With the play in games complete, and the first weekend of the NBA Playoffs underway, now is a perfect time to give a preview of what I expect to happen during the First Round of the NBA Playoffs. There are some fantastic matchups across both conferences, with some up and coming teams making appearances while veteran teams remain in contention. In the article I will discuss the matchups at hand and give my prediction for each series. Let me know in the comments below what your predictions are for each series! (Note: the predictions for this article were made before any first-round games had happened).
Eastern Conference
#1 Boston Celtics vs #8 Miami Heat
A rematch of the 2023 ECF starts us off in the Eastern Conference. The Boston Celtics have been the #1 seed in the East for the majority of the season, and are entering the playoffs as potentially the healthiest team in their conference. They are led by superstar Jason Tatum, but have one of the deepest rosters in the league with Jaylen Browm, Kristaps Porzingis, and Jrue Holiday to round out their stars. This matchup is a bit distilled, however, as the Miami Heat will be without superstar Jimmy Butler for likely the entire series. The Heat are never a team to back down, and have been known for making deep runs in the postseason after lackluster regular seasons. Without Butler, the Heat will need everyone on their roster to step up on both ends in order to have a chance in this series. I think they will play the Celtics tough, but their lack of superstar talent will hold them back from winning this series. The Celtics are one of the favorites to win the Finals this year, and I don’t think the Heat will stand in the way of that happening.
Prediction: Celtics in 5
#2 New York Knicks vs #7 Philadelphia 76ers
In my opinion, this could be the matchup to watch for the entire first round. The 76ers come in as the 7 seed, but that is with superstar Joel Embiid missing a good portion of the regular season. The 76ers have an extremely talented and deep roster and have a championship coach in Nick Nurse. With Joel Embiid back in the lineup, they have a serious chance of upsetting the Knicks and taking this series. A lot of that rides on the health of Embiid. Is he 100%? Probably not. An 80-90% Embiid gives the 76ers a chance, but the Knicks are no slouch. Led by rising superstar Jalen Brunson, the Knicks are coming off one of their best regular seasons of late, as this is their first 50-win regular season since 2013. They also have an extremely deep roster, with Josh Hart and OG Anunoby rounding out their extremely talented starting trio. This will be an awesome series, and I could really see this going either way. I do think Embiid not being at 100% will hinder the 76ers chances, but I think they will keep it close with a chance to win the series.
Prediction: 76ers in 7
#3 Milwaukee Bucks vs #6 Indiana Pacers
Another series that has the potential to be the best matchup of the entire first round. The Pacers had the Bucks’ number in the regular season, going 4-1 and eliminating the Bucks during the In-Season Tournament. The Bucks have had an interesting season to say the least, one that started with the blockbuster trade for Damian Lillard, and one that pivoted mid-season with the firing of HC Adrian Griffin and the hiring of Doc Rivers as his replacement. The Pacers have had a season to remember, one that has been led by rising superstar Tyrese Halliburton. The Pacers have a young, deep team that can light up a scoreboard in a hurry. They play fast on offense, and physical on defense. They’ve had success against the Bucks this season, but the playoffs are a different animal. The Bucks will likely be without Giannis Antetokounmpo for game one but will hopefully have him back for a portion of the series. All this to be said, this will be another great series to watch and one that I think could go either way. In the end, I am sticking with the team that has more experience and more superstar talent.
Prediction: Bucks in 6
#4 Cleveland Cavaliers vs #5 Orlando Magic
This is a series that looks great on paper as the 5 seed vs the 4 seed, but I really think that Cleveland will control this series from start to finish. They are the deeper team and have the best player in the series with Donovan Mitchell. Darius Garland is also having a fantastic season, which makes them an extremely talented 1-2 punch at guard. Orlando has had a season to remember, with rising star Paulo Banchero leading the Magic to their first playoff appearance since 2020, and are looking for their first playoff series win since 2010. I don’t think this is the year for them to get that next series win, as I believe the Cavs will handle this series relatively quick.
Prediction: Cavs in 5
Western Conference
#1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs #8 New Orleans Pelicans
In the battle of the up-and-coming teams, the Thunder’s plan to stack draft picks has finally paid off with their #1 seeding in the NBA Playoffs. They are led by MVP Candidate Shai Gilgeous Alexander and have an extremely deep, and young team. They were able to edge out the Nuggets in the west and found themselves in a series against the Pelicans. The Pelicans are likely without superstar Zion Williamson for the series, as he was injured in the first round of the play-in tournament. They are going to rely heavily on Brandon Ingram and long-time star CJ McCollum in Williamson’s absence, but they are also stacked with depth and young talent. I believe this will be a close series, which will feature a lot of back and forth with relatively low scoring outings, as both teams feature top 10 defenses.
Prediction: Thunder in 7
#2 Denver Nuggets vs #7 Los Angeles Lakers
The Nuggets are looking to repeat as NBA champions and draw a matchup with the LA Lakers in round 1. The Nuggets aren’t quite as talented/deep of a team as last year, but they are still a juggernaut in the NBA. They have, arguably, the best duo in the NBA with Jokic and Murray and have a tremendous coaching staff with Mike Malone at the helm. The Lakers, on the other hand, are looking to come in and play spoiler to the Nuggets’ championship repeat. They’re led by the superstar duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis but will be looking for outside help if they want to upset the Nuggets. Darvin Ham has been under scrutiny lately, and he will need to turn in an incredible coaching performance if the Lakers are going to beat the Nuggets. The real question is: Do the Lakers have enough firepower behind AD and LeBron to win 4 games against the Nuggets? My answer: No.
Prediction: Nuggets in 4
#3 Minnesota Timberwolves vs #6 Phoenix Suns
The Wolves are having one of their best regular seasons in the last 10 years and are looking to win their first playoff series since 2004. They are led by superstar and future MVP candidate Anthony Edwards, and also have one of the best frontcourts in basketball with Rudy Gobert and Karl Anthony-Towns. The Wolves also have the best defense in the NBA. The Suns, on the other hand, shine on the offensive end with the best offensive trio in the NBA: Bradley Beal, Devin Booker, and KD. The Suns’ defense and depth struggle due to their roster being top heavy offensively. They will have to rely on their top 10 offense in order to win this series and will need to limit the Wolves’ offensive rebounding opportunities. The Wolves’ defense will be tough to exploit, and they are formidable enough on offense to put up points.
Prediction: Wolves in 6
#4 Los Angeles Clippers vs #5 Dallas Mavericks
The Clippers have one of the best teams in the NBA on paper with Kawhi, Paul George, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden. In addition to their star talent, they also have a fairly deep roster and a formidable top 8. They have struggled in the playoffs in recent years and are frantically searching to get over the hump. Kawhi is also not expected to play to start this series, which will have a major impact on the Clippers’ chances. The Clippers trot out a top 5 offense, but also a bottom 10 defense in the NBA. The Mavericks have one of the best duos in the NBA with Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic, as well as having a lot of role players and depth. The Mavs lack superior, high-end talent behind Luka and Kyrie and also have a bottom 10 defense in the NBA. I don’t believe they have enough firepower to keep up with the Clippers offensively, but they have the best player in the series with Doncic, which will keep them alive in the series.
Prediction: Clippers in 7
Round 2
If my predictions above are correct, the second-round matchups would be as follows:
- Nuggets vs Wolves
- Clippers vs Thunder
- 76ers vs Celtics
- Bucks vs Cavs