Playoff Prediction Thread

[SHAQATTACK]

Celtics:  Fo', Fo', Fo', Fo'

I 2nd this motion .

[SparzWizard]

Maybe it might not even matter who makes the #8 seed as they'll get ousted in the first-round anyways.

East First-Round:
1. Bucks vs 8. Bulls/Heat - Bucks in 5
2. Celtics vs 7. Hawks - Celtics in 5
3. 76ers vs 6. Nets - 76ers in 5
4. Cavs vs 5. Knicks - Cavs in 7

East Semis:
1. Bucks vs 4. Cavs - Bucks in 6
2. Celtics vs 3. 76ers - Celtics in 6

East Finals:
1. Bucks vs 2. Celtics - Celtics in 7

West First-Rounds:
1. Nuggets vs 8. Pelicans/Wolves/Thunder - Nuggets in 6
2. Grizzlies vs 7. Lakers - Lakers in 4
3. Kings vs 6. Warriors - Warriors in 5
4. Suns vs 5. Clippers - Suns in 7

West Semis:
1. Nuggets vs 4. Suns - Suns in 5
6. Warriors vs 7. Lakers - Warriors in 7

West Finals:
4. Suns vs 6. Warriors - Suns in 7

NBA Finals
2. Celtics vs 4. Suns - Celtics in 7

Boston Celtics win Banner 18 in June 2023.

[Who]

East

Milwaukee vs 8th seed - MIL in 4
Cleveland vs New York - undecided [update: NY in 6]
Philly vs Brooklyn - Philly in 5 or 6
Boston vs Atlanta - BOS in 4 or 5

West

Denver vs 8th seed - DEN in 6
Phoenix vs LAC - PHO in 5
Sacramento vs Golden State - SAC in 7
Memphis vs LAL - undecided [update: LAL in 6]


Need to think some more about those two series. Whoever wins those series, I expect them to lose in the next round.

ECSF

Milwaukee in 6 over CLE or NYK [update: MIL in 5 or 6]
Boston in 6 over PHI

WCSF

Phoenix vs Denver = Phoenix in 5
Sacramento vs undetermined

Actually, Sacramento is pretty weak. LAL or MEM have a solid chance at beating them and getting to the WCF. LAL could cause Sacramento a lot of problems with SAC's weak interior D. Morant vs Fox would be fun. I am going to take either one of those teams over Sacramento in a 6 game series.

Update: LAL in 6 or 7 over SAC.

ECF

Boston vs Milwaukee - BOS in 6

WCF

Phoenix vs LAL or MEM - Phoenix in 5

Finals

Boston vs Phoenix - undecided



Update: I am leaning to NY over CLE in 6 games with MIL beating NY in 5 or 6 in the second round. I still haven't decided on LAL vs MEM.

Update 2: I am going LAL over MEM in 5 or 6.


Hard to know what to think of PHO in a series against BOS in the Finals. The Suns have had so little time together. I think it is only 8 games that Durant has played for them. Won't know what they are capable of until they are tested in some of those playoff series. The first round matchup with LAC should tell a lot. As could a likely 2nd round matchup with Denver. The WCF will be the easiest series for whatever team comes out of that side of the bracket.

[Birdman]

I’m only one who is thinking Clippers will beat the Suns?? With George I think he could been done, but still think it can be done

[Who]

I’m only one who is thinking Clippers will beat the Suns?? With George I think he could been done, but still think it can be done

Why do you think LAC can win?

I don't think they have the horses without PG13. If they had PG13, yeah maybe. Or if PHO was without Durant or without D Booker, yeah maybe. But a healthy Durant and a healthy D Booker while LAC is without PG13 ... that looks an insurmountable task to me.

[Moranis]

I’m only one who is thinking Clippers will beat the Suns?? With George I think he could been done, but still think it can be done

Why do you think LAC can win?

I don't think they have the horses without PG13. If they had PG13, yeah maybe. Or if PHO was without Durant or without D Booker, yeah maybe. But a healthy Durant and a healthy D Booker while LAC is without PG13 ... that looks an insurmountable task to me.

I think Phoenix will win, but I do think there are ways the Clippers can win.  First, they have to win the Leonard/Durant match-up, and I think they can do that 4 times (or at least not lose it 4 times).  Leonard isn't that far removed from an argument as the best player in the world and he is now the healthiest he has been in years.  If Leonard stays with Durant that will go a long way to the Clippers winning.  Second, I do think Westbrook can abuse Paul.  If RW can stay within the game plan, enough of the time, I think that could actually be an advantage for the Clippers.  Third, the Clippers do have a lot of long wing depth.  That is very helpful as they can put a lot of different bodies and a lot of different looks on both Booker and Durant.  They can keep mixing it up and potentially wear down Booker and Durant, hurting their efficiency. 

In sum, the Durant trade took a lot of the Suns depth, so if the Clippers can keep pushing and keep the pace and get near-peak Leonard, I do think the Clippers can wear them down and win the series.  I picked Phoenix, but I wouldn't be all that surprised if LA pulled it out. 

[Phantom255x]

My First Round Predictions

EAST:
Milwaukee over Miami in 5
Boston over Atlanta in 5
Philadelphia over Brooklyn in 5
Cleveland over New York in 7

WEST:
Denver over Minnesota in 5
Los Angeles Lakers over Memphis in 6
Golden State over Sacramento in 6
Phoenix over Los Angeles Clippers in 6

- I do hope I'm wrong about Memphis-LAL and Golden State-Sacramento, but I don't know if Memphis has enough in the frontcourt to stop Lebron/AD, and as for GSW-SAC, experience may matter which Golden State no doubt has. But I'd LOVE to see Sacramento make a deep run in the West. Fun team to watch and root for

[Phantom255x]

My 2nd Round Predictions

EAST:
New York over Miami in 7
Boston over Philadelphia in 5

WEST:
Denver over Phoenix in 6
Sacramento/Golden State over Los Angeles Lakers in 6

And yes, I predicted DEN > PHO in 6 even before last night's game happened lol. Check the playoff thread recent posts for proof, I definitely answered it when someone asked 

[SparzWizard]

East Semis:

Knicks over Heat in 6
Celtics over Sixers in 7

West Semis:
Suns over Nuggets in 6
Lakers over Kings in 6, Warriors over Lakers in 7

Lotta first-round surprises. Didn't think the Bucks would go out quick. Cavs out over the Knicks as well. Clippers injury derailed their season.