Hello Smash fans, I hope you all are having a great day. As the playoffs approach I wanted to take a look at the playoff picture and give my predictions for who is going to win each conference and ultimately the NBA Finals. So in this week’s article, we are going to go through The East and talk through that side of the bracket this week.
Quarterfinals
76ers vs the Wizards/Pacers
This matchup is fairly straightforward. No matter who the 76ers face in the first round, they will make quick work of them winning in four to five games with little to no problem. Philadelphia is not only more talented than the other two teams, but they are also better coached, so my prediction is 76ers in 5 regardless of who they play.
Nets vs Celtics
Now, there is no doubt about who is going to win this series. The Celtics are not only injured but also severy outmanned. Boston has no chance at all to win this series. Honestly, for them to even win one game would require an all time great performance from Jayson Tatum. With that in mind, I would say Brooklyn is going to sweep the Celtics.
Bucks vs Heat
This matchup is close, but not as close as it was last year. The Heat were never able to find a grove this season and that shows with their 6th seed finish. Add that to the fact that the Bucks got better both offensively and defensively with the additions of Bobby Portis and Jrew Holiday, and the Bucks are in a much better position than they were last year. This being said, I do believe the Heat can take a few games, so I am going to say Milwaukee in 6.
Hawks vs Nicks
This will be by far the best series in the first round in the Eastern Conference side of the bracket. This series will not only be entertaining but also just fascinating to watch as we are getting two teams on the fourth and fifth seed that play two totally different types of basketball. The Hawks with their fast pace, star focused, heavily offensive style of play vs the grit and grind, defense first mentality of the Nicks, I do believe the series will be tight. However, I believe the Knicks style of play is more suited for the playoffs which will allow them to achieve victory in a hard fought seven game series.
Simi Finals
76ers vs Nicks
This is once again an easy series for Philadifia. New York may play hard, but they don’t have the star power to match up with the 76ers. Unless Derrick Rose finds his MVP form during the series, I see the 76ers winning this series in a pretty easy 6.
Bucks vs Nets
Now I believe that the bucks are going to win this series, which may seem outlandish at first, but let me explain. Right now, the Bucks have three players they can put on the Nets big three. You stick Giannis on KD, you stick Middleton on Harden, and you stick Jrue Holiday on Kyrie. Now, this won’t stop any of the three players, but if you can force those big three to combine for 70 points a game, that is a winnable matchup. This is especially true when you consider that there is no one on that team who can even attempt to slow down Giannis on that team. I feel as if they can hold the Nets to under 120 points a game, and there is no way the Nets can do the same with Milwaukee. With that in mind, I am going to say Bucks in seven.
Eastern Conference Finals
Bucks Vs 76ers
Now there are just two, and I believe this series is going to be just a great one. I feel these two teams match up really well with each other, and I think that this series is going to go to seven games. However, I believe that playoff experience is going to win in the end, and I believe that the addition of Jrue Holiday will be able to push the Bucks over the top and allow them to achieve their first Eastern Conference championship in almost half a century
Thank you Smash Fans for reading until the end. If you want to talk about this topic or any other topic sports-related, please email me or text me using the information on the contact page. If you want to support me even more, please consider following my Spotify as well as subscribing to my Youtube channel and blog for weekly podcasts and articles. Until next time, PD Smash signing off