The NBA playoffs are almost set and here are my picks for the first round.
In the east, the Celtics do not know who they play, but they have been dominant all year and should be able to win easily in the first round. The first seed in the West is the OKC Thunder and they are led by young stars. They will either play the Pelicans or Kings, and I could see the Kings upsetting the Thunder in the first round, but I could not see the Pelicans doing so. The Thunder have no veterans outside of Gordon Hayward, so it wouldn’t be shocking to see them get upset.
Next is the Knicks vs the 76ers. They will be playing a strong seventh seed team, but they are also a strong team so expect a good series. I have the Knicks taking the series, however, just because their depth is so strong.
In the West it is the second seed Nuggets vs the seventh seed Lakers. The Lakers are hot as of late, but the defending champs in the Nuggets are very good this year and should be able to take the series.
The three seed Bucks play the sixth seed pacers. Giannis is hurt and most likely out for a few games in this series. This should be a time for the Pacers to capitalize on the injury and take the series, which I think they will.
The three seed Timberwolves are set to take on the sixth seed Suns. This is going to be a tough series for either team. The Suns chemistry issues might come into play and lead to the Timberwolves taking the series, but if the Suns play well, then they can handle the Timberwolves and win the series.
The Clippers take on the Mavericks in the four vs five match up. These two teams have history in the playoffs and should give yet another entertaining series. The Clippers addition of James Harden has led to an outburst of wins, but Luka Doncic has been having an historic season for the Mavericks. This series could go either way, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it went down to seven games.
The other four vs five match up is the Cavaliers vs the Magic. This is another great game. The Cavaliers can get very hot, but the Magic, led by Paolo Banchero, have a young, fast roster. This series could come down to which role players step up for their team.
This year has many action-packed games and NBA fans should be in for a show for this year’s playoffs.
