NBA Conference Finals Preview

Here we go. The Conference finals are now set for the National Basketball Association. Whoever walks out from these two remaining series will get their shot at the Larry O'Brien Trophy for being the best team in all of basketball. Its the matchups that everybody wanted and had everybody talking. Its the clash of the titans in the Western Conference finals, while the East has a rematch of last season. So lets not waste anymore time, here's how we see the conference finals going down.

First up its the Eastern Conference Finals as the second seeded Boston Celtics take on the fourth seeded Cleveland Cavaliers. For the fourth straight year, and eight time overall, the Cavaliers are in the Eastern Conference finals. They got here by beating Indiana in seven games, followed by a sweep of Toronto. This marks the eight straight year that LeBron James has played in the Conference finals. Cleveland is 119-97 lifetime in the playoffs. As for Boston, this marks the 35th time that the Celtics have reached the conference finals. They got there this year by beating Milwaukee in seven and Philadelphia in five. Boston is now 349-263 lifetime in the playoffs. This will be the eighth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Celtics winning four of the first seven meetings. Cleveland won two of the three meetings during the regular season/

Here's the dates and times for every game in this series:
May 13 3:30 pm Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Boston Celtics TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
May 15 8:30 pm Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Boston Celtics TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
May 19 8:30 pm Boston Celtics vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, Ohio
May 21 8:30 pm Boston Celtics vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, Ohio
May 23 8:30 pm Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Boston Celtics* TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
May 25 8:30 pm Boston Celtics vs. Cleveland Cavaliers* Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, Ohio
May 27 8:30 pm Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Boston Celtics* TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts

After getting a scare from the Pacers in the opening round, Cleveland looks to have found their stride. This coming after having almost a fire sale at the trade deadline. Cleveland dumped off Jae Crowder, Isiah Thomas and Dwayne Wade. In return, Cleveland brought in Larry Nance, Jordan Clarkson, Rodney Hood and George Hill. Yet despite it all, LeBron has played, well like LeBron. His playoff numbers are off the charts this year, averaging 34.3 points, 9.4 rebounds and 9.0 assists a game. To go along with that, he's shooting 55.3 percent from the field and delivering a slew of late-game heroics. LeBron is going to be in for a challenge in this series trying to go up agains Marcus Morris. Morris just did a fantastic job of Shutting down Ben Simmons in the last round. So LeBron is going to have to try and find a way to get past him to be a factor in this series. It isn't going to all fall on the King. JR Smith is going to have to step up and make an impact on this series much like he did against Toronto in the last round.

Meanwhile, Boston has been beaten up with Injuries this season. As the year has worn on, Boston has managed to lose Gordon Hayward at the beginning of the year and since late in the season, Kyrie Irving, Daniel Theis, Marcus Smart, Jaylen Brown and now Shane Larkin have all gone down at some point due top injury. Yet still Brad Stevens has managed to guide his team back to the conference finals for the 2nd straight year. Much like LeBron has done for the Cavs, Al Horford is going to have to do the same thing for the Celtics. He has to play at a level he never knew he could reach if Boston wants to hold out any hope of knocking off the Cavs. Its going to be on him, Morris and Jayson Tatum  to try and shut down the Beasts of the East from Cleveland.

Boston has a lot they can build on when they get both Hayward and Irving back next year. They will be even more of a battle tested and playoff experienced team. They have a good bunch, no denying that right now. What Brad Stevens has been able to do with this group is remarkable. But I think its going to be too much to deal with when facing the King. LeBron is going to be playing great, most of the playoffs has already been an indication of that. He needs his supporting cast to try and play close to his level to secure a victory in this round. They will get it.

Prediction: Cavaliers in 6!

In the Western Conference Finals we got the top seeded Houston Rockets taking on the second seeded Golden State Warriors. For the fourth straight year and tenth time in franchise history, the Warriors are in the Western Conference Finals. They got here by beating San Antonio in the opening round and New Orleans in round two, both series going five games. Golden State now sits at 1680148 lifetime in the playoffs. As for Houston, this marks the eight time ever that the team is playing in the Western Conference finals, their first appearance since 2015. Houston got here by beating Minnesota in the first round and Utah in the second round, both series ending in five games. Houston is 136-146 lifetime in the playoffs. This will be the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Warriors winning the first two meetings. Houston won two of the three meetings between these teams during the regular season.

Here's the dates and times of every game in this series:
May 14 9:00 pm Golden State Warriors vs. Houston Rockets Toyota Center, Houston, Texas
May 16 9:00 pm Golden State Warriors vs. Houston Rockets Toyota Center, Houston, Texas
May 20 8:00 pm Houston Rockets vs. Golden State Warriors Oracle Arena, Oakland, California
May 22 9:00 pm Houston Rockets vs. Golden State Warriors Oracle Arena, Oakland, California
May 24 9:00 pm Golden State Warriors vs. Houston Rockets* Toyota Center, Houston, Texas
May 26 9:00 pm Houston Rockets vs. Golden State Warriors* Oracle Arena, Oakland, California
May 28 9:00 pm Golden State Warriors vs. Houston Rockets* Toyota Center, Houston, Texas

This is the matchup everybody wanted and now we have it. Houston had the overhaul last summer, bringing in names like PJ Tucker and Chris Paul. Throw in a guy like Luc Mbah a Moute, who along with Tucker, have no problem being aggressive, switch friendly defenders. Having a style like that on defense could work quite well against a team that moves the ball around as well as Golden State does. Houston was the top scoring team in the playoffs this year, a big reason for that has been Chris Paul and James Harden. Harden has been playing at an MVP level most of the year and that hasn't stopped once the playoffs rolled around. As for CP3, he's showed flashes this year in the playoffs that he too, can be a dominating force in games. Just ask Utah, he dropped 41 points again in the 5th and deciding game in that series.

Houston is good, but they are going up against a loaded and battle tested Golden State team. They aren't the three time defending Western Conference champions for nothing. Trevor Ariza is going to have his hands full in this conference finals, having to defend against Kevin Durant. Much like CP3, Durant has been playing up to par and then some in the playoff this year. He's actually had to carry the bulk of the scoring for Golden State this year, which I really don't think he minds doing, he a big boy he can handle it. if Durant for some reason falters, the Warriors still have Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry, who are kinda good at playing basketball.

This has the feeling that it might be the year for Houston. I think that Paul and Harden will neutralize Curry and Thompson. So its going to come down to Durant and Ariza. Trevor has a tough task ahead of him but I think he might have just enough in the tank to be able to handle it. This is going to be an entertaining series that could go down to the wire.

Prediction: Rockets in 7!