NBA Playoffs Prediction: Eastern Conference (1st Round).
Miami Heat vs Atlanta Hawks: Heat in 7
After beating the Charlotte Hornets and Cleveland Cavaliers as a 9th seed, the Atlanta Hawks manage to get last playoff spot on the Eastern Conference. After their run last year to the Eastern Conference Finals only to lose to the defending champions, Milwaukee Bucks, the Atlanta Hawks is back again. They manage to keep most of the core that played in last year’s playoffs with some guys injured. And with these players, I think they can make it a series and force a Game 7 against the number one seed, Miami Heat. The Heat have been consistent throughout the 2022 regular season and suffer some injuries. With a healthy roster and home-court advantage, it is their series to take. I gave it to go all the way to Game 7 because of Trae Young’s clutch performance during the playoffs. But with the trio that just played in the NBA Finals two years ago in Butler, Adebayo, and Herro. Adding in a 3 and D player in P.J. Tucker, in which, played with the defending NBA Champions and Kyle Lowry who also played in the NBA Finals and an NBA Champion three years ago with the Toronto Raptors. The experience of these five players would be enough against the Atlanta Hawks, who had a pretty great experience of their own in last year’s playoff run.
Philadelphia 76ers vs Toronto Raptors: Sixers in 6
With an MVP-type season Joel Embiid is having and have a roster change that managed to trade Ben Simmons, who did not play any game for the Sixers in the 2021-2022 regular season and get in a triple-double and former MVP in James Harden, they finally get another offensive player but diminished their defense. They also let go of one of their good three-point shooter in Seth Curry. After the Sixers trade that they made before the deadline, they were able to secure the 4th seed and have the 5th seed Toronto Raptors as their first-round opponent. Toronto have been pretty good even though they only have 2 players left in that Raptors roster that won the 2019 NBA Championship. Fred VanVleet became and All-Star this year and Paskal Siakam consistently been playing great, I did not expect them to be seeded this high and was thinking they would have to play in the play-in games. The Raptors also made a move before the trade deadline acquiring Gary Trent Jr, who have been terrific with the Portland Trail Blazers. Also, the rookie they drafted, Scottie Barnes, have a great rookie season and is on the Rookie of the Year nomination. Nonetheless, I take the Sixers in 6, because of the duo of James Harden and Joel Embiid would be too much for the Raptors.
Milwaukee Bucks vs Chicago Bulls: Bucks in 5
As much as I love my Chicago Bulls, the defending NBA Champions will take this series. After revamping the roster before the season start getting DeMar DeRozan, Nickola Vucevic, Lonzo Ball, and Alex Caruso, no one believed that these new acquisitions would do anything during the 2021-2022 NBA Season. DeRozan-Levine-Vucevic trio were not on everyone’s radar and before the All-Star break the team were making waves in the league. DeRozan’s clutch and MVP-type performances, the Bulls were seen as a threat in the East. The downside with a great season is that the team have a losing record against the top teams. They weren’t able to hang with the top teams and even though they were doing great people, including me, were questioning how they would do in the playoffs. They were once on the top of the Eastern Conference standings and ended up as a 6th seed when the season ended. They are going up against the Bucks, the defending NBA Champions, with an intact core of Giannis, Middleton, Holiday, Brook Lopez, and Portis. With the Bulls having a hard time against quality opponents, I think the NBA Champions will take the series and finish it in 5 games.
Boston Celtics vs Brooklyn Nets: Nets in 7
Another series that I think will go to Game 7 in the first round of the playoffs. Boston Celtics have been great in the second half of the season. After the All-Star Game, they have the best record, the best offensive rating, and second in defensive rating. In short, they are on the role. With the emergence of Jayson Tatum to possibly as a Superstar/Franchise player along with his tandem with fellow young Celtic, Jaylen Brown who was an All-Star this year, the Celtics are a championship contender. Also, with Marcus Smart being in the conversation of Defensive Player of the Year, along with veterans Theiss, Horford, and a great bench, they would give any team a hard-fought series. This does not deserve to be a first-round match-up but with the Brooklyn Nets had to go through the play-in games and ended up in the 7th seed, the match-up comes in early. As a championship favorite at the beginning of the season, the Nets really did not lived-up to expectations as one of the greatest offensive trios of Durant-Irving-Harden did not work as well. They did not even have the games to work together with Irving’s policy issues and Durant’s injuries. Harden ended up being traded to the Sixers bringing Ben Simmons, another player that have not played due to personal issues or injuries. Simmons did not even play the rest of the season after being traded and was rumored of playing in the series. Whether Simmons plays in the series or not, I think the experience and talent of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving will be enough against the two All-Stars and DPOY candidate team of Tatum, Brown, and Smart. It will be an exciting series that I think will be decided in Game 7.
