After an 82 game grind that began in October, 16 teams remain. When the calendar flips to April, that signals it is time to watch the best teams go up against one another, while trying to predict who will earn the right to hoist the Larry O'Brien Trophy in mid-June.
East Round 1: 1. Boston Celtics (64-18) Vs 8. Miami Heat (46-36):
It wouldn't be the NBA Playoffs if the Heat and Celtics didn't face off. Unlike their last three playoff series, this version will not have a trip to the NBA Finals on the line. With no Jimmy Butler, the Heat have no chance in this series. Boston makes quick work of Miami and avenges last year's loss.
Prediction: Celtics Win Series 4-0
East Round 1: 2. New York Knicks (50-32) Vs 7. Philadelphia 76ers (47-35):
This is the best chance for Joel Embiid to reach his first conference final. The 76ers have avoided being on the same side of the bracket as the Celtics, who have been Philadelphia's kryptonite throughout the Embiid era.
Unluckily for Philadelphia, Embiid once again enters a postseason banged up. The reigning MVP has not been the same since most likely rushing back late in the season from the meniscus injury he suffered in January.
The Knicks play a physical brand of basketball, which will bother Embiid. Jalen Brunson and his Villanova crew return to the state they won a national championship in and take down the 76ers to move onto the second round.
Prediction: Knicks Win Series 4-3
East Round 1: 3. Milwaukee Bucks (49-33) Vs 6. Indiana Pacers (47-35):
As I have repeated on multiple fronts this season, the vibes in Milwaukee have just been strange. Those feelings were confirmed when the Bucks were 30-13 and fired first-year coach Adrian Griffin. For whatever reason, the Bucks decided they needed to make a change behind the bench but I am not sure Doc Rivers was the answer to these problems.
Since Rivers coached his first game on January 29th, the Bucks have a record of 17-19 and now anticipate that their best player Giannis Antetokounmpo will miss at least the start of this series and fear he could miss the entire first round.
Even with a healthy Giannis, the Bucks have struggled going up against the Pacers this season going 1-4 against their division rival.
Milwaukee has had a strange year all season long, and I think this will all blow up in this first-round matchup. With Antetokounmpo coming into the playoffs gimpy, the Pacers send the Bucks home early and into an offseason full of questions of where to go next.
Prediction: Pacers Win Series 4-2
East Round 1: 4. Cleveland Cavaliers (48-34) Vs 5. Orlando Magic (47-35):
2009 Eastern Conference Finals Rematch anyone?
After being embarrassed in last year's playoffs, the Cavaliers should be motivated to get through Round 1. I expect Donovan Mitchell to have a better performance than he did last year against the Knicks. However, I think the Magic and Paolo Banchero will put the NBA on notice that they are here to stay.
The Magic's physical defense and young core carry them to their first playoff series win since 2010, where we likely see Donovan Mitchell in a Cavs uniform for the final time.
Prediction: Magic Win Series 4-2
West Round 1: Oklahoma City Thunder (57-25) Vs 8. New Orleans Pelicans (48-34):
God, I wish Zion Williamson could have played in this series. The Pelicans size would have been tough for the young Thunder to handle, and if Williamson were healthy, an upset would not have shocked me. Without Williamson, Brandon Ingram coming off injury himself will have to carry the load on offense, and OKC will throw all the wings they have at BI. The task will be too tall for the Pels. OKC wins fairly easily and advances to round 2.
Prediction: Thunder Win Series 4-1
West Round 1: 2. Denver Nuggets (57-25) Vs 7. Los Angeles Lakers (47-35):
The Nuggets should and will win this series, but it's probably safe to say the Lakers were not the team they would have picked to face in Round 1, even if they have beat LA 8 straight times, all those games have come down to the wire.
I think the Lakers can at least take a couple of games this time around, and if they were to ever beat the defending champs in a series, the first round would probably be their best chance when there is the most rest in between games for their aging stars LeBron James, and Anthony Davis. To add onto that, Jamal Murray has been in-and-out of the lineup over the last month, and he might not be in the best rhythm at this point in time, but playoff Jamal is a real thing so I expect to play himself into shape. The champs move on.
Prediction: Nuggets Win Series 4-2
West Round 1: 3. Minnesota Timberwolves (56-26) Vs 6. Phoenix Suns (49-33)
No question, the Minnesota Timberwolves have been more consistent and straight-up better than the Suns this season. Anthony Edwards has taken the superstar jump, and he will be a star in this league for years to come.
Unfortunately for Edwards and Wolves, their time isn't now.
I don't love the idea of incorporating your second-best player, Karl Anthony-Towns, back into the lineup this late in the season right before the playoffs.
The post-season is typically when Rudy Gobert finds himself being played off the court because of his perimeter limitations on defense, where the Suns can dominate on any given night.
When healthy, Kevin Durant & Devin Booker could be the best-scoring duo in the association. The veteran experience of Durant, Booker, and Beal will show in this matchup.
The future is bright in Minnesota, but the Sun needs to shine now in the Valley for their moves to have been worth it.
Prediction: Suns Win Series 4-3
West Round 1: 4. Los Angeles Clippers (51-31) Vs 5. Dallas Mavericks (50-32):
You can argue nobody is playing better basketball right now than Luka Doncic and his Dallas Mavericks.
Post All-Star Break, the Mavericks are 16-7, and Doncic made a legitimate case to capture the league's MVP award.
Now, as the Mavs face a familiar playoff opponent in the Clippers, Doncic will get his first series win against Los Angeles as he now has a co-star to be paired with in Kyrie Irving.
With Kawhi Leonard, once again entering a post-season not entirely healthy, as well as, the checkered playoff past of James Harden, it is hard to bet against Doncic, who is playing the best basketball of his career.
Prediction: Mavericks Win Series 4-1
East Round 2: 1. Boston Celtics (64-18) Vs 5. Orlando Magic (47-35)
Magic fans, you should be proud of your team. This franchise has a lot to look forward to in the years to come, and, Paolo Banchero will be a star. Unfortunately, this is just a mismatch. The Celtics will cruise back to the Eastern Conference Final.
Prediction: Celtics Win Series 4-0
East Round 2: 2. New York Knicks (50-32) Vs 6. Indiana Pacers (47-35):
This will be the series where Jalen Brunson is officially crowned as an NBA superstar.
The Pacers defense is awful, Brunson will average nearly 30 points a game, and the Knicks have a ton of physical guards they can throw at Tyrese Haliburton. Pascal Siakam could be a key figure in the series, especially when he does not have a big body forward in Julius Randle to go up against, but the Knicks are the better team, even without Randle.
The Knicks reach their first Conference Final since 2000.
Prediction: Knicks Win Series 4-2
West Round 2: 1. Oklahoma City Thunder (57-25) Vs 5. Dallas Mavericks (50-32):
Even more than Magic fans, Thunder fans should be even more emphatic about their basketball team's future. Not many teams have gone from missing the post-season altogether to being the number one seed in their conference the following year. The Thunder have a bright future once again and should be title contenders for years.
However, as stated previously, Luka Doncic is playing out of his mind and it is just so hard to bet against right now, especially when Kyrie Irving can take over a series at any time as well.
Outside of Shai, the Thunder offence can stall as they do not truly have a go-to secondary scorer, while Dallas' stars can explode at any point.
After missing the playoffs last year, the Mavericks go to the Conference Finals for the second time in three years.
Prediction: Mavericks Win Series 4-2
West Round 2: 2. Denver Nuggets (57-25) Vs 6. Phoenix Suns (49-33)
In last year's playoffs, the Suns were the only team to win multiple games in a series against the Nuggets during Denver's championship run.
Because of the Suns ability to keep up offensively with Denver while also having a big body in Jusuf Nurkic to pound with Nikola Jokic, Phoenix at least has a punter's chance in each game against Denver as The Suns did win the season series 2-1 including two games in March.
With that being said, nobody executes late in games like the Nuggets, who always seem to come out on top in close battles.
Thus, you have to go with the Nuggets to win another playoff rematch from a year ago.
Prediction: Nuggets Win Series 4-2
Eastern Conference Finals: 1. Boston Celtics (64-18) Vs 2. New York Knicks (50-32):
The Knicks have been one of the few teams who have given Boston a bit of trouble in the East over the last couple of seasons, which will make this matchup at least interesting to begin with.
As much as I would love to see an NBA Finals atmosphere at Madison Square Garden, this is where the Knicks journey comes to an end in 2024.
Boston is simply the more talented team, and New York's lack of a true second option offensively will be on full display against the Celtics, who have multiple All-NBA caliber defenders to put on Jalen Brunson. Including former Knicks All-Star Kristaps Porzingis who will protect the paint.
The Celtics advance to the NBA Finals.
Prediction: Celtics Win Series 4-1
Western Conference Finals: 2. Denver Nuggets (57-25) Vs 5. Dallas Mavericks (50-32):
Nikola Jokic Vs Luka Doncic with a trip to the NBA Finals on the line? Sign me up!
In a battle of perhaps the two best players on the planet, this officially marks the new era of the NBA, which will dominated by European superstars.
I would love to see Doncic, Irving, and the Mavericks play on basketball's biggest stage in the NBA Finals, I just don't think they will have the size to bother Nikola Jokic, and by the Conference Finals, Jamal Murray should have plenty of ramp up where he has begun to look himself from last years playoffs.
The Mavs give Denver their toughest battle in the conference over the past two playoffs, but in the end, the Nuggets head back to the NBA Finals.
Prediction: Nuggets Win Series 4-3
2024 NBA Finals: 1. Boston Celtics (64-18) Vs 2. Denver Nuggets (57-25):
It's been leading up to this all year, hasn't it?
After rolling through the East in the playoffs like they did all regular season long, the Celtics find themselves back in the NBA Finals for the second-time in three seasons where they will have to take last year's champs looking to start a dynasty in the Nuggets.
I very much believe this would be the best NBA Finals series since 2016. on paper, the Celtics have the better roster, especially with first C's Jrue Holiday, and Kristaps Porzingis who help lead Boston to the best record in the NBA this season.
However, in late or close games, I still have my questions about Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown's ability to consistently hit those big shots, and you best believe I have my doubts about Joe Mazzulla behind the bench for Boston.
On the other side of this matchup, I have nothing but faith in Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, and coach Mike Malone to execute their game plan accordingly like we have seen them many times over the past two seasons, and in my opinion, that's what this series will come down to.
It will not be as easy as last year, but the Nuggets will reign supreme once again. Denver will have their second straight title, with Nikola Jokic winning another Finals MVP to cap off a remarkable last two years.
If the Joker can pull this off once again, the questions will go from whether he is an all-time great to where will he end up on the NBA's pantheon of all-time greats when he is all set and done.
The Denver Nuggets, soon to be your 2024 NBA Champions.
Prediction: Nuggets Win Series 4-3
Finals MVP: Nikola Jokic
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