The NBA Playoffs are here. FINALLY! Here is how I think the first round will turn out.
The NBA season has concluded, and the Larry O is up for grabs. I say that because this year was a year of parody. There is no clear-cut contender this year, but some might say the Bucks and the Celtics have the best shot. The league is wide open, though; anyone can win this year’s NBA title.
Eastern Conference
Milwaukee Bucks (58-24) vs. Miami Heat (44-38): Not much to say here. Bucks in 4.
Cleveland Cavaliers (51-31) vs. New York Knicks (47-35): New blood is in the air, and the Cavs and the Knicks are new bloods dominating the NBA. Both teams are scrappy and versatile, with young stars leading the way. The Cavs traded for Donovan Mitchell this past summer, and he has not disappointed. Mitchell averaged 28.3 ppg and dished out 4.4 APG in his first season with the Cavs. He was paired up with a young upstart point guard in Darius Garland, a stud in his own right. I could go on and on about this backcourt, but I would be reluctant not to mention their frontcourt. The frontcourt consists of Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley; those two can do many things on defense and offense. These four young rising stars are the key to the Cavs’ success, and if they can play up to their potential, this team could move past this round and to the Eastern Conference Finals. As for the Knicks, they also went out in the summer and signed a young rising star in Jalen Brunson. And to no surprise, Brunson is the engine of this new spunky Knicks team. Brunson is paired with Julius Randle and R.J. Barrett, and they have clicked for the most part. Overall the Knicks are a very solid, hard-nosed team that can potentially upset the Cavs. Will they? Cavs in 7 “Slobberknocker of a series”
Philadelphia 76ers (54-28) vs. Brooklyn Nets (45-37): This series is ironic because these franchises made a blockbuster trade in the summer centering around James Harden and Ben Simmons. And unfortunately, Ben Simmons has been shut down due to a back injury. But enough about that. Let’s discuss Joel Embiid and James Harden and how this duo is primed to make a deep run. Their pick-in roll game is one of the best the NBA has seen because of how versatile both players are. Both are creative off the bounce and can beat you in multiple ways. If the Sixers want to sniff the conference finals, Embiid and Harden must lead against a competitive Brooklyn Nets team. As we move on to Brooklyn, let’s say this franchise has been on a roller coaster for the past couple of years, from having Kevin Durant nearly take them to the Eastern Conference Finals to having KD, James Harden, and Kyrie Irving all on one team and not do a damn thing. But with all that turmoil, they shipped out Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving and got some solid players in return. The haul of players included Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Spencer Dinwiddie. With them coming over in a trade, the Nets are an all-around solid team that could pull off an upset. And I ultimately think that’s going to happen. Nets in 7 “Sixers meltdown”
Boston Celtics (57-25) vs. Atlanta Hawks (42-41): This could be a very interesting matchup, or the Celtics will sweep them. It depends on the first-time head coach, Joe Mazzulla. Quin Snyder is a savvy veteran coach with the chops to out-coach young Mazzulla. I can see that happening throughout the series, but ultimately it won’t matter because the Celtics have Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown leading the way. Celtics in 5
Western Conference
Denver Nuggets (53-29) vs. Minnesota Timberwolves (42-40): Can the Nuggets get over the hump and finally make a Finals? I say no. Nuggets in 5
Phoenix Suns (45-37) vs. Los Angeles Clippers (44-38): Here we go, KD vs.s Kawhi, and this is what the NBA is all about. But better yet, we get to see KD go up against Russ. This would be the former teammates’ first head-to-head in the playoffs. This series will be the best out of Round 1, no doubt. And not to mention, we get to see CP3 go up against the Clippers again, just like they did back in the 2021 conference finals. It will come down to depth, and I think the Clippers have more of that. Having Norman Powell, who leads the Clippers in scoring off the bench, will be the X-factor and ultimately tilt the series in the Clipper’s favor. Clippers in 7 “Russ Vs. KD, the Bloodbath”
Sacramento Kings (48-34) vs. Golden State Warriors (44-38): For the first time since 2006, the Sacramento Kings are in the playoffs, and the team even has home-court advantage. And their reward is to play the defending NBA Champs, the Golden State Warriors, in the first round. Although the Warriors have had a sub-par year, they still have that championship pedigree and can never count them out. They will also be getting back Andrew Wiggins, who has been out for most of the second half of the season due to a personal matter. The Kings proved they are a legit threat to make some noise in this year’s playoffs. They historically had the greatest offensive year the NBA has ever seen, statistically speaking. The Kings are no slouch; head coach Mike Brown has whipped this franchise into shape and is a shoo-in to win coach of the year. So who wins? Having the Kings in the playoffs is great for the NBA, but their run will end against a fully healthy Warriors team. Warriors in 6 “Winners of North Cal”
Memphis Grizzlies (51-31) vs. Los Angeles Lakers (44-39): Behold, the mighty Los Angeles Lakers made it into the playoffs by the skin of their teeth by defeating the Timberwolves in OT. But somehow, are they still going to the NBA Finals? I think this series will come down to the stars leading the pack. If Ja Morant can play like the superstar that we all know he can play like, well, they should win the series. But if Lebron and AD start to control the games, then the Lakers have a good shot at winning this series. In the end, I give the edge to the Grizzlies because they have more depth. Grizz in 6
