NBA Playoff Preview
Memphis vs. Thunder - If Ja is healthy, they lose in 6; if he's not, they lose in 5. I don't see how the Thunder find a way to lose this series. They are better than the Grizzlies in every single area. I expect Chet to have a great scoring series because I don't see how they guard him while having Edey on the court. They also don't have anyone who's a good matchup for J-Dub, so we will see how long this series will last.
Clippers vs. Nuggets - This series could be the best in the West in the 1st round. A healthy Clippers team enters the playoffs for the first time in forever. They have a date with the best player in the league, Jokic. I think that the Nuggets are not deep enough to win this one, and I don't rush to back teams that have fired their head coach. The Clippers can go 10 deep, which is a great luxury to have in a playoff series. If Kawhi stays healthy, this is a team that no one wants to play in a 7-game series.
Timberwolves vs. Lakers - Another great series with a whole bunch of smack talk going around. Jaxson Hayes has already called out Rudy, which is hilarious because Rudy is the exact person who Hayes should be studying. The Lakers have the best player in this series, but the Timberwolves, by far, have the better team top to bottom. I am very excited to see how this one plays out. LeBron will have to be LeBron if they are going to win this series, which is a lot to ask of a 40-year-old who's been in the league since 2003. Chris Finch is the key to this series; if he knows what he is doing and doesn't fall into the media pressure of playing Rudy off the court.
Warriors vs. Rockets - The Rockets are being slighted by every single media outlet that covers the NBA. They have the better team and coach, in my opinion. But the Warriors have the best two players on the court at all times, which is almost impossible to overcome come playoff time. However, I think that their defense will win them a game or two. I'm also looking forward to the Dillon Brooks and Draymond Green antics that are sure to be happening all series long.
Heat vs. Cavs - The Cavs should have way too much offense for the Heat to keep up. It would have been better for the Heat to have been in the lottery to get a dynamic playmaker to pair with Hero and Ware. But I think that if they don't win Game 3, they will end up getting swept. The only reason this team made the playoffs was because of their great coach and the play-in tournament. I expect Garland to have a huge series, but I'm looking to see how Ware does in the playoffs as a rookie against two good big men.
Bucks vs. Pacers - Their rivalry takes place in the playoffs this year. I just hope that the Bucks do not “punk” the Pacers and that the Pacers come to play, because there is a world where this Bucks team is just too physical in a playoff setting for them. While Giannis averages 33 & 13, they could win in 5 games. If Dame comes back healthy, the Cavs will be on high alert in the next round. Most times, the best team doesn’t win, but the team that's the most healthy.
Pistons vs. Knicks - The Pistons have leaned into that Bad Boy image this season, and I'm not quite convinced the Knicks are ready for this. They have battled injuries all year but have looked great at moments. They also destroyed their future for this team, and it got them to the 3rd seed, which qualifies as a disappointment. I believe the Pistons' bigs will hold KAT in check for the majority of the series, so this series will either be Jalen Brunson telling the young dawg it's not his time yet or a Cade coming-out party for the world to see. I think it might be the latter.
Magic vs. Celtics - Paolo has been struggling to initiate his offense of late, so I will be looking at Wagner to be aggressive for most of the series. However, it shouldn’t matter, as the Celtics are going to win the series in 4 or 5 games and prepare for the winner of the Pistons vs. Knicks. The Magic will have no one who can stop the backcourt of the Celtics, who will average more than 45 points combined in this series. I fear that the only competitive game in this series will be Game 3, and the Celtics will sweep the Magic, another team that would have been better off in the lottery.
