The NBA playoffs begin on Saturday, which should give Knicks fans some good NBA basketball to watch for the first time this season.
The Eastern Conference semifinals should be great, but the first round could feature some lopsided series that end quickly.
#1 Milwaukee Bucks (60-22) vs #8 Detroit Pistons (41-41)
If the Pistons manage to avoid the sweep it would be a success for them, especially with Blake Griffin nursing sore knees that forced him to miss a regular-season finale that had playoff implications. The most important factor in this series for Milwaukee is to get out of it with Giannis Antetokuonmpo's ankle healthy and ready for a round two matchup with whoever wins the Celtics/Pacers series.
#4 Boston Celtics (49-33) vs #5 Indiana Pacers (48-34)
Despite losing their star Victor Oladipo, the Pacers had the fourth seed in hand until falling to the Celtics 117-97 on April 5. The Pacers have the third-best defense in the league (105.9 defensive rating) but can go through long periods struggling to score points. They will give the Celtics fits.
Boston has been a disappointment this season, but it hasn't been because of their defense, which ranks sixth in the league (107 defensive rating). There are reports that they could be without one of the best perimeter defenders, Marcus Smart, for the first two rounds of the playoffs with an oblique injury. It's still hard to believe the combination of Kyrie Irving, Jayson Tatum and Al Horford won't figure out a way to win this series.
If the Celtics do manage to lose, you can punch Kyrie Irving's ticket out of Boston this summer. This will be the most competitive first round Eastern Conference playoff series.
#3 Philadelphia 76ers (51-31) vs #6 Brooklyn Nets (42-40)
As satisfying of a season as the Nets have had, it is hard to see how they successfully match up with Joel Embiid during the series, who is the motor that makes the Sixers go. If the Nets perimeter players (D'Angelo Russell, Spencer Dinwiddie, Caris Levert, Joe Harris) get hot, they might be able to steal a game or two. It would be a huge upset if the Nets can push this to a game seven. Make sure you check out Steve Lichtenstein's coverage of the Nets in the playoffs on WFAN.com.
#2 Toronto Raptors (58-24) vs #7 Orlando Magic (42-40)
If anyone doubted that Steve Clifford was an excellent coach, all they need to do is take a long look at what the Magic did this season. They went from having a top-ten draft pick to winning the Southeastern Division and making the playoffs. Unfortunately, their prize is having to battle one of the best teams in the NBA. Toronto does a lot of things very well, and it would be shocking if this series isn't over in five games or less.
The Western Conference is strong top to bottom and the first round should have a couple of very competitive series.
#1 Golden State Warriors (57-25) vs #8 Los Angeles Clippers (48-34)
Doc Rivers reminded everyone this season what kind of coach he can be, especially when he no longer has team president responsibilities. Despite trading away Tobias Harris before the trade deadline, the Clippers managed to make the playoffs. Unfortunately for them, the Golden State Warriors, who turned it on in the final month to get the top seed, awaits them. The Clippers will play hard, but the Warriors are still the Warriors, and they'll roll in five games.
#4 Houston Rockets (53-29) vs #5 Utah Jazz (50-32)
No one wanted to play the Rockets in the first round of the playoffs given how well they played in the second half of the season, and how unstoppable potential MVP James Harden has been. He's averaging 36 points per game. 36! His True Shooting percentage is still 61.6%. It is one of the best offensive years of all time, spare Wilt Chamberlain. The Rockets finished the season as the second-best offensive team in the sport, just a tenth of a point behind the Warriors with a 114.8 offensive rating.
The Utah Jazz will be an incredible challenge for them. With likely Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert anchoring the defense in the middle, Utah was the second-best team on that end of the floor with a 105.2 defensive rating this year. Donovan Mitchell is a volume scorer that can get hot at any time and lead a team to victory late. This series will be fun and go six or seven games and is ripe for an upset. I'll still go with the Rockets in seven.
#3 Portland Trailblazers (53-29) vs #6 Oklahoma City Thunder (49-33)
The Thunder are the fourth best defensive team in the NBA (106.4 defensive rating) thanks to the play of Paul George, Steven Adams and Jerami Grant. Russell Westbrook averaged a triple-double again this season, despite shooting only 42.8% from the field. He can still take over a game at any time. Paul George has been a top-five MVP candidate this year.
They will have their hands full with the Portland Trailblazers, who keep winning games with underrated Head Coach Terry Stotts. Behind Damian Lillard, who is one of the best offensive players in the sport (25.8 ppg on .444/.369/.912 shooting), the Blazers have the third-best offense in the NBA. Their starting center, Jusuf Nurkic is out for the playoffs, which means Enes Kanter has to start. The Thunder will obliterate him with pick and rolls and the Thunder upset Portland in 6 games. If Stotts goes away from Kanter early in the series, which he should, Portland will hold on in seven.
#2 Denver Nuggets (54-28) vs #7 San Antonio Spurs (48-34)
The Spurs are somehow in the playoffs again with LaMarcus Aldridge, DeMar DeRozan and Rudy Gay as their three best players. Gregg Popovich is a genius. Despite having few three-point shooters (they average 25.3 attempts per game, fewest in the league), the Spurs still have the sixth-best offense in the league. They struggle with the 20th defensive rating.
The Nuggets are going through a late-season swoon, but they are still a top ten offensive and defensive team. Nikola Jokic is an offensive savant, averaging 7.3 assists per game at the center position. He is so much fun to watch on that end of the floor. Jamal Murray is the best guard in the NBA that most casual NBA fans have probably never heard of. They have a bunch of solid players on both ends of the floor that come together to make a good all-around team. Nuggets in six.
