The NBA playoffs are here better than ever.
Teams that looked like their season was lost are now sneaking into the playoffs. Play-in games are finished and now all that remain are the best 16 teams to compete for the NBA Finals, which tip off on June 5.
But over the next six weeks, basketball fans will enjoy dozens of games that will determine which two teams will be playing for the title. Here are the opening round matchups and my predictions of who will be hoisting the Larry O’Brien Trophy in June.
Western Conference
Round 1 matchups
No. 6 Minnesota Timberwolves at No. 3 Los Angeles Lakers (starts Saturday)
No. 5 Los Angeles Clippers at No. 4 Denver Nuggets (starts Saturday)
No. 8 Memphis at No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder (starts Sunday)
No. 7 Golden State Warriors at No. 2 Houston Rockets (starts Sunday)
My top two teams in the Western Conference are top-seeded Oklahoma City and the Warriors.
The Thunder’s main man is MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The starting point guard has been on an absolute heater this season, averaging 32.8 points per game to lead the league.
Gilgeous-Alexander is in the conversation for being the best player in the league, finishing second in MVP voting last year and is expected to be in the top tier of voting once again this year. I predict Oklahoma City will win their first two rounds and advance to the Western Conference Finals.
The Warriors leading scorer and franchise leader is of course the one and only Stephen Curry, who at age 37 is still one of the best players in the league. Curry averaged 24.4 ppg this year and continues to establish himself as the best three point scorer of all time.
The Warriors other superstar, Draymond Green, is one of the best all time defensive players and is among the favorites for Defensive Player of the Year despite being 35 years old. But Green’s age is not stopping him at all, with Green’s impact recently has even contributed more offensively by posting a +7.1 net rating.
But the Warriors wouldn’t be where they are without Jimmy Butler, a trade deadline acquisition for the Warriors. Butler has been averaging 17.9 ppg this season, and the Warriors record since he joined the team is 23-7. Butler has also been known to be a great playoff performer and I believe he will continue his heroics for the team by the bay.
The Golden State Warriors are going to surprise people and advance to the Western Conference finals to play against Oklahoma City.
The Warriors would be big underdogs going into Oklahoma City. I believe every game will go to the wire and it will be tight scoring. But in the end, I have Golden State going to the NBA Finals for the seventh time in the last decade.
Eastern Conference
Round 1 Matchups
No. 6 Detroit Pistons at No. 3 New York Knicks (starts Saturday)
No. 5 Milwaukee Bucks at No. 4 Indiana Pacers (tarts Saturday)
No. 8 Miami @ No. 1 Cleveland Cavaliers (starts Sunday)
No. 7 Orlando Magic at No. 2 Boston Celtics (starts Sunday)
My top two teams in the Eastern Conference are the top two seeded teams, the Cavaliers and the Celtics.
Cleveland has been dominating their opponents all season behind leading scorer Donovan Mitchell, who is averaging around 24 ppg. The Cavs are best in the league in scoring points as a team, averaging 122.3 points per game. Cleveland is also ranked sixth in defensive field goals made at 41.2%
I believe that Cleveland will reach the Eastern Conference Finals, dominating their opponents by only losing one game in their first two rounds.
The reigning NBA Champion Boston Celtics are once again having a really good season. They rank eighth in team scoring average at 116.9 points per game. With how elite Jayson Tatum is playing, the Celtics are an automatic threat to make a deep run again this season.
Tatum averaged around 27 ppg this season. Being once again a top team in the conference, I have no doubt the Celtics are going back to the Eastern Conference Finals, to face the Cavaliers.
I expect Boston and Cleveland to have an exciting, high powered series, ultimately going seven games. I have Cleveland coming out on top and representing the Eastern Conference. I think there will be some close games but Cleveland has been dominating all year and will take care of business.
With the Cleveland Cavaliers going to the NBA Finals to face the Golden State Warriors for the fifth time in the past decade. But this is not 2015-2018 when LeBron James was leading the Cavs.
This series will be very competitive and entertaining. I see this series going to seven games and multiple players having 20+ points each game.
I do have the Warriors winning their fifth NBA title since the 2014-15 season Butler’s clutch ability in the playoffs will show out the whole postseason and bring Golden State another championship and help land Butler his first title
