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2017 NBA Playoffs First Round Preview & Predictions


Eastern Conference

(1) Boston Celtics vs. (8) Chicago Bulls

The Celtics have some big financial decisions to make in the off season. Isaiah Thomas is now a max contract player and Avery Bradley along with Marcus Smart are due for extensions. On top of that, they will be getting an elite draft prospect with a top pick in this year's NBA Draft. The Celtics have the talent and depth to make a run in the playoffs and the Bulls shouldn't be much of a challenge for them in the first round. Not sure about the depth they will have next season based off their to-do list in the upcoming off-season, so this season may be their best opportunity to win a championship.

Prediction: Celtics in 5 games

(4) Washington Wizards vs. (5) Atlanta Hawks

John Wall is fun to watch and so is this Wizards team... on offense. With Bradley Beal, Otto Porter Jr, and the "Croatian Sensation" Bojan Bogdanovic this team can score with the best of them, but the Wizards have the third worst defense since the all-star break. This will be their achilles heel in the playoffs. The good news for the Wizards however is the Hawks have the league's least efficient offense. The Wizards added to their depth with Brandon Jennings and should have the talent and depth to beat the Hawks and move on to the Eastern semifinals.

Prediction: Wizards in 6 games

(2) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (7) Indiana Pacers

In 2014 we saw Lance Stephenson give us one of the most memorable memes possible when he blew into LeBron James ear during their matchup in the playoffs. A lot has changed since then. James was on the Miami Heat and Lance Stephenson was playing the best basketball of his career. Stephenson left Indiana for a huge contract with the Charlotte Hornets and has played for five teams since. He just recently signed a 3 year deal with the Pacers and is playoff eligible after only playing in six games for the team. There have been a lot of question marks about this Cavalier team. They have a short bench (again) and they have no team chemistry (again). These seem to be the same issues plaguing this team every year, yet they are the defending champions. Even though the Cavalier faltered to a 21-20 record in the 2nd half of the season, James, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Love are the best trio in the league outside the state of California. The Pacers come in winning their last five games but have been carried by Paul George all season. They have a nice trio of their own now with Stephenson, George, and Myles Turner, but it isn't going to happen.

Prediction: Cavaliers in 5 games

(3) Toronto Raptors vs. (6) Milwaukee Bucks

The "Greek Freak" Giannis Antetokounmpo returns to the playoffs, and everyone should be excited about that. This kid is fun to watch and made himself a household name with a great season this year. The Bucks pushed a good Bulls team to six games last year and will give this talented Raptors roster trouble on both sides of the ball. Unfortunately for Antetokounmpo and company the very experienced playoff roster of the Raptors will be too much for this still young and inexperienced playoff Bucks team.

Prediction: Raptors in 7 games

Western Conference

(1) Golden State Warriors vs. (8) Portland Trail Blazers

Both these teams have injury questions. For the Warriors, Kevin Durant returns from a knee injury and we will see if he is in "playoff shape," because that's a thing in the NBA. The Warriors adjusted nicely without Durant but will that ruin their chemistry now bringing Durant back into the lineup? For the Blazers, they acquired Jusuf Nurkic in February and were 14-5 in the games he started, but he has been out with a fractured fibula and his status for the playoffs is unknown. If Nurkic plays, even not at full health, the Blazers can compete with the Warriors. Either way the Warriors win, it really is just a matter of how quickly.

Prediction: Warriors in 5 games

(4) Los Angeles Clippers vs. (5) Utah Jazz

This could be the end of Chris Paul and Blake Griffin in Los Angeles and Gordon Heyward in Utah. Paul and Griffin are soon to be free agents and it is unclear what the Clippers want to do with them. After three consecutive bad luck postseasons this may be the Clippers last chance. Heyward is due a max contract but if the Jazz don't win this playoff series will they pay him? The only time Heyward made the playoffs, the Jazz got swept and he shot 18.3% in that series. Well, it isn't looking good for the Jazz on paper. The Jazz are in the bottom third in the league in defending the pick-and-roll, and the Clippers have one of the best pick-and-roll specialist in Paul. The Jazz are the slowest team in the league and they have to control the pace of the game in order for them to win.

Prediction: Clippers in 7 games

(2) San Antonio Spurs vs. (7) Memphis Grizzlies

The Spurs are not only the second best team in the conference but they are also the second best team in the league. This is the fourth time in the last seven years these two teams have met in the playoffs and the Spurs have won the last two. The first time they met was when the Grizzlies were a #8 seed and they upset the then #1 Spurs, but that doesn't count as that was considered a miracle that year. The Grizzlies are 7-13 in their last 20 games and without Chandler Parsons, who they lost to a season-ending injury early in the season, there isn't much hope for this Grizzlies team. The Spurs have the best defense in the league and the Grizzlies offense is in the bottom half of the league. This one is easy, bring out the brooms.

Prediction: Spurs in 4 games

(3) Houston Rockets vs. (6) Oklahoma City Thunder

Battle of the MVP candidates Russell Westbrook and James Harden. But more interesting is the Pat Beverly and Westbrook matchup. In the 2013 playoffs Beverly was involved in the meniscus tear of Westbrook which caused some pushing and shoving. I see Beverly really trying to get into Westbrook's head as there is some bad blood between the two. Look for Westbrook to perform as he as all year, if not better if possible, and the Thunder to score inside where the Rockets rank last in the league, giving up 48.9 points in the paint. Upset alert!

Prediction: Thunder in 7 games

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