whenever he sees Chet Holmgren, that guy’s out for blood,” Cunningham notes, adding spice to a matchup that already features elite two-way play.

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What you'll learn

  • 1 (01:39) **Drafting the Most Exciting Playoff Matchups** - Davin Shaw and Danny Cunningham kick off a bracket-style draft of the NBA playoff series they're most anticipating, setting the stage for a league-wide preview.
  • 2 (02:47) **Pick 1: Thunder vs. Spurs (Western Conference Finals Rematch)** - Danny selects the Western Conference Finals rematch between Oklahoma City and San Antonio, arguing they are the two best teams in the West.
  • 3 (06:17) **Pick 2: Lakers vs. Thunder (Luka's Ultimate Test)** - Davin picks Lakers-Thunder, framing it as a "semi-deep cut" that is really about watching Luka Doncic problem-solve against the league's best defense.
  • 4 (10:50) **Pick 3: Celtics vs. 76ers (A Drastically Different Rematch)** - Danny picks the Celtics-Sixers series, emphasizing how both teams are "drastically different" from their first-round matchup the previous year.
  • 5 (16:16) **Pick 4: Knicks vs. Pacers (The Narrative Matchup)** - Davin makes his "homer pick" of Knicks-Pacers, arguing it's the best narrative matchup even though the Knicks have not beaten Indiana in a recent playoff series.
  • 6 (20:13) **Pick 5: Knicks vs. Raptors (A Measuring Stick Series)** - Danny picks a Knicks-Raptors series, framing it as a "measuring stick" for Toronto, especially if Kawhi Leonard joins the team.
  • 7 (26:45) **Pick 6: Lakers vs. Nuggets (Luka vs. Jokic)** - Danny picks Lakers-Nuggets, framing it as the ultimate test: Luka Doncic having to go through Nikola Jokic, whom Danny still considers the best player on the planet.

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Guests on this episode

Danny Cunningham

Show Notes

On today’s Locked On NBA Game Night we discuss Luka Dončić, LeBron James, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Victor Wembanyama, Jalen Brunson, Jalen Williams, Joel Embiid, Jaylen Brown, Tyrese Haliburton, Karl-Anthony Towns, Austin Reaves, Kawhi Leonard, Kevin Durant, LaMelo Ball, Cooper Flagg, the Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs, New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, Cleveland Cavaliers, Detroit Pistons, Toronto Raptors, Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, Indiana Pacers, Denver Nuggets, Houston Rockets, Utah Jazz, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Charlotte Hornets NBA playoff matchups.

Gavin Schall and Danny Cunningham kick off the episode by drafting their most anticipated NBA playoff matchups, debating the high-stakes rivalry between the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs as a potential Western Conference Finals rematch. 

The hosts spotlight a showdown between the Los Angeles Lakers, now built around Luka Dončić, and the Thunder, exploring how Luka might adapt against OKC’s relentless defense. Gavin Schall and Danny Cunningham predict potential drama as the Boston Celtics take on the revamped Philadelphia 76ers, with fresh storylines surrounding Jaylen Brown, LeBron James, and Joel Embiid. 

They hone in on a narrative-rich Knicks–Pacers rematch and examine whether Tyrese Haliburton’s Pacers are underrated entering the season. The episode also considers how Kawhi Leonard’s addition could shift the balance for the Toronto Raptors against elite teams like the Knicks and Sixers, and discusses the postseason ceilings for contenders like the Detroit Pistons, Denver Nuggets, Houston Rockets, and up-and-comers such as the Utah Jazz and Charlotte Hornets. 

Throughout, the hosts provide rapid-fire insights on star player performances, team dynamics, and must-watch playoff clashes destined to define the NBA season.

Photo Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

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