The National Basketball Association’s 2024 playoffs are off and running. Here’s a look at the first-round matchups in the Western Conference.

Oklahoma City Thunder vs. New Orleans Pelicans 

Whatever happens with OKC this year, you can’t help but be impressed with this team. They’re the No. 1 seed in the brutal West and the youngest team in modern NBA history, with an average player age of 24. There are college basketball teams older than the Thunder. Their inexperience could ultimately doom them later in the playoffs, but there is no doubt they are talented and – so long as the executives don’t break ‘em up too early - are poised to become a force in the NBA for some time.

The Pelicans are decent, especially for a low seed. Zion Williamson needs to stay healthy. However, they’ve got experience and can scrap with the best of them. The Thunder should win, based on talent and record alone. But New Orleans won’t make it easy for them.

Denver Nuggets vs. Los Angeles Lakers 

This is a bit of a sad pairing. You've got LeBron James, maybe not the undisputed GOAT of basketball players, but certainly one of the best of all time, laboring valiantly for the Lakers, putting up great numbers and minutes into his 20th season. The guy’s still got it in the tank. He may flop like a fish out of water, but there's no doubt he balls hard.

Yet, he and the Lakers are (probably) going to get destroyed by the defending champion Nuggets and their star player Nikola Jokic, who really is probably the best player in the NBA today, despite not being all that interesting to watch.

There's just really nothing to say here. Denver are out to roll LA and it could get embarrassing

Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Phoenix Suns 

The Suns should be better than they are with Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal as part of the lineup, but they haven’t really jelled the way we thought they would. While the Timberwolves Anthony Edwards is developing so rapidly, and becoming such a force on the court, that people are legitimately comparing him to player you might have heard of by the name of Michael Jeffrey Jordan.

On paper, this should be an entertaining, tight series, with an experienced, high-scoring team in The Suns going up against a solid defensive squad with a blossoming superstar in The Timberwolves. Still, there’s a real chance here that this could be a lopsided affair, with Minnesota just running Phoenix out of the gym.

Don't be surprised if KD is looking for another trade after this series.

Los Angeles Clippers vs. Dallas Mavericks

A serious match-up. This could be the best series in the entire playoffs if Kawhi Leonard can play for the Clips and if the Mavs' Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving can get their two-man show on the road.

The thing is, Leonard is never healthy, and the Mavs can frustrate at the best of times Doncic is a savant with a basketball and always fun to watch, but he's been hindered by having low-performing teammates around him - Irving is simply inconsistent

The Clippers, meanwhile, have a pretty strong roster and Leonard, when heathy and engaged, can be among the best players in basketball, ever. It's anyone's guess whether one or both teams will show up for this one.