The 2023 NBA playoffs are in full swing, as eight teams have already been eliminated, and only eight championship contenders remain -- two of them survivors of the play-in tournament that preceded this season's playoffs. The team with the best record in the regular season has already fallen, and injuries are once again playing an outsized role in the battle for the Larry O'Brien Trophy.
Additionally, four teams without home-court advantage won their first-round series, and two more have already taken a 1-0 lead in the second round. With that in mind, let's look at the remaining field and break it down into tiers based on what we've learned in this unpredictable postseason and what still lies ahead.