So who ya got? What are your thoughts and projections?
Unlike in the NHL, where the best regular season team rarely hoists the Stanley Cup, the NBA's best regular season team much more often wins the NBA title.
West
It's really all about the Warriors and Rockets. Denver is too young and inexperienced. Portland is playing well, and actually beat the Rockets 3-1 in the regular season, but they would play the W's in the second round. They need Nurkic to beat the W's and they don't have him. Everyone else is to flawed.
Best first round series: #4 Utah vs. #5 Houston
Utah playing well down stretch and Houston is just tough.
East
All eyes are gonna be on Jaylen Brown, now that Marcus Smart is out a while with a torn Oblique for the Celtics. Brown is bigger than Smart, and probably even more talented, but Smart is the emotional leader of that team and brings intangibles Brown doesn't.
I have no idea between Toronto, Philly, and Boston, but I know Milwuakee is going to wipe the floor with the tragically overmatched Pistons, and I don't see them losing to any of these teams in the second or third round.
Best first round series: #7 Magic vs. #2 Raptors
Orlando has been playing great lately. One of the best defensive teams in the league.
Finals
I'm going to go with the Milwaukee Bucks to beat the Warriors in the NBA Finals. Giannis, Lopez, Middleton, Bledsoe, and Brogdon (when he returns) is a great starting 5, and they probably have a little bit better bench than the W's. But it's really about the best player, and the Greek Freak is the best player in the NBA now, IMO. He could average 35 pts, 15 boards, 5 assists and 3 blocks in the playoffs, and make it difficult to play Cousins. Durant would have to be Finals MVP again for W's to win, because he will have to not only score a ton, mostly from outside, he will need a defensive presence against Giannis, which I just don't see happening.
Unlike in the NHL, where the best regular season team rarely hoists the Stanley Cup, the NBA's best regular season team much more often wins the NBA title.
West
It's really all about the Warriors and Rockets. Denver is too young and inexperienced. Portland is playing well, and actually beat the Rockets 3-1 in the regular season, but they would play the W's in the second round. They need Nurkic to beat the W's and they don't have him. Everyone else is to flawed.
Best first round series: #4 Utah vs. #5 Houston
Utah playing well down stretch and Houston is just tough.
East
All eyes are gonna be on Jaylen Brown, now that Marcus Smart is out a while with a torn Oblique for the Celtics. Brown is bigger than Smart, and probably even more talented, but Smart is the emotional leader of that team and brings intangibles Brown doesn't.
I have no idea between Toronto, Philly, and Boston, but I know Milwuakee is going to wipe the floor with the tragically overmatched Pistons, and I don't see them losing to any of these teams in the second or third round.
Best first round series: #7 Magic vs. #2 Raptors
Orlando has been playing great lately. One of the best defensive teams in the league.
Finals
I'm going to go with the Milwaukee Bucks to beat the Warriors in the NBA Finals. Giannis, Lopez, Middleton, Bledsoe, and Brogdon (when he returns) is a great starting 5, and they probably have a little bit better bench than the W's. But it's really about the best player, and the Greek Freak is the best player in the NBA now, IMO. He could average 35 pts, 15 boards, 5 assists and 3 blocks in the playoffs, and make it difficult to play Cousins. Durant would have to be Finals MVP again for W's to win, because he will have to not only score a ton, mostly from outside, he will need a defensive presence against Giannis, which I just don't see happening.
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