Playoff 2024 Prediction Thread

[SparzWizard]

Now that the regular season is officially out of the way, it's playoff time! What's everyone's prediction for the NBA playoffs? Health will definitely be the name of the game for Boston, so fingers crossing.

East Playoffs:
1. Celtics vs 8. Heat - Celtics in 5
2. Knicks vs 7. 76ers - 76ers in 7
3. Bucks vs 6. Pacers - Pacers in 6
4. Cavaliers vs 5. Magic - Magic in 6

Three dogs will advance to the East Semis.

1. Celtics vs 5. Magic - Celtics in 6
6. Pacers vs 7. 76ers - 76ers in 6

ECF:
1. Celtics vs 7. 76ers - Celtics in 7

West Playoffs:
1. OKC Thunder vs 8. Pelicans - Thunder in 5.
2. Nuggets vs 7. Lakers - Nuggets in 6
3. Wolves vs 6. Suns - Suns in 6
4. Clippers vs 5. Mavericks - Mavs in 5

West Semis:
1. Thunder vs 5. Mavericks - Mavericks in 6
2. Nuggets vs 6. Suns - Nuggets in 7

WCF:
2. Nuggets vs 5. Mavericks - Nuggets in 6

NBA Finals:
1. Celtics vs 2. Nuggets - Celtics in 7

Boston Celtics finally win Banner #18 after 16-year drought.

[Who]

East Playoffs

First Round

1. Celtics vs 8. Heat - Celtics in 4
2. Knicks vs 7. 76ers - Knicks in 6
3. Bucks vs 6. Pacers - Pacers in 6
4. Cavaliers vs 5. Magic - CLE in 7

ECSF

1. Celtics vs ORL/CLE - Celtics in 6
6. Pacers vs 2. Knicks - Indy in 7

ECF

1. Celtics vs IND - Celtics in 6

[Who]

West Playoffs

First Round

1. OKC Thunder vs 8. Pelicans - Thunder in 5
2. Nuggets vs 7. Lakers - Nuggets in 5
3. Wolves vs 6. Suns - Suns in 6
4. Clippers vs 5. Mavericks - Mavs in 7

WCSF

1. Thunder vs 5. Mavericks - OKC in 6
2. Nuggets vs 6. Suns - Nuggets in 6

WCF

2. Nuggets vs 1. OKC - Nuggets in 5

[Moranis]

Boston in 4
Cleveland in 6
Milwaukee in 7
NY in 5

Boston in 5
NY in 7

Boston in 6

OKC in 5
Dallas in 6
Minnesota in 7
Denver in 6

Dallas in 6
Denver in 5

Denver in 7

Denver over Boston in 6 (Hopefully I'm wrong, but I just think the Joker is too much - hoping Dallas or someone can knock them off)

[celticinorlando]

Boston in 5
Knicks in 7
Pacers in 6
Cavs in 7

Boston over Cleveland in 6
Knicks over Pacers in 6

Celtics over Knicks in 5

Thunder over Pels in 5
Denver over Lakers in 6
Clippers in 7 over Dallas
Suns over T Wolves in 7

Denver over Suns in 6
Clippers over Thunder in 6

Denver over Clippers in 5

Boston over Denver in 6 games

Boston NBA Champions

[tazzmaniac]

East Playoffs:
1. Celtics vs 8. Heat - Celtics in 5
2. Knicks vs 7. Sixers - Sixers in 6
3. Bucks vs 6. Pacers - Pacers in 6
4. Cavaliers vs 5. Magic - Cavs in 7

1. Celtics vs 4. Cavs - Celtics in 5
6. Pacers vs 7. Sixers - Sixers in 6

1. Celtics vs 7. Sixers - Celtics in 5

West Playoffs:
1. OKC Thunder vs 8. Pelicans - Thunder in 5
2. Nuggets vs 7. Lakers - Nuggets in 5
3. Wolves vs 6. Suns - Suns in 6
4. Clippers vs 5. Mavericks - Mavs in 6

1. Thunder vs 5. Mavericks - Thunder in 6
2. Nuggets vs 6. Suns - Nuggets in 7

1. Thunder vs. 2. Nuggets  - Thunder in 7

NBA Finals:
1. Celtics vs 1. Thunder - Celtics in 6

[Vermont Green]

I am too superstitious to do actual predictions when BOS is involved but I will say that there are some interesting match ups.  I don't mind taking a shot at the west:

OKC over NOP
DEN over LAL
MIN over PHX
DAL over LAC (based on Kawhi being mostly out)

OKC over DAL
DEN over MIN

DEN over OKC

After the first round in the West, the match ups get very interesting.  DAL is kind of the wild card in this for me.  They could sneak into the WCF or they could lose to LAC if Kawhi is actually able to play.  I guess in the same vein, LAC is a wild card too as you don't know what you are going to get from Kawhi.  If he is playing, LAC can beat both DAL and OKC.  If not, they could be a first round out.

In the east, even the first round match ups are interesting.  PHI and MIL have not looked good lately, PHI doesn't beat MIA if Butler doesn't go down.  Giannis may not even play much in the first round, so who knows in those two series.  IND and NYK could prevail.  CLE and OR is a hard series to predict.  I don't really know what to expect from either team.  I'll just say I think BOS makes it to the finals, but I have no idea who they will end up having to beat to get there (thereby hopefully not jinxing anything).

[Phantom255x]

EAST

Boston in 5
Orlando in 6
Milwaukee in 7* (assuming Giannis returns later in series)
New York in 7

Boston in 5
NY in 7

Boston in 6

WEST

OKC in 6
Dallas in 7
Minnesota in 7
Denver in 5

Dallas in 6
Denver in 6

Denver in 7

FINALS: Boston over Denver in 6

NBA Champions: Boston Celtics

Lot of intriguing matchups for sure. Some are very hard to predict. I think while CLE has the pressure to win and not be a first round exit for the second straight year, idk I just think Orlando is young, athletic and motivated and CLE has looked off since the Break. That could be an upset. MIL/PHI don't look as hot and are dealing with injuries, I think NY manages to beat them both with HCA.

Could be a handful of 7-game series, but I'm also predicting Boston actually doesn't play with their food as much as in recent years and it helps them in their path. Denver could have some tough series. Then Boston finally gets over the hump and beats the final boss

[hardlyyardley]

Hate to say it, but Lakers will beat Nuggets and make it al least to the conference finals

[Birdman]

Wrote this down but forgot post it on here last week, had lot going on with family:

Celtics over Miami 4-0
Knicks over 76ers 4-3
Cavs over Magic 4-1
Bucks over Pacers 4-2

OKC over Pelicans 4-1
Nuggets over Lakers 4-2
Clippers over Mavs 4-0
Minny over Suns 4-3

[Phantom255x]

EAST

Boston in 5
Orlando in 6
Milwaukee in 7* (assuming Giannis returns later in series)
New York in 7

Boston in 5
NY in 7

Boston in 6

WEST

OKC in 6
Dallas in 7
Minnesota in 7
Denver in 5

Dallas in 6
Denver in 6

Denver in 7

FINALS: Boston over Denver in 6

NBA Champions: Boston Celtics

Lot of intriguing matchups for sure. Some are very hard to predict. I think while CLE has the pressure to win and not be a first round exit for the second straight year, idk I just think Orlando is young, athletic and motivated and CLE has looked off since the Break. That could be an upset. MIL/PHI don't look as hot and are dealing with injuries, I think NY manages to beat them both with HCA.

Could be a handful of 7-game series, but I'm also predicting Boston actually doesn't play with their food as much as in recent years and it helps them in their path. Denver could have some tough series. Then Boston finally gets over the hump and beats the final boss

After 1 game I still feel good about all my first round ones. Only two I *might* switch is Dallas and Orlando IF both teams fall behind 2-0. It was only one game, I know, but the Dallas loss in particular was pretty bad. They could come back down 2-0 with home court in Games 3 and 4 but it becomes a very tall task for them.

[Vermont Green]

EAST

Boston in 5
Orlando in 6
Milwaukee in 7* (assuming Giannis returns later in series)
New York in 7

Boston in 5
NY in 7

Boston in 6

WEST

OKC in 6
Dallas in 7
Minnesota in 7
Denver in 5

Dallas in 6
Denver in 6

Denver in 7

FINALS: Boston over Denver in 6

NBA Champions: Boston Celtics

Lot of intriguing matchups for sure. Some are very hard to predict. I think while CLE has the pressure to win and not be a first round exit for the second straight year, idk I just think Orlando is young, athletic and motivated and CLE has looked off since the Break. That could be an upset. MIL/PHI don't look as hot and are dealing with injuries, I think NY manages to beat them both with HCA.

Could be a handful of 7-game series, but I'm also predicting Boston actually doesn't play with their food as much as in recent years and it helps them in their path. Denver could have some tough series. Then Boston finally gets over the hump and beats the final boss

After 1 game I still feel good about all my first round ones. Only two I *might* switch is Dallas and Orlando IF both teams fall behind 2-0. It was only one game, I know, but the Dallas loss in particular was pretty bad. They could come back down 2-0 with home court in Games 3 and 4 but it becomes a very tall task for them.

I wouldn't give up on DAL just yet.  Harden has not been able to maintain consistency the last few years.  And you don't expect Zubac to go 20/15 again.  DAL was pretty lackluster, they will need to wake up and play better.  Defending Harden will be the trick.  DAL has Irving, Doncic, and Exum, not exactly all defense candidates.  LAC will keep exploiting that until DAL stops him.

Maybe they should try the Miami Zone defense.