Bold Predictions for the First Round of the NBA Playoffs

“I love the NBA playoffs. It’s just a great mental test for each team. When it’s really close, usually one team pulls together, and the other team comes apart.” Those words were once said by former champion Boston Celtics coach, Doc Rivers, who embraces the challenge that the playoffs bring to the table. One of his former players, Paul Pierce once stated, “Playoff basketball … you’ve got to treat every possession like it’s your last.” Pierce is one of those players that elevated his play in the playoffs, and he almost always delivered. Pierce is retired, but Doc is still patrolling the sideline as he brings his 76ers team into the 2023 playoffs. Whether he will continue to do so next season will depend on the results, and it is one of many storylines from what is expected to be another intense period of basketball. In this article, we will preview and predict the first-round results in both conferences.

Eastern Conference

1. Milwaukee Bucks versus 7. Miami Heat or 10. Chicago Bulls
The final play-in game is still to be played, but my prediction is that the Bulls will topple the Heat. The Heat looked like the worst team in the play-in tournament, lacking energy and appearing to be tuning out Erik Spoelstra. The Bulls won all three matchups in the regular season including two on the road in Miami. However, I don’t think the Bulls will be able to beat Milwaukee in the first round. The good news for the Bulls was that they split the season series 2-2, and Patrick Beverley has given the team an edge since he departed from the Lakers. I just believe Giannis will be too much for the Bulls and Heat to handle in the first round, and the Bucks are too deep for either opponent. If Miami can win and find its way, they may have enough experience to challenge the Bucks.
In either scenario, I have the Bucks winning in 6.

2. Boston Celtics versus 8. Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks played their best game of the year against the Miami Heat on Tuesday night. Trae Young had a complete game by scoring 25 points, seven assists, and eight rebounds as the team pulled off the upset. The Hawks’ weakness is defense, and the Heat failed to operate an efficient offense. The Boston Celtics dominated the season series 3-0 in the regular season, and I think this is a bad matchup for the Hawks. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown will be rested, and they should see this as an opportunity to win quickly before a grueling second-round matchup against the 76ers. I think the key to the series for the Celtics is rebounding because Clint Capella dominated the Heat with 21 rebounds. I think Rob Williams and Al Horford will make the rebounding close, and the Celtics win.
Celtics win in 5 games.

3. Philadelphia 76ers versus 6. Brooklyn Nets
The Nets’ roster has drastically changed from the start of the season, and the expectations have changed. It is a young team led by Mikal Bridges and Cam Thomas, and they will benefit from dipping their toes in the postseason as a unit. The 76ers go into this series as heavy favorites. Joel Embiid appears to be the front-runner for MVP after a brilliant regular season and scoring 33.1 points per game. The pressure will be on James Harden to deliver in the playoffs and to propel his team to a deep playoff run. The Sixers won the regular season 4-0, and I don’t expect the Nets to be able to win more than a game.
Sixers win in 5 games

4. Cleveland Cavaliers versus 5. New York Knicks
This matchup between the Cavaliers and Knicks will be the most intriguing series in the Eastern Conference first round. The Knicks had the chance of trading for Donavan Mitchell but was reportedly reluctant to trade RJ Barrett and the plethora of first-round picks. The Knicks won three of the four matchups in the regular season. However, the two teams play a slow-paced style, and the series is poised to be a grind-it-out matchup. The series will be decided by whether Jalen Brunson or Mitchell can elevate their teams in a tight contest. It is a 50-50 matchup, but I have the Knicks winning on the road over the Cavaliers in an exciting series.
The Knicks win in 7 games.
Western Conference

1. Denver Nuggets versus 8. Minnesota Timberwolves or 10. Oklahoma City Thunder
Minnesota had a good showing on Tuesday against the Lakers despite the turmoil surrounding the team. The Thunder are a young team with better chemistry, and Shai Gilgreous Alexander is leading from the front. I was disappointed in the disastrous performance of Anthony Edwards on Tuesday night. I predict the Thunder to win the final play-in game, but the Nuggets will be too much for them in the first round. Outside of Chris Paul, I believe Nikola Jokic is under the most pressure to win entering the playoffs. Denver should be the favorite entering this series. Denver is finally healthy after several seasons of missing key players like Michael Porter Jr and Jamal Murray. The trio will be too much firepower for the Timberwolves or the Thunder.
The Nuggets win in 5 games.

2. Memphis Grizzlies versus 7. Los Angeles Lakers
This will be a headline matchup of the first round because of the attention that Lebron brings to basketball. The Lakers won two of the three regular-season matchups. The Lakers have been the best team in the West after the trade deadline, and Anthony Davis has been on a tear with the new-look roster. My concern with the Lakers is whether they have enough offense to match their defense. Malik Beasley is their best three-point shooter, and Darvin Ham will need to play him more to be an outside threat. However, I think Ja Morant will be the best player in the series, and the Lakers will not be able to contain his play. Jaren Jackson will also be key to slowing down Anthony Davis with Steven Adams and Brandon Clarke out due to injury. I think the Grizzlies will play with an edge because many see them losing this series, and game seven at home will be the deciding factor.
The Grizzlies win in 7 games.

3. Sacramento Kings versus 6. Golden State Warriors
If you love offense, then this is the series to watch. It will be a matchup between Steve Kerr and his former assistant, Mike Brown. Brown is the deserving winner of the Coach of the Year award after leading the Kings back to the playoffs for the first time since 2005. Brown has propelled the Kings to become the best offense in the league, and the Warriors have previously led the league in this category for years. The Warriors won three of the four matchups in the regular season. The biggest question about the Warriors is whether they can overcome their road woes from the regular season after going 11-30. It will be interesting to see if the reigning champs can integrate Andrew Wiggins back into the lineup after missing 22 games due to family reasons. I think the Warriors will prevail against the young team because Steph Curry will dominate a team that is weak defensively.
The Warriors win in 6 games.

4. Phoenix Suns 5. Los Angeles Clippers
This series has the making of an all-time classic because it pits Kevin Durant against Kawhi Leonard. The Suns’ biggest challenge from this series is whether this team can click into gear after such a short span as a unit. The Suns and Clippers split their season series 2-2, but the complexion of the rosters changed during the year. Chris Paul will be under the microscope because he will be tested on both ends of the floor to deliver under pressure with the attention on Durant and Devin Booker. I would feel better about the Clippers’ chances if Paul George is healthy, but there is uncertainty about whether he will feature in the matchup. It will be a brilliant matchup, but I have the Suns winning barely in Game 7.
The Suns win in 7 games.