Today Saturday April 16th the NBA Playoffs begin. With this being the 75th season of the NBA it has been filled with many great teams this season. I will examine the most intriguing of the first round of the playoffs. I also will give my prediction for the Conference Finals and also some Upsets to be on the lookout for in the first round.
Most Intriguing Matchup
There are many interesting matchups in the first round of the playoffs. The most intriguing matchup is the Memphis Grizzlies vs the Minnesota Timberwolves. This is the best matchup to watch in the first round due to the fact the teams very much mirror each other. Both teams have young cores that are the future of the NBA. The regular season series between the two teams was 2-2. The individual matchup that is must see TV is the Anthony Edwards vs Ja Morant. Ja Morant has taken a huge step this season so much he found himself in the MVP conversation this year. In addition Anthony Edwards is always ready to bring it especially in a big game. Morant vs Edwards will likely happen during key possessions in the 4th quarter which just adds to the intensity and excitement. Also the battle down low between Minnesota’s Karl Anthony Towns and Memphis’ Steven Adams specifically their battle on the boards. Whichever team wins the rebounding battle will win the series as both teams are evenly matched and extra possessions will be key.
Upset Alert
Out of the 8 first round series there are 2 series that have upsets to watch for . In the Eastern Conference The Philadelphia 76ers are favored against the Toronto Raptors. The Philadelphia 76ers are on upset alert against the Raptors. The Raptors have several players who provide length and can also score offensively. In addition the 76ers do not have anyone on their team who can guard Raptors Forward Pascal Siakam and he will be able to match or come close to Joel Embiid’s offensive production. Due to the vaccination mandate in Canada the 76ers best perimeter defender Matisse Thybulle will not be allowed to travel to Canada which means he will miss at least 2 road games in the series. Another player to watch is Toronto’s Scottie Barnes especially when he is playing defense likely on James Harden. Barnes is a top Rookie of the Year Candidate who is a very good defender; he will see time defending James Harden. With James Harden's history of struggling in key moments of the playoffs an upset is possible.
In the Western Conference the team that should be on upset alert are the Golden State Warriors.
The Golden State Warriors are the 3rd seed going up against the 6th seeded Denver Nuggets. Star Point Guard Steph Curry status is currently in question due to an ankle injury that has kept him out the last few weeks of the regular season. The Warriors will be in trouble if Steph is unable to play in the first few games of the series. The Nuggets are led by MVP front runner Nikola Jokic who has been tremendous this season averaging nearly a triple double. If there is no Curry, Jokic will be able to control the game, to the benefit of the Denver Nuggets.
These are going to be an exciting playoffs this year and so many teams have the ability to make Conference Finals. Here are my picks for the Eastern and Western Conference Finals.
Eastern Conference Finals
I believe this will be the year Boston Celtics find their way back to the Conference Finals and with the emergence of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown they will have a chance at getting to the NBA Finals. The team that they will be meeting are the defending NBA Champions the Milwaukee Bucks. The Bucks are hitting their stride at the right time and finally have a healthy roster with Brook Lopez back in the lineup. The Celtics will have the more difficult road getting to the conference finals but it will be a great test for them as they will be ready to face the Milwaukee Bucks.
Western Conference Finals
The Western Conference Finals will be the Phoenix Suns vs the Memphis Grizzlies. This will be a very exciting matchup to watch as both Ja Morant of the Grizzlies and Devin Booker of the Suns will be offensive anchors for their teams and help put them over the top throughout the Western Conference Playoffs. This will also be a look at what the NBA contenders will look like in the next 3 to 5 years.
These Playoffs will truly be exciting and I can not wait to see what happens!!
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