First up, its the best team in the league, the Milwaukee Bucks taking on the eight seeded Orlando Magic. This marks the 4th straight playoff appearance for the Bucks, and the second year in a row they've had the best record in the Eastern Conference. This marks the 2nd straight playoff appearance for the Magic, finishing this year with the 2nd best record in their division. This marks the second time every that these two teams will have met in the playoffs, Milwaukee won the only prior meeting in 2001. The Bucks won all four games during the regular season.
Here's the dates and times for every game in this series:
August 18 1:30pm Orlando Magic vs. Milwaukee Bucks HP Field House
August 20 6:00pm Orlando Magic vs. Milwaukee Bucks HP Field House
August 22 1:00pm Milwaukee Bucks vs. Orlando Magic HP Field House
August 24 1:30pm Milwaukee Bucks vs. Orlando Magic HP Field House
August 26 TBD Orlando Magic vs. Milwaukee Bucks* TBD
August 28 TBD Milwaukee Bucks vs. Orlando Magic* TBD
August 30 TBD Orlando Magic vs. Milwaukee Bucks* TBD
Orlando finished the regular season seven games under .500 this year. And lets not take anything away from what the Magic have done this year. Evan Fournier, DJ Augistin, Markelle Fultz ohave been putting in the work for the Magic, to keep some of that going in Orlando. However, they're going up against the best team in the game in the Bucks. Giannis Antetokounmpo is playing, well, like Giannis Antetokounmpo. He's the best player in the game right now. And he has help from Brook Lopez and Khris Middelton. They made a statement in the opening round series win last year against the Pistons and they are going to do it again this year against the Magic.
Pick: Bucks in four!
Next up, its the second seeded, and defending NBA Champions, the Toronto Raptors, taking on the seventh seeded Brooklyn Nets. This marks the seventh straight playoff appearance, and sixth division title in seven years for the Raptors. This marks the 2nd straight playoff appearance for the Nets, first time since 2015 they've made the playoffs with a losing record. The Nets are looking for their first playoff series win since 2014. This is the third ever playoff meeting between the two teams, the Nets winning in 2007 and the Raptors won in 2014. Toronto won three of the four regular season meetings between the clubs.
Here's the dates and times for every game in this series:
August 17 4:00pm Brooklyn Nets vs. Toronto Raptors The Arena
August 19 1:30pm Brooklyn Nets vs. Toronto Raptors HP Field House
August 21 1:30pm Toronto Raptors vs. Brooklyn Nets HP Field House
August 23 6:30pm Toronto Raptors vs. Brooklyn Nets HP Field House
August 25 TBD Brooklyn Nets vs. Toronto Raptors* TBD
August 27 TBD Toronto Raptors vs. Brooklyn Nets* TBD
August 29 TBD Brooklyn Nets vs. Toronto Raptors* TBD
Who would have thought that the Nets would be in a place like this right now. With all the players that they had opt out of this season, the fact that they managed to hang on to the seven seed in this bubble is pretty impressive. Caris LeVert, Joe Harris and Jarrett Allen have really carried the Nets during this time, and they been playing some pretty good ball since the end of July. They facing a very tough and battle tested Champs in the Raptors. It a little different without Lenoard here, as he's with the Clippers. So with Kawai gone, Pascal Siakam, Kyle Lowry, Serge Ibaka and Fred VanVleet have stepped it up and haven't missed a beat from a season ago. And this is a Raptors team that's at full strength and playing just as good basketball.
Pick: Raptors in five!
Next up, its the three seeded Boston Celtics taking on the sixth seeded Philadelphia 76ers. This marks the 6th straight year and 12th time in the last 13 years that the Celtics are a playoff team. Its also the 2nd year the Celtics have won 48 or more games. As for the Sixers, this is the second straight playoff appearance, after six years in a row of missing the playoffs. Its also the 2nd of back to back fifty or more win seasons. This is the 22nd ever playoff meeting between the teams, with Boston winning 13 of the previous 21. Philadelphia won three of the four meetings between the teams this season.
Here's the date and times of every game in this series:
August 17 6:30pm Philadelphia 76ers vs. Boston Celtics HP Field House
August 19 6:30pm Philadelphia 76ers vs. Boston Celtics HP Field House
August 21 6:30pm Boston Celtics vs. Philadelphia 76ers HP Field House
August 23 1:00pm Boston Celtics vs. Philadelphia 76ers HP Field House
August 25 TBD Philadelphia 76ers vs. Boston Celtics* TBD
August 27 TBD Boston Celtics vs. Philadelphia 76ers* TBD
August 29 TBD Philadelphia 76ers vs. Boston Celtics* TBD
One of the big forces for the Sixers this year has been Joel Embiid, who at times this year has dominated games, almost in the same vain as Giannis has for the Bucks. Embiid has been great, and almost as good has been Tobias Harris and Ben Simmons. Both guys have been able to step in and provide support and have big games right up there with Embiid. Boston, though, is a deeper, more balanced team. Enes Kantor, Jason Taytum,m Gordon Haywayrd, and Marcus Smart have been carrying the Celtics most of this season. Boston is a well rounded club, and that's not to say that the Sixers aren't. But the Celtics are just the deeper team
Pick: Celtics in six!
Final matchup in the East is the fourth seeded Indiana Pacers taking on the fifth seeded Miami Heat. Indiana is in the playoffs for the 5th straight year and the 9th time in the last ten years. For the Heat, this marks the third time in the last six years they are a playoff team. Miami hasn't won a playoff series since 2016. This is the fifth ever playoff meeting between the two teams, with the Heat winning three of the previous four. Miami won three of the four meetings between the clubs during the regular season.
Here are the dates and times for every game in this series:
August 18 4:00pm Miami Heat vs. Indiana Pacers The Arena, Bay
August 20 1:00pm Miami Heat vs. Indiana Pacers HP Field House
August 22 3:30pm Indiana Pacers vs. Miami Heat The Arena, Bay
August 24 6:30pm Indiana Pacers vs. Miami Heat HP Field House
August 26 TBD Miami Heat vs. Indiana Pacers* TBD
August 28 TBD Indiana Pacers vs. Miami Heat* TBD
August 30 TBD Miami Heat vs. Indiana Pacers* TBD
The Pacers have had big players miss time due to injuries but managed to be able to hang onto the fourth seed in the Conference. Victor Oladipo has managed to get back on his game a little during this restart. TJ Warren has managed to be able to find a stride a little here down the stretch. Miami Can match that with the play of Goran Dragic and Jimmy Butler. Indiana has a pretty good team coming off the bench, but they aren't as healthy as the depth squad coming out of Miami.
Pick: Heat in six!
To the Western Conference we go. We start it off with the top seeded Los Angeles Lakers taking on the eight seeded Portland Trail Blazers. This is the first playoff appearance and winning season for the Lakers since 2013. It's also the first time they've had the top seed in the West since 2010. This marks the 7th straight playoff appearance for Portland, with this 8th place finish being the lowest they've had since 2017. This marks the 12th ever playoff meeting between the two teams, with the Lakers having won nine of the previous eleven. The Lakers won two of the three regular season meetings between the teams.
Here are the date and times of the games in this series:
August 18 9:00pm Portland Trail Blazers vs. Los Angeles Lakers The Arena
August 20 9:00pm Portland Trail Blazers vs. Los Angeles Lakers The Arena
August 22 8:30pm Los Angeles Lakers vs. Portland Trail Blazers The Arena
August 24 9:00pm Los Angeles Lakers vs. Portland Trail Blazers The Arena
August 26 TBD Portland Trail Blazers vs.. Los Angeles Lakers* TBD
August 28 TBD Los Angeles Lakers vs. Portland Trail Blazers* TBD
August 30 TBD Portland Trail Blazers vs. Los Angeles Lakers* TBD
There's a reason why the Lakers are the best team in the West, they're loaded. LeBron and Anthony Davis have been the anchors on this team and they've had pretty good support. Kyle Kuzma, Markiff Morris, Dion Waiters, JaVal McGee have all been productive. Portland can match with how hot Damian Lillard has been in the return to play. Him and CJ McCollum have both come up huge since play came back at the end of July. With the way Portland has been playing as of late, they are going to make it a little more interesting, but at the end of the day, the Lakers are going to be too good
Pick: Lakers in Four!
Next up, its the second seeded Los Angeles Clippers taking on the seventh seeded Dallas Mavericks. The Clippers missed the playoffs last year, but this is the seventh time in the last eight years that LA has made the playoffs.They're looking for their first playoff win since 2015. As for Dallas, this marks the first time they've made the playoffs since 2016. Dallas hasn't won a playoff series since winning the NBA title over the Heat in 2011. This is the first ever playoff meeting between the two teams. Los Angeles won all three meetings during the regular season.
Here's the date and times for every game in this series:
August 17 9:00pm Dallas Mavericks vs. Los Angeles Clippers The Arena
August 19 9:00pm Dallas Mavericks vs. Los Angeles Clippers The Arena
August 21 9:00pm Los Angeles Clippers vs. Dallas Mavericks The Arena
August 23 3:30pm Los Angeles Clippers vs. Dallas Mavericks The Arena
August 25 TBD Dallas Mavericks vs. Los Angeles Clippers* TBD
August 27 TBD Los Angeles Clippers vs. Dallas Mavericks* TBD
August 29
TBD
Dallas Mavericks vs. Los Angeles Clippers* TBD
Dallas has two big men they're trying to build around and this will be a great test for both of them. Luka Doncic has been a star in Dallas and now gets a chance to really shine come this time of year. Him and Kristaps Porzingis really get a chance to show what they can do. Throw in Tim Hardaway Jr and Dallas may have something cooking. They're going up against a Clippers team lead by Kawhi Leonard, who showed last year that he can really step his game up at this time of year. Him, Paul George and Patrick Beverly have been pretty much unstoppable at times this year and its going to be an uphill battle for Dallas.
Pick: Clippers in five!
Next up its the three seeded Denver Nuggets taking on the six seeded Utah Jazz. Denver has made the playoffs for the second year in a row, after missing the playoffs for four straight years. The Nuggets are looking to build off last years second round appearance. Utah has made the playoffs for the fourth year in a row and is looking for its first win in the playoffs since 2018. This marks the fifth playoff meeting between the two teams, with Utah winning three of the first four. Denver won all three meetings between the teams during the regular season.
Here's the date and times for every game in this series:
August 17 1:30pm Utah Jazz vs Denver Nuggets HP Field House
August 19 4:00pm Box score Utah Jazz vs. Denver Nuggets The Arena
August 21 4:00pm Box score Denver Nuggets vs. Utah Jazz The Arena
August 23 9:00pm Box score Denver Nuggets vs. Utah Jazz The Arena
August 25 TBD Box score Utah Jazz vs. Denver Nuggets* TBD
August 27 TBD Box score Denver Nuggets vs. Utah Jazz* TBD
August 29 TBD Box score Utah Jazz vs. Denver Nuggets* TBD
This is going to be a battle between Rudy Gobert and Nikola Jokic. Jokic has been pretty good this season and has gotten support from PJ Dozier and Jamal Murray. It takes a team effort, which is why they are the third best team in the West. But the combination of Gobert and Donavan Mitchell are going to be very tough to try and contain in this series. This maybe the most balanced of the series of the Western Conference and is going to be fun to watch.
Pick: Nuggets in Six!
Finally, we have the fourth seeded Houston Rockets taking on the fifth seeded Oklahoma City Thunder. Houston has won the Southwest division for the 3rd year in a row and this marks the eighth year in a row they have made the playoffs. Houston is looking to win a round for the 3rd year in a row. Oklahoma City has now made the playoffs for the tenth time in their twelve year history in OKC. This is the fifth year in a row for the Thunder in the playoffs. OKC is looking for their first playoff series win since 2016. This is the ninth ever playoff meeting between the teams with OKC winning six of the previous eight. The Thunder won two of the three meetings between the teams this season.
Here's the date and times for every game in this series:
August 18 6:30pm Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Houston Rockets HP Field House
August 20 1:00pm Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Houston Rockets The Arena
August 22 3:30pm Houston Rockets vs. Oklahoma City Thunder HP Field House
August 24 4:00pm Houston Rockets vs. Oklahoma City Thunder The Arena
August 26 TBD Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Houston Rockets* TBD
August 28 TBD Houston Rockets vs. Oklahoma City Thunder* TBD
August 30 TBD Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Houston Rockets* TBD
Chris Paul has been a big factor for OKC this year, and is playing at a star level. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander stepped it up during the return to play games and has taken a little bit of pressure off Paul during the eight games. But they have to go up against the dynamic duo of Russell Westbrook and James Harden for Houston. Sure, Westbrook is missing time coming back from injruies, and if Houston can keep the small ball play going, they don't have to rush back Westbrook. But if the Thunder start taking early command of the series, then who knows.
Pick: Rockets in seven!
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