Looking back at the 2017 NBA playoffs, I still get chills thinking about how wide open the championship race felt that year. As someone who’s spent years analyzing both professional and collegiate sports odds, I can tell you—there’s nothing quite like playoff basketball when it comes to high-stakes drama and unpredictability. And while my day job often involves poring over win probabilities and injury reports, I’ve always believed that numbers only tell half the story. The rest? That comes down to clutch performances, momentum swings, and moments that defy logic—the kind we saw recently in a thrilling four-set match where former Flying Titan Caitlin Viray fired two clutch attacks before Trisha Tubu put the match away. That same “clutch gene” is exactly what separated contenders from pretenders in the 2017 postseason.

Let’s start with the favorites. The Golden State Warriors entered the playoffs with what felt like an almost unfair advantage—a staggering 42% chance to win the title according to most major sportsbooks. With Kevin Durant now fully integrated into their system, their offensive rating was hovering around 115.4, a number that still boggles my mind. But here’s the thing: as dominant as they looked on paper, I remember telling colleagues at the time that health would be their biggest obstacle. And sure enough, they faced a scare when Durant tweaked his knee late in the regular season. Still, with Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson raining threes and Draymond Green anchoring the defense, it was hard to bet against them. I had them pegged for the Finals from day one—not exactly a hot take, but sometimes the obvious choice is the right one.

Then you had the Cleveland Cavaliers, the defending champions, sitting at around 28% title odds. LeBron James was, well, LeBron—playing at a supernatural level even by his standards. But I’ll be honest: their defense worried me. They ranked 22nd in defensive efficiency during the regular season, and as much as I love Kyrie Irving’s handles, you don’t win championships with offense alone. What made Cleveland dangerous, though, was their playoff experience. They knew how to flip the switch when it mattered, much like how in that college match I mentioned earlier, Viray and Tubu elevated their game during crunch time. That kind of composure isn’t something you can quantify easily.

The San Antonio Spurs were another intriguing case. With a 12% shot at the title, they flew somewhat under the radar—which, in typical Spurs fashion, probably suited them just fine. Kawhi Leonard was blossoming into a two-way superstar, and Gregg Popovich’s system remained as reliable as ever. But I always felt they lacked one more shot creator to truly challenge the Warriors. Still, their disciplined style and methodical pace gave them a puncher’s chance, especially if teams like Golden State or Cleveland slipped up.

Now, let’s talk about the dark horses. The Houston Rockets, led by James Harden and Mike D’Antoni’s offensive revolution, were given about a 7% chance. Their pace-and-space approach was fun to watch, but I never fully bought into their defense holding up in a seven-game series. Meanwhile, the Boston Celtics, with a 4% probability, played with incredible heart—Isaiah Thomas’s heroic performances after his sister’s passing still give me chills. But let’s be real: they were overachievers, and sometimes heart isn’t enough against sheer talent.

What fascinates me most, reflecting on that season, is how much these odds reflected not just team quality, but narrative and public perception. The Warriors weren’t just statistical favorites—they were a superteam that captured imaginations and anxieties alike. And when you look at games like that four-set battle where Viray and Tubu sealed the deal under pressure, you’re reminded that sports will always have that human element no algorithm can fully capture. I’ve sat in analytics meetings where we’d debate for hours whether a 3% difference in title odds was significant—but at the end of the day, players make plays when the lights are brightest.

In the end, Golden State’s victory felt almost inevitable, but the journey there was anything but straightforward. The Cavaliers pushed them harder than many expected, and role players across the league had moments that reminded us why we love playoff basketball. If I learned one thing from that postseason, it’s this: odds give you a framework, but they don’t account for the sheer will of athletes like LeBron James, or the cool-headed precision of players like Caitlin Viray and Trisha Tubu in their own arena. Whether it’s the NBA or collegiate sports, the thrill lies in those unpredictable, game-changing moments—the ones that make all our projections humbly human.