The NBA’s regular season is in the books, and now the marathon playoff season is set to begin with the Play-In Tournament on Tuesday.
There are a handful of very intriguing first-round matchups that were locked in on Sunday, and ESPN analyst Brian Windhorst named what he believes is the most intriguing series of the entire first round of the postseason.
During a Monday appearance on NBA Today, Windhorst claimed that the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Clippers matchup as the No. 4 Vs No. 5 seeds in the Western Conference is the most intriguing first-round series.
“This is the best he (Kawhi Leonard) has looked to me, guys, since the 2019 season when he led the Raptors to the title.”
.@WindhorstESPN believes the Clippers vs. Nuggets may be the most intriguing series in the first-round of the playoffs.
“This is the best [Kawhi Leonard] has looked to me guys, since the 2019 season when he led the Raptors to the title.” 😮 pic.twitter.com/MvliwHVlbd
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) April 14, 2025
The Clippers won a hard-fought battle at the Golden State Warriors in overtime on Sunday to solidify the No. 5 seed while the Nuggets took down the No. 2 seed Houston Rockets to lock in the No. 4 spot, setting the stage for a new and exciting first-round battle in what should be a great matchup on the Western Conference postseason slate.
These two teams haven’t met in the playoffs since the Nuggets erased a 3-1 deficit in the bubble in 2020 to advance to the Western Conference Finals.
The Nuggets have been through a brutal stretch since the All-Star Break that culminated with them firing head coach Michael Malone after a decade at the helm, and despite leading the franchise to its first championship two years ago.
Leonard has been absent for multiple Clippers playoff runs in recent years due to injury, but Windhorst is right in pointing out that this could be the best he has looked since the 2019 title run with the Toronto Raptors.
It’s impossible to predict what will happen in the West, but every first-round matchup looks exhilarating.
NEXT: Tyronn Lue Reveals His Thoughts On Michael Malone’s Firing
